Africa

Zambian president allegedly involved in illegal timber trade: report Lusaka (AFP) – Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu and other senior government officials have been accused of facilitating rosewood trafficking, according to an environmental investigation report. The delicate slow-growing timber species locally known as “mukula” is at risk of extinction, mainly due to growing demand from Asia. Read more

Meet Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech, the woman who beat Kendall, Gigi, Bella and Kaia for Model of the Yea From Cosmopolitan The 2019 British Fashion Awards is one of the glitziest nights of the year, (often referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of British fashion), where the top players in the industry are recognized for their incredible Read more

 5/5 Egypt South Sudan Uganda Could these be the Conspirators? The day foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan traveled to the United States for what Ethiopian government described as “discussion” over the Ethiopian Dam, South Sudanese news source reported, citing leaked sources, that Egypt has been conspiring with Uganda and South Sudan against Read more

The essentials: At least 53 Malian soldiers were killed in an attack on a military camp near Indelimane in northern-Mali. The attack was claimed by so-called Islamic State (IS) and exemplifies the deterioration of security in Mali and the Sahel in general. The context: More than 1,600 people were killed in Mali this year, which Read more

A dispute over maritime territory in the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Somalia has resulted in major western countries lining up on either side, depending on which of the two African nations best serves their oil interests. The disputed territory is 100, 000 square kilometers with prospects of vast oil and gas deposits. Diplomatic relations between the Read more

An Ethiopian woman, Alem Ereselo, says she has been denied life-saving medical treatment in South Africa because she is an asylum seeker. Alem Ereselo suffers from kidney failure but was taken off dialysis after a court ruling last month. Her lawyer said it was a “death sentence”. Doctors told Ms Alem earlier this year that Read more

“third-party negotiation is not something that Ethiopia will reach into an agreement on,the issue will only be resolved on a technical level.” – , Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity – Dr. Seleshi Bekele U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is expected to host the foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, as well as the Read more

Nairobi (AFP) – A powerful climate phenomenon in the Indian Ocean stronger than any seen in years is unleashing destructive rains and flooding across East Africa — and scientists say worse could be coming. Violent downpours in October have displaced tens of thousands in Somalia, submerged whole towns in South Sudan and killed dozens in Read more

At least 15 people have been killed and two seriously injured in an attack on a mosque in northern Burkina Faso. Gunmen entered the Grand Mosque in the village of Salmossi on Friday evening as those inside were praying. The attack prompted many locals to flee the village which is close to the Malian border. Read more

 Ethiopia and Egypt locked in growing spat over dam * Egypt relies on Nile for up to 90% of its fresh water * Ethiopia rejected Egypt’s conditions for filling reservoir By Aidan Lewis CAIRO, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Ethiopia has accused Egypt of trying to maintain its grip over the waters of the Nile with Read more

In the fourth Africa Risk-Reward Index, Control Risks and Oxford Economics analyse the impact of ambitious reform agendas in Angola, Ethiopia and South Africa. We also focus on relationships and rivalries in the East African Community, and the impact of geopolitical competition in a post-Bashir Sudan. The Africa Risk-Reward Index plots each country’s performance relative Read more

A senior opposition official has been murdered in Rwanda, the latest in a series of killings and disappearances involving critics of Paul Kagame, the country’s president. Syridio Dusabumuremyi, who served as national co-ordinator for Rwanda’s most vocal opposition alliance, the United Democratic Forces, was found dead in his shop on Monday evening. Colleagues said he Read more

Mogadishu (AFP) – Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Saturday signed an anti-graft bill into law, a long-awaited piece of legislation in one of the world’s most corrupt nations. The president, better known by his nickname Farmajo, came into office in 2017 vowing to combat the scourge which permeates evert aspect of life. The new Read more

Zimbabwean doctors protest against abduction of union leader Associated Press FARAI MUTSAKA,Associated Press Sun, Sep 15 1:27 PM EDT Reactions Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email A group of Zimbabwean doctors sing as they protest at Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, which represents hundreds of junior Read more

A boat transports people along the river Nile in Cairo By Aidan Lewis CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt says Ethiopia has “summarily rejected” its plan for key aspects of operating a giant dam the East African nation is building on the Nile, while dismissing Ethiopia’s own proposal as “unfair and inequitable”. The comments in a note Read more

By Juliet Kigongo Kampala — The Deputy Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo has, in a statement, condemned security operatives for re-arresting suspects that court granted bail. “This high handedness in the re-arrest of persons released by courts is a direct affront to the much cherished rule of law in Uganda. An advocate is an officer of Read more

West African leaders and officials stand for a family photo at the ECOWAS extraordinary summit on terrorism in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on September 14, 2019. REUTERS/Anne Mimault OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – West African leaders have pledged $1 billion to combat the spiralling threat of Islamist militancy in the region, the head of the regional ECOWAS bloc Read more