Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 45, 2021)

Welcome to Africa Now, your weekly newsletter for Africa, presenting the most important developments in the continent - news that matters.

COMMENTARY

State of Emergency declared in Ethiopia

Rebels from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region continues their assault as they are edging closer to Addis Ababa, the capital. The Tigrayans, who have been fighting the government for the past year, have joined forces with another rebel group as they advance on the capital. This has forced Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, to declare a state of emergency [2]. Under the state of emergency, the president has sweeping powers to arrest and detain critics, impose curfews and restrict the news media. Meanwhile, US President Biden has revoked all the trade privileges for Ethiopia, including duty-free access to the United States [3] and the US embassy in Addis Ababa urged its citizen to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible [4]. The United Nations Security Council also expressed its deep concern [5] concerning the expansion and intensification of military clashes. While PM of Ethiopia said that he would defeat the rebels with “the bones and blood of her children [6]”, the world leaders should try, with a determined mix of pressure and persuasion to prevent Africa’s second-most-populous country from going the way of Yugoslavia.

NEWS

Removed Sudan PM demands gov’t reinstatement amid world mediation

Sudan’s deposed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the reinstatement of his government, dissolved in a military coup, could pave the way to a solution in the country. Click here to read... [7]

Somalia gives African Union envoy seven days to leave country

Somalia has asked the African Union Commission (AUC) representative in the country to leave within a week after declaring him persona non grata. Click here to read... [8]

Algeria and Morocco: The Conflict on Europe’s Doorstep

The relationship between Morocco and Algeria over leadership in North Africa could have direct implications for Spain. Click here to read... [9]

Africa-France Summit 2021: A Real Revival or a Trick?

On October 8–9, the New Africa-France 2021 Summit was held in Montpellier. Partially covered by French mainstream media, the event was nevertheless quite important and telling as far as the Franco-African relations are concerned. Click here to read... [10]

Biden suspends Ethiopia, Guinea and Mali from AGOA

Ethiopia is one of three African countries – alongside coup-hit Guinea and Mali – which will lose access to the scheme, which provides tariff-free access to the US market for African manufacturers, from January 1st. Click here to read... [11]

Egypt to move govt to new administrative capital in Dec

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has instructed the government to move offices to the new administrative capital, being built some 50 km east of the capital Cairo. Click here to read... [12]

South Africa’s ruling ANC party records worst poll result

South Africa’s voters have delivered a significant rebuke to the governing African National Congress, which got less than 50 percent of ballots cast in local government elections. Click here to read... [13]

Chinese nationals kidnapped in Mali rescued

The three Chinese nationals who were kidnapped in Mali have been rescued on Monday and are in good health conditions. Click here to read... [14]

Gambia Clocks 70 Years of Multiparty Elections

It is exactly 70 years since The Gambia held her first multiparty elections. In November 1951, the Gambia Democratic Party of late Rev. J.C. Faye, amongst others contested elections. Click here to read... [15]

INDIA IN AFRICA

MoS Murleedharan in Gambia, inks two agreements

MV. Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, who was on a state visit to The Gambia, inked two agreements. Click here to read... [16]

MoS Muraleedharan Meets Gambian Foreign Minister

MoS V. Muraleedharan on Tuesday met with Gambian Foreign Minister, Dr Mamadou Tangara and addressed a wide range of issues. Click here to read... [17]

Visiting Indian External Affairs minister harps on Gambia-India relations

MV. Muraleedharan, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, who was on a state visit to The Gambia, has talked to The Point about the bilateral relations between The Gambia and India. Click here to read... [18]

Air forces of India and Egypt conduct two-day joint exercise

Air forces of India and Egypt conducted a two-day exercise, called 'Desert Warrior', at the latter's El Berigat airbase to enhance mutual understanding and share operational experience. Click here to read... [19]

Government Of Ghana Completes Takeover of AirtelTigo

The transaction implies that AirtelTigo would now operate as a state-owned entity of the Government of Ghana. Click here to read... [20]

Airtel Africa completes the sale of its Madagascar unit to Helios

The telecom group Airtel Africa PLC announced that it has finalized the sale of its Madagascar-based telecommunications tower company to Helios Towers Plc. Click here to read... [21]