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Ivory Coast's government on Tuesday accused the opposition of "plotting" against the state after it vowed to set up a rival government following bruising presidential elections won in a landslide by the incumbent, Alassane Ouattara.
The standoff pitched the West African nation deeper into a three-month-old crisis that has claimed several dozen lives, triggering EU appeals for calm and dialogue.
Hours after 78-year-old Ouattara was declared victor with more than 94 percent of the vote, Justice Minister Sansan Kambile accused the opposition of "acts of assault and plotting against the authority of the state."
The Abidjan public prosecutor has been asked to investigate, Kambile said, warning that "all options are on the table."
Opposition leader Pascal Affi N'Guessan had told reporters late Monday that opposition parties and groups were forming a "council of national transition."
"This council's mission will be to... create a transitional government within the next few hours," N'Guessan said.
The goal, he said, was to "prepare the framework for a fair, transparent and inclusive presidential election."
Ouattara's landslide in Saturday's vote had been widely expected -- two opposition leaders had called for a boycott of the ballot and a civil disobedience campaign.
But the protests and bloody clashes have also stirred traumatic memories of a crisis a decade ago that tore the country apart and dealt it lasting economic damage.
Around 3,000 people died after then-president Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by Ouattara.
N'Guessan late Monday said the "transitional council" would be led by opposition veteran Henri Konan Bedie, 86, a former president and long-term adversary of Ouattara.
"Keeping Mr Ouattara as head of state could lead to civil war," he warned.
- Confrontation -
In Abidjan, the economic capital, security forces blocked off roads close to Bedie's villa.
They fired teargas to disperse small groups of supporters and journalists outside, preventing the staging of a press conference called to follow up Monday night's announcement.
In Daoukro, an opposition stronghold 235 kilometres (146 miles) north of Abidjan, anti-Ouattara protesters were manning barricades.
"These results are a farce, " said one, who gave his name as Firmin. "We are going to carry on with civil disobedience until Ouattara steps down."
In contrast, Ouattara supporters sang his praises, saying he had strived to end instability in the world's top cocoa producer and revive its battered economy.
"He has worked hard for the country. He has to carry on, not just for us, but for our children," said Hamed Dioma, a scrap-metal worker in a rundown district of Abidjan.
"We are going to party."
Anger sparked by Ouattara's quest for a third term has revived memories of past feuds left mostly unreconciled after a 2002 civil war split the country in two.
Thirty people died in clashes before Saturday's vote, often between local ethnic groups allied to the opposition and Dioula communities seen as close to Oua
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
Democrats are not letting go of the idea of nominating former first lady Michelle Obama as the vice president for the 2020 presidential elections.
Now, a recent poll conducted by CBS and YouGov found that 64% of Democrats would like to see Michelle Obama as the Democratic Vice President pick.
Sharing in the desire to nominate Obama for vice president is The Committee to Draft Michelle Obama.
The committee’s mission is to generate public interest for Michelle Obama’s vice-presidential candidacy by driving media attention and building on existing grassroots support.
Related: Former Obama Campaign Staffer Karine Jean-Pierre Joins Biden Campaign
And they are rallying others to join its mission to pique Obama’s interest in running.
This West African country with the Atlantic as its western border is also bounded by Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Congo. Its area is slightly less than Colorados. Most of the country is covered by a dense tropical forest.
Republic.
The earliest humans in Gabon were believed to be the Babinga, or Pygmies, dating back to 7000 B.C., who were later followed by Bantu groups from southern and eastern Africa. Now there are many tribal groups in the country, the largest being the Fang peoples, who constitute 25% of the population.
Gabon was first explored by the Portuguese navigator Diego Cam in the 15th century. In 1472, the Portuguese explorers encountered the mouth of the Como River and named it “Rio de Gabao,” river of Gabon, which later became the name of the country. The Dutch began arriving in 1593, and the French in 1630. In 1839, the French founded their first settlement on the left bank of the Gabon estuary and gradually occupied the hinterland during the second half of the 19th century. The land became a French territory in 1888, an autonomous republic within the French Union after World War II, and an independent republic on Aug. 17, 1960.
