The Continent
Africa: Burundi question weighs heavily as AU summit begins in Addis Ababa
The 26th AU summit is heavily loaded with agenda items. One of the burning issues is whether the heads of state who arrive here later this week will authorise the deployment of an armed force in the troubled central African country of Burundi. What happens at AU summits is that most of the decisions are made by the Council of Ministers well before the arrival of presidents who just perform the job of endorsing or rejecting the proposals.
Given that Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has already said he will not allow a foreign force into his country, "the Burundi issue will suck the air as the heads of state make the decision if they will allow the deployment of 5,000 troops in Burundi by the AU," says Dr Yann Bedzigui, Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis at South Africa's Institute of Policy studies (ISS) who is here as an observer at the talks. He adds: "Burundi already said no. The chairman of the talks will put a question that will require a majority of two thirds of the 54 AU member states."
The signs are that this resolution will not pass as the Africa Union operates on the basis of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states. The other burning issue is South Sudan where the AU needs to get more involved because a unity government has not been formed. South Sudan rebel forces have refused to join the government created by President Salva Kiir as a row rages over his decision to create extra regional states.
Also to be addressed will be terrorism in Somalia and the status of the Amisom peace-keeping force that has come under increasing attacks from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab radicals. Libya is also to be discussed as attempts are made to entrench a central government after the split caused by the vacuum caused by the ouster of the regime of long time ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The summit will also address the creation of a new Peace and Security Council where all the 15 seats are now vacant. The question is whether the heavyweight nations should be given more powers. These states include Ethiopia as the host, South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. The irony is that even Burundi is a candidate to be on the Africa Peace and Security Council and can surely win a seat despite the instability in the country. There is also the election of a new chairman of the AU Commission. The signs are that the current occupant of the post, Ms Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma may not seek a new term, but that is later this year in July.
On Burundi, it is likely that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will be urged to play a greater role in the country's peace process. The same will apply to South Africa's Jacob Zuma. Also to be addressed is if Burundi should be suspended from the Amisom peace-keeping force in Somalia. Rwanda may also have to explain about the claims of it training Burundi rebels at its refugee camps. The signs are that the summit will go for a political solution of the Burundi crisis as opposed to a military one. Rwanda itself has accused Burundi of hosting Hutu rebels out to end the regime of President Paul Kagame. There could also be calls to the East African Community (EAC) to expel or suspend Burundi from the regional body. But if Burundi was expelled, the EAC would not be able to play a role in the country's peace process.
It is unlikely President Nkurunziza will attend the Addis talks as the last time he left the country was mid last year, an event that attracted a coup attempt. Says Ms Stephanie Walters of the ISS: "AU faces a credibility test as it has taken bold steps to restore order in Burundi, the order to send 5,000 troops was surprising." The summit will also address the tension between the AU and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The AU says the Hague-based court should not file any charges against a serving African head of state and should cancel any such case.
Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir is currently facing charges at the ICC arising from alleged massacres in the country's Darfur region. There will also be a debate about appointment of a special envoy for human rights who will be charged with the task of drawing up a continent-wide convention on fundamental rights. Most of the meetings will be closed especially the session on Burundi.
The theme of this year's summit is: "African year of human rights with particular focus on the rights of women." Among the side meetings will be the peer review forum to be chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta on 29 January and the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad) meeting that will precede the peer review meeting.
Source: Daily Nation, 28 January 2016
Africa: Diplomats protest over attack on Africans in India
African diplomats in New Delhi have issued a protest note following incidents in which African students in India were attacked by mobs. On 3 February, the African diplomatic corps in India petitioned the country's Ministry of External Affairs, after a Tanzanian student was attacked by a crowd in the Southern city of Bengaluru, some 2,000 km from the capital New Delhi. Kenya's High Commissioner to India Florence Weche told the Nation on Thursday that though no Kenyan has been targeted yet, she was advising all Kenyan students to stay away from crowds. "We have advised students to stay safe and report any incident affecting them to the High Commission," she said on phone from New Delhi.
The Tanzanian student, 21, was allegedly rounded by a mob and beaten after being mistaken to have caused an accident in which an Indian woman was killed. The area where the attack happened is said to host a number of colleges frequented by African students. These include Acharya College, Sri Krishna Institute of Technology, Sapthagiri College and R.R. College. But local newspaper Deccan Chronicle reported on 03 February that the presence of the students in the area had caused tensions between locals and foreigners, leading to a series of attacks. On 31 January, a Sudanese student is said to have knocked down a 35-year-old woman. The student was reportedly drunk and his vehicle was torched by an angry crowd.
