Zone 2- Africa Summary, week # 135

POLITICS OF SECURITY AND CONFLICT ISSUES

West Africa: Equatorial Guinea has debunked allegations by the United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries that two of the seven Nigerians arrested in connection with last year's attack on the West African country presidential palace, died in detention.

A sense of unease is now pervading the North-west zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following pressure by some party leaders in the zone to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan’s yet-to-be declared presidential ambition.

United States has described Nigeria as one of the "strategic priority countries" it has been holding high-level dialogue with in the last one year. The other strategic priority countries include Brazil, India, Indonesia, Norway and Pakistan.

Meanwhile Cameroon's president has replaced the heads of the national police force and the intelligence service in a security shakeup that follows local media reports of a coup plot.

Elections: In Liberia the National Elections Commission (NEC) has disclosed that it is targeting 2.1 million people to register in the forth coming general and presidential Elections.

Ivory Coast's electoral commission said it had produced a final voter list for the first time, raising the chance that an election which has been delayed six times in five years might go ahead, now scheduled for Oct. 31.

Nigeria is due to hold elections in four months but uncertainty remains over whether President Goodluck Jonathan will stand, who his challengers might be and whether electoral reforms can be enacted in time.

Guinea: Doubts grow over arrangements for the decisive second round of Guinea's Sept. 19 presidential election is raising concern that the outcome of the landmark poll will be challenged and could trigger unrest.

The two rivals in Guinea's Sept. 19 presidential run-off agreed in writing last week to respect the final result of the landmark election intended to bring civilian rule to West African state.

Central Africa: Congo-Kinshasa: UN Peacekeeping Official who Visited Congo (DRC) following the recent mass rape of civilians by members of illegal armed groups, has now traveled to the eastern region of the country where the crimes were committed.

The African Union (AU) defended Kenya and Chad on the presence of controversial Sudanese President, Omar Al-Bashir, in those countries and for not cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in getting him arrested. Meanwhile Rwanda has joined the African Union (AU) in defence of Kenya's decision not to comply with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant of arrest issued against Sudanese President Omar al Bashir while he was invited to Nairobi for the new constitution's promulgation ceremony.

The Rwandan Government has put contingents of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) serving under UN-backed peacekeeping operations on standby for pull out, if the UN publishes a report alleging that Rwandan troops were involved in mass killings in the DRC between 1994 and 2003.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN DOMESTIC POLITICS

West Africa: Niger will avoid the "worst" in its most severe food crisis since 2005 with aid reaching millions left hungry by last year's failed harvest; it is feared that the crisis could become catastrophic without quick distribution of food to the nearly 8 million in need, according to the United Nations.

Nigeria: The killing of a powerful former Nigerian gang leader in the restive Niger Delta has laid bare the fragility of an amnesty programme for ex-militant fighters in Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.

Meanwhile four policemen were shot dead over the past month in the northern Nigerian town of Maiduguri, raising fears that a radical Islamic sect, which was behind an uprising which killed hundreds a year ago, is making a return.

Central Africa: Congo-Kinshasa: According to reports more than two dozen children were among the hundreds of civilians recently raped by members of armed groups active in the Far East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The report documenting the most serious human rights violations committed in the (DRC) between 1993 and 2003 will be made public on 1 October, according to the United Nations.

Rwanda: The Rwandan Government has described the latest report regarding the nation from the human rights watchdog, Amnesty International as very sensational, which portrays the dishonesty of some human rights organizations.

Southern Africa: South Africa: Striking South African state workers staged a protest last week after rejecting a revised wage offer aimed at ending their three-week strike that has the government and the labor movement at loggerheads. Meanwhile South Africa will resume the deportation of undocumented Zimbabweans on 1 January 2011, ending its 17-month moratorium, the Cabinet announced on 1 September.

Mozambique: A volley of price increases in basic commodities and services sparked rioting and looting in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, but the government refused to rescind them. Later in the week according to police reports calm was restored to the southeast African nation after three days of riots and demonstrations.

Malawi: According to reports surplus production of maize, Malawi's staple food, will not prevent at least one million people from being food insecure, a forecast that has not pleased President Bingu wa Mutharika who has threatened to close down the local newspapers that, he claims “lie and tarnish his government's image".

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND DOMESTIC POLITICS

West Africa: In Nigeria the Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey, has expressed fears over possible threats of climate induced disasters to the country if nothing is done to check the trend, adding that Nigerians have an unfriendly attitude towards climatic issues.

Nigeria’s ‘booming’ young population may become a major source of worry in the next three decades unless there are urgent steps to develop a comprehensive action plan for its next generation of youth, a report has warned.

Meanwhile Biofuel demand is driving a new "land grab" in Africa, with at least 5 million hectares (19,300 sq miles) acquired by foreign firms to grow crops in 11 countries, a study by an environmental group said.

Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns related to climate change pose a major threat to food security and economic growth in Africa, water experts said, arguing for greater investment in water storage.

Central Africa: For more than a year now, Rwanda has been immunizing its children against pneumonia. Its goal is to save the lives of 6,000 kids every year.

Southern Africa: Zambia: Mining prospectors in Luapula Province, northern Zambia, have forced small-scale farmers from their land at gun point, according to villagers in the region.

POLITICAL ECONOMY

West Africa: Senegal's sole oil refinery, Societe Africaine de Raffinage (SAR), said it had secured 194 billion CFA ($378.5 million) in loans to cover the cost of a year's worth of feedstock. Saudi Bin laden Group has a 34 percent stake in SAR, while French oil company Total (TOTF.) has 20 percent. The remaining stake is controlled by the Senegalese state, which has said it does not expect a long-term role in the business.

Nigeria is building a multi-billion dollar free trade zone with Chinese investors on the edge of its commercial capital Lagos to try to develop a local manufacturing base and help reduce its import dependence.

Meanwhile Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) has said its Nigerian SPDC joint venture is close to completing a new $1.1 billion pipeline to the Bonny export terminal which will have a capacity of 600,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The Nigerian naira NGN=D1 firmed to 151.30 to the U.S. dollar last week from 151.60 at Tuesday's close after the central bank met all demand at its foreign exchange auction, traders said.

Nigeria's stock exchange will have new management by the beginning of next year at the latest and listing the bourse will be among their priorities, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said on Friday.

Ghana will join the club of oil-producing nations this year, offering it the chance to transform the fortunes of its aid-dependent economy. Meanwhile the nation as the world's second-largest cocoa grower, could reach its target of producing 1 million tonnes of the main ingredient in chocolate next season -- a year ahead of schedule -- a senior official said.
The World Bank's investment arm said its investments in sub Saharan Africa rose by a third to $2.4 billion in its 2010 fiscal year and forecast further growth this year.

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced last week that it has signed a contract with the China-Africa Development Fund (CADF) on uranium exploration in Africa.

Meanwhile Chinese vice Premier Li Keqiang met with THE Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Odien Ajumogobia in Beijing last week, with the two sides pledging to boost bilateral ties.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has cautioned the recipients of the 1.2m Euros regional development grants against diverting the funds into purposes other than that which they are intended for. §

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