Albert-Bernard Bongo became Gabons second president after Leon Mba in 1967. He changed his name to Omar in 1973, upon converting to Islam. Strikes and riots led to a transitional constitution in May 1990, legalizing political parties and calling for free elections. In Gabons first multiparty election in Dec. 1993, Bongo received just over 51% of the vote, while the opposition candidate alleged fraud and tried to establish a rival government.
In Dec. 1998, President Bongo, who had by then ruled the country for 31 years, was elected for an additional seven. Gabon lacks roads, schools, and adequate health care, yet income from the oil-rich country has lined the pockets of its ruler, who, according to the French weekly LAutre Afrique, is said to own more real estate in Paris than any other foreign leader. Despite his reputation for corruption and
Mali's president said he was resigning to avoid "bloodshed", hours after his arrest by troops in a sudden coup that followed a months-long political crisis in the fragile West African nation.
Republican William McKinley defeated William Bryan in presidential elections.
Sudan is a prime example of states facing these dimensions of fragility, now made worse by COVID-19.
As part of its initiative to support countries transitioning out of fragility, the International Growth Centre has been engaging closely with Sudan's transitional government on economic reforms since November 2019.
Should the government not delicately navigate these difficult reforms, or fail to secure the $4 billion in international assistance needed to make a much-needed social protection programme viable, it faces potential removal by a population exasperated by years of economic hardships.
Despite the country's dire health and economic situation, Sudan has yet to access emergency funding made available by the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund.
It is in all of our interests that Sudan is given the support needed to fight COVID-19 and to keep progressing towards a more effective, democratic state.
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died of a heart attack aged 55 according to an official statement released on Tuesday, has left behind a mixed legacy.
Viewed as a pan- Africanist by his East African Community (EAC) peers and as a ruthless dictator by his critics, Nkurunziza was a dominant figure in Burundi’s politics in the last 26 years.
\"Death has robbed East Africa of a prominent leader whose contribution to the integration and progress of the region shall be sorely missed,” President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement.
Libérat Mfumukeko, a Burundi national who serves as EAC’s Secretary- General, said in a statement on June 9: “President Nkurunziza’s unequivocally decided to lead Burundi into the community in 2007, having figured out that the economic, social and political homogeneity of the region provided vast opportunities for his country’s economic recovery and national reconciliation.”
Nkurunziza, a former leader of a Hutu rebel group, was elected by lawmakers after promising peace but oversaw a crackdown on political opponents and the media when he was re-elected five years later.
Despite being looked upon unfavorably by the populace, Mugabe took 61% of the vote in presidential elections in July 2013, soundly defeating Tsvangirai. Mugabes Zanu-PF party also won 158 out of 210 seats in parliament. Tsvangirai alleged the vote was rigged, but decided against challenging the results, saying he would not get a fair hearing.
Tsvangirai was suspended from his party, the Movement for Democratic Change, in May 2014. His detractors in the party denounced him for failing to defeat Mugabe in 2013s election and accused him of being an undemocratic and incompetent leader.
There was no shortage of drama in Zimbabwe in late 2014, as conspiracy theories and accusations hinted at a succession battle. The state-run newspaper published accusations that Vice President Joice Mujuru had conspired to have Mugabe assassinated, and Mugabes wife, Grace, accused Mujuru of also trying to have her killed. Mujuru, a former guerrilla fighter in the countrys war against white rule, was widely considered the successor to Mugabe. She dismissed the allegations as ridiculous, and she professed her loyalty to Mugabe. Nevertheless, she was ousted from a seat on the governing partys central committee in early December. At the same time, Grace Mugabe was given a leadership position in the party, Zanu-PF. Then, Mugabe fired Mujuru and seven members of his cabinet. He replaced Mujuru with Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, an ally of Grace Mugabe. Observers speculated that Mugabe wants to ensure his loyalists remain in power after he dies.
While some players may not want to return because of the potentially deadly virus, others may not play for reasons that have to do with George Floyd and the ongoing protests, if Matt Barnes’ comments in a recent interview are to be believed.
Sports’ “Dunk Bait” on Monday and said while some players in the league may want to dedicate this season to Floyd, others want to sit out because they feel the league returning would take away attention from the protests.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if some teams or some key players did want to play on behalf and in honor of George Floyd,” Barnes explained at the 2:22 mark of the interview.