"The death of a 35-year-old woman on 31 January night in an accident involving a student, who was allegedly drunk at the time, brought angry people of Ganapathi Nagar in Hesaraghatta on to the streets 01 February morning and several shops in the area remained shut during the day," the paper reported. "They take over the roads, driving rashly, whenever they come to college and leave it, and also during the weekends. The locals fear to venture out on the roads as the police (are) never around to control them. A number of accidents take place. But in the absence of casualties they don't get reported," the paper quoted a resident of the area as saying.
Local police identified the Sudanese student as Mohammad Ahmad Ismail, a student of pharmacy, according to the India Today. But locals claimed the driver was another Tanzanian student studying business administration at another college. The Tanzanian woman was allegedly beaten and stripped on 30 January night after a mob looking for the driver of the car that knocked down the Indian woman mistook her to be part of the group. The driver of the car and five other occupants fled the scene although the car was later torched some five kilometers away where it had been parked. The students were said to be from a party from a friend's apartment.
But Mr Bosco Kaweesi, the representative of African students in the area, told the Asian News International (ANI) channel that the woman was neither in the car nor had been part of the party. "This girl arrived at the spot 30 minutes after the accident from a different route," he said. On 03 February, the Tanzanian High Commission in India wrote a note verbale asking Indian authorities to investigate the matter and take "strong legal action" against the perpetrators.
On 03 February evening, India's External Affairs Ministry said it had directed authorities in the Karnataka state where the attacks occurred to investigate and prosecute the matter. "We are deeply pained over the shameful incident with a Tanzanian girl in Bengaluru. I spoke to Karnataka CM (Chief Minister). He informed me that a criminal case has been registered and four accused have been arrested," Ms Sushma Swaraj, India's External Affairs Minister wrote on her Twitter page on 3 February. The ministry's spokesman Vikas Swarup also added that the Indian government had been in touch with African diplomatic corps to assure them of their national's safety.
Source: Daily Nation, 04 February 2016.
UN peacekeepers accused of rape in Central African Republic
United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic raped or sexually exploited at least eight women and girls last fall, including a young teenager who said she was released only because she had managed to scream, according to a Human Rights Watch report released Thursday. “In a country where armed groups routinely prey on civilians, peacekeepers should be protectors, not predators,” said Hillary Margolis, a women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The United Nations mission in the Central African Republic confirmed that it had been informed by Human Rights Watch about the report’s findings and said it had taken steps to address them. One of the episodes had been previously reported and was already under investigation, the mission said in a statement. The statement said that the home countries of the accused peacekeepers, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been notified and asked to begin investigations. The mission also said it had ordered the repatriation of 120 Republic of Congo soldiers, who were immediately confined to barracks.
Allegations of rape by peacekeepers have mounted in the Central African Republic, one of the continent’s poorest and most unstable countries. A spokesman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called abuses by troops in the nation “rampant,” noting that about 10 international peacekeeping contingents have now been implicated in cases of sexual abuse. According to the Human Rights Watch report, one of the victims, a 14-year-old girl, said she had been attacked after walking by troops near Bambari Airport in the center of the country.
“Suddenly, one of them grabbed me by my arms, and the other one ripped off my clothes,” the girl told human rights workers, according to the report. “They pulled me into the tall grass, and one held my arms while the other one pinned down my legs and raped me.” “The soldier holding my arms tried to hold my mouth, but I was still able to scream,” she said. Each victim said that she believed the suspects were from the Republic of Congo or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, the United Nations secretary general’s special representative in the Central African Republic, said the new cases raised by Human Rights Watch meant that the mission “now has the sad record, among all peacekeeping operations, of dealing with the most cases of sexual misconduct.” Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations to insist that troops’ home countries prosecute the crimes and take responsibility for helping survivors. Only one of the eight victims received medical or psychological care, according to the report.
Less than two months ago, an independent panel assailed how the United Nations handles cases of abuse committed by peacekeepers and recommended changes to ensure quick accountability and protection of victims. The panel was created by the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, after allegations arose that French peacekeepers deployed in the Central African Republic had sexually abused children as young as 9, luring them with food.
Source: The New York Times, 04 February 2016.
Central Africa
Chad-Boko Haram mutliplies attacks
At least 14 people died in triple suicide bomb attacks in Guité and Mitériné last weekend. The terrorist Boko Haram jihadists have multiplied suicide bomb attacks in the Lake Chad Basin countries since the beginning of 2016. Some 14 people died and 31 others were injured in Boko Haram triple bomb blasts in the localities of Guité and Mitériné, in Chad. In neighbouring Nigeria, Boko Haram jihadists killed over 85 people in bomb blasts and injured 55 others in the locality of Dalori near the Borno State capital, Maiduguri last Saturday, January 30, 2016.
