South Sudan Postpones Elections, Extends Govt’s Tenure
South Sudan’s transitional government said Friday that long-awaited elections in December 2024 would be postponed for a further two years, once again extending a transitional period agreed to in a 2018 peace agreement. While a peace deal six years ago ended a 2013-2018 civil war between President Salva Kiir and his rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, relentless feuding between the two men has repeatedly delayed a transition that was supposed to pave the way to future polls. Friday’s announcement is the latest delay to elections in the world’s youngest nation, since proposed elections in February 2023 were pushed back after the government failed to meet key provisions of the agreement…International observers have become increasingly exasperated with South Sudan’s political leadership, with Kiir and Machar’s long-running and destructive feud repeatedly stymieing progress on general elections. After the presidency meeting, a government official who preferred anonymity told Radio Tamazuj that the extension of the transitional period could affect the progress of the Tumaini Initiative talks between the transitional government and the holdout opposition groups. Radio Tamazuj
The Presidential Campaign Season in Tunisia Is Officially Underway a Day after Protests
The official start of the presidential campaign season in Tunisia began on Saturday, a day after Tunisians took their anger to the streets of the capital to decry what protesters say is the deteriorating state of the country. In what appeared to be the largest protest since authorities began a monthslong wave of arrests earlier this year, hundreds of Tunisians marched peacefully on Friday and called for an end to what they called a police state…The protests capped off a week in which the North African country’s largest opposition party, Ennahda, said its senior members had been arrested en masse, at a scale not previously seen…When first elected in 2019, Saied used anti-corruption promises to win over people disillusioned with the political controversies that plagued Tunisia’s young democracy in the years that followed the Arab Spring. Since taking office, the 66-year-old former law professor has gone to lengths to consolidate his own power, freezing the country’s parliament and rewriting the constitution. Throughout his tenure, authorities have arrested journalists, activists, civil society figures and political opponents across the ideological spectrum. AP
Tunisian Court Orders Electoral Commission to Reinstate Presidential Candidates
Tunisia’s highest court on Saturday ordered the electoral commission to reinstate two candidates for a presidential poll in October, warning that failure to do so could jeopardise the legitimacy of the election. The move by the Administrative Court comes amid growing political tension in the North African country and fears from the opposition and civil society groups about a rigged election that would lead to President Kais Saied winning a second term…Tensions mounted after the electoral commission earlier this month rejected the court’s decision to restore the candidacy of Abdellaif Mekki, Mondher Znaidi and Imed Daimi ahead of the Oct.6 race, citing alleged irregularities in their candidacy filings…[T]he court said on Saturday that the commission is obligated to implement its decision and, if necessary, to review the electoral calendar. It is not clear if this means postponing the election or extending the campaign timeframe. Reuters
Who Was behind One of the Deadliest Attacks in Sudan?
At least 100 civilians were killed [on June 5th] in the attack on the Sudanese village of Wad al-Nourah, according to estimates by volunteers of the local resistance committee…The BBC has heard testimonies from several survivors who accuse armed men from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – the paramilitary group fighting the Sudanese army – of opening fire and storming the village in two successive attacks, using heavy weaponry…The alleged number of deaths in this incident would make it one of the deadliest incidents involving civilians since the war between the army and the RSF began in April 2023…RSF spokesperson Al-Fateh Qurashi issued a video statement on X…denying their forces had targeted civilians. He stated that the forces had engaged with elements of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Intelligence – also known as ‘Al Mustanfaron’ – a militia carrying small weapons and aligned with the SAF, who were in the village at the time of the attack. The BBC’s fact-finding team analysed videos provided by the RSF, which they claimed depicted locations and trenches used by Al Mustanfaron in Wad al-Nourah. The analysis revealed these locations were all situated outside the village, not within it. The analysis also showed that members of the RSF opened fire towards the village, using heavy weapons from about a mile away…The RSF took control of Gezira state, to the south of the capital, Khartoum, in December 2023, and has been accused of carrying out numerous abuses against civilians there. BBC
Health Teams Brave War Conditions in Sudan to save Newborn Babies
The civil war in Sudan has brought the country’s health system to its knees. UN mobile health teams are attempting to plug the gaps, crossing conflict zones to help pregnant women to give birth in safety…As the crisis deepens and diseases like polio and cholera spread, accessing health care has become one of the most critical challenges for the people of Khartoum. Most medical facilities have been forced out of service due to destruction and a severe lack of supplies…UNFPA has deployed 56 mobile health teams across 11 states in Sudan, which provide sexual and reproductive health services and gender-based violence protection and response. Since the war began, the teams – including doctors, pharmacists, lab technicians, psychologists and midwives – have conducted over 150,000 medical consultations…The mobility of the teams is crucial for increasing access to vital services in remote areas, preventing maternal deaths due to unsafe childbirth and high-risk pregnancies. Too often a lack of transportation means many simply cannot get to a health centre in time – or at all. On average, a team will cover three different locations per week, spending one to two days in each, based on the community’s size and needs. UN News
