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[MAP] Rabat -- The security and stability challenges facing Africa, and which manifest themselves in the multiplication of conflicts and crises, require a synergy of efforts and a concerted and united response from all, underlined, Sunday in Rabat, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Mohcine Jazouli.
The president also stressed the importance of keeping the economy open after months of stifling movement restrictions.
He urged citizens not to drop their guard and continue adhering to the health rules, such as wearing face masks and respecting curfew times.
South Africa has recorded just over 800,000 coronavirus infections - more than a third of the cases reported across the African continent - and over 20,000 deaths.
AFP
Libya stretches along the northeast coast of Africa between Tunisia and Algeria on the west and Egypt on the east; to the south are the Sudan, Chad, and Niger. It is one-sixth larger than Alaska. Much of the country lies within the Sahara. Along the Mediterranean coast and farther inland is arable plateau land.
Military dictatorship.
The first inhabitants of Libya were Berber tribes. In the 7th century B.C., Phoenicians colonized the eastern section of Libya, called Cyrenaica, and Greeks colonized the western portion, called Tripolitania. Tripolitania was for a time under Carthaginian control. It became part of the Roman Empire from 46 B.C. to A.D. 436, after which it was sacked by the Vandals. Cyrenaica belonged to the Roman Empire from the 1st century B.C. until its decline, after which it was invaded by Arab forces in 642. Beginning in the 16th century, both Tripolitania and Cyrenaica nominally became part of the Ottoman Empire.
Tripolitania was one of the outposts for the Barbary pirates who raided Mediterranean merchant ships or required them to pay tribute. In 1801, the pasha of Tripoli raised the price of tribute, which led to the Tripolitan war with the United States. When the peace treaty was signed on June 4, 1805, U.S. ships no longer had to pay tribute to Tripoli.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Turkey in 1911, Italian troops occupied Tripoli. Libyans continued to fight the Italians until 1914, by which time Italy controlled most of the land. Italy formally united Tripolitania and Cyrenaica in 1934 as the colony of Libya.
Libya was the scene of much desert fighting during World War II. After the fall of Tripoli on Jan. 23, 1943, it came under Allied administration. In 1949, the UN voted that Libya should become independent, and in 1951 it became the United Kingdom of Libya. Oil was discovered in the impoverished country in 1958 and eventually transformed its economy.
On Sept. 1, 1969, 27-year-old Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi deposed the king and revolutionized the country, making
Three former Ministers of government were last evening appointed to key posts within the Foreign Service including Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett as Ambassador the United Nations.
The article Rodrigues-Birkett to be UN Ambassador, Robert Persaud named as Foreign Secretary appeared first on Stabroek News.
President Paul Kagame joined leaders across different sectors in celebrating Africa day, which marks the founding of the Organisation of the African Union (OAU) - currently the African Union - and called for solidarity among the people of Africa.
Kagame who addressed Africans virtually during the Africa Day online concert hosted by MTV and Youtube, said that \"Africa Day symbolizes the unity of purpose and proud heritage of our continent, and of African people wherever they may be.\"
A year after its independence, Ghana convened the first Conference of Independent African States on April 15, 1958 - a collective platform promoting Africa's rejection of colonial and imperialist domination of the continent.
At the meeting, the first African Freedom Day was celebrated, which was later recognised as Africa Day.
Speaking during the virtual event, Dr Vincent Biruta, Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasised that Africa Day gives the continent an opportunity to ensure that the spirit that the founding fathers of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) had in 1963 is not lost.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva asserted his certainty regarding the support the European Union will provide to Mozambique in training its forces in the fight against terrorism — following a letter issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique requesting aid in the anti-jihadist resistance in the country's volatile Cabo Delgado region which has seen a rise in catastrophic insurgencies the last few years.