The death toll from the three suicide bomb attacks in Chad includes five civilians and the three suicide bombers. As for the injured, there were 44 civilians and seven soldiers. Reports say that some 20 serious cases of victims who sustained injuries in Guité were evacuated to hospitals in the capital, N'Djamena by Public Health Ministry personnel in over 10 ambulances. The Governor of the Hadjer Lamis Region, Alio Adoum Abdoulaye, reportedly said that the head of the local vigilante group intercepted a suspected suicide bomber who wanted to get into the market. Soldiers noticed their exchanges and came to intervene and it was at that moment that the suicide bomber detonated the bomb in his belt that took his life, that of the head of the vigilante group and that of some civilians.
In the second attack in Mitériné, two female suicide bombers tried to enter a fish-selling point. They were noticed by the traders who immediately alerted members of the local vigilante group. When the suspects noticed that they had been identified, reports say, they moved towards children who were playing football and detonated the explosives tied to their belts. In the incident, four children died as well as the two suicide bombers.
Source: The Cameroon Tribune, 04 February 2016.
Rwanda: Govt targets US $ 100 million from floriculture, horticulture exports
The Government targets $104 million annually from floriculture and horticulture sector by 2018, up from current $10 million, an official said yesterday. Tony Nsanganira, the state minister for agriculture, said this would be possible owing to the increasing number of investors in floriculture growing in Rwanda. He was speaking at a meeting with investors from Japan and session on Japan floriculture experimental study that seeks ways to boost flower growing in the country. The minister noted that current earnings from floriculture are still low compared to vegetables and fruits.
During the dialogue, Japanese companies, including Toyota, Hachimantai City and research organisations, explored ways to intervene in funding a firm, Bloom Hills, for seeds and seedlings developing, cultivation techniques, agricultural techniques and logistics to expand their activities in Rwanda. The Japanese firm, Bloom Hills, is already developing farms and greenhouses in Kinigi Sector in Musanze District for flower growing. "The government had already started growing flowers and horticulture in Gishari centre and few private investors have come on board in Rulindo District, but floriculture is the sector where we have not yet generated any profits. We need more investors to develop the sector," Nsanganira said. He added that 'because floriculture requires high technology and investment in transport, harvesting and storage, farmers would embrace the practice once they are trained and supported by the investors.
Nsanganira said flower products are still few compared to horticulture but past experience and challenges could be foundation of progress. "Our investment will add value to Rwandan exports, expand to the world market as well as create job opportunities for the youth in rural areas," Shungo Harada, managing director of Bloom Hills, said. Japan is trying to expand floriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by experimenting with their technology using specific flowers from Japan to Rwanda, especially those with high prices on the international market, thus contributing to foreign exchange earnings. Some of the technology also to be used includes solar energy, geothermal power, and rain harvesting to facilitate the growing.
Harada's company targets to establish an export system to export flowers to The Netherlands and Japan, with the initial volume planned for 480,000 flower stems. Starting next month, Bloom Hills Company plans to begin shipping 18,000 plants (stems) per week. Takayuki Kusajima, of Toyota Motors Corporation, said Rwanda has potential to produce flowers with high value. Kenya and Ethiopia top sub-Saharan Africa in exporting flowers, earning $699 million and $610 million, respectively, according to 2014 figures.
Source: The New Times, 04 February 2016
Poll delay cheers Kabila
Delays to the compilation of the electoral register have now ensured that President Joseph Kabila stays in office beyond when the next elections should take place. The electoral commission, the Commission électorale nationale indépendante, has announced a tendering process to open on 10 February for companies to provide equipment to revise the electoral register. Even if everything proceeds smoothly, overhauling the voter rolls could take more than a year, rendering it certain that the date of the presidential elections will be pushed back.
Kabila is still touting the 'national dialogue' that he says is essential for unblocking the political process but which opposition politicians dismiss as a ruse to prolong his presidency. Much to the ire of opposition parties, African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma recently gave her public backing to the dialogue process and so too has the Catholic Church, apparently on the orders of the Vatican. This latter is a blow for the opposition, which had been hoping for strong support from the Church for mass demonstrations planned for mid-February against the slippage in the electoral timetable.
Undeterred, Etienne Tshisekedi, the head of the Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social, the largest opposition party, last week reiterated his refusal to participate in the dialogue in its present form. Tshisekedi's decision was a major setback to Kabila's dialogue hopes, but support from the AU and Catholic Church will enable the President to portray the UDPS as spoilers.
Opposition parties, however, are pressing ahead with their plans for demonstrations. If the turnout is overwhelming, they will be able to claim that the people have spoken and that the AU and Catholic Church are out of touch. But if turnout is low, the AU will consider itself vindicated and Kabila will breathe a sigh of relief. The government has meanwhile signalled its intentions by importing a mass of new anti-riot equipment. Interior Minister Evariste Boshab said this will enable the security forces to deal with any popular demonstrations that threaten to get out of hand.
