West Africa Regional Bloc Sets up Court for Crimes under Dictatorship in Gambia
West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS on Sunday approved setting up a special court to try crimes committed in Gambia during its military dictatorship. The landmark decision was announced at the summit of regional heads of state in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. The court will cover alleged crimes committed under military dictator Yahya Jammeh, whose rule from 1996 to 2017 was marked by arbitrary detention, sexual abuse and extrajudicial killings. Jammeh lost a presidential election in 2016 and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea a year later after initially refusing to step down. Calls for justice for the victims of the dictatorship had been growing for years in Gambia, a country surrounded by Senegal except for a small Atlantic coastline. In 2021, a truth commission in the country wrapped up its hearings with strong recommendations, urging the government to try perpetrators. AP
West Africa Regional Bloc Approves Exit Timeline for 3 Coup-hit Member States
West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS approved Sunday an exit timeline for three coup-hit nations after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping. In a first in the 15-nation bloc’s nearly 50 years of existence, the military juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced in January that they decided to leave ECOWAS…“The authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025 as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period,” ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray said in his closing remarks Sunday at the summit of regional heads of state in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. The three coup-hit countries have largely rebuffed ECOWAS’ efforts to reverse their withdrawal. AP
At Least 7 Killed in Mali Attack
At least seven people were killed Sunday, December 16, in an attack in central Mali, the local diocese and a civil society organization told AFP. The [jihadist attack] in Segue village killed a relative of a cleric and six other men, the diocese of the Mopti region said. The assault also caused “a lot of property damage”, said the statement signed by diocese secretary and priest Daniel Camille Togo…”The toll of this deadly attack has risen to nine deaths, seven in Segue and two in Sonfounou,” said the Patriotic Movement for the Unity and Safeguarding of the Bankass Cercle – part of Mopti region. Le Monde with AFP
Under Siege in Léré, the Latest Malian Town Cut off by Jihadists
Jihadist militants have imposed a strict blockade on the Malian city of Léré, severely disrupting vital supply routes and movement in the Timbuktu region. The tactic is not new, with similar sieges disrupting towns in central and northern Mali. The blockade, enforced by Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), began on 29 November. Léré, roughly 60 kilometres from the Mauritanian border, now faces restricted access, with the effects rippling through the region. JNIM’s strategy mirrors tactics used against other population centres, including a major blockade of Timbuktu city one year ago…While the city has avoided complete shortages, residents report scarcities of essential items including milk, pasta and fuel, along with rising prices…The blockade’s effects extend to the regional capital Timbuktu, particularly affecting civilians. RFI
In Niger, 39 Villagers Killed in a Double Attack by Suspected Jihadists near Burkina Faso
Thirty-nine people have been killed in two attacks in recent days in western Niger, near the border with Burkina Faso, Niamey’s defense ministry said Saturday, December 14…The communities are located in the Tera border region, an area teeming with fighters which has been subjected to particularly bloody jihadist attacks in recent days…On Wednesday, both the BBC and RFI reported that jihadists had killed 90 soldiers and over 40 civilians in Tera’s Chatoumane. Niger’s junta dismissed reports of the attack and deaths as “baseless assertions” and a “campaign of intoxication”…The military government suspended BBC radio for three months following its report, the latest in a slew of Western media to be sanctioned by the junta since it seized power in a July 2023 coup. Le Monde with AFP
DR Congo, Rwanda Peace Talks Canceled
Talks due Sunday between the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to end conflict in the eastern DRC were called off after negotiations deadlocked, officials said. Since 2021 a Rwanda-backed rebel militia has seized swathes of the eastern DRC, displacing thousands and triggering a humanitarian crisis. There had been high hopes that the summit hosted by Angola’s President Joao Lourenco — the African Union mediator to end the conflict — would end with a deal to end the conflict. But around midday Sunday the head of the Angolan presidency’s media office said it would not go ahead…The Congolese presidency said that negotiations had hit deadlock over a Rwandan demand that the DRC hold direct dialogue with the Kigali-backed and largely ethnic Tutsi M23 rebels who have since 2021 seized swathes of the eastern DRC. AFP
Erdogan to Visit Ethiopia, Somalia in Early 2025 after Brokering Deal
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Ethiopia and Somalia early next year after brokering a deal to end tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors, he said on X Sunday…The pair agreed to end their nearly yearlong bitter dispute after hours of talks brokered by Erdogan…The dispute began in January when landlocked Ethiopia struck a deal with Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base. In return, Somaliland — which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 in a move not recognized by Mogadishu — said Ethiopia would give it formal recognition…Turkey stepped in to mediate in July, holding three previous rounds of talks — two in Ankara and one in New York — before last week’s breakthrough, which won praise from the African Union, Washington and Brussels. AFP
Turkey’s Erdogan Offers to Mediate between Sudan and the UAE
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone call with Sudan’s military leader on Friday and offered to mediate to resolve tensions with the United Arab Emirates, according to the Turkish leader’s office. The offer to Sudan’s military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, comes just days after Erdogan brokered a deal between Ethiopia and Somalia…The Sudanese government accuses the UAE of providing weapons to its rival paramilitary force and prolonging the conflict in Sudan. AP
Sudan: Human Rights Watch Accuses Paramilitaries of Widespread Sexual Violence
Human Rights Watch (HRW), on Monday, December 16, accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group and its allied militias, which are at war with the army, of committing widespread sexual violence in southern Sudan…HRW said it had documented dozens of cases since September 2023, involving women and girls, aged between seven and 50, who were subjected to sexual violence, including gang rape and sexual slavery, in South Kordofan state. The latest details follow a separate report, published by the New York-based watchdog last week, which more broadly accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of carrying out numerous abuses, mainly against ethnic Nuba civilians, in South Kordofan state from December 2023 to March 2024. Le Monde with AFP