Mali, Burkina and Niger to Launch Biometric Passports under New Alliance
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger will introduce new biometric passports as part of their withdrawal from a West African bloc in favour of a new Sahel alliance after military leaders seized power in all three countries, Mali’s leader said on Sunday. The three junta-led Sahel neighbours jointly announced in January they would leave the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has sought to persuade them to reconsider their decision. Burkina Faso announced earlier this month that it was rolling out new passports without the ECOWAS logo…ECOWAS has warned that the three countries’ withdrawal would undermine the freedom of movement and common market of the 400 million people living in the 49-year-old bloc. Reuters
Hungary Plans to Deploy Its Troops to Chad
Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, is pressing ahead with his plan to station about 200 soldiers in Chad after meeting Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in Budapest…Over the past year, Hungary has rapidly developed ties with Chad, opening a humanitarian aid center and diplomatic mission in the capital and signing agreements on agriculture and education. Hungary has a historically weak presence in Africa, but Orban has championed a foreign policy of opening up to the East and South by seeking closer ties with China, Russia, and African countries. Viktor Marsai, director of the Migration Research Institute, said Budapest has also sought a more significant military role in the Sahel to train its defense forces. According to Marsai, Hungary has traditionally been “part of military coalitions” when deployed abroad, but this time, it would need to “provide everything by itself.” This could pose significant challenges, particularly in terms of resources and coordination…Experts and opposition politicians in Hungary have voiced fears that Budapest, which remains close to the Kremlin, might act on Russia’s behalf in the Sahel. DW
Comoros President Is ‘Slightly Injured’ in Knife Attack. The Suspect Is Found Dead in Police Cell
The president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros was “slightly injured” in a knife attack while attending the funeral of a religious leader on Friday, his office said. The suspect, who was identified as a 24-year-old male soldier, was then found dead in a police cell on Saturday. President Azali Assoumani’s injuries were not serious and he had returned to his home, his office said in a statement. It said the attacker was arrested by security forces and was taken into custody, but authorities said he had been discovered a day later “unresponsive” in a cell where he was being held and was declared dead…Assoumani was reelected as president of Comoros in January in a vote denounced by opposition parties as fraudulent…Assoumani, 65, is a former military officer who first came to power in a coup in 1999. He served a first term as president from 2002 – 2006 and was elected again in 2016. He has been the leader since and extended his presidency into a fourth term this year after changing the constitution to remove term limits and abolishing a system that saw the presidency rotated between Comoros’ three main islands. He has been accused of cracking down on dissent and banning peaceful protests. AP
Surprise Return to Botswana by Ex-president to Face Trial
Botswana’s former President Ian Khama has unexpectedly returned to the country after three years of self-imposed exile, appearing in court to face charges, including money laundering and owning illegal firearms…Ian Khama led Botswana for 10 years until 2018. He is not standing for office again in next month’s election, in which his bitter rival President Mokgweetsi Masisi is seeking a second term…At Friday’s hearing, the magistrate dropped arrest warrants against Khama that had been issued in 2022 after his previous no-shows at court…Khama has long denied the 14 charges against him, which also include handling stolen property, saying they are politically motivated. He is jointly charged with the former heads of intelligence and police services. BBC
Angola: Critics Slam New Law to Ban Demonstrations
The Angolan parliament approved a law for protection against vandalism during demonstrations…The so-called vandalism bill, which was signed into law on August 29, penalizes crimes of vandalism of public goods and services. The law also makes it a crime to film or take photos of public services. This means those who take images of a police officer mistreating someone at a rally, for example, face up to 10 years in jail…The new law violates key principles of the Angolan constitution, [Bangula Quemba, a lawyer and a professor of criminal procedure law at the Catholic University of Luanda] said. “This law was simply passed to prevent critical citizens from participating in demonstrations by threatening them with harsh punishments in the event of riots or property damage,” Quemba said…The offenses defined as vandalism in the new law are already covered by other existing Angolan legislation, Quemba pointed out, such as those covering property damage or theft…For this reason, the new law also potentially restricts the right to peaceful assembly. DW
Morocco Blocks Mass Migration Attempt into Spain’s Ceuta Enclave