The league’s plan to resume play actually would see many players not playing, as only 22 of the 30 NBA teams are included in the group that would restart play at the end of July.
NBA players are keenly aware of the implications of writing off this season, so Barnes’ contentions that players don’t want to resume might seem highly unlikely to many observers.
The Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 is a joint initiative between the People's Republic of China, the Republic of South Africa in its capacity as the Chair of the African Union (AU), and the Republic of Senegal in its capacity as the Co-Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
We recognize the importance of public health issues to global peace and security and the well-being of people around the world, particularly the fact that Africa is extremely vulnerable to the ravages of this virus and needs solidarity and support, including resources from various parties to bolster its response to the pandemic and to support its economic and social development.
We welcome the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on COVID-19 response, which expresses deep concerns about the negative impacts and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizes the importance of global collaboration, and calls for intensified international cooperation, unity, solidarity and joint efforts to contain and mitigate the pandemic, and to pay particular attention to the needs of people in vulnerable situations.
China commends the solidarity and support extended by African countries, the AU and other regional organizations for China's COVID-19 response and appreciates the establishment of the AU COVID-19 Strategy and the appointment of Special Envoys to mobilize international support for Africa's efforts to address the economic challenges faced as a consequence of the pandemic, and further commends the resilience African countries have demonstrated and the positive results thus achieved in curbing the spread of the virus by adopting preventive measures.
We fully recognize the positive role of China-Africa investment and financing cooperation in promoting development and improving people's lives in Africa, and call on the international community to work in solidarity and collaboration, share best practices, and provide more material, technical, financial and humanitarian support to help African countries overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieve independent and sustainable development.
The ruling party in Ivory Coast has to return to the drawing table to pick a candidate who can win upcoming polls. The RHDP currently led by president Ouattara was plunged into disarray on Thursday after the sudden death of its candidate for the October polls.
The candidate was Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly. Commentators said his demise was a devastating blow to a country still scarred by a low-level civil war.
The news headlines captured their sentiments: “Ivory Coast in a state of shock,” headlined the daily L’Inter. “Thunderclap,” said Soir Info. “Sledgehammer blow,” said Fraternite Matin.
Coulibaly was appointed prime minister in 2017, tasked with pursuing economic recovery in a country battered by slumping prices for its key exports of cocoa and coffee. The French-educated engineer gained a reputation for hard work and a fiery temper.
The 61-year-old was named in March as the candidate for President Alassane Ouattara’s RHDP party ending months of speculation as to whether the 78-year-old incumbent would run again.
Citizens and analysts are back in the speculation zone after reports emerged that the president could be on the ballot again. A day after Coulibaly’s demise, the RHDP said it would consider Ouattara’s candidacy for a third term.
“All options are on the table, including a new candidacy for President Ouattara,” the party’s executive director Adama Bictogo said as he arrived to a meeting of the party’s political council.
In 2011, Ouattara defeated the then-president, Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to leave office after losing elections. The months-long standoff claimed some 3,000 lives and left divisions that linger today.
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On Saturday, during the first day of the Wealth Power portion of this year’s 2020 Essence Festival of Culture, Don Lemon, Master P, Tamika Mallory and U.S. Census representative Kendall Johnson spoke about the role Black people play in strengthening our communities.
One of the subjects the panel spoke about was the 2020 Census, in which Johnson explained why it matters.
Census data is used to help redraw state congressional and legislative lines.
Johnson went on to explain that filling out the census doesn’t take more than 10 minutes, but the data lasts for 10 years.
In addition to the census, Master P also brought up the fact that it’s integral for the Black community to support Black businesses and to help rebuild those that were destroyed when looters took advantage of the protests that were taking place over the last couple of weeks.
On 25 April 2020, exactly five years after Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would run for a third term, I attended the virtual screening of a new documentary.
The Burundian survivors interviewed share one thing in common: they all lived in neighborhoods that actively protested against Nkurunziza's third term in 2015 and were raped by security forces in retaliation.
My family and I prayed for the wife and children Nkurunziza leaves behind tonight.
