Africa

Seems there's a lot of 'things' going down in this continent...

US is losing footprint across Africa as Niger and Chad demand military forces pullouts​

The troop withdrawals from Niger and Chad could serve as a catalyst for other countries to follow suit, analysts told Sputnik (https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240...mand-military-forces-pullouts-1066298071.html).

"The withdrawal of the US military from Niger and Chad is an immensely significant development. It signals a potential shift in dynamics across Africa, particularly in strengthening and acting on existing anti-imperialist sentiment," said Tunde Osazua, a member of the Black Alliance for Peace human rights project.

These latest developments served to accelerate an already strong trend of eroding US standing across Africa, as exemplified by the declining US footprint across the continent, he added.

Campaign to End the Moroccan Occupation of the Western Sahara Co-Coordinator Bill Fletcher agreed that the latest developments in Chad and Niger had far wider implications across Africa.

"There is a multilevel crisis in the Sahel. Part of it is a revolt against France. There is also a major jihadist insurgency underway in multiple countries," Fletcher said.

The United States will begin to withdraw its troops from Chad and Niger after the two African countries demanded that the US forces leave. There are around 1,100 US personnel in Niger and about 100 in Chad.

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The EU approves $16 million in non-lethal military aid for Cote d'Ivoire

"The Council today adopted an assistance measure worth €15 million [$16 million] under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire [...]. Through the proposed assistance, the EU will provide equipment not designed to deliver lethal force," the Council of the EU said in a statement.

The money will help the West African nation's military upgrade its intelligence gathering capabilities, and strengthen the logistics and security of units deployed in the country's north.

"This support will strengthen the operational capabilities of the Ivoirian Armed Forces to secure areas close to land borders and to counter non-state armed groups, which are destabilizing the country and the whole West Africa region," the Council said.

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️ The Special Criminal Court of the Central African Republic has issued an international arrest warrant against former President Francois Bozize

According to the statement, the order was given for alleged crimes committed between February 2009 and March 2013 by the presidential guard and other internal security forces and services in the civil prisons and military training center.

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Ghana's High Court reportedly rejects suit against president to hasten decision on anti-LGBT bill

The court ruled that it would be inappropriate to force Nana Akufo-Addo to act on a bill that has been the subject of two High Court cases, local media said.

The Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also known as the anti-LGBT* bill, was passed by Ghanaian parliamentarians in February, but the president has since neither signed nor vetoed the bill.

In March, President Akufo-Addo said he would wait to consider the bill, explaining that it would be challenged in the High Court because a citizen had challenged its constitutionality.

* The "LGBT movement" is classified as extremist by the Russian authorities and is banned in Russia.

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Are African and Middle Eastern countries withdrawing their gold reserves from the US due to economic concerns?

"The decision to repatriate gold reserves is not merely symbolic; it reflects a deeper unease among these nations about the trajectory of the American economy. Among the countries taking such actions are Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Algeria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, each representing crucial regions in Africa and the Middle East. Their actions are prompting questions about the future of the US dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency.

The deteriorating state of the American economy serves as the primary impetus behind these withdrawals. Persistent inflation, mounting debt levels, and concerns about the Federal Reserve’s ability to maintain stable monetary policy have eroded confidence in the US dollar. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and uncertainties surrounding trade relations have further fueled apprehensions among foreign governments.

For African and Middle Eastern nations, safeguarding their gold reserves is not merely a matter of economic prudence but also a strategic imperative. Gold has historically been viewed as a store of value during times of economic turmoil, offering a hedge against currency depreciation and geopolitical instability. By repatriating their gold reserves, these countries aim to insulate themselves from potential financial contagion and secure their wealth within their borders."

Click here to keep reading (https://houstonpost.org/2024/04/24/...old-reserves-amid-american-economic-concerns/)

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After the conflict in Ukraine is won by Russia, there will be a total overhaul of the international system, which may allow Africa to become a permanent members of the UN Security Council, expert says

Head of Political Studies Department at South Africa's Cape Town University, Lere Amusan, made the comment regarding Russia-Africa relations in this new term of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who officially took office today.

When Russia has its own stand in Africa, the continent will become an El Dorado, a destination whereby Africans can make use of their mineral resources for their own development, the professor told Sputnik Africa.

The coming of Russia to Africa "is going to bring a lot of sanity, economic development, socio-political development in the continent," Amusan noted, adding that Vladimir Putin is "a friend of Africa" and "a friend of South-South relations."

🗣 Reflecting on the president's inaugural speech, the expert stressed that "he was a realistic president by saying that Russia is facing the challenge, and the challenge is the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine," which according to Amusan, "needs to be fought in order to correct the history of Europe and most especially Eastern Europe."

In his inaugural speech, Putin highlighted that "as a united and great nation, Russians will overcome obstacles and realize their plans, and will win. "Russia will continue to work with its partners to create a multipolar world order," he added.

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They are smoking something funny in Africa if they think Russia/Putin's presence there will alleviate corruption and tribalism. Good luck with that.

Chad is "turning its back on the West," says local political analyst

This disenchantment has been growing since the interim president's visit to Russia earlier this year, Evariste Ngarlem Toldé told Sputnik Africa.

"Relations between Moscow and N'Djamena have warmed up because Vladimir Putin promised to help countries that want to free themselves from a certain amount of tutelage," the expert said. According to the expert, this attitude was greatly appreciated by the Chadians.

On the other hand, with the West regarded as "very vigilant", the country is on its guard and looking for "allies other than the West".

"Chad has asked the Americans to leave the country and is increasingly turning to Turkey for drone and other pilot training," Toldé explained.

