UN Human Rights Council to Hold Emergency Session on Congo
The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold a special meeting to discuss the situation in the eastern Congo city of Goma after it was seized by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, a U.N. statement said. The rebels last week captured regional capital Goma in an anarchic and mineral-rich part of Democratic Republic of Congo, where wars in 1996-1997 and 1998-2003 killed millions and drew in outside nations…The Democratic Republic of Congo requested the session and it would take place on Feb. 7 in Geneva, the U.N. statement said. So far, 27 countries have supported the meeting, surpassing the requirement for a third of the 47-member council, it said. While the council has no legally binding power, its debates carry political weight and criticism can raise global pressure on governments to change course. Sometimes, investigations mandated by the council can lead to prosecutions for war crimes in international courts. Reuters
Congo Calls Rebels’ Ceasefire Declaration ‘False Communication’ as Reports of Fighting Continue
Congo’s government on Tuesday described the unilateral ceasefire declared by Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo as “false communication,” while the United Nations noted reports of heavy fighting with Congolese forces in the region. The M23 rebels on Monday announced the ceasefire on humanitarian grounds after pleas for the safe passage of aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people…Also Tuesday, Congo’s interior minister, Jacquemain Shabani, said the death toll in last week’s fighting had reached 2,000, asserting that bodies had been put into one or more mass graves. AP
Senior Islamic State Somalia Commander Captured in Puntland
A senior commander of Islamic State’s Somalia wing was captured on Monday, police and state media said, two days after the IS leadership was targeted with U.S. airstrikes and as security forces continue a weeks-long offensive against them. In the last few years Somalia’s IS franchise has become an increasingly important part of the jihadist group’s worldwide network, growing in strength because of an influx of foreign fighters and improved revenue collection…Abdirahman Shirwac Aw-Saciid, head of the group’s assassination squad, surrendered to authorities on Monday in the Cal Miskaad mountains, in the northeastern Puntland state, Somalia’s state news agency SONNA reported…Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region announced a major offensive against Islamic State and a rival Islamist group, the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, in December and claims to have since captured several IS bases. An initial assessment of Saturday’s airstrikes by the U.S. indicated many militants were killed, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Sunday. Reuters
Sudan: RSF Snipers Fire on Engineers Inspecting Damaged Khartoum Water Plant
Engineers from the Khartoum State Water Authority came under sniper fire from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday while assessing damage at the Bahri water plant, the authority said…The RSF remains deployed in numerous high-rise buildings in central Khartoum and along the Nile Street, including several ministries and the Presidential Palace…The Bahri plant produces around 300,000 cubic meters of water daily, supplying a large part of Khartoum state. However, it was heavily damaged during fighting between the RSF and the army, causing it to shut down and worsening the capital’s water shortages. Sudan Tribune
Libya’s UN Mission Forms Panel to Propose Ways to Solve Election Impasse
The U.N. Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced on Tuesday it had formed a committee to propose ways to resolve contentious issues hindering the holding of long-awaited national elections. A political process to resolve more than a decade of conflict in Libya has been stalled since an election scheduled for December 2021 collapsed amid disputes over the eligibility of the main candidates…An UNSMIL statement named the advisory committee’s 13 men and seven women members and said they would meet for the first time next week in Tripoli…UNSMIL said that the committee’s proposals would be submitted to the Mission “for consideration for the subsequent phase of the political process.”…UNSMIL said members were chosen for professionalism, expertise in legal, constitutional and/or electoral issues; an ability to build compromise and an understanding of Libya’s political challenges. Reuters
Liberia: AFL Reaffirms Commitment to Security, Democracy
Speaking at a one-day symposium marking the 68th Armed Forces Day on Tuesday in Congo Town, Minister of National Defense, Retired Major General Geraldine George, reaffirmed the [Armed Forces of Liberia] AFL’s commitment to fostering civic engagement. “The AFL remains steadfast in championing this cause, ensuring that all citizens have a voice in shaping the future of our security landscape,” Minister George stated. “We will continue to engage with communities through outreach programs, civic education, and social development initiatives to build a more secure Liberia.” …In her remarks, ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia, Josephine Nkrumah, lauded the AFL’s approach to community engagement, contrasting it with other security institutions in West Africa that often operate with minimal public interaction. “Sustaining democracy requires a whole-of-society approach, and the Armed Forces of Liberia have demonstrated their willingness to be a part of that process,” Ambassador Nkrumah stated. “Their outreach efforts are commendable and should serve as a model for other security agencies.” Liberian Observer
South Sudan: Journalist Adil Released after Nearly 2 Weeks in Detention
