PROJECT ON BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

AFRICA REPORT

Second Quarterly Report on Africa

April to June 2008

Volume: 1

Reports for the period April to May 2008

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani

Contributors

Abbas S Lamptey Snr Research Associate Reports on Sub-Saharan AFrica

Abdirisak Ismail Research Assistant Reports on East Africa

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

AFRICA REPORT

Second Quarterly Report on Asia

April to June 2008

Reports for the period April to May 2008

Volume: 1

Department of Politics and International Relations International Islamic University Islamabad

2 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

AFRICA REPORT

Second Quarterly Report on Africa 2008

Table of contents

Reports for the month of April

Week-1 April 01, 2008 05 Week-2 April 08, 2008 63 Week-3 April 15, 2008 120 Week-4 April 22, 2008 185 Week-5 April 29, 2008 247

Reports for the month of May

Week-1 May 06, 2008 305 Week-2 May 12, 2008 374 Week-3 May 20, 2008 442

Country profiles Sources

3

4 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: April 1, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From March 23 to March 29 2008 1. -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA Sierra Leone: Chinese May Evade Govt Ban On Logging: Concord Times (Freetown):28 March 2008. : Chinese Women Donate U.S. $36,000 Materials: The NEWS ():28 March 2008. Africa: China/Africa Trade May Hit $100bn in 2010:This Day ():28 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA : Red Carpet Out for Chinese Tourism Delegation: Cape Argus (Cape Town):27 March 2008. : China Reiterates Support for Development: Angola Press Agency ():27 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Sculpture to Be Built for Chinese Sailor: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: Bolstering Road Construction: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):28 March 2008.

2. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Ghana: Annan Wins Another Prize: Accra Mail (Accra):26 March 2008. • Africa: UK $1 Billion Kick Start to Get Children Into Education: Department for International Development (London): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008. • Africa: Country Now Africa's Largest Telecom Market: Vanguard (Lagos):28 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Africa: AU Observer Team Hails Peaceful Environment: The Herald ():28 March 2008.

5 • Africa: Continent's Court Expected to Start Operations After June: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):19 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Africa: AU, Partners Sign Accord to Aid Transition Process: The (Addis Ababa):28 March 2008. • Africa: Clause Holds Key to New Nile Treaty: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Women Good for Peace Keeping Missions: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):26 March 2008.

3. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Gambia: Journalist Dismissed for Serving in Union Executive Position: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008. • Ghana: Christian Council Calls for Media Partnership: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):27 March 2008. • Liberia: Controversy Over U.S. $10,000 Islamic Schools' Subsidies: The Inquirer (Monrovia):25 March 2008. • Guinea: Journalist Suspended for Interviewing Critics of the Government: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • : Supreme Court Declares Ban Against Journalist Null And Void: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008. • Africa: Africanise Church, Says President: The Herald (Harare):25 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: I Committed Adultery -- Pius Ncube: The Herald (Harare):25 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: 10 Youths Arrested for Playing Anti-Mugabe Song: SW Radio Africa (London):28 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Courts Unfriendly to Sexual Abuse Victims: The East African Standard (Nairobi):29 March 2008. • Kenya: Muslim Faithful Mark Mawlid: The East African Standard: Nairobi):29 March 2008. • : Muslims Form Elite Union: The Weekly Observer ():27 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA

6 • Chad: N'djamena Press Reappears for First Time Since State of Emergency Proclaimed: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

4. REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Ghanaian Govt Taken to Court Over Detained Refugees: The NEWS (Monrovia):27 March 2008. • Liberia: UNHCR Tells Ghana to Stop Deportation: The NEWS (Monrovia):26 March 2008. • Liberia: A Road-Map to End Stand-Off Over Refugees: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008. • Liberia: Return Refugees: The Inquirer (Monrovia):28 March 2008. • West Africa: ECOWAS Citizens Union Impress With GOL On Handling of Refugees Issue: The Analyst (Monrovia):28 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: IDP Camps Deplorable – KNCHR: The East African Standard: Nairobi):28 March 2008. • Kenya: Too Scared to Go Home; UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008. • Kenya: Army Vows to Pursue Militia in Mt Elgon: The Nation (Nairobi):25 March 2008. • Somalia: Number Seeking Asylum On the Rise, UN Refugee Agency Reports: UN News Service (New York):28 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA • Congo-Kinshasa: Fear, Uncertainty Deter North Kivu IDPs From Going Home: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 26 March 2008.

5. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • : Measles Kills 165 Children in Katsina State: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008. • Nigeria: Worst Cholera Outbreak in Years in Benue State: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008. • Nigeria: Govt Moves to Tackle Meningitis, VVF: This Day (Lagos):27 March 2008. • Sierra Leone: Stigma is Still a Challenge for TB Patients: Concord Times (Freetown):27 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

7 • Botswana: Let's Learn From Malawi: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): EDITORIAL: 27 March 2008. • Namibia: Obesity in Namibia a Growing Problem: New Era (Windhoek):27 March 2008. • Namibia: Cholera Cases Up to 455:The Namibian (Windhoek):27 March 2008. EAST AFRICA • Uganda: The Myths of Miracle Healing: The Monitor (Kampala): OPINION: 29 March 2008. • Eritrea: Regional Conference Against Female Genital Mutilation Conducted in Asmara: Shabait.com (Asmara):28 March 2008. • Uganda: Older People Spreading HIV More: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008. • Kenya: WHO Warns of TB Epidemic: The East African Standard (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

6. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Forests to Disappear By 2020 – Expert: Leadership ():28 March 2008. • Nigeria: Niger Delta Risks Being Lost, Submerged - Foreign Experts: Leadership (Abuja):27 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Govt Prohibits Use of Asbestos: BuaNews (Tshwane):27 March 2008. • : NGO Warns That Biofuels May Threaten Forests: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):26 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: SIDA Gives Lake Vic Communities Sh3b: (Kampala):25 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA Cameroon: Tidying the Forest: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):26 March 2008.

7. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: New Policy On Fuel Tankers Underway: Daily Champion (Lagos):28 March 2008 • Nigeria: Fuel Scarcity Hits Kano Again: Leadership (Abuja):27 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Mozambique: Partnership to Produce Bio-Diesel: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):28 March 2008.

8 • Zimbabwe: Energy a Major Issue in Elections: Southern African News Features (Harare):27 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: Oil Price Hampers Efforts to Contain Inflation – Mboweni: The Herald (Harare):27 March 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: High Oil Prices Make Essential Commodities Costly: The New Times (Kigali):28 March 2008.

8. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Burkina Faso: Flush With New Funds for Water and Sanitation: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Southern Africa: 'SADC Secretariat Inertia Worrisome': The Times of Zambia (Ndola):28 March 2008. • Southern Africa: Feeling the Bite of Rising Food Prices: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Investors Scramble for 10 Billion Safaricom Shares: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008. • Uganda: Civil Society Vows to Stop EPA: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008.

9. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA • Guinea Bissau: International Engagement Key for Peace, Says Top UN Envoy: UN News Service (New York):26 March 2008. • Nigeria: EFCC Probes Obasanjo: Vanguard (Lagos):27 March 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: I Am Ready to Quit If Defeated, Says Mugabe: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: Defence And Security Chiefs Put Forces On Full Alert: SW Radio Africa (London):28 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: Country Goes to the Polls Amid Fears of Rigging By Mugabe: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: Poll Shows Tsvangirai is Likely Winner: The East African Standard (Nairobi):29 March 2008. • Zimbabwe: SA Election Observer Team Furious Over DA Report: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):28 March 2008.

9 EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Cabinet Talks Deadlock: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008. • Kenya: Annan Talks to Kibaki, Raila: The East African Standard: Nairobi):28 March 2008. • Uganda: Court Martial Jails Kazini for 3 Years: New Vision (Kampala):27 March 2008.

10. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Africa: U.S. $30 Billion Spent On Peace Issues: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):27 March 2008. • Sierra Leone: Country Hosts Heads of UN Peace Missions in West Africa: Concord Times (Freetown):28 March 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Hundreds Demonstrate to Support PM's Reconciliation Plan: Garowe Online (Garowe):22 March 2008. • Uganda: Peace Talks End: The Monitor (Kampala):27 March 2008. • Uganda: I Will Sign Peace Deal, Says LRA Chief: New Vision (Kampala):26 March 2008. • Uganda: Arms Trafficking Could Harm Northern Peace Deal: The Monitor (Kampala):29 March 2008. • Uganda: Kony Heading Back to Sign Peace Deal: The Monitor (Kampala):29 March 2008. • Uganda: UPDF to Guard Kony, Says Govt: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008. • Sudan: Muslim Alliance Asks Arab Nations to Act On Darfur Crisis: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):28 March 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Burundi: Government, Rebels Bear Responsibility for Peace - UN Commission: UN News Service (New York):27 March 2008. • Chad: 'Supporting a Dictator': Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):27 March 2008. • Central African Republic: UN Envoy Meets With President On New Force: UN News Service (New York):28 March 2008.

11. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: U.S., UN Now Differ On Terror Group: The East African (Nairobi):24 March 2008.

12. NORTH AFRICA

10 • Mauritania: Newspaper Journalist Held Incommunicado: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008. • Morocco: Record Damages Award Against Editor of Leading Daily in Libel Suit: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008. • Egypt: Newspaper Editor Given Suspended Six-Month Sentence for Reporting On Rumours Regarding President's Health: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 26 March 2008. • Egypt: Journalist in Hiding, Home Raided: International Federation of Journalists (Brussels): PRESS RELEASE: 25 March 2008. • : President Ben Ali Announces Major Political Reforms: Tunisia Online (Tunis):21 March 2008. • Tunisia: First Lady Chairs a Forum On "Arab Women in the Global Communication Landscape": Tunisia Online (Tunis):24 March 2008. • Tunisia: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Calls for Boosting Partnership Between Universities and Economic Enterprises: Tunisia Online (Tunis):25 March 2008. • Tunisia: Country to Host Major Mediterranean Business Event: Tunisia Online (Tunis):27 March 2008. • Libya: Col. Gadaffi Right On Leadership, Says Mugyenyi: The Monitor (Kampala):24 March 2008. ------THE REPORT IN DETAIL 1. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS WEST AFRICA

Sierra Leone: Chinese May Evade Govt Ban On Logging: Concord Times (Freetown):28 March 2008.

Some 230 miles away from Freetown, Gangama, Taetima, and Mesima communities in the Bonthe district have raised concerns over possible illegal exploitation and extraction of forest trees in complete contravention of government ban. This claim was verified by a recent assessment report done by Green Scenery, a national non-governmental organization with objective to promote education and awareness on the country's environment in general and in particular the conservation of the country's biodiversity. As a way to dealing with the alarming rate of deforestation, Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) put a ban to all forms of commercial logging and exporting in November 2007 and reinforced this ban again in early 2008, the report stated. However, investigations revealed that a main interest group, a Chinese commercial interest, has been stockpiling logs in the Ngongokama forest so that it can be exported when the ban is eventually lifted… The communities claim that the forest is over a century old and has served as source of common resource pull for generations past and present but recent spate of deforestation around the country seems alarming. The activity increased to a critical level when interest for the purchase of high density wood by certain commercial entities intensified. The tree species that has attracted loggers attention in the community forest bears the trade name Cam wood; in local dialect it is called Mbundoi (Mende) with biological name Baphia nitida. In its natural environment, the tree resembles other

11 species thus making these species vulnerable to the loggers. In real terms, many trees that are not Cam wood have been felled in the forest and were abandoned.

Liberia: Chinese Women Donate U.S. $36,000 Materials: The NEWS (Monrovia):28 March 2008.

Chinese women under the banner of All-China Women's Federation have donated several training materials valued more than US$36,000 to the Ministry of Gender and Development. The materials include two lenovo TD 316 projectors, 75" screen, 300 sets of sewing appliances, 30 pieces of cotton cloth, 11,000 pieces of exercise books, five GX-8250 typewriters, 50 sets of JA2-4 sewing machines, among others. Presenting the materials to the Minister of Gender, the Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Zhou Yuxiao said the materials were intended to enhance adult literacy program for Liberian women. He said All-China Women Federation was pleased to identify with their Liberian counterparts especially by supporting their educational initiative. Ambassador Yuxiao said although the materials cannot cover all of the needs of Liberian women but hoped they would be able to make impact in their quest for education… Responding, Gender Minister Varbah Gayflor lauded the All-China Women Federation for identifying with their Liberian counterparts. She said the donation came as a result of a visit made in China by Liberian women in 2006 at which time they asked their counterparts to support the women adult literacy program of Liberia.

Africa: China/Africa Trade May Hit $100bn in 2010:This Day (Lagos):28 March 2008.

Author of China/Africa: the Dragon and Ostrich, Mr Adama Gaye, yesterday said trade level between China and Africa has gradually increased from $10 billion in 2000, to an estimated $55 billion. Gaye said the Chinese government hopes to hit the $100 billion mark before 2010, making it the most important foreign actor on the continent. Also, Nigeria is among five African countries where China hopes to set up commercial centres that will become the offshore base for its commercial activities on the continent. Others are Zambia in the South, Tanzania in the East, Egypt in the North and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Delivering a lecture at the African Studies Department of the School of Advanced and International Studies, John Hopkins University, Gaye said the increased level of trade underscores Africa's growing importance to China, particularly countries like Nigeria and South Africa… Gaye said the Chinese are making a foray into the financial sector too, adding that in 2007, China Development Bank, which has an estimated asset of $440 billion entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), evaluated at $5 billion.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

South Africa: Red Carpet Out for Chinese Tourism Delegation: Cape Argus (Cape Town):27 March 2008.

12 The Western Cape is hoping to cash in on China's importance as a source of increased global tourism by hosting an influential delegation of government tour regulators from one of the Communist republic's wealthiest provinces. The delegation is in the Western Cape this week to familiarise itself with the province and its top attractions. The Western Cape hopes to gain the status of a favoured tourist destination from the Shandong tourism representatives. South Africa is on a list of over 100 countries that the People's Republic of China's authorities have assigned an Approved Destination Status. These are countries which the Chinese authorities allow their citizens to visit on organised leisure tours. Tourism MEC Lynne Brown wants to see tourism authorities in the Shandong Province promote the Western Cape as a destination for Chinese visitors… Shandong is one of China's wealthiest provinces. It has a sizeable middle class and in 2006 was estimated to have a nominal Gross Domestic Product of R2,2-trillion, the second highest in China. During the visit the Chinese delegation also hopes to establish an exchange programme between Western Cape leisure industry students and the Qingdao Tourism School in Shandong. China's rising economic status and the blossoming of a wealthy middle class, with a disposable income, has made the country a prime target for the world's tourist operators. According to United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) statistics, Chinese nationals spent R120-billion on tourism abroad in 2002. The statistics reveal that China has been the main source of outbound travel in Asia since 2003. During 2006 more than 30 million Chinese took outbound trips. The UNWTO estimates that by 2020, China will produce more than 100 million outbound trips a year… China is one of the destinations that Cape Town and the Western Cape are targeting in the run-up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup," Gilfellan said. He added that Chinese tourists were mainly attracted to the Western Cape by theme parks, casinos, iconic attractions such as Robben Island, and the abundant as well as varied wine and food on offer.

Angola: China Reiterates Support for Development: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):27 March 2008.

The Chinese ambassador to Angola, Zhang Beisan Thursday here reiterated his country's engagement in the development process of this African country. Zhang Beisan, who is at the end of his mission, defended this stand whilst speaking to ANGOP before being received in an audience by the Foreign Affairs minister, João Miranda, to whom he bid farewell. The Chinese diplomat, who started his mission to Angola in September of 2002, also expressed satisfaction to witness the progress of the country. Zhang Beisan added that Angola and China developed a huge co-operation in various sectors that has improved positively lately.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Sculpture to Be Built for Chinese Sailor: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

Plans are underway to build a sculpture of a Chinese navigator in Mombassa. Chinese ambassador Zhang Ming, said the sculpture would be built in commemoration of navigator Zheng He, who together with his crew, anchored their vessel in Mombasa and

13 later visited Malindi and Lamu Island. He did not indicate when the sculpture would be erected but appealed to the council to provide land for it. Zheng He of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), commanded seven expeditions to western oceans between 1405-1433. Navigating by compass and astronomy, Zheng's fleet sailed to countries in Asia and Africa, spreading Chinese culture. Zheng's fleet began the maiden tour from Taicang city. In 2002, Chinese experts visited Siyu and found a family of Chinese descent.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Bolstering Road Construction: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):28 March 2008.

An unnoticeable but very significant event occurred in the nation's construction sector last Wednesday. The Minister for Public Works, Bernard Messengue Avom and the General Manager of the China National Construction Machinery Corporation, Li Hepeng signed an agreement by which the rolling stock of the Cameroonian National Civil Engineering Equipment Pool, MATGENIE would be rehabilitated. This is a most revolutionary initiative taken by the government, especially when it is known how much of a harmful blow the difficulties of this important back-up company had made on the nation's road construction strategy. Mr Joseph Zambo, chairman of the board of directors of the ailing MATGENIE heaved an understandable sigh of relief as he watched the minister and the Chinese official append their signatures to the document which will certainly open new perspectives for road construction in the country. Cameroonians of below the 30year age bracket would hardly conjure the picture of the heydays of MATGENIE before its fall into the doldrums some 20 years ago. This government parastatal ran a wide range of ultra-modern construction equipment which it readily hired out. It was most active on rural roads. Little wonder the beginning of its difficulties became even more felt in this sector with the privatisation of rural roads maintenance in 1996. Various prognoses on the origins of the difficulties of MATGENIE have almost invariably been attributed to managerial choices, with the reduction of government subsidies only coming in to give a coup de grace of sorts. Ensuing difficulties were therefore easy to figure: equipment in an advanced state of disrepair, lack of liquidity to buy new equipment, unmotivated personnel among others. Before the privatisation of rural roads maintenance, MATGENIE was in full-bloom business as the state was in a proper disposition to pay for its services, even if such services were paid rather sporadically. With road construction virtually in private hands and equipment in bad shape, all conditions were now united to see a steady slump in the quality of the few roads built from 1996 and a clear decline in maintenance initiatives. Even the few conscientious entrepreneurs who sought the services of MATGENIE could only keep the equipment for a short time because of the high demand of the few units that remained in a relatively good condition. Consequently, jobs were hurriedly done without much regard for quality and sustainability.

2. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA

14 • Ghana: Annan Wins Another Prize: Accra Mail (Accra):26 March 2008.

Ghanaian-born former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan continues to receive honours from a grateful world. Honouring Mr. Annan at the conferral of a new MacArthur Award, his successor, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the acceptance of the principle of the responsibility to protect stood out as the culmination of his predecessor's tenure. "In his decade at the helm, he stood particularly tall for his contributions to international justice - fighting to end impunity, to advance the rule of , to protect the weak and vulnerable," Mr. Ban said as Mr. Annan was accorded the inaugural International Justice Award by the MacArthur Foundation at a dinner last week. One hundred and six countries have ratified the Rome Statute that sets up the ICC, the independent, permanent court that tries people accused of the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Late last year Judge Philippe Kirsch, the ICC President, called for those countries that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute to do so, saying the court, based in The Hague in the , was already deterring crimes and improving the chances for sustainable peace in some countries. The responsibility to protect is a doctrine that holds States responsible for shielding their own populations from genocide and other major human rights abuses and requires the international community to step in if this obligation is not met.

• Africa: UK $1 Billion Kick Start to Get Children Into Education: United Kingdom Department for International Development (London): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008.

The UK government today pledged to increase spending on education in Africa to $1 billion in 2010, to ensure 8 million children in Africa have access to education. The commitment was made at the UK French summit during which Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Sarkozy of France agreed a new partnership to get 16 million children in Africa into school by 2010. Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander said, “Back in 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit, the international community made a commitment to getting education for all children by 2015. Although global enrolments in primary education have risen by 41 million between 1999 and 2005, there are still 72 million children who have no access to education, 33 million of them in Africa… In 2010 South Africa will host the football World Cup and today several football authorities, including FIFA and the FA, leant their support to increasing education in Africa, particularly in the run up to the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

• Africa: Country Now Africa's Largest Telecom Market: Vanguard (Lagos):28 March 2008.

Nigeria has been officially declared Africa's largest telecom market, due largely to convergent services deployed by operators in the industry. The influential global telecom research group, Informa Telecom & Media, in its latest online issue stated that following the industry statistics released early in the year by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which places total active subscribers' base at 41.5 million "Nigeria

15 has now officially taken the lead as Africa's largest telecommunications market." Less than 10 years ago, the country barely had 400,000 active telephone lines and with just one state behemoth as monopoly, the state of affairs was chaotic. Former president opened up the sector and the first GSM open bid introduced Africa's most populous nation to new entrants like ECONET Wireless of Zimbabwe, (now Celtel Nigeria) and MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd in 2001. They were joined later by a local new player, Globacom Ltd. "With 41.5 million subscribers, it is now taking a position which was until December 2007 held by South Africa. The continent's most populous country is leading the way in West & Central Africa not only in terms of market numbers, but also with services. With a regulatory regime which introduced universallicences in the market, services providers are using new business models to improve access to the internet as well as voice communications… The report is trailing the forthcoming annual West & Central Africa Com forum slated for Abuja on 18 - 19 June 2009. The Abuja event will extensively discuss developments in the region's telecom market drawing participation from across the Middle East & Africa, MEA and Europe.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: AU Observer Team Hails Peaceful Environment: The Herald (Harare):28 March 2008.

THE African Union election observer team has said the situation in Zimbabwe is conducive for free and fair elections, joining the long list of observer teams that have predicted tomorrow's polls will be transparent. Head of the AU election observer team former Sierra Leone President Mr Ahmed Tejan Kabbah said the run-up to the polls was peaceful… He said he had noted that all political parties contesting the elections were being accorded time in the public media to carry out their campaigns…"Before we came we were told that the shops were empty, but we went there and found them full. We were told that police beat up people, but we never saw that and we met stakeholders like the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and we were satisfied by the situation in the country," said Justice Makame. The mission later met the ZEC and was also expected to meet political parties' representatives, civil society and other stakeholders. Mr Kabbah is leading 21 observers drawn from the continent. AU Election Observer Mission coordinator Professor Raphel Omotayo Olaniyan said the team would observe the elections within the spirit and letter of the Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa as adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2002. "The presence of the AU observer team constitutes an unequivocal proof of the AU's commitment to contribute to the promotion and strengthening of democracy and the rule of law on our continent. The main objective of the mission is to make an honest, independent and impartial observation and assessment of the organisation and conduct of the harmonised elections," he said. Several observer missions have expressed confidence that the elections will be free and fair. The Pan-African Parliament Election Observer Team, the Sadc Election Observer Team and the Sadc Elections Commission Forum have all hailed the peaceful environment prevailing ahead of the polls.

16 • Africa: Continent's Court Expected to Start Operations After June: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):19 March 2008.

The Arusha-based first African Human Rights Court is expected to start its operations after June, according to the Court's President, Professor Gerard Niyungeko. He said currently the eleven-member Court's judges have convened in Arusha to finalise Rules of Procedure, which are crucial before starting any trials. "We are expecting to be ready with the Rules by the latest June," the Court's President told reporters Wednesday. He added: “When we have finalized them [Rules] we'll be ready to receive cases." Professor Niyungeko also said that the Tanzanian government has allocated a plot in Tengeru, east of Arusha, for the construction of the Court's premises. He said that they were in the final stages of recruiting initial staff of about 50 persons, three-quarter of whom will be professional staff from outside Tanzania. The eleven judges will also move into Arusha soon, he said. Professor Niyungeko reminded that still only 24 member states out of 53 African Union (AU) have ratified the Protocol establishing the African Court… Tanzania ratified the Protocol in February 2006, which paved the way for it to host the Court. Other countries are: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Coted'Ivoire, Comoros, Kenya, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Libya and Lesotho. Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda have also endorsed the protocol… The Court, unlike other organs of AU, was empowered to give binding judgments which are enforceable against parties. The Court was established by the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Protocol adopted by members states in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in June 1998. The Protocol entered into force in January 2004. The Court started its operations in Addis Ababa in November 2006 but moved to its permanent seat in Arusha in August, last year. It is only the President of the Court who is engaged as full- time and permanently resident at the Court's Headquarters. The other ten judges work part-time.

EAST AFRICA

• Africa: AU, Partners Sign Accord to Aid Transition Process: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):28 March 2008.

The African Union Commission (AUC) on Thursday said it signed a financing arrangement with a group of international partners aimed at supporting the Pan African body's endeavor to transform in to a Union. AU said the Joint Financing Arrangement (JFA) was signed with the group of Pooled Fund Partners (the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdoms of Norway and ) on Wednesday at the Commission's Addis Ababa Head Quarters. "Under the JFA, the Partners Group will make significant financial contributions to the Institutional Transformation Process of the AUC," the commission said in a statement. The JFA, the statement said, encompasses support to the Process Facility, the Integrated Management Information System and the VSAT Communication System. AU said the VSAT aims to establish a private communication infrastructure between the AUC headquarters, AU Member States, Regional/ Representational Offices,

17 Regional Economic Communities, African Embassies in Addis Ababa and other institutions. .. The Integrated Management Information System is aimed at transforming the functioning of the Finance and Administration Directorate so as to provide efficient support services to other AUC. Ambassador John Shinkaiye signed on behalf of the AUC with representatives of the Pooled Fund Partners, the statement said. It said speaking after the signing ceremony; the Ambassador applauded the partners for unequivocally committing themselves to propelling the "now mature relationship" with the Commission to greater heights…."The JFA with a total volume of almost US$ 6.2 million is also testimony to the increased confidence that the African Union Commission enjoys internationally," it added.

• Africa: Clause Holds Key to New Nile Treaty: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

Scholars and politicians in the River Nile Basin are puzzled over the controversial Nile River Treaty signed in 1929 between the British and the Egyptian governments. The treaty, which was to be amended in recent years, has remained contentious with the nine riparian states from Burundi to Egypt despite cooperation being fostered with support from the international community. The establishment of Nile Basin Initiatives in 1999 - which brought the nine countries together - is now being used as a carrot by countries in the upper areas to entice those in lower areas which have maintained a hard- line stand. Seven countries have agreed on the contentious Article 14 (b) on water security which obligates other states "not to cause significant harm to water security of any other Nile Basin countries". However, Egypt and Sudan maintains that the sub-article should read thus: "Not adversely affect the water security of current users and rights of the Nile Basin countries." The chair of the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-Com), Ms Maria Mutagamba says that a technical team from nine riparian countries working on the revision of Nile River Treaty of 1929 have reached agreement in all the other Articles of the treaty except Article 14 (b) the agreement… The Nile Basin Initiative was founded on the recognition that the basin, which is home to 160 million inhabitants, is characterised by rapid population growth and environmental degradation. It was meant to foster greater economic and regional integration in the Nile Basin to ensure peace and security… The donor community has since provided Sh9.8 million ($140 million) for the Shared Vision Programmes (SVP) and Subsidiary Action Programmes (SAPs) through the Nile Basin Trust Fund… The misunderstanding surrounding the cooperative framework has also slowed down the pace of the work since the Heads of States of the 10 countries have failed to meet over the issues, dragging the signing of Cooperative Framework that would govern the development and management of the Nile that will move it from the current transitional arrangement…"The member countries see River Nile as a source of unity and cooperation. This is the spirit that the cooperative framework should champion to pave way for a permanent Nile Commission," said Ms Mutagamba.

CENTRAL AFRICA

18 • Rwanda: Women Good for Peace Keeping Missions: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):26 March 2008.

Peace keeping missions that have no women and lack awareness of gender issues can result in unnecessary tensions between peacekeepers and local civilians, the Rwandan military is to be told this week at a high-level seminar. A better gender balance means that the operation more closely resembles civilian society in which it has been deployed, a concept note for the seminar says. "Its members are therefore more likely to observe social conventions that define civilized behaviour". The workshop due March 28-29 will bring together high-level representatives from the Rwanda Defense Forces, Military Academies and Colleges and civil society organizations. The seminar co-organised by the Rwandan military and the UN agency for women will also be attended by conflict management practitioners and scholars, gender advocates, UN agencies and personnel in peacekeeping operations. The dialogue will also focus on preventing sexual and gender based violence in areas where peace keeping missions are operating… There is no evidence that women make better peacekeepers, but a great deal of evidence to suggest that the presence of women improves an operation's chances of success, experts have suggested based on experience with some missions… Rwanda has had peace operations in the Sudanese region of Darfur and Liberia - in which cases women have been deployed alongside their male counterparts. There have however been no reported cases of soldier-instigated violence against the communities that these forces have operated. Accusations of sexual abuse by peacekeepers in DR Congo have rocked the 17.000 strong UN mission in the country. Campaigners say cases of sexual exploitation and abuse of local Congolese women and girls were found to be serious and ongoing. Equally disturbing was the lack of a protection and deterrence programmes. Civilians, mostly women and children have been increasingly targeted in conflicts. Roughly half of the world's 32.9 million refugees and internally displaced are women, and children under 18 make up just over 45%, according to UN estimates. The UN refugee agency says among those feeling the brunt of the abuse include over 50% women. Women are subjected to abuses as they flee the conflict zones and in locations where they seek refugee, the Agency says. At times because peacekeeping missions at all-men, responding to situations where the marauding militias abuse the vulnerable become challenging… The Rwandan military will be supported to develop relevant manuals on sexually and Gender-Based Violence for the military in Rwanda and to equip the Gender Based Violence Desks at both the central and provincial levels.

3. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA

• Gambia: Journalist Dismissed for Serving in Union Executive Position: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

Buya Jammeh, journalist with the pro-government Daily Observer newspaper, was on March 25, 2008, dismissed by the newspaper’s management, after he was elected as an executive member of the Gambian Press Union (GPU). Media Foundation for West

19 Africa (MFWA) sources reported that Jammeh’s dismissal preceded an earlier directive for him to resign his position. The sources said the Managing Director of the Daily Observer, Dida Halake on the night of March 24, called Jammeh on telephone and asked whether he (the journalist) had a new job. In response, the journalist told him that he had only been elected as an executive board member of the GPU. Not satisfied with the journalist’s answer, Halake asked Jammeh to resign or risk being dismissed… The GPU is the only media organisation in The Gambia that the government has not been able to exert control over. Systematically, the 14-year rule of President Jammeh has been characterized by violence, murder, intimidation, and disappearance of journalists. This repression has resulted in a number of independent journalists escaping into exile. Those within the country are practicing self-censorship as a means of protection.

• Ghana: Christian Council Calls for Media Partnership: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):27 March 2008.

The Ghana Christian Council of Ghana has called on the media to partner them in the fight against child-trafficking in the country. This has been part of the Council's advocacy work in dealing with such an issue, particularly in the Northern and Southern parts of Ghana. According to the Council, the mobilization of persons less than 18 years of age, for the purpose of exploitation, has been the third recorded criminal activity in the country. This they noted has been uncared for by the nation… At a press conference in Accra, the Counter-Trafficking Field Manager of International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mr. Eric Boakye Peasah, noted that the traumatic effects of child- trafficking, often remained with children for the rest of their lives, and can hinder their growth and development as adults… He explained that child-trafficking is always in a form of labour and sexual exploitation, military conscription, forced marriage, illicit adoption, delinquent behaviour, begging and trafficking in organs… Mr. Peasah added that the traffickers do all these things for the sole purpose of personal gain, often to make large amounts of money from their exploitation, and obtain free services and labour. To prevent this, he called for a continuous education and sensitisation campaigns, and the need to raise awareness of the potential dangers, and risks involved in it.

• Liberia: Controversy Over U.S. $10,000 Islamic Schools' Subsidies: The Inquirer (Monrovia):25 March 2008.

The Islamic Schools System says US$ 10,000 intended as subsidy for them from government has been diverted by some individuals. The Chairman of the Islamic Schools System, Mr. Mohammed F. Kawah, said the amount was signed by the Muslim Congress School with the assistance of another Muslim who is a prominent figure in the Ministry of Education. "When we contacted the Muslim Congress School, they acknowledged receiving the money and promised to pay but up to present not a dime has been paid to any Islamic school," Mr. Kawah said. He stated that the Islamic Schools System wrote the Ministry of Education raising issue with the manner in which the amount was given to the Muslim Congress School alone instead of all Islamic schools in the country. In a letter to Sheikh Mahmoud Trawally, Deputy Education Minister for Administration,

20 Hawah Goll Kotchi said the check for the amount was made to the order of the Islamic Schools System and not to the Muslim Congress School System… She however said when the previous money was allotted to the Islamic Schools Systems was passed, the Muslim Congress High School was the only widely known Muslim School, therefore an amount of US$10,000 was signed for by Mr. Swalihae Kamara who is the registrar of the school at two different intervals on behalf of the entire system. Madam Kotchi said the amount received by Kamara was not accounted for until recently. She said the money was intended for school systems and not a particular school; therefore even if she were around, that would not have happened… The Deputy Minister for Administration said noticing that confrontation was arousing from among the Muslim hierarchy; she wrote the National Muslim Council of Liberia on February 5, 2008, seeking its comments and or advice on the matter.

• Guinea: Journalist Suspended for Interviewing Critics of the Government: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

Francois Ifono, a journalist from the state-owned Guinea Broadcasting Corporation (RTG) was on March 21, 2008, suspended indefinitely by the stations director, Alpha Kabinet Keita for alleged “gross misconduct”. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent reported that this followed the participation of two journalists from private newspapers in Ifono’s TV-show, Parasol, on March 20. The journalists, Aboubacar A. Koumba Diallo, managing editor of the Aurore newspaper and Nouhou Balde, managing editor of the Observateur had both been critical of the Minister of Mines and Geology, Ahmed Kante. Diallo had in the Aurora consistently criticized the minister’s alleged poor handling of mining licences in the country. The correspondent said the show was abruptly stopped in the middle of broadcast, following a phone call from Issa Conde, the Minister of Communication and Information. Conde confiscated the tape of the broadcast and handed it over to Kante. MFWA condemns this extreme censorship of the media and calls on the government to respect freedom of expression and the right of citizens of Guinea to hold and express diverse views on matters of public interest.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Supreme Court Declares Ban Against Journalist Null And Void: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008.

On 26 March 2008, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku set aside and declared the state- controlled Media and Information Commission's (MIC) ban against senior journalist Brian Hungwe null and void. The Supreme Court's ruling comes hard on the heels of High Court judge Alfas Chitakunye's dismissal of an urgent application by Hungwe seeking nullification of a one-year ban from practising journalism imposed by the MIC, as provided for by the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). Following Justice Chitakunye's ruling, MISA's lawyer filed an appeal with the

21 Supreme Court on 12 March… The ban against Hungwe was imposed under Section 79 of AIPPA, which deals with accreditation of journalists; yet a journalist can only be punished or banned under Section 85 (3) of AIPPA. Accordingly, under that section, a journalist will be notified in writing of the proposed action and given opportunity to show cause within a reasonable time as to why the intended disciplinary measures should not be taken. Thereafter, the Commission will give the journalist in question a fair hearing and consider representations made before taking action. In Hungwe's case, the mandatory disciplinary process was not complied with.

• Africa: Africanise Church, Says President: The Herald (Harare):25 March 2008.

President Mugabe has called for the Africanisation of the Church, saying doing so goes a long way to assert the total independence of the country. Addressing hundreds of members of the Apostolic Faith Church of Africa in Lobengula Extension in Bulawayo on Sunday, the President said there was need for indigenous influence to penetrate all facets of life, including the Church. "Independence means power has come to the indigenous people of the country. In every area we should show that we could exercise that power. "Our people must be able to head, even the old churches and perhaps the new ones also. We want to see the Africanisation of the Church, which does not mean bringing in an African God because there is only one universal God. But the running of the Church. I am happy that this is an African church by birth and leadership," said President Mugabe… Earlier, the leadership of the church had requested assistance from the Government in the form of a farm and the tarring of the road from Hyde Park to the church. President Mugabe said the Government would provide the farm to the church and would also tar the road…

• Zimbabwe: I Committed Adultery -- Pius Ncube: The Herald (Harare):25 March 2008.

Former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube has admitted to failing "to keep God's commandment with regard to adultery" for which he apologised profusely and appealed for prayers from sympathisers. Bishop Ncube's adulterous escapades were exposed in July last year by a private investigator who had been hired by the husband of one of his lovers. In an interview with Frontier Africa TV, an independent broadcast company based in London and Johannesburg in South Africa at the weekend, Bishop Ncube who resigned last year after the exposure said: "It is true…"I do admit that I did fail in keeping God's commandment with regard to adultery.”Having failed in keeping the Seventh Commandment - Thou shalt not commit adultery - I would like to apologise that so many of you were praying for me, for the fact that so many of you standing with me in fact suffered so much," he was quoted as saying. Ncube reportedly made the revelations while on his way to the Vatican where he was summoned by Pope Benedict XVI to present his case in November last year. He has been prohibited according to the Canon law from further work until granted permission by the Vatican.

22 • Zimbabwe: 10 Youths Arrested for Playing Anti-Mugabe Song: SW Radio Africa (London):28 March 2008.

Riot police were called in Friday to stop youths from playing anti-Mugabe songs and distributing election material in Bikita. Madock Chivasa, Hillary Zhou, Farirai Mageza, Simbai Chivasa, Leonard Musimiki and five others were arrested in the afternoon at Bikita rural growth point. Police have not yet specified any charges and there are fears that they will be held till after the elections. The youth are said to have been distributing educative election material and playing music that encouraged people to vote against Zanu PF. Newsreel spoke to a member of the youth group, Wellington Zindove, who confirmed that the youths had been arrested and are still in police custody. "They were playing a song that spoke of Saddam Hussain's demise and that Mugabe would be next. The song is titled Saddam wayenda sare Bobo, Saddam is gone Bob is next. This did not go down well with the police". Zindove said. On Wednesday four members of the same youth group were viciously attacked by a Zanu PF mob in Bikita. Musimiki, Chisi, Petros Mutema and Justin Mabucha had successfully completed a 'Youth Go Vote Campaign' in seven constituencies in rural Zaka and Bikita. A Zanu PF mob at Nyika Growth Point however decided to attack them. Petros Mutema, a young entrepreneur who is said to have financed the 'Youth Go Vote' crusade, was amongst those attacked… In a press release the group says "The Youth Forum is pleased with the results of the Youth Go Vote campaign carried out in the rural areas, which has seen a huge attendance by young people at opposition rallies, including the one addressed by the MDC President Mr. at Majembere Stadium at Bikita Rural District offices.'

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Courts Unfriendly to Sexual Abuse Victims: The East African Standard (Nairobi):29 March 2008.

Most violence and sexual abuse against children is at home and by people they know, a new survey shows. Research by African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect shows sexual violence is the most reported form of abuse against children. Girls are an easier prey for sex pests, some of whom are their parents. Recent police statistics show that six children are defiled everyday. According to the new survey, some male teachers, by virtue of spending long hours with the children, turn to sexual abusers, says the report. The survey shows boys are also sodomised but they rarely report the cases. The report also faulted the judicial systems for being unfriendly to victims of sexual violence… The age of children being abused, notes the report, has dramatically reduced. However, only a small fraction of the vices are reported and investigated. It is estimated that globally, 40 million children below the age of 15 are abused and neglected. Law enforcers detain another one million children while two million are exploited through prostitution and pornography. A recent report showed that about 30 per cent of teenagers in some Coastal areas are involved in casual sex for cash with tourists. Meanwhile, the Government has been urged to speed up formulation of a comprehensive policy on child protection.

23 • Kenya: Muslim Faithful Mark Mawlid: The East African Standard: Nairobi):29 March 2008.

Thousands of Muslims are expected at this year's annual Mawlid celebrations scheduled to kick off on Tuesday in Lamu town. Lamu's Riadha Mosque and Islamic Centre Co- ordinator, Mr Mohdar Khitamy, announced on Thursday that this year's festivals would start from April 1 to 5. He said more than 60 bulls donated by volunteers would be slaughtered to feed about 50,000 Muslims in the one week festival. Muslim elders with walking sticks (Bakoras) meditate in a religious ceremony outside Riadha mosque during Mawlid festivals, last year. Picture: Maarufu Mohamed "We have also set aside a free medical camp at the Mosque and more than 100 Kenyan Muslim doctors and Kenya Red Cross officials will attend to the needy during the festivals," said Khitamy. He said Muslim politicians were also expected but warned them to keep off politics. Islamic scholars from the UK, Uganda, Tanzania and United Emirates including, the well known Sheikh Habib Ali Jufry, have confirmed their participation. "The scholars will hold a workshop for Muslim leaders to assist them in running activities in their respective countries," he said. He said a peace conference will also be held for those attending the Mawlid… Among the events is a traditional dhow race and swimming across the Lamu Channel, bao games at the Mukunguni square, donkey races and athletics along the seafront. Others will be the Henna paintings, Swahilli poetry, a soccer match, painting skills and Islamic calligraphy competitions. Lamu town dates back to the 12th century and is the oldest coastal town in Kenya. For nearly a century, Lamu has attracted hundreds of tourists across the world.

• Uganda: Muslims Form Elite Union: The Weekly Observer (Kampala):27 March 2008.

Muslims, mainly those with university education, have formed a body to help them preserve their heritage and contribute to the development of their community. The Uganda Union of Muslim Professionals (Umpro) was launched on March 24 by University Business School Principal and Busoga kingdom Prime Minister, Prof. Wasswa Balunywa. The launch took place inside the Main Hall and was attended by about 200 Muslim university graduates. Prominent among them were; Dr. Ahmed Ssengendo (Rector, Islamic University in Uganda), and Hajji Ibrahim Matovu ( S.S. headmaster). Delivering a keynote address before the launch, Dr. Muhammad Mpezamihigo, the IUIU Vice Rector, said absence of a strong professional union had cost Muslims dearly. "Prominent Muslim figures are dying away with our heritage; people like Sheik Ali Kulumba (former Buganda speaker), Abubaker Mayanja, etc. Can't our historians sit down and record our history?" Dr. Mpeza asked… He clarified that the new body doesn't seek to replace the existing specialised Muslim professional bodies such as the Uganda Muslim Teachers Association (UMTA) or the Islamic Medical Association Union (IMAU). The existing "clusters", he explained, will continue to exist with Umpro as an umbrella body.