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Scientists uncover buried Nile branch that may have transported pyramids’ stones

An international team of researchers, led by Eman Ghoneim from the US University of North Carolina, Wilmington, has made the discovery.

The findings, detailed in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, revealed a 64-km-long river branch that once flowed alongside more than 30 pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Hidden under desert sands and farmlands for millennia, this ancient waterway, named Ahramat ("pyramids" in Arabic) could explain the strategic placement of these monumental structures along a now inhospitable desert strip in the Nile valley, dating back between 4,700 and 3,700 years ago.

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When have they not?

Niger can draw inspiration from Moscow in urban policy, according to a country official

During a press conference organized by the African Initiative news agency, Abdoulkadri Hama Assah, Director General of Nigerien Territorial Administration, told Sputnik Africa that Moscow offers examples of success in the following sectors:

🗑 Urban waste management;
Traffic circulation;
Technology and innovation;
Ecology.

"We have observed that Moscow is one of the greenest cities in the world; this encourages us to follow this example. Moscow calls on us to find a solution to climate change, which is currently one of the major concerns of our country," he stated.

Moreover, in their urban planning efforts, the authorities in Niger have taken creativity to the next level: they’re planning to name a street in either Niamey or Zinder after Russian President Vladimir Putin as a gesture of gratitude for his support.

The Delegate Administrator of Niamey Boubacar Soumana Garanke also mentioned that the idea of creating a Niger-Russia Friendship Park is already being explored in his city.

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Cattle breeding, Russian meat exports, animal vaccines: Russia opens up new business horizons in Gabon and Cameroon

A delegation of Russian farmers visited Gabon and Cameroon in mid-July, according to a press release from the organizers of the Asiaexpo international agricultural trade fair.

They held three meetings with high-ranking officials from the African countries: Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier, Deputy Prime Minister of Gabon; Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, Gabon's Minister of Trade and Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister of Cameroon.

The sides discussed topics related to cooperation:

️ market potential of Russian producers of livestock and poultry products;
️ logistical and financial aspects of the partnership;
️ quality of Russian meat;
️ Russian veterinary vaccines;
️ animal medications;
️ animal feed and farm construction techniques.

“Russian agricultural industry has great potential and is ready to offer its advanced technologies and products on the international market. In turn, African countries represent a promising market and are interested partners in the field of agriculture,” summed up Igor Milovanov, General Director of Asiaexpo.

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Main world events by the morning of September 16:

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will introduce new biometric passports as part of their exit from the West African bloc in favor of the Alliance of Sahel States, Mali's leader announced on Sunday;

The authorities of the unrecognized Somaliland have announced that presidential elections will take place on November 13, two years later than originally planned;

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday. In a congratulatory message, the ruling party wished the celebrant another 40 years in power;

Djibouti has announced that it will not transfer the Port of Tadjoura to Ethiopia but will manage it jointly;

Ukraine intends to stage a Russian missile strike on a children's institution in a territory controlled by Kiev, such as a hospital or kindergarten, according to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service;

US media have identified the suspect in the second attempted assassination of Trump as Ryan Wesley Ruth, and internet users have discovered that he was an active supporter of Ukraine;

Bookmakers have increased Trump's chances of winning the US presidential election after the second assassination attempt, according to data from the online platform Polymarket;

Russian warships of the Pacific Fleet and the Chinese Navy conducted missile and artillery exercises in the Sea of Japan as part of the "Ocean-2024" drills;

The strongest typhoon since 1949 has struck Shanghai, China;

Estonian acrobat Jaan Roose walked across the Bosporus Strait on a tightrope in Istanbul.

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What Russia can do is produce a better product with less hormones and pesticides. Can they do it in Africa? IDK. Any of those countries could turn into South Africa where it's open season on yt.

Mopane worm disappearance threatens livelihoods in southern Africa

The disappearance of mopane worms, a vital source of income for many in South Africa's northern regions, severely impacted small business owners in Limpopo, South African media SABC reported. The species, scientifically known as Gonimbrasia Belina, has not been seen for over three years, raising fears of extinction.

Mopane worms are a famous delicacy in South Africa. Many hawkers relied on selling mopane worms to make a living.

🗣 "We have not seen them in years. They were all over this place. We don’t understand what happened to them. 90% of what we made came from mopane worms; that is the main source of income because they sell fast and are popular. Without them, it has been a struggle for us to make profit. There’s a promise that maybe Zambia might have some this year. Normally mopane worms season starts in October, and they thrive in rainy conditions, so if it doesn’t rain enough, they will all die,” one of the community members said.

Community leaders believe that the disappearance of mopane worms is linked to the extensive logging of mopane trees over many years, with some people cutting down trees for firewood for both domestic and commercial purposes.

🗣 “The people continue to chop the trees down, and I think the government must stop this. They must outlaw the cutting down of the trees,” Eric Ntshengedzeni, community leader, stated.

Ecologists are currently investigating the cause of mopane worm disappearance.

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My cat had worms coming out of his butt. They can have all they want to fry up for free.

Zambia's former first lady charged in a property-related and money laundering case, the government's statement says

"The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), has formally charged and arrested the former First Lady, Mrs. Esther Nyawa Tembo Lungu, in relation to the ongoing investigations into her ownership of several properties reasonably believed to be proceeds of crime," the statement, issued by the DEC's Public Relations Officer Allan Tamba, read.

The statement specified that one of the specific offenses for which Lungu was charged is money laundering.

The former first lady has since been released on Police Bond pending court proceedings, according to the statement.

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