Business and Politics in the Muslim World West African News Monitoring Weekly Report 110 07, March -13, March 2010 by Mustapha Shafi Presentation on 17, March 2010
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Business and Politics in the Muslim World West African News Monitoring Weekly Report 110 07, March -13, March 2010 By Mustapha Shafi Presentation on 17, March 2010 Table of Contents Headlines 2 Detail of the news 6 China-African Relations 6 Pan-African issues 6 Ghana News 32 Nigeria News 59 Other W/African State News 112 1 Headlines 1 China-African Relations: • President of DR Congo meets Chinese army official 2 Pan-African issues: • 200m Africans need $620bn for food • Africa needs to rebuild economic defenses –IMF • Obasanjo: Africans, Their Own Worst Enemies • African nation condemns homosexuals • Nigeria, Tanzania call for close ties among African parliaments • African Union Desires Former Niger President's Freedom • French President Calls for Stronger Forest Preservation Effort • New HIV/AIDS Research Agenda to Better Respond to Women and Children • London Meeting Looks at Road Ahead for HIV/AIDS Prevention • Nearly 5 Million Lives Saved Through AIDS, Malaria, TB Treatment. • Smoking has Immediate, Adverse Effects on the Body • West Africa: Fewer meningitis cases but more deadly • IMF Boss Impressed by Continent's Recovery • Civil Society Must Hold Gov’t Accountable, Says IMF Chief • Africa: Continent's New Oil Hotspots Ghana: 1. Political News: • Gov’t Can Appoint an Independent Prosecutor Now • Volta Chiefs Put Mills On the Carpet • Mo Ibrahim calls on President Mills • Parliament unanimously approves Ayariga's nomination • Government asked to show commitment to women's participation in politics • Veep in New Delhi, India to attend investment conclave 2. Economy: • Ghana has huge investment opportunities` 3. Energy: • Unitization - an Indispensable Practice in the Oil and Gas Industry • AOS-Orwell invest $ 5million equipment in Ghana's oil industry 4. Environment: 2 5. Immigration/Refugee/Idps: 6. Health: • Behavioural change significant in quest for better health status • WHO team in Ghana to study CSM outbreak • Know sickle cell status of your marriage partner - Mettle-Nunoo • Nutrition awareness project advocates strategic health planning 7. Human rights/Gender/Social Issues: • Africa Legal Aid setting up Gender Network Forum 8. Geo-Strategic issues: • Ivory Coast 'Battles' Ghana over Oil • The Ivoirians’ Claim: A Classic Case Of Intelligence Failure. • Third phase of rehabilitation works of Bolga Hospital underway Nigeria: 1. Political News: • Buhari: Yar’Adua’s Impeachment Only Viable Option • Senate Set to Approve 5 Special Advisers for Jonathan • Poll Wants NJC to Appoint INEC Chair • NLC holds protest to oust Iwu • Jonathan should prioritize electoral reform—Buhari • Jos: Reps demand truth commission • Shagari, Shonekan sue for peace • Don’t tag all Muslims as terrorists –Sultan • Jonathan Fires NSA Over Jos Mayhem • Gen Gusau bounces back as NSA • Jonathan Meets Mark, Onovo, Security Chiefs • Jos Crisis - When a Mining City Becomes an Eternal Killing Field • Don't Cancel Nitel Sale, CNPP Tells NCP • Lingering Nigerian Leadership Crisis Causes Continued Unease • Protesters Demand to See Yar'Adua • In the Shadows of Men - Women's Political Marginalization • Jonathan Orders Probe of Nitel Sale • Secrecy on Yar'Adua Can Happen Only in Nigeria - Obasanjo 2. Economy: • Deregulation: FG Ready to Meet Labour’s Conditions • US firm invests $3m in Nigeria 3 • Cocoa Producing States Decry FG’s Attitude • NNPC: FG May Push for Higher OPEC Quota • NNPC groans under N387.5bn liabilities, losses – Minister 3. Energy: • Deregulation only answer to fuel scarcity 4. Environment: 5. Immigration/Refugee/Idps: • Demolition displaces 10,000 in Lagos 6. Health: • Gowon Tasks Govts on Malaria • Nigeria: Violence delays polio vaccinations 7. Human rights/Gender/social issues: • Jang Indicts Army over Jos Massacre • Gunshots heard in violence-wracked Nigerian town • 200 killed in Jos villages’ raid • Stampede in Jos again, one feared dead • Muslim group warns against reprisal killing • Christians flee after Nigeria's massacre • Survivors wail as children, women buried in Nigeria • Nigeria Clash Isn't About Religion, Clarifies Prelate • UN Rights Chief Calls for New Approach to End Cycle of Violence in Country • Retaliation fears stalk Nigeria city after clashes • Nigerian Women Protest Sectarian Massacre 8. Geo-Strategic issues: • EU Donates N196m IT Equipment to Govt • Bakassi - Nation May Return to UN Other West African States Benin: Burkina Faso: Cameroon: • Are Women the Magic Bullet for 'Electoral Apathy'?..............H1 • Worrying International Scaling Position……………………...H1 4 • German Investor Interested in Cameroon's Energy Sector…….H3 • Seven Chinese nationals kidnapped off Cameroon…………….H7 