CENTRAL AFRICA

24 • Chad: N'djamena Press Reappears for First Time Since State of Emergency Proclaimed: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

Reporters Without Borders provided financial support for the publication today in N'Djamena of a "newspaper of newspapers," a single issue combining most of the independent Chadian weeklies that have not appeared since a state of emergency was proclaimed on 15 February. It calls for the repeal of a press law imposed by decree on 20 February. "The independent N'Djamena-based press is showing a united front to the government with this single issue at time when many journalists are in exile and there is a great deal of fear and uncertainty about the future," Reporters Without Borders said. "By working together, the independent press has found a way to return to work and to demand, with a single voice, the repeal of an archaic law adopted in unfair circumstances." The Professional Association of Chadian Media decided on 20 March, in coordination with Reporters Without Borders, to bring out a joint publication which would be produced by the staff of the capital four main newspapers - N'Djaména Bi-Hebdo, L'Observateur, Le Temps and Le Miroir - and which would display the logos of Notre Temps (closed since 15 December) and radio FM Liberté (closed by the police on 16 February). With a print run of 10,000 copies and selling for 200 CFA francs, the 16-page issue contains an appeal for press freedom in Chad and, in particular, for the repeal of Decree No. 5 on the press, which was issued on 20 February…

4. REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ISSUES

WEST AFRICA

• Liberia: Ghanaian Govt Taken to Court Over Detained Refugees: The NEWS (Monrovia):27 March 2008.

Liberian refugees may have suspended their protest action, but the ill-treatment meted against them has become an issue amidst reports that a coalition of human rights organizations has taken the Ghanaian government to court. According to IRIN, the human rights organizations sued the Ghanaian government for gross violations of the rights of Liberian refugees in reaction to the simmering stand-off over repatriations. Edward Amuzu, head of the Ghana legal resources centre said the Ghanaian government forced deportation and detention of refugees without recourse to the due process is a blatant violation of the rules of natural justice. The Human Rights Coalition is filing a suit on behalf of one of the detained refugees, Chucider Lawrence, asking the Ghanaian government to release her and provide justification for her arrest and detention… Under Ghanaian law no one can be detained for more than 48 hours without being arraigned. The Ghanaian government has justified its action, saying the refugees have violated by protesting to the police without notice… Ghana Deputy Information Minister, Frank Agyekum said the government is basing its right to deport the refugees on a 1951 Refugee Convention clause which states that when

25 conditions have improved in a refugee's country of origin, the host government is no longer obliged to host them… The refugees were arrested for holding a one-month protest to draw attention to what they said were unfair condition under which they would be repatriated. In early March, 500 of the refugees delivered a petition with three demands to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Ghana Refugee Board, saying they did not want to be integrated into Ghanaian society. Instead, they demanded to be resettled in a third country, preferably in Europe. They also said they would return to Liberia but only if they were provided with US$1,000 each, ten times the amount UNHCR is offering… Some 40,000 Liberian refugees still live in Ghana, according to the Ghana Refugee Board, most of them live in Buduburam camp in Central Region, 60 km west of the capital Accra. The rest live in the Krisan camp in Ghana's Western Region.

• Liberia: UNHCR Tells Ghana to Stop Deportation: The NEWS (Monrovia):26 March 2008.

The United Nations agency responsible for refugees, UNHCR has issued an account of the plight of Liberian refugees in Ghana and has subsequently called on the Ghanaian government to "stop the deportation of Liberians refuges". In a release circulated on Tuesday, the UNHCR said following the deportation on Sunday of 16 Liberians, 13 of them registered with UNHCR as refugees, the UN Refugee Agency has told the Ghana government to cease any further forcible removals. According to the release, UNHCR has also issued another strong call to the refugee population at large at Buduburam refugee settlement, situated 35 km west of Accra, from which 70 individuals were arrested on Saturday by the government authorities in responding to an ongoing demonstration, to desist from any other unlawful actions, including the disruption of humanitarian operations and threats and intimidation which have been made against other refugees and humanitarian workers. The refugees have since reportedly suspended their protest… The Refugee Agency's pleas with the refugee leaders to work with UNHCR in addressing their concerns peacefully, and warnings by the government that their actions were breaching the laws of Ghana all went unheeded. On 17 March 2008, the Government's law enforcement agencies moved in and arrested some 630 of the group demonstrating at the football grounds, who were detained at a youth centre at Kordiabe, an hour's drive to the east of the country from its capital. On the morning of Saturday 22 March 2008, another 70 individuals, including the 16 deported on Sunday 23 March, were arrested. The arrested included neighbourhood leaders within community who, according to the Government, had a duty to stop the demonstrations, Since the deportation, the remaining 54 have been released… The Refugee Agency also drew attention to the situation of some nearly 90 among the group arrested on 17 March 2008 who have various vulnerabilities, including separated minors, pregnant and lactating mothers, and others living with disability or serious medical conditions… There are 26,967 Liberians registered formally and officially as refugees with UNHCR and the Government of Ghana, most of whom reside in Buduburam refugee camp. There is also an unknown number of Liberians living in Ghana, including in Buduburam settlement, who not formally registered as refugees.

26

• Liberia: A Road-Map to End Stand-Off Over Refugees: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

The Ghanaian government said it will stop deporting Liberian refugees and made an agreement with the Liberian government to work with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to draw up a roadmap to repatriate the 40,000 Liberian refugees currently living in Ghana. "We hope [The repatriation] can be carried through without bitterness and embarrassment to either of the two countries," Ghana's President Kufuor John Kufuor told the press following three days of talks with a high-level Liberian delegation led by its foreign Minister Mrs Olubanke King-Akerele. Ghana intends to proceed "in a way that would not harm relations between the two West African nations," he added. End of a stand-off: The refuges held a month-long demonstration and were eventually arrested because their protest had not been authorised by authorities. Liberia's Foreign Minister apologised to Ghana's president and his team at the presidential palace saying her government "does not condone any such acts that contravene the country's laws." Timing: The Ghanaian government wants the refugee returns to start within six months, Ghana's Deputy Information Minister Frank Agyekum told IRIN. But he said the Liberian delegation had impressed on the Ghanaian government not to rush the repatriation process… With Liberia's economy fragile following 14 years of civil war Agyekum said the Liberian delegation's "main concern was the negative impact the influx of 40,000 refugees will have on that country's recovering economy." The delegation is set to return to Liberia and consult with its president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleef, before agreeing to a fixed start-date.

• Liberia: Return Refugees: The Inquirer (Monrovia):28 March 2008.

The Government of Liberia says its position on the Liberian refugees in Ghana, is that it wants the Ghanaian authority to return the almost 600 Liberian refugees who were reportedly rounded up during a protest action back to the Bundubura Refugees Camp. The government said that the 600 Liberian refugees should be taken back to their other Liberian colleagues at the Bundubura Refugee Camp while it continues with the negotiation process with the Ghanaian authority over the repatriation of Liberian refugees from that country. Information Minister, Lawrence Bropleh who released the government's position to the press yesterday at his ministry said at a meeting that the Liberian delegation, which is currently in Ghana and headed by Foreign Minister Olubanke King Akerele, the Liberian delegation registered its concerns over the refugee issues with to the Ghanaian authority… President Kufuor said they are ready to dialogue and work out a convenient timetable with the UNHRC and other stake- holders so that the exercise could be carried out without bitterness and embarrassment. He made these statements when he met with the Liberian delegation in that country headed by Foreign Minister Olubanke King Akerele.

• West Africa: ECOWAS Citizens Union Impress With GOL On Handling of Refugees Issue: The Analyst (Monrovia):28 March 2008.

27 The Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Citizens Union (ECU) Republic of Liberia is commending the government of Liberia for the matured and responsible manner in which it has been handling the Liberian refugee issue in Ghana. ECOWAS Citizens Union said the swift reaction by government couple with the expression of apology, is a clear manifestation of responsible and creditable leadership that has come of age not only in Liberia but also certainly in the sub region and the world beyond. The Board of ECOWAS Citizens Union Liberia comprises of founders and presidents of national communities of the fifteen ECOWAS member states in of Liberia. It is conscious of the grave implications of action or reactions other than that now commendably exhibited by the Liberian government, which consequences would have been totally incalculable in human suffering for ordinary innocent Community Citizens of ECOWAS on both sides of the divides… Additionally, the Board of the ECOWAS Citizens Union Liberia is urging the Authority of ECOWAS, the ECOWAS Commission/Secretariat and its relevant organs to boldly look into the issue of difficulties and impediments in integrating into the Ghanaian society as alleged by the refugees…Cognizant of the fact that the establishment of the Economic Community of West African states ECOWAS, is anchored on the foundation of regional integration, the inability of Community Citizens of the sub region to integrate into the society of any Member State must be of serious concern.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: IDP Camps Deplorable – KNCHR: The East African Standard: Nairobi):28 March 2008.

A human rights' organisation has sounded the alarm over a crisis in displaced people's camps. Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said the Government should improve the living conditions in the camps. KNHCR Vice-Chairperson, Ms Florence Jaoko, said: "People in the camps are living in deplorable conditions with no toilets. This is a violation of their human rights."… Jaoko said displaced people who had been injured needed medical treatment, while farmers needed seeds and school fees. Noting that those who had attempted to return to their homes were chased away, she said the Government should review its resettlement strategy. The commissioners present during the function asked the Government to look into the plight of Standard Eight pupils still in the camps. They said the Government should ensure that they registered for the KCPE examination.

• Kenya: Too Scared to Go Home; UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

A month after clashes erupted in Kenya's Rift Valley district of Laikipia West, calm has returned but internally displaced persons (IDPs) are yet to return home, with leaders voicing concern over the acquisition of guns by communities living in the area. "Let us not confuse calmness for peace while ethnic animosity persists," Frederick Chisia, the new district commissioner for Rumuruti division, told a peace and reconciliation workshop on 26 March in Nyahururu, the district's headquarters. "The truth be told,

28 and let's be honest with one another: there is no community which is not buying firearms now. Every community must surrender these firearms during an upcoming planned disarmament."… Homes and granaries were burnt, with 127 households completely losing their livelihoods after three villages were razed to the ground in the Maji Mengi area of Rumuruti. Calm resumed after the government deployed the administration police's rapid deployment unit to patrol the areas that were most hit by the clashes. "Time bomb”: "We are sitting on a time-bomb in parts of this country with regard to land, so you, the leaders of Laikipia West, must seriously contemplate the issues surrounding land in this district," he said. "Let's combine traditional methods and modern methods to resolve these disputes and get all communities living in peace once again."… Conflict over grazing land : "Despite all these peace meetings we have been holding, the situation remains tense on the ground; the conflict seems to be more over grazing land than anything," he said. "If you visit Rumuruti, you will find cattle being grazed on farms some of which have crops planted." He appealed to the government to waive hospital fees for dozens of people injured during the clashes and who remain in local hospitals.

• Kenya: Army Vows to Pursue Militia in Mt Elgon: The Nation (Nairobi):25 March 2008.

It is too late to call for dialogue; authorities have told the murderous Sabaot Land Defence Force and Mount Elgon political leaders calling for ceasefire in the military bombardment of suspected militia hideouts. A joint military/police operation in the mountainous district has smoked out hundreds of suspected militia from their hideouts in caves and forests. They are then interrogated and screened at a place called Kapkota, just outside Toroso High School, in the heart of Cheptais Division of Mt Elgon. Rebel leader Wycliffe Komon Kirui Matekwei, 24, dropped out of this school while in Form One. Those who have survived the interrogation, which involves isolating suspects who may have used firearms in recent months, claim hundreds of people are dying from torture at the hands of security personnel… The security units want the suspects to surrender and hand over arms… The military bombings have unlocked secrets of atrocities committed by the SLDF deep in the forests. Those whose ears were chopped off by the SLDF can now speak without fear. Once rescued : According to the Cheptais district officer K. Tirop, the provincial administration fears that any cessation of the assault would give the SLDF militia time to re-group and continue killing innocent people.Mr Tirop was once rescued from the jaws of the dreaded militia that has caused 700 deaths and displaced half of Mt Elgon's 160,000 people… The SLDF killed 22 people on December 31, 2007, in Kimama village. "We have to catch their leaders. Innocent people have really suffered (at the hands of the militia)."

• Somalia: Number Seeking Asylum On the Rise, UN Refugee Agency Reports: UN News Service (New York):28 March 2008.

As many as 15,000 Somalis have sought asylum since the start of this year in neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan to escape the violence engulfing many parts of their homeland, the United Nations High Commissioner

29 for Refugees (UNHCR) said today. "Growing numbers of asylum-seekers and migrants are now making their way to Djibouti, raising fears that the tiny Horn of Africa nation could become the alternative migration route for Somalis looking for better opportunities in the Middle East," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond said today. Over 2,000 Somali asylum-seekers and migrants have crossed the border into Djibouti since January, compared with 700 people who went there in all of 2007. Once in Djibouti, many Somalis attempt to cross the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. Some 200 of them are intercepted daily and are detained in an old jail in the port city of Obock, which was built to hold 20 detainees but now houses 200 at a time… In a related development, the UN and World Bank - in tandem with Somalia's Transitional Federal Government - are meeting in Nairobi to discuss the country's economy. The two-day talks will cover the advancement of peace, economic prospects, investment in African nations, youth employment and job creation, among other issues…Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said the opposition had also informed him of their willingness to meet Government representatives and resume long- stalled reconciliation talks.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Fear, Uncertainty Deter North Kivu IDPs From Going Home: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 26 March 2008.

Hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are reluctant to go back to their villages for fear of attacks despite a truce signed in January between the government and various armed groups. "We fled our house because [armed groups] were attacking and raping people and looting property," said Gina Kavira, 38, who fled with her husband and eight children from the village of Bambou five months ago and who has been living with a host family in three cramped rooms in Vitshumbi on the shores of Lake Edward. "There is not enough to eat here. I try and catch fish. Normally, I catch three in a day. I sell two and feed my family on the other," she told IRIN. "My children can't go to school because we can't afford school fees. I'd like to return home if there was peace and if I could afford the transport. All we want is peace. I don't know when we will be able to return." The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will build a new shelter on a 54-hectare site near the town of Rutshuru to alleviate congestion in other IDP camps. UNHCR senior field officer Marie- Antoinette Okimba said the camp will cater for an estimated 16,000 people. The new camp at Nahanga is intended to relieve pressure on communities in the towns of Rutshuru and Kiwanja, which have hosted 65,000 IDPs since October 2007. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), 70 percent of IDPs in North Kivu live with host families, while only 30 percent actually live in formal IDP camps…

5. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Measles Kills 165 Children in Katsina State: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

30 A measles outbreak in northern Nigeria's Katsina state has killed 165 children in the last three months and infected more than 3,000 children, according to health officials. "[Children have] contracted the diseases in 34 local government areas in the state since January," Katsina state's director of disease control, Halliru Idris, told IRIN by telephone. The state government has set up three new measles treatment centres and an 11-man emergency response committee to identify affected areas. The team is also trying to procure vaccines and conduct an immunisation campaign, according to Idris. "We have realised that 90 percent of infected children have not been immunised," he said. "We have lobbied the federal government [about the need for more measles vaccines and it] has responded by sending us a consignment of 66,000 vials", Idris said. But he added that many parents in the state are fearful of immunising their children. The state has produced announcements for local radio to explain why immunisation is important and has called on local chiefs and imams to talk to their communities about the disease and its risks. WHO estimates that around a quarter of a million people, mostly children, die from the disease each year. Measles is an air-bone viral infection. Its symptoms include fever, sore eyes, rashes, sneezing, coughing and convulsions which can lead to nervous disorders, deafness, paralysis and death.

• Nigeria: Worst Cholera Outbreak in Years in Benue State: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

At least 35 people have died of cholera in the capital of Benue State, Madurdi, and the town of Oturkpo. Both areas have a history of cholera outbreaks but the latest toll is far higher than in previous years. The cases occurred in areas where conditions are known to be particularly unhygienic and where residents lack clean water. The quality of Makurdi's water supply is unreliable and taps often run dry, forcing many residents to drink straight from the nearby Benue River. At least 25 of the recent deaths in Makurdi occurred near the river in the neighbourhoods of North Bank, Wadata and Modern Market, while the 10 deaths reported in Oturkpo occurred in the areas of Upu and Adoka where people often drink water from wells and local streams. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae, according to the World Health Organisation. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes copious, painless, watery diarrhoea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given… With many people in Makurdi and Oturkpo now fearful of drinking the local water, vendors have inflated the price of bottled water…

• Nigeria: Govt Moves to Tackle Meningitis, VVF: This Day (Lagos):27 March 2008.

Zamfara State government has ordered vaccines for cerebra-spinal-meningitis (CSM), worth N23 million, to curb the spread of the disease in the state and awarded N500million contract to combat Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF). Chairman of the state health services management board, Dr Bello Buzu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau, that the state would soon take delivery of the vaccines. He said another

31 consignment of the CSM vaccines was being expected from the federal ministry of health, for distribution to all general hospitals across the state. According to him, part of the consignment would be used to vaccinate people and prevent the diseases, while the balance would be kept in the cold store for future use… On the N500 million contract for construction of a new Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) centre in Gusau, he said when completed, the centre would accommodate 120 patients at a time.

• Sierra Leone: Stigma is Still a Challenge for TB Patients: Concord Times (Freetown):27 March 2008.

Ministry of health and sanitation is intensifying efforts to increase access to treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) patients but stigma, it conceded, was a major problem in the fight against the disease. Programme Manager of National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Programme in Sierra Leone Dr. Foday Dafae said since 2004 the ministry has registered almost 30,000 new cases of TB. This increase is seen as a success of efforts to get people into diagnosis and treatment centers. "However, stigma is still a problem. Family members abandon their relatives who are admitted to our centers. We admit these people for them to be administered with the drugs regularly without any interval so that they can get better," Dr Dafae said…"We have personnel who check on our clients in their homes, whenever they are absent from treatment," he said, which has contributed to a jump in the treatment's success rate, from 75% in 2004 to 87% in 2007. He called on the public to educate themselves on the signs and symptoms of the disease, to know when to come in for diagnosis and to ensure that efforts to tackle the disease continue.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Botswana: Let's Learn From Malawi: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): EDITORIAL: 27 March 2008.

Reports that Parliament in Malawi has come up with a draft policy which, if passed into law, will make it an offence for anybody including traditional healers and a church, to claim that they can cure AIDS, is a step in the right direction. In fact, we call upon the Botswana government to adopt a similar legislation to help deal with some bogus and unscrupulous institutions that have lately flooded the country. For instance, it is not uncommon to come across advertisements in local newspapers in which the so- called healers make unfounded claims on how they can help people overcome the killer disease. In some cases, they even claim that they make those confined to the wheelchair walk while the sick are healed just on the basis of their faith in God... The other aspect of the Act is intended to regulate and protect people from healers who prescribe "sex with albinos, the disabled or virgins" as a cure for HIV and AIDS, she said of the Bill drafted in collaboration with Traditional Malawi Healers Association and the World Health Organisation (WHO). One hopes that the new law will also specify possible sanctions to be taken against bogus healing claims for a virus that has devastated Malawi, one of the poorest countries in southern African, infecting more than one in 10 people… On our part, Mmegi has, as a matter of policy, taken it upon itself not to carry any

32 advertisement that makes lies and unfounded claims about the potency of some of the medicines provided by traditional healers, and offering to cure HIV and AIDS…

• Namibia: Obesity in Namibia a Growing Problem: New Era (Windhoek):27 March 2008.

Many Namibians are either overweight or obese, a dietician has said. Being overweight is when one weighs more than one should, while obesity is when one weighs much more than their body can cope with. When one is grossly overweight, the percentage of body fat is usually 40 to 50 percent. One should worry about being overweight when their body mass index (BMI) (weight divided by square of height) is more than 25. A BMI of 25-30 indicates overweight, while over 30 is obesity. A better measurement of obesity is by waist circumference, which is halfway between the lowest rib bone and the hipbone. Waist circumference of over102 cm for men and 88 cm for women indicates obesity… Although there are no statistics in Namibia, obesity is now causing increased development of type 2 diabetes. Based on statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Website, Namibia had 25 000 diabetic patients five years ago. It is predicted that the number would balloon to 60 000 by the year 2030. Causes of overweight and obesity include unhealthy lifestyles such as eating wrong food and lack of exercise… Other contributing factors include genes, culture, emotional factors, age and medical problems. Due to overweight and obesity, some people also suffer from arthritis (as the body cannot carry so much weight), back pains, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, leading to strokes and heart diseases. These conditions, according to Thiele, are very common in Namibia. Obesity can also contribute to cancer development. In Namibia, adds the dietician, more adults were likely to be obese in the past but now children are also becoming overweight and obese at an alarming rate…The World Health Organisation has projected that by 2025, 300 million people are likely to be obese. Over 2.5 million deaths, which occur worldwide, are attributed to overweight and obesity.

• Namibia: Cholera Cases Up to 455: The Namibian (Windhoek):27 March 2008.

The number of cholera cases reported in the Engela Health District has risen to 455, while the number of deaths remains at two, the Director of Health in the Oshana Region, Dr Naftali Hamata, says. Hamata was recently appointed as the health co-ordinator for the North during the flood emergency. Many areas in northern Namibia have been hard hit by floodwaters. So far 65 000 people have been affected, while 4 000 people have had to be relocated. Schools and businesses have been forced to close and people have lost possessions, homes and crops… Oshana reported 172 malaria cases with two deaths, and Ohangwena reported 76 cases with one death. Water purification tablets were being distributed to local clinics and villages to make drinking water safer, he said. Unfortunately, many areas have been cut off by the floods and could only be reached by helicopter.

EAST AFRICA

33 • Uganda: The Myths of Miracle Healing: The Monitor (Kampala): OPINION: 29 March 2008.

Uganda has proved its ability to fight the deadly HIV virus even with its limited resources. On March 19, Pastor Male joined the team of Kfm's Hot Seat talk show for a debate about the miracle healings of HIV/ Aids. This debate took my thoughts back to university time where I specialised in HIV/Aids as part of my Bsc in Public Health course. I recall clearly a lecture on the impact of religion and tradition in the fight against HIV. The sad fact is that we live in a world that has ignorant people and people who are enthusiastic about taking advantage of people's ignorance. HIV/Aids is real but there are still many people in society who choose to think or have been made to accept that the disease is a curse. Or that it is simply non-existent. Then there is the tale that HIV/Aids was created. I hold no prejudice against any religion or faith and I am a strong Christian. But it's a fact that there are tricksters who want to manipulate individuals by promising them miracle healing. These miracle healings are not isolated to the walls of the "church" but also to the huts and shacks of spiritualists and herbalists who at times charge vulnerable people absurd amounts of money in exchange for a cure. False things: By no means am I saying that God does not have the power to heal people. I am simply acknowledging the fact that there are false things that people are made to believe and this is dangerous. What is more disturbing is when people are told that they should not take an HIV test to prove they have been cured. It's claimed this amount to testing God's power and lack of faith…

• Eritrea: Regional Conference Against Female Genital Mutilation Conducted in Asmara: Shabait.com (Asmara):28 March 2008.

A regional conference against female genital mutilation in the Horn of Africa was conducted from March 27 to 28 at the Hager Media Hall within the premises of the Ministry of Information here in Asmara. In The conference organized by the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW), representatives from Djibouti, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as different international and regional organizations and invited guests took part. Speaking at the conference, the Chairperson of NUEW, Ms. Leul Gebreab, stressed the significance of such a conference as it is being held at a time when Eritrea is striving to avoid backward and harmful practices through adopting proclamations prohibiting harmful traditional practice. She underlined that despite the fact that Eritrea has issued proclamation against female circumcision and is working diligently to control and prevent the harmful practice; a lot still remains to be done to fully uproot FGM… The Director General of General Service in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Berhane Gebretinsaie, on his part indicated that although the practice of female circumcision is deeply rooted in Eritrean culture, the EPLF has been combating this harmful practice since the days of the armed struggle…

• Uganda: Older People Spreading HIV More: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008.

34 RISKY sexual behaviour among older people between 30 to 45 years is fuelling the HIV/Aids crisis, Dr Sam Okware has said. The commissioner for health services at the Ministry of Health (MoH) said many new HIV infections were being registered among people in this age bracket, which includes mostly married couples and formerly married. He said they were involved in errant sexual behaviour such as extra marital sex and were having multiple sexual partners. Dr Okware said this at an Aids Conference in Kampala.

• Kenya: WHO Warns of TB Epidemic: The East African Standard (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

The Government and its development partners spend about Sh2.5 billion annually to fight new strains of tuberculosis. This is in response to a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that TB could spiral into an epidemic if its spread is not checked. WHO Country Director, Dr David Okello, said Kenya was experiencing difficulties diagnosing the multi-drug resistant strain of TB (MDR TB). "Our laboratories do not have the capacity to detect the new strain and, therefore, serious challenges arise in controlling its spread," Okello said. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, 20,000 people die from TB annually. Speaking during celebrations to mark the World TB day, which was rescheduled from Monday, Okello said there was no inbuilt surveillance system to warn of drug resistance. The WHO boss said the problem was further aggravated by the fact that the follow-up of patients was not aggressive and therefore the risk of developing MDR TB was high. Kenya is in the process of putting up an isolation ward at the Kenyatta and Moi Teaching and Referral hospitals to treat patients with MDR TB… Nyangito said last year, 80 per cent of TB patients were tested for HIV/Aids and those affected were started on anti-retroviral therapy.

6. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Forests to Disappear By 2020 – Expert: Leadership (Abuja):28 March 2008.

Nigeria will lose all of its remaining forests in the next 12 years if the rate of deforestation remains unchecked, an environmental expert warned yesterday. "Considering the rate at which trees are chopped down without any regeneration efforts ... all of Nigeria's forests will disappear by 2020," Mr. Kabiru Yammama told leadershipnigeria.com. Yammama, who heads the National Forest Conservation Council (NFCCN), a body that acts as a consultant to the Nigerian government, said all forests in northern Nigeria have been depleted and deforestation is moving southwards. "The north has lost virtually all its forests. Our 1999 survey shows that the rate of deforestation in northern Nigeria alone stands at 400,000 hectares per annum," he said. Nigeria uses 40.5 million tonnes of firewood every year, he said, adding: "Imagine the depredation wrought on the vegetation in the last decade."…According to the most recent NFCCN

35 report, released in 2007, 35 percent of arable land in 11 northern states has been swallowed by desert. This has affected the livelihood of over 55 million people, more than the combined population of Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Mauritania…"If this trend continues unchecked Nigeria will join the league of Ethiopia which has lost all its forests." He cited desertification, rain shortages and drought as some of the consequences of deforestation that northern Nigeria is facing. Earlier this month, Nigeria's meteorological agency warned that the rainy season is getting shorter, particularly in the north, where it has dropped to 120 days from 150 days 30 years ago. Rain fell for even less than 120 days in the last crop season, which adversely affected yields and sent food prices up…

• Nigeria: Niger Delta Risks Being Lost, Submerged - Foreign Experts: Leadership (Abuja):27 March 2008.

Foreign experts and other specialised agencies on Tuesday concluded, after a three-day deliberation on the large scale environmental degradation taking place in the Niger Delta, that the region stood the risk of being lost except a stop was put to further destruction of the mangrove forests. According to the experts drawn from the United States and the United Kingdom, development agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Research Institutes, National Space Research Development Agency (NARSDA), National Universities Commission (NUC), Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering and Development in Africa (AESEDA), Pennsylvania State University, U. S.A; Center for Applied Environmental Research, (CAER) University of Missouri-Kansas, U.S.A, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, community based organisations (CBOs), non governmental organisations, and the Bayelsa State government, as well as scholars from over 45 universities in Nigeria, the Niger Delta region, the third largest wetland in the world, stood the risk of being lost unless all stake holders wake up to their responsibilities…"A documentary on the impact of oil exploration and exploitation on the Niger Delta should be produced and made available to local and international media organisations. In corollary, there should be concerted efforts to place issues of the Niger Delta in the front burner of world environmental movements, including the United Nations General Ledger on development, and International Heritage Sites", it stated.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Govt Prohibits Use of Asbestos: BuaNews (Tshwane):27 March 2008.

Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk has announced that the use, manufacture and processing of asbestos will be prohibited in South Africa with immediate effect. The Regulations for the Prohibition of the Use, Manufacturing, Import and Export of Asbestos and Asbestos Containing Materials will be promulgated on 28 March and will take effect immediately, said the minister during a media briefing on Thursday. The regulations form part of the Environment Conservation Act 1989. "A grace period of 120 days will be allowed for any person or merchant who is currently

36 dealing in asbestos or asbestos containing materials to clear their stocks," said Mr van Schalkwyk… The regulations do, however, make provision for asbestos to be used for research purposes. The health implications of exposure to airborne asbestos fibres were highlighted in the 1930s and specific links to certain cancers were first made in South Africa in the early 1960s. "Due to the extent and severity of asbestos related problems affecting the communities in these provinces, a multi-stakeholder National Asbestos Summit was convened by the Environmental Portfolio Committee in 1998," the minister said. He highlighted that recommendations from the summit brought about the development of a national strategy to address asbestos pollution in the country with the objective of phasing out the mining of it out… South Africa, he said, has joined some 50 countries in the prohibition of asbestos and that any person who has ever suffered from exposure to asbestos would see the absolute necessity for the regulations. Asbestos once accounted for three percent of the value of South Africa's minerals. South Africa was the fifth largest supplier of chrysotile, produced 97 percent of the world's crocidolite and 100 percent of all of the amosite.

• Mozambique: NGO Warns That Biofuels May Threaten Forests: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):26 March 2008.

The coordinator of the Mozambican NGO "Amigos da Floresta" (Friends of the Forest), the prominent sociologist Carlos Serra, has warned that approval of the first mega- projects to produce biofuels will worsen the threat to the country's forests. In a statement issued on the first anniversary of the foundation of "Amigos da floresta", Serra said that a great deal still has to be done to halt the illegal exploitation of timber in Mozambique, given that the number of forestry inspectors is manifestly inadequate to cover the entire country. On top of this they are badly and equipped, and thus highly vulnerable to bribery… The government has promised that fertile agricultural land will not be used for biofuels. Instead they will be planted on "marginal land". Serra feared that the term "marginal land" in reality means forests, which will be cleared to make way for biofuels. He warned that deforestation is an evident reality in Mozambique, and criticized the lack of scientific studies on the real situation of the country's forests. The forest inventory presented last year is not yet publicly available, and logging licences were still being issued on a "doubtful scientific basis"…"Amigos da Floresta" is now organizing a campaign of environmental education and awareness on the importance of forests, which will include articles in the press, cartoon strips, theatre and music.

EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: SIDA Gives Lake Vic Communities Sh3b:New Vision (Kampala):25 March 2008.

THE Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) has given $1.9m (about sh3.2b) to the East African Communities Organisations for the Management of Lake Victoria Resources (ECOVIC) for an environmental monitoring project. The agreement was recently signed between Frank Muramuzi, the ECOVIC chairman and Kikki Nordin,

37 the head of SIDA/Lake Victoria Initiative at the Swedish Embassy in Kampala. The project aims at eradicating poverty among the communities living within the Lake Victoria basin through sustainable management of the environment. Sengendo Kaweesa, the ECOVICâ-àregional director, explained that the programme advocates laws that promote sustainable utilisation of the lake resources. According to research, Lake Victoria, the world's second largest fresh water body, is on the verge of losing its eco-system due to excessive exploitation and increased human action. Kaweesa called upon the East African bodies concerned with the legislation of fishing policies to consult with the communities around the Lake Victoria region before any laws are passed. "Many fishing laws are impossible to implement at the moment as each of the East African countries involved has different fishing laws," Kaweesa commented.

CENTRAL AFRICA

Cameroon: Tidying the Forest: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):26 March 2008.

The fight against illegal exploitation of Cameroon's forest has intensified. In less than two months, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, has taken concrete actions against some 43 timber companies. The most recent decision by Minister Ngolle Ngolle was on 20th March 2008 when he suspended 16 logging companies from carrying out forest exploitation activities through out the national territory. Those sanctioned failed to show up at the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to justify the origin of their wood seized at the Port of Douala in October 2007. The move comes barely a month after a similar one taken last February 15, 2008 suspending 27 forestry enterprises for the same motive. 14 other enterprises, who have been convened for a working session with the Forestry and Wildlife boss, are on the hold. They might also be slammed sanctions linked to their nonconformist activities in forestry exploitation; activities which infringe on the option to manage our forest durably… The questions many people are asking is: how come that the irregularities could only be noticed at the sea port despite the existence of numerous check points on our roads? What would have happened if the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife did not dispatch a control team of experts to the Douala port last October?... There is also need for the government to provide forest controllers with efficient tools such as helicopters, vehicles and other material which they can use to track down illegal exploiters. The hope of most Cameroonians is that the suspensions will remain afloat till the said companies produce the valuable documents. In addition, such companies should be booked for corruption and fraud.

7. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: New Policy On Fuel Tankers Underway: Daily Champion (Lagos):28 March 2008

38 Fuel tankers may soon be compelled to move within certain hours of the day in the country. This was part of the resolutions at a stakeholders' forum on fuel tanker standards organised by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) following high incidence of road crashes involving fuel haulage trucks. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Office, tanker building firms and major oil marketers in the country were part of the forum. The forum also agreed to subject tankers to proper examination in line with international standards to ensure compliance with safety regulations before allowing them to ply Nigerian roads… The forum agreed to come out with standardised fuel tankers in the country with necessary modern design and standard safety gadgets, while tanker building firms would undergo SON test to establish their efficiency.

• Nigeria: Fuel Scarcity Hits Kano Again: Leadership (Abuja):27 March 2008.

After few months of respite, fuel scarcity has hit Kano metropolis again, causing hardship to inhabitants of the city, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. Investigations by our correspondent showed that the hitherto orderly atmosphere at the filling stations in the area, has now given way to rowdiness, with motorists trying to out-smart each other to buy fuel. Consequently, long queues have taken over the service stations, particularly those located on Bello road and Ibrahim Taiwo way, to the extent of obstructing traffic on the motorways. The scarcity, it was gathered, has forced many car owners in the city to park their vehicles, waiting for the situation to improve, to enable them resume their routine activities… NAN reports that due to the situation in the area, a gallon of petrol now sells at N700, as against N400 before, and even when the commodity was not obtainable. The manager of one of the filling stations, who preferred to remain anonymous, told our correspondent that the shortage was caused by the recent long Easter and Id-el-Maulud breaks… He hinted that the situation would improve during the week, "because our Bankers would soon arrive with fuel from the depots."

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Mozambique: Partnership to Produce Bio-Diesel: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):28 March 2008.

The Buzi Company, the main employer in the central Mozambican district of that name, and the Portuguese company Galp-Energia have formed a partnership to produce vegetable oil ad bio-diesel from oilseeds. According to a report in the Beira daily paper "Diario de Mocambique", this project should be in full production by 2012… The chairman of Galp Energia, Ferreira de Oliveira, insisted that the project will be socially and environmentally responsible. "The project we shall develop will have to be certified for its environmental sustainability", he declared… One of the plants that can produce bio-diesel is the jatropha shrub. Moiane said there are already farmers growing jatropha in Buzi on about 120 hectares. With the start of this new project, the area under jatropha cultivation could be increased… The Buzi company used to be a sate owned sugar company, but it was paralysed for many years, due partly to the war of

39 destabilisation, and partly to the obsolete state of its equipment. It was privatized and re- inaugurated in 2004, and currently its main product is alcohol.

• Zimbabwe: Energy a Major Issue in Elections: Southern African News Features (Harare):27 March 2008.

In most elections, energy, and more specifically electricity, is usually near the bottom of the list of concerns that voters will base their decisions on. However, in the present campaign in Zimbabwe for elections on 29 March, energy has surfaced as a defining issue that has encouraged all parties and their candidates to focus their attention. Although essential issues such as land, health, education, accommodation and employment have taken centre stage during most of the campaign, energy has been one topical issue that aspiring candidates have promised to make available if elected into office… 's manifesto for instance, discusses pertinent issues such as poverty, unemployment, spiralling inflation and high cost of living, education, health, housing, water, and other services, but it also dedicates a paragraph on how the independent presidential candidate will deal with the energy shortages facing the country if elected into the highest office in the land… The ruling ZANU PF has also acknowledged the current energy difficulties that the country and the region are facing as a result of high demand and insufficient generation capacity, saying the party has pragmatic solutions… Mugabe said the government is working with various partners to exploit the coal deposits in Gokwe to generate more thermal electricity and is also harnessing solar energy using the expertise of partners from India. To prevent any disruptions during the voting process, Mugabe said that high-output generators are being distributed throughout the country for Saturday's harmonized elections. Even smaller parties such as the Voice of the People (VoP) have come up with their own blueprints on how to "permanently" deal with the current electricity shortages… The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headed by , represented by Edward Manning who is campaigning for the council seat in Bulawayo Central, promised that once in power his party will exploit the vast deposits of methane gas in the Lupane area in Matebeleland North… The Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a regional bloc is currently facing a shortage of electricity generation capacity that has seen the member states developing mutual strategies for an enduring solution. The major reason for the current shortage is the high demand that has outstripped supply, largely due to the positive economic growth in most parts of the region, as well as rural electrification projects in most countries. Installed capacity in the region stands at 54,742 MW of which only 46,391 MW is available. Such a development has made it difficult to guarantee uninterrupted power supplies in countries such as Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

• Zimbabwe: Oil Price Hampers Efforts to Contain Inflation – Mboweni: The Herald (Harare):27 March 2008.

South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni said the price of oil is unlikely to drop any time soon, hampering efforts to contain inflation and adding to pressure

40 for higher interest rates. "On the inflation picture, what is of serious concern is that it doesn't seem like oil prices are going to be of assistance to us for a while," Mboweni told lawmakers in Cape Town yesterday. "Things are going to get tough before they get better. We have a very, very difficult time ahead of us. We have to tighten our belts." The Reserve Bank has missed its inflation target of 3 percent to 6 percent since April last year, even after it raised the benchmark interest rate to a four-year high… State-owned power utility Eskom Holdings Ltd. plans to spend 343 billion rand (US$42 billion) on expanding its capacity over the next three years as demand for power outstrips supply in Africa's largest economy. The utility has asked for permission to boost tariffs 60 percent in the year starting April 1, more than the 14 percent initially approved by the National Electricity Regulator… Crude oil rose for a second day in London today, advancing as much as 0.7 percent to US$101.96 a barrel. Oil has gained 62 percent over the past 12 months… The higher oil price has translated into increases in the prices of other goods, known as "second-round inflation," Mboweni said. "If you remove food and energy, pressure is still on the up side. It's not the nicest time to be a central bank governor."

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: High Oil Prices Make Essential Commodities Costly: The New Times (Kigali):28 March 2008.

Prices of some essential commodities including vegetables, fuel, grains and detergents have increased, some by 100 per cent, with government officials saying there should not be cause for alarm. In a mini market survey carried out by The New Times team in several of Kigali's markets, salt has increased from Frw100 to Frw140 per kg while a tablet of soap that used to cost Frw50 has spiraled to Frw100 in most retail shops in the city. Irish potatoes were being quoted higher from Frw100 to 120 per kg, followed by tomatoes from Frw400 to Frw500 per kg. The price of a kilogramme of beans, the common dish in the country has also increased from Frw300 per kg to Frw400 per kg. While the price of peas, consumed by the upscale and middle class soared from Frw600 to Frw1, 000 per kg in the last two months, beef that used to cost Frw1,000 is now at Frw1,200 per kg. Gas: The prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) used as a fuel source for industry and domestic use, increased on average by Frw4,000 . The two gas companies, Kobil raised the prices for 11 kilogramme cylinder from Frw25,000 to Frw30,000 while SP oil company increased a 20 kg cylinder to Frw40,000 from Frw30,000. Meanwhile, LPG consumers have expressed their concern over LPG price rise calling for government intervention. Charcoal: A sack of charcoal, the source of energy for average Rwandans in towns has continued to increase. From Frw5, 000 last month to Frw7,000 and Frw10,000, per sack this week in most suburbs in Kigali City… Minister Musoni attributes the price increase to the high demand. "Most families use charcoal for cooking because of high cost of electricity. But he also said there is a supply constraint as the country heavily depends on imported charcoal. "There is a ban on cutting trees in Rwanda," Musoni said.

8. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

41

WEST AFRICA

• Burkina Faso: Flush With New Funds for Water and Sanitation: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

Donors announced in March that they will invest US $1.2 billion into Burkina Faso's water sector, to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halving the number of people in the world who lack access to safe drinking water by 2015. "So far, the water and sanitation sector [in Burkina Faso] has been neglected," Salif Diallo the minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries told IRIN, "but now we have realised it is time to act." Up to 5.7 million Burkinabes have no access to clean water and 12.6 million lack adequate sanitation facilities. In some parts of the country only 2 percent of the population has access to clean toilets. The worst areas for water and sanitation are in Burkina Faso's Sahelian Cascades, Centre Ouest and Eastern regions… Ambitious infrastructures: The new funds, which mostly come from the African Development Bank, World Bank and bilateral donors, will be used to boost access to sanitation for more than half of the country's 14 million people and increase access to clean water for 4.2 million, or 30 percent of the population. The government said it will use the funds to install 617,000 new toilets around the country, build 520 new pipe networks in rural areas, fit water taps in over 100,000 homes and install thousands of water-pumps. Tide turning: According to a 2006 UN Development Programme report, sanitation has been consistently neglected by donors and recipient governments in their poverty-reduction plans, even though it has a direct impact on public health, employment and economic growth. But this new investment in Burkina Faso may be a sign that the tide is turning, Yerefolo Malle of the non-governmental organization WaterAid told IRIN.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Southern Africa: 'SADC Secretariat Inertia Worrisome': The Times of Zambia (Ndola):28 March 2008.

