West Africa:
China and
Togo last week agreed to work together to upgrade the relations between their two militaries. Meanwhile The European Union has applauded ECOWAS progress in the
formation of a Stand-by force envisaged for 2010 as a precursor to the proposed Africa Standby force.
In the wake of recent attacks on
Nigerians in the
Bakassi Peninsula by
Cameroonian gendarmes, the
Nigerian House of Representatives has advised the federal government to formally report to the United Nations Organization (UN), the African Union (AU) and other relevant bodies in a bid to compel
Cameroon to abide by the Green Tree Agreement (GTA).
Meanwhile the supremacy tussle between the
Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives that prevented President Umaru Musa Yar'adua from presenting the 2010 budget last week lingers on with both chambers refusing to shift ground on the issue of venue for the event.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: A new draft constitution in
Kenya is being termed as the most ambitious in the region's independence history. Power in the country will be divided between a president and a prime minister under the new constitution. It also proposes suspending all High Court and Court of Appeal judges and re-admitting only those cleared of corruption.
Meanwhile the
Ethiopian government has dismissed claims by Ogaden rebels to have captured seven towns in the oil rich
Somali region located in south eastern of
Ethiopia.
Central Africa: The president of Ibuka, an umbrella body of Genocide survivors' associations, has threatened to cease cooperation with the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (ICTR) for what the group described as "unfair judgment" in two cases where top Genocide suspects were acquitted. Also the United Nations has welcomed the recent arrest in
Germany of top leaders of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du
Rwanda (FDLR), and urged other nations to follow suit. Meanwhile the UN's Eminent Group of Expert’s report on rebel militias in the
DRC is expected to reveal
Spanish and
French connections to the FDLR militia.
Cambodian Troops have arrived to bolster the United Nations mission set up to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid in
Chad and
Central African Republic (CAR).
HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN DOMESTIC POLITICS
West Africa: For the 14th year in a row,
Botswana was ranked as being the least corrupt country in Africa according to Transparency International’s Annual
Corruption Perception Index (CPI). Meanwhile an International Commission of Inquiry has been set up to probe September's violent crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in
Guinea. Also the Eighth African Regional Conference on Women was held last month in
Gambia and attracted over 53 African Countries.
Nigerian Media chiefs led by the former Lagos State governor and veteran journalist Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande have insisted on the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) in the country, claiming it to be the only way to achieve sustainable democracy.
South Africa: in
Zimbabwe the MDC has accused ZANU PF of mobilizing its militia to intimidate the electorate into accepting the controversial Kariba Draft constitution. Meanwhile the United Nations refugee agency has condemned the latest xenophobic attacks that have driven some 3,000 foreigners, including refugees and asylum-seekers from a community in
South Africa.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: The United Nations has called for curbs on land sale in Africa, proposing public consent in the matter. Meanwhile the
Sudanese government has made arrangements for its nationals in Diaspora to be able to register and participate in the 2010 elections from
South Africa, Kenya and
Uganda.
In
Somalia a woman sentenced by an Islamic court under the al-Shabaab militant group was stoned to death for adultery. Also according to reports
Djibouti has forcibly repatriated
Somali refugees to the war-torn capital,
Mogadishu.
Central Africa: Renewed clashes in northwestern
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have led to a further wave of refugees fleeing the region.
In
Rwanda according to a judicial representative in a major campaign to clear the image of judicial institutions the judiciary has expelled 25 members of staff involved in corruption and indiscipline since 2007. Also the
Rwandan parliament has ratified the African Union protocol on preventing and combating terrorism.
HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND DOMESTIC POLITICS
West Africa: The United State's President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has increased funding for HIV/AIDS in Africa from $2.3 billion in 2004 to $6.6 billion in 2009.
Energy experts, environmentalists, and security operatives met in
Nigeria last week to fashion out how to detect oil spillage in the marine waters of the country.
Ten
Nigerian pilgrims were quarantined at the infectious diseases hospital, Jedda for suspected swine flu (H1N1). Also in
Nigeria about 20 people have lost their lives and over 2,000 have been hospitalized following a cholera outbreak. Meanwhile health officials have confirmed three cases of yellow fever in
Côte d'Ivoire's northwest Denguélé region.
South Africa: The FIFA World Cup, world's biggest single sporting event, to be held in
South Africa is being used as a platform to create HIV/AIDS awareness.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: A new bill on radioactive material and equipment for the five
EAC member states is in the process of being formulated.
POLITICAL ECONOMYWest Africa: At the 4th ministerial conference of the
Sino-Africa Forum, China pledged $10 billion in concessional loans for the African continent to be received over the next three years. Also following the success of an amnesty programme in the
Niger Delta region, a firm, Dag Group Germany/United Kingdom has revealed plans to invest $30 billion on human and infrastructural development in the region
The 13th UNCTAD's African Oil, Gas, Minerals, Trade and Finance Conference was held in
Mali last month focusing on the critical role information can play in the natural-resource sector.
South Africa:
South Africa could have its first nuclear power plant by the year 2020 if Cabinet approves a proposal expected to be put forward by the Ministry of Energy.
Zambia has recorded reduced poverty levels from 80 to 64 percent midway through the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) however the country failed to achieve the target average economic growth rate.
East Africa/Horn of Africa: The
Southern African Development Community (SADC),
East African Community (EAC) and
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) who jointly agreed to form a free trade area in October 2008 and have now developed a long overdue roadmap.
NORTH AFRICAThe rivalry between the
North Africa neighbors,
Egypt and
Algeria has heightened beyond the fight for a place in the 2010 soccer event in South Africa. The
Egyptian ambassador to
Algeria has been recalled in a twist of a political feud, following the violence that erupted from the football rivalry.
Algerian authorities are planning to introduce a draft resolution in the UN Security Council to ban the practice of paying ransoms to terrorist groups. Meanwhile
Libyan authorities have began the repatriation of hundreds of
Nigerian Tuareg rebel fighters, the latest sign of progress in pacifying
Niger's north after two years of revolt.
Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' The blog development project has been undertaken and jointly developed by the
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