In an interview with the LUSA news agency in Bissau, Silva recalls that the European Parliament has already discussed the matter and that there was consensus among the deputies, \"As Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country that will occupy the presidency of the Council of the European Union from January, I have already had an opportunity to have a formal meeting with the high representative Josep Borrel and one of the themes was the north of Mozambique, support for Mozambique. Based on all this information, I am sure that the European Union's response will not be delayed, it will be positive, and naturally, Portugal will contribute to it quickly and positively.\"
In a recorded speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi outlined the wave of violent attacks by Islamic extremist groups in the country's north, “They leave people displaced, destroy housing and socio-economic infrastructure, plunder community goods, keep children and women in captivity. As a result of these phenomena, over a thousand people have been murdered and around 250 thousand people are displaced in other districts within the country.”
The province of the gas-rich Cabo Delgado region in Mozambique has been the backdrop of debilitating armed attacks the last three years by forces classified as Islamist terrorists.
Nnamdi Azikiwe, first president of independent Nigeria (1963–66) and prominent nationalist figure. Azikiwe attended various primary and secondary mission schools in Onitsha, Calabar, and Lagos. He arrived in the United States in 1925, where he attended several schools. Azikiwe earned multiple
[UN News] Military officers from Libya's warring parties have agreed practical steps towards implementing a ceasefire agreement, following the signing of an historic accord in Geneva last month, the UN mission in the country, UNSMIL, has reported.
In 1997, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), an international court established by the United Nations Security Council to judge people responsible for the genocide, indicted Kabuga on seven criminal charges including genocide.
Bubacar Jallow spoke to Al Jazeera about the significance of Kabuga's arrest.
Bubacar Jallow: We had clear evidence that he left Rwanda after the genocide and had gone to Kenya.
Al Jazeera: Had Kabuga travelled to Kenya under his own name?
Bubacar Jallow: In addition to the process of justice, you need other elements such as healing in the community to bring closure.
1.5m Kenyans beat corona lockdowns to file tax returns
Friday, May 22, 2020 0:01
By BONFACE OTIENO
KRA commissioner for domestic taxes Elizabeth Meyo at a past event.
FILE PHOTO | NMG
About 40 percent of taxpayers have filed tax returns ahead of the June 30 deadline as digital platforms allow Kenyans to beat the corona-induced lockdowns.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner for domestic taxes Elizabeth Meyo told the Business Daily Thursday that more than 1.53 million Kenyans had filed their tax returns by May 14 against a target of 3.8 million taxpayers.
Companies face a penalty of Sh20,000 or five percent of the tax payable in the year the return is meant to capture, or whichever is higher.
Filling tax returns has emerged as one of the taxman’s preferred way to netting tax cheats and growing the income tax segments amid struggles to meet collection targets.
Addis Abeba — The 15 member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) are set to take a vote this afternoon on whether to hold an open virtual meeting on matters concerning the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Addis Standard has learnt.
However, it's unlikely that member states reach at a consensus since elected members South Africa and Niger from Africa as well as St. Vincent and Grenadines of Southern Caribbean nation have opposed the idea of a meeting, which leaves the Council divided.
A foreign diplomat who is observing the matter and who spoke to Addis Standard expressed his concerns at Washington's insistence - by siding with Egypt - to force the Council into what amounts to a \"procedural vote,\" which he said in the COVID-19 era was \"unprecedented.\"
The UN Security Council hasn't taken any 'procedural vote', a rare mechanism through which the Council resolves differences, to break a deadlock among its 15 members since at least mid-March 2020.
The UNSC member states agreed to do away with 'procedural vote' since they no longer meet in the Chamber because of COVID-19 restrictions.
United Nations - Kenya was elected Thursday to the UN Security Council for 2021-2022, defeating Djibouti after first-round voting by the General Assembly failed to choose between the two candidates.
Kenya obtained 129 votes, against 113 in the first round on Tuesday, and Djibouti 62, against 78 in the first round, in the race to take the Africa seat.
Kenya had the support of the African Union, though Djibouti had claimed it had priority under the principle of rotation as Kenya had sat on the Council more times.