Source(s): Africa Confidential, 05 February 2016
North Africa
Libya's litmus test with ISIL
The emergence of ISIL in Libya appears to have tipped the balance in the war-torn country. While Syria and Iraq may have grabbed the headlines over the past few years, another country has been preying on the mind of some Western officials. In private, French, Italian, British and United States defence officials and diplomats have expressed their huge concern about Libya. Now that the likelihood of a military intervention has increased, 2016 may turn out to be the year of Libya. Back in November 2013, former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan warned that the "international community cannot tolerate a state in the middle of the Mediterranean that is a source of violence, terrorism and killings." Only a handful of nations listened to him.
In a May 2014 interview, I stated that the US, French and Algerian special forces had been allegedly conducting operations against al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) since early that year. In August 2014, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were on high alert after an alleged US tip-off that Libyan jihadists were planning to fly planes into buildings in these countries, in attacks similar to that of September 11. Taking the threat seriously, Morocco mobilized 70,000 soldiers across the country and installed anti-aircraft batteries in Casablanca, Marrakesh and Tangier to shoot down any civilian plane that might have been taken by the terrorists.
Algeria took similar measures. In 2014, it had reportedly conducted operations for almost two months inside Libya involving up to 5,000 soldiers to root out jihadists. As the joint Egypt-United Arab Emirates air strikes in Libya showed in 2014, regional powers are not going to sit idly by as dark clouds gather nearby, which could mean that Libya becomes the most dangerous place, not only for North Africa but for Europe. It could even shift the focus from Iraq and Syria. Libya has the largest stockpile of loose weapons in the world - according to some reports, even larger than the British army's arsenal - plus about 4,000 surface-to-air missiles and 6,400 barrels of uranium concentrate powder, known as "yellowcake", that could pass into the hands of terror groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), AQIM or al Mourabitoun which controls large swaths of territory in the south.
While the worsening situation in Libya failed to trigger an international military intervention in 2015, the emergence of ISIL in Libya appears to have tipped the balance. While Italy, for example, has said that it will not attack ISIL in Syria, it has indicated that it might attack in Libya, which could mean air strikes as well as special forces on the ground. Italy has now taken the lead over France when it comes to "fixing" Libya, which isn't surprising when one considers Italy's colonial past in Libya, its commercial interests there, and the fact that Rome has been repeatedly threatened by ISIL.
Another nation, Canada, is actually withdrawing its fighter jets from the coalition in Iraq and Syria, so that it is ready to take part in a military operation in Libya. Britain is actually preparing to send up to 1,000 troops and special forces to Libya. This should not come as a surprise following the June terror attack in Tunisia, in which 30 British citizens died, because the attacker was an ISIL operative trained in Libya. At the time, David Cameron, the British prime minister, said that he was ready to launch "immediate" air strikes against terrorists in Libya. Russia could also get involved in Libya after General Khalifa Haftar reached out to them for support.
The new Saudi-led coalition against ISIL could also see more action in Libya than Syria or Iraq because of both Egypt and the UAE's interests there. Finally, both France and the US have recently been preparing public opinion for an imminent intervention. Once initiated, the air strikes are likely to focus on ISIL's stronghold in Sirte and possibly the two large ISIL training camps in Hun, 200 kilometres south of Sirte. ISIL is believed to have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters in Libya, but that number could rise quickly for two reasons: Firstly, some of the fighters leaving Syria could join ISIL in Libya; and, secondly, new recruits are expected to swell their ranks.
Libya is ISIL's second largest "market" after Iraq and Syria and featured extensively in the September issue of ISIL's magazine Dabiq. It has the potential to become a popular training ground for European recruits. In November 2015, two Frenchmen were arrested in southern Tunisia - reportedly on their way to join an ISIL training camp. A North African from Brussels, Paris or Amsterdam would have much more in common with someone from Libya rather than in Syria or Iraq, making it more appealing to recruits. And while entry to Syria is getting more difficult, Libya is now seen as a possible springboard to destabilise neighbouring Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
And while ISIL would be the main target in Libya, it is interesting that it was a recent AQIM video that called on Libyans to rise up against the invaders from Italy, France, the US and Britain. Given the situation in Libya - a failed state with three governments, no real army, a plethora of militias and several seasoned terror groups - any international military intervention force will have its work cut out.
Souce(s): Al Jazeera, 02 February 2016.
Algeria: China ready to strengthen cooperation with Algeria for better coordination on Libyan crisis
China is "ready" to strengthen cooperation with Algeria at all levels, especially at the United Nations Security Council for better coordination on sensitive issues, including the Libyan crisis, said Wednesday in Algiers China's special envoy for Middle East Affairs, Gong Xiaosheng. "We are ready to strengthen cooperation with Algeria at all levels, especially at the UN Security Council to ensure better coordination on sensitive and complex issues, including Palestinian and Libyan issues," he said following the audience granted to him by Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel.