SOUTHERN African Development Community (SADC) chairperson, Levy Mwanawasa, has said member states and some international cooperating partners are dissatisfied with the SADC secretariat's lack of capacity to absorb financial aid meant to help the regional body achieve its goals. Speaking in Gaborone yesterday when he addressed SADC senior management officials and staff, Dr Mwanawasa said member states were aware that the internal disunity between management and staff at the secretariat was a major contributing factor to the problem. He warned that unless the weakness was urgently corrected, the regional body risked failing to attain the set milestones such as attainment of the Free Trade Area and Customs Union by 2010. Dr Mwanawasa, who is the President of Zambia, said SADC needed to quickly find a solution to the problem as it was in a hurry to improve people's lives in the region. He also said member states were concerned about receiving documentation late before important meetings. That included

42 the late submission of the SADC calendar of events that made it difficult for member states to thoroughly study such documents and make informed decisions.

• Southern Africa: Feeling the Bite of Rising Food Prices: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 March 2008.

With no end in sight to rising global food prices, families across southern Africa are being forced to tighten their belts. "Everything is very expensive - we are now living on borrowed money," Towela Ngwira, a shopper at a market in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, told IRIN. "For us it is no longer hand-to-mouth but hand-to-hand because all the money we get has to be given to someone else [from whom we borrowed]." Ngwira, who takes care of four children, said she has had to make drastic changes to her household's shopping basket. "We are now surviving on dry foods such as Kapenta [sardines], dry fish, and dry beans, because fresh foods are very expensive. We have even stopped buying bread for breakfast - it's too expensive for us." According to André Jooste, senior manager of market and economic research at South Africa's National Agricultural Marketing Council, although the poor are inevitably the hardest hit, even professional urbanites are beginning to feel the squeeze… According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the global picture is even bleaker: FAO's global food price index rose 40 percent in 2007 compared to 9 percent in 2006. Global economics: The causes are global. Worldwide food stocks have hit historic lows, while demand has never been higher. The combination has resulted in prices of basic staples such as wheat, corn and rice hitting record highs, up 50 percent or more in the past six months. For us it is no longer hand-to-mouth but hand-to-hand because all the money we get has to be given to someone else… Local problems: In Malawi's southern town of Zomba, Harrison Kumwenda has seen the produce from his one and a half acre plot fall by more than half. He blames a combination of expensive fertiliser, and the weather. Malawi met its own food needs for the first time in years in 2006, followed by a bumper harvest in 2007. But even though the country is expecting a surplus for 2008, pockets of food security will remain. No sharing in tough times: Poor regional infrastructure and unprecedented high prices for fuel have made transport between surplus and deficit areas unprofitable, Jooste commented. After successive years of poor harvests across the region, government's are now more inclined to build domestic food reserves rather than export… Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Angola, Malawi - and especially Mozambique - were badly hit by flooding this season, which according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, affected close to 1 million people. Peter Cottan, vice president of the Millers Association of Zambia, said some millers had started hoarding their maize stocks in anticipation of a shortage. "We expect the prices to even go higher," he said.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Investors Scramble for 10 Billion Safaricom Shares: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008.

43 The sale of 10 billion Safaricom shares - billed as the largest divestiture in post- independence Kenya - was launched on Friday. The Sh50 billion Initial Public Offer (IPO) went on sale an hour before noon soon after President Kibaki unveiled an online application process. It came at a time when the country is experiencing tremendous growth in the communication sector, with the number of people with mobile telephones growing from 20,000 in 2000 to more than 13 million today. The number is expected to hit 20 million in three years. Top business people, politicians, diplomats and wananchi attended the ceremony at Kenyatta International Conference Centre. The Government intends to use the proceeds from the sale on development projects including the resettlement of internal refugees. It is offloading 25 per cent of its 60 per cent shares in Safaricom, which will leave it with 35 per cent shareholding… Profitable company : Vodafone Kenya Limited owns the remaining 40 per cent of the shares and has not indicated the intention to sell. The sale of shares is expected to be conducted both locally and internationally… President Kibaki urged Kenyans to buy the shares floated by the country's most profitable company to benefit from success registered in the telecommunication sector… The President said Safaricom was a good example of the huge investment opportunities that existed in the country, adding that the 11-year-old company had become one of the most profitable business entities. From the original investment of $50 million and licence fee of $55 million paid by the Government and Vodafone Kenya, together will loans from the financial market, the company's value is now in excess of $3 billion. The Head of State said Safaricom's listing on the stock exchange would strengthen the capital market as a source of long-term investments. He noted that the NSE share index lost over 420 points in January with market capitalisation dropping from Sh851 billion by the close of last year to Sh786 billion in the first week of January due election violence. This represents a Sh65 billion drop in market capitalisation… the government had discounted the share price to enable many Kenya buy them. After the launch, many brokerage firms did booming business as members of the public trooped to their offices to buy shares. The sale is expected to close before the end of next month.

• Uganda: Civil Society Vows to Stop EPA: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008.

As the recently initialled interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) continues to take centre stage, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Africa have vowed to step up their stop-EPA campaign saying the pact has contentious issues. CSO's converging in Kampala for a three-day eastern and southern Africa regional forum said on March 26 they are concerned about some clauses in the agreement, which they contend are not developmental and should be rolled back. They cited among others clauses, which call for free trade opening, non application of export taxes and the provision that once you sign an agreement it can't be open for negotiations. "How can you sign an agreement that you can't bring forward for review?" asked Mr John Ochola, a programme officer with ECONEWS Africa. The EPAs, which are now being negotiated, are essentially free trade agreements between the EU on the other hand and six regional groupings of the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries. Ms Christabel Phiri Programmes Officer Africa Third World Network said the EPA should be a non reciprocal trade

44 arrangement, which does not involve full opening up of markets to the already developed world… On November 27, 2007, Uganda and her East African Community (EAC) counterparts signed interim EPAs with the EU. According to the agreement, ACP countries like Uganda would be allowed to sell their goods free of duties or quotas to the EU from this year. Sugar and rice would be the only exceptional…

While addressing the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, Senegalese President Abdoulaye wade said: "The alternate system proposed by the European Union to replace EPA is unacceptable."…

9. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA

• Guinea Bissau: International Engagement Key for Peace, Says Top UN Envoy: UN News Service (New York):26 March 2008.

Welcoming last night's announcement by Guinea-Bissau's President of the date of upcoming legislative elections, the top United Nations to the West African nation today said that the international community must remain engaged for peace to be consolidated. "Change management is a long and delicate process in which expectations must be managed," Shola Omoregie, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, told an open meeting of the Security Council today. "A failure to manage these expectations would result in disillusionment that might ultimately jeopardize the long-term commitment necessary for implementing these reforms." He warned that despite the rise in donor activity, the Government's poverty reduction and security sector reform strategies remain "massively under-funded." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in his most recent report to the Council on the country that the upcoming elections "will be a major benchmark for the state of democratic governance" and called on authorities to fix a poll date to boost confidence in the electoral process' credibility. In his address to the Council today, Mr. Omoregie underscored the importance of Guinea-Bissau's partners providing resources for the November polls and to "prevent the national stakeholders from using the lack of funds as a pretext not to move forward." …"Sub-regional cooperation should be encouraged and supported in addressing the threats of terrorism, especially in a region with porous borders," Mr. Omoregie noted. After the Security Council backed a request from the Government, last December Guinea-Bissau joined Sierra Leona and Burundi to become the third country on the country- specific workload of the Peace building Commission, which seeks to prevent countries emerging from war from sliding backwards.

• Nigeria: EFCC Probes Obasanjo: Vanguard (Lagos):27 March 2008.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, said it had commenced investigation into the eight-year administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. This followed calls by some Nigerians and groups for a probe

45 of the administration. Meanwhile, former ministers - Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili - are to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel today to say all they know about the expenditure on the power sector by the Obasanjo administration. Announcing the commencemnet of the probe of the Obasanjo administration, the Head, General Investigations of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Sanda Umaru, said: "We are fighting the same cause. The truth of the matter is that we are on that issue (probing Obasanjo administration) at the moment. We want everyone to know that we are on it and definitely we will get to where we are going. Addressing members of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) during a protest at EFCC office, Ikoyi, Mr Umaru said: "The difference between the EFCC and CACOL is that CACOL wants investigation into the matter to be conducted urgently, while EFCC, by the nature of its job, needs to be thorough, which makes it appeared to be slow on OBJ's probe… Earlier, the leader of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, who led the protesters, had told the EFCC that the on-going probe by the House of Representatives of the power sector would be futile if Obasanjo, who has been mentioned by many of those who testified before the House panel, failed to appear. He said his group would not be satisfied if the House Committee on Power and Steel failed to compel the former president to testify before it in the on-going probe into how his regime spent about $16 billion without anything to show for it… A member of the Committee who pleaded anonymity said pressure was being mounted on the Committee to summon former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to testify.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: I Am Ready to Quit If Defeated, Says Mugabe: The Nation (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

Zimbabwean President backtracked from his weekend threats that the opposition will not rule the country even if it wins Saturday's crucial elections. He made the remarks as the main protagonists wound up their hectic one-month campaigns on Thursday. The spectacular about-turn by the 84-year-old leader, whose push for a consecutive sixth term would see him in office for a total of 33 years at the helm of the Southern Africa country, came as fears of post-election violence took centre stage in the largely peaceful campaign. Addressing one of his last rallies in the eastern resort of Nyanga on the border with Mozambique, Mr Mugabe said he would accept defeat and urged his opponents to do the same to avoid post-election violence. "You must be prepared to lose," Mr Mugabe was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper…

• Zimbabwe: Defence And Security Chiefs Put Forces On Full Alert: SW Radio Africa (London):28 March 2008.

The country's army and police were placed on full alert Friday, a day before elections which will see over 5 million people going to vote. Heavily armed soldiers with tanks and police with water cannons have been deployed in most urban areas in the

46 country. In 2002 military chiefs announced their full backing for Robert Mugabe, but this time they avoided any direct mention of support, while warning any would be troublemakers that violence would not be tolerated during, or after the election. Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, flanked by all the service chiefs from the army, airforce, prisons and the CIO, read a statement saying anyone who harboured 'evil' intentions should be aware that the defence and security forces are up to the task of thwarting all threats to national security. 'Also those who have been breathing fire about the Kenyan-style violence should be warned that violence is a poor substitute for intelligence and that it is a monster that can devour its creator, as it is blind and not selective in nature,' Chihuri said… Meanwhile, the head of the African Union (AU) election observer team to Zimbabwe, on Thursday said the organisation would not accept any government that comes into power through a military coup… Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the former head of state of Sierra Leone, is leading the AU election observer team in Zimbabwe.

• Zimbabwe: Country Goes to the Polls Amid Fears of Rigging By Mugabe: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008.

Zimbabweans go to the polls on Saturday in what has been described as the country's most important election, amid mounting worries within the opposition that veteran President Robert Mugabe has already stolen the vote. There was a mixture of suspense and hope among voters and political players on the eve of the combined presidential, parliamentary, senatorial and municipal elections, in which 5.9 million voters hope to deliver a verdict that will stop the world's fastest economic decline. Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, is facing the most serious test to his rule from former ally, Dr Simba Makoni, and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the race for the presidency. Electoral Commission :On Friday, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), under fire from the opposition for alleged bias in favour of Zanu-PF, said polling stations would open at 7am and ballot boxes sealed at 6.30p.m. It said counting of ballots would begin immediately at the ward-based polling stations, and the announcement of results is likely to start tomorrow evening. The results of the presidential vote will be announced from a national collating centre instead of constituencies, an arrangement the opposition says is meant to facilitate rigging of the polls. With a sham electoral register, said to include 50,000 dead people and thousands of ghost voters and threats of an army coup if Mugabe loses the polls, Saturday's elections have hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons… Mugabe must win more than 50 per cent of the valid votes cast to avoid a potentially embarrassing run-off… Independent surveys: Independent surveys have tipped Tsvangirai to beat Mugabe and Makoni. However, according to a survey released by an academic linked to Zimbabwe's feared spy agency on Thursday, Mugabe will win 57 per cent of the vote in the presidential election… The survey by Dr Joseph Kurebwa of the University of Zimbabwe says Zanu-PF will clinch a total of 41 Senate seats and 137 Parliamentary seats. It says Tsvangirai will take between 26 and 27 per cent of the presidential vote, with Makoni, who is standing as an independent, managing around 13 per cent… The outcome: Kurebwa's survey was meant to prepare Zimbabweans for the outcome, the paper said.

47 Mugabe's two challengers were driving home the message of change and economic reform during the month-long campaign while the former guerilla leader stuck to his old revolutionary script. He doled out an assortment of farm equipment, buses, computers and motorcycles to retain office. Then, on Thursday, he wound up his campaign by handing over free cars to doctors in what his opponents have labelled a vote-buying gimmick. His opponents joined together on Thursday and accused him of plotting to rig Saturday's election, the toughest battle of his 28 years in power. After Mugabe handed out the cars, he faced fresh accusations that he would steal the poll. He has vowed to crush old Tsvangirai and Makoni… On national television, Mugabe blamed Zimbabwe's troubles on Western sanctions imposed on him and his allies to try to force reform. Mugabe said the measures had harmed health care in Zimbabwe, one of the countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS. "Our health sector (once) operated in a regional and international context that was free of the illegal sanctions which weigh us down today," Mugabe said in a ceremony to give 450 cars to senior and middle-level doctors at government hospitals.

• Zimbabwe: Poll Shows Tsvangirai is Likely Winner: The East African Standard (Nairobi):29 March 2008.

A recent pre-election survey in Zimbabwe puts main opposition leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, as the people's favourite. Coming second is President Robert Mugabe's former ally turned challenger, Mr Simba Makoni. In a survey conducted by the Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI), Tsvangirai (Movement for Democratic Change) was favoured by 28.3 per cent of respondents, compared to Mugabe's 20.3 per cent and Makoni's 8.6 per cent. Ruling Zanu-PF spokesperson, Dr Nathan Shamuyarira, dismissed the survey as "not scientific and biased."… The MPOI was set up in 1999 and is headed by political commentator and University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Prof Eldred Masunungure. Masunungure, though, admits that since opinion poll surveys are relatively new in Zimbabwe and given the volatility of previous elections, some respondents declined to disclose their choices. About 23.5 per cent of those surveyed said their vote was secret, 7.5 per cent had nothing to say while 5.4 per cent said they would not vote. About 4.4 per cent said they did not know. One per cent said they would vote for little known presidential candidate, Mr . Masunungure predicted a run- off given that it is unlikely any of the three candidates would get an outright majority of more than 51 percent in the first round of voting. Zanu PF has responded to the MPOI pre-election survey by commissioning its own survey to be conducted by academics from the University of Zimbabwe. Some believe these are aligned to the ruling party.

• Zimbabwe: SA Election Observer Team Furious Over DA Report: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):28 March 2008.

THE HEAD of the South African contingent of the regional observer team for the Zimbabwean elections, Kingsley Mamabolo has vowed to sit down with the rest of the leadership to discuss the conduct of three Democratic Alliance members who have issued a damning report on the election process in Zimbabwe. Mamabolo, who has privately

48 met President Robert Mugabe yesterday confided in him that South African president, had told him that the British government regretted its stance on the Zimbabwean government. He said that the behavior by the three DA members could be a violation of the code of conduct adopted by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM). SEOM comes into the country through invitation of the government of Zimbabwe as stated in the SADC guidelines… Democratic Alliance (DA) officials said the two parties had been at loggerheads even before the start of the mission, after Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad declared that everything seemed set for a free and fair election.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Cabinet Talks Deadlock: The Nation (Nairobi):29 March 2008.

President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga on Friday appeared to be moving even further apart on sharing Cabinet positions and the number of ministers to be named in a grand coalition government. The two failed to agree on whether the country should have a 44-member Cabinet or the number should stand at 34. But both leaders were quick to point out that the Cabinet-making talks had not collapsed and the two sides would continue consulting though no new date had been set for their next meeting. After meeting for about 1 hour and 20 minutes at the Office of the President in Nairobi's Harambee House, the two failed to emerge with the much-anticipated list of new Cabinet ministers. (ODM and the Government coalition have yet again failed to compromise on the nature and size of the Cabinet. According to ODM, the contentious issues are the size of the cabinet, portfolio balance and ODM's participation in all political appointments in the civil service including permanent secretaries and diplomats. ODM leader Raila Odinga, in a press conference on Friday afternoon said his meeting earlier in the day with President Kibaki failed to resolve the issues and they agreed to consult further.)…

• Kenya: Annan Talks to Kibaki, Raila: The East African Standard: Nairobi):28 March 2008.

Dr Kofi Annan made a long distance intervention as a fresh power standoff threatened to get out of hand with a message to President Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga - sort out the Cabinet deadlock. The celebrated former United Nations chief, who spearheaded the post-election mediation talks at a time the country, was on the brink of civil war, told the two principals that the distribution of Cabinet portfolios and formation of a coalition Government was well within their reach. UN sources confirmed that Annan, who is in New York, engaged Kibaki and the Prime Minister- designate separately in lengthy phone conversations on Wednesday evening as the stalemate in forming a shared Government started snowballing into a tense standoff between the Party of National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) sides… Some top European diplomatic missions are also understood to have been privately in touch with both principals, with a message to clear what is seen as the final hurdle in the shared deal… This prompted the US Ambassador to appeal to

49 both Kibaki and Raila to tame "their foot soldiers who are busy making silly statements which will jeopardise the implementation of the deal." He said: "Sharing power is not an easy thing. The two leaders should be given humble time to negotiate the sharing of ministries. I am optimistic that the two leaders are committed to the deal they signed." Ranneberger termed the statements issued by other leaders besides the two principals as diversionary and asked Kibaki, Raila and Kenyans to ignore them… Raila had the previous day expressed optimism that the process between him and President Kibaki would proceed to successful conclusion… However, the next meeting between President Kibaki and Raila is yet to be scheduled even as the situation appears to totter on the brink of rising tension.

• Uganda: Court Martial Jails Kazini for 3 Years: New Vision (Kampala):27 March 2008.

FORMER army chief Maj. Gen. James Kazini was yesterday sentenced to three years in prison for causing financial loss to the Government. However, the court found him not guilty of creating ghost soldiers on the army payroll, forgery and of uttering false documents. Heavily armed Military Police sealed off the Court Martial as Kazini, Lt. Col. Dura Mawa Muhindo and Capt. Michael Baryaguma were convicted over the loss of sh61m belonging to the 507th Brigade, which was based in the Congo. His lawyers said they would appeal the ruling. Kazini's aide de camp Lt. Kenneth Ayebare walked away free after the court declared him innocent. "The court has heard and considered the antecedents and the mitigating factors in the case and has sentenced you to three years imprisonment," Chairman Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta said. Kazini and company had been charged with abuse of office, forgery, uttering false documents and causing financial loss… The soldiers were charged in January 2004 over loss of sh61, 746,800, which Col. Mawa withdrew from the army's bank account in the Kasese branch of the defunct Uganda Commercial Bank to pay salaries. The accused, according to the State, inflated the payroll by 440 "ghost" soldiers. The four-year trial, which started under, Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine, was conducted in camera. The soldiers entered the dock and saluted the nine-man panel before taking seats. As they listened to Koreta read out the verdict, their faces betrayed no emotion…

10. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Africa: U.S. $30 Billion Spent On Peace Issues: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):27 March 2008.

Samuel Ato Duncan, Executive President of Center of Awareness (COA), a non- governmental organization (NGO), based in Cape Coast, has revealed that the United Nations (UN) has spent $30 billion, in the past 15 years, on peace-related issues in Africa. He explained that Africa is the poorest continent, because the continent

50 lacked peace, indicating that the money, which could have been used to alleviate poverty, was rather being used to address peace issues. Duncan made this revelation last week, at the inauguration of the Central Regional Network for Peace Building, at Wusorkrom in the Abura-Asebu- Kwamankese (AAK) district, of the Central Region… He said political and social injustices, religious intolerance, poverty, terrorism, diseases, selfishness, among others, affected global peace, and must be tackled locally, nationally and internationally. Duncan noted that until leaders, especially those in Africa, live and rule selflessly and implemented human-centered policies, world peace could not be achieved. He disclosed that the COA has spent over GH¢200,000, to develop herbal preparations to treat and manage HIV/AIDS. He further disclosed that the COA had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nogouchi Memorial Institute, Legon, the Biochemistry Department of the University of Cape Coast, and the Central Regional Hospital, to undertake further research into production of scientific data, on the use of the herbal drugs for the cure of HIV/AIDS… The COA was formerly an association, which was established in 1989, but it was registered as an NGO in 2000, to ensure reconciliation, peace and unity among people, through awareness creation. Currently, it has a membership of 1,564 in the Central Region, and it is expected to expand its operations across the country by 2015.

• Sierra Leone: Country Hosts Heads of UN Peace Missions in West Africa: Concord Times (Freetown):28 March 2008.

The 12th high-level meeting of the heads of United Nations peace missions in West Africa will be held today Friday 28, at UNIOSIL Headquarters, Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown. The meeting will be chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for West Africa (UNOWA), HE Mr. Lamin Cisse, and attended by the Special Representatives for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), HE Madame Ellen Margaret Loj; the United Nations Mission in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI), HE Mr. Y.R. Choi, and the UNIOSIL Office-in-Charge, Mr. Gebremedhin Hagoss. Amongst other matters pertinent to UN peace operations in West Africa, the meeting will feature briefings by the Heads of Mission on the security situation and the latest political developments in their respective mission areas. An opportunity will also be taken to discuss other matters in relation to inter-mission cooperation with a view to further enhancing UN efforts at peace-building and consolidation in the West Africa region. A Communiqué highlighting the key focus areas of the meeting will be issued followed by a press briefing.

EAST AFRICA

• Somalia: Hundreds Demonstrate to Support PM's Reconciliation Plan: Garowe Online (Garowe):22 March 2008.

Hundreds of people gathered at a football stadium Saturday in Somalia's capital to showcase public support for interim Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein's plan for national reconciliation. The demonstration, held at Conis Stadium in north Mogadishu, was organized by the Banadir regional government and featured speeches by Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed "Dheere" Omar and Interior Minister Muse Nur Amin.

51 Both government officials said they welcomed the Prime Minister's reconciliation plan and appealed to the armed opposition to join the peace process. Since his appointment last November, Prime Minister Nur Adde has pursued a reconciliation agenda aimed at finding lasting resolution to the 17-year Somali conflict… But al-Shabaab fighters who are believed to be spearheading the insurgency in Mogadishu have refused to talk with the government. The armed group, which was just added to the U.S. list of terror organizations, has vowed to continue fighting against the government and its foreign military allies until Islamic rule is restored in Somalia. On Saturday, a 6- truck Ethiopian army convoy struck a landmine as it headed towards Mogadishu, witnesses said.

• Uganda: Peace Talks End: The Monitor (Kampala):27 March 2008.

THE South Sudan-mediated peace negotiations between the rebel LRA and the government of Uganda ended in Juba yesterday with the signing of the second last agreement, which paves way for a possible final agreement on April 5. The parties yesterday signed an agreement on monitoring and implementation, officially marking the end of negotiations that have come to be called the Juba Peace Process. What now remains is the ceremony to sign the Final Peace Agreement, and a tentative date was yesterday postponed from April 3 to April 5. Chief mediator Riek Machar yesterday appeared to be relieved that the penultimate agreement had been signed. "It has been a very difficult peace process with indictments hanging on one of the parties, but I am very happy that they have all agreed to sign the final agreement," Dr Machar, the South Sudan Vice President, told journalists at a Juba hotel. Chwa MP Livingstone Okello-Okello, who is the chairperson of Acholi Parliamentary Group, told Daily Monitor yesterday that he was "happy" that the peace talks had been concluded. "We had many," Mr Okello- Okello said… Rebel leader Joseph Kony, wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges, yesterday told Acholi elders gathered in Juba that he would sign the deal but keep his arms… Since July 2006, the LRA and the government of Uganda have signed agreements on cessation of hostilities; comprehensive solutions; accountability and reconciliation; permanent ceasefire; and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. Kony, according to some reports, has shifted base to the jungles of the Central African Republic and established contact with a Chadian warlord, Mahamat Nouri. Although there have been no recent skirmishes between the LRA and the Ugandan military, the rebel outfit has been linked to killings and abductions in the Central African Republic… In the beginning, as at the end, the ICC issue has been a sticking point during the peace talks, with Kony saying the warrants are a deal-breaker. The ICC, for its part, has indicated that it might drop the warrants if it is certain that a court in Uganda can competently try the suspects. And President Museveni, who pushed for the indictments, says Kony will have a "soft landing" if he signs the final agreement… Earlier, six heads of state had been invited to witness the signing which was at the time scheduled for March 6, 2008. The six included; Mwai Kibaki (Kenya), Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Armando Guebuza (Mozambique), Thabo Mbeki (South Africa), Joseph Kabila (DR Congo) and Omar El-Bashir (Sudan).

52 • Uganda: I Will Sign Peace Deal, Says LRA Chief: New Vision (Kampala):26 March 2008.

THE leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony, will personally sign the final peace agreement, now slated for April 5, at his Ri-Kwangba base, the leader of his negotiators has said. David Nyekorach Matsanga on Tuesday told the chief negotiator, South Sudan's Vice President Riek Machar, that Kony assured him he would sign but at the assembly point, not in Juba… But the leader of the Government delegation, internal minister Rugunda Ruhakana, said it was impossible to move the ceremony to Ri- Kwangba given the big number of dignitaries, including presidents, expected to attend… The signing had earlier been tentatively fixed for April 3 but was later moved to April 5 at the request of the mediator. Machar told both delegations that he needed time to prepare for the signing ceremony. Prior to the signing, the LRA peace delegation is expected to travel to Ri-Kwangba with a group of religious, cultural and local leaders for final consultations with Kony.

• Uganda: Arms Trafficking Could Harm Northern Peace Deal: The Monitor (Kampala):29 March 2008.

AS northern Uganda prepares for a post-war recovery programme that will see thousands of displaced people resume a normal life, arms’ trafficking is becoming a serious security concern among the stakeholders. Security and local leaders fear that the problem of illegal guns and weapons said to be in the hands of former LRA combatants, Karimojong warriors, army deserters, robbers, arms traffickers from Southern Sudan, Somalia and DR Congo could seriously dent efforts to realize total peace in a region ravaged by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) 22- year rebellion. "Much as our people are heading home from poorly facilitated Internally displaced People's (IDP) camps there is still a problem of illegal guns held by wrong elements that pose a real threat to the resettlement project," Ms Eromina Ongom, an IDP representative in Pader said in an interview recently… In a recent report, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that the presence of illegal small arms and unexploded ordnances in Gulu and Amuru districts remains a significant challenge for improved security. "The lack of basic services/infrastructures in areas of return, and anxiety of insecurity amongst the population are amongst key factors posing a challenge for movement back home," the UN report obtained by Daily Monitor reads in part. Northern Uganda regional police commander, Phineus Arinatwe Katureebe warned those in possession of illegal arms to surrender them or risk prosecution.

• Uganda: Kony Heading Back to Sign Peace Deal: The Monitor (Kampala):29 March 2008.

Joseph Kony, accompanied by body guards, is on his way to Garamba possibly to meet the April 5 deadline when the final peace agreement to end the 21-year war in northern Uganda is expected to be signed, diplomatic sources have said. Since the beginning of the year, news reports - backed by local and intelligence authorities, had indicated that LRA leader Kony had left his camp site in Congo's Garamba national park

53 for safe haven in the Central African Republic. Diplomatic sources in Juba said yesterday that following the announcement that a final peace agreement would be signed on April 5, Kony and an estimated 100 LRA troops had been sighted 85 miles south west of Garamba near the town of Doruma… Political, religious and cultural leaders from northern Uganda welcomed the move but expressed concern about the implementation of the peace agreement. "It is obviously good news if Kony signs this agreement but that spirit should continue throughout the implementation process," said Acholi Paramount Chief Rwot Onen Achana II. The leaders are in Juba to make plans for the period after the agreement is signed… The top technocrat on conflict in Africa at the American State Department, Mr Timothy Shortley, is temporarily camped in Juba where preparations are underway for the signing ceremony next week.

• Uganda: UPDF to Guard Kony, Says Govt: The Monitor (Kampala):28 March 2008.

THE army will offer protection to LRA rebel chief Joseph Kony once he agrees to disarm after the signing of the final peace agreement on April 5, the government said yesterday. Leader of government peace delegation Ruhakana Rugunda told journalists at the Media Centre, in Kampala, that the South Sudan government is providing a battalion of soldiers to guard Kony and his fighters at Rikwangba on the Sudan-DR Congo border during the disarmament exercise. "When he (Kony) comes to Uganda, Kony will be provided with necessary security including the UPDF. Kony will definitely be safe," Dr Rugunda, who is also Internal Affairs minister, said in response to questions from journalists about Kony's security after he agrees to disarm and return to Uganda… Meanwhile, a child rights organization has called for the unconditional release of children still in captivity ahead of the signing. The Operations Director for Save the Children in Uganda, Mr John Reinstein, said at a news conference yesterday.

• Sudan: Muslim Alliance Asks Arab Nations to Act On Darfur Crisis: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):28 March 2008.

A global coalition of Muslim groups has urged the Arab League to act urgently to address the crisis in Darfur. In an open letter to the League's Secretary General, Amr Moussa, Arzu Merali, the groups said, "Arab nations must take a stand to prove their claim that they are not taking 'ethnic sides' in the violence in Darfur." The coalition of more than 20 Muslim groups criticised lack of attention paid to the crisis so far, saying, "The crisis has cost the lives of at least 200,000 Muslims yet it has not yet captured the attention of the Muslim world in the way that it should." The letter also accused the Sudanese government of obstructing the full deployment of the UN peacekeeping force. The Muslim groups appealed to the Arab League to call for an end to the obstructions on the deployment and call on those countries which have the capability to offer their own resources and manpower to support the protection of civilians. The Arab League should also contribute much more to the humanitarian effort and put pressure on all sides to engage honestly in the talks and encourage all sides to show flexibility.

54 CENTRAL AFRICA

• Burundi: Government, Rebels Bear Responsibility for Peace - UN Commission: UN News Service (New York):27 March 2008.

The Burundian Government and a major rebel group are primarily responsible for implementing the ceasefire pact they signed in late 2006, the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission - which seeks to prevent post-conflict nations from sliding back into war - has concluded in a new report made public today. The small Great Lakes nation is rebuilding after a brutal civil war between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. In September 2006, the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement was signed between the Government and the last major rebel hold-out group, Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL). The UN, along with such groups as the Regional Peace Initiative and the African Union (AU), are working in tandem to assist in putting the Agreement into effect, the Commission noted. "There is consensus among the international community that the political, security and socio- economic reintegration dimensions of the peace process must be addressed simultaneously to ensure the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement." The Commission reported that a new Political Directorate - comprising representatives from the Government, Palipehutu-FNL, AU, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and the European Union (EU), among others - has been established in the capital, Bujumbura, aiming to promote dialogue on any obstacles to implementing the Agreement… Earlier this month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern at the simultaneous grenade attacks in Bujumbura on the homes of four parliamentarians. In a statement, Mr. Ban urged "the Government of Burundi and all political leaders to work together through the national democratic institutions to ease the current tensions."

• Chad: 'Supporting a Dictator': Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):27 March 2008.

The European Union has been accused of "supporting a dictator" by deploying a military mission to Chad that is largely comprised of troops from France, the country's former colonial master. By mid-March, nearly half of a 3,700-strong EU force (Eufor) had arrived in Chad, with the remainder expected to be there before the local rainy season begins in May or June. The domination of French soldiers in the force has fuelled claims that it would be virtually impossible to distinguish the operation from almost 2,000 French troops participating in a separate mission in Chad. Known as Epervier, the latter mission has shored up the regime of President Idriss Deby, who seized power in a 1990 military coup. During an uprising in the capital N'Djamena earlier this year, French troops guarded the airport where helicopter gunships used to ward off rebel fighters were based… France's government has also been reluctant to publicly criticise Deby and his henchmen for ordering the arrest of opposition leaders, some of whose whereabouts remain unknown. Tobias Pfloger, a German left-wing member of the European Parliament (MEP), severely criticised Eufor in a Mar. 27 debate… Although some 14 EU countries are taking part in the mission, two of the Union's most

55 populous nations, Germany and Britain, are not sending even one soldier to Chad. But Michael Gahler, a German conservative, suggested that France's existing presence in Chad could compromise Eufor's nominal impartiality. "The question is: can the people in Chad distinguish between these white faces -- the neutral troops and the troops that are there on the side of the government?"

• Central African Republic: UN Envoy Meets With President On New Force: UN News Service (New York):28 March 2008.

The United Nations' top envoy for Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) has consulted with CAR President François Bozizé on deployment of an innovative peacekeeping mission in the two countries, a UN spokesperson said today. The UN mission, known as MINURCAT, was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan. It is a multidimensional operation supported by European Union military forces and comprising 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law. Visiting CAR's capital, Bangui, yesterday, Victor Da Silva Angelo, Special Representative of Secretary-General in Chad and the CAR, told President Bozizé that MINURCAT and the EU force are "twin sisters that are intimately linked by the nature of their work and are, in fact, complementary." While the EU Force provides a security umbrella, he said, the UN Mission trains those tasked with protecting refugees and the internally displaced inside UN-run camps. Earlier this week, Mr. Angelo signed a status of mission agreement, setting up the legal basis for MINURCAT's operations, with authorities in Chad.

11. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

EAST AFRICA

• Somalia: U.S., UN Now Differ On Terror Group: The East African (Nairobi):24 March 2008.

In a move signalling an intensifying US focus on Somalia, the State Department last week designated the armed Islamist group al-Shabaab a terrorist organisation. Al- Shabaab is "a violent and brutal extremist group with a number of individuals affiliated with al-Qaeda," the US charged. The group's leader has ordered his fighters to attack African Union peacekeeping troops in Mogadishu and has called for militants from other countries to join al-Shabaab in Somalia, the State Department added. The US action may not result in a significant shift in strategy since Washington had not felt the need for a formal terror designation in order to justify military strikes in Somalia. It has launched at least four such operations in the past 14 months with the aim of killing individuals said to have played a role in terror attacks inside Kenya in 1998 and 2002. In addition to enabling American authorities to freeze the assets of any one

56 allegedly linked to al-Shabaab, the designation is intended to "help undercut the group's ability to threaten targets in and destabilise the Horn of Africa region," the State Department said…"We are happy that the US put us on its list of terrorists, a name given to pure Muslims who are strong and clear in their religious position," Sheik Muqtar Robow said, calling insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan "our brothers.”. A leading Islamist in Somalia offered a different view of the US move. Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, head of an Islamist group with ties to al-Shabaab, called US policy toward Somalia "wrong and twisted." The Americans made "the wrong decision in 2006 when they backed the Ethiopian invasion and they are wrong to designate part of the resistance as terrorists," he said… It notes that the African Union military contingent dispatched to Somalia to pave the way for an Ethiopian troop withdrawal "continues to face serious constraints, particularly with regard to finance, logistics and force generation." Unless these problems are solved, the AU force of 2,600 will not reach its authorised level of 8,000 troops, the UN says.

12. NORTH AFRICA • Mauritania: Newspaper Journalist Held Incommunicado: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 28 March 2008.

Mohamed Salem Ould Mohamed, reporter with Assiraj, an Arabic language newspaper, was on March 25, 2008, arrested and detained at the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Mauritanian police. Mohamed is being held incommunicado. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) correspondent reported that 48 hours on, no explanations have been given for his arrest and subsequent detention. Mohamed was arrested together with his colleague, Sidi Ould Abdelkader, at the entrance of the newspaper’s office in Central Nouakchott. Abdelkader was detained for several hours before being released on the same day. MFWA is calling on the authorities to either release the journalist or put him before a court of law if they have any probable cause for their action, or for any offence he may have allegedly committed.

• Morocco: Record Damages Award Against Editor of Leading Daily in Libel Suit: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 27 March 2008.

Reporters Without Borders is shocked by a Rabat court ruling on 25 March 2008 ordering Rachid Nini, editor of the daily newspaper "Al-Massae", to pay a total of 6 million dirhams (approx. 550,000 euros) in damages and a 120,000 dirham (approx. 11,000 euros) fine in lawsuits brought by four deputy prosecutors accusing him of libel and "public insult." "We are outraged by the exorbitant size of the damages award," the press freedom organisation said. "This is not the first time Morocco's courts have acted with a heavy hand. Certain recent court rulings have badly hurt leading Moroccan media and could lead to their disappearance. Judges should impose sentences that are proportionate to the damage caused and should ensure that press freedom is not endangered."… Four deputy prosecutors filed separate lawsuits against Nini in early February claiming they had been defamed by a report published on 18 November in his

57 newspaper. With a circulation of 100,000, "Al-Massae" is Morocco's most widely-read daily. Without naming them, the report claimed that four judges had attended an alleged homosexual party in Ksar Al-Kébir, a small town in northern Morocco. Seven people who attended the party were sentenced by a Rabat appeal court on 16 January to sentences ranging from four to ten months in prison… Nini was the victim of a knife attack outside Rabat's main railway station on 3 February. He told Agence France-Presse at the time that he was surprised that the attack took place while he was being sued.

• Egypt: Newspaper Editor Given Suspended Six-Month Sentence for Reporting On Rumours Regarding President's Health: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 26 March 2008.

On 26 March 2008, HRinfo denounced the judgment issued by Boulak Abu Al-Ela Court of Misdemeanor, which was held in New Cairo Courts Assemblage, against Ibrahim Issa, the editor-in-chief of "Al-Dostour" independent newspaper, in which he was fined 200 L.E. and given a suspended sentence of six months in prison. This was in regards to a lawsuit filed by a lawyer and two state security police officers with respect to the well-known case of "the president's health." Many doubts have arisen regarding the grounds for the charges and the facts used to justify them since the investigation began on 5 September 2007. The General Prosecution investigated the allegations made by the accusing lawyer and officers submitting evidence against Issa, and itself made accusations against him, thus inappropriately mixing two roles, from the outset of the investigation. Then the case was transferred to the High State Security Court, in accordance with the emergency law, yet they refrained from implementing that decision, arguing that the case involved a misdemeanor of publishing false news prejudicial to the national economy. Although the Central Bank experts did not find any relation between what was published in "Al-Dostour" - as well as other newspapers - about the president's health and any positive or negative effects on the economy, Issa was convicted. Although the suspended sentence can be appealed, it is still an indicator of the state of press freedom in Egypt, and the lack of respect for journalists' right to criticise the government's performance, as Issa has… HRinfo, as part of the defense teamwork for Issa, has decided to prepare the appeal of the sentence and for the other judgments against Issa that are soon expected, as well as other court sessions involving him next week.

• Egypt: Journalist in Hiding, Home Raided: International Federation of Journalists (Brussels): PRESS RELEASE: 25 March 2008.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the Egyptian government over raids and threats that have forced an Internet journalist to go into hiding to escape police harassment. Abdul-Jalil Al-Sharnouby, a member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists (EJS) and editor in chief of the Ikhwanonline web site - the official site of the Muslim Brotherhood - has had his home raided twice by security forces over coverage of the upcoming municipal elections. In a letter to the board of the Syndicate, Al-Sharnouby says security forces invaded his home in the early morning

58 of 12 March while he was absent. They confiscated books, paper work and other belongings. "It scared my wife and my young daughters," he said. He has now gone into hiding fearing that he will be detained… The IFJ has pledged to fully support actions by the Egyptian Syndicate to protect its members and is concerned that Al-Sharnouby is targeted as part of the government campaign against Muslim Brotherhood activists in the run-up to municipal elections to take place on 8 April. According to some reports around 800 Muslim Brotherhood politicians, activists and some journalists have been held. Among those detained is Khaled Hamza, the English editor of Ikhwanonline, who has been held in prison since 20 February.

• Tunisia: President Ben Ali Announces Major Political Reforms: Tunisia Online (Tunis):21 March 2008.

In an address commemorating Tunisia's 52nd anniversary of Independence and Youth Days on March 21, 2008, President announced a set of important political measures aiming at strengthening the foundations of democracy in Tunisia, as well as widening the participation of young people to political life… The measures include the possibility of a draft amendment of the constitution to allow "exceptionally for the forthcoming elections of 2009, the possibility to run for presidential election for the first official of each political party , whether he is a president, secretary general, or first secretary of his party, provided that he was elected for that position , and that on the day he submits his candidacy, he must have held that position for no les than two consecutive years since he was elected to it." Another reform is the submission of a constitutional bill amending the text of the constitution to lower the age of voting to18, a decision he had previously announced on November 7, 2007 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Change. The measure said President Ben Ali will "extend the political participation to over half a million additional young people who will be entitled to vote in 2009. In his address, President Ben Ali further announced the "launch of a comprehensive dialogue, with youth" placed under the motto "Tunisia First". "We want this dialogue to be free from taboos or censorship on opinion and expression, respecting the national tenets and our society's conventional values", he said. Evoking the 5th national congress of Tunisia 's majority party, the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), President Ben Ali said that it would be dubbed the "Congress of Challenge". He also pledged that RCD women "will represent no less than 30% in all of our electoral lists for the Chamber of Deputies and for municipal councils". President Ben Ali also exhorted "all political parties to rely on their own capacities and grassroots action, as well as on their commitment to be in touch with the citizens' concerns", adding that "in our view , political parties are above all, a school instilling a sense of patriotism, citizenship, dialogue and participation". He reaffirmed the importance of "political pluralism as one of the foundations of our political system, and a true prerequisite for true competition." In relation to Human Rights, President Ben Ali said that Tunisia had "established Human Rights and the rule of law as fundamental foundations for the project of the Change", adding that we "will pursue its efforts to further promote and protect them in law and in practice". He noted in this respect that "it is indeed our respect for human life which has driven us to on several occasions to reaffirm our position vis a vis the enforcement of the death penalty and our abstaining from signing death judgments

59 pursuant to our constitutional powers." Evoking Tunisia 's economic, social and political achievements during the last two decades, President Ben Ali called upon all Tunisians "to take immediate action to overcome difficulties, to, step up action and to work more and better." "Devotion to serving Tunisia, to defending its integrity, and to preserving its gains, is a sacred duty we accomplish with great resolve", said President Ben Ali.