I cry for the country we could have had these past five years; for the blood that could have been spared; for the memories families could have built together; for the amputated limbs of our young protestors; for the elderly who walked kilometres to end their lives in refugee camps; for the million little broken pieces so many of us have become.
Nkurunziza may find peace in death, but his victims will live with the wounds of his rule for the rest of their lives.
President Vieira was shot to death by army troops in March 2009. The assassination was said to be in retaliation for an earlier bomb attack that killed the army chief of staff, Gen. Batista Tagme Na Wai, which troops blamed on the president. The military denied a coup attempt.
In June presidential elections, former acting president Malam Bacai Sanha took 39.6% of the vote, former president Kumba Iala 29.4%, former interim president Henrique Rosa 24%, and Iaya Djalo 3.1%. Sanha prevailed over Iala in the July run-off election, winning 63% of the vote.
In Jan. 2012, Sanha died unexpectedly, leaving Guinea-Bissau leaderless. Acting president Raimundo Pereira and acting prime minister Adiato Diallo Nandigna were removed in a coup on April 12. A transition president, who may rule up to 2 years, was announced on April 20: Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo, who came in third place in the first round of the presidential election in March. He named Rui Duarte de Barros to be transitional prime minister. The National Transition Council, which will oversee the transition, will be headed by Braima Sori Djalo. Six weeks after the coup, the military junta returned power to the civilian government.
By 1947 the question of black civil rights in the South had become a national issue when a committee President Harry S. Truman appointed to study the issue called for legislation which among other things would to protect voting rights for Southern blacks and provide federal protection against lynching. In response to the report President Truman sent a special message to Congress on the issue on February 2, 1948. That message, the first by a sitting president to address the question of black civil rights, appears below.
To the Congress of the United States:
In the State of the Union Message on January 7, 1948, I spoke of five great goals toward which we should strive in our constant effort to strengthen our democracy and improve the welfare of our people. The first of these is to secure fully our essential human rights. I am now presenting to the Congress my recommendations for legislation to carry us forward toward that goal.
This Nation was founded by men and women who sought these shores that they might enjoy greater freedom and greater opportunity than they had known before. The founders of the United States proclaimed to the world the American belief that all men are created equal, and that governments are instituted to secure the inalienable rights with which all men are endowed. In the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, they eloquently expressed the aspirations of all mankind for equality and freedom.
These ideals inspired the peoples of other lands, and their practical fulfillment made the United States the hope of the oppressed everywhere. Throughout our history men and women of all colors and creeds, of all races and religions, have come to this country to escape tyranny and discrimination. Millions strong, they have helped build this democratic Nation and have constantly reinforced our devotion to the great ideals of liberty and equality. With those who preceded them, they have helped to fashion and strengthen our American faith—a faith that can be simply stated:
The opposition Tonse Alliance is taking the campaign of its presidential candidate, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader Lazarus Chakwera, to the doorstep with former and incumbent Karonga Central constituency parliamentarians Frank Mwenifumbo and Dr. Cornelius Mwalwanda setting aside their political rivalry for the canvassing strategy.
Mwalwanda and Mwenifumbo were accompanied by People's Party (PP) vice president for North, Ralph Mhone in the canvassing of votes.
Taking his turn, MCP's director of economic affairs Dr. Cornelius Mwalwanda said the Alliance will enhance social-economic development that will in turn spur tourism to boost the economy.
Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) party chairman Frank Mwenifumbo said the only hope for Malawi is the Tonse Alliance which is geared to enable people afford meals three times a day, provide affordable fertilizer at K4, 900 per bag to revamp agriculture which is the backbone of the country's economy and create one million jobs to the youth.
\"This is the time to stop the 'two finger' political party alliance of United Democratic Front (UDF) and DPP and usher in power development conscious leaders who will give people different development projects, job and business opportunities beyond regionalism and tribalism lines,\" Mwenifumbo said.
