Politics of Security and Conflict Issues
West Africa: Nigeria has begun campaigning for the UN Security Council seat. On its domestic front Nigerian Militants from three different camps turned in their arms in appreciation of the amnesty package offered by President Umar Musa Yar'Adua. In the aftermath of religious violence in the North, there has been an initiative by 19 governors from the region to monitor the activities of all religious groups, to forestall a recurrence of the Boko Haram menace. Also the country has reiterated its pledge to contribute troops to peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, while a batch of its peace keeping battalion has just returned from Liberia.
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) has voiced concerns about threat to the recent ceasefi
re it declared consequent upon the release of its leader, Henry Okah by the Federal Government.Government in Ghana has made efforts to facilitate the Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee. Also the prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone has urged the Liberian Government to go after the millions of dollars allegedly pocketed by former Liberian President convicted by the ICC, Charles Taylor.
South Africa: A Task Force on corruption is continuing to investigate former president Fredrick Chiluba's involvement in an arms deal in which Zambia lost US$20 million. The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) in Zimbabwe has accused the State of selective application of law, where violence against its supporters has gone unchecked.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: Former South African President Thabo Mbeki is chairing an AU panel charged with helping to bring peace to Darfur by making recommendations as an alternative to the ICC indictments, while a joint AU-UN peace keeping operation in Darfur also convened a round table discussion. Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba has recently been appointed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as overall Force Commander for the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). While the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur has established a gender crime special investigations unit.
‘Qadi courts’ have been under debate in the Kenyan constitution. Also a new law on the ‘state of emergency’ has been approved in Somalia, with vague implications for strife wreaked Mogadishu. While More Ethiopian troops have reached Hiran region in central Somalia, just as heavy fighting is continuing in parts of the region. Suspected Islamist insurgents stormed a U.N. aid compound in southern Somalia while the radical Islamist group Hizbul Islam has threatened to double attacks against the country's transitional government during Ramadhan.
While President Museveni of Uganda has advised against allowing foreigners to buy large chunks of land in order to grow food.
Central Africa: Rwandese forces gear up for the 2nd edition of the All Africa Military Games set for September in Nigeria. Court summons have been dispatched for former State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education in Rwanda, to explain his alleged role in a tender scam.
Human Rights and Social Issues in Domestic Politics
West Africa: Ghana’s news paper ‘Public Agenda’ has won the Human Rights Award instituted by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in the 14th GJA ceremony.
South Africa: The Independent Development Trust (IDT) annual community dialogue on social cohesion is a platform to discuss support for the African Union through international African Diaspora.
South African President Jacob Zuma's the country's fourth democratic president is targeting the racially skewed pattern of land ownership inherited from apartheid and the alleviation of rural poverty, in an effort to rectify land and agrarian reform. While a mammoth draft bill on child care and protection is nearing completion in Namibia. While in Zimbabwe it has been announced that diamonds will not be banned despite Human Rights Abuses. The Human Rights Associations Forum (FADH) in Mozambique has reiterated police abuses in the country.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: Signs are emerging of some narrowing of differences over the sharing of Nile waters, amidst discussions of how threats such as climate change, trans-boundary disputes and the negative fallout from military conflicts are impacting an already water scarce continent. The general secretary of the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) pointed out how Africa contributing least to the emissions causing climate change, is hardest hit by their effects.
The arrest and commencement of court proceedings against two Uganda Newspaper editors has drawn wide condemnation. While the East African Community has asserted that the army should be out of Parliament and the presidential term limits in all the five partner states be included in the new EA Treaty. The first batch of refugees in a critically overcrowded Kenyan camp has been relocated by the UN.
Central Africa: 27 Rwandese women were convicted for genocide The United Nations refugee agency has highlighted the plight of a group of over 2,000 displaced civilians who are living in a remote area of northern Central African Republic (CAR).
The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the DR Congo is providing medical assistance to the victims of a recent deadly attack by armed militiamen.
Health, Environment and Domestic Politics
West Africa: The Nigerian Government has spent N200 Million on natural disasters' victims. Also enhanced management of sickle cell disorders in the country has been made possible with the official commissioning of a state-of-the-art laboratory for pre-natal DNA analysis.
While in Lagos, Nigeria people are demanding compensation for the damages caused following the deposition of alleged toxic sludge. Also the Federal Government has approved a set of guidelines to govern the deployment of resources from the Ecological Fund to implement projects aimed at checking environmental degradation.
Reportedly 1 billion people live in Africa and are expected to double in number by 2050.
South Africa: In South Africa as panic over swine flu continues to mount, health experts say TB is still the most serious threat facing the country. While in Zimbabwe five schoolchildren have contracted the deadly swine flu virus.
Mozambique's Council of Ministers has approved two major projects for the production of bio-fuels, as part of Government's strategy to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. In Nigeria too Ekiti State Governor has donated land for an Ethanol project to Chinese investors along these lines. While a leading sustainable energy researcher has proposed over hauling South Africa’s industrial policy if the country is to address the close correlation between economic growth and fossil fuel consumption.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: As calm returns to Northern Uganda, people in IDP camps for over 20 years have begun to return to their homes and have encroached on forest land causing problems for environment protection agencies. Also members of Parliament in the country have suggested that HIV/Aids testing and counseling be made compulsory. While Lake Victoria pollution has put 40 million people at risk.
Malaria remains a huge obstacle to national development in Tanzania and is a key target in policies.
Central Africa: In Senegal new arrests and convictions for same-sex relations been met with outrage by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLH) Rwanda is on alert as Swine Flu Strikes DRC.
A steering committee for Congo’s Basin Forest was created this month in the Conference of Dense Forest and Humid Ecosystems of Central Africa (CEFDHAC). While the UN Ambassador for the year of the Gorilla has called for protection of mountain Gorillas in Rwanda saying they play a vital role in the protection of the environment.
Political Economy
West Africa: Namibia's participation at the World Expo 2010 has been launched; a platform to boast the country's image as a destination for investment, trade and tourism. While calling for local help the Chinese government has reiterated its commitment to quality product export.
Private Networks Nigeria Limited (PNN), a leading Pan-African technology service, has announced plans to provide 100% visibility in the country through solar powered lights. The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has been hit by a major fuel shortage.
South Africa: South Africa and the oil-rich Angola have signed a number of trade agreements including cooperation in the oil sector, following major bilateral talks.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: A leading manufacturer of electrical products in Kenya, Power Technics Limited, is seeking to up its alternative energy products amidst power rationing in the country. Also the government of Norway has given Uganda a grant worth shs78 billion to support its Oil sector.
Central Africa: The fight to control Congo’s mineral wealth is a key driver of violent conflict in the country. The recent killing of civilians near the Bisie cassiterite mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a stark reminder.
While the European Union has agreed to finance studies of the mechanisms and modalities of the joint exploitation of methane gas from Lake Kivu for Rwanda and the DR Congo. The joint extraction is expected to generate 200 megawatts of energy.
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.
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