China hailed Algeria's very important role on regional and international scenes, adding that it has always expressed clear and strong positions on sensitive and complex international issues in the region, especially the Palestinian question and Libyan crisis. "We are friends and brothers, and the voice of China at the UN is also that of Algeria and other Arab countries," he stressed. Hiaoshen said that he came to Algeria to discuss with his "Algerian friends" major sensitive issues in the Middle East region, adding that there was complete convergence of views and positions of the two countries on many issues of common interest.
Source(s): Algerie Presse Service (Algiers), 03 February 2016.
Morocco: Thousands face needless suffering at end of life
Tens of thousands of patients with terminal illnesses in Morocco needlessly suffer from debilitating pain and other symptoms, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on 04 February to coincide with World Cancer Day.
The 77-page report, "Pain Tears Me Apart: Challenges and Progress in Ensuring the Right to Palliative Care in Morocco," estimates that each year, more than 62,000 Moroccans need palliative care, which focuses on improving the quality of life of people with life-limiting illnesses by treating pain and other symptoms. While the Moroccan government has taken a number of important steps to improve end-of-life care, Human Rights Watch found only two public hospitals, in Casablanca and Rabat, have specific units that offer this essential health service, and only to cancer patients. Patients suffering severe pain outside of these cities must either undergo difficult travel to these centers or do without effective pain medicine.
"There is an urgent need for the Moroccan government to expand palliative care services," said Diederik Lohman, associate health director at Human Rights Watch. "Right now, thousands of people in Morocco with cancer and other serious health conditions are suffering needlessly from treatable symptoms." The report is the ninth in a series of Human Rights Watch studies of how countries are providing healthcare services for people with incurable illnesses. Other reports covered, Armenia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal, and Ukraine, among others.
In Morocco, Human Rights Watch conducted in-depth interviews with 85 patients and healthcare workers in five regions of Morocco between September 2014 and January 2015, and carried out extensive analysis of Morocco's laws, regulations and policies relevant to palliative care. Human Rights Watch found that the situation is particularly grim for the 40,000 Moroccans each year who need palliative care for illnesses other than cancer such as advanced heart, lung or renal disease. Morocco has no palliative care services at all for such patients.
There is an urgent need for the Moroccan government to expand palliative care services. Right now, thousands of people in Morocco with cancer and other serious health conditions are suffering needlessly from treatable symptoms. As a result of the dearth of palliative care services, many patients face severe pain without appropriate treatment. Human Rights Watch found that only about 1 in 50 doctors can prescribe morphine, the mainstay treatment for severe pain at the end of life, for ambulatory patients, and estimates that four out of five people in Morocco who need it do not receive it. Home-based palliative care is non-existent outside Casablanca and Rabat.
"Because of the pain I couldn't sleep, I couldn't talk to my friends," said a 29-year-old man with a tumour in his leg and abdomen who did not have access to palliative care. "I wanted to crush my head against the wall." Human Rights Watch identified significant positive steps the Moroccan government has taken in recent years to develop palliative care services. In 2010 and 2012, it adopted national health policies with strong provisions on palliative care; in 2013 it removed a problematic restriction on morphine access from its drug law; and in 2015 Morocco became one of the first countries in the Middle East and North Africa to include a module on pain and palliative care in its undergraduate medial curriculum.
However, implementation has been slow. While the government simplified regulations for prescribing morphine in 2013, various legal and educational barriers impede its use. Palliative care units in Fez and Marrakesh, which the government had scheduled to open between 2011 and 2013 are not yet operating. Few pharmacies or hospitals stock strong pain medications and few physicians prescribe them; and continuing medical education programs for current healthcare providers remain limited.
The World Health Organization considers palliative care an integral part of health care and recommends its integration into countries' health systems. Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, which Morocco ratified in 1979, says that governments have an obligation to ensure the availability of palliative care, access to essential palliative care medicines, including morphine, and adequate training of healthcare workers. Failure to do so may result in a violation of the right to health and in certain cases, could constitute a breach of the prohibition on cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. "Morocco has an opportunity to become a leader in palliative care in the Francophone African region," said Dr. Mati Nejmi, a palliative care pioneer in the country. "But it will need to significantly increase its efforts to ensure these services are available."
Source(s): Human Rights Watch (Washington D.C.), 04 February 2016.
Southern Africa
South Africa: Shedding light on the hidden epidemic of police suicide in South Africa
Suicide in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is at epidemic levels. Between 2012 and 2013, 115 officers died by suicide compared to 29 officers murdered on duty, an alarming four to one ratio. Unfortunately these statistics are not an anomaly.
Based on calculations from the SAPS Annual 2012-2013 report and Statistics South Africa, the number of police deaths by suicide was 73.9 per 100,000 officers. By comparison, 0.9 per 100,000 South Africans die by suicide.