In presidential elections in early 2011, incumbent François Bozizé (National Convergence Kwa Na Kwa) won reelection with 64.4% of the vote. In March 2013, Bozizé was ousted by rebels from the northern part of the country. The rebels, who are mostly Muslim and collectively known as Seleka, have been engaged in battles with government troops and said they overthrew Bozizé because he failed to follow through on earlier peace deals. Bozizés presidency was marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism—hardly a surprise in one of the worlds poorest and most unstable countries. Michel Djotodia, the coup leader, assumed power, suspended the constitution, and dissolved parliament. In mid-April he created a transitional national council that named him interim president. He was sworn in as head of state in August and promised to hold free and fair elections within 18 months. The African Union suspended the country in response to the coup, and refused to recognize Djotodia as president.
Djotodia was not able to stem the violence in the country, and CAR spiralled into chaos. Seleka rebels terrorized civilians, and Christian opponents formed their own militias to retaliate and defend themselves and were equally as brutal to Muslims. About 1 million people, in a country of 5 million, fled their homes. Many of those fleeing were farmers and herders, and officials feared that their absence would lead to famine. In October, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the country had experienced total breakdown of law and order, and he authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force. In December, the African Union said it would increase the size of its force there from 3,500 troops to 6,000. France deployed 1,600 soldiers to CAR, a former colony of France. Many feared that CAR was on the brink of experiencing a genocide. In April 2014, the UN authorized a force of 12,000 peace-keeping troops. They were deployed to CAR in September.
At the urging of regional leaders, Djotodia resigned in January 2014 for his failure to stem the
In March 2012, President Touré was overthrown in a coup by mutineering soldiers who said they were acting in response to the governments response to the rebellion by the Tuaregs, nomadic insurgents of Berber and Arab descent who live in the north. The troops said they did not received adequate support from the government. Many of the Tuaregs had fought for Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and returned to Mali after his downfall, emboldened and armed with weapons. The rebels scored a number of victories, taking over towns and demoralizing the countrys military. The soldiers looted the presidential palace, suspended the constitution, and implemented a curfew. The coup did not impede the rebels. In fact, days after the coup, the rebels seized the city of Timbuktu, and thus gained control over much of the northern part of the country. They declared a cease-fire on April 5. The next day, however, the rebels said they had seceded from Mali and formed an independent state, called Azawad.
The Economic Community of West African States, a regional trade organization, imposed sanctions on the country, froze the assets Mali held in its bank, and sealed their borders with Mali. Mali had been considered one of the most stable democracies in Africa, and presidential elections had been set for April. President Touré said he planned to honor the countrys term limits and not seek reelection.
In a deal negotiated by ECOWAS in April, coup leader Capt. Amadou Sanogo agreed to step down, ousted president Touré resigned, and former parliament speaker Dioncounda Traoré was sworn in as interim president. Cheick Modibo Diarra, an astrophysicist who had worked at NASA, was named interim prime minister. Traoré vowed to confront the rebels and hold elections, but did not give a timetable for the vote. Days later, however, several members of the opposition were arrested by the military, which suggested the junta was still clinging to power. Concern about Sanogos refusal to relinquish power played out on May 21 when pro-military
Brazil covers nearly half of South America and is the continents largest nation. It extends 2,965 mi (4,772 km) north-south, 2,691 mi (4,331 km) east-west, and borders every nation on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil may be divided into the Brazilian Highlands, or plateau, in the south and the Amazon River Basin in the north. Over a third of Brazil is drained by the Amazon and its more than 200 tributaries. The Amazon is navigable for ocean steamers to Iquitos, Peru, 2,300 mi (3,700 km) upstream. Southern Brazil is drained by the Plata system—the Paraguay, Uruguay, and Paraná rivers.
Federal republic.
Brazil is the only Latin American nation that derives its language and culture from Portugal. The native inhabitants mostly consisted of the nomadic Tupí-Guaraní Indians. Adm. Pedro Alvares Cabral claimed the territory for Portugal in 1500. The early explorers brought back a wood that produced a red dye, pau-brasil, from which the land received its name. Portugal began colonization in 1532 and made the area a royal colony in 1549.
During the Napoleonic Wars, King João VI, fearing the advancing French armies, fled Portugal in 1808 and set up his court in Rio de Janeiro. João was drawn home in 1820 by a revolution, leaving his son as regent. When Portugal tried to reimpose colonial rule, the prince declared Brazils independence on Sept. 7, 1822, becoming Pedro I, emperor of Brazil. Harassed by his parliament, Pedro I abdicated in 1831 in favor of his five-year-old son, who became emperor in 1840 (Pedro II). The son was a popular monarch, but discontent built up, and in 1889, following a military revolt, he abdicated. Although a republic was proclaimed, Brazil was ruled by military dictatorships until a revolt permitted a gradual return to stability under civilian presidents.
