POLITICS OF SECURITY AND CONFLICT ISSUES
West Africa: In Ghana the Electoral Commission is expected to register about 180,000 new voters during the 10-d
ay Revision of the Voters Register in the Western Region. Meanwhile the Volta Regional Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and their Constituency Chairmen have disengaged themselves from a group purporting to propose former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings as a NDC flag bearer for the 2012 Election. In a statement released they deemed the proposal as premature and likely to create unnecessary tension and division within the party. They also reaffirmed the region's total ‘unflinching’ support for President John Evans Attah Mills towards actuating the "Better Ghana" agenda.
The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) reports that disarmament and demobilization of 600 former combatants has begun in the northern, rebel-held town of Korhogo.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) dispatched 200 Election Observers to Guinea Conakry where the presidential elections were held on June 27, 2010.
Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said that although the nation may not meet the deadline set for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in 2015, she is grateful to the World Bank and its partners for positively helping to alleviate poverty on the African continent.
Central Africa: An official of Burundi’s national police has dismissed as “rumor” reports that security agents want to arrest Agathon Rwasa, leader of the main opposition National Forces of Liberation (FNL) party. But, Jean Bosco Habyarimana, spokesman of the FNL, said agents of the intelligence police in civilian clothes went to the opposition leader’s house, sealed it off and then attempted to enter it by force. This comes a day after leaders of a coalition of opposition parties called on their supporters to boycott the 28th June presidential election. Several opposition groups, including the FNL, pulled out of the upcoming presidential election after accusing the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) of being biased towards incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ruling CNDD-FDD party – a charge both the ruling party and CENI deny.
Meanwhile in Rwanda Lawmaker, Francis Kaboneka, has urged members of all religious groups to massively participate in the forthcoming presidential elections slated for August 9.
The top United Nations envoy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) paid tribute to a group of Senegalese blue helmets last week who were the first batch of peacekeepers to leave the country in line with the recent decision by the Security Council to alter the UN mission there. The Council last month agreed to transform the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUC) into a stabilization mission in the coming weeks, authorizing the withdrawal of up to 2,000 UN military personnel - from an existing strength of 19,815 - by 30 June from areas where security has improved enough to allow their removal. It also authorized the new operation, which will be known as the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), to stay in the country until 30 June 2011.
The Ugandan army says at least 10 of its soldiers were killed in the Central African Republic last month while chasing Lord's Resistance Army rebels. Ugandan newspapers report the army chief has ruled out an attack by the LRA, placing the blame instead on Sudanese militiamen. Ugandan forces have been pursuing LRA fighters across the CAR, southern Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo since December 2008.
Southern Africa: The former chief of staff of the Rwandan army and a leading critic of President Paul Kagame was shot and wounded last week in South Africa, where he lives in exile. His wife called the incident a Rwandan-backed assassination attempt, a charge the Kigali government dismissed as "preposterous."
According to a Zimbabwean political analyst, Zimbabweans appear cynical following the announcement that President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai initiated a joint drive to draft a new constitutionlast week. However, Rejoice Mgwenya predicted Zimbabweans will go to the polls to choose their leaders in a democratic vote after the constitution is finalized.
Meanwhile according to an official of Zambia’s National Constitutional Conference (NCC) the group will soon conclude an initial draft constitution ahead of next year’s general elections.
No individual or group in Swaziland has admitted responsibility for a spate of recent bombings against government and opposition party targets, but their actions are creating a sense of instability in the aid-dependent southern African state.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN DOMESTIC POLITICS
West Africa: Agents of National Security are investigating a case of cruelty on the high seas in which three Ivorian nationals are alleged to have been thrown into the ocean by the captain of a Chinese vessel. The incident happened in Ghanaian waters. One of the three stowaways drowned, while the other two were rescued by a Ghana Navy ship after 12 hours in the sea.
A Sierra Leonean woman who helped top Sierra Leonean rebels in recruiting and training fighters in Liberia, last week told Special Court for Sierra Leone that as far as she knew, Charles Taylor’s name was never mentioned as one of those helping to recruit and train rebels to invade Sierra Leone in 1991. The witness also told the court that West African peacekeepers and Guinean military officers were involved in trading diesel, and arms and ammunition with Sierra Leonean rebel commanders during the West African country’s 11 years civil war.
The World Food Program (WFP) says it is shutting down the UN humanitarian air service in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia due to lack of cash to continue with the operation. Ending the humanitarian air service will have terrible consequences for about one-quarter of a million people in West Africa who rely on the service for essential needs. The UN agency said the West African coastal service needs some $2.5 million to stay in operation until the end of the year.