While the unacceptably high rate of police murders attracts much media coverage, the bigger problem of suicide among police receives little focus.
Other countries face similar challenges but do not publish suicide statistics among police officers - even though suicide is the leading cause of death among them in most democratic countries. In the US, for example, the FBI has published only aggregated data of the number of officers injured both on and off duty since 1945 but have excluded statistics on officers who have died by suicide.
There are many challenges in dealing with the issue of suicide in police organisations. In South Africa, the recent Khayelitsha Commission of Enquiry into allegations of police inefficiency heard that dealing with emotive issues within the police is made all the more difficult by the prevailing attitude that: Cowboys don't cry.
And the Marikhana Commission of Inquiry highlighted the high prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress, which are known precursors to suicide, among South African police. According to the report of the 153,000 (estimated) SAPS personnel, 10,000 officers suffered from depression and 2700 from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Language of shame
These difficulties are compounded by the social stigma of suicide often created by the language and reactions that surround it. Suicide is an action which is regularly referred to as having been "committed" - a word normally associated with a criminal act. Such language may influence how the police, and society, react to death by suicide. It has yet to be fully recognised that, in policing and elsewhere, people die by suicide; they do not necessarily "commit" it.
Police officers as a group are not skilled in talking about personal issues, especially suicide or depression which are often perceived as shameful, which may prevent them from seeking help. Such phrasing may also contribute to why the names of officers who die by suicide are excluded on memorial walls and annual rolls of honour. This happens despite some of the officers having served society for years before taking their own life.
Why, indeed, would they be included if they are associated with doing something wrong? The language used, plus the denial of a state funeral and exclusion from rolls of honour, all contribute to the continued stigmatisation of police suicides.
Fighting stigma and ending bias
Failing to acknowledge the career of an officer, and only focusing on how they died, may stigmatise the issue of suicide even further in policing. Additionally, how an officer died can result in radically different financial results for their bereaved families. If a member of the SAPS is killed while on duty, the family gets paid a death benefit and proceeds from life insurances. But should an officer die by suicide, no compensation benefit is received by the family. These issues surrounding suicide could be addressed by the introduction of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy Plan, which would incorporate some of the most vulnerable groups - such as the police.
The World Health Organisation's first world suicide report, preventing a Suicide, a global imperative, recommends such a plan. While a national strategy is yet to be defined, the SAPS do have employee health and wellness officers. But they are overwhelmed by an already heavy workload. They have their hands full dealing with everything from financial difficulties to physical and mental health, including suicide prevention, for members of the police service.
What can be done?
In 2008, the Badge of Life organisation conducted the National Surveillance of Police Suicides - the first to examine police suicide in the US. This study has been continued annually to establish, track and analyse the extent of the problem in law enforcement. In doing so, they aim to provide clarity and continually monitor the issues and circumstances surrounding police suicides. Having programs such as this would contribute hugely to understanding suicide and its impact in South African police culture. To date very little research has been done on the causes of police suicide. This needs to change.
Source(s): The Conversation Africa, 02 February 2016.
Namibia seeks U.S. funding against human trafficking
Namibia is seeking funding from the United States of America for a national awareness campaign on human trafficking, the government announced yesterday. Information minister Tjekero Tweya made the revelation during a media briefing where he shared the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on 02 February. The decision to approach the US comes more than a year after some parliamentarians denied that human trafficking is an issue in Namibia. "Cabinet directed the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation to engage the US Embassy to fund the National Awareness Campaign on Trafficking in Persons," Tweya told journalists. At Tuesday's meeting, Cabinet also approved the establishment of a national committee on trafficking in persons that will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. It is not clear yet how much funding government needs for the planned awareness campaign.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, during a telephonic interview with New Era yesterday, said the committee must still meet to discuss issues such as funding and modalities regarding the campaign. "We
International relations permanent secretary Selma Ashipala-Musavyi will chair the technical committee which will be composed of the permanent secretaries of the selected ministries. Cabinet also directed the gender equality and justice ministries to expedite the finalisation of the Draft Bill on Combatting Trafficking of Persons for tabling in the National Assembly. Some Namibian parliamentarians in 2014 took offence at an international report that alleged that human trafficking and slavery are rife in Namibia. Namibia is ranked as one of the countries that do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is placed in the Tier 2 Watch List by the United States Congress. According to the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Tier 2 is a warning for countries that may fall into Tier 3. Tier 3 comprises countries that do not meet the standards and are not making significant efforts to do so. Tier 3 countries are open to sanctions by the U.S. government.
Source(s): New Era, 04 February 2016.
Angola, Cuba sign memo on fisheries sector cooperation
Angolan minister of Fisheries Victória de Barros Neto and Cuban minister of Food Industry Maria Del Carmen González signed on 03 February in Luanda two documents that reflect the sector's cooperation development in the various fields. The two officials signed the Minutes and Action Plan for implementation of Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the sector of fisheries and aquaculture.
