Zone 2- Africa Summary, week # 132

POLITICS OF SECURITY AND CONFLICT ISSUES

West Africa: Sierra Leoneans have expressed regret at the spotlight that has been trained on their bloody past by the courtroom appearances of model Naomi Campbell at a war crimes trial last week. Reportedly Mia Farrow and Carole White contradict Naomi Campbell’s testimony, and during the week Issa Sesay’s cross-examination is scheduled to begin.

In Nigeria the dynamics of the 2011 presidential race may be heading for a dramatic shuffling as the opposition puts its act together, with former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, now in the fray. In a ticket pairing Ribadu with Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on the presidential Flag bearer of the newly branded Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Meanwhile President Goodluck Jonathan blamed insecurity problems in the country on long years of under funding of the Nigeria Police, thereby debarring them from performing their constitutional roles effectively.

On another front Nigerian Senate President David Mark has said with the conclusion of the first amendment to the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly has fulfilled one of the cardinal promises made to Nigerians at its inauguration in 2007.

At the elections front: In Ghana: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2008 was on Saturday declared winner of the party's historic Special National Delegates Elections by the Electoral Commission (EC) to set for Election 2012 as the main Opposition Party.

Liberia: Barely two weeks following the celebration of the 163 Independence of Liberia in Nimba County, more than six administrative districts in the County have issued a strongly worded reaction to the petitioning of President Ellen Johnson that took place in the county to contest the 2011 presidential election.

In Guinea a run-off presidential election will hold on Sept. 19 aimed at restoring civilian rule to the West African bauxite producing nation. After a roughly two-month delay to the decisive second round after candidates challenged the results of the initial poll held on June 27.

Central Africa: In Congo-Kinshasa, Bosco Ntaganda is a wanted man, under indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in the northeastern Ituri region where Hague prosecutors allege he played a senior role in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), a militia group accused of human rights abuses.

In Rwanda President Paul Kagame has said he does not intend to change the country's constitution to extend his last presidential term beyond 2017 and has confirmed that this would be his last Term in Power.

The Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has said that the rights of candidates in the recently concluded presidential elections and their supporters were properly observed. In a press statement released by the commission's president, Sylvie Zainabu Kayitesi, the candidates campaigned with mutual respect and that there was no mudslinging.

Rwandans voted last week in a presidential election that opponents of President Paul Kagame denounced as a sham. President Kagame faces three other candidates believed to have ties to his ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front.

East & the horn of Africa: In Sudan leaders from northern and southern Sudan are holding negotiations on how to run the country after next year's referendum that will determine south becoming an independent state. Unresolved issues between the two sides -- including demarcating the border, citizenship and the sharing of oil revenues and Nile water resources.

The United Nations humanitarian chief is demanding Sudanese authorities allow aid agencies into a camp in Darfur that has been closed off to aid workers for nearly two weeks. Meanwhile the United Nations says two police advisors working with the joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur have been kidnapped.

According to reports the United Nations and other international organizations will increase their national and international staff presence in Somalia within the next two months, according to a senior U.N official, as the al-Qaida-linked Somali insurgent group al-Shabab banned three Christian aid organizations from operating in areas under its control.

African Union chairman Jean Ping recently wrote to the South African government, imploring it to contribute troops for the Somalia mission. The South African cabinet is due to meet and consider deploying its forces to bolster the African Union troops in Mogadishu.

Kenya: In a referendum held during the first week of August, voters overwhelmingly approved a new constitution, replacing one that was drafted during the country's colonial era.

Southern Africa: Madagascar’s President Andry Rojoelina has signed an agreement with least 90 minor political parties’ settings dates for a constitutional referendum, and parliamentary and presidential elections. But the pact was rejected by the country's main opposition leaders.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN DOMESTIC POLITICS

West Africa: Ghana signed a cooperative agreement with International Organization for Migration (IOM), to create a platform for IOM to address migration challenges in the country which would efficiently and effectively prosecute its agenda of offering support to migrants to and from Ghana to ensure legal migration conforms to objectives of government to secure and protect the rights of citizens.

In Nigeria former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has appealed to the Federal Government to release former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha who has been in detention for the past 12 years.

Meanwhile full-body scanners have been installed at Nigeria’s four international airports and are being used selectively,” according to the Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Government ministers from across Africa gathered last week to address what is being called "the scandal of invisibility." Countless millions of Africans are living their lives and dying without leaving a trace.

Central Africa: As Rwanda's president Paul Kagame heads for election victory, the government is reviewing its genocide ideology law after being accused of limiting freedom of speech within the country by the Media.

According to the Human Rights Watch the Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has abducted more than 697 adults and children in a largely unreported campaign in the Central African Republic and the neighboring Bas Uele district of northern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past 18 months.