One of Libya’s Main Refineries Shut down after Fighting
One of Libya’s main refineries in the west has been shut down after clashes between local armed groups erupted early Sunday and caused fires on infrastructure, state oil company NOC said. Several tanks at the Zawiya refinery, a town 45 km west of Tripoli and the only one in western Libya that supplies the local market with fuel, caught fire, according to videos posted on social media, before being brought under control. Built in 1974, the Zawiya refinery, which is also a port terminal for importing and exporting fuels, is the largest in the country after that of Ras Lanouf (north), with a refining capacity exceeding 120,000 barrels per day…Zawiya, the third largest city in Tripolitania after Tripoli and Misrata, is the scene of violent and recurring fighting between armed groups. AFP
Nigeria Unveils New Gunboats to Enhance Operations against Oil Theft
Nigerian authorities in oil-rich Rivers State unveiled on Friday six military-grade gunboats to help security agents battle the piracy and oil theft that have plagued the Niger Delta region for decades. The latest measure is part of a broader crackdown aiming at boosting Nigeria’s oil production…Officials said the boats will bolster the navy’s ability to patrol and respond to threats, especially near submerged oil export pipelines, which are often prone to attacks by thieves…Authorities estimate the country loses $10 billion every year, or the equivalent of about 200,000 barrels of oil per day, to illegal actors. Corruption, lack of security, and poor regulation have hindered authorities’ ability to effectively curb the problem…The state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company said this week that 94 incidents of crude oil theft occurred between November 30 and December 6…Authorities say Nigeria plans to use drones, automated metering systems and other technology to monitor its oil pipelines next year. VOA
Judges Say Namibian Opposition Parties Can Inspect Election Materials
Two Namibian political parties scored a legal victory Friday when three judges on the country’s Electoral Court ruled they can examine Electoral Commission materials from last month’s presidential and legislative elections. The parties have rejected election results, which showed the long-ruling SWAPO party retaining control of parliament, although with a reduced majority. The two parties — the Independent Patriots for Change, or IPC, and the Landless People’s Movement, or LPM — appear to be looking for evidence of irregularities in the elections that returned the SWAPO party to power. Opposition parties say voter turnout was suppressed in some areas due to a lack of ballot papers. But critics argue that even though there were widespread irregularities, they were of a logistical nature and cannot be seen as having affected the final election results. VOA
Southern African Countries Build $45M Military Depot in Botswana
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is building a military logistics hub in Botswana to ensure rapid deployment of troops. The construction follows the regional bloc’s 2021 failure to quickly send forces to quell an insurgency in northern Mozambique. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as SADC chairperson, performed the groundbreaking ceremony Friday to mark the start of construction. The 19 hectare-SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot will be built in Rasesa, 40 kilometers north of Gaborone…Having faced previous deployment challenges, Mnangagwa says the establishment of the center will ensure the region will be able to deploy troops quickly. VOA
Cyclone Chido Kills Several in French Territory of Mayotte before Heading for Africa’s East Coast
Cyclone Chido caused extensive damage on the French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, leaving several people dead, officials said Saturday, as the storm roared toward the east coast of Africa…The nation of Comoros, a group of islands north of Mayotte, also was being battered by Chido and the highest alert had been announced in some areas…Comoros authorities have ordered all ships to remain anchored in harbors and have closed the main airport and government offices…Chido was expected to continue its eastern trajectory and hit Mozambique on the African mainland late Saturday or early Sunday, forecasters said…And further inland, landlocked Malawi and Zimbabwe were also preparing. Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs said it was expecting flooding in some parts and urgently advised some people to move to higher ground. In Zimbabwe, authorities said some people should prepare for evacuation. AP
Kenya: Once a Fierce Critic, Minority Leader Junet Mohamed Cosies up to Ruto
Minority leader in Kenya’s National Assembly, Junet Mohamed, one of the highest-ranking opposition lawmakers, was known as a staunch critic of President William Ruto. But of late, he has been changing his tune, becoming a regular defender of the president’s policies and programmes. The prominent lawmaker from the main opposition Orange Democratic Party (ODM) has been accompanying Ruto on his development tours across the country in recent weeks, praising the Kenya Kwanza government for its “service delivery”. Junet, who popularly also goes by only his first name, is one of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s closest political confidants…Before the sudden change of heart, the vocal lawmaker was on the forefront describing Ruto as “Kenya’s most corrupt leader”. Junet’s new role in the Ruto government further exposes the rift in ODM, triggered by veteran opposition leader Raila’s new ties with Ruto since throwing his hat in the ring for AU chair. The Africa Report
Syrian Refugees in Somalia Hope to Return Home
Since the Syrian civil war broke out more than a decade ago, Syrians have fled to countries in the Middle East and Europe, as well as to African countries that have been grappling with instability. Many Syrian refugees found themselves in Somalia, a war-torn nation in the Horn of Africa that has faced terrorist attacks, piracy and humanitarian crises…There is no official data on the number of Syrian refugees living in Somalia, but officials estimate it to be in the thousands. Syrians who found refuge in Somalia said the two countries’ history of amicable relations drove them. The Syrians say Somalis’ friendliness toward refugees and Somalia’s lack of visa restrictions also drew them to Mogadishu and other major cities in the country. In return, the Syrian refugees, which include doctors, nurses, engineers, chefs, technicians, and teachers among their ranks, have enriched Somalia culturally and economically because of the knowledge and skillsets they brought with them. VOA