The Action Plan covers specific areas such as the technical and scientific research, development of farming technologies, silage production for food, construction of shipyards, ships and fishing inputs. On the occasion, Victoria de Barros Neto stressed that the signing of the action plan will contribute to the achievement of what the countries discussed in October 2015 in Cuba. In her turn, the Minister of Food Industry of Cuba said that her delegation had the opportunity to exchange views with the local official in the fisheries sector, stressing that it was possible to identify the Angolan government intention to diversify its economy.
Source(s): AngolaPress, 04 February 2016.
East Africa
Sudan's President opens border with South Sudan, state media reports
Sudan's President has ordered the opening of the border with South Sudan for the first time since the South seceded five years ago, Sudan's state news agency reports. The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that President Omar al-Bashir issued the decision Wednesday, asking authorities to take all measures to implement the action. The border between the two countries, which have had tense relations since South Sudan's secession, remains disputed.
South Sudan, a landlocked country of about 11 million people in east-central Africa, seceded from Sudan in July 2011 after decades of conflict, making it the world's youngest nation. The two countries became embroiled in disputes over ownership of valuable oil supplies and eventually signed an agreement to withdraw their respective forces from a 14-mile-wide demilitarized zone between the countries. But the tensions between the countries were soon overshadowed by a brutal civil war that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, with forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir clashing with those backing his sacked vice president, Riek Machar.
The United Nations estimates that more than 2.2 million South Sudanese have been displaced, most of them internally, and says that the country has faced serious food shortages and disease as a result of the conflict. Last year, an African Union (AU) report document forced cannibalism, gang rapes and death by burning as among the atrocities perpetrated during the country's civil war. Al-Bashir, who has led Sudan for 26 years, became the world's first sitting president to be indicted by the International Criminal Court when charges were filed against him for alleged genocide and war crimes in Darfur, western Sudan. Last year, he left South Africa just as a High Court in that country had decided to order his arrest.
Source(s): CNN, 28 January 2016
African leaders, top American CEOs explore opportunities at business summit
The US-Africa Business Summit is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday as African Heads of State and American business leaders meet with the objective of boosting trade and investment between the region and the US. Underlining that the current volume of trade and investment between the two sides was not enough, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn highlighted the need to increase economic interaction especially in productive sectors.
"Today Africa is rising. Africa's future is very bright. I believe the summit will help you to discover the potential for investment and doing business in Africa," the Premier told US business representatives at the opening of the summit. Organised by the Corporate Council on Africa and held every two years, the 2016 summit is being attended by around 1,200 participants including CEOs of major US and African companies.
Reports show that challenges such as poor infrastructure and corruption have kept American companies away despite the continent being an investment magnet for other emerging economies such as China. "The key for all of them
According to Mr Raval, despite these challenges, US companies have been slowly increasing their investment in the region over time. Talba Alkali, director at Federal Ministry of Aviation in the department of safety and technical policy in Nigeria, also agrees with Mr Raval, noting that the United States has been active in supporting aviation infrastructures in the country.
"When it comes to aviation, we have always been in collaboration with the United States, especially in safety and security. I expect more of US Partnerships and their companies' investment in Nigeria in the future," he said. Over the coming three days, the 10th biennial summit is expected to explore investment opportunities in various sectors in Africa and announce business deals.
According to US trade statistics, exports of merchandise to sub-Saharan Africa have steadily been on the rise, going up 58 per cent since 2009. Merchandise exports reached nearly $24 billion in 2013, an increase of $8.8 billion since 2009, with goods exports to sub-Saharan Africa supporting over 100,000 US jobs in 2013. However, compared to Sino-African trade, the volume of US trade with the continent is small.
Despite this, the United States has remained one of the top providers of humanitarian assistance and development aid to Africa for several decades. With the recent economic slowdown, China's imports from Africa fell nearly 40 per cent last year, presenting a challenge to many African economies that rely on Chinese demand for raw commodities such as iron ore and oil.
Source(s): The East African, 02 February 2016.
Five Tanzanians arrested after British pilot killed
Tanzanian President John Magufuli has condemned the killing of a British conservationist after his helicopter was shot down while he chased poachers, saying five people were arrested. Roger Gower, 37, was killed when his helicopter took fire from poachers during a patrol last week of the Maswa Game Reserve in northern Tanzania, close to the world-famous Serengeti National Park.
Gower, who worked for the Friedkin Conservation Fund, had been tracking poachers after spotting the carcasses of recently killed elephants. "This is a sad incident that must be strongly condemned," Magufuli said in a statement, ordering that all those involved should be "aggressively pursued and brought to justice". Five suspects were arrested and questioned by police.