Meanwhile Amnesty International has welcomed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's efforts to improve maternal health and his focus on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in his visit to Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma while stressing that there should be no discrimination in the use of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) facilities and equipments, has commended the United Nations Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) for donating the sum of US$800,000 in addition to the US$2 million that the government provided to ensure the broadcaster covers the entire country.
Benin has made significant gains in reducing poverty and expanding primary education, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon observed on a visit to the West African nation, while pledging United Nations support for a range of challenges such as food security and the environment. The country's efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - eight targets to slash poverty, fight hunger and tackle other key social and economic problems by 2015 - were the focus of Mr. Ban's visit, part of a five-nation African tour.
Central Africa: With fighting in the Central African Republic displacing thousands of civilians, some people are setting up self-defense forces to protect their families. Civilians fleeing fighting in surrounding areas have doubled the population of the town of Obo, near the border with Congo and Sudan.
The United States, United Kingdom and France backed a demand last week in the United Nations Security Council for Kenya to cooperate in the hunt for a Rwanda genocide fugitive. The three donor states aligned themselves with charges by the UN's Rwanda Tribunal prosecutor that Kenya is withholding information on the whereabouts of the fugitive, Felicien Kabuga.
American defence lawyer, Peter Erlinder has immunity from prosecution as a defence lawyer at ICTR, but that applies only when he is in Rwanda on work related to the tribunal, the Arusha based court has emphasized. Meanwhile Erlinder, 62, has been granted bail due to medical issues, but will continue to face charges of Genocide denial and revisionism.
The coordinator of GCAP Rwanda said during the celebrations to mark this year's International Day of the African Child that the United Nations' Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) Rwanda is soon to embark on a campaign to provide education to vulnerable children.
Southern Africa: Nelson Mandela joined hundreds of mourners last week at the funeral of the former South African president's great-granddaughter who was killed in car crash last week.
Much to the frustration of gender activists, Swaziland's Supreme Court has reversed a February 2010 High Court ruling that allowed a married woman to register property in their own name.
Argentina has become the first team to virtually clinch a berth in the second round of the World Cup. Greece has won its first World Cup football match with a 2-1 decision against Nigeria that keeps the Greeks in contention. Mexico has defeated France 2-0, in the second match for each in the opening group stage of the South African World Cup.
HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND DOMESTIC POLITICS
Central Africa: An eight member delegation from UNITAID, an international organization dedicated to provision of affordable HIV/Aids therapy in developing countries arrived in Rwanda last week to assess progress in anti HIV programs. The President of UNITAID said the team will be assessing the achievements registered by institutions involved in the HIV fight, particularly in the areas of mother-to-child HIV prevention, and provision of pediatric care and treatment.
Southern Africa: A study by the South African Medical Research Council has found that women in abusive relationships are more likely to become infected with HIV.
POLITICAL ECONOMY
West Africa: In Ghana the DANQUAH Institute in collaboration with Imani Centre has condemned moves by Parliament to approve a US$1.5 billion Supplier's Credit Financing Agreement between STX Engineering and Construction Ghana Limited as Lender and the Government of Ghana in relation to the financing of the 30,000 housing units under the Security Services Housing Project.
Concerns are being raised about how Ghana will manage its oil revenues as the Jubilee field, its first major offshore deposit, prepares to start producing and exporting in the fourth quarter of this year. Meanwhile Ghana is set to begin oil exploration off the Tema coast.
WASH United Ghana, a sanitation oriented non-governmental organization (NGO) was launched in Accra last week with a new innovative approach to the promotion of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the country. Ghana needs at least US$ 200 million per annum over time to tackle head-on sanitation-related problems the country is saddled with.
Central Africa: The United Kingdom's Minister for International Development, Stephen O'Brien, held discussions with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame the nation's road to achieving Vision 2020. the discussion focused mainly on the programs that his government funds as well as how both countries can work towards a better future. §
ay Revision of the Voters Register in the Western Region. Meanwhile the Volta Regional Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and their Constituency Chairmen have disengaged themselves from a group purporting to propose former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings as a NDC flag bearer for the 2012 Election. In a statement released they deemed the proposal as premature and likely to create unnecessary tension and division within the party. They also reaffirmed the region's total ‘unflinching’ support for President John Evans Attah Mills towards actuating the "Better Ghana" agenda.
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