On Wednesday, the General Assembly elected four new members of the Security Council for 2021 and 2022 - India, Mexico, Norway and Ireland.
The Security Council has 10 non-permanent members in addition to the veto-wielding Big Five - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
\tFinance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke says implementation prospects for economic recovery will depend on the ability to effectively coordinate an \"ambitious\" range of policies, programmes, and legislation.
By Henry Mhara The shiny limousines and ramshackle taxis that share Zimbabwe’s roads have one thing in common — both sets are among thousands of vehicles that are smuggled into the country annually, prejudicing the treasury millions of dollars in taxes. With the local car assembly industry hardly operating, Zimbabweans have been forced to import cars, and figures from the government statistics office ZimStats shows that more than US$5 billion has been spent on vehicle imports since 2009. But some of the cars are brought into the southern African illegally by corrupt importers who undervalue their cars in connivance with clearing agents, law enforcement agents and government officials, according to recent court records. An expert in the sector says Zimbabwe is losing about US$5 million dollars every year to smuggling, under-invoicing of car imports, money which could be used to procure national essentials such as drugs. “We are struggling economically and in these desperate times, we could be using this money for COVID-19,” said the official from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), who declined to be named. Zimbabwe is battling to finance its already ailing health sector to deal with coronavirus as local cases continue to rise. In a letter written in June to the World Bank, IMF and the African Development Bank, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabwe needed at least US$200 million to fight the pandemic. Official statistics show that, on average, 4 000 new and pre-owned vehicles imported from countries such as Japan, Britain and South Africa are cleared for entry through Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge border post every month with Zimra collecting at least US$8,5 million dollars in taxes. Zimra is currently charging up to 96% duty for used car imports so on average, a modest vehicle attracts import duty of between $2 500 and $5 000. Beitbridge on Zimbabwe’s border with South Africa, is southern Africa’s biggest inland port. While Zimra officials were available to discuss details of vehicle smuggling, recent high profile court cases involving a top government official and a businessman give as insight into the magnitude of the problem. Former Principal Director for State Residences in the Office of the President and Cabinet Douglas Tapfuma was sentenced to four years in prison in June after being convicted on three counts of criminal abuse of office for importing duty-free eight vehicles through the use of forged documents. Wealthy businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure, who has a collection of top-of-the-range sports cars, was recently convicted of under-declaring the price of a Bentley Continental GT that he bought in South Africa last year, and paying US$81 000 in import duty instead of nearly $140 000. This scam was a classic case of trade under-invoicing, which is responsible for a substantial proportion of illicit financial flows around the world. According to US based Global Financial Integrity (GFI), trade misinvoicing cost Zimbabwe US$1 billion over a ten-year period indicating the in adequate detecting systems i
The new Malawi Electoral Commission, MEC, chief Chifundo Kachale also urged the public to observe necessary legal processes in dealing with electoral grievances.
June 23: Malawians vote in crucial presidential poll rerun despite virus
\tVoters in Malawi have already started casting their ballots today in crucial presidential election rerun pitting incumbent Peter Mutharika and opposition coalition leader Lazarus Chakwera.
Malawi joins a number of African countries that went ahead with elections despite the virus .
Confirmed cases = 749
\t\tActive cases = 480
\t\tRecoveries = 258
\t\tNumber of deaths = 11
\t
John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of June 22, 2020
\tU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on “all political actors and stakeholders to renew their commitment to credible and peaceful elections, while observing all preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19,” the U.N. spokesman said.
VIDEO
\tA number of local and international organizations will observe the new elections, in an effort to make sure that they are free and fair, the newly-elected chairman of the Malawi Electoral Commission Chifundo Kachale said.
Dr Euloge Yiagnigni Mfopou on June 12, 2020 in Yaounde received the award from the International Committee of Excellence.