• Tunisia: First Lady Chairs a Forum On "Arab Women in the Global Communication Landscape": Tunisia Online (Tunis):24 March 2008.

A forum on "Arab Women in the global communication space" is to be held on March 25-26, 2008 in Tunis, under the high patronage of First Lady, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali who is expected to give an opening address to the forum. The event which is jointly organised by the Ministry of women's affairs, family, children and the elderly, the Arab Women's Organization (AWO) and the Arab Organisation for Communication Technologies on the initiative of the First Lady, will focus on the following concepts:

- Women in the Global Communication Space: Concepts, Dimensions and Challenges,

- Arab women in the global Communication Space: Social Gender Approach,

- Global Communication Space: Opportunity to Promote Arab Women's Conditions,

- Arab Women in the Global Communication Space: Future Vision.

Mrs. Ben Ali's initiative which was unanimously adopted by AWO’s Higher Council also falls in line with the Head of State's call, during the 2004 Tunis Arab Summit, and underscores the need to consider Arab Women's rights as a corner stone of any modernization process of Arab societies. Several representatives of governments, associations, research and study centres and international information institutions, as well as experts in social gender and communication fields, will take part in the event. The forum will also focus on the changes and challenges posed by modern ICT's on the new modes of thinking they disseminate, especially in the context of the traditions of Arab societies and values. It will also look at means to protect younger generations against the phenomena of acculturation, extremism and fanaticism, as well as at women's contribution in the building of a balanced, interdependent and solidarity- based society. The forum also stresses the importance of the implementation of item 23 of the "Tunis commitment" issued from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which highlights the recognition by the countries attending the Summit that the digital divide between developed and developing countries has been further widened by the gap dividing men and women within the same society and calls for the bridging of the gender divide.

• Tunisia: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Calls for Boosting Partnership Between Universities and Economic Enterprises: Tunisia Online (Tunis):25 March 2008.

60 Efforts aiming at fine tuning Tunisia's higher education reform are well underway as demonstrated by the latest two- day seminar, chaired by Mr , Tunisia's Minister of Higher Education. The seminar was held at Gammarth from March 24 to 25, 2008, under the theme: "The construction of professional Bachelor degrees in Tunisia ". The seminar, which is part of the promotion of quality, employability and training of university diploma holders, was attended by a number of Tunisian and European academic experts, as well as by representatives of the Tunisian Union of Industries, commerce and handicrafts (UTICA). In his opening address to the seminar, Mr Bououni, stressed that the new system gradually put in place in Tunisia's universities, dubbed LMD (Licence, Masters, Doctorate) or Bachelors, Masters, and PhDs, was essentially aimed at introducing professionalism in the student's curriculum, so that the diploma no longer assesses only knowledge but also skills and practical competences and know- how, with a view to a greater employability of the university diploma holder. He also called for the boosting of partnership between universities and economic operators. He also highlighted the importance of the "Tempus Tulip" project set up with the help of the European Union, which he said was a model to follow in terms of cooperation between Tunisian and European universities. The project which concerns essentially professional Bachelors' degrees, has so far OK'd some 10 professional Bachelors degrees out of an initial submission of 42 proposals, including some in olive oil production, the making of optical glasses and insurances. Other Bachelors include quality and risk management, and conception and multimedia.

• Tunisia: Country to Host Major Mediterranean Business Event: Tunisia Online (Tunis):27 March 2008.

Considered as one of the major business events for small and medium enterprises both in Tunisia and around the Mediterranean, the second Mediterranean forum of enterprises development (MED-ALLIA) is to be held in Tunis, from March 31 to April 2, 2008. The event, which is jointly organized by the Tunis economic mission, the Tunisian- French Chamber of Trade and Industry and "UBIFRANCE", MED-ALLIA 2008, aims mainly at establishing partnerships between small and medium enterprises from both shores of the Mediterranean. More than 840 participants are expected to take part in MED-ALLIA 2008, including 177 French, 162 Tunisian, 34 Algerian, 19 Moroccan, 18 Mauritanian, 9 Libyan and 1 Jordanian enterprises. The key sectors which are due to be represented in this event are food industries, electrical and electronic industries, ICT's, mechanical industries and services. During a press conference held in Tunis on Wednesday, Mr Serge De Gallaix, said that some 4,500 business events are to be organised as part of the Forum…

Libya: Col. Gadaffi Right On Leadership, Says Mugyenyi: The Monitor (Kampala):24 March 2008.

COLONEL John Mugyenyi has supported Libyan leader Col. Gadaffi's suggestions that revolutionaries should be allowed to lead until they fulfill their missions. "Col.

61 Gaddafi can talk about revolutionaries because it is a subject he understands well. He is right to say that revolutionaries should be given a chance to lead until they fulfill their missions so long as it is in line with development and streamlining systems," he said. "People should not get excited about changing a leader. Leaders cannot be changed like shirts. You find people shouting change. Change to what? Not everybody can prove to be an able driver for the country," Col. Mugyenyi, a former commander of the ant- terrorism taskforce said on Thursday. He cited African countries, like Nigeria, Burundi, Benin, Comoro, Ghana, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso, which have changed leaders more than Uganda has done but some of them are not even better off… Col. Mugyenyi however, disagreed with the Libyan leader's remarks that the Bible is a forgery. While presiding over the celebrations of the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, Col. Gadaffi said any Bible that does not mention Prophet Muhammad was written by mankind and therefore is a fraud. Col. Mugyenyi, who last year met with world evangelist Pastor Benny Hinn, said "with due respect to Col. Gadaffi, I was disappointed". "I do not agree with his remarks. His remarks could lead to more animosity between Muslims and believers of other religions," he said.

End Text

62 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: April 8, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From March 30 to April 5 2008

13. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: China to Invest Over N1 Trillion in Country – FG: This Day (Lagos):31 March 2008.

The Federal Government said yesterday in Abuja that the Chinese government has signed agreements with Nigeria to invest over N1 trillion to buoy the country's economy. The Minister of Finance, Dr Samshudeen Usman, said that about N340 billion (US 2 billion dollars) agreement was signed as concessionary loan, while another N80 billion (US 0.5 billion dollars) was clarified as concessionary to be invested in the country. The Minister, who spoke to newsmen on the details of President Umaru Yar' Ardua's visit to China a fortnight ago, said the discussions in China were to woo investors into key sectors of the economy, especially in improving infrastructure. He said all the loans fall into categories of long-term repayments at low interest rates, as contained in the country's new policy to check debt overhangs. "A grant agreement was signed between the Nigerian and Chinese governments for the building of hospitals, schools and anti-malaria projects, envisaged for completion in the next two years.”To this effect, the government of China is to provide the federal government of Nigeria with two grants totalling N1.9 billion, which is about 80 million Yuans (US 11.42 million dollars)," he said. Shamshudeen said an agreement of another N8.5 billion (US 5million dollars) was signed for the supply, installation and commissioning of Global Open Trunking Architecture (GOTA ) security communications between a telecoms firm, ZTE and the government. According to him, the China National Oil Corporation (CNOOC) also indicated its interest to invest in the refineries and the petro-chemical industries, agriculture and training projects for Nigeria.

• Nigeria: China Offers $50bn for Infrastructure: Vanguard (Lagos):31 March 2008.

China has offered to assist Nigeria overcome the huge infrastructure gap in the country as its Export Credit Guarantee Agency called SINOSURE has agreed to provide a whooping $40 to $50 billion to enable Nigeria address the problem. The Minister of Finance, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday, while fielding questions on the recent presidential trip to China. His words, "the MOU was signed between the AFC and

63 the SINOSURE on behalf of other Nigerian financial institutions where the SINOSURE is committing an amount of $40bn to 50bn for the financing of Nigeria infrastructural projects." According to him the MOU was signed with the Managing Director of the African Finance Corporation (AFC) and witnessed by MDs of Zenith Bank, Oceanic Bank and First Bank… The federal government has re-negotiated the $2.5 billion loan secured by administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo…

• Liberia: Chinese Peacekeeping Role Crucial in Country's Recovery: The NEWS (Monrovia):31 March 2008.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Madam Ellen Margrethe Løj has commended the Chinese Contingent of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for its contribution to the maintenance of peace and security in Liberia. The UN envoy recounted the valuable work of the Chinese contingent, comprising the Transport and Engineering Companies and the Medical Unit. She highlighted the contingent's recent logistical support it gave to the 2008 National Population and Housing Census, rehabilitation of a major road linking the southeastern region to the rest of the country, and the provision of health services to vulnerable Liberians. Madam Løj spoke at the weekend when she awarded UN peacekeeping medals to 137 UNMIL Chinese soldiers at a colourful ceremony in the Monrovia suburb of Bushrod Island. In the current drawdown phase of UNMIL, the SRSG reminded the Chinese peacekeepers that the work of the Mission in Liberia was not finished. Currently, the 558 member Chinese peacekeeping contingent in UNMIL is the largest in all UN peacekeeping operations worldwide. They provide logistic support to UNMIL deployments around the country, including support with the rotation of troops, the transportation of water, fuel and other materials which ensures the Mission's operations for the reconstruction of Liberia. Additionally, the Chinese contingent supports other UNMIL personnel and troops, including the maintenance, repair and construction of main supply routes, airfields, helipads and bridges, and providing medical care to staff members.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Govt Supports China On Tibet: The Namibian (Windhoek):4 April 2008.

THE Government of Namibia has reaffirmed its position on the 'One-China Policy' in the face of calls for a free Tibet, which it says "seek to undermine the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China". In a short statement released late yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Namibian Government regarded Tibet as "an integral part of China and, therefore, condemns all secessionist activities and orchestrated acts of violence, which have been masterminded by the so-called Tibetan government in exile"…"Namibia rejects attempts to make any linkage between the clearly orchestrated violent activities in Tibet with the Beijing Olympics and the politicization of the Games… Last month the people of Taiwan rejected separatist attempts in a referendum on joining the UN under the name of Taiwan. The referendum

64 was conducted alongside an election for a local leader. "The outcome of the referendum was a clear rejection, once again, of the notion of Taiwan's independence."

• Namibia: Chinese Invade Road Works: New Era (Windhoek):1 April 2008.

Local contractors in the road maintenance and construction sector accuse the Government of contravening tender procedures by awarding the bulk of tenders to foreign firms especially Chinese companies, who have virtually taken over the industry. Further accusations are that some key officials in the Government team up with Chinese nationals to form companies and thereby obtain tenders on behalf of their companies in the construction sector. Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda, told New Era yesterday that plans are underway to call a meeting with the Ministry of Labour and representatives in the construction industry to discuss the matter… Meanwhile, lack of support on small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the road maintenance and construction sector in Namibia has created a hostile environment that has led to these operators stunting in growth. This was revealed at yesterday's workshop on SMMEs and the challenges they face… Currently, most operators in the sector cannot compete meaningfully due to lack of resources… The one-day meeting also reviewed the Roads Authority's draft policy paper on the development of SMMEs in the road maintenance and construction sector. Issues discussed in the document included unbundling of contracts, preference of previously disadvantaged individuals, training, mentoring of SMMEs by larger contractors, guaranteeing of works to SMMEs and labour-based projects. The chief executive officer of Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), David Nuyoma, the German Ambassador to Namibia, Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz, and Roads Authority chief executive officer, Erastus Ikela and small businesses, attended the meeting.

• Zimbabwe: Council, Chinese Firm in Development Talks: The Herald (Harare):3 April 2008.

Harare City Council is in the process of negotiating with a China-based company, Ningbo Baitai, for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on development. The agreement, which is expected to be signed anytime this year, would also lay the foundation for the creation of four joint venture companies… A report complied by town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi recommended that the authority engage the Chinese… The joint venture company would take the lead in the implementation of projects such as Kopje parkade, shopping mall and offices, Mbare Musika market and bus terminal, showgrounds' regional shopping mall, Gleneagles Road and Industrial Park for the manufacture of textiles and the establishment of a bonded warehouse. The commission urged council management to address during negotiations, critical issues such as legal survey, project competitiveness, accessibility of the projects to other developers, compliance with the indigenization policy and existence of synergies or avoiding duplication and economic benefits. The commission further underscored the need to ensure that the MoU did not tie council to one particular company for all the projects.

65 EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: China Offers 13 Scholarships: New Vision (Kampala):1 April 2008.

THIRTEEN lucky students are set to have their higher education in China. Sun Heping, the Chinese ambassador, made the announcement while meeting education minister Namirembe Bitamazire in her office in Kampala recently. Heping requested the concerned officials to speed up the recruitment process of the beneficiary students… He also pledged to continue supporting the sports sector, especially through offering technical training to Ugandan personnel engaged in management of the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Namboole. The Chinese government was a key partner in its establishment.

• Kenya: Tourism Board Targets China in Recovery Plan: Business Daily (Nairobi):31 March 2008.

The Kenya Tourism Board has launched the second wave of its tourism recovery plan in China, in a bid to tap the new, rapidly growing tourist market while hotel capacity is still far from full. China is Kenya's fastest growing source market, with a 26 per cent increase in Chinese visitors last year compared with 2006. While numbering more than 18,700, the Chinese tourists were only a small portion of the overall visitors, which are typically dominated by arrivals from the US and Europe. But officials with KTB say the booming Asian economy is an important market… China is the second destination after Berlin for the high-level tourism delegation led by Rebecca Nabutola, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. It is hoped that drumming up new interest in China could help fill empty hotels in the upcoming summer period… The organisation will take part in Chinese travel fairs this year for the first time. In addition, about 40 Chinese journalists will be invited to Kenya as part of a large-scale global media tour scheduled for next month. Kenyan officials are also seeking to reassure Chinese investors that Kenya remains a stable climate for investments.

• Kenya: Chinese Truck Maker Enters Market: Business Daily (Nairobi):31 March 2008.

Competition in the heavy trucks market is set to move a notch higher with the launch of a new brand from China. Made by Chinese company Sinotruck, the vehicle offers Kenyan transporters a competitively priced truck expected to carve its niche in the fast growing commercial segment of the automobiles market. It will be sold by the Africa China Motor Group (ACMG), a company incorporated in Kenya by the brand owners. Mr Imran Khan, the managing director of ACGM, said the company hopes to sell 500 units this year. He described the launch of the truck as the first step in a journey that will see more of the company's products in the regional market… The vehicles will be retailing at between Sh4.5 million and Sh4.8 million. There are about 200 Sinotruks on Kenyan roads, most of them directly imported from China. Nairobi will serve as the company's regional office for East and Central Africa as well as Southern Sudan. Mr Khan said ACGM was looking for partners in region to increase its sale points. ACGM, which won the exclusive rights to sell Sinotruck brands last year, has invested

66 more than Sh300 million in the venture. Mr Khan said the company will invest another Sh189 million in a new show room on Mombasa Road… Statistics from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI), which collects the industry's monthly sales, show that 70 prime movers were sold in the first two months of this year. Last year more than 500 prime movers were sold, compared to the 399 units which were sold in 2006. The main players in the market include Iveco, Nissan, Mercedes, Scania and Mitsubishi. Nissan Diesel is the market leader, having sold more than 200 units to beat Mercedes which occupies the second position.

14. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA

• Africa: Ban Ki-Moon Envisions 'African Century' - If Development Goals Are Met: UN News Service (New York):31 March 2008.

Marking the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for accelerated efforts to reach international development goals to usher in a century of flourishing on the continent. "You have chosen the fitting theme of Meeting Africa's New Challenges in the 21st Century," he told the first joint meeting of African Union (AU) and ECA ministers of finance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in a video address. "Together, by stepping up efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals throughout the continent, we can and must make the 21st century the African century," he said," referring to the internationally- agreed goals to sharply cut poverty and other global ills by the year 2015. ECA, with its mandate of promoting Africa's social and economic development, occupies a unique place on the continent as the first intergovernmental pan-African agency and the home of Africa Hall, birthplace of the Organization of African Unity, Mr. Ban noted. In its 50 years of existence, it has generated ideas, helped establish other institutions, and "has addressed challenges ranging from the Millennium Development Goals to climate change, from women's empowerment to job creation, from governance to HIV/AIDS," the Secretary-General said.

• Africa: Nigeria - Leading Communications Revolution in Africa: This Day (Lagos):2 April 2008.

In this report, Efem Nkanga looks at how Nigeria can leverage on its growing importance in the global economy especially in the light of its emergence and recent official endorsement as the largest telecoms market in Africa. Nigeria, like most developing countries, is an amalgamation of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hardly will you find any excellent trait in the economy of the country referred to as the giant of Africa and Africa's most populous nation, that you can score 100 per cent. The country is facing a lot of challenges posed basically by the absence of adequate infrastructure characterised by lack of adequate power supply, good roads, etc.The power situation, which is so bad has brought the nation of 140 million people to its

67 knees and made the candle, lantern and the continuous irritating noise of generating sets a constant friend of those able to afford it. Constant supply of electricity taken for granted elsewhere is an elusive dream that successive administrations have been unable to get right despite the huge sums spent on the sector. From less than half a million connected lines in 2001, the country has garnered about 42 million active subscriber base and still counting in less than six years, pushing South Africa aside to the second position. Hardly had the news hit the airwaves that Nigeria was now officially the largest telecoms market in Africa, than it got another endorsement from no other than the United States government, which stated that Nigeria and South Africa were both in the forefront of a gradual shift in the balance of power around the globe. Reports over the weekend quoted the Director for Public Affairs and Diplomacy for African Affairs, US Department of State, Gregory Garland, as describing Nigeria as a rising strategic power that has used its diplomatic, economic and military power to shape the continent for the better, leading the US government to change its African policy… The ability of Nigeria to take over from South Africa as the largest market in Africa has shown that despite its challenges, the country can use ICT to make a change and drive development. Despite the country's oil wealth, poverty is still a reality and a mind boggling 70 per cent of Nigerians are said to be living below the poverty line according to the world fact book. To address the scourge of poverty in the nation, experts have advocated the deployment of information communication technology as a panacea to address the menace…

• Africa: New Website Offers Career Advice to Young Africans: Commonwealth News and Information Service (London):2 April 2008.

Africacareerguidance.com was set up with support from the Commonwealth Connects Programme and the Commonwealth Business Council. A new website aimed at providing career guidance to African youth and helping to link them up with prospective employers has been launched. The website, Africacareerguidance.com, was set up by AfricaRecruit, with support from the Commonwealth Connects Programme and the Commonwealth Business Council. AfricaRecruit is a human resources organisation that provides skills training for African professionals in the diaspora and on the continent. According to its Director, Dr T A Banjoko, setting up the career guidance portal was motivated by the urgent need to improve the capability of African youth - especially university graduates - to join the job market in Africa. A report published by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in 2005 estimated youth unemployment in Africa at 21 per cent, compared with the world average of 14.4 per cent. Between June and August 2006, AfricaRecruit conducted a study of university students in Africa that indicated a serious mismatch between the skills being demanded by the labour market and the skills offered by the young people. "One of the significant challenges of enhancing youth employment in Africa is to develop a more effective matching and linking mechanism between skills of current and prospective African university graduates and job opportunities in the marketplace," Dr Banjoko explains. The website has an inbuilt email subscriber list for all its users and offers a searchable database of career profiles for job seekers and prospective employers. It also offers skills and interest assessments and advice on CV and résumé preparation. It provides tips about

68 interviewing techniques, as well as information on internship and volunteer opportunities, and entrepreneurial skills. According to Dr Banjoko, the website hopes to register at least 20,000 graduates on its database in 12 months. Another target for the website is to find at least 100 work experience placements and internships for students each year.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: U.N. Aims for an Aids-Free Generation: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):3 April 2008.

The United Nations is intensifying its worldwide efforts to help create a new generation of children who will be born free of HIV/AIDS, a disease that has particularly devastated parts of sub-Saharan Africa. While the news is "mixed", achieving an "AIDS-free generation is possible", predicts a new U.N. report released Thursday. In 2007, an estimated 290,000 children under age 15 died from AIDS, and 12.1 million children in sub-Saharan Africa lost one or both parents to the widespread disease. "For millions of children, HIV and AIDS have starkly altered the experience of growing up," says the report. And millions more have experienced "deepening poverty, school dropout and discrimination as a result of the epidemic." The study, titled "Children and AIDS", points out that last year most of the 2.1 million children under five who were living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, were infected before their birth, during delivery or while breastfeeding. And young people aged 15-24 accounted for about 40 percent of the new HIV infections among all people over 15… The origins of the campaign for an AIDS-free generation go back to a joint U.N. effort called "Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS", initiated in October 2005…

• Africa: The Challenges of Eventing in Africa: Biz-Community (Cape Town):4 April 2008.

Working across borders is always a challenge. There are cultural, language and climate differences to overcome. Dealing in more than one financial currency adds to the complexities - but is doable - but more challenging on a fundamental level is being faced with a society that values and places emphasis on things that you may not. And then there is organising an event in Africa… Curious and eager : Eventing in Africa is an enriching and fascinating cultural experience. Set against eye-opening backdrops, the people you encounter in many places are often curious and eager to help… To avoid unnecessary "surprises" we make sure that we are in close consultation with service providers from the beginning to ensure that communication of requirements and progress are kept on track. We've also learnt to adopt a "show me what you've done" attitude as opposed to just listening to what has been achieved to date… African time : Then there is the challenge of African time. Delivery is more often than not "on its way" and things take place at the last hour. Since we can never afford late delivery, particularly not on a project of a large scale, we build in a bigger time buffer than usual. When working in Africa one often needs to work closely with local organisers. Their contacts and in- depth insight into how things operate in the country are invaluable; however, reconciling their agenda with yours can prove challenging. There may be an underlying

69 perception of one entering the country to undermine local business by being too hands- on. "Political" wrangling, power and hierarchies are sensitive issues and one should take heed of this… Infrastructure challenges : Other infrastructure challenges include poor Internet coverage and cell phone reception, as well as an unpredictable supply of electricity - the latter all too familiar to South Africans lately. Nothing can be taken for granted. Even toilets can be, by South African standards, inadequate in number and quality, and no cleaning service may be provided. As event organisers, we need to ensure sufficient budget is allocated for such essential services, as aspects such as these may not make an event, but can certainly break one!... With clear, open and frequent communication as well as a bit of ingenuity, most challenges are effectively overcome and valuable lessons are learnt.

• Africa: Mine Ban Treaty Facing Its Acid Test: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 4 April 2008.

It is unlikely that the majority of the 20 countries supposed to clear all their mined areas by 2009 as signatories to the Mine Ban Treaty will make the cut, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said in a statement on 4 April. Since 1999, 156 countries have signed the treaty and "all states with antipersonnel mines on their territory - roughly one third of the total - are obliged to destroy them as soon as possible but not later than 10 years after becoming party to the treaty," the ICBL said. The treaty has built in provisions for extensions beyond the deadlines, but the extensions would not "just be rubber stamped", said Tamar Gabelnick, the treaty implementation coordinator for the ICBL. The reasons for the failure of member states to meet their obligations would be interrogated on a case by case basis, which would make 2008 a test year for the treaty… Among the treaty's member states that were expected to miss the 2009 deadline are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chad, Denmark, Ecuador, Jordan, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Niger, Peru, Senegal, Thailand, United Kingdom (Falklands), Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe…2008 is also a critical year for destruction of stockpiles and three countries with 1 March 2008 deadlines - Belarus, Greece and Turkey - failed to meet their obligations and were now in violation of the treaty and have no recourse to apply for extensions. However, according to the ICBL, both Burundi and Sudan have destroyed their land mine stockpiles and met their 1 April 2008 deadline, while the sub-Saharan countries of Malawi and Djibouti are on track to meet their targets. Since 1999, member states have stopped trading in mines; 41.8 million antipersonnel mines have been destroyed and 83 member states have eradicated their stockpiles. On 4 April is the UN International Day for Landmine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

EAST AFRICA

• Africa: Continent's Growth Not Translated Into Social Dev't Gains - Report (MDG Challenges to Continue in '08, Beyond): The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):4 April 2008.

70 Despite strong economic performance for the third consecutive year with an average growth rate of 5.8%, this has not been translated in to meaningful gains in terms of social development, the 2008 Economic Report on Africa said. The report said the "robust" economic growth was an encouraging trend, but there is still no clear evidence to show that it has created a substantial number of decent jobs, and subsequently, significantly reduced poverty. "This situation is most pronounced for marginalized and vulnerable groups including women, the aged, youth, and people with disabilities," the report released on Tuesday jointly by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union (AU) said. According to the report, the overall exclusion of these groups from the society was reflected not only in their lower incomes and poorer outcomes on the labor market but also in terms of their lower educational attainment rates, poorer health status and under-representation in political processes and policymaking. As noted earlier by various findings, growth rates in Africa-though still low in contrast with the level required for meeting the MDGs by 2015- were attributed to a range of factors including high commodity demand and prices and increased out put in key sectors such as agriculture and services… The report discussed climate change, infrastructure bottlenecks and rising inequality as three key challenges that would be critical in 2008. Among the cross-cutting issues, the report raised issues of health and employment to prove the slow social development of the economic growth of the continent. As regards to health, the report noted the situation in most countries remains a major constraint to economic and social development.

• Africa: Continent Steps Up Plans for Common Stock Exchange: Business Daily (Nairobi):3 April 2008.

Buoyed by improved liquidity triggered by a huge foreign investment inflow, Africa is now fast-tracking plans for a common exchange to trade its listed stocks. This strategy of market integration means that investors may soon be able to buy and sell shares in all markets across the continent without restriction and that identical security can be issued and traded at the same price across the markets upon foreign exchange adjustments. According the Africa Union Commission (AUC) vice- chairman Patrick Mazimhaka, a feasibility study is under way for a Pan-African Stock Exchange. "This will facilitate the economic diversification we are seeking and reduce financial dependency on other continents" he told delegates at the just concluded African finance and economy ministers' meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia… Kenya, and other East African nations are toying with the idea of having a joint East Africa Stock Exchange Association (EASEA) to bolster their chances of expanding regional liquidity level… A recent study on the demutualization of the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) by consultancy firm Ernst and Young, proposed that in order for regional stock exchanges to integrate effectively, there must be a fair degree of regional economic integration and close political ties…"Regional governments should harmonize the regional capital account convertibility, the regional clearing and settlement systems, taxes and legal and regulatory framework within the region," Ernst and Young stated in its report… But Mazimhaka is upbeat and said efforts had been stepped up for the establishment of the proposed African Investment Bank (AIB) by the end of this month to cash in on the

71 expected prospects of a larger Pan-African Stock Exchange. The bank's headquarters will be in Tripoli, Libya.

• Africa: Russia Pledges U.S$500 Million in Dev't Assistance on Continent: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):4 April 2008.

The Russian Federation is to provide development assistance amounting to over 500 million USD in Africa, one of the main priorities of the Russian foreign policy, the country's ambassador said on Wednesday. Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ethiopia M. Afanasiev made the announcement at the first session of the joint annual meeting of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). "Russia is firmly attached to the goals and principles of new partnership with Africa, actively participates in the complex assistance to the continent on bilateral basis and within existing international mechanisms, and particularly in "G8"," the ambassador said in a statement issued on the occasion… Russia has written off USD 16 billion of African debt and it plans to write off another half billion debt this year, according to the ambassador… According to the ambassador, Russian has decided to make contribution of USD 20 million in 2008-2009 for realization the World /bank programme to combat malaria in Africa…

• Ethiopia: Africa Centre for Climate Change to Be Established Here: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):2 April 2008.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 'The Energy and Resources Institute' of India for the establishment of a UNECA-TERI Africa Centre for Climate Change Policy Studies (AC3PS), in Addis Ababa.. The centre aims at creating a knowledge base to strengthen Africa's efforts to address the challenge of climate change. Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA and Dr. R.K.Pachauri, Director General of TERI signed the MoU. Dr. Pachauri, co- winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2007 and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the UNECA on 31st March 2008 and delivered a speech on 'Climate Change and its impact on Africa' in the 1st Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. Dr. Pachauri, who was on a three day visit to Addis Ababa met and held discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and FDRE President Girma Wolde Giorgis, to discuss issues of climate change and create capacities for sustainable development… The Nobel Laureate earlier met and held discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on world climate change and its consequences. Climate change, and HIV/AIDS, will continue to be the main challenges in the next half of the century, UN Under Secretary and Executive Director of UNECA said in his opening speech at the first joint annual meetings of the AU conference of ministers of the economy and finance and ECA conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economy development.

72 • Africa: African Court Urged to Take Custody of ICTR Archives: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):3 April 2008.

The newly established African Court for Human Rights has been urged to initiate dialogue with the United Nations with view to acquiring the archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) when the latter closes down towards the end of the year. The Arusha-based UN Court, which is trying key suspects of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has been directed by the UN Security Council to complete all first instance trials by December 2008 and Appeals by 2010. "The closure of ICTR one hopes that the African Court will consider establishing contacts with UN authorities to acquire archives of the tribunal, which will be very useful for consolidation of African jurisprudence," said Wallace Kapaya, a Senior Trial Attorney, when presenting a paper at the Regional conference on Human rights Tuesday… Giving examples of recent human rights problems in Kenya , the Rwandan 1994 genocide, the ongoing political strifes in Southern Sudan, North and Western Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC), Congo Brazzaville and Somalia, Mr Kapaya pointed out that the conflicts have left hundreds dead and have violated many other rights and fundamental freedoms… The Court started its operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in November 2006 but moved to its permanent seat in Arusha in August, last year.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: Chad, Central African Republic, Darfur Must Be Tackled Together - Ban Ki-Moon: UN News Service (New York):3 April 2008.

The flare-up of civil strife, cross-border tension and displacement involving Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan should be addressed in a unified manner that is outside the mandate of the mission currently being deployed by the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a report released today. In his report on the Mission in CAR and Chad, known as MINURCAT, Mr. Ban writes: "The internal crisis in Chad, the situation facing refugees and internally displaced persons [IDPs] in eastern Chad and the Central African Republic, the tensions between Chad and the Sudan and the situation in Darfur should be addressed simultaneously."… MINURCAT was mandated to comprise 300 police and 50 military liaison officers, as well as civilian staff, focusing on the areas of civil affairs, human rights and the rule of law. The strength as of 1 April stood at 163 national and 64 national staff… Also in early February, about 10,000 people from West Darfur sought refuge in eastern Chad following a series of deadly air and land attacks by the Sudanese Government and its allied militia… He maintains that it is crucial, in particular, for Chad and Sudan to reach a negotiated and comprehensive settlement of their disputes, and he welcomes the signing of an agreement on 14 March in Dakar between the presidents of the two countries that called for reconciliation and normalization of relations…

15. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

73

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: We'll Resist Membership in OIC –Can: Daily Champion (Lagos):2 April 2008.

CHRISTIAN Association of Nigerian (CAN) in the 19 Northern States yesterday said it would resist Nigeria's membership of Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). Secretary General of the association Elder Saidu Dogo said Nigerian Christians were surprised by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Tijjani Kaura's revelation that Nigeria is now a full member of the Islamic body… He said his group was suspicious when President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua attended the organisation's conference in Senegal recently. He noted that the OIC issue is resurfacing again in spite of the controversy it generated in 1986 when former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) attempted to smuggle Nigeria in as a member of the Islamic body. Christians are surprised because we knew the controversy that heralded the announcement that Nigeria was joining the Organization of Islamic countries in 1986…"Nigeria is a secular nation and it has no business joining an association of any religious body. If Nigeria is now a full fledge member of the OIC, then we insist that the country should also become a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). That is the equivalent of the OIC. If Nigeria is registered as a full member of the WCC, then we know that justice and fair play is being done. "But in the absence of that, we feel that there is a foul play and nobody should take Nigerian Christians for granted.”Some of the arguments they put forward is that Nigeria will benefit economically as a member of the Islamic body, but the reality is that Nigeria is even richer and better off than many of the member countries of the OIC…“Nigeria is not a Muslim country. It is a country made up of both Christians and Muslims including traditional worshippers. So it is absolutely wrong for the country to be dragged into an association that is mainly for countries that are predominantly Muslims. We reject this in totality and we will protest against it unless Nigeria is also registered as a member of the World Council of Churches" Elder Dogo said… However, the General Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Bishop Joseph Ojo said he was still studying the matter saying he would react appropriately in due course.

• Nigeria: Tension in Enugu As Govt Demolishes Churches: Vanguard (Lagos):2 April 2008.

Enugu-the demolition of some churches in Enugu metropolis which were said to have been built on illegally acquired premises by Enugu State Government is generating tension among Christians in the state. The Living Praise Chapel in Uwani area of Enugu was demolished yesterday ahead of the 7-day eviction notice served on the church by the State Ministry of Environment. The government had last week pulled down the Arm of God Church, Isiochi also in Uwani, Enugu over what it described as contravention of environmental planning regulations. Vanguard learnt that the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Chijioke Agu ordered the demolition of the churches which the governments said were built at unapproved places but leaders of the affected

74 churches claimed that the land was legally acquired from the state government with the necessary documents to show for it. According to the Senior Pastor of the Living Praise Chapel, Mr. Emeka Okoye, who briefed reporters on the development yesterday, the land was allocated to the church by the immediate past administration of , vowing that the church would not allow the "illegal" demolition to go unchallenged… Several other churches and places of worship, it was further learnt, have already received eviction/demolition notices causing panic among the leaders and worshippers, who have continued to seek the intervention of the government to stop the action.

• Senegal: Several More Journalists Attacked, Equipment Destroyed By Police Following Demonstration Coverage: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 4 April 2008.

On 30 March 2008, a group of journalists covering a demonstration sparked off by the sharp increase in prices of goods and services across Senegal were physically attacked by the Mobile Intervention Group (GMI) of the Senegalese police force. Ousmane Mangane, a journalist working for "Walf Fadjri", a privately-owned daily newspaper based in Dakar, was assaulted by the security operatives, while two police personnel reportedly stormed the studios of the Walf TV station, an independent television station, and took away footage showing how the police broke up the demonstration. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that Mangane was whipped with an electric baton as he approached a parliamentarian being manhandled by the police during the protest march. Several other journalists were physically attacked as the police descended on the demonstrators. The press card of Macoumba Mbodj, a reporter of a private radio station, RFM, was destroyed. Serigne Diagne of the Senactu news website (http://www.senactu.com) was forced to delete photos he had taken of the crackdown and the camera of a reporter with Canal Info was shattered. The march, organised by the Association of Senegalese Consumers (ASCOSEN), and supported by opposition politicians, was to protest the high cost of living in the country. Police using batons and tear gas violently cracked down on the demonstrators on the grounds that the protest had been banned due to its threat to public order…

• Gambia: Anti-Slavery Convention Ratified: The Daily Observer: Banjul):4 April 2008.

Adopted to outlaw and punish those engaged in slavery and having recourse to compulsory or forced labour, the Slavery Convention entered into force on the 9th March 1927 in Geneva, Switzerland, was on Wednesday ratified by The Gambia. It recognised the necessity at the time, to prevent forced labour from developing into conditions analogous to slavery and to secure the complete suppression of slavery in all its forms and the slave trade by land and sea. Presenting the convention for ratification, Marie-Saine Firdaus, Attorney General and secretary of state for Justice highlighted the salient features of the convention such as the definition and prohibition of slavery. She said the convention clearly defines slavery and what constitutes slave trade and obligates the parties to prevent and suppress the slave trade and to progressively

75 bring a complete end to slavery in all forms as well as adopt appropriate measures to prevent and suppress transportation of slaves in their territorial waters and upon all vessels plying their respective flags… Sedia Jatta, NAM for Wuli West questioned the delay in the ratification of the convention since it was entered into force in 1927.

• Sierra Leone: Human Rights Group Trains Student Leaders: Concord Times (Freetown):4 April 2008.

Director of youth for human rights international Timothy Bowles has said in Freetown that student leaders in the country must be educated on human rights issues because responsible leadership was key to national development. Timothy Bowles spoke to Concord Times on the last day of a three-day workshop at YWCA hall, the first training session held by the organization this year. The training sessions were designed to teach young people about leadership abilities, campaign strategies, and fairness in competition, and effective writing skills along with human rights issues such as domestic violence and participation in government. The organization seeks to train 1,000 young people across West Africa, both illiterate and literate, to be future leaders with a strong understanding of basic human rights… Two teams of selected secondary school students in each of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana will be created for training on leadership skills, activism skills, human rights issues and solutions. He said by the end of the training, each of the student teams is to create a public awareness campaign on a human rights abuse in their communities.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: No to Racial Profiling - UN Body: Business Day: Johannesburg):31 March 2008.

THE United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution on Friday calling on member states not to resort to racial, ethnic or religious profiling while countering terrorism. Adopted without a vote at the council's seventh session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the text urges governments to comply fully with their obligations regarding torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Though described as groundbreaking and bold by human rights bodies and activists, some have expressed reservations about the body's ability to implement the resolution, citing possible resistance from powerful states such as the US. The head of the South African Human Rights Commission's (SAHRC's) parliamentary unit (which also monitors treaties) , Judith Cohen, said the commission was particularly encouraged by the call for compliance regarding the convention against torture. "While SA has ratified this convention, we are yet to criminalise the action… Iqbal Jassat, chairman of the Media Review Network, said: "We are encouraged by this resolution to prevent ethnic, racial and religious profiling by member states; we remain deeply sceptical about the results ... the US administration, as the main culprit responsible for illegal abductions, torture and detention without trial is likely to undermine it." The resolution "opposes any form of deprivation of liberty that amounts to placing a detained person outside of the protection of the law". The council also

76 adopted texts on the enhancement of international co-operation in the field of human rights. Jassat said while SA enjoyed a respectable position because of its constitution and Bill of Rights, there were worrying tendencies in its security establishment. He said Muslims in SA had fallen victim to the discredited US "war on terror" as their homes had been raided, people detained, travellers from OR Tambo International Airport had been humiliated by interrogation and searches, and there was the well known deportation of Khalid Rashid to Pakistan.

• Mozambique: Suspected Child Trafficker Will Go On Trial in South Africa: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):31 March 2008.

The main suspect in the case of trafficking of three Mozambican children, who were used as sex slaves in South Africa for two months, and one of whom has subsequently disappeared, is soon to appear before a South African court. Believed to be a Mozambican national, the woman, name only as Diana, has been under police custody at Garfontein, a neighbourhood of Pretoria, for the last two weeks. The case of these children, aged between 14 and 16 was first reported by Mozambican Television (TVM) after two of them were rescued from a Pretoria brothel by a Mozambican lawyer living in South Africa. The lawyer, Inacio Mussanhane, said he refused a bribe of two million rands (about 240,000 US dollars) to buy his silence. The victims told reporters that, besides rape, they were also subject to tortures and to other forms of abuse by the "clients", who learnt of the brothel through internet advertisements… The mother of one of the girls, interviewed by TVM, said that to be able to cope with the ten or so "clients" they had to service every day, the girls would be injected with heavy drugs, including cocaine… The Southern African Network Against Abuse and Trafficking on Children (SANTAC) issued a press release last week attacking the "repugnant impunity" with which cases of sexual abuse have normally been treated. SANTAC is calling for a specific legal framework, both in Mozambique and in South Africa, against trafficking in human beings. The organization also made a special call against trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children, in the light of the forthcoming football world cup, to take place in South Africa in 2010.

EAST AFRICA

• Africa: Church Looks to Continent As Muslims Outnumber Catholics: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):1 April 2008.

The number of Catholics in the world has for the first time been overtaken by that of Muslims, the Vatican says. Muslims now account for 19.2 percent of the world's population, while Catholics make up 17.4 percent, according to figures for 2006 published by the Vatican's new statistics yearbook. Latin America remains the stronghold of Catholicism and Africa is a "grand resource" for the church, while Europe and North America are struggling. "For the first time in history we are no longer at the top: the Muslims have overtaken us," said Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who edited the Vatican yearbook. "While it is known that Muslim families continue to have

77 many children, Christian families are having fewer," he said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. The Vatican data shows that Christians as a whole, including Orthodox and Protestant groups as well as Catholics, make up 33 of the world's population. Applying the percentages to the 2006 world population of about 6.5 billion, Muslims would have made up 1.25 billion of the total, Catholics 1.13 billion, and all Christians 2.15 billion. Formenti said the information on Muslim numbers had been released by the United Nations, while the Vatican's data on Catholics was based on questionnaires sent out to dioceses worldwide… He described Africa as a "grand resource" for the church, while Europe and North America were struggling. The number of nuns was undergoing a "drastic reduction".

• Uganda: Gadaffi Says Sorry: New Vision (Kampala):31 March 2008.

In an unprecedented move, Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi has apologised to Uganda over the remarks he made during his visit last month to close the Afro-Arab Youth Summit in Uganda and to open up Old Kampala mosque. During his visit, Gadaffi made utterances to the effect that the Holy Bible was altered, and certain references to the name Muhammed were selectively removed. His remarks caused an outcry from Christians in Uganda. However, since his return to Libya, Gadaffi appears to have had a change of heart. According to a statement released by the Libyan authorities, Gadaffi was taken aback by the uproar that his utterances caused. "By the time the great leader of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya realised that something was wrong, it was too late. Damage appears to have been done."… Interpretation of the document implies that Gadaffi is set to invite Ugandan Bishops to Libya to discuss the Bible and has indicated that he may, in addition to Muammar, adopted a Christian name - perhaps Joseph of Ninevia to coincide with today being April 1, the Fools Day!