A freelance journalist who was arrested in South Sudan’s capital late last month has been released from the detention center of the National Security Service (NSS). Adil Faris Mayat, a freelance journalist and former director of the country’s public broadcaster, South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, was arrested on 23 January under unclear circumstances. Last week, the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) in Juba called on the authorities to expedite their investigations, grant Faris access to his family and lawyer, and adhere to the legal procedures outlined in the constitution…Human rights organizations have repeatedly urged the South Sudanese government to limit the NSS’s powers to intelligence gathering, as stipulated in the Transitional Constitution…The agency also continues to detain Emmanuel Monychol, the editor-in-chief of Juba’s daily English-language newspaper, The Dawn. Last year, South Sudan ranked 136th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Although any detainee must be brought before a judge within 24 hours according to the country’s constitution, this rarely happens. Radio Tamazuj
Hidden Strength: South Sudan
[VIDEO] South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation. Despite its rich cultural diversity and natural resources, the country faces immense challenges, including economic instability and governance issues exacerbated by continuing conflicts. The informal sector, a lifeline for many South Sudanese, plays a critical role in sustaining the nation’s fragile economy. Hidden Strength unveils the stories of resilience within the informal economy of Juba. Through expert interviews and local business owners, the film demonstrates how honest livelihoods can be forged even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Al Jazeera
South Africa’s Unity Government Steady after Stormy Start
In the seven months since it was formed, South Africa’s unlikely unity government has been stretched and cracked but remains intact under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who delivers its first state of the nation address Thursday. Several loud quarrels have erupted over sticking points such as language education in schools and Ramaphosa’s warm words towards Russia but nothing that has made real the threats and fears of collapse…It was an unlikely collaboration, with the DA a long and critical rival of the African National Congress (ANC). But the GNU, which includes eight other smaller parties, has been credited with bringing some stability to the continent’s most industrialized economy as it faces a host of challenges, from an unemployment rate topping 30%, to high rates of crime. AFP
Ghana Tackles Youth Unemployment amid Regional Security Concerns
As Ghana’s newly created Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment takes shape, its primary focus is addressing the country’s escalating youth unemployment crisis, a challenge that extends beyond its borders and fuels regional insecurity. Youth unemployment in Ghana currently stands at a staggering 38.8%, with nearly 68% of employed youth engaged in what are classified as vulnerable jobs – low-paying and unstable occupations offering no long-term security…”This is a national security risk, and we must tackle it aggressively,” [George Opare Addo, the minister for youth development and empowerment said]. Historically, Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Sports had been heavily skewed towards sports, often sidelining broader youth development concerns. By separating the two, the administration of President John Mahama aims to be more deliberate in empowering young people through skill development, entrepreneurship and formal job creation…Ghana’s youth unemployment crisis is not unique. Across West Africa, rising joblessness has contributed to the growth of extremist groups, which exploit economic desperation to recruit young people. The Africa Report
Africa Takes GDP Recalculation Campaign to G20, but Scepticism Abounds
African countries plan a fresh push at international summits this year for standard measures of economic strength such as GDP to have better recognition of their vast natural assets and resources. The initiative is being driven by the African Development Bank in the hope that recalibrating GDP would automatically improve debt metrics and relieve borrowing market pressures that had triggered dozens of economic crises in recent decades. There has long been scepticism over how much hard cash precious ecosystems can generate for poorer countries. But the U.N. estimates that Africa, which makes up 20% of the world’s land surface, is home to one-quarter of all mammal species and one-fifth of bird species. It also has around one-sixth of the world’s remaining forests and those, along with mangroves, help lock away planet-damaging carbon emissions – a benefit that should be included in GDP calculations, the AfDB argues…The recalculation issue is likely to feature during South Africa’s G20 presidency this year…However, there are doubts over how much of an impact such a recalibration would have on investors and creditors given the leap still needed to monetize natural wealth via the likes of carbon credits. Reuters
Ukraine Wants to Open Food Hub in Egypt, Minister Says
Ukraine is studying the possibility of opening a logistics hub in Egypt for supplies of Ukrainian agricultural products to the region, agriculture minister Vitaliy Koval said on Tuesday. Ukraine, a global producer and exporter of grains, oilseeds and vegetable oils, has in recent months intensified efforts to penetrate more deeply into the North African market, especially after the fall of Syria’s Russian-backed leadership…”Together with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Egypt, Mykola Nahornyi, we inspected the port infrastructure and locations where Ukrainian businesses can place their facilities – elevators, logistics centres, warehouses,” he added…Ukraine has traditionally supplied its food to Egypt, and shipped 3.87 million metric tons of corn and 1.72 million tons of wheat to Egypt in the 2023/24 July-June season, according to UGA grain traderes union. Reuters