Moroccan authorities on Sunday prevented dozens of migrants from storming a border fence to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, after calls on social media for a mass migration attempt. Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, share the only land borders of the European Union with Africa. The enclaves sporadically experience waves of attempted crossings by migrants trying to reach Europe. In the most recent attempt, dozens of migrants gathered on top of a hill in Fnideq on the border on Sunday and began throwing stones at Moroccan security forces, a video shared by local news websites showed. Police prevented them from approaching the Ceuta fence…Most of the migrants are Moroccan youths, joined by a smaller number of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Many of them arrive in Fnideq on foot and hide in nearby forests to evade authorities, said Zakaria Razzouki, a rights activist in Fnideq. Moroccan security forces try to prevent crossings at the land border and patrol the beach to prevent migrants from swimming to Ceuta, he said. Reuters
I Will Die Trying’: Gambian Migrant Deportees Dream of Return to Europe
More than 35,000 Gambians arrived in the European Union between 2015 and 2022, according to Frontex, the EU border control agency. During peak periods, some 7,000 Gambians attempted to migrate annually, driven by dire political and economic conditions. Under the 1996-2017 regime of President Yahya Jammeh, many people fled autocratic rule and were granted asylum in the West due to political repression. Since the transition to democracy in 2017, more asylum applications from Gambians have been rejected compared to before, as the country is considered more stable…For people taking the backway to Europe and the US, the journey is usually fraught with dangers while their time spent in the West often comes with cruel treatment and even violence, the IOM has noted…Back home, there are further challenges. The mental health crisis among Gambian deportees has reached alarming levels, experts say, with many suffering severe psychological distress, and some even taking their own lives…Despite the risks, including the high number of Gambian deaths on perilous journeys, many continue to migrate. Al Jazeera
‘Water Is Coming.’ Floods Devastate West and Central Africa
Flooding caused by the rain has devastated cities and towns across west and central Africa in recent days, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed. Up to four million people have been affected by the floods and nearly one million forced to flee their homes, according to humanitarian agencies…In Nigeria, the authorities said that at least 200 people had died, but that was before the floods hit Maiduguri, which has added at least 30 people to that toll. In Niger, more than 265 have been reported dead. In Chad, 487 people had lost their lives as of last week. In Mali, which is facing its worst floods since the 1960s, 55 died…In Nigeria and in most of the region, the floods are hitting communities already racked by conflict, displacement and poverty. Even worse flooding is forecast for later in the year. Although Africa produces only a fraction of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, Africans bear an exceptionally heavy burden from climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And adapting to it will cost sub-Saharan Africa $30 billion to $50 billion annually over the next decade, or 2 to 3 percent of the region’s gross domestic product, it said. The New York Times
Africa’s Montane Forests Warm up Faster on Deforestation, Study Shows
Deforestation in Africa’s montane forests is driving a sharper rise in temperatures and cloud levels than climate change alone, endangering water resources in these critical ecosystems that supply millions across the continent…[Recent research by scientists from Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Finland and Germany, released last month and published in the journal Nature Communications ] shows that in the last 20 years, deforestation has caused the loss of 18 percent of Africa’s montane forests. As a result, the air temperature in these areas has increased by 1.4 degrees Celsius, and the cloud level has risen by 230 metres, impacting water capture. Tropical montane rainforests…play a crucial role in capturing water from fog and clouds, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality water to lowland regions…The main driver of montane deforestation in Africa has been attributed to small-scale cropland expansion, with other factors such as urbanisation, large-scale commodity crops and forest fires playing a lesser role. The EastAfrican
Somalia: As Mogadishu’s Skyline Transforms, the Urban Poor Call for Economic Inclusion
The flow of desperate rural families heading to Mogadishu to escape insecurity and climate shocks has given Somalia one of the fastest urbanisation rates in the world. An estimated 700,000 displaced people have settled in recent years in the city’s overcrowded and neglected informal settlements. Yet a creeping gentrification is also underway as wealthy business elites – including returning diaspora Somalis – take advantage of the slowly improving security in Mogadishu to invest. The new construction is a vote of confidence in the country’s future, despite the bomb attacks by the jihadist group al-Shabab that have targeted the popular beaches and restaurants where people gather. But the urbanisation free-for-all has a social cost, discriminating as it does against those living on the margins of society – the displaced and the urban poor. They lack documentation and legal protections, and, as land values increase, there has been a related rise in forced evictions in a city where those with money and clan backing can act with impunity. The New Humanitarian
Nigerians Head for Russia to Study
[VIDEO] Russia’s influence in western Africa is expanding, and not only through military assistance to combat terrorism. The Kremlin has started an aggressive campaign to attract more African students to Russia. DW