• Sudan: Marking 'Grim' Anniversary for Darfur, Secretary-General Urges Sharper Focus: UN News Service (New York):4 April 2008.

Avowing that the situation in Sudan's Darfur region remains as grim, or worse, than it was four years ago when the Security Council first took up the issue, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for an immediate focus on the fundamentals of peace and the protection of civilians in the strife-torn region. "Continued suffering is both unforgivable and preventable, and the potential for peace and progress is great," Mr. Ban said in a statement that coincided with the release of his latest monthly report to the Council on the deployment of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)… Some 4.27 million civilians, including 2.45 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), continue to suffer as a result of ongoing attacks by armed forces and other groups, the Secretary-General said, with more than 100,000 civilians forced to flee this year alone while women and humanitarian workers continue to be targeted. The conflict also jeopardizes regional stability and threatens the historic peace agreement that ended one of Africa's longest and bloodiest wars, between the Government and rebels in southern Sudan, he stressed… As of the end of the month, the total strength of UNAMD was 9,212 uniformed personnel, including 7,467 troops, 1,605 police officers and one formed police unit, in addition to 1,312 civilians, according

78 to the report. Deployment of Egyptian and Ethiopian battalions is immanent, after which UNAMID leadership will prioritize the arrival of the Thai and Nepalese units, which are ready to come with critical capabilities. However, the force still lacks one heavy and one medium ground transport unit, three military utility aviation units - comprising 18 helicopters in total - as well as additional attack helicopters…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Three Genocide Survivors Brutally Murdered, Claims Ibuka: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):1 April 2008.

The main organization of survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, IBUKA, has denounced the murder last week of three survivors, adding that these crimes are perpetuation of "genocide plan". "Ibuka (which means remember in Kinyanyarwanda), requests once again that government authorities take measures which are essential to discourage those who continue the genocide plan, because these acts are multiplying as we are approaching the commemoration of the memory of the victims of the genocide", the organization wrote in a Press Statement sent to the Hirondelle Agency.. Jacques Ntiburirwa of Remera sector in Kigali, succumbed Saturday to wounds after he was assaulted the same day by attackers, claimed Ibuka. Cecile Mukandoli, 73, was killed Thursday in her sector of Mbuye, in the South Province, and her body was hurled into a river. This victim who lost her husband during the genocide is survived by seven children. Wednesday, a secondary student Bienvenu Rumata was killed by his colleagues in their dormitory, at the School of Nursing Sciences of Rubengera, in West Province, added the press release. A medical report revealed that the young man was assaulted before strangled to death by using a rope. Last Thursday, at the occasion of a ceremony at the National University of Rwanda (NUR), the ministry of education warned against the genocide ideology in education establishments… In January, the ministry of education fired tens principals and teachers accused of conveying genocide ideology. The Rwandan government also named last month the national commission tasked to fight genocide.

• Central African Republic: Struggling to Undo the Damage of Sexual Violence: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 1 April 2008.

The Monam group of rape survivors in the northern town of Bossangoa in the Central African Republic (CAR) does what it can to keep going, but morale is low and money tight. "We've been left to fend for ourselves. We get little help from outside. Many of our members have died," the group's chairwoman, Pelagie Ndokoyanga, told IRIN/PlusNews. Monam, which means "common good" in the Sango language, was set up in 2006 to bring together female survivors of sexual violence committed in 2001 and 2002 amid the mayhem leading up to the most recent of CAR's numerous coups d'etat that brought Francois Bozize to power in March 2003. As well as providing a forum for solidarity, revenue-generation and wellbeing for women who have suffered gender-based

79 violence (GBV), Monam also aims to combat such abuse, identify its perpetrators and fight against the stigmatisation of women in general and rape survivors in particular. According to Ndokoyanga, several members of the group were abandoned by their husbands after they were raped… When an HIV testing and counselling centre was set up in Bossangoa in 2005, many of the first HIV-positive cases were the result of rape. Accurate, detailed statistics about the number of women who suffer GBV in CAR are unavailable. This is partly because of the stigma attached to such attacks, but also because the government barely functions outside the capital and international humanitarian actors have only recently begun working in the country in significant numbers. In late February 2007, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that "sexual and gender-based violence strikes well over 15 percent of women and girls" in northern CAR. Such attacks increased during the pre- coup unrest and during rebel clashes in early 2006 and early 2007… In the case of CAR, where the data is so limited, donors may need to break with the tradition of seeking detailed assessments of a problem before signing their cheques. According to some analysts, one has to assume widespread prevalence; in IRC's experience the data emerged from the programme, rather than vice versa.

• Chad: Thousands Left Homeless By Forced Evictions: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 2 April 2008.

Chadian authorities forcibly evicted several thousand residents from their homes in N'Djamena, the capital, during a 30-day period in February and March 2008, Human Rights Watch said today. The seizures came during a state of emergency declared by the government on February 15 following a failed coup attempt. "People who lived in the capital for decades have been left homeless and destitute, with little legal recourse," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "In many cases, the Chadian government failed to provide adequate notification, compensation and resettlement assistance to affected communities, as required by international law." According to documents from the office of the mayor of N'Djamena obtained by Human Rights Watch, municipal authorities destroyed 1,798 homes in 11 neighborhoods in the capital during the 30-day state of emergency that ended on March 15. Human Rights Watch saw hundreds of demolished structures in two neighborhoods in the capital that were not included in the official figures, making it likely that the total number of homes destroyed exceeds 2,000. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 10,000 people have been left homeless by the mass evictions. Many of those Chadians who fled N'Djamena following the February coup attempt returned to find that their homes had been destroyed… Chad is a party to both the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and is obliged to protect its citizens from arbitrary or unlawful interference with their home and family, as well as take steps to realize the right to adequate housing. Forced evictions violate both of these basic obligations. "The Chadian government should put in place a procedure for evictions that is in conformity with UN human rights standards," said Gagnon. "The government should consult with the affected communities on all feasible alternatives before any evictions and ensure legal remedies are available." In addition, the government should ensure market value

80 compensation for anyone who has a legal claim to ownership and implement clear procedures for the resettlement of evictees. Relocation sites should be established, complete with adequate basic services and which allow the possibility for the relocated persons to earn a living and for children to go to school. The international community should press Chad to take these steps. For the purposes of international law, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights defines forced eviction as "the permanent or temporary removal against their will of individuals, families and/or communities from the homes and/or land which they occupy, without the provision of, and access to, appropriate forms of legal or other protection."

16. REFUGEES AND MIGRATION ISSUES

WEST AFRICA

• Sierra Leone: Refugees Risk Deportation From Ghana: Concord Times (Freetown):2 April 2008.

Some 530 Sierra Leoneans, occupying the dusty Buduburam refugee settlement in the Ghanaian capital Accra, are apparently worried following government's latest deportation announcement of additional 40 Liberian refugees despite Monrovia's efforts to negotiate the order. In a letter dated November 12, 2007, public relations officer of the Sierra Leone refugee and asylum seekers community in Ghana Samuel E.F. John requested for empowerment and relief assistance. The settlement now attracts limited attention from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR with no status of card carrying asylum seeker granted to new arrivals since January last year. On January 10, 2007 the community's secretary general Senesy Momoh approached the Ghana Refugee Board appealing for refugee status to be granted to the over 500 Sierra Leoneans living in both the Buduburam camp in the Gomoa district and Sandzule camp at the border with Ivory Coast… However, a recent statement attributed to the Interior Minister Kwamena Bartels in his handling of the Liberians at the Buduburam Refugees Settlement has left Sierra Leoneans praying for divine intervention… Mr. Bartels warned that while the government will work to champion peace on the African Continent, it will not sit back and allow the ex- combatants to threaten the country's security. He said Ghana will not champion peace in Africa at the cost of the country's security.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Returning Will Take More Than Politics: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 3 April 2008.

It is going to take more than a regime change back home to get the several million-strong Zimbabwean diaspora to return, according to analysts. "It's both the economy and politics," said Mlamuli Nkomo, an expert in Forced Migration at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. "There has to be change of government first, and the economy must be seen to be on the recovery path thereafter. Once these two are achieved, I think we will witness dozens of Zimbabweans flocking back to their

81 motherland to restart their lives, and participate fully in their country's rebuilding processes," Nkomo told IRIN. It is estimated more than two million Zimbabweans are living in South Africa, with another two million in the United Kingdom. As many as 45,000 Zimbabweans live in the United States of America, according to the US- based think-tank, the Association of Zimbabweans Based Abroad (AZBA)… The almost dysfunctional economy has left Zimbabweans struggling with an inflation rate of more than 100,000 percent and widespread food shortages… Dumaphi Mema of the think-tank, AZBA, said that Zimbabwe should retain its skilled workforce some day and rebuild. "The country has been robbed of brilliant minds in business, the health sector and many other crucial sectors of the economy…

• Angola: Norwegian Refugee Council Ends Mission: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):2 April 2008.

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Wednesday in Luanda called to a halt its activities in the country, wishing success to the Angolan Government in its effort to turn the country into a prosperous nation. According to a communiqué issued by the institution, made available to Angop, signed by its resident representative, Ulrika Blom Mondlane, NRC is in Angola since 1995, where it developed programmes related to supply of products, education, human rights and shelter for refugees and displaced people… In cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Norwegian Refugee Council participated in assistance and repatriation of 200,000, from 400,000 Angolan refugees from the Republic of Congo to Maquela do Zombo district (Uije province). The process was concluded in March 2007. "The Norwegian Refugee Council hopes that its efforts, that have been carried out for the past 12 years, contribute to the establishment of foundations for a sustainable peace and a continuous development of Angola", reads the press release.

EAST AFRICA

• Somalia: Proceed with Caution: most neglected crisis in the world today. Refugees International (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: April 2008.

Somalia is without a doubt the most neglected crisis in the world today. Over the past seventeen years, Somalia has been subject to ongoing civil wars, droughts and floods. Most observers agree that the crisis has never been as acute as it is today. The immense gap between the level of need and the corresponding humanitarian response is striking. Agencies struggle to provide food, water, health care, and other basic assistance to one million internally displaced people because of the worsening security crisis. Additionally, their own bureaucracies have not sufficiently adapted to the ground realities of this situation. Further complicating matters, the official Somali government propped up by the international community is viewed as illegitimate by its own people. In order to stabilize Somalia and keep this crisis from spreading further, the international community must act now to find a viable solution to the political crisis in Somalia. International assistance is not a substitute to diplomatic engagement. The US must

82 pressure the Ethiopian government to end numerous human rights abuses… Policy Recommendations :

• The UN Security Council must approach the use of an international military force with extreme caution, and take seriously the Secretary General's assessment that a peacekeeping deployment can only be successful when political efforts have created a modicum of peace to keep.

• AMISOM should expand only under similar conditions as those that would permit the deployment of a UN force.

• The US Administration must condemn human rights violations committed by the Ethiopian forces. The US Congress should investigate the conditions under which military support was provided to Ethiopia, ensuring it adheres to the principles outlined under US law.

• UNHCR must dramatically increase its Somalia-based staff – focusing on national staff – to a level that enables ongoing protection work through periods of high insecurity.

• Somalia: Help to Stop Migrants Dying in Gulf of Aden - Somali Consul: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:1 April 2008.

The Somali consul in the port city of Aden has called on the international community to take steps to end the deaths of migrants - mainly Somalis fleeing in flimsy smugglers' boats to Yemen - in the Gulf of Aden, and find a lasting solution to their plight. The consul, Hussein Hajji, told IRIN: "We call on international organisations, particularly the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), to find solutions that can stop the deaths in the Gulf of Aden. A solution can be reached inside Somalia to stop the continuous influx to Yemen." He said African migrants were arriving in Yemen almost daily. The consul's call came following the latest incident in which at least 20 people died off the Yemeni coast on 27 March. He said two smugglers' boats arrived near Ahwar in the southern province of Abyan, carrying about 450 passengers, mostly Somalis. "One of the boats was carrying 250 passengers and arrived at night. About 24 died and another 30 went missing due to the darkness. Smugglers disembarked the passengers before getting to the shore," he said… According to the UNHCR, over 8,000 Africans have arrived in Yemen since the beginning of 2008, compared to 2,946 in the first two months of 2007. The Yemeni authorities say African migrants are able to infiltrate the country as it is difficult to guard the 2,500km-long coastline.

• Kenya: Violence Causes Number of Street Children to Rise: The Nation (Nairobi):4 April 2008.

The number of street children has doubled in three major towns in the Rift Valley due to the post-election violence. Regional children's officer Abdi Yusuf, Thursday said there were more beggars, street children and even idling adults in Trans Nzoia's Kitale Town,

83 Eldoret in Uasin Gishu District and Nakuru Town. There are over 47,000 children living at internal refugee camps in the province. Mr Yusuf said the district with the highest number of children forced from their homes is the larger Nakuru with 15,000, followed by Trans Nzoia with 13,000, while Uasin Gishu has 9,000… The children's officer said there were programmes in place to ensure that the children were withdrawn from the streets and put under good care. He said the provincial administration with the help of the Kenya Red Cross Society, UNICEF, Save the Children UK and World Vision had initiated a programme to help the displaced children… Mr Yusuf said there were allegations of child abuse at camps but was quick to add that there was not factual information to enable the department take legal action.

• Kenya: Sh31 Billion for Poll Victims: The Nation (Nairobi):2 April 2008.

The Government will spend Sh31 billion to resettle and compensate persons displaced in the post-election violence. Director of Mitigation and Resettlement for the Internally Displaced Persons, Mr Wilfred Ndolo, said the money would be used to compensate those who incurred losses during the violence and assist them rebuild their lives. The department under the Ministry of Special Programmes was formed a month ago to look into the welfare of internal refugees. Mr Ndolo was at the Eldoret Showground camp which hosts 14,000 refugees. There are 130,000 displaced people in 36 camps. He said the Government had spent more than Sh2 billion on the displaced in food and health care. The former Provincial Commissioner was on a refugee fact-finding mission in the North Rift and "to make sure that conditions are ideal to return and reconstruct their shattered lives." Meanwhile, refugees at Eldoret Showground expressed fears of returning to their homes after leaflets were circulated in parts of Uasin Gishu District warning members of a certain community from going back… And, a human rights group wants the Government to also consider victims of the 1992 and 1997 clashes. The Human Resettlement Disaster Care Organisation which lobbies for the rights of more than 15,000 affected families from Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia districts, said the Government had forgotten promises of resettling and compensating them for losses they incurred, Mr John Mutsami, chair of the lobby said.

• Kenya: Don't Return, Refugees Warned: The Nation (Nairobi):1 April 2008.

Hate leaflets were at the weekend dumped at Burnt Forest shopping centre near Eldoret cautioning internal refugees against returning to their farms. They were printed in Kiswahili and left near a shop on Saturday morning. The leaflets alleged that members of a community had hidden guns in holes and used them to kill people in the region after the elections. The authors indicated that they had decided they would not live together and that Rift Valley Province was their ancestral land. They threatened to kill those who would defy the warning. Such threats are likely to derail government efforts to resettle nearly 350,000 people across the country… They stated that those intending to return to their homes in the area should as well bid their families farewell. The spokesman of internal refugees at Burnt Forest, Mr Joseph Njoroge, confirmed distribution of such material… Mr Njoroge said elders from the Kalenjin and

84 Kikuyu communities separately met the area district officer's office but failed to agree on steps towards living harmoniously…

• Kenya: Rains, Food Shortage Add Misery to IDPs: The East African Standard (Nairobi):31 March 2008.

Generosity has run thin, their clothes threadbare.

Wells of tears have run dry, as have the granaries. The displaced people are living one day at a time in the hope of a better tomorrow. Heavens have opened, bringing forth torrents of rains and, ironically, misery. A cloud of gloom hangs over the lives of thousands of displaced people living hundreds of kilometres away from their homes. Three months ago, the rains would have been met with of jubilation and planting would have begun. Not this time. At the Naivasha Stadium camp, home to 3,000 displaced people, rain clouds are viewed with as much dread as a plague. Hundreds of women scamper to collect pieces of firewood scattered around their tents as frantic hands grab pots with boiling food into the tents. Ms Beatrice Nyokabi, a mother of two, says: "When it rains, the prospects of eating are slim. You cannot cook inside a tent. If it rains before you cook, you sleep hungry." Nyokabi, 32, fled from Narok and this is the fifth camp she has been in. As she takes us round, she wipes away tears rolling down her cheeks. "This is a wasted year. We cannot plant even if we go back to our farms. The rains have started. Now, our only hope of harvesting is September next year. That is a long time to live on handouts," she says… And as Kenyans wait for wrangling politicians to get their act together, it is a dog's life for displaced people. They feel it is time they stopped being used as pawns in a political chessboard or inanimate data for humanitarian organisations out to make money.

• Uganda: Land Bill - IDPs Demand Referendum: New Vision (Kampala):1 April 2008.

INTERNALLY Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Aswa county, Gulu district have called for a referendum on the controversial land amendment Bill. The IDPs made the proposal on Tuesday, while meeting area MP Reagan Okumu at Adak, Pabwor and Laroo villages. Mzee Dwoka, an elder in Laroo village, said he feared MPs could be bribed to pass the Bill and demanded direct participation of the citizens through a referendum… The Bill has created controversy mainly between the Government and Buganda kingdom. Whereas the State argues that the Bill seeks to protect tenants from illegal evictions by landlords, Mengo claims it is a ploy to grab their land. The most recent controversy has been over the question of the 9,000 square miles of land, which Buganda says the Government should pass over to the kingdom. In a recent statement, the deputy Attorney General, Fred Ruhindi, rubbished the demand, saying the land was less than 9,000 square miles and was under the district land boards, not the kingdom. A select committee of Parliament is currently conducting public hearings on the Bill, before preparing a report for the House.

CENTRAL AFRICA

85 • Burundi: UN-Assisted Refugee Returns to Hits 300,000 Mark: UN News Service (New York):1 April 2008.

The number of Burundians that have returned to their homeland from neighbouring Tanzania with the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reached the 300,000 mark last month, the agency reported today. In addition, tens of thousands of Burundian refugees have also returned home on their own - mainly from villages in the north-western Tanzania - bringing the total number of returnees to 389,000. In the early 1990s, nearly half a million Burundians fled violence in their country and found shelter in Tanzania. UNHCR's repatriation operation for Burundian refugees in Tanzania began in 2002. "The 300,000 mark is a significant milestone in our efforts to find lasting solutions for long-term refugee situations on the African continent," UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters in Geneva… In addition, UNHCR, in partnership with the Tanzanians, is working to resolve the situation of 218,000 Burundians refugees who fled their country in 1972 and live in three self- sufficient settlements, and for 2,000 Somali Bantus living in Chogo Settlement in Tanga Region.

17. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Guinea Worm - Jimmy Carter Rules Out 2009 Eradication: Leadership (Abuja):4 April 2008.

Former president of the United States of America (USA), Mr. Jimmy Carter has ruled out Nigeria's chances of complete eradication of Guinea worm by 2009, saying the country is still in a very high risk status with pockets of outbreaks. Former president Carter who stated this at a press conference on the 8th Regional Conference on Dracunculiasis (guinea worm) eradication held in Abuja noting that Nigeria has made tremendous efforts in the reduction of the spread of the disease since it was first discovered but said these has not translated to a tangible progress towards total eradication of the disease. Linking the disease with poverty, Carter opined that for the country to totally eradicate the disease, a lot of goodwill and renewed commitment from stakeholders must be shown in terms of budgeting in the provision of portable water in rural areas and where there are high disease burden to achieve the 2009 target date… Earlier former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon while commending president Cater said the recent outbreaks in Enugu, Ebonyi and Cross Rivers states where 32 cases were reported has dragged Nigeria backward in its fight to eradicate the disease. He also lamented that the disease is responsible for low productivity in food crops, as it occurs mostly at the beginning of the farming season.

• Nigeria: Govt Moves to Combat Cholera: This Day (Lagos):4 April 2008.

86 Following recent cholera outbreak, which killed 12 people in Benue State, the state government has inaugurate an epidemic preparedness team, to forecast possible outbreak, plan and procure materials to assist victims. Commissioner for Health, Dr Jairus Erube, while speaking with newsmen on the outbreak in Makurdi, said the disease affected 150 people across the state. He charged newsmen to give accurate report on the outbreak, to help reduce panic, adding that the Health Ministry was not informed of the outbreak on time, hence the huge loss. According to him, the disease notification surveillance officer who was alerted also confirmed the outbreak. However, as at the time of the visit to some of the clinics by the State Ministry officials on March 27, 2008, five people had died of the disease in Makurdi Local Government area…

• Nigeria: Koko Toxic Waste Victims Get Compensation, 20yrs After: This Day (Lagos):4 April 2008.

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has paid N39.7 million as compensation to 94 victims of the 1988 toxic waste dump at Koko Port, in Delta State. Out of the 94, seven were officers and they received N.7million each, while 87 were ordinary staff who received N.4 million each. The waste, in 561 containers, was shipped through MV BARULUK vessel and dumped at the Koko Port in July, 1988. NAN learnt that the victims, not satisfied with the payment, instituted a case at a High Court in the state demanding for compensation. However, due to delay in obtaining justice, NPA opted for an out of court settlement, to negotiate on behalf of the victims. The cheque was handed over to the victims' solicitors on Wednesday in Warri… One of the victims, Mr Peter Eromuakpor, thanked NPA for the compensation, but requested for free medical treatment for life. According to him, some of them had died and so many were still sick, noting that the cost of treatment was very high.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Uncertainty Over New TB Strain: New Era (Windhoek):4 April 2008.

The Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Richard Kamwi says there is no evidence to suggest extreme drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR) in Namibia. The minister this week told New Era that although there is concern this type of strain could be found in the country given its proximity to South Africa where it was identified, it remains unknown whether Namibia has this strain type. He disclosed that a South African expert in the field is expected soon to assess the situation in Namibia. The minister said this after a report in The Namibian stating there are 24 confirmed cases at the country's health facilities. Investigations into resistant tuberculosis have started. Namibia is the second highest in the world after Swaziland. The Karas region has a notification rate of 1 000 and above TB cases for every 100 000 people. It is said that respiratory diseases are common in the region presumably as a result of the dusty environment. The minister early February declared TB a national health emergency in the country. There were 15,771 cases of TB reported in 2006, or about 765 cases per 100,000 people. About 1,000 cases per 100,000 people have been reported in the regions of Erongo, Hardap, Karas and

87 Oshikoto. Kamwi said the ministry together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) intends to launch a TB education programme on communication for behavioral change. He told New Era that TB cases are too high hence it is urgent to educate people on the disease. The educational programmes will concentrate on raising awareness about TB prevention and encourage people to diagnose and treat the disease early. According to WHO experts, the country has the capacity to successfully treat 75 percent of cases and not the 85 percent target. HIV/AIDS is a major factor in the spread of TB in Namibia.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Cholera Kills 40 in Western Region: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 3 April 2008.

At least 42 people have died in western Kenya following an outbreak of Cholera, health officials said. "At least 701 cases of the disease have been reported in the western province of Nyanza," SK Sharif, the senior deputy director of the area's medical services, said on 2 April. The disease, which was initially reported in the districts of Rongo, Siaya and Suba in January, had spread to other districts in the region despite control measures. The most affected areas included the districts of Bondo, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori and Nyando. Cases had also been reported in Kisii and in the Bunyala area of Busia. "There has been an on and off recurrence of the disease," Sharif said. He said the outbreak had been caused by gaps in water and sanitation hygiene in the region and frequent outbreaks of the disease in neighbouring Uganda. Other risk factors included the use of untreated water and contaminated food…"The mass movement of people during the post-election crisis may also have contributed to the outbreak of the disease as people found themselves in areas with inadequate water and sanitation facilities," he said… Cholera, which is caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacteria, is characterised by profuse watery diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle cramps and severe dehydration. Cholera cases were also reported in Northeastern Province in January and February in the districts of Mandera Central, Mandera East and Wajir, where there were at least 12 deaths and 448 cases. The outbreak followed similar outbreaks in Ethiopia and Somalia and was exacerbated by inadequate water and sanitation hygiene.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Standard Chartered Raises Funds to Help Blind People: The Post (Buea):3 April 2008.

Within the framework of making a difference in the lives of people vulnerable to avoidable eye diseases, the Standard Chartered Bank, SCB, Cameroon, organised a fund raising at the residence of the British High Commissioner in Yaounde on March 28. The objective was to have people donate financially and generously to fund surgical operations of avoidable eye diseases like cataract within the bank's 'Seeing is Believing, SiB' project that aims to restore the sight of 28,000 people across the world. The occasion that took place in the Bastos neighbourhood was the third phase of SiB intended to raise US $ 10 million to make a difference to the lives of 10 million

88 people across 20 countries by 2010…"'Seeing is Believing" has changed millions of people's lives across the world and helped not only those directly affected by blindness but those within their families, communities and even countries. In 2007, the Standard Chartered Group put this money into use to make a difference in the lives of people vulnerable to avoidable eye diseases. We have carried out five outreach visits to local communities around the Littoral Province in a bid to reach the most vulnerable populations, and educate them on prevention against these infections and where necessary, provide them with surgery, glasses or free eye drops. We have visited Mouanko, Yabassi, Mbanga, Bonepoipa and Edea."… Standard Chartered aspires to be the best international bank in its markets through leading by example to be the right partner for its stakeholders. The group now employs 73,000 people, representing 115 nationalities, in more than 1,700 branches and outlets located in over 70 countries. The bank derives more than 90 percent of its operating income and profits from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with balanced income derived from both wholesale and consumer banking. The group is committed to upholding high social responsibility.

18. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Food And Agriculture Minister Warns of Increasing Deforestation: Public Agenda (Accra):4 April 2008.

Mr. Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, has lamented the increasing effect of deforestation on Ghana's agriculture system and called on all stakeholders to join the fight against it. Mr. Debrah said in addition to deforestation, the disappearance of ground cover in general, poses a very serious threat to the growth of agriculture in the country. "Deforestation is proceeding much faster than reforestation," he said. The Minister made the call when he officially opened the 2008 International "Promoting Local Innovation" (PROLINNOVA) Meeting in Tamale on Monday. He mentioned human activities such as bush fires, woodcutting for household use, animals foraging on foliage and shrubs and mass clearing of trees for agriculture production as some of the main causes of the problem. "In less than a generation, we have seen wooded environment literally disappear", he said. Mr. Debrah said the renewed global effort to revamp agriculture under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADEP) under NEPAD and the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategies (GPRS) calls for all African countries to rethink the issues of agriculture development. He called for active collaboration to enable the nation meet the goal of halving the number of hungry citizens by 2015."All efforts should therefore be made to protect the natural resource that can contribute to the achievement of our development goals", he said… Ghana is among fifteen countries in the PROLINNOVA network and it’s hosting the 2008 annual meeting, from March 31 to April 4 to share views and experiences and to reflect on mechanisms to strengthen mutual learning on participatory innovation development processes between member countries.

89 • Ghana: Farmers Resist Newmont Operations in Ajenua Bepo Forest: Public Agenda (Accra):31 March 2008.

A group calling itself the Concerned Farmers Association at New Abriem in the Eastern region has petitioned the government to withdraw the certificate given to Newmont Gold Ghana Limited (NGGL) to mine in the Ajenua Bepo Forest Reserve. According to them the forest reserve is the watershed for important rivers such as Nta, Alotosu, Aprapon, Adenkyensu and Yaayaa which serve the various needs of many of the people in the area especially in this era of water crises. In a petition signed by 215 farmers to the government and its related agencies, they said the Ajenua Mountain; together with the forest area improves the rainfall pattern in the region, thus boosting agriculture. "Improved rainfall is important to us because as a people, we are predominately farmers and we know that agriculture would suffer greatly if mining is undertaken in the Ajenua Bepo Forest Reserve," They added. They indicated that the forest reserve is the home for many animals, birds, butterflies and important trees and plants species which provide sustainable medicinal benefits that maintain the ecosystem and serve as a store of biodiversity… Touching on other issues the petitioners expressed their worry about compensation payment for the destruction of crops and other properties. According to them NGGL has contravened section 73 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) which indicates that compensation payment should be by agreement between the mining company and the affected farmers. They revealed that NGGL instead of negotiating with the affected farmers had set up a Crop Compensation Committee to negotiate on behalf of the affected farmers and this violates section 73 of the Act because the representatives on the Committee do not have any legal mandate to negotiate compensation for affected farmers… The Petitioners further revealed that Newmont without negotiations has offered to pay Ghana 4,150 cedis for an acre of Cocoa (400 Cocoa trees) which translates into about 10 Ghana Cedis for a Cocoa tree.

• Nigeria: Transportation, Major Cause of Air Pollution – DG: Leadership (Abuja):4 April 2008.

Director-General, National Environment Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Mrs Ngeri Benebo, said yesterday that heavy dependence on oil- dominated transportation is the major reason for air pollution in the country. Mrs Ngeri Benebo, stated this at a seminar on WHO Air Quality Guidelines. Benebo said motor vehicles produced more air pollution than any other single human activity. She identified the major sources of air pollution in the country to include energy generation, industry and transportation. "The fast rate of urbanisation is accentuating the air pollution challenges of Nigeria.” Pollution from stationary sources, gas flaring and indoor pollution is quite significant in Nigeria," Benebo said… He said that deteriorating air quality does not only affect public health, but also destroys the environment by damaging plants and animals…"The financial implication for this is enormous. But in terms of equipment needs and manpower, the ministry will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to actualise the plan," he added.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

90 • Botswana: Birds Ravage Farmers' Harvest: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone):3 April 2008.

Fear of rape and other forms of violence prevents farmers from protecting their crops against devastation by birds, farmers say. Even though farmers mark 2008 as the year of good harvest, many say that they are worried that they will lose most of their crops to birds that feast on their crops. Farmers assert that their efforts to keep birds away from their crops are hindered by lack of security at the fields. They say they fear for their security when they are at the fields trying to keep the birds from eating their harvest. The farmers all say that shooing birds away in the fields is not safe any more. Forty two year old Onalenna Kombani says she has been farming for most of her life but in the past few years she has not been able to go to the fields on her own to save her crops.

• Madagascar: UN Aid Agencies Continue Relief Efforts in Cyclone-Affected Country: UN News Service (New York):1 April 2008.

United Nations humanitarian agencies are continuing to distribute aid in Madagascar, where dozens of people were killed and more than 190,000 others were left homeless by a series of cyclones earlier this year. Relief efforts are currently concentrated mainly in the east of the Indian Ocean country, which was struck by Cyclone Fame on 27 January, Ivan on 17 February and Jokwe on 5 March. The most deadly of the trio was Ivan, which was responsible for at least 93 recorded deaths. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has handed out blankets to over 1,400 families and hired a helicopter to carry out intensive vaccination programmes because of concerns over the outbreak of infectious diseases. It has also delivered some 6,000 mosquito nets to village leaders and mayors. In addition, the agency has ensured that 150,000 Malagasy receive water and sanitation kits, which include buckets, water purifiers and metal cups, and 25 tents have also been set up to accelerate the return of children to local schools… UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations have already appealed for more than $36 million to provide relief across Madagascar, which is prone to cyclones, particularly at this time of the year.

• Mozambique: Environmental Education On the Curriculum: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):31 March 2008.

Mozambique's technical and professional schools are to include environmental education on their curriculum under a project financed by Belgium. The project is budgeted at 126,000 euros (about 200,000 US dollars), and will be implemented by the National Museum of Geology for the next two years. It forms part of a "Museum-school", the pilot phase of which, involving explaining the country's geological and mineral wealth in schools, has been running since 2006. The programme intends to develop skills that the pupils will be able to use in their future professional lives. The pilot project was only undertaken in some secondary and technical schools in Maputo. The new phase will also include technical institutes in Boane, Chokwe and Inhambane in the south of the country, and Beira and Chimoio in the centre. These schools will include environmental matters on their curriculum, including energy and climate change, biodiversity, industrial and

91 agricultural pollution, erosion, water and sanitation, and waste management. In running this project, the Geology Museum is in partnership with the Department of Human Ecology in the Free University of Brussels, and with two South African institutions, the Tshwane University of Technology and Museum Park.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Hyacinth Consumes Lake Victoria Shoreline: East African Business Week (Kampala):31 March 2008.

Marine business between the East African states that share Lake Victoria is likely to close following the inability of the said states to combat the dreadly Hippo grass and water hyacinth despite the multi billion funded research on the weeds. Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) project development officer Mr. Said Matano says the weed which cost the three states over US$77.8 million donor fund in research could soon paralyze free movement of vessels on the lake, thus hindering marine transport and putting at stake the integration of the East African Community. Speaking to East African Business Week at LVBC headquarters, Matano said that the lake was the only natural resource shared by the three states and its extinction could put at stake lives of the over 30 million people depending on the lake for daily survival. The re-emergence of the Hippo weed added salt to a fresh wound to an industry reeling towards recovery after the post election violence which rocked Kenya forcing operations at the lake to slow. Ship owners kept away from the facility at the onset of the violence and opted to dock their vessels in the neighbouring countries ports leading to huge losses at the facility. "We lost substantially as most vessels owners feared for the safety of their ships and cargo. They avoided the port and docked in other ports," said Mr. Dominic Siata, the acting manager at the Kisumu Port. He says the port lost over 75% of its daily income during the post election violence and that the same scenario is looming as much heavier weed emerge in the lake… Sources at the port say the cost of fuel consumed by the vessels to reach Tanzania and Uganda has increased by 100%...

• Uganda: Govt Drafts Law On Chemical Weapons: The Monitor (Kampala):31 March 2008.

THE government is drafting a law to regulate toxic chemicals used in industries and those in transit through the country. State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations said his ministry has already drafted a Bill, which will soon be tabled before the Cabinet. "We have already drafted the Prohibition of Toxic Chemical Bill. This Bill has taken long in our docket and it is the time to push for its enactment to control those noxious chemicals," Mr Rukutana said. Mr Rukutana disclosed this during a workshop for MPs on the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the need for its Implementation in Kampala last Friday. Uganda assented to the CWC on November 30, 2001 but has never enacted a law to regulate the use of toxic chemicals in the country. CWC is the convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction… The Minister said though Uganda was a non-chemical weapons state, there was need to

92 implement activities of the convention since some of the perilous chemicals are used as raw materials in local industries. "People working in these industries are exposed to them," Mr Rukutana said adding "And we feel we need your [MPs] full support to get a law to regulate them."

• Kenya: Nema Issues New Rules to Curb Carbon Emissions: Business Daily (Nairobi):1 April 2008.

The National Environment Management Authority has introduced new regulations on gas emissions, signalling a possible rise in the cost of producing industrial goods. Under the rules, industrialists will be required to operate within set emission limits or face heavy penalties for failing to comply. Although Nema, the environment watchdog, says the aim is to curb rising levels of industrial pollution in the country, the rules will require industrialists to acquire new production techniques at a heavy cost. Ultimately, there is the danger of a general rise in prices of industrial goods as manufacturers pass on the costs to consumers. Local manufacturers further fear the emission regulations could erode their competitiveness in the regional market because their rivals in neighbouring countries are not facing similar hurdles… Industrialists and manufacturers have asked for more time to study the draft which analysts say is set to have far reaching implications on the manufacture of steel products, cement, chemicals and other consumer goods. The manufacturers lobby, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM,) met Nema officials in Nairobi last week to discuss the Air Quality and Noise Pollution regulations and requested more time to make an input… The draft is due for presentation to the Standards Enforcement and Review Committee from where it will go to the Environment ministry for onward submission to the Attorney General. Increasing public awareness has turned pollution into a prickly subject for most industrialists in Kenya. Recently residents of Athi River opposed the proposed construction of a cement factory in their neighbourhood, citing air pollution high levels.

• Kenya: Mining Firm On the Spot Over Dust: The Nation (Nairobi):4 April 2008.

A human rights lobby wants the management of Athi River Mining Company to address environmental issues raised by residents of Bondurant village in Kilifi District where the company operates a mining quarry. Muslim for Human Rights has written to the cement manufacturer about the dust pollution. On Wednesday, Bondora villagers staged a demonstration outside the factory demanding an end to dust pollution. Problems: They said the dust was causing diseases to both human beings and domestic animals. Mzee Daniel Mwalimu Choga, whose farm borders the factory, says he has developed breathing problems due to the dust. The 85-year-old man also claimed that his five cows died after they contracted respiratory diseases. "Shortly before one of them died we slaughtered it and called in the veterinary doctor who discovered cement deposits in the stomach," he said… Muhuri programmes coordinator Hussein Khalid, in his letter to the cement company copied to the National Environment Management Authority, Kaloleni public health officer and the provincial administration, said residents had complained of developing respiratory problems.

93 • Kenya: 950 More Houses Burnt: The Nation (Nairobi):3 April 2008.

More than 950 houses in Embobut Forest in Marakwet District were on Wednesday burnt down by forest officials, leaving several families in the cold. By Wednesday, the number of houses destroyed in the forest since last week rose to more than 1,730. The Government appears determined to evict all 10,000 squatters occupying more than 40,000 acres. The Government has accused them of destroying the forest and threatening the water catchment area with extinction. Forest guards, regular police and Administration policemen are burning the homes supervised by district forest officer Chrispine Ochieng'. Families watched Families watched in disbelief as their houses were set ablaze following the lapse of a two-week eviction notice. On Wednesday, Ms Kilimo visited those evicted. Many families moved with their belongings to their original homes in the escarpment, while others camped at relatives' homes in Kamogo, Mgeno, Kakipker, Lagam and Kakimoyo villages and trading centres. Those who went back to the forest after the forest guards left are destroying the forest more in their quest for survival. Mr Ochieng' said four people found in the forest farming were arrested for resisting eviction… Mrs Kilimo said it was wrong to carry out evictions during the rainy season, adding that women and children were traumatised in the cold. "Why is the Government creating more refugees and not even following the demarcated forest boundary?" she asked.

• Kenya: Plans to Turn Bamboo Into Money Maker for Farmers: Business Daily (Nairobi):3 April 2008.

Kenya Forest Research Institute plans to train farmers on the commercial gains of planting bamboo trees, setting the stage for their entry into a lucrative market. Under the training programme, artisans will learn how to make chairs, tables, pen holders, sofa sets, and coat hangers, baskets using the bamboo tree- products whose demand has increased both locally and internationally. Most of the ones on sale in Kenya are imported from Asian countries like Japan, Thailand and China. Concerns have been raised over large imports of bamboo products which are thwarting efforts to grow the industry. The training, which begins later this month in Central Kenya aims to create a vibrant bamboo products industry with expectation that the sector will grow to attract the international market. Over the past two years, forestry officials have been promoting bamboo as an alternative to wood trees to ease growing pressure on forests. "The first group of 15 trainees has been selected for a two weeks training session," said Mr Samson Mogire, a bamboo products expert at Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI). The trainees are expected to help promote product making techniques in their localities… In China, the bamboo has become one of the major drivers of the economy because of its use in the paper manufacturing industry. The training programme is being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government. KEFRI has been training farmers on artificial propagation of bamboo to expand the supply in anticipation of a steep rise in demand. In Kenya, the bamboo is mainly grown in the Aberdares, Olengurueni, Molo, Kakamega and parts of the coastal region. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet and has been marketed as humanity's best weapon against a rapid decline hardwood forests… It

94 takes about three years to fully mature for harvest unlike the lengthy time which wooded trees take. With the rapidly declining forest cover, Bamboo is seen as the best alternative to help preserve water catchment areas and increase forest cover.

• Uganda: $47m for Research in Drought-Resistant Maize: New Vision (Kampala):1 April 2008.

UGANDA is among the four countries that will participate in a $47m (sh80b) project that will develop drought-resistant maize for Africa. Others are Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. The five-year Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project aims at developing maize varieties that can withstand the semi-arid conditions that characterise the greatest part of Africa. The project, which commences this year, is a public-private partnership, headed by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). National agricultural research institutes in their respective countries will spearhead the research. "WEMA was formed in response to a growing call by African farmers, leaders and scientists to address the devastating effects of drought on small-scale farmers. Frequent droughts lead to crop failure, hunger and poverty," said Dr. Mpoko Bokanga, the AATF executive director. Bokanga added that local institutions will expand their capacity and experience in crop breeding, biotechnology and bio-safety. Dr. Denis Kyetere, the director-general of the National Agricultural Research Organisation, said: "The project will promote food security in Africa. Drought causes up to 100% crop failure in Uganda."… Maize, which is severely affected by frequent drought, is the most widely grown staple crop in Africa. More than 300 million Africans depend on it as their main food source. Overall food security and livelihoods are deteriorating in Africa. In the past 15 years, the number of Africans living below the poverty line ($1/day) has increased by 50%.

• Uganda: Govt Offers Subsidy On Solar Energy Loans: The Monitor (Kampala): 2 April 2008.

PEOPLE in rural areas will get subsidised loans on solar equipment from Post Bank Uganda (PBU) upon paying a deposit of 20 percent on the solar item. Individuals will have interest charged per annum on a reducing balance for over 36 months. This is a positive step to address the question of affordability for power by the rural poor and yet another step to advance rural electrification. Bank officials say the money will be channelled through the Savings and Credit Cooperatives Societies (SACCOs) that have built a credible record and all its branches (PBU) across the country. The loan scheme has on board Rural Electrification Agency (REA) giving a subsidy on the equipment, refinancing facility to Post Bank and Private Sector Foundation providing facilitation for start up activities. "Bank of Uganda and REA will give a 30 per cent subsidy on the loan acquired through our bank running between 6-36 months." Post Bank Managing Director Stephen Mukweli said at the launch last week in Kampala. The minister said the trend of power generation initiatives is on the increase and government now has a projection of 70-mega watt generation capacity from such projects by 2010.

CENTRAL AFRICA

95 • Rwanda: Weather Project a Great Boon to Citizens, Especially Farmers: The New Times (Kigali): 3 April 2008.