Dr Euloge Yiagnigni Mfopou, a Cameroonian cardiologist and Director General of the Good Health Promoters' Clinic located in the CRADAT neighbourhood of Yaounde was on Friday, June 12, 2020, awarded the Sub-regional Prize For Best Medical Practices in Central Africa.
In his citation, Alain Y. Fofie, the Chair of the Jury who presented the award, said Mfopou was rewarded \"as encouragement and recognition of his spirit of excellence and innovation in the care of patients.\"
The Jury Chair lauded Dr Mfopou for his clinic's warm welcome, compassion and care of patients, technical platform, dynamism and personal talent.
Testifying of the professional qualities of Dr Mfopou, Minister Mbarga Mboa said he had a health challenge in the past and the cardiologist prepared his medical file which he took to Europe.
Health workers responding to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo have gone on strike over unpaid salaries.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday swore in new Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka and his Energy and Power Development counterpart Soda Zhemu at State House in Harare. Masuka replaced the late Perrance Shiri who succumbed to COVID-19 on July 29, and unknown Soda replaced Fortune Chasi, who was summarily sacked over undisclosed allegations last week. Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said after swearing in the new ministers, Mnangagwa emphasised to Zhemu the role of energy as an economic enabler. Mnangagwa tasked Masuka to ensure the country has grain sufficiency in two to three years.
Khartoum — The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asma Mohamed Abdalla, pointed out that Ethiopia have the right to build dams within its territories and to benefit from the water resource, noting that this must be in accordance with international charters and conventions and the basic principles that were signed by Sudan and Egypt Ethiopia.
Interviewed by Sudan TV on Saturday evening, Asma stressed that Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt shall sit for negotiation on the Renaissance Dam, indicating that Sudan has always been calling for negotiation as the only way to resolve such differences.
Asma has praised the role of the American mediator represented in the US Treasury and the World Bank in narrowing the differences and bringing together the views of the three countries, noting that the American mediator was closely following the file and showing great concern for reaching agreement in the Renaissance Dam file.
She called on the American mediator to continue his efforts aimed at bringing this crisis to satisfactory ends for the three parties.
The minister expressed her hope that the delegations of the three countries will engage soon in negotiations as for achieving solutions that are satisfactory for the three countries and meeting to their aspiration to benefit from the Nile water.
The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
In a resolution seen by The East African, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the Council renewed the mandate up to March 15, 2021.
“The Council…requested me to report on the implementation of the mission’s mandate every 90 days.
“It covers political and security developments between 16th February 2020 and 31st May 2021, the humanitarian and human rights situation, and progress of the mission’s mandate,” he said.
The Council praised the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) for supporting South Sudan’s government, especially in the formation of a unity government.
After months of being away from the physical classroom, teaching resumed today for students sitting Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) examinations, scheduled to get under way on July 13.
Here are some reactions from students:
\"I am concerned about the whole process of going back to school, however, I am content that our ministries of health and education have been putting the necessary measures in place as well as the school administration.
“There are some students who just want to get it over with, but on the other hand, there are students who believe the whole examinations process and reopening of schools is too risky and that they should not be leaving the safety and comfort of their homes, especially when the health ministry has been warning that there might be a spike.
The students are more concerned about mixing and mingling, but the school did reassure us that certain protocols will be put in place like masks and hand sanitisers, however, we were told we should bring them ourselves.
They are still afraid,”
When asked about the education ministry and school administration listening to the voice of the students, Wilson added: \"No, because the recent changes in exam dates is something that students are really concerned about.
James H. Cone (1938 – 2018)
\t\tBill & Judith Moyers Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology
The Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry was responding to comments by his Ethiopian counterpart in an interview with the Associated Press Friday.
At this juncture we are depositing the issue with the security council with the desire that it undertakes its responsibilities.
“At this juncture we are depositing the issue with the security council with the desire that it undertakes its responsibilities.
If the security council does not undertake its responsibilities, this is even a greater threat to international peace and security”, the Ethiopian foreign affairs minister said.
Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies, sees the issue as a potentially existential threat.