Magufuli vowed to boost efforts to protect wildlife. "I personally support the fight against poaching in our game reserves and national parks ... Let us join hands against the poachers," said Magufuli. Gower's South African colleague, safari guide Nicky Bester, survived the helicopter crash. Pascal Shelutete, Tanzania's National Parks spokesman, said poachers can be "heavily armed with sophisticated military weaponry".
Ivory is sought out for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China, where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success. It is estimated that more than 30,000 elephants are killed for their tusks every year across Africa.
Source: Al Jazeera, 02 February 2016
West Africa
Funding falls short for task force to fight Nigeria's Boko Haram
Funding for a multinational force to combat Boko Haram's deadly Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa remains well short of its target, an African Union official said on 02 February. So far donors, including Nigeria and France, have pledged about $250 million to fund the 8,700-strong regional force, the African Union's Peace and Security Council said after a meeting in Addis Ababa to discuss funding.
The talks followed the militia's latest attack, which killed at least 65 people in northeast Nigeria on Saturday. The $250 million includes both previous pledges and those made during the conference on 01 February, said Orlando Bama, communications officer for the African Union's Peace and Security Council. He did not give further details. That covers just over a third of the $700 million budget announced for the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) last year.
The task force -- to be made up of regional African militaries -- has yet to mobilize. Instead, national armies are tackling Boko Haram individually, but they often cannot follow the insurgency across the region's long, porous borders. The region threatened by Boko Haram is one of the poorest in the world, and all the countries in the task force, barring Benin, are oil producers whose budgets have been battered by falling prices.
Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and driven more than 2 million people from their homes during its six-year insurgency. Regional armies from Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon mounted an offensive against the insurgents last year that ousted them from many positions in northern Nigeria. The United States has also sent troops to supply intelligence and other assistance. But progress has been slow. "The answer lies in there being political will and the capability to back the force," said Imad Mesdoua, at Africa Matters consultancy in London. "This has been a regular problem with multi-national task forces in Africa."
Source: Reuters, 03 February 2016
Ghana: New climate innovation centre to jumpstart Ghana's green economy
The World Bank Group announced today the upcoming launch of a new Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Accra to support Ghana's green growth strategy. The CIC will be financed through a US$17.2 million grant package recently approved by the World Bank Group. The CIC will support Ghana's National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.
The center will help more than 100 local clean technology companies develop and scale innovative solutions to climate change. The Ghana CIC will help over 300,000 Ghanaians increase resilience to climate change in the next ten years. Furthermore, through its support to local clean technology ventures, the center is expected to mitigate 660,000 tons of CO2 and contribute to the production of over 260 million kWh of clean energy. The center will be established at the Ashesi University College in Berekuso, with a mandate to support green businesses across all of Ghana's regions. The grant agreement was signed by Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, and Patrick Awuah, Founder and President of Ashesi University College.
"The Ghana CIC solidifies the role of the private sector in helping Ghana mitigate and adapt to climate change," said Henry Kerali. "By enabling entrepreneurs and green innovators to test and scale their business models, homegrown clean technology solutions can help the country build climate resilience, while also creating jobs and fostering economic growth." Supported by the governments of Denmark and the Netherlands, the center will be inaugurated in the second quarter of 2016 and will be managed by a consortium led by the Ashesi University College with Ernst & Young, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa.
The Ghana CIC is part of the World Bank's Climate Technology Program and its global network of Climate Innovation Centers. Other centers have been established in Kenya, Ethiopia, the Caribbean, South Africa, Morocco, and Vietnam.
Source(s): World Bank (Washington D.C.), 03 February 2016.
Timbuktu marks rebuilding of mausoleums destroyed by Islamists
Desert city in Mali formally receives keys to shrines to Muslim saints after they were rebuilt with Unesco funding following damage in 2012. Timbuktu has celebrated the recovery of its historic mausoleums, destroyed during an Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012 and rebuilt thanks to the UN cultural agency, Unesco. The desert city formally received the keys to the shrines to Muslim saints at a ceremony on 04 February in the Djingareyber mosque. Five head of cattle were ritually sacrificed just after dawn before a reading of the entire Qur’an and the handing of the keys to the families in charge of the shrines’ care.
Al-Qaida-linked insurgents wrecked 14 of the city’s earthen shrines, which were built during Timbuktu’s 15th- and 16th-century golden age as an economic, intellectual and spiritual centre. Unesco representative Lazare Eloundou told the officials, diplomats and religious and traditional dignitaries attending the ceremony: “This day celebrates the remarkable and courageous work accomplished to recover your dignity.” Islamist fighters destroyed the centuries-old shrines after seizing the city in April 2012, when they implemented a version of Islamic law that forced women to wear veils, with whipping and stoning as punishment for transgressions.
Source: The Guardian, 04 February 2016.
(This monitor is prepared by Harish Venugopalan, Research Intern, Observer Research Foundation, Delhi)
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