Rwanda is now proudly the thirteenth member of RANET, that dynamic international initiative which makes available information relating to weather and climate to the populations of subscriber countries. Started by the African Centre for the Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) and University of Oklahoma in 1999, the RANET project is operational in Africa at different levels of involvement in many countries and pilot activities in Asia and the Pacific. Courtesy of the national meteorology service, Rwandans, including rural communities, will have timely access to climate information and other developments. And they will obtain the information in their own language, through use of innovative technologies and working with partners. The timing of the installation of this satellite radio and Internet facility could not have been better. With the increasing irregularity of seasonal rains, climate information is useful to farmers. They will now make more informed decisions on when to plant seeds and choosing what crops and varieties to ensure household food security and incomes. Poverty Reduction Strategy a much-needed shot in the arm. It has come at a time when EDPRS is seriously working on plans to put in place irrigation schemes to neutralise the effects of droughts. Resources involved in starting it may necessitate that it takes a bit long to materialise, but at least in the meantime the weather forecast innovation will make a difference. It is a step forward in the government mission to aid day-to-day decisions and prepare against natural hazards. The networks it will create are in line with the national agenda of making advancement in Information Technology one of the key engines to deliver the Vision 2020 targets to Rwanda.

• Cameroon: Kumba II Council Begins Tree Planting Project: The Post (Buea): 4 April 2008.

The Mayor of the Kumba II Council, Ferdinand Asapngu Nkiaka, has located the swampy area of Fiango Water in Kosala, to nurse some tree species. The species to be planted include cypress, terminalia catappa, palmier royal, plumeria alba, plumeria rubra and wengue.The Mayor disclosed that they have already paid for the nursery, while ridges are being developed for the plants. It should be noted that the tree-planting project is the outcome of a partnership agreement between some Southwest councils and the National Forestry Development Agency, ANAFOR, on March 13. According to the agreement, ANAFOR would assist Kumba II Council to elaborate and implement its tree- planting project to 19 km along some streets. The agency would equally assist in the planting of trees in 18 school campuses and along the banks of Fiango Water…According to him, the tree-planting project would preserve and restore the environment by increasing the aesthetic value of the municipality. The Mayor said the effect of sunshine in Kumba II would be reduced. He hoped that the face of his municipality would be changed in the years ahead. It should be noted that Kumba I council was also a signatory to the ANAFOR project. The Post learned that Kumba III Mayor, Samuel Ndeme Takem, rejected the initiative when contacted by the ANAFOR. He reportedly stated that his municipality is remote and does not need trees. However, he is said to have rushed to Yaounde later after realising the importance of the project.

96 19. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Fuel Shortages Cause Price Hikes for Northerners: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:4 April 2008.

With massive fuel shortages in the north of Nigeria since mid March, transport costs have doubled exacerbating food price. "Until last week I had been paying 250 naira (US $2.00) to transport my produce but now suddenly I must pay 500 naira ($4.00)," Habibu Sani, a trader who transports vegetables from farms outside of Kano to sell in the city, told IRIN. "This leaves me with no option but to increase the price of my goods," he said. A cereal wholesaler in Kano said he too has increased his selling price. "We are calculating the new haulage fees we pay on each sack and add them to the cost," the merchant, Magaji Mohammed, said. Bearing the brunt : Currently most fuel stations in Kano are closed and the few that are open have long queues of vehicles snaking down the street. Many motorists have given up waiting and buy fuel on the black-market for around US $1.20 per litre - almost twice the pump price. Other motorists have simply stopped using their cars. Consumers are bearing the brunt of fuel shortages in other ways. Why the shortage? : The government has said that the country's ailing oil refineries are being revived but officials admit they are still producing below capacity and well below the country's domestic needs. But government officials told the Nigerian newspaper Business Day that the real problem is that IPMAM, which provides fuel to about 90 percent of filling stations in Nigeria, is hoarding fuel in anticipation of fuel price increases. Babura of IPMAN added that the government recently purchased quantities of sub-standard fuel that had to be returned. "This is what has made the current shortage so bad," he said. Still people in Kano say IPMAN and other traders are not innocent. Many told IRIN that IPMAN diverts the fuel it gets from NNPC to the black market to get higher prices.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: State 'Plans to Ease Pain of Power Price Hike on Poor': Business Day (Johannesburg):2 April 2008.

THE government has a plan to cushion poorer households against Eskom's proposed electricity tariff increases, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said yesterday. The African National Congress (ANC), the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry and some political parties have come out strongly against Eskom's proposal to the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) for a 53% electricity tariff increase. The ANC said that the increase, if approved, would be "unfair", while Cosatu said the proposed tariff would hit poor households most. Speaking to journalists in Johannesburg yesterday, Sonjica said there was a move to protect poorer households from the electricity increases through subsidies. "We will look at the cost-reflective tariff structure," she said.

97 EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: Cabinet Approves Oil Policy: New Vision (Kampala):3 April 2008.

The Cabinet has approved the national oil and gas policy that will formulate a structure to manage revenue from the two resources. The policy sets guidelines on how oil revenue will be equitably, accountably and transparently distributed and managed. Energy state minister Simon D'Ujanga said the policy was approved early this year. "We shall now start licensing oil companies under the new guidelines." The Government last year halted the awarding of oil exploration licences until a policy was developed to ensure efficiency in licensing and production. It emphasises national participation in oil and gas activities in order to expand employment opportunities and acquire diversified skills. The new policy is an improvement on the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act 2000, which grants exclusive rights for exploration, development and production of petroleum in any licenced area. The policy also details the possible alternatives for transportation of oil if economically viable quantities were discovered. The options include laying a crude oil pipeline to the oil refinery in Mombassa. The existing railway and road network would provide alternative means for transportation of the refined petroleum products. But the Government needs $5b to implement the policy. The source of funding is estimated at 94% from the private sector, 2% public sector funding and 4% public private partnership. Oil reserves estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of barrels have been located around Lake Albert.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Swiss Company to Explore Oil in Iroko: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé): 4 April 2008.

A contract was signed to that effect yesterday between the government and ADDAX Petroleum Cameroon Ltd.

The next three years will witness an important research activity at the Iroko area in the Rio del Rey basin on the Cameroon-Nigeria border in a bid to identify the oil potential of the area. The government of Cameroon yesterday signed a production- sharing contract with ADDAX Petroleum Cameroon Limited, a subsidiary of the Swiss company, ADDAX Petroleum Corporation to enable the latter carryout the operation. The Iroko area, formerly called Mokoko West Block, is specifically located west of Cameroon's Rio del Rey and west of the Mokoko Abana concession exploited by PECTEN Cameroon Company. The 15.75 kilometre square-area is equally found east of the Nigerian OML-123 block. The contract empowers the Swiss company to carryout exploration activities in the area for a three-year period. The project, to cost 17.5 million US dollars is the ninth contract signed within the framework of the 1999 Petroleum code…he ADDAX Petroleum Corporation is active in petroleum exploration and production in several countries including Nigeria and Gabon. In Cameroon, it began drilling two exploration wells offshore the Ngosso Permit on February 27, 2008, some six kilometres from the southern coast of the Bakassi peninsula.

98 20. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Non-Oil Export Records 45 Percent Growth in 2007:Vanguard (Lagos): 4 April 2008.

THE Federal Government has announced a 45.5 per cent increase in the value of non-oil export in the country in the year 2007. Putting the nation's non-oil export value in 2007 at about $1.38 billion, the of Minister of Commerce and Industry, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, said the figure is up from $751.5 million announced by the central Bank in 2006. The $628.4 million increase of the 2007 figure over the 2006 figure represents about 45.5 per cent growth in the nation's income from non-oil products…Our non-oil export figure now stands at about $138 billion in 2007. In 2001 the figure was around $240 million. Now we have tried to increase this figure to almost $1.4 billion and all this revenue is at stake if we endorse the EPA. Whereas the cost of not signing into the ERA is in the region of $100 million and $200 million," Ugwuh added. Ugwuh said the present administration is not just seeking any kind of investment from the international investment community… He said it was in this light that the Federal Government has decided to take very serious look at the importation of tomato paste into the country. He said it did not make any sense for Nigeria, which is a heavy producer of tomato in one breath to be the heaviest importer of tomato paste in Africa, consuming 4000 to 5000 tonnes of tomato past monthly. Speaking on the revival of the textile industry, he said: "If we try to revive the textile industry the way it is currently configured at the moment we will go broke again in a few years. If we do not make polyester and add to cotton we cannot sell out textile products at prices competitive with the current global market prices. Only when we introduce polyester can we make shirts and garments that can compete in the international market," Ugwuh said. Ugwuh explained that this is the reason why the Federal Government plans to channel the N70 billion textile resuscitation funds both towards cotton production and towards the acquisition of machines that will help in the effective combination of cotton and polyester in the production of textile products.

• Nigeria: Budget Impasse - Yar'Adua to Meet National Assembly Leaders: This Day (Lagos):4 April 2008.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua may again withhold his assent from the 2008 budget, thus raising the prospects of the National Assembly overriding his veto. However, THISDAY was informed yesterday that the President would meet with the leaders of the National Assembly by this weekend to table his reservations on the latest passed budget. Yar'Adua had earlier refused to sign the executive summary of the budget sent to him on March 19, 2008 by the National Assembly, insisting that the Legislature should furnish him with details of the bill. The practice in the last eight years was that the details of the budgets were sent to former President Olusegun Obasanjo after he had signed the budgets into law. The details were subsequently printed out and

99 circulated to the Presidency, the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Judiciary and the National Assembly for their records and to enable them track the quarterly releases to them and overall implementation of the budget. But Yar'Adua had requested the details before signing to enable him scrutinise the budget which has allegedly been largely tinkered with by the National Assembly… Yar'Adua, THISDAY learnt, has up till April 28 to either sign the budget or withhold his assent. But a source stated yesterday that the President might consider giving his assent later after scrutinising it and getting full legal briefing on the implications of signing the document with some of the mandatory clauses introduced into the money bill by the National Assembly… Yar' Adua had, on receipt of the N2.898 budget on February 20, 2008, expressed reservations and raised eight objections in a letter dated February 22, 2008 to the Legislature on the need to reduce allocations to some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

• Nigeria: Committee On Power to Invite Obasanjo, Nnamani, Masari, Atiku: Leadership (Abuja): 3 April 2008.

Federal House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel currently probing contracts in the power sector in the last administration has indicated its intention to invite former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, former Speaker, Alhaji Bello Masari and former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to explain their roles when money was appropriated for the power and steel sector during the last administration. This was made known in Calabar Cross River State when the committee led by its chairman, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, visited Cross River State to inspect the sites of on-going projects in the power sector. Speaking to newsmen after the committee met with Governor Liyel Imoke at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor's Office, Hon. Elumelu explained that relevant invitations would be made during the course of the committee's investigations.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Inflation Up 1.6 Percent: New Era (Windhoek): 4 April 2008.

Inflation has increased by 1.6 percent since 2006 due to escalating food prices and an increase in international oil prices, the Bank of Namibia (BON) has said. The average inflation rate rose to 6.7 in 2007 from 5.1 in 2006. BON Governor, Tom Alweendo, when he presented the bank's 2007 Annual Report, said inflation will continue to rise and Namibians will have to tighten their belts more. "Inflation in Namibia and South Africa continues to rise and it will still rise. It might peak in a month," said Alweendo, adding that the picture does not look good because one cannot hope that the interest rates can come down. "The way things are happening, we will have to endure more belt tightening," he said. The inflation rate has increased due to an increase in food prices because of shortages arising from biofuel production, escalating production costs resulting from rise in fuel and global milk shortages… Due to high inflation, people are also borrowing less money as reflected in credit extension to individuals, which shows a downward trend. The bank's estimates are that economic growth has slowed down to 3.8 percent in 2007 from 4.2 percent in 2006. The slow down

100 in growth is reflected in the growth of the primary industry such as mining and agriculture, which slowed down while that of fishing declined at a lower rate. This growth, however, is projected to increase to 4.7 percent this year depending on how much growth occurs in the mining sector. "Projections for 2008 are that the economy will increase to 4.7 percent mainly supported by a rebound of the primary sector based on increased uranium production," the report said… Alweendo said the real gross domestic product (GDP) was broad-based as all major industries recorded positive growth unlike secondary industries, which slowed down because of lower diamond production. This resulted from the closure of some of Namdeb's plants and a fire outbreak at one of the diamond mining company's plants. Diamond mining in Namibia accounts for eight percent of total GDP and 38 percent of the primary industry output. The secondary industries also performed well, recording a growth of 5.9 percent, which the report said was the highest growth rate since the record high 9.5 percent four years ago. This sector is driven by manufacturing, electricity, gas and water and construction.

• Zimbabwe: Reserve Bank Introduces New Z$50 Million Note: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London): 4 April 2008.

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) today introduced a new Z$50 million note to deal with rampant shortages of cash in an economy that is also grappling with the world's highest inflation rate now standing at 165 000 percent. The new note is part of bearer cheques that were first introduced by the central bank at the height of cash shortages about four years ago. The Z$50 million note has started circulating after the RBZ also increased the maximum withdrawal limit for individuals to $5 billion a day. Along with the $50 million note, RBZ also injected a $25 million bill. Between December last year and now, Zimbabwe's reserve bank has unveiled six new bills in denominations of $250 000, $500 000, $750 000, $1 million, $5 million and $10 million bills. The move was a stop-gap measure intended to ease crippling cash shortages that saw most Zimbabweans spending the festive period in bank queues… In addition to cash shortages, Zimbabweans are also grappling with shortages of virtually every basic survival commodity, essential medicines, fuel and foreign currency. Zimbabwe has been without a formal currency for the past five years.

21. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Election War Drums: Accra Mail (Accra): 4 April 2008.

The Ashanti Regional Secretariat of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has expressed concern about the beating of war drums by the NDC and NPP ahead of the 2008 general elections. The agitations and negative pronouncements on the outcome of the elections, still about eight months away, the secretariat said, showed how confused, insensitive and irresponsible the two parties were. In a statement signed by Mr. Akwasi Bosompem Boateng, Regional Secretary, the CPP said the

101 antagonistic postures taken by the two parties on the elections which are yet to be held, indicated their resolve to protect their parochial political interests to the detriment of the poor suffering masses in society. The statement said Ghanaians needed a government that would bring peace, unity, stability and economic progress to the people and there was no doubt that, the CPP, which had now been accepted by the people as the only credible party, would use its mandate to alleviate the plight of the people.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Defeated Mugabe 'May Opt to Rule By Decree': Business Day (Johannesburg):4 April 2008.

AS THE Zimbabwe crisis precipitated by President Robert Mugabe's election defeat deepened yesterday, the head of the African Union (AU) election observer mission, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, met the embattled leader. Kabbah discussed the volatile situation with Mugabe as the politburo of the ruling Zanu (PF) prepared to meet in Harare today. Mugabe made his first public appearance since the poll yesterday, appearing on state television with Kabbah. The former president of Sierra Leone said Mugabe was "extremely relaxed". He believed Zimbabwe's problems could be resolved "peacefully". Kabbah also met Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai in a bid to resolve the deadlock created by Mugabe blocking the official poll result and refusing to concede defeat publicly. Kabbah left yesterday to report on the election at the AU's headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is understood he was acting as an envoy for AU chairman Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. The US, UK, European Union and SA are involved in manoeuvres to break the deadlock. Sources said Mugabe would chair the politburo's emergency meeting in Harare today… Politburo members said military chief Constantine Chiwenga and police chief Augustine Chihuri were urging Mugabe to fight a runoff, fearing new rulers might try security officials for human rights abuses and corruption… The MDC insists Tsvangirai won the presidential election with more than 50% and is likely to reject any Mugabe proposals. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network said Tsvangirai was projected to get the most votes with 49,4% trailed by Mugabe with 41,8%. If no candidate gets more than 50%, a runoff election must be held within three weeks. Zanu (PF) lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority to the MDC and allies. Official results show Zanu (PF) won 97 seats and Tsvangirai's MDC faction 99 in a 210-member parliament. Arthur Mutambara's MDC faction has 10 seats. Independent Jonathan Moyo won one… Authorities said yesterday upper house results, which must precede presidential results, were delayed by "logistical problems".

• Zimbabwe: Mbeki Urges Acceptance of Election Outcome: BuaNews (Tshwane): 4 April 2008.

President Thabo Mbeki has urged all Zimbabweans to accept the outcome of that country's presidential elections. Results from last Saturday's polls continue to trickle in with the presidential outcome still pending. "We await the announcement of the results by the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission [ZEC] and of course, as I was saying; we

102 would hope that everybody would accept those results, as they have accepted the results thus far," said Mr Mbeki on Thursday. President Mbeki was speaking at a press conference following the conclusion of the 5th Session of the South Africa - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Bi-National Commission. His counterpart and President of the DRC, Joseph Kabila, joined him. Mr Mbeki highlighted that in March 2007, he was approached by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to facilitate discussions between Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)… "Secretary-General of the MDC [Tendai Biti] announced yesterday that from their own calculations they believed Morgan Tsvangirai had won the Presidential elections… Many Zimbabweans, regardless of the election outcome, hope that the country will be able to reverse the hyperinflation of over 100 000 percent that President Robert Mugabe has blamed on international sanctions.

• Zimbabwe: War Veterans Threaten Violence: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 4 April 2008.

Veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war vowed to seize the remaining white-owned commercial farms if President Robert Mugabe loses the expected second round of a presidential ballot. Opposition parties have taken control of parliament for the first time since Zimbabwe won its independence from Britain in 1980, but the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has not yet officially released the results of the 29 March presidential ballot. The reappearance of the war veterans on the political scene, who led the invasions of white farms in 2000 soon after Mugabe lost a referendum on a new constitution, has heightened fears that the ruling ZANU-PF will unleash state violence to coerce the electorate to ensure Mugabe wins the run off ballot… At the same time ZANU-PF's politbureau, the party's most powerful decision making body, held a five-hour meeting and decided that Mugabe should contest a run off vote for president should none of the candidates attain the 50 percent plus one vote required for an outright win. The return of British settlers: War veterans chairman, Jabulani Sibanda told IRIN the recent poll was an attempt to take the country back to 1890 when British settlers first occupied the territory. Sibanda said: "It has come to our realisation that the elections were used as another war front to prepare for the re-invasion of our country. A large number of the remaining white commercial farmers were seen celebrating the alleged victory of Morgan Tsvangirai. "Results are just figures but an invasion is physical. We will deal with that which is tangible."… A second round of voting, according to the constitution, should be held within 21 days, but ZANU-PF has warned that this might be delayed to 90 days because there was not enough money to hold the run off ballot.

• Zimbabwe: Second-Round Ballot Looks Increasingly Likely: Institute for War & Peace Reporting (London):3 April 2008.

Zimbabwe looks as if it is heading for a run-off presidential election between the incumbent Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, despite claims by the latter that he has won. According to two sources – a senior politburo member in the ruling ZANU-PF party and an insider in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, ZEC – neither of the main candidates has surpassed the required 50 per cent of the vote. The

103 constitution stipulates that if no candidate gets 51 per cent of the total vote; a second round must be called within 21 days involving the two top contenders. The ZANU- PF source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IWPR that the results that ZEC will announce are an accurate reflection of how the voting went in this historic election, which many predicted would see an end to Mugabe's 28-year rule… In an apparent first official admission that Mugabe has not won outright, the pro-government newspaper The Herald reported on April 2 that Mugabe and Tsvangirai were likely to have to contest a second round, while their parties were heading for a tie in the parliamentary election.

• Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Readies for Battle: The Herald (Harare):5 April 2008.

ZANU-PF has readied itself for battle in the presidential run-off with the party's top leadership meeting in Harare yesterday to review the poll results and chart the way forward unanimously endorsing President Mugabe and a second electoral fight. The massive show of unity and camaraderie in the meeting put paid to claims from certain quarters, particularly the Western media, that Zanu-PF had been thrown into disarray after losing the parliamentary majority to the opposition, and that some top leaders had since developed cold feet over the run-off. Though the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is still to announce the official result of the presidential contest, Cde Mugabe is expected to battle it out with MDC faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai amid reports that neither candidate attained the absolute majority required under the Electoral Act. ZEC will soon announce the official result and date for the run- off… Briefing journalists at the end of the Politburo meeting, Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa said the party leadership had unanimously endorsed contesting the run-off and was confident of a resounding victory… Turning to the possibility of a government of national unity with the MDC-Tsvangirai faction, Cde Mutasa said if the opposition was interested, it should approach Zanu-PF. "We have co-existed with the opposition since 1999. We have talked to them nicely. The just-ended elections were very peaceful. We want the same environment in the presidential run-off," he said.

• Zimbabwe: Mugabe Offers Transitional Govt: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare): 4 April 2008.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is reportedly proposing the formation of a six-month transitional government to manage his exit from power after he lost the presidential race to the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai. Sources said Mugabe made the proposal to avoid a run-off and wanted to lead the transitional government made up of Zanu PF and MDC members and then would relinquish power to the opposition. The proposal, the source said, was tabled to the MDC and was one of the many options Mugabe was considering to manage his departure from office after 28 years at the helm.

104 "Zanu PF tabled the proposal to the MDC this week and the opposition is looking into it although it is likely to reject it," one of the sources said. "This is one of several options Mugabe is weighing before he makes a final decision on his future."… Sources said Mugabe wanted to guarantee his safe exit from power. The MDC spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, yesterday professed ignorance of the Mugabe proposal. "We are not aware of the proposal for the formation of a transitional government," Chamisa said. "Why a transitional government when we won the elections?" Political analysts said wherever there was a change of guard, especially when the incumbent sees the newly elected leader as hostile, the handover of power must be handled with care…"There are a lot of guarantees and assurances, implicit and explicit, required for the incumbent's political, bureaucratic and security establishments," one analyst said. "(Former Rhodesia Prime Minister Ian) Smith and regimes received similar guarantees and assurances from the liberation movements."… The strategy was anchored on seven main issues, among them, talks between the civil society, Zanu PF and the MDC on the modus operandi on negotiating terms and parameters; negotiations for constitutional conference and a transitional authority and the enactment by parliament of a Constitutional Conference Act. The party wanted the constitutional conference to draft the new constitution while the transitional government deals with economic reconstruction before a referendum of the new supreme law takes place. It also proposed a period of national healing and integration that would have resulted in the abrogation of repressive laws such as the Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. During the same period the MDC wanted airwaves to be opened up.

• Zimbabwe: Government Arrests Foreign Journalists: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London): 4 April 2008.

ZIMBABWEAN police have arrested two unaccredited foreign journalists at a hotel in the capital Harare. The police issued a statement Thursday saying the reporters had been covering the country's election without accreditation. Western journalists and media are banned from reporting in Zimbabwe. Al Jazeera is the only international news agency covering elections in Zimbabwe. Pulitzer Prize-winner Barry Bearak, a New York Times correspondent based in Johannesburg was arrested at 6 p.m. Thursday evening. The identity of the other journalist was not known at time of going to press. Zimbabwean authorities warned last week that they would deal severely with journalists who were caught operating illegally. "I can only confirm that we have arrested two foreign journalists at York Lodge," national police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said. "They are being investigated for practising without accreditation. They were picked up early this evening and taken to police custody." On 27 March 2008, two South African journalists were arrested in Harare and charged with violating the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). Magistrate Kudya set 2 April as their trial date.

• Zimbabwe: Mugabe Directs ZEC to Hold Results: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):4 April 2008.

105 STARING defeat in the face after weekend polls, President Robert Mugabe has gone on the offensive, directing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to delay the result in order to manage a crisis that could result in his defeat. Sources said ZEC’s delay is part of government’s crisis management plan following clear indications that Mugabe had lost the election to Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). There is a move in government to fight the defeat. Police last night sealed off a local guest lodge as the government intensified its crackdown on foreign media. The police picked up a journalist, Barry Bearak, from the New York Times… Part of their strategy is to force ZEC to delay the result until Mugabe has found a way to deal with the problem… Deputy Information minister Bright Matonga told the Herald on Wednesday that Zanu PF was preparing for a runoff. This statement, analysts say, indicates that Mugabe has lost the election. Observers are worried about the delay. Marwick Khumalo, head of the Pan-African Parliament observer mission, said the ruling Zanu PF was considering the possibility of defeat…. While ZEC sits on the results of the presidential polls Mugabe is using time to consider his options. Senior Zanu-PF officials said Mugabe was considering using his presidential powers to have the run off election in 90 days instead of the constitutional 21 days. During that time Mugabe would rule by decree which means there would be a state of emergency…“However he plays it, he has lost,” a Western diplomat said yesterday. “The monolithic image has been shattered.”

• Zimbabwe: Opposition Takes ZEC to Court: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare): 3 April 2008.

LAWYERS representing the Movement for Democratic Change yesterday filed a High Court application to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to announce the results of the presidential poll which was held last weekend. The application comes in the wake of the commission's failure to announce the presidential results by Wednesday afternoon as had been demanded by the opposition lawyers in a letter to the commission's chairman Justice George Chiweshe. In the letter, the MDC through their lawyers Mbidzo, Muchadehama & Makoni wrote to the ZEC threatening to take legal action against the regulatory body for the delay in announcing results for the presidential election. "On behalf of our clients we therefore demand, as it is their right to access such information, that you announce the latest tally of results in the presidential election by not later 14.00hrs this afternoon (Wednesday), failing which our clients shall be forced to take further steps to protect their interests without further notice to yourselves," said the lawyers in the letter… Meanwhile a coalition of 18 civil societies in Zimbabwe has petitioned the African Union and Southern African Development Community heads of state to exert pressure on the ZEC to release the presidential election results. The coalition includes Crisis Coalition, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Save Zimbabwe Campaign, and the Media Institute of Southern Africa…

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Cabinet Breakthrough: The Nation (Nairobi):4 April 2008.

106 President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga Thursday ended the stalemate which had stalled the formation of a coalition government and agreed to form a 40-member Cabinet Details of who will be in the new team will be revealed on Sunday but the Cabinet will be sworn in on April 12 at a grand ceremony at Uhuru Park. Heads of State and other dignitaries, including chief mediator Kofi Annan, will be invited for the ceremony. The agreement was reached during a meeting between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga at the Office of the President in Harambee House, Nairobi, after weeks of negotiations. Aides and other leaders who accompanied the two to the venue were kept in the corridors as the President and Mr Odinga hammered out the deal. Both sides remained guarded over the Cabinet deal, but sources familiar with the talks between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga said the Government coalition and ODM had agreed to share 20 Cabinet positions each. Sources said the Government coalition was likely to retain the Finance and Internal Security portfolios, but give up Foreign Affairs and Local Government to ODM. A 40-member Cabinet has been criticised by diplomats, employers, religious groups and NGOs as too large and an unnecessary burden to taxpayers. It is expected to cost at least Sh500 million a year. The groups had proposed a lean and efficient Cabinet of 24 members.

• Kenya: ODM's Cabinet List Draws Fresh Dispute: The Nation (Nairobi):5 April 2008.

A new Cabinet list released by ODM on Friday showed that some of President Kibaki's staunchest supporters are likely to be among major casualties of the new power-sharing Cabinet to be announced on Sunday. According to the list, Roads and Public Works minister John Michuki, Local Government minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi and Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula are some of the powerful members of the Cabinet whose portfolios have either been split or taken over by ODM under the grand coalition arrangement agreed on by President Kibaki and Prime Minister- designate Raila Odinga. However, the list drew swift reaction from the Government with spokesman Alfred Mutua dismissing it as speculative.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Judiciary Not an Isolated Organ – Kagame: The New Times (Kigali):3 April 2008.

President Paul Kagame Thursday said that the Judiciary was not an isolated organ. He was presiding over the launch of the 2008 Judicial Year at Parliamentary Buildings, Kimihurura "It is instead one of the strongest pillars on which we shall rely on in the realization of Vision 2020 and there is need for compatibility with other institutions," Kagame told hundreds of judicial practitioners who included judges, lawyers and prosecutors. He said that the full role of the Judiciary would only be attained when there was an absolute respect for people's rights in the country, adding that it would also encourage foreign investor. "We shall not tolerate justice that only serves a particular class of people. Justice has to be enjoyed by all Rwandans irrespective of class or a particular group of people," the President said, urging them to duly punish those found

107 guilty to avoid breeding the culture of impunity. Kagame specifically told judges to always critically analyze the cases they handle before delivering their final verdicts. "You should bear in mind that there is another important judge who goes through the verdict and the consequences are far-reaching. This judge is none other than the public opinion. Remember these are the people you are serving," he advised. He encouraged them to always be driven by purpose "and that purpose is none other than driving Rwandans where they aspire to be." Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga said there should be no incompatibility between the Judiciary and other players in national development. "The independence the Judiciary enjoys should not be misconceived to be incompatible with the general direction the country is heading," Ngoga said… He urged jurists to do everything to help develop the country, saying it was the ultimate solution to contempt from the West.

22. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Uduaghan Hails Army: Vanguard (Lagos):4 April 2008.

DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday commended the Army for assisting in curtailing the Niger Delta crisis especially the once volatile Warri crisis that swept the state some years back. He stated this while receiving the newly posted Commander of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, Brigadier-General Ishaya Bauka, overseeing Ondo, Edo and Delta states, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House. Said he: "There is no doubt that the Army has been of very tremendous help to crisis in Niger Delta. The crisis has been in various stages but the current state as far as Delta is concerned started as Warri crisis and it was during the period of the Warri crisis that the current Task force was put in place, which also include the Army, and we are happy to say that that helped tremendously in curtailing that crisis (Warri crisis).

• Nigeria: MEND Pulls Out of Peace Summit: Vanguard (Lagos):2 April 2008.

The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta has pulled out of the planned peace summit on the Niger Delta. In an online statement to the Vanguard yesterday and signed by Jomo Gbomo, spokesman of the militant group, the body said its decision was informed by the exclusion of people like detained Henry Okah. A summit without the basic ingredient of sincerity and the presence of key players such as Henry Okah and others marked for arrest is unacceptable. Okah must be in such a forum as an active participant and not on the agenda for discussion," it said, adding those so-called elders, compromised militants and youth leaders who are clamouring for hand-outs and recognition from Abuja by accepting to attend are doing so for their own selfish interests. "MEND can assure that if the summit does hold it will be just another circus that

108 will end in failure as key issues will not be addressed and those that will participate do not have the capacity to guarantee an enduring peace."

• Liberia: UNMIL Accuses Court Officials of Corruption: The NEWS (Monrovia):3 April 2008.

The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) Human Rights and Protection Section Wednesday released a report in which it alleged that court officials in Liberia were corrupt. The report which covers a six-month period (May-October 2007) recalled that Gbarnga City Magistrate refused to release a woman who was charged with theft and detained on May 31, 2007 until her husband paid L$2,500 for her release. According to the report, there appears to be no basis to the charge as it relates to the pawning of a mattress from the woman's own home to enable her buy food for her seven children. The report said a man convicted of rape in Lofa County was sentenced to life imprisonment with his rights to an appeal denied. "Although no fees are legally required for an appeal to the Supreme Court, the accused was asked to pay L$4,000 for the Court's Sheriff to file the appeal in the Supreme Court which he did; the appeal was however not filed as the Sheriff lacks finances to meet the cost of the trip to file the papers at the Supreme Court in Monrovia, neither can the accused afford to meet the said transport cost," the report added. Additionally, the UNMIL rights report also recalled in June 2007, a staff of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission reported that some members of the Grand Jury in Maryland County sought a bribe from him while he was testifying as a witness in a rape case. After preliminary examination of the case in which a 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped, the case was transferred on August 10, 2007 to the Lofa County Circuit Court and the defendant committed to pre-trial detention… Other issues highlighted in the report include poor detention facilities, unofficial and private detention facilities, sexual and gender based violence including rape and forced marriages, among others.UNMIL recommended that the Ministry of Justice identifies all unauthorized detention facilities upon which they should be officially closed or recognized and given support from the government and relevant international organizations. It also recommended that the Justice Ministry should in the long term consider reviewing the viability of the entire judicial mechanism of the Justices of Peace including their jurisdiction.

• Gambia: Country's Participation in Casamance Peace Process is Inevitable: FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda):2 April 2008.

There cannot be durable peace in the Casamance without the involvement of The Gambia and Guinea Bissau, said Mathias Bassene, the program officer of AECOM. AECOM is a US based organization that is working on the resolution of the protracted conflict in the Casamance. Mr. Bassene made this statement, on Friday, at a sub regional workshop, held in Hotel Abuert in Ziguinchor. The workshop which sought the opinions of Civil Society Organisations was aimed at hammering out strategies that will push the peace process forward. Mathias said the US Embassy in Dakar wants to carry out some works in the Casamance, but it cannot do so in the absence of peace. According to him, the US Embassy in Dakar had carried out some studies in the Casamance to establish the

109 factors that are negating the peace process. He said the studies have also looked at the opportunities that exist on the ground to push the peace process forward. He said the US Embassy in Dakar wants to see an end to the conflict in Casamance. AECOM is financed by USAID/Senegal to contribute to the resolution and transformation of the Casamance conflict by enabling key stakeholders to move the peace process forward. It aims to increase the capacity of key stakeholders to successfully carry out the peace process, facilitate the effective participation of Civil society in the peace process, and assist the Government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance to overcome obstacles to peace negotiations.

EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: I Won't Sign Deal, Says Kony: The Nation (Nairobi):2 April 2008.

Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony has requested that the signing of the peace deal be deferred, saying his fighters have malaria, are hungry, and without facilities, such as toilets. The Uganda Lord's Resistance Army rebels said the request was made following a visit to Ri-Kwangba Saturday, which exposed what they call the terrible conditions in the area. Under a ceasefire agreement signed July 2006, the rebels were expected to converge at Ri-Kwangba, at the border between Sudan and the DR-Congo, near Garamba National Park, during the course of the talks, where they would be provided with supplies, such as food and medicines. "People had malaria, people were sick, but that's no reason to stop the signing of the peace talks," LRA head of delegation Dr David Matsanga said Tuesday morning. "The reason is that there is nothing on the ground," Matsanga said, dismissing reports out of Kampala that Mr Kony was sick. "There's no toilet, there's not even a single tent."Mr Matsanga denied reports that Kony was ill and insisted the rebel leader was within 30 miles of Ri-Kwangba. Peace talks to end Uganda's decades-old insurgency formally ended March 1 in Juba, with the rebels and government delegations agreeing on a final peace agreement, and an implementation schedule. And both sides had agreed to sign the final peace agreement on April 5… Mr Kony will sign the deal from the bush, the rebels have said. The Ugandan government says Kony is in Central African Republic, although Matsanga said Kony called a delegation from northern Uganda to meet him in Ri-Kwangba in order to dispel the rumours.

• Uganda: Peace Deal Signing Postponed to April 14: New Vision (Kampala):2 April 2008.

THE LRA leader, Joseph Kony, is not yet at Ri-Kwangba, where he is set to sign the final peace deal from, the UN special envoy on northern Uganda has said. On his arrival at Juba International Airport yesterday, Joachim Chissano told journalists that the signing had been postponed. Kony is now scheduled sign on April 10 and the Government on April 14. The LRA leader was scheduled to sign today in Ri-Kwangba, whereas the Government was meant to sign on April 5 in Juba. The LRA chief negotiator, David Nyekorach Matsanga, on Tuesday said the signing was postponed for logistical reasons. He said the LRA needed more time to prepare the venue for the

110 signing ceremony. Matsanga added that most of the LRA commanders were indisposed due to illness and would not have attended the function.

• Somalia: Angry Puntland Troops Leave Somaliland Front: Garowe Online (Garowe):2 April 2008.

Angry soldiers loyal to Somalia's Puntland State government left the military frontlines where they have been facing off rival troops from the breakaway region of Somaliland, Radio Garowe reported. The commanding officers leading the soldiers who were backed by more than 10 armed trucks said they left the frontline town of Tukaraq, in Sool region, after the government of Puntland neglected its own troops. Col. Jama Muse Omar, one of the troop commanders, told Radio Garowe that the soldiers came to speak with traditional elders in the Puntland capital of Garowe. The commander complained that Puntland troops at the frontlines have not been paid in months, adding that they will address their grievances with the elders and intellectuals. Garowe residents said this group of soldiers is the largest contingent to arrive in the capital city. The soldiers entered Garowe Wednesday night, with commanders saying they will speak with local elders tomorrow. Somaliland and Puntland have been fighting over control of Sool region since 2002. Last October, Somaliland troops took control of the Sool regional capital Las Anod for the first time.

• Comoros: Anjouan Situation Worse Than Thought: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 3 April 2008.

With preparations for new local elections underway, following a successful military venture by the Comoros Union government and African Union (AU) troops to restore order to the renegade island by force, deeper humanitarian concerns have emerged. Last week a combined military force toppled Mohamed Bacar, a rebel leader who had defied demands to re-run local elections, deemed illegal by the AU and Union government. Bacar has fled and is believed to be on the French island of Reunion. "We have now a new government. It has been working on this [new polls] from day one and the election will be held in mid-May at the latest," Abdourahim Said Bakar, the government spokesman told IRIN. Individual island elections in June 2007 were condemned as fraudulent on Anjouan but were approved on the other islands that make up the Union: Moheli and Grand Comore. Former president of Anjouan's appeals court, Lailizamane Abdou Cheik, was sworn in as the island's interim president on March 31 and appointed his transitional government the following day, Bakar said. "Having a stable government will enable us to start dealing with the island's problems," Bakar added. Picking up the pieces: Poor communications with Anjouan and the need to restore the airport facilities to enable planes to arrive and depart had contributed to a delayed assessment about the situation on the ground, according to the UN Resident Coordinator in Comoros, Opia Mensah Kumah. After access was restored, a recent seven-person fact-finding mission to the island had been undertaken. "Our first mission found severe humanitarian problems," Kumah said, adding that a second mission was being prepared. The regime targeted teachers and doctors because they were talking out loud against him [Mohamed Bacar]. He said that apart from displacement - there have been reports of hundreds fleeing to

111 neighbouring islands and of internal displacement on the island - the mission found healthcare and education were under severe strain… Despite the already poor development indicators prevalent throughout the archipelago, local problems on Anjouan had been compounded by Bacar's oppressive rule, Kumah said. With a population of 700,000, Comoros is one of the poorest and most indebted countries in the world. Incomes have been shrinking in real terms for the past 20 years, down to an average US$633 per capita in 2004. "There is severe malnutrition among children and old people and we have a shortage of medicine, especially to fight malaria," Kumah said. The UN will establish a permanent presence on the island to help with the return the displaced and to assist with other humanitarian issues.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Kagame Awarded Peace And Innovation Award: The New Times (Kigali):2 April 2008.

President Paul Kagame was last evening awarded the Peace and Innovation Award at the ongoing 2008 World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WSIE) in Muscat, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The President was awarded for leading Rwanda to "successful reconciliation through institutionalized power sharing, Gacaca and economic transformation agenda in an innovative way." Senate President Dr. Vincent Biruta who is representing the Head of State at the three-day summit received the award on behalf of the President. Biruta is among others accompanied by the State Minister for Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega. Kagame's award is just the latest in a series of international accolades he has won in the past for particularly lifting Rwanda out of the ashes of the 1994 Genocide to a nation that currently inspires many countries, serving as a model to them in various aspects. The Gacaca system, which is a blend of the Rwandan traditional justice and contemporary justice models, has helped in handling the huge numbers of Genocide suspects within the available meagre resources, while at the same time fostering unity and reconciliation among Rwandans. Although some have criticized Gacaca system, many have praised it, describing it as the best option that would bring about reconciliation in the country. "There is no question that Gacaca is imperfect, but between imperfect options, Gacaca is the better mode. Gacaca is also Rwanda's most hopeful option for reconciliation," Noah Weisbord wrote in International Herald Tribunal in 2003… Designed to foster innovation, development and peace in emerging nations, 2008 WSIE is organized by the Global Leadership Team (GLT) and exclusively presented by Nakheel, one of the world's largest real estate.

• Congo-Kinshasa: Five Year UN Agency Action Plan Launched: United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa):3 April 2008.

In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kinshasa on 3 April 2008, the DRC government and the UN agencies of UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA signed a new five year programme action plan for the country, for the years 2008 to 2012. In attendance for the signing

112 ceremony was the DRC Foreign Affairs Vice Minister Mr. Alain Lubamba, resident UN agency system coordinator Mr. Ross Mountain, as well as the following UN agency country directors: Mr. Adama Guindo (UNDP), Ms. Margaret Agama (UNFPA) and Mr. Tony Bloomberg (UNICEF). The plan of action defines in detail the political and strategic frameworks, as well as the approaches and objectives of the three UN agencies concerned. Mr. Ross Mountain said that the action plan was a continuation of UN involvement in the DRC that dates back to its independence in 1960. "UN agencies are constant partners to the DRC, with 18 UN agencies working closely with the population and the government. Together we will work towards the reconstruction of the country," he said.

23. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Navy Probes Vessel Explosion: This Day (Lagos):4 April 2008.

Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Bodunrin Raji, yesterday said the Navy has set up a Board of Enquiry, to investigate explosion of its vessel in Port Harcourt recently. A vessel belonging to the Navy, exploded last month in Port Harcourt, killing naval personnel and destroying other vessels, leading to speculations that it was an attack from militants. Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the attack. But addressing newsmen in Calabar, at the end of inspection of facilities under his command, the FOC said it was not true that the incident was caused by militants or MEND as claimed. He said preliminary investigation reports showed that the incident was an accident caused by human error and not an attack by any organisation and that the Navy lost three personnel in the accident. Raji said, "it was an accident. It has nothing to do with MEND as claimed. I can confidently say, for now, that people did what they were not supposed to do and that was why the accident occurred. We are working to ensure that people follow laid down routines, so that accidents would be avoided in future.

• Mali: Some Aid Suspend in Kidal Amid Violence: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 3 April 2008.