Southern Africa: South African Media Group to Fight Proposed Regulation of Journalists; deputy chairperson of the group said her organization will do everything possible to stop a proposed media tribunal to regulate the work of journalists.

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND DOMESTIC POLITICS

West Africa: Cameroon's environment minister accused a Dutch ship of dumping toxic waste off the Cameroonian coast. Environmentalists say western firms treat Africa as a "dustbin" for their dangerous waste.

In Ghana: President John Evans Atta Mills has noted that the 54 per cent of payments made by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) on the cost of medicine for clients is unsustainable.
The National AIDS Commission of Liberia launched the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2010-2014 at the Monrovia City Hall. A framework for efforts aimed at preventing the spread of HIV and mitigating its impact on society.

Ivorian cocoa farmers battle disease at season end due to heavy rain despite their careful husbandry, they still got black pod spread by the rain.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan announced plans for a $3.5 billion national electricity grid to be jointly financed with the private sector and development agencies.

Nigeria and other countries bordering Northern Cameroon hit by cholera outbreak - are at the risk of the disease, the United Nations warned. The current outbreak in Cameroon, which began in May, has now recorded more than 2,000 confirmed cases, with fatality rate of over 13 per cent, which is considered extremely high.

Also in Nigeria Environmental issues, the Federal Government signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Messrs Titan Projects Nigeria Limited and the Rivers State government for the provision of Integrated Waste Management Services for the Oil and Gas Industry operations in the Niger Delta.

Indian Energy giant, ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd (OMEL) has concluded plans to build a180, 000 barrel per day capacity refinery in Nigeria.

Security agencies have impounded 400 doses of African Horse Sickness Vaccine allegedly believed to have been illegally imported into the country from South Africa by the Lagos Polo Club.

Central Africa: In Burundi HIV-Positive people are struggling for treatment of Opportunistic Infections and are failing to obtain drugs to treat opportunistic infections since a system to provide them with free medical care has come to an end.

Southern Africa: According to a report by the “national crop and food security situation” of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP), Zimbabwe's production of maize, its staple food, has improved "significantly", but the country is still food insecure and about 1.68 million people will require assistance in the first quarter of 2011.

POLITICAL ECONOMY

West Africa: In Ghana the annual inflation rate dropped marginally by 0.6 per cent to close at 9.46 per cent in July, up from 9.52 per cent in June. The drop was the 13th in the series after it peaked at 20.74 per cent in June 2009 bringing the respective monthly change between June and July 2010 to 0.82 per cent, which was lower than 1.57 per cent recorded between May and June 2010.

Meanwhile the Vice President John Dramani Mahama expressed optimism that Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would rise above seven per cent by the end of this year.

Also Vice President John Dramani Mahama called for a partnership between the governments of Ghana and Iran to tap the rich experience of Iran in oil exploration and production.
Cameroon's crude oil production averaged about 66,000 barrels per day during the first half of 2010, marking an 11.5 percent drop from the same period a year ago, according to the state oil company SNH.

Nigeria: Fresh facts have emerged on the financial position of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showing that it recorded a loss of N2.723 billion as at September 30, 2009, according to information gotten from the management accounts. Also the Value of equities at the stock market has plunged by N173 billion or 2.7 per cent in the last three days as efforts by the Interim Administrator appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to stabilize the stock market, Mr. Emmanuel Ikhazoboh, are yet to yield the desired results.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) lamented that the nation was losing over $5 million daily- that is, N750 million daily, from the non-participation of Nigerians in the lifting of crude oil in the nation’s oil industry.

The Republic of South Korea, has expressed the need to expand trade with Nigeria, which was drastically affected by the global economic meltdown, just as it plans to double her Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa by 2012.

Central Africa: Rwandan mining companies that comply with internationally accepted standards are to be graded and issued with a certificate of compliance by the end of this year in an effort to improve the performance of the sector. Mining is one of the top sources of government revenue.

South Africa: The South African government has increased its offer to more than one million public service workers who are threatening to strike. The government increased its monthly housing allowance offer to $95 from about $87. But the government did not change its pay raise offer of 7 percent.

East & the horn of Africa: Civil aviation authorities in Djibouti have denied the Ethiopian Airlines permits for operation flights last week, reliable sources disclosed. Ethiopia's national flag carrier has subsequently suspended its scheduled passenger flights to Djibouti indefinitely, as of August 1, 2010.

Foreign and domestic investments in Uganda reached some Ush6.5trillion ($3.5b) in 2009, a number that was higher than the investment growth that was seen in 2008, an investment survey carried out last year has indicated.

Prices of foodstuff in Zanzibar have increased sharply with the advent of the Holy month of Ramadan during which the Muslim faithful fast, a move by unscrupulous traders to take advantage of Ramadan and easily scoop big profits.

The African Union has commenced a process that would lead to the setting up of a regional space agency. The agency, to be known as the African Space Agency, would focus on the development of common space policy for the continent. §

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