Africa Media Review for September 27, 2024

Sudan’s Army Launches Push to Retake Ground in Capital
Sudan’s army launched artillery and airstrikes in Sudan’s capital on Thursday in its biggest operation to regain ground there since early in its 17-month war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), witnesses and military sources said. The push by the army, which lost control of most of the capital at the start of the conflict, came ahead of an address by its commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. … In the capital, witnesses reported heavy bombardments and clashes as army troops tried to cross bridges across the Nile connecting the three adjoining cities that make up the greater capital: Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri. Reuters

Sudan Cholera Cases Top 15,000 with 506 Deaths – Health Ministry
The number of cholera cases in Sudan has surpassed 15,000 with 506 deaths, the health ministry said on Thursday, as the country battles an outbreak following devastating floods. The ministry’s emergency operations centre said 268 new cases had been recorded, totalling 15,577. Four new deaths were also reported. The outbreak began in August after heavy rains and flooding swept across large swathes of the country, creating stagnant water that has become a breeding ground for disease. The worst-hit area is Gedaref state in eastern Sudan, where the number of cases has risen to 570, including 50 deaths, according to medical sources. … In Kassala state, the total number of cases has risen to 4,025, including 96 deaths, the health ministry said. In Al-Dabbah locality in Northern State, 155 new cases were recorded, bringing the total to 899, including 20 deaths. Local authorities have closed markets, food outlets and schools in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease. Sudan Tribune

DR Congo Accuses Rwanda of Aiding Armed Groups in East African Court Case
The East African Court of Justice has started proceedings on a case filed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Rwanda, accusing it of violating its sovereignty and sending troops to support rebel groups in the country’s eastern region. Eastern DRC has witnessed years of instability as more than 120 armed groups have fought for power, land and valuable mineral resources. The most powerful group is the M23 which the Congolese government – alongside the United States and France – has accused Rwanda of sponsoring. Kigali has denied the allegations. “DRC accuses Rwanda of acts of aggression that allegedly violate its sovereignty, territorial integrity, political stability, and independence,” read a statement on social media from the Tanzania-based court. “The DRC argues that Rwanda’s actions have led to significant human rights violations in the North Kivu region,” it said. … In July, UN experts estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwanda government forces are deployed in eastern DRC alongside the M23, which has been making major advances since 2021 after being dormant for nearly a decade. Al Jazeera

Congo: Displaced People Caught between Conflict and Crisis
People who are displaced within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) face a significant dilemma. Those who ended up in overcrowded camps around Goma in North Kivu province are experiencing deteriorating conditions and food shortages, prompting them to return to the homes they fled due to fighting in the country’s conflict-hit east. However, they often find themselves in danger in their local villages and end up returning to the camps out of desperation. “I lived in the camp for over a year. We suffered a lot and had too little food,” one affected Congolese man told DW. Even after his return, he struggled daily to survive amid a worsening situation that led to increased hardship and looting. He is not facing this dilemma alone. Hundreds of people are currently being forced to return to their home villages despite the dangers, due to the poor supply situation in the camps. DW

AU Urges “Concrete” Steps to Fully Implement South Sudan Peace Deal
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat has renewed his call for concrete steps to fully implement the Revitalized Agreement to the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). The call comes a week after South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s office announced an extension of the transitional period by two years and postponed country’s elections until December 2026. … The Chairperson further urges all stakeholders to work towards the realization of the long-awaited legitimate right and aspirations of all South Sudanese for the conduct of transparent and credible elections, thereby promoting constitutional democratic order and inclusive governance. … South Sudan has formally been at peace since the 2018 agreement that ended a five-year conflict between its rival actions was signed, but violence between rival communities still occur frequently. Sudan Tribune

Tunisia Assembly Votes on Electoral Bill Nine Days before Poll, Opposition Calls Protest
Tunisia’s parliament was set to vote on a major amendment to the electoral law on Friday, nine days before a presidential election that opposition groups fear will cement President Kais Saied’s authoritarian rule. The bill strips the Administrative Court of its authority to adjudicate electoral disputes. It is likely to pass in an assembly elected in 2022 on an 11% turnout after Saied dissolved the previous one and prompted an opposition boycott. Political opposition and civil society groups called for protests against the bill near parliament. The Administrative Court is widely seen as the last independent judicial body, after Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and dismissed dozens of judges in 2022. The court this month ordered the electoral commission to reinstate disqualified presidential candidates, saying the legitimacy of the Oct. 6 election was in question. But the commission defied the court and has allowed only two candidates to run against Saied. … Critics argue that Saied is using the electoral commission and the judiciary to secure victory by stifling competition and intimidating rivals. He for his part says he is fighting traitors, mercenaries and corruption. Reuters

Tunisia’s Coast Guard Finds Bodies of 13 Migrants Washed Up on its Shores
The bodies of 13 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were found washed up on Tunisia’s Mediterranean coast this week as authorities struggle to stem unauthorized boat crossings from North Africa to Europe. Tunisia’s Coast Guard said the bodies were recovered on Wednesday near Mahdia, a coastal Tunisian town about 142 kilometers (88 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is closer to North Africa than the Italian mainland. Tunisia, along with neighboring Libya, have long been the key launching pads for Europe, and thousands of migrants reach Lampedusa in ramshackle boats every year, including many whose journeys are facilitated by smugglers. According to local court spokesperson Ferid Ben Jha, the bodies were all of men from sub-Saharan Africa and an investigation is underway to determine where they came from. … Recently, Tunisia has ramped up efforts to patrol its territorial waters with European funding and help, leading to a drop in migrant crossings and deaths. AP