With fighting on 2 April between Tuareg rebels and government soldiers 20 km south of Kidal on the road to Gao, some aid agencies are suspending activities. "We have put our operations on hold and are watching developments closely before we decide whether or not to close them down altogether,' Patricia Hoorelbeke, head of the non-governmental organisation (NGO)'s Action Contre la Faim, told IRIN on 3 April. It runs a large nutrition programme in the north. Violence escalated on 20 March with rebels breaking the July 2006 peace accord by taking more than 30 Malian soldiers hostage. Rebel leader Ag Bahanga released the soldiers on 27 March and a new ceasefire was signed on 3 April in Triopli, Libya, but aid officials are waiting to see whether the peace will hold. Tuareg militants have been involved in sporadic fighting in the region for decades,

113 demanding autonomy and a larger share of the regions' resources. While some aid agencies in the area have halted their programmes others continue to function…

EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: Al Qaeda Suspects Held: New Vision (Kampala):29 March 2008.

ABOUT 20 people suspected of having links with Al Qaeda have been arrested and questioned by security authorities in Uganda since the beginning of the year. According to security sources, the majority of them have been released and some deported after under-going what security officials described as "thorough screening". "We have a computerised list of the most wanted people who engage in terrorist activities and with links to Al Qaeda. We have nabbed 18 since this year began," said the security source attached to the immigration department at Entebbe Airport. The source said most of the suspects are handed over to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) for questioning. The list, of over 100 most wanted suspects, was released by the US' Federal Bureau of Investigations and Central Intelligence Agency after the September 11, 2001 attack that left over 3,000 dead in the US. Al Qaeda, headed by Osama bin Laden, tops the list of terrorist organisations in the world. The 1998 attacks on the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam were the group's first major operations in East Africa. The majority of the suspected Al Qaeda agents picked by Ugandan security for questioning are said to be from Pakistan, London, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Canada and Ireland. The External Security Organisation (ESO) Deputy Director General, Emmy Allio, on Friday confirmed that some terrorist suspects are held for questioning… Asked to comment on the arrest of London-based Somali national Ali Abdi Hassan, who was arrested in Entebbe Airport as he entered Uganda on February 12, 2008, Mukumbi said: "Leave that issue alone."

• Somalia: 15 Govt Soldiers Killed in Fighting: Garowe Online (Garowe):3 April 2008.

At least 15 Somali government soldiers were killed Thursday when heavily-armed rebels overran a key checkpoint in the central region, reliable sources said. The battle erupted outside the town of 'Adado, in central Somalia's region of Galgadud, at around 6am local time when insurgents attacked a checkpoint outside the town. Sandhere Ali Hosh, a local elder in 'Adado town, confirmed to Garowe Online by telephone that he counted 19 dead bodies, including soldiers and civilians. More than 40 people were wounded during the five-hour battle, whereby the warring sides used heavy weapons including rockets and tanks and locals reported that explosions had rocked villages outside 'Adado. A passenger bus transporting civilians from the capital Mogadishu towards the central town of Galkayo, 750km north, was hit by a shell while drive. Six people inside the bus were wounded and rushed to a hospital in Galkayo, according to villagers. The fighting stopped after insurgents took full control of the town and overran the positions of government troops, residents reported. Col. Dahir Shidane, the commander of the Somali army's central regions brigade, confirmed to

114 reporters that the government side suffered heavy casualties, but did not provide specific numbers. He stated that government troops lost six armored trucks, which insurgents burned inside the town. He accusing the attacking fighters of being fighters loyal to al Shabaab, an Islamist group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government last month. Muktar Robow "Abu Mansur," spokesman for al Shabaab, told a Mogadishu radio station that the al Shabaab fighters had seized control of 'Adado and captured 11 military trucks from fleeing government troops, including tanks. The spokesman did not mention casualties suffered by the Islamist guerrillas, however. Somalia's Islamist fighters are expanding their guerrilla war outside of Mogadishu, where there is a heavy presence of Somali, Ethiopian and African Union troops. In recent weeks, the rebels have attacked and briefly captured more than seven towns, including the capitals of three regions. Insiders say the war is expanding into regions controlled by clans opposed to the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which is recognized by the UN as the country's legitimate government. Since January 2007, the Ethiopian-backed TFG has struggled impose its authority across the country, which disintegrated into sub-units at the onset of the 1991 civil war.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: High Civilian Casualties in Rebel-Govt Crossfire: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 3 April 2008.

Fighting in recent years in eastern Chad between the government and rebels has usually taken place away from civilian populations, but in the latest battle on 1 April more than 50 civilians were killed and injured. "One was a little girl who picked up an unexploded ordinance which then exploded in her face," Jan Peter Stellema, head of mission in Chad for the non-governmental organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), told IRIN. The fighting, which took place in Adé near the border with Sudan, left seven civilians dead and 47 wounded, he said. Medical workers from MSF and the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) treated the injured civilians on the spot in Adé expect for the nine most serious cases which were transferred to facilities at the regional capital Goz Beida.

24. NORTH AFRICA • Tunisia: UN Human Rights Committee in New York Welcomes Country's Progress in the Protection of Human Rights: Tunisia Online (Tunis):2 April 2008.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee relative to civic and political rights, which recently reviewed in New York, Tunisia’s 5 th periodic report, "welcomes progressive Tunisian legal reforms that offered better protection for Human Rights". Tunisia’s position in relation to the death penalty was also hailed by experts sitting on the Committee who "welcomed Tunisia’s commitment to pursue the path towards abolition of the death penalty", adding that "It was a positive sign when a State party to the Covenant took the view formally that it was a de facto abolitionist State ". Tunisia's 5 th periodic report was presented to the UN Human Rights Committee in New York by a

115 high -ranking Tunisian delegation led by the Mr Béchir Tekkari, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights and composed of senior officials, representatives of the civil society and members of the parliament. Mr Tekkari said that " Tunisia had lifted many of its reservations to international human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the elimination of discrimination against women." On the question concerning prison visits, Mr Tekkari noted that "the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) was not the only body that visited the country's detention centres. Indeed, the Supreme Committee on Human Rights visited such centres" adding that "the mindset of prison guards and officials had changed" for the better as a result of this opening up. In relation to Tunisia’s fast evolving legislation, regarding the promotion of Human Rights, one of the experts on the Committee said "that the Committee was pleased to note the progress made regarding the protection of Human Rights and the primacy of international conventions in national legislation, on which jurisprudence had been developed".

• Western Sahara: NRC Launches Report - Turning the Blind Eye on Western Sahara: Norwegian Refugee Council (Oslo): PRESS RELEASE: 1 April 2008.

While the Sahrawis, the original population of the country, suffer oppression and displacement, the international community has chosen to look the other way. While the Sahrawis, the original population of the country, suffer oppression and displacement, the international community has chosen to look the other way. The Norwegian Refugee Council this week launched a new Thematic Report with focus on the conflict in Western Sahara, Africa's last colony. While the Sahrawis, the original population of the country, suffer oppression and displacement, the international community has chosen to look the other way. For over 30 years, more than half of the Sahrawis, the indigenous people of Western Sahara have lived in four isolated refugee camps in Algeria. Their homeland is divided by a Moroccan-built wall, and electronic surveillance, land mines and soldiers keep the population in the occupied areas inside, and shut the refugees out. Families have been separated for decades, and new generations grow up in the camps without ever having seen their homeland. In the occupied territories there are now more Moroccans than Sharawis. The UN has defined Western Sahara as a decolonisation question and in 1975 the International Court of Justice in The Hague rejected Morocco's alleged "historical claim" on Western Sahara. The African Union has recognised Western Sahara and accepted it as a member country, having defined the question of Western Sahara as the right to self-determination. However, what use is it to have the support of the UN and the AU when powerful countries such as France, the US and Spain are either indifferent or actively oppose the legitimate rights of the Sahrawis?

• Egypt: State-Run Satellite Nilesat Blocks Transmission of Alhewar Satellite: Article 19 (London): PRESS RELEASE: 3 April 2008.

116 ARTICLE 19 expresses its concerns regarding the decision taken by the Egyptian state- run satellite "Nilesat," to stop the transmission of Alhewar TV satellite. On 1 April 2008 Nilesat stopped the transmission of Alhewar TV without warning or giving clear reasons for their decision. Alhewar TV, which broadcasts from London, is viewed by thousands of people in the region via the Nilesat satellite. It is known for its credibility, courageous and critical coverage including on social and political issues in Egypt. Earlier this year, at the end of February, Nilesat also blocked the transmission of Al-zawraa and Al-Baraka stations, allegedly at the request of the US Administration. "Such an act is a clear indication of the intention of the Egyptian Government to go ahead with implementation of the Arabic Charter on Satellite endorsed by the Arab information ministers this February. This is the latest in a series of attacks in Egypt against freedom of the press and the free flow of information. Egypt is on a roll. But it is going downhill," says Dr. Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19's executive director. ARTICLE 19 once again strongly condemns the Arabic Charter on Satellite which stands in opposition to Article 32 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights that guarantees the right to information and freedom of expression. ARTICLE 19 would also like to remind Egypt which is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of its obligations and pledges to human rights and freedom of expression in particular. Background: The charter was agreed to on Tuesday, 12 February 2008 at a special meeting of Ministers of Information of the Arab League states in Cairo held at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With the exception of Qatar and Lebanon, member states of the Arab League voted in favour of the non-binding document. Although not legally binding, the document is a symbolic blow to freedom of expression and a regional attempt by Arab governments to restrict satellite TV, the only avenue for free expression in most of the Arab World. The document is particularly dangerous in that it threatens to "withdraw, freeze or not renew the work permits of media which break the regulations." "Stations are required not to offend the leaders or national and religious symbols in the Arab world . . . not to damage social harmony, national unity, public order or traditional values . . . to conform to the religious and ethical values of Arab society and take account of its family structure . . . refrain from broadcasting anything which calls into question God, the monotheistic religions, the prophets, sects or symbols of the various religious communities . . . and protect Arab identity from the harmful effects of globalization," are just some of the vague provisions prevalent in the document, which if implemented will inevitably mute all forms of political expression and hinder the only avenue for free expression in the region - satellite TV.

• Tunisia: Comedian Released After Two Months' Imprisonment for Imitating President Ben Ali: International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE: 3 April 2008.

OLPEC welcomes the release of Tunisian comedian Hedi Ouled Baballah on 20 March 2008 on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the country's independence. The comedian received (vs. a conditional release after two months' imprisonment. Ouled Baballah was arrested at a highway checkpoint on 14 January and taken to Ben Arous (suburb of Tunis) police station. He was charged with "possession of a classified narcotic substance" and sentenced by the court of first instance of Ben Arous to one

117 year in prison and a fine of 1,000 dinars (approx. US$800). At his 4 February court hearing, Ouled Baballah denied any knowledge of the drug and referred to a police conspiracy against him following his latest sketch. This hypothesis seemed the most likely, according to freedom of expression non-governmental organisations, based on the fact that the comedian had just produced an audacious sketch in a private location in which he imitated President Ben Ali. This sketch circulated widely in Tunisia via a cell phone recording. Ouled Baballah had previously been arrested and detained for three days and beaten in the police station in March 2007 following the production of a first sketch, also in a private location, where he imitated President Ben Ali. Artists and celebrities around the world were by his arrest and demanded his release.

• Mauritania: Moves Towards Political Empowerment for Women: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 1 April 2008.

Mauritania is often held up as a beacon when it comes to the proportion of women elected to political office - a 20 percent minimum quota was instituted in 2006 - but experts told IRIN once in power many women are still sidelined from taking important political decisions. "While the quota is a major step forward, changing the situation of Mauritanian women is still a slow process because their colleagues discourage them from leading on issues," Aminettou Mint Ely, head of the local non- governmental organisation (NGO) Association of Women (AFCF), told IRIN. "As a result, many of these women cannot fight to overturn discriminatory laws in the country... such as those barring working women from claiming a pension, or paying elected women less than men for the same posts," she said. In the 2007 municipal council elections, women were voted into 37 percent of seats - or 1,120 out of 3,688 - and 18 percent of parliamentarians are women, but women make up just out of 27 ministers. Even this marks progress - while Mauritania ranks 111 out of 128 countries on the World Economic Forum's 2007 global gender gap index, when it comes to political empowerment its ranking rises to 74 partly because of its efforts to boost women's presence in government. Starting point: Mahnaz Afkhami, president of the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP), thinks quotas are a good starting point. "Of the 13 countries globally with the highest proportion of women in government, all have implemented quotas," she told IRIN."But they are not the end-goal... Alongside them, we also need to break down cultural stigmas and train these women to become good leaders." Kadiata Malick Diallo, deputy in the National Assembly who has been involved in Mauritanian political life for 30 years, said that while the president may endorse the quota, not all male members of parliament are on board. By way of example, she told IRIN: "People often overlook women when they choose members to form permanent standing committees." Creating strong leaders: But for Hildegard Schoerry, good governance adviser with German development agency GTZ, the problem also comes down to a skills shortage. "In 2007 most elected women in municipal councils were illiterate... as were many of the men." These women were not used to speaking out or making decisions publicly. Next steps: The next goal, for Diallo, is to see the quota extended beyond elected office to other influential arenas such as the civil service and the judiciary. And when these quotas are reached, she hopes the goalposts will shift again. "The 20 percent quota is a milestone, but our ultimate goal is equality," she told

118 IRIN. To change things on this scale they will need the endorsement of powerful men across the political and religious spectrum, said Schoerry. They have made some headway on that front - Muslim leaders have already officially endorsed the quota by declaring the Koran does not forbid women from taking political office… But for WLP's Afkhami, before they focus on expanding the numbers, they need to make sure the leaders that are in place are up to the job…"We need to train these women to be democratic, principle-based communicative leaders," she told IRIN, "in order to build what we want - an inclusive democratic process in Mauritania."

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119 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: April 15, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From April 6 to April 12, 2008

THE HEADLINES 1. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Chinese Firm Begins Gold Mining: This Day (Lagos): 10 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Country Showcases Industry, Culture to Mark 10 Years: of China Ties: Business Day (Johannesburg): 9 April 2008. • Angola: China's Role in Reconstruction Highlighted: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 9 April 2008. • Angola: Energy Takes Much of China Loan: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008. • Angola: Chinese Technology Cheaper – Minister: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Alarm Over Chinese Lead-Smelting Plant: Business Daily (Nairobi): 9 April 2008. • Kenya: Firm Upbeat Over Oil Exploration: The Nation (Nairobi): 12 April 2008. • Kenya: China Eyes Idle Farmland in Country: Business Daily (Nairobi): 6 April 2008. • Kenya: CFC Bets On China Ties to Join Top League: Business Daily (Nairobi): 9 April 2008.

120 2. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: Population Set to Double By 2036:Concord Times (Freetown):INTERVIEW: 9 April 2008. • Africa: Continent And India Demand Action to Rein in Oil Price Hike: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008. • Africa: Agric, Energy, Security to Dominate India-Africa Summit: This Day (Lagos): 8 April 2008. • Ghana: India Turns Towards Africa: Accra Mail (Accra): 10 April 2008. • Africa: IFC and World Bank Organize Health in Africa Forums to Support Health Sector April 14 to May 5, 2008:World Bank: Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008. • Africa: African Leaders Responsible for Poor Health Status – Lawan: Leadership (Abuja): 10 April 2008. • Africa: Groups Oppose World Bank's Proposed Climate Funds: Friends of the Earth (London): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

Africa: Botswana - Continent's Shining Star?: New Era (Windhoek): 9 April 2008. Africa: Meeting to Focus On Continent's High Food, Fuel Prices: BuaNews (Tshwane): 11 April 2008. Africa: Writers Urge for Protection of Languages: BuaNews (Tshwane): 10 April 2008. Africa: A New Philanthro-Capitalist Alliance in Continent? :Fahamu (Oxford): 11 April 2008. Africa: India, Continent Pledge to Expand Co-Operation: BuaNews (Tshwane): 9 April 2008. Africa: Continent, India Agree On Framework of Cooperation: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): 10 April 2008. Africa: USTR Lauds Progress by Comesa on Regional Economic Integration: United States Trade Representative:(Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Africa: United States Wants Stable Continent: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008. • Africa: Global Output Totals $59 Trillion - Developing Countries Have Increasing Share, Says World Bank: World Bank Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

121 • Uganda: India Starts Free Trade for Poor Countries: New Vision (Kampala): 8 April 2008. • Africa: Why Rush to the Continent?: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): EDITORIAL: 10 April 2008. • Africa: Federation Allocates $43.5 Million to Tackle Food Security in 15 Countries: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 10 April 2008. • Uganda: Stronger Relation With Asia Good: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008. 3. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Chad: Senegal Changes Law to Allow Habre's Trial: The Nation (Nairobi): 10 April 2008. • Ghana: Stranded West African Victims of Human Rights Abuses: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008. • Gambia: Remembering April 10th And 11th, 2000 - A Flagrant Abuse of the Right to Life And Dignity: Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina): 10 April 2008. • Sierra Leone: Club of Madrid Wants More Women in Politics: Concord Times (Freetown): 11 April 2008. • Nigeria: 'Women Empowerment in IT Necessary for MDGs': This Day (Lagos): 10 April 2008. • Nigeria: 'Cyber Crime's Nigeria's Weakest Link in Global Security': This Day (Lagos): 11 April 2008. • Sierra Leone: Human Traffickers Infiltrate State Organs: Concord Times (Freetown): 9 April 2008. • Nigeria: FG to Mainstream Gender Equality Into Environment Management: Leadership (Abuja): 9 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Woza Protest At Bulawayo High Court Over Results Delay: SW Radio Africa (London): 9 April 2008. • Southern Africa: Last Chance for SADC to Tackle Crisis: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008. • South Africa: Zuma Seeks New Approach: Business Day (Johannesburg): 11 April 2008. • Swaziland: Every Third Woman Sexually Abused As a Child, Says Report: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 April 2008. • Botswana: Women Urged to Seek Political Office: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): 10 April 2008.

122 EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Hoteliers Join War Against Child Sex Pests: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. • Kenya: Special Security Unit to Monitor Drug Trafficking: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. • Uganda: 200 Girls Defiled in Kumi: New Vision (Kampala): 9 April 2008. • Ethiopia: Bride-Price Key in Increasing Rate of Rape: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 10 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Media Women Challenged: The Post (Buea): 11 April 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Interior Minister Asked to Intervene in Case of Newspaper Editor And Assistant: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Mass Graves Found in Bas-Congo, Rights Group Claims: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 11 April 2008. 4. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

WEST AFRICA • Ghana: Postponed Deportations of Liberians Over Refugee Status: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Flood Victims to Be Relocated Permanently: New Era (Windhoek): 10 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Refugees Fear Mugabe's Wrath: Cape Argus (Cape Town): 8 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: UN Says Humanitarian Situation Worsening Faster Than Expected: UN News Service (New York): 11 April 2008. • Kenya: Talks Deadlock Could Slow IDP Returns – Officials: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: Plight of Displaced in Chad, Central African Republic Worries Security Council: UN News Service (New York): 9 April 2008. • Chad: Fire Sweeps Through Refugee Camp in East - 3,000 Homeless: United Nations High Commission for Refugees (Geneva): 11 April 2008.

123 • Congo-Kinshasa: UN Envoy Calls On Parties to Implement Commitments in Kivus: UN News Service (New York): 7 April 2008. 5. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Burkina Faso: Meningitis Epidemics in Vaccinated Areas: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 10 April 2008. • Benin: Young Faces Eaten Away By Ignorance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 11 April 2008. • Mali: Inoculations Get Booster From Brazilian Vaccine, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008. • Nigeria: Sokoto Confirms 90 Deaths Due to Measles, Meningitis: Leadership (Abuja): 9 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: New Sex Journal for Youth: New Era (Windhoek): 10 April 2008. • Angola: Moxico - HIV/Aids Concerns Authorities: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008. • Angola: Huíla - Cholera Kills 14 People: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 10 April 2008. • Botswana: Bonepwa to Stage Mr 2008 HIV Positive Living Pageant: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): 9 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Cholera Alert As Disease Spreads to 16 Districts: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. • Kenya: 59 Die of Cholera in Five Months: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. • Uganda: Govt Should Be Honest About HIV/Aids: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Brazzaville: Climate Change Linked to Spread of Disease: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 April 2008. • Cameroon: Resistance - The Price For Insufficient Vaccination: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé): 9 April 2008. 6. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Dead Baby Trees By the Millions As Reforestation Fails: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008.

124 • Ghana: Lessons From Climate Change: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008. • Sierra Leone: Heavy Storm Destroys SLMB School in Bo: Concord Times (Freetown): 10 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: WHO Drafts Climate Change Action Plan: The Herald (Harare): 10 April 2008. • Namibia: Plants in Sperrgebiet Area At Risk: The Namibian (Windhoek): 10 April 2008. • Mauritius: Slowing Deforestation May Be Worth $Billions: L'Express (Port Louis): 8 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Ethiopia: Nearly $68 Million Sought to Aid Drought Victims – UN:UN News Service (New York): 11 April 2008. • Kenya: Nakuru in Plans to Recycle Lead: The Nation (Nairobi): 10 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Torrential Rains Kill 15 And Leave Hundreds Homeless: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008. 7. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Romanian Coy to Establish Refineries in Delta, Lagos: Leadership (Abuja): 11 April 2008. • Nigeria: Irate Community Chases Out Shell Officials: Vanguard (Lagos): 11 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Mozambique: Country to Expand Production of Natural Gas: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo): 11 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Douala/Kribi-Campo Basin - Over 15.7 billion for Oil Exploration in Matanda: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé): 11 April 2008. 8. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: EFCC Probes Past Govts On $500bn Oil Revenue: Vanguard (Lagos): 11 April 2008.

125 • Nigeria: EFCC Seeks Abolition of Multiple Banks Accounts: Vanguard (Lagos): 9 April 2008. 9. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA • West Africa: Ecowas Convention On Small Arms Zooms: The Analyst (Monrovia): 9 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Rallies Banned As Mugabe Boycotts Summit:allAfrica.com: 11 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Pahad Calls for Poll Results As SADC Gathers: Business Day (Johannesburg): 11 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Three ZEC Officials Convicted, Fined: The Herald (Harare): 11 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Amnesty International Calls For Immediate End to Political Violence: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008. • Angola: Africa Insight - Country's MPLA Hits the Campaign Trail Months to Elections: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: President And Raila Move to End Tension: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Parliament Extends President Paul Biya's Rule for Life: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. 10. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Govt Imposes Curfew: Leadership (Abuja): 10 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: Peace Deal Put Off As Kony Fires Matsanga: The Monitor (Kampala): 12 April 2008. • Uganda: Rebel Chief Refuses to Sign Peace Deal: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008. • Uganda: U.S. Rules Out Africom Base in Country: The Monitor (Kampala): 11 April 2008.

126 • Sudan: UN and African Union Envoys for Darfur Crisis Hold Talks in Southern Sudan: UN News Service (New York): 9 April 2008. • Somalia: 5 Ethiopian Soldiers Killed in Mogadishu Roadside Bomb: Garowe Online (Garowe): 9 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Canadian Parliament Adopts Rwanda Genocide Day: The New Times (Kigali): 10 April 2008. 11. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA • Gambia: Govt Ratifies Anti-Terrorism Bill: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 4 April 2008.

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Islamists Quit Town a Day After Capture: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008. • Somalia: Explosion Rocks Somaliland Parliament Building: Garowe Online (Garowe): 9 April 2008. 12.NORTH AFRICA

• Mauritania: Two Killed in Police Raid Against Islamists: The Nation (Nairobi): 9 April 2008. • King Mohamed VI Launches Thermo-Solar Energy Plant in Morocco: African Development Bank (Tunis): SPONSOR WIRE: 5 April 2008. • Egypt: U.S. Photographer Arrested, His Interpreter Still Detained: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008. • Tunisia: Authorities Seize Three Issues of Opposition Newspaper: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 8 April 2008. • Tunisia: Opening of a Direct Shipping Sea Line Between Radès And Casablanca: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 4 April 2008. • Tunisia: 'Tunisia Has Achieved Great Progress' Says Latest EU Report: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 4 April 2008. ------.

The Report in Detail

12. CHINA ‐AFRICA RELATIONS

127 WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Chinese Firm Begins Gold Mining: This Day (Lagos): 10 April 2008.

With a 1billion Naira investment, a Chinese company arrived at Osun State yesterday, to commence exploration and mining of the rich gold deposit in the state. The Yan Tai Non - ferrous Metal Company of Shanghai, China, led by its Chairman, Zhang Jin Bin, told Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola in his office in , that the company was in Osun to commence business. Oyinlola, during his numerous trips to China, called for foreign technical participation in the mining of the Gold deposits in Osun, for which the state government already has a licence. The Company spokeman said its previous trip to Osun State's gold mine and various analyses it conducted on samples it took to China, convinced it that it should start "100 per cent business," in Osun State. He said the seriousness of the governor on the agreement earlier signed and the hospitality displayed by the people during an earlier visit, were pointers to the fact that the company could do business with Osun State. "We are not here to find out whether there is gold or not. We are here to do business. We have come with engineers and other staff with the necessary equipment. In the next one and a half years, the company plans to commit about N1 billion into the project," he said. The company's General Manager, Mr Wang Ping, said the company would recruit local people as staff, who would be given local as well as overseas training in China, to be adequately empowered to function optimally. In his response, Oyinlola, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade expressed delight at the decision of the company to start business immediately in the state.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Country Showcases Industry, Culture to Mark 10 Years: of China Ties: Business Day (Johannesburg): 9 April 2008.

THE government has launched a series of events aimed at promoting domestic tourism and priority industries in China, in a bid to increase trade relations which currently favour the Asian giant. The trade promotion comes as China takes centre stage ahead of the Olympic Games in August. Activists on Monday nearly derailed the Olympic torch relay in a protest at Beijing's poor human rights record and its policy of selling arms and buying oil from countries such as Sudan. Khartoum is accused of backing atrocities in Darfur. Agriculture Minister Lulama Xingwana officiated at the first SA Week in China in the capital of Guangdong Province on Monday night. The promotion, which will continue until Saturday, coincides with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The foreign affairs department said yesterday the SA Week concept will also be hosted in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing later this year… Chinese President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to SA in February last year as part of an eight-nation African tour to promote trade and cultural ties.

128 • Angola: China's Role in Reconstruction Highlighted: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 9 April 2008.

The deputy chairman of the Executive Council of Angola Strategic Study Centre (CEEA), col. Correia de Barros, praised the involvement of China in the reconstruction and development of the country, stating that this participation is opportune. Speaking to Angop on Tuesday, in Luanda, the official stressed the fact that the Chinese contribution comes at this time of peace, due to their different ways of working as compared with other countries. According to the Angolan Armed Forces officer, the Chinese presence in the country is useful. "The Chinese have come to extend their support at a moment Angola needs to be re-built, especially after the achievement of peace." De Barros added that CEEA will hold its 4th conference on April 10 this year under the motto "China - A precious partner, although polemic and mysterious", with the aim of gathering opinions linked to the "China Dossier", and to explain local people about their participation in the development of Angola and national reconstruction process. The conference will take place due to constant rumours about the Chinese workers and their participation in the development of the national economy, Correia de Barros, stated…

• Angola: Energy Takes Much of China Loan: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008.

Angolan Finance minister, José Pedro de Morais, said Thursday in Luanda that the two billion US Dollars credit from China of 2004 has mainly benefited the sector of energy and waters as well as education. During his address at the 4th conference of the cycle named "Angola: realities of today and perspectives of tomorrow", the minister said the sectors of energy and water as well as education have taken 18 to 20 percent of the global amount of the first loan from China…. According to him, the sectors of health and agriculture have also been allotted 12 and 10 percent of the whole amount, respectively. However, the minister added that another credit line of Usd 500 million was negotiated in 2007, the benefits of which have gone to the sectors of health with 31 percent, education (28) and telecommunications with 13. The minister stated as well that the sectors of public works took 11 percent while energy and water absorbed 10 percent and eight percent went for the fisheries. On the other hand, José Pedro de Morais said that an additional two billion US Dollars loan was negotiated in 2007, adding that the amount is still to be used as the areas absorbing it are yet to be established.

• Angola: Chinese Technology Cheaper – Minister: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008.

Angolan Finance minister, José Pedro de Morais, said Thursday in Luanda that Chinese companies participating in the reconstruction of the county's infrastructures are competitively advantageous as compared with others in the market, as they provide technology at lower costs. Speaking at the end of the conference on "China: a precious partner, though polemic and mysterious", held and promoted by Angola Strategic Studies Centre (CEEA), the government official said that besides low cost technology, Chinese

129 companies have been bringing materials and workmanship at lower costs as compared with other companies. Concerning massive entry of Chinese employees in Angola, the minister explained that they are in the country for a temporary period, leaving as soon as they end their works. According to Pedro de Morais, competition between Chinese and Angolan manpower shouldn't be talked about, because the Government is not looking for temporary jobs for nationals… According to the minister, the Government has invited the Chinese to rebuild infrastructures and create a wide productive basis to help Angolans to have a permanent job. The creation of permanent jobs for Angolans, he said, comes as a result from an economic growth that has been triggered by the reconstruction of infrastructures, mostly carried out by Chinese companies…He emphasised that the result of advantageous cooperation with China is visible as high schools, hospitals, roads and bridges are being inaugurated, giving more opportunities of employment to teachers, trained health technicians and activity sectors. The Finance minister said that the Government follows the purpose of a sustainable recovery of basic infrastructures, which requires time and easy credit terms. "We need very cheap technology, wherever it is, the Government goes there to get it…”

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Alarm Over Chinese Lead-Smelting Plant: Business Daily (Nairobi): 9 April 2008.

Thirty days before its official launch, a new multi-million shilling Chinese factory in Nakuru town is already causing jitters and attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. It is a lead smelting factory. Lead, a toxic metal is present in the air, soil and water, and international health efforts have in recent decades struggled to reduce environmental levels by taking it out and avoiding more environmental contamination. From the start, Xhianghui International (Kenya) Limited, which has quietly been setting up its premises at Nakuru's industrial area appeared headed for a gigantic battle with environmentalists over what is seen as poor environmental standards so far adopted by the firm. Scientists blame the metal for rising cancer cases and many countries have banned leaded fuel. When Business Daily visited the company's construction site recently, most buildings had been completed and the smelting plant was being installed. Although the company is set to start operations in May, a heap of used batteries lying in the compound shows that the company is ready to hit the road much sooner… It was not immediately clear the reason the proprietors preferred Nakuru as the company's base, but the manner in which the firm found its way to Kenya's fourth largest town is already raising eyebrows. The firm allegedly got the Nakuru Municipal Council's approval to set up in the town early last year, but its operations have been shrouded in mystery. Even the factory premises are behind tall perimeter walls… But the local authority's director for environment, Simon Kiarie, said the firm was given the green light by the council's planning and development sub- committee, which was disbanded last year… The authority is also said to have complained that the firm's compound was too small to allow the construction of a mini- effluent treatment system that would ensure that acid water discharged from the process was treated before it is released into the town's sewer. Nema requires buildings such as the recycling plant in Nakuru to undergo thorough environmental impact assessment by

130 an independent professional body, which must make its findings public to the stakeholders. Prof Karanja Njoroge of Greenbelt Movement who first raised the red flag over the plant's construction within a residential area claimed stakeholders in Nakuru were not informed about the company's operations. "Lead is a highly poisonous gas which cannot be tolerated anywhere near a residential area or human food. Why would anybody license a smelter in a place where it poses obvious danger to the public?" he asked… A voracious appetite for lead, especially in Asian countries like China and Malaysia where the metal drives growth in the fast growing automobile industry, has spawned lead export to those countries. However, the International Automobile Manufacturers Association (IAMA) has been mounting campaigns to boycott products produced from countries which smelt lead under risky conditions… Two years ago, the world dropped leaded gasoline in favour of the unleaded ones to minimise risks associated with the poisonous metal. But environmentalists insist that the risk posed by leaded fuel would be minimal compared to the damage that a lead smelter built carelessly in a residential area would pose to humans. Over 50 per cent of the lead produced worldwide has been recycled and is known as secondary lead. Much of the secondary lead comes from lead batteries with the remainder coming from other sources such as lead pipes and sheets. Lead acid battery, invented by the physician Gaston Plant in 1859, remains the oldest but still most preferred rechargeable battery in existence. It continues to dominate the market almost 150 years since its invention as the world is yet to come up with other cost effective alternatives for use in cars, wheel chairs, scooters, Golf carts and UPS. Last weekend, Nobel Prize laureate Prof Wangari Maathai toured the Nakuru site and promised to issue a comprehensive statement later… Mr Gikaria said Nakuru Municipal council would look for ways of having the firm in Nakuru without posing health risks to the residents. One of the options he alluded to was for the council to persuade the proprietors relocate to a safer spacious zone within the municipality. He would however not say whether the proprietor would be compensated the millions of shillings already spent in the construction of their highly contested premises.

• Kenya: Firm Upbeat Over Oil Exploration: The Nation (Nairobi): 12 April 2008.

The Chinese company exploring for oil in Isiolo District has intensified its search in two wells which have shown some promise. A senior petroleum geologist in the Ministry of Energy, Mr Hudson Andambi, said China National Offshore Oil Corporation had intensified its search in the Duma-1 and Ndovu-1 wells. "Oil and gas shows are encouraging indicators for the presence of the source rocks from which the two originated," said Mr Andambi…

• Kenya: China Eyes Idle Farmland in Country: Business Daily (Nairobi): 6 April 2008.

Chinese investors, who have lately gained a strong presence in Kenya's telecoms and heavy industry, are now eyeing the country's farmland as a source of useful raw materials and employment opportunity. Several thousand acres of land outside Nairobi

131 are unused and could be turned into farms planted with wheat, corn and pineapples, says Liu Jianjun, chairman of the China-Africa Baoding Business Council, an organisation that sets up negotiations with African governments for Chinese investments. He also wants to open a new corn flour processing factory in Kenya and raise donkeys on the grassland to supply donkey hides that can be turned into Chinese medicine. The plans are far from approval. Kenya is still not open enough to foreign investors, explained Mr Liu in his temporary office in a Beijing hotel room. But he is determined for China to get more than just minerals out of African earth. Chinese farmers can also earn a living off the continent's farmland, he says. Widespread industrialisation in China has already encouraged millions of farmers to migrate to cities to take up factory jobs. But there are not enough jobs to go round for the millions more that will lose their land when rapidly developing cities swallow up still more farms. The solution is an easy one. Chinese farmers should move to Africa where frequent food shortages would reward those with modern farming techniques, says Mr Liu. "Lots of land in Kenya is not farmed and yet it still receives food aid from the UN. At the same time, China faces a shortage of farmland," he told Business Daily. Chinese farmers have already been successful in Uganda which has leased an area of about 10,000 acres to around 300-400 Chinese. They grow corn and other crops and employ hundreds of local workers… For centuries, millions of Chinese have emigrated around the world to search for better opportunities and to improve their children's prospects. With China's government repeatedly citing its strong relationship with Africa in recent years, many have been persuaded to try their luck on the continent, despite their nervousness about tropical disease and civil wars. The head of China's Export-Import Bank, Li Ruogu, has even publicly pledged his support for Chinese farmers migrating to Africa. In a speech last year in Chongqing, a central Chinese city believed to be one of the fastest growing urban areas in the world, he said that more than 12 million farmers from the surrounding region will have to leave their land by 2020. Finding work in Africa would be easier than finding a new job at home, he suggested… Even without government support, many farmers say they can improve their incomes in Africa. In Uganda, Chinese farmers earn more from their crops than they would at home, says Mr Li. "Chinese prices for crops are not so high because we export but in Uganda they import a lot of food so you can get better prices." Tomatoes sell for just 6 yuan (Sh53) per kg in Beijing markets while potatoes and cucumber sell for half that. Prices in Kenya are significantly higher… A Kenyan cornflour factory could make $0.8 (Sh49.60) per 500g compared with just $0.1 (Sh6.20) in China, said Mr Liu. A bigger Chinese presence in Kenya's farming community still depends on government policies towards investment however. Mr Liu complains that foreigners leasing land are taxed 50 per cent of their profits made on the land, a prohibitive cost. It is also more difficult for Chinese to get visas for Kenya than Uganda although some arrive via the Ugandan border. "China is richer than Africa but still welcomes foreign investment. I'd like more African countries to open up to more investment."

• Kenya: CFC Bets On China Ties to Join Top League: Business Daily (Nairobi): 9 April 2008.

132 Newly merged financial services group CFC Stanbic Holdings is betting on its new Chinese connections to enter the league of Kenya's top banks measured by revenue. Mr Madabhushi Soundararajan, the new CFC Stanbic Holdings group managing director, reckons that the firm hopes to benefit from the growing deal pipeline that is brimming with the multi billion shilling investments China is making in Africa. The firm is also positioning to boost its revenues as a result of Kenya's increasing trade ties with China and India. CFC Stanbic Holdings' ambition to have a stranglehold on the China-linked deals arises from ICBC Bank's recent acquisition of a 20 per cent stake in Standard Group of South Africa. Standard Group South Africa has just completed the process of acquiring a 60 per cent shareholding in CFC Stanbic Holdings following last week's approval of the deal by the South African Reserve Bank. Through the merged group's parent company-Standard Bank of South Africa, the ICBC Bank of China indirectly holds a 12 per cent stake in CFC Stanbic Holdings. Mr Soundararajan said the merged bank hopes to facilitate transactions worth "billions of dollars" between Kenya and China using these new ties. ICBC is a state owned Chinese bank and is naturally expected to play a lead facilitator's role for all Chinese government's transactions abroad. Kenya's bilateral trade with China stood at Sh31.3 billion (about $500 million), according to the 2006 official government economic survey figures. More recently, Chinese contractors have also won big local government and private contracts valued at more than Sh15 billion as the emerging eastern power continues to exert its economic influence in Africa… Standard Bank Group is already the biggest financial services firm in Africa, with operations spanning 18 African countries and 20 more countries outside Africa. Mr Soundararajan said that the merger was unlikely result in any job losses, but could in fact see the group increase its' staff level from the current 1,000 to over 1,200 by the end of the year. Besides banking, the group will also offer general and life insurance, asset management and stockbrokerage services.

13. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: Population Set to Double By 2036: Concord Times (Freetown): INTERVIEW: 9 April 2008.

Africa's population is growing at twice the rate of other regions. In the following interview, John May, a demographer at the World Bank, discusses the effects of population growth on Africa's development agenda and what the Bank is doing in response.

What is rapid population growth? JM: The sub-Saharan population is growing at the rate of 2.5 percent per year as compared to 1.2 percent in Latin America and Asia. At that rate, Africa's population would double in 28 years. The reason for the fast population increase in Africa is the rapid decline in infant and child mortality, whilst fertility levels have remained high and are decreasing only slowly. Today, African women bear 5.5 children on average during their lifetime, except in Southern Africa. The key issue is the lag between the infant and child mortality decline, on the one hand, and

133 the fertility decline, on the other. The AIDS epidemic, despite all the development problems it brings to Africa, will not fundamentally change the demographic equation. For the first time in about two decades, the U.N. Population Division estimates that no one African country will experience a negative population rate of growth as a result of HIV/AIDS. This is because programs on HIV/AIDS are showing some results and estimates about the epidemic have been recalculated downwards. However, successes are still fragile and should not lead us to be complacent. Why is rapid population growth a challenge for sub-Saharan Africa? JM: It's a challenge for three major reasons. First, rapid population growth puts a lot of stress on ecosystems. Many different issues such as food security, land tenure, environmental degradation and water supply do have a demographic background. Civil strife is also often caused by population pressure on scarce resources. Secondly, rapid population growth impacts on the economy because governments need to provide human capital investments for their population -- education, health, etc. When population grows too fast such investments become logistically and financially very difficult to meet. In addition, rapid population growth may slow down the increase of income per capita. For example, if your economy expands at six percent per year but your population at three percent, your revenue per capita will expand at only three percent. The third issue is linked to the health of women and their children as well as the status of women in society. Pregnancies that are too early, too late and too many are not conducive to good health outcomes. African women used to space their children through abstinence and breastfeeding but these factors are now eroding because of urbanization and new lifestyles, whereas modern contraception has not yet replaced these traditional birth spacing methods. Why has it been so difficult to discuss these issues in Africa? JM: African elites have long had the perception that rapid population growth was not an issue because of the vastness of Africa, abundance of resources, relatively low population densities and, more recently, the threat of HIV/AIDS. In addition, the fact that Africa has suffered in the past from the slave trade and from colonization, which have also had major demographic impacts has also played a role in public perception. More recently, other pressing issues have surfaced as well, such as humanitarian crises, good governance and concerns about climate change; rapid population issues were not on the radar. The good news is this is gradually changing. Can you give us some examples of population programs and how they work? JM: The experience of Asia and Latin America has shown that female education, legal reform and access to family planning services have made a difference in many countries. Family planning programs alone have been able to reduce fertility by about one child per woman. Economic and social development is of course the best contraceptive but contraceptives are also good for development. This means that efforts to trigger a decline in fertility have to be holistic. A lot depends also on the level of commitment of the leadership. Tunisia, for example, started in the 1960s on a bold program that included huge strides in female education, provision of family planning and legal reform that have proven to be visionary. Tunisia at the time had a fertility level which was higher than most African countries today, and now has reached replacement level fertility, which is 2.1 children per woman…

• Africa: Continent And India Demand Action to Rein in Oil Price Hike: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008.