President Wenceslau Braz cooperated with the Allies and declared war on Germany during World War I. In World War II, Brazil again cooperated with the Allies, welcoming Allied air bases, patrolling the South Atlantic, and joining
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and growing tensions in the country, Burundi will, on Wednesday, hold general elections.
The small African country of the Great Lakes region and its 11 million inhabitants are trying to emerge from a deadly political crisis born of President Nkurunziza’s controversial candidacy for a third term in April 2015.
Unlike Ethiopia, which postponed its August elections because of the COVID-19, Burundi has decided to maintain them at all costs, like Mali, Benin, and Malawi.
The country, which could face a major health crisis, is preparing to turn the page on Nkurunziza, whose last years in power were marked by massive human rights violations that left at least 1,200 people dead, according to a UN report released in 2017, and pushed some 400,000 people into exile at the height of the crisis.
A man of the seraglio who is apparently not as tough as his mentor Nkurunziza, of whom he is presented as the “Heir”, Mr. Ndayishimiye is a favourite in Wednesday’s election in view of the omnipotence of the ruling party.
- Chakwera (r) with Obasanjo and Mills showing 'Democracy Works' Malawi vice president Saulos Chilima (r) is seen here with Obasanjo and Lesotho's Finance Minister Dr Morketsi Majoro at the Olusegun Obasanjo library in Nigeria
We failed the people of Malawi when Africa, through its observers, gave the election of 21 May 2019 its blessing.
The African Union election observer mission reported that \"the elections took place in a peaceful, transparent and orderly manner, and thus met national, regional, continental and international standards for democratic elections... \".
Fortunately, the people of Malawi were saved by their courageous Constitutional Court which declared in a unanimous judgment the election null and void and ordered that a new election be held in free and fair circumstances that would guarantee a democratic outcome that would reflect the will of the people.
The legitimacy and success of Malawi's election is essential if we are to strengthen the movement towards democracy and legitimate governance on the African continent.
We should start by making sure that the Malawian election is free, fair and the result reflects the will of the people as an example of how democratic practices should unfold under this pandemic.
Senegal is easing some restrictions that had been imposed to aid curb the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic.
In a televised address, president Macky Sall said the country’s state of emergency and curfew which were imposed on March 23 will be lifted as of Tuesday 11pm local time.
President Sall said of the country’s death stats: “The case fatality rate in Senegal is 1.5%, compared to an African average of 2.5% and a global average of 5.2%.
Senegal has a recovery rate of 64.8%, compared to an African average of 48% and a global average of 50%.”
The West African nation has 6,793 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of June 30 with 108 deaths, 4,431 recoveries.
Bamako — As cotton price tumbles during pandemic, farmers worry the state support they rely on to grow food in a warming climate will dry up
For years, Mali's government has helped Yacouba Kone pay for the fertiliser he uses on his cotton crop - as long as he also devotes some of his land in the south to growing cereals.
In Mali, cotton and food are closely linked: To hold the country's spot as one of Africa's top cotton producers and keep its people fed, cotton farmers get state subsidies on the condition that they also cultivate crops like corn and millet.
But now Mali's food production is under threat as the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has sent the price of cotton plummeting, farmers warn, leaving them unable to afford key climate-smart inputs, even with government help.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the price of cotton - traditionally a high earner for farmers - has dropped from 275 West African francs (about $0.50) per kilo to 200 francs.
Ibrahima Coulibaly, president of the National Coordination of Peasant Organisations (CNOP), a non-profit advocacy group, warned that without government support, the pandemic could undo much of the progress Mali's farmers have made in adapting to climate change.
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Independence Leads to Ratsirakas Repressive Regime
Ratsirakas Defeat
President Brought Down by a Power Struggle and Coup
Prime Minister Vital Resigns
Rajaonarimampianina Wins 2013 Presidential Election
An autonomous republic within the French Community since 1958, Madagascar became an