#EndBadGovernance: Group Calls for Release of Detainees, Cites Lack of Evidence
The Initiative Against Human Rights Abuse and Torture, a civil society organisation, has called for the release of all detainees arrested in connection with the August #EndBadGovernance protests. In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the coordinator of the group, Gerald Katchy, said the police are only struggling to find crimes to charge the protesters with. … The detainees were accused of other serious crimes including terrorism and treason, a development many have condemned as an extreme step to criminalise exercise of constitutionally guaranteed right to protest. The group, therefore, asked the police to release all the protesters detained over the August protests. It said the detainees include at least 17 underage persons who have spent some days in police custody before securing a court order to detain them for an additional 60 days. Curiously, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an order remanding the underage persons along with the adults for 60 days. Premium Times

Civil Society Groups Call for Release of Top Egyptian Activist
Egyptian and international civil society groups on Thursday called for the release of the country’s most prominent activist, Alaa Abd el-Fattah, after his lawyer indicated that he would remain in detention until 2027. Egyptian-British software developer and blogger Abd el-Fattah had hoped to be freed on Sunday, when he will have been imprisoned for five years since his latest detention in 2019. In 2021 he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news after sharing a social media post, but Abd el-Fattah’s lawyer said this month that authorities were not planning to include his period of pretrial detention as counting towards his release. A coalition of 59 Egyptian and international civil society groups said in a joint statement that failing to release Abd el-Fattah on Sept. 29 would violate Egypt’s code of criminal procedure. Reuters

Senegal PM Vows ‘Corruption’ Probe into Former Government
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Thursday, September 26 vowed investigations into what he termed “widespread corruption” under the previous administration, accusing it of having fiddled its financial figures. “The policy of unbridled indebtedness (under former president Macky Sall) has led to the use of resources that is not transparent and that is conducive to widespread corruption,” he told journalists, denouncing the “embezzlement of public funds en masse.” After being sworn in in April, Faye requested that Sonko conduct a thorough review of the country’s financial situation, with the stock-take’s conclusions shared on Thursday. “We had no idea that things were so catastrophic,” Sonko said, accusing the former authorities of having lied and falsified figures, particularly with international partners. … Faye and Sonko have repeatedly said they will seek accountability from the previous administration, with a number of former officials having been prevented from leaving the country. Le Monde

Equatorial Guinea’s President Visits Russia for Diplomatic Talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the President of Equatorial Guinea, in Moscow. Putin highlighted the successful collaboration between Russia and the oil-rich nation within the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and OPEC+. … [T]he Kremlin announced that the two leaders would address bilateral relations and various international and regional issues. Africa News

Benin: Prominent Personalities, Allies of President Talon Accused of Plotting Coup
Banknotes stuffed in suitcases totalling one billion five hundred million CFAS to finance a coup in Bénin. That’s according to the special prosecutor. The arrest of prominent personalities close to the regime was announced Wednesday. Among those allegedly involved is former Sports minister Oswald Homéky and the commander of Benin’s presidential guard. The alleged coup was to take place on September 27. “Starting from August 06, those concerned opened a bank account at NSIA Banque Côte d’Ivoire with the Commander of the Republican Guard, being the beneficiary,” special prosecutor Mario Metonou said. “A proof of opening was sent to him with an initial balance of one hundred five million CFA francs. The mastermind is allegedly Olivier Boko. A wealthy businessman and ally of president Patrice Talon. Talon’s mandate is set to expire in 2026. Many wonder what could possibly have happened between the two men who have always been very close. AfricaNews

Calls by African Leaders for Equitable Representation on UN Security Council Gain Momentum
The call for a more inclusive and representative Security Council resonated loud and clear at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, as African leaders demanded global powers address the longstanding inequity in the Council’s composition. They articulated a compelling case, highlighting how the legacy of colonialism and its lingering effects have left the continent disproportionately excluded. This exclusion is not merely a matter of representation, it directly impacts Africa’s ability to influence discussions on critical issues, such as conflict resolution, climate change and sustainable development. The leaders emphasized the urgent need for the 15-member Security Council to reflect contemporary realities, arguing that its current structure is antiquated and ill-suited to address the complex challenges of the modern world. They pointed out that the failure to incorporate a broader spectrum of voices within the Council compromises the UN’s legitimacy and effectiveness, particularly in responding to Africa’s pressing peace and security challenges. UN News

Small Island Nations Plead for Their Survival amid Rising Sea Levels
World leaders taking the stage at this week’s United Nations General Assembly are warning about sea level rise and the impacts of climate change in the most dire and personal terms. Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said even if vulnerable lands are submerged, their nations should still be recognized. “We must also be clear,” she said. “We will not be wiped out off the map, nor will we go silently to our watery graves.” In a special high-level summit to address the impacts or rising seas, small island nations pleaded for their survival and insisted on their sovereignty despite overflowing oceans. … Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan asked the international community to hold businesses and governments accountable, and to increase climate funding. He pointed out the imbalance between the world’s military expenditure and funds needed to combat the effects of climate change. “A worrying reflection of the world’s priorities,” he said. AfricaNews

Groups Call to Protect Women, Children Working in Africa’s Mines
As the global race to acquire economically vital minerals unfolds, those working in Africa’s mining sector are calling for the protection of women and children laborers who keep it running. Women in Mining Africa, an advocacy group that aims to mitigate harsh working conditions in rural communities, organized a virtual meeting this week with organizations and experts. They are working to promote gender equity and social justice in the mining sector as demand for African resources continues. “We seek to empower women in mining by advocating for equal access to resources, opportunities, and leadership roles across the continent,” said Comfort Asokoro Ogaji founded Women in Mining Africa, which works in 36 African countries. … The World Bank says women represent 30% of the industry known as Artisanal and Small-scale Mining, or ASM. However, women are often barred from entering the mines and relegated to lower-paying jobs. VOA