Hospital operator, the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), has reported the incident to the police, while the M Secure company suspended the guard.
The MBDA provided News24 with an incident report drafted by M Secure director Kaashief Niekerk who said two companies were responsible for security at the facility.
He added his company was responsible for internal security at the isolation facility, while another company, HRG, guarded the stadium's outer perimeter.
\"It is deducted that Mr Doch passed the internal security checkpoint unnoticed as a result of the M Secure officer not being at his post.
Niekerk said Doch left the stadium at 14:30 on Friday, but the incident was only reported to M Secure's management at 17:00 during the changing of shifts.
Four ministers were this afternoon sworn in to continue their previous portfolios. They are Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke; Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton; Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang;...
In the spring of 2012, the former rebels who were integrated into the army in 2009 mutinied, saying the government—rife with corruption—had reneged on terms of the cease-fire that was signed on March 23, 2009. The rebels, called the M23 movement, are led by Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, a Tutsi who is wanted by the International Criminal Court. M23 fought government troops throughout the year, taking over city after city. The violence peaked in November, when the rebels took Goma in eastern Congo. Rwanda, which is led by Tutsi Paul Kagame, is widely suspected of not only supplying arms to the rebels but also fighting alongside them.
The UN and leaders from 11 central African nations, including the presidents of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo, signed a framework agreement in February 2013, pledging to work together to end the conflict with the rebels. In March, the UN Security Council authorized an intervention brigade of 3,000 troops to disarm the rebels. The brigade supplemented the 15,000 UN peacekeeping troops already in Congo. After heavy fighting in August, the UN brigade forced the rebels out of Goma. However, the signers of the framework agreement had made little progress in the peace process.
Ntaganda turned himself in to the U.S. embassy in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2013. He was transferred to the Hague, where he will face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It was not clear why he chose to surrender.
The M23 rebels surrendered in November 2013. The UNs more aggressive approach, an improved Congolese Army, and a reduction in aid to Rwanda contributed to the defeat of the rebels.
See also Encyclopedia: Congo (Kinshasa)
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Congo (Kinshasa)
The Congo, in west-central Africa, is bordered by the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one-quarter the size of the U.S. The principal rivers are the Ubangi and Bomu in the north and the Congo in the west, which flows into the Atlantic. The entire length of Lake Tanganyika lies along the eastern border with Tanzania and Burundi.
Transitional government.
Formerly the Belgian Congo, this territory was inhabited by ancient Negrito peoples (Pygmies), who were pushed into the mountains by Bantu and Nilotic invaders. The American correspondent Henry M. Stanley navigated the Congo River in 1877 and opened the interior to exploration. Commissioned by King Leopold II of the Belgians, Stanley made treaties with native chiefs that enabled the king to obtain personal title to the territory at the Berlin Conference of 1885.
Leopold accumulated a vast personal fortune from ivory and rubber through Congolese slave labor; 10 million people are estimated to have died from forced labor, starvation, and outright extermination during Leopolds colonial rule. His brutal exploitation of the Congo eventually became an international cause célèbre, prompting Belgium to take over administration of the Congo, which remained a colony until agitation for independence forced Brussels to grant freedom on June 30, 1960. In elections that month, two prominent nationalists won: Patrice Lumumba of the leftist Mouvement National Congolais became prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu of the ABAKO Party became head of state.
But within weeks of independence, the Katanga Province, led by Moise Tshombe, seceded from the new republic, and another mining province, South Kasai, followed. Belgium sent paratroopers to quell the civil war, and the United Nations flew in a peacekeeping force.
Kasavubu staged an army coup in 1960 and handed Lumumba over to the Katangan forces. A UN investigating commission found that Lumumba had been killed by a Belgian
Cornell William Brooks is Hauser Professor of the Practice of Nonprofit Organizations and Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also Director of The William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice at the School’s Center for Public Leadership, and Visiting Professor of the Practice of Prophetic Religion and Public Leadership at Harvard Divinity School.