134 Africa and India have jointly demanded urgent global intervention to rein in the crude oil price hike, which they said was hurting their economies. Summing up the conclusions of the historic Indo-African partnership Forum held in Delhi, African Union (AU) Chairman and President of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete said if the situation was allowed to persist, all the economic growth gains they have achieved risked being reversed. He said it was therefore their common position that this should be quickly brought to the attention of the international institutions of political and economic governance including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Another issue of concern that also required to be addressed was escalating food prices, he said… President John Agyekum Kufuor was among the 14 African Leaders, who attended the two-day meeting designed to help to fashion out a comprehensive framework to guide the economic cooperation between Africa and India into the future. The AU Chairman said to help Africa to address its supply side constraints in order to take advantage of the zero-tariff, quota-free access to the Indian market, as announced by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, the Continent needed to be supported with more investments from India. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ugandan President Yoweri Musevini and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia also attended the summit. The Leaders of the various Regional Economic Communities on the Continent as well as the President of the AU Commission, Professor Alpha Konare were present. The Forum comes at a time when the world's most powerful economies are jostling to establish a strong presence in Africa. India, an emerging economic powerhouse, presently, trades with Africa to the tune of about 30 billion dollars. A declaration adopted by the Leaders called on members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to implement duty-free and quota-free market access for all products coming from the Least Developed Countries… Meanwhile, President Kufuor has inaugurated a Jubilee House built for Ghana's Mission in Delhi. It would accommodate the Deputy Head of the Mission.

• Africa: Agric, Energy, Security to Dominate India-Africa Summit: This Day (Lagos): 8 April 2008.

As the first forum of India-Africa Leaders opens this morning in New Delhi, India, challenges posed by agriculture, human resources development, telecommunications and Internet technology as well as climatic change and energy security will dominate the talks…Leaders of 14 African countries namely Algeria, Burkina Faso, Congo DR, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and chairperson of the African Union Commission are participating in the summit with India leaders. Anand said the idea of the summit was mooted in 2006 in a bid by the two blocks to deepen their engagement on a structured basis and that leaders of African Union pre-selected the African countries participating at the summit. Answering questions from journalists, Anand said India would support any country chosen by Africa for permanent membership of United Nation's Security Council… On speculations that India's engagement with Africa was fired by an unspoken rivalry with China, which had moved far ahead in its relationship with Africa,

135 Anand said those bandying such information were sceptics, "who are un-informed about an age-long relationship between India and Africa. They should go back to history and read about years of shared struggle for colonialism and imperialism between India and Africa"… He also spoke specifically on the Pan-Africa e-Project, which India is sponsoring to help sub-Saharan Africa bridge the technological gap.

• Ghana: India Turns Towards Africa: Accra Mail (Accra): 10 April 2008.

Chinese expansionism in the African Indian Ocean Rim is a principal factor spurring India to massively strengthen its involvement in the region, pursuing defence and commercial engagement with countries such as the Seychelles, Mauritius and Mozambique, says a new paper by Chatham House. The first ever India Africa summit opened in New Delhi on Tuesday 8 April and marks a step change in Indian engagement with Africa across economic, political and social spheres. Increasingly it is China, rather than Pakistan that worries New Delhi's policy makers. In 2007 India warned Beijing about its increasing activity in the Seychelles and at the same time opened a new surveillance installation in Madagascar - indicating the importance of the Indian Ocean as New Delhi's own backyard. The Indian Ocean has immense significance to India's development - not only commercially but also due to concerns over its security and hegemony in the region. Most of India's trade is by sea and nearly 89% of its oil arrives by sea, so keeping shipping lanes safe is a strategic priority. India has developed a formidable economic partnership with Mauritius, because of its strong Indian population but also because it is the largest offshore investor in India. Economic links to coastal states such as Kenya and Tanzania, and defence agreements with Mozambique and the Seychelles all point to the growing significance of the African Indian Ocean Rim in Indian foreign policy.

• Africa: IFC and World Bank Organize Health in Africa Forums to Support Health Sector April 14 to May 5, 2008:World Bank: Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008.

IFC and the World Bank are organizing five Health in Africa Forums to discuss how they can better support the health sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. The meetings will be held from April 14 to May 5, 2008, as follows:

• Yaoundé, Cameroon (Monday, April 14, 2008) • Dakar, Senegal (Thursday, April 17, 2008) • Lagos, Nigeria (Monday, April 28, 2008) • Johannesburg, South Africa (Wednesday, April 30, 2008) • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (Monday, May 5, 2008)

IFC recently released The Business of Health in Africa: Partnering with the Private Sector to Improve People’s Lives, a report that highlights the private sector’s role and ways in which it can be engaged in increasing quality and access to health care for millions of Africans. IFC’s efforts form a key part of the World Bank Group’s

136 broader health, nutrition, and population strategies. The forums will help build support for IFC’s health strategy from a broad range of stakeholders, bringing together lenders and experts to discuss business opportunities and regulatory barriers. Panel discussions with representatives from the private and public health sectors will be followed by sessions on financing, operations, and regulatory issues of service provision, risk pooling, medical education, life sciences manufacturing, distribution, and retail. IFC, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will chair the panels. Guy Ellena, IFC Director for Health and Education, said, “This is an excellent opportunity for IFC and the World Bank to hear from health operators, investors, and other stakeholders about the kinds of issues they face and what we can do to help increase development impact and our ability to reach the poor.”(Visit http://www.ifc.org/healthinafrica.)

• Africa: African Leaders Responsible for Poor Health Status – Lawan: Leadership (Abuja): 10 April 2008.

Lack of commitment and insincerity of African leaders has been linked to the continued staggering poor health indices, plaguing the continent. Minister of labour and health, Dr. Hassan Lawal said in spite of the fact that Africa has benefited from foreign grants to solve its health problems, more than any other continent, Africans had failed to help themselves and consequently carries the most disease burden in the world. Lawal said at a media briefing to mark the 2008 world health day and 60th anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that while the World Health Organisation, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and other international donor agencies have deployed huge financial and technical assistance to the continent over the years, African leaders have folded their arms and watched while the situation degenerated into crises… The theme of the 2008 World Health Day: "Protecting Health from Climate Change" he explained, could not have come at a better time considering the fact that climate change was already threatening to reverse the little progress the world and indeed Africa had made in the fight against diseases of poverty…

• Africa: Groups Oppose World Bank's Proposed Climate Funds: Friends of the Earth (London): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

While welcoming increased international attention to the climate crisis, civil society groups from the global South and global North today are calling on the World Bank to withdraw its proposal to establish climate investment funds. The World Bank on April 3 detailed plans to establish at least two funds outside of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a Strategic Climate Fund featuring a “Pilot Program for Climate Resilience” and a Clean Technology Fund. "The Bank's proposals undermine democratic, global efforts to address climate change under the auspices of the United Nations," said Celine Tan of Third World Network in Malaysia. "The Bank's funds are top-down, donor-driven and are in danger of creating parallel and contradictory structures financing climate change adaptation and mitigation. Developing countries have already come out in opposition to these funds at the recent

137 climate change talks in Bangkok.” “The World Bank is not a credible institution for managing these funds, given its poor environmental track record and the negative impact of conditions associated with loans and grants to developing countries,” continued Tan… The World Bank’s proposed Strategic Climate Fund outlines the possibility of concessional loans for climate adaptation needs in vulnerable countries. “Rich countries are overwhelmingly responsible for global warming, yet the World Bank has the gall to suggest that developing countries pay for climate change impacts,” said Karen Orenstein of Friends of the Earth… The World Bank Group is the largest multilateral lender for fossil fuel projects, with some $1 billion per year in financing for the oil and gas industry. The Bank this week approved a $450 million loan for the 4,000 megawatt Tata Mundra coal project in Gujarat, India, near an area with huge solar thermal power potential. The coal plant is expected to emit 23 million tons of carbon dioxide per year… The World Bank’s climate investment funds are expected to be worth between $7 and $12 billion. The US, UK, and Japan originally proposed the funds with a view toward their approval at a July 2008 G8 summit in Japan. The Group of 77 and China last week criticized the proposed funds at UN climate talks in Bangkok.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Africa: Botswana - Continent's Shining Star?: New Era (Windhoek): 9 April 2008.

Botswana once again lived up to its reputation as one of the most stable democracies on the African continent when she displayed yet another smooth transfer of power. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has been in power in this developing country with a vibrant economy since 1966, and in its existence it has seen more than four occasions where power was handed over smoothly. At the beginning of this month Seretse Khama Ian Khama became Botswana's fourth president, taking over from Festus Mogae in a smooth power handover. They were preceded by Sir Ketumile Masile, who took over from Sir Seretse Khama, the late father of the new president. Unlike all his predecessors, Khama has a military background, and so his Vice-President Retired Lieutenant General Mompati Merafhe. It is this attribute that creates another first for this small southern African democracy. The only other country in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in post-independence to have been under a president with military credentials was Mozambique under Samora Machel. Senior Researcher of the Africa Situation Analysis Program at the acclaimed Pretoria-based think tank, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Chris Maroleng, thinks otherwise. He believes that there are some positives from the fact that he has a military background. "This is a positive element - for administration, goal orientation, discipline aimed at the socio economic development of Botswana and its democracy," said Maroleng… The Botswana Democratic Party, in power since the former British protectorate gained independence in 1966, virtually anoints the next head of state. The BDP is expected to continue its dominance in the face of a weak and divided opposition. "The danger is that it provides for a dynastic succession which has been the trend since Seretse Khama," said Maroleng.

138 Africa: Meeting to Focus On Continent's High Food, Fuel Prices: BuaNews (Tshwane): 11 April 2008.

The impact of high food and energy prices, among others will be Africa's focus of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring meeting in Washington this weekend. The meeting will also discuss the status of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and post-conflict states in Africa. The two-day meeting, which starts on Saturday, will take stock of economic progress in the developing world and new challenges posed by recent global turbulence on poor and middle-income countries, according to a World Bank statement. It said that World Bank President Robert Zoellick was expected to build support for a new plan to combat hunger through a combination of emergency aid and long-term efforts to boost agricultural productivity in developing countries. The New Deal for a Global Food Policy is among a suite of initiatives President Zoellick outlined in his 2 April speech to advance development in the face of skyrocketing food and oil prices. Finance ministers and delegations from the World Bank's and IMF's 185 member countries may take up issues ranging from Africa's development, trade, climate change adaptation, and global financial stability, it said…

Africa: Writers Urge for Protection of Languages: BuaNews (Tshwane): 10 April 2008.

Aspiring African writers, authors and academics in the Western Cape have urged government to enforce policies that will protect indigenous languages. They told Arts and Culture Minister Dr Pallo Jordaan during an Imbizo held at Stellenbosch University on Wednesday that they were concerned about the lack of legislation regarding indigenous languages and writings. According to a statement released by the MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport in the Western Cape, Whitey Jacobs, the writers felt African languages in South Africa were constantly under threat because there is no legislation that enforces their protection and usage… The imbizo noted that the erosion of indigenous languages was further perpetuated by the critical shortage of new written material in African languages as a result of the publishing company's resistance. Writers voiced their concern about the continued marginalisation of IsiXhosa at public schools as well as in Model C schools. Current education policy stipulates that Grade 10 learners must take only two languages as subjects at the imbizo, they writers said, adding that government should introduce legislation that would enforce the usage of all official languages… Publishing companies were blamed for failing to provide adequate support to African writers which are resulting in the scarcity of written material of indigenous languages.

Africa: A New Philanthro-Capitalist Alliance in Continent? :Fahamu (Oxford): 11 April 2008.

Bill Gates has called for "creative capitalism" - that is a philanthropy spurred on by profit. But Galés Gabirondo unmasks creative capitalism to reveal it as philanthro- capitalism. She uses the Bill Gates/Rockeffeler initiative, the Alliance for a Green

139 Revolution in Africa, to show just how devastating it can be when good-will meets a corporate driven and market hungry capitalism. In September 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation teamed up to launch "AGRA" a $150 million Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. Echoing the claim that Africa's last Green Revolution (originally promoted by Rockefeller) had "bypassed" the continent, Gates and Rockefeller promised that AGRA will improve the lives of the continent's impoverished farmers by investing in appropriate technology, efficient farm practices, and a network of small shopkeepers to sell mini-packets of improved seeds and fertilizers… Elegantly simple in its proposal and presentation, AGRA is the global face of a renewed international effort to revive Africa's sagging agricultural research institutions and introduce new Green Revolution products across the sub-Sahara… The new Green Revolution differs fundamentally from the first one introduced in the 1970-90s in that this time the private sector, rather than government, is taking the lead. This Green Revolution is concentrating on Africa's food crops like tubers and plantains, rather than global commodities like corn, rice and wheat. This time around, the conventional crop breeding programs being built in Africa will lay the genetic and industrial groundwork for the expansion of genetically modified crops. And more importantly, the seed and chemical companies that stand to gain from the Green Revolution are fewer, and because of biotechnology, much bigger and vertically integrated, selling both seed and inputs. In fact, only two companies--Monsanto and Syngenta--control 30% of the global market in seeds… At his special appearance at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bill Gates gave us his answer: creative capitalism. This, he explained to the world's financial masters, was "[An] approach where governments, businesses, and nonprofits work together to stretch the reach of market forces so that more people can make a profit, or gain recognition, doing work that eases the world's inequities." Philanthro-capitalist Development In Michael Edwards new book "Just Another Emperor," philanthro-capitalism is the term given to the movement taking hold that "promises to save the world by revolutionizing philanthropy, making non-profit organizations operate like business, and creating new markets for goods and services that benefit society." This neo-liberal brand of philanthropy distinguishes itself from charity and progressive philanthropy by insisting not only on market-based results, but on business-based procedures for grant giving. Philanthro-capitalists seek business efficiencies and a financial "bottom line" from their "investments" and concentrate on making global markets work better. BUT, CAN AGRA SUCCEED? Whether or not AGRA can successfully bring the new Green Revolution to Africa, and whether or not the Green Revolution will benefit the poor as much as it benefits the capitalists being courted by the Gates Foundation are two different questions that should be open to public debate. Unfortunately, there was never a public debate on AGRA… AGRA's philanthro-capitalism draws the world's attention away from local alternatives and towards global market-based "solutions" that ultimately favor those with more international market power, i.e., the seed and chemical monopolies…

Africa: India, Continent Pledge to Expand Co-Operation: BuaNews (Tshwane): 9 April 2008.

140 President Thabo Mbeki returns to South Africa on Thursday after concluding a successful official visit to India which saw the strengthening of co-operation in many areas between Africa and the sub-continent. The President and a senior government delegation concluded their two-day visit to India, where they attended the India-Africa Forum summit in New Delhi. The summit agreed that co-operation between India and Africa would be strengthened in areas including:

economic co-operation, through agriculture, trade industry and investment, small and medium-scale enterprises, finance and regional integration;

political co-operation, through peace and security as well as civil society and governance initiatives;

science, technology, research and development, through science and technology, information and communication technology programmes;

co-operation in social development and capacity building in the field of education, health, water and sanitation, culture and sports, and poverty eradication;

tourism; infrastructure, energy and environmental issues and

Media and communication.

In addition, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said his government would offer a duty-free tariff preference scheme for the least developed countries (LDCs) to spur trade and commerce. "It is our intention to become a close partner in Africa's resurgence," he said in his opening remarks on Tuesday.

Africa: Continent, India Agree On Framework of Cooperation: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): 10 April 2008.

AFRICA and India have agreed on a wide-ranging framework for their future engagement contained in two documents dubbed the 'Delhi Declaration and the Africa India Framework of Co-operation. Speaking at the close of the Africa-India Forum summit, African Union (AU) chairman, Jakaya Kikwete, said the adoption of the two documents had created the institutional modalities required to strengthen the co-operation between the two sides. Mr Kikwete, who co-chaired the summit with Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, said the two-day summit agreed to build on Afro- Indian relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. "We have agreed that the African Union Commission and Indian government officials will within the earliest possible time draw up the action plan so that what we have agreed to do will be given form and content and be implemented," he said… The two sides resolved to continue working together to advance their mutual interests as well as those of other developing countries and agreed on the need to jointly pitch for the reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council to make it more democratic, responsive and representative. "In this regard, we have agreed and re-affirmed our long-

141 standing position that India and Africa deserve permanent representation in the UN Security Council. We have committed to support each other to see to it that this objective is realised," Mr Kikwete said. Africa applauded India for the provision of duty-free and quota-free market access for products from Least Developed Countries and the US$5.4 billion credit facility, but the forum still noted the inadequacy of market access for Africa with limited industrialisation…The Indian prime minister reiterated that the new Africa-India Forum Summit was not about competition with China or any other country, but the strengthening of existing historical ties between the two sides.

Africa: USTR Lauds Progress by Comesa on Regional Economic Integration: United States Trade Representative (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008.

At a meeting today with a delegation from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Deputy U.S. Trade Representative John K. Veroneau commended COMESA’s work in advancing economic integration in sub-Saharan Africa. “COMESA has made great strides in integrating the markets of its 19 member countries,” said Ambassador Veroneau. “During the ten-year tenure of outgoing COMESA Secretary-General Mwencha, COMESA has launched a free trade area ,addressed regional customs and transportation bottlenecks, and laid the basis for a common investment area and a c customs union. These achievements have facilitated the region’s integration into the global economy and improved the economic competitiveness of COMESA member countries. The United States is pleased to have provided technical assistance to advance much of this work.”… COMESA is the largest regional economic organization in Africa, with 19 member states. The United States and COMESA signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in October 2001 and have held five high-level meetings under the TIFA since then, including the meeting that took place April 10. Total two-way trade between the United States and the member countries of COMESA was valued at $14.6 billion in 2007, up 21 percent from 2006. U.S. exports to the COMESA region were $7.3 billion, up 27 percent; U.S. imports from COMESA countries were also $7.3 billion, up 16 percent. The leading U.S. exports to the COMESA region are cereals, machinery, aircraft, and motor vehicles. U.S. imports from COMESA countries include oil, apparel, fertilizers, precious stones, and coffee. Thirteen COMESA countries are eligible for benefits under AGOA. In 2007, U.S. imports from COMESA countries under AGOA and the Generalized System of Preferences were valued at just over $1.0 billion.

EAST AFRICA • Africa: United States Wants Stable Continent: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008.

THE US Africa Command (AFRICOM) will work for a militarily stronger continent where national armies have the capacity to prevent or stop conflicts. Vince Crawley, the officer in charge of public information, said the creation of the command showed America's realisation that the Africa mattered. "A stable Africa is good for the United States, China, Europe, Africa and the whole world. It is not about US interest

142 in Africa. Our work is to make Africa prosperous," Crawley explained yesterday. AFRICOM is one of the six US Defence Department's regional military initiatives. It has its headquarters at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. The mission of the command is to conduct sustained military training programmes that promote a secure Africa to support the U.S. foreign policy. Crawley was briefing journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala about the visit of the AFRICOM commander, Gen. William Ward, who arrived in the country on Wednesday. Yesterday, he visited the war-ravaged northern region and is due to travel to the Senior Command and Staff College Jinja today. A statement from the US embassy said in the north, Ward would meet with UPDF and US military personnel who are conducting a veterinary civic action project designed to improve animal health in rural areas. Crawley said the training which started in 1997 would enable African armies undertake UN and Africa Union peacekeeping missions.

• Africa: Global Output Totals $59 Trillion - Developing Countries Have Increasing Share, Says World Bank: World Bank Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

Developing economies now produce 41 percent of the world's output, up from 36 percent in 2000, according to the World Development Indicators 2008, released today. The combined output of the world's economies reached $59 trillion in 2006. Using new measurements that take into account the differences in price levels between countries, China now ranks as the second largest economy in the world, and 5 of the 12 largest economies are developing economies. Strong growth over the period has increased the shares of all developing regions except Latin America and the Caribbean, while the share of high-income economies fell by 5 percent. This year's World Development Indicators (WDI) introduce new estimates of purchasing power parity (PPP). PPPs are used to convert local currencies to a common currency - in this case the US dollar. By taking account of price differences between countries on a broad range of products and services, PPPs allow more accurate comparisons of market size, the structure of economies, and what money can buy… The WDI draws on a database of over 1,000 indicators covering 209 countries and territories, but there are still serious gaps, especially in statistics from poor countries.

• Uganda: India Starts Free Trade for Poor Countries: New Vision (Kampala): 8 April 2008.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said under the scheme, New Delhi would provide preferential market access for exports from 50 least developed countries, 34 of which are in Africa. "The objective is to cooperate with Africa in her efforts to achieve economic vibrancy and self-reliance." India, he said, was interested in cotton, cocoa, aluminum and copper ore, fish fillet and clothes. Nathan Irumba, the head of the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute, said the challenge was now for African countries to produce world-class products.

143

• Africa: Why Rush to the Continent?: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): EDITORIAL: 10 April 2008.

In recent years, we have witnessed a growing scramble for Africa by the big global players, each trying to become the best partner of the world's poorest continent. It started with the US, which introduced the African Growth and Opportunity Act- a trade initiative aimed at boosting Africa's economy through trade. Then China, which has become a strong trading partner with Africa, followed suit. Last year, it was Europe, which hosted the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon. This week, India is hosting the Indo- African meeting, which focuses on boosting trade ties. Fourteen African heads of state and regional groups converged in New Delhi for the inaugural meeting of an Africa-India Forum Summit organised by the African Union (AU) and the Indian Government. The question is: Why Africa now? While it is a good thing for Africa to attract foreign powers, African leaders must tread carefully to avoid being dragged into shady deals at the expense of their people. Though poor, Africa's abundant natural resources are the major attraction for the developed countries. African leaders must not blindly encourage the new scramble.

• Africa: Federation Allocates $43.5 Million to Tackle Food Security in 15 Countries: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 10 April 2008.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Tuesday announced it adopted a 43.5 million USD strategic plan to scale up food security programmes in 15 African countries including Ethiopia. The Federation said the new plan announced on Tuesday in Addis Ababa will be financed through an appeal to be implemented over the next five years. The funds will be used to assist some 2.25 million people, or nearly half a million families. This was known at a first ever joint meeting of representatives from the two international societies at the Ethiopian Red Cross Society training institute where current international food security issues were discussed. The new plan, announced today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will be financed through an appeal for 45 million Swiss francs (US$ 43.5 million I - 28.5 million) over the next five years. The funds will be used to assist some 2.25 million people, or nearly half a million families…"Despite the fact the international community committed itself to drastically cut food insecurity through the Millennium Development Goals, malnutrition is currently on the rise in Africa and throughout the world, fuelled by the combined effects of poverty, HIV, climate change conflicts and the huge increase in population growth so there is a need to act now," the statement quoted Ibrahim Osman, Deputy Secretary General of the International Federation as saying. According to Mohammed Omer Mukhier, Head, Disaster Policy and Preparedness of IRCS, the plan aims at reaching at least 20 percent of the most vulnerable populations, strengthening their resilience and coping mechanism.

144

• Uganda: Stronger Relation With Asia Good: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008.

THE first Africa-India summit has just ended in the Indian capital New Delhi. The meeting which involved 14 African heads of state was an opportunity to forge stronger links with the Indian sub-continent. A similar summit was hosted by China last year. The recent strong economic growth rates of these countries is making some analysts predict that in our life time, the axis of economic power will shift to Asia from Europe and the US. Their respective governments know this and know that in order to sustain the current growth rates and spread the benefits to the majority of its people, access to natural resources is critical. Resource-rich Africa is, therefore, an attractive ally in India and China's road to development. But the relationship can be turned around. These two economies, while eons ahead of Africa in development, have only been recently at the same level of development and, therefore, more relevant role models for our own development ambitions. Previously closed economies, the two giants have had to rely on their own wiles to push progress. In agriculture, for example, because of their huge populations, arable land is at a premium, but each has a few lessons to teach about maximising the potential of small land holdings. They have also pioneered appropriate technologies, financing and land tenure systems that we could pick a leaf from in our attempts to uplift rural incomes. Beyond that, they have strong pharmaceutical, information technology and manufacturing industries…

14. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Chad: Senegal Changes Law to Allow Habre's Trial: The Nation (Nairobi): 10 April 2008.

The Senegalese parliament amended the country's constitution Wednesday in a bid to allow the trial of Hissène Habré, the former Chadian president, to take place in the country. Mr Habré has been living in exile in Dakar since he left power, 18 years ago. The clause which has been amended - article 9 - now adds an exception to the "non- retroactivity" principle in the Senegalese law. Previously no one could be condemned for any crime committed prior to the existence of the laws punishing his crime. With the new amendment, this "non-retroactivity" principle shall apply to "crimes of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity", exactly the type of crimes allegedly committed by Habré, according to his foes. These crimes were officially inserted in the Senegalese penal code in February 2007, as part of the process to allow the trial to take place without having to set up a special court for the 66 year old former leader. The constitutional amendment was another step forward. For almost a decade the Habré case has been a lingering one and a real millstone round the neck of the Senegalese authorities.

145 • Ghana: Stranded West African Victims of Human Rights Abuses: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008.

On Wednesday April 9th a press conference was held at the Israel Lovell Foundation, My Lord's Hill, to plead the case for more than 96 West Africans stranded in Barbados since February 15th 2008, when their chartered flight did not return to collect them. The men and women had come originally to Barbados; some wanting to experience the cultural delights of the Trinidad carnival and others had other missions of trade, youth development conferences and just the opportunity to visit family and friends. It is now more than two months that they are waiting for some resolution to the issue of return home. Most are still fending for themselves; paying rent or being supported by Barbadian families. Some members of the group however are struggling and not eating adequately and are being threatened with eviction. To this end the press conference was held to highlight their need for assistance. However, the government of Barbados seemed to have a different idea as to why the West Africans were here and have chosen to criminalize the stranded with the arrest and interment at the military base Paragon in Christ Church, of 30 people, who reported to immigration as requested Tuesday morning at 10 am. Nothing has been heard from them since, their possessions have not been collected, and there is still no word as to their status. A local Pan Afrikan organization, the Global Afrikan Congress, has been offering support to some individuals throughout their stay and is outraged at the treatment of these human beings, who have committed no offenses worthy of being treated in this manner… The lack of transparency and lack of sensitivity by some of the newly elected ministers to this issue is of grave concern to this citizen of Barbados. Even if these people were victims of human trafficking as claimed the United Nations, to which Barbados is a signatory, is explicit on the treatment of victims of it and imprisonment, without recourse to access and support, is a violation of their human rights… I have travelled to Africa, Ghana in particularly on many occasions and I can say without a doubt that if this situation was reversed they would never treat us in this manner. From the richest to the poorest, there is the utmost respect for us visitors, regardless of your colour… Even whilst the replica slave ship "Amistad", is being 'celebrated' in these shores, we are not learning from our history?

• Gambia: Remembering April 10th And 11th, 2000 - A Flagrant Abuse of the Right to Life And Dignity: Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina): 10 April 2008.

In her contemporary analysis of "The legacy of Abuse, Confronting The Past, and Facing The Future" Alice H. Henkin argued that, "efforts should be made to uncover the truth regarding the suffering, fate and whereabouts of victims." She further asserted that, "these efforts should aim to acknowledge the pain and abuse suffered by victims and their families and to create an official record to preserve memory and guard against revisionism." The tragic events of April 10th and 11th 2000 are such "moral imperatives" and "moral blindness" that must be an abject concern of all actors in The Gambian Political landscape. On the sad days of April 10th and 11th 2000, student demonstrators manifesting their constitutional rights against the torture,

146 rape and death of their comrades, were gunned down by trigger-happy elements of the Security forces. Following such a flagrant abuse against innocent unarmed students, a flouted "indemnity clause' embedded in the constitution have successfully entrenched impunity in the tiny West African nation. As we remember the fallen Student Martyrs, it is important to note that seeking the truth in such sad situations, 'must focus on perpetrators and seek to identify, in as much detail as possible, not only those directly responsible for the carrying out the abuse, but also those who expressly or implicitly authorized such violations."(A. Henkins)… In conclusion, it is important to reflect on a famous quote by Martin Luther King Junior "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."

• Sierra Leone: Club of Madrid Wants More Women in Politics: Concord Times (Freetown): 11 April 2008.

Club of Madrid, an international non governmental organization dedicated to strengthening democracy around the world, Thursday called for more women in Sierra Leone's politics. Former President of Cape Verde Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro and head of Club of Madrid's delegation to Sierra Leone asked for the further promotion of political involvement of Sierra Leonean women. He made this call during a press conference at the Kimbima Hotel in Freetown… Monteiro said the club in partnership with Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) organized the final mission of the African Women Leaders Project to Sierra Leone from April 7 to 11. He said the objective of the organization is to continue its advocacy efforts to create a greater commitment from key political leaders in the country. Ugandan former minister Miriam Matembe said political parties should establish objectives and transparent rules that promote the participation of women in political leadership. She said political parties are the gateway to women participation in leadership and must work towards implementing strategies to embrace the principles of affirmative action within political parties. Club of Madrid also visited President Ernest Bai Koroma, minister of social welfare, gender and children affairs and Annie Wash Memorial Secondary School.

• Nigeria: 'Women Empowerment in IT Necessary for MDGs': This Day (Lagos): 10 April 2008.

The achievement of the millennium development goals (MDGs) in the country has been hinged on the empowerment of women with information communications technology (ICT). This formed the concession of participants at the recent Women in ICT forum in Lagos. Don Pedro Aganbi, Managing Consultant, Technology Africa, organizers of the forum said that the isolation of women from the mainstream economy and their lack of access to information because of societal, cultural and market constraints have led them to become distant from the global pool of information and knowledge. This distance, he added, is reflected in the levels of empowerment and equality of women in comparison to men, and has enormously contributed to the slow pace of development in Africa, and Nigeria specifically. He argued that ICT in convergence with other forms of communication have the potential to reach those women who hitherto have

147 been not been reached by any other media, thereby empowering them to participate in economic and social progress, and make informed decision on issues that affect them. Women from across all sectors of the Nigerian economy at the forum identified information technology (IT) capacity building for the women folks as essential for the accomplishment of the millennium development goals (MDGs). Speaker after speaker alluded to the fact that ICT is for everyone and women have to be equal beneficiaries of the advantages offered by the technology, and the products and processes which emerge from their use. The theme of the forum was; Mobilizing Nigerian women for the millennium development goals (MDGs)… The millennium development goals or MDGs as they are called, originated in the Millenium Declaration which represents a clear international consensus on human rights and global development… The forum put together by Technology Africa, organisers of the prestigious Titans of Tech was meant to promote gender equity in the design, development, implementation, and use of information and communication technologies in the country.

• Nigeria: 'Cyber Crime's Nigeria's Weakest Link in Global Security': This Day (Lagos): 11 April 2008.

Nigeria is the weakest link in the cyber security chain world-wide and unless the global community comes to its rescue, the rest of the world would equally not be secure, according to the Minster of Science and Technology, Mrs. Grace Ekpihwre. Speaking through her representative, Mr. Inye Kemabonta, a director at the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, the minister said the solution lay in the global community bringing the necessary fund. Ekpihwre spoke at the inauguration of Global Network for Cyber solution Ltd., an anti-cyber crime campaign and cyber security solution organisation. Also at the event, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi, urged the National Assembly to pass the bill on cybercrime which he sent to the legislature about three years ago, saying without such a law, it would be impossible to combat the problem, which impacts almost every facet of today's life. He said the extant laws were deficient as they do not accept evidence based on information technology, a flaw which the bill set out to rectify and upgrade…He advised foreigners and indeed anyone who gets easily duped to make enquiries when they receive any strange mail making fantastic promises, noting that those swindled were usually criminals themselves as they seek to reap where they did not sow

• Sierra Leone: Human Traffickers Infiltrate State Organs: Concord Times (Freetown): 9 April 2008.

Deputy Minister of internal affairs, local government and rural development Kalilu Kalokoh Tuesday said that collaborators of those involved in human trafficking have infiltrated state organs. In an effort to rid government agencies of corruption the ministry will do all in its power to restructure the intelligence services and other state organs that are responsible transnational crimes, including human trafficking, that continue to tarnish the image of this country worldwide. Kalokoh said the government supports the need to build the capacities of the National Task Force in the fight against

148 human trafficking and create new legislation so that there will be no escape route for criminal in such activities…"Poverty stands to seriously influence parents to exchange their children for economic gains or promises. Government will therefore strengthen its resolve in the implementation of the poverty reduction strategy", he said. Human trafficking is deeply rooted in poverty, poor governance, weak management of borders and worsening terms of international trade. "Children and young girls are in most severe conditions of vulnerability and are major victims of this complex phenomenon", he noted… She said government has responded and supported the global fight against this menace through the adoption of the anti-human trafficking Act of 2005. The act is designed to suppress the act of human trafficking and ensure laws against it are enforced, including the prosecution of corrupt government officials who facilitate human trafficking.

• Nigeria: FG to Mainstream Gender Equality Into Environment Management: Leadership (Abuja): 9 April 2008.

Federal Government is set to mainstream Gender Equality (GE) concerns into environment management and sustainable development. Minister of environment, housing and urban development, Architect Haliam Tayo Alao, made this known at an interactive meeting of the management of the ministry with research experts from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile , in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs on engendering national budget-impacts on sectoral policies and plans in Abuja yesterday. The minister who was represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Otaki Omagbemi, noted the increasing concern of mainstreaming gender equality concerns into environment management and sustainable development. This is as a result of the growing concern about the need to eliminate poverty to ensure sustainable development that is both fair and equitable, "the role of the women is being seen to be as important as the role of men", she stated… Nigeria is thus committed to building gender equality into key planning documents, as well as providing a supportive policy environment for mainstreaming it into sustainable development programmes. Despite the growing awareness, few communities across the world have actually successfully incorporated GE into sustainable development programmes. This is due to limited practical experience on how gender and other social equality concerns can be incorporated into such programmes. As such, there is a clear need to build capacity and commitment to GE mainstreaming if Nigeria is to fully implement the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as globally envisaged, she pointed out.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Woza Protest At Bulawayo High Court Over Results Delay: SW Radio Africa (London): 9 April 2008.

Women Of Zimbabwe Arise was on the streets on Wednesday, marching through Bulawayo's central business district to the High Court. Coordinator Jenni Williams said the protest march and demonstration were a surprise for the police who

149 arrived at the High Court after the WOZA women had dispersed. WOZA are demanding the immediate release of the Presidential election results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), as part of their campaign to defend the rights of children. Williams said about 800 members and ordinary Zimbabweans who joined in, held placards with messages to ZEC. She added that they did not seek permission because no law exists that requires them to. "The environment is extremely repressive. There is no state of emergency but we might as well be living in one", said the defiant WOZA leader… The WOZA members have been consistently vocal about critical issues in the country. Despite being arrested and assaulted on numerous occasions over the years, the WOZA members have continued their peaceful campaign for what they call "a dignified life" in Zimbabwe.

• Southern Africa: Last Chance for SADC to Tackle Crisis: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008.

The extraordinary summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on April 12, 2008 is the regional body's last real chance to resolve Zimbabwe's worsening political crisis, Human Rights Watch said. President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia, chair of the SADC, called the meeting in Lusaka in response to the political impasse in Zimbabwe which has seen a delay in the release of presidential results from Zimbabwe's March 29 general election. "It's about time that southern African leaders do something to avert the growing threat of a human rights disaster in Zimbabwe," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Instead of letting Robert Mugabe set the terms of the summit talks, they should insist he listen to the will of the Zimbabwean people and end his government's abuses." Human Rights Watch said President Robert Mugabe's ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), is resorting to extreme measures to overturn the March 29 general elections, and is preventing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) from announcing results of the presidential elections. In other incidents, MDC Member of Parliament for Mutasa South Misheck Kagurabadza told Human Rights Watch that teams of ZANU-PF youth were patrolling his constituency in Mancialand province and assaulting people who they believe voted for the opposition…"So far, SADC leaders have proven unable or unwilling to deal with Zimbabwe's political crisis, and if they can't get tough with Mugabe now they should just hand over to the African Union," said Gagnon.

• South Africa: Zuma Seeks New Approach: Business Day (Johannesburg): 11 April 2008.

AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma called last night for the revival of street committees and other civil society formations to deal with the scourge of crime. Speaking at celebration to mark the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 152nd anniversary, Zuma said crime needed to be dealt with urgently. He said the elements of the criminal justice system should be reviewed, "not only to improve policing, but to close any loopholes that make the evasion of justice easier for criminals". His call for the review comes as the Scorpions are being incorporated

150 into the police force. The Scorpions are investigating Zuma for alleged corruption…"We want to be hard on criminals, just as we make a greater effort to tackle the root causes of criminality…"We have therefore called for the establishment of street committees throughout the country, where communities can be organised to improve safety in their neighbourhoods and identify criminal elements and report criminal activities to the police," he said. He also called for Zimbabwean stakeholders respect the will of the people, "regardless of the outcome, and to proceed within the requirements of the law".

• Swaziland: Every Third Woman Sexually Abused As a Child, Says Report: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 April 2008.

One in three Swazi women has suffered some form of sexual abuse as a child, while one in four experienced physical violence, a new United Nations survey revealed this week. The study by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the first of its kind conducted in a country where anecdotal evidence suggests an alarming number of female children are victims of abuse: more disconcertingly still, the mushrooming population of orphans and vulnerable children in Swaziland provides yet more opportunities for sexual exploitation to occur. In two years, Swaziland will have a population of 200,000 children orphaned by AIDS - more than one-fifth of its population, according to UNICEF. With HIV prevalence at 33.4 percent among people aged between 15 and 49, the country has the world's highest infection rate. As a result, life expectancy has halved from nearly 60 years in the 1990s to just over 30 years today… Rapists don't use condoms: Often the abusers are the girls' own fathers and boyfriends. Only 43.5 percent of girls said their first sexual experiences were freely willed and devoid of coercion: a little less than five percent said they had been introduced to sex as rape victims. We found that 75 percent of the perpetrators of sexual violence were known to the victim… Underscoring the urgency of addressing violence against girls was the AIDS crisis. "Rapists don't use condoms, and if a father or uncle are so inclined to rape a daughter or niece, or a boyfriend forces himself on his girlfriend, the danger of HIV transmission is rife," said Victor Ndlovu, a voluntary testing and counseling officer in the central commercial town of Manzini. "Add to that the reluctance of girls to report abuse or in many instances to rightly understand they have been violated, we are faced with a serious public health challenge, aside from the individual suffering incurred by the girls." A third of Swazi females interviewed for the study reported they had experienced emotional abuse. Often, the perpetrators had been abused themselves as children. "The established 'hand me down' passing on of abuse is evident from what we were told," said Pamela Dlamini, a sociology student at the University of Swaziland, who was one of the survey interviewers. "Emotional abuse of girls is mostly carried out by the girls' female relatives, who were abused themselves. Sometimes there is jealousy. Instead of reporting an abusive husband or unable to police [the girl], the girl's mother or aunt will treat the girl as a rival. This comes from a culture where any post-pubescent girl is considered eligible for marriage in a polygamous household, even if she is 13, although Swazi culture does not allow for the incest we find rampant in households where abuse occurs." The way forward appears to be through education, instructing girls about what constitutes abuse. "I spoke with many girls who said they did not understand that

151 they had been abused. They felt abused, physically and psychologically, but no one told them this was not normal," said Dlamini. The report backed Dlamini's observation, noting, "The numbers suggest a lack of understanding of what sexual violence is and how and where to report such incidents".

• Botswana: Women Urged to Seek Political Office: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): 10 April 2008.

Women in Botswana have been encouraged to take part in the political system of the country by standing for political office and voting. The women were lectured on democracy and good governance by Emang Basadi political education officer, Moemedi Tsimanyane yesterday at the ongoing three day workshop on 'Assertiveness Training and Gender Sensitisation Workshop for Aspiring Women in Politics' at the President Hotel. The workshop is aimed at empowering women politicians to establish strategic partnerships for effective campaigns, train aspiring women for successful campaigns and to brief them on different legislation that relates to elections. He said democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and hold them accountable for "their policies and conduct in office". Tsimanyane said this process does not exclude women from standing and "you should make sure that you participate to be voted into office". Tsimanyane is disturbed by the fact that the political system in Botswana is dominated by the same people, mostly men, in every election because they are voted by "the same potential women who have the capacity and expertise to contest for elections with them"… The political chief said voter apathy will be a thing of the past if they vote in large numbers in all elections. He also encouraged women to be conversant with all the statutes of Botswana so that they are in a position to challenge some crucial decisions. "It is not an excuse not to know and understand the law. You have to buy these statutes and read them for your benefit," advised Tsimanyane… The workshop was sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Department of Women's Affairs.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Hoteliers Join War Against Child Sex Pests: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

More than 50 tourist hotels in Coast region have signed the code of conduct that protects children from sexual exploitation in the tourism industry, a hotelkeepers lobby group has said. Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast branch chairman Mohamed Hersi said most of the 50 hotels that have signed the code are in Mombasa, Malindi, Watamu and in the South Coast tourism circuit. Speaking to the Nation on Thursday, Mr Hersi said the hotels made the move so that they would join hands with the Ministry of Tourism and other partners to combat the sexual exploitation of children in the tour industry. The signing of the code by hotels began last year after a report by UNICEF indicated that more than 10,000 children in Coast, aged between 12 and 18 years, engaged in prostitution. In order to curb the menace, the Ministry of Tourism called on hoteliers to sign the code so as to supplement the Government's efforts in the war against sex tourism… Hotels, he added, use stickers and

152 brochures, which have messages to guests that Kenya is for responsible tourism and, therefore, they should not engage in sexual exploitation of children. The hotelier, however, said most of the sexual exploitation of children occurs in unregulated private villas, cottages and lodges. He said about 30 per cent of child sexploitation takes place in villas, cottages and private homes, while 20 per cent of the cases occur at beaches and only four per cent at hotels.

• Kenya: Special Security Unit to Monitor Drug Trafficking: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

The Government has set up a special unit to control drug trafficking. Coast PC, Mr Ernest Munyi, said the unit was set up to prevent traffickers from using the coastline. The unit officers, said Munyi, are training at Manda Bay in Lamu and would soon patrol the 600km coastline to monitor speedboats and small ships. "The officers have been recruited from the regular and Administration Police. They will patrol the Coastline alongside Coast Guards to curb importation of drugs," he said. Drug