Cape Verde: Chad: • Security Council Extends UN Force for Two Months, as Talks with Country Continue…………………………..H1 • PM resigns from office……………………..H1 Cote d’Ivoire: Gambia: • Gambia row over wave of arrests………….H1 • I Won’t Defend Drug Traffickers,’ Says Gambian Opposition Leader ………H7 Guinea- Conakry: • Guinea sets presidential poll date……….H1 Guinea- Bissau: Liberia: • President Sirleaf Not Bound by Timeline on TRC Report, Says Minister………H1 • Wife of war crimes suspect Charles Taylor gives birth…..H7 Mali: Niger: • More Than 60 Percent of Niger Facing Food Insecurity……H7 • Aid Agencies Launch Hunger Appeal for Niger…………….H7 • Eight Killed in Attacks on Niger-Mali Border……………….H8 Senegal: • Villagers Fight the Rural Exodus in Senegal…..H5 • Senegalese Children Vaccinated Against Polio….H6 Sierra Leone: Togo: • Togo opposition attacked with water cannon……H1 • Togo’s tension: democracy vs. stability…………H1 • Fabre barred from protest………………………...H1 • Competing Political Rallies in Togo………..H1 • Togo's Opposition Leader: Police Seize Vote Fraud Evidence………H1 • Togo Government Confident President's Win Will Stand Up to Challenge………H1 • Togo Opposition: Election Rigged, Promises Protests 5 Details of the News China-African Relations: • President of DR Congo meets Chinese army official President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo met here Friday with Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, to discuss the development of bilateral ties and military cooperation. Kabila said the DRC was satisfied with its cooperative partnership with China, and that Ma's visit would be a new starting point for military cooperation between the two countries. Ma said that in recent years China has established a new strategic partnership that lays stress on political equality and mutual trust, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges with many African countries, including the DRC. Ma hailed the traditional friendship between China and the DRC, saying close cooperation between the two countries was achieved and the political mutual trust was reinforced thanks to efforts by the leaders of both sides. Ma said China appreciates the DRC's adherence to one-China policy and its all-along support to China's reunification cause and China's stance in international affairs. With frequent high-level exchanges and increased pragmatic cooperation, the ties between the army forces of China and the DRC kept developing in recent years, Ma said. He also pledged further assistance from the Chinese side in the DRC's army building and national defense construction as well as efforts in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUC. Pan-African issues: • 200m Africans need $620bn for food More than 200 million people in Africa are malnourished and the continent requires $620 billion to feed its people in the next 40 years, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said yesterday. The number represents 26 percent of the entire population of the continent. Annually, Africa requires $6.5 billion to develop the sector. 6 Statistics reveal that food import to Africa is about $15 to $20 billion per annum. “These huge financial resources that are being expended can be internalised to develop Africa’s agriculture”, Sanusi said at a conference on the Development of Agribusiness and Agro-industries in Africa holding in Abuja. Agriculture is the predominant economic activities of low developing economies, especially Sub-saharan Africa. Over 70 percent of the people in Africa depend on agriculture for survival and well beings. It contributes about 20 to 50 percent to the continent’s GDP. Investment in agriculture in the continent has declined over the years and is still declining. The share of the official development assistance to the sector in Africa dropped from $1.45 billion in 1998 to $713 million in 2002. At the end of 2008, only 11 African countries had reached the six percent annual agriculture growth target in the official commitments. According to the global food insecurity statistic, about 10 million people die annually of hunger related diseases. Half of these are children who die of malnutrition. The proportion of those living below the poverty line of $1 a day increased from 47.6 percent in 1985 to 59 percent in 2007. While other jurisdictions like Asia and Latin America have recorded a sharp drop in the number of hungry people due to growth in food productions, about 850 million people were estimated to have food insecurity in 2005. Investment in agriculture provides the opportunities to address extreme poverty, governor Sanusi said. He said agriculture has not achieve the desired result and this has ensure that a large number of people in Africa have limited access to food, clothing and shelter. “A total budget of $251 billion needed for the period of 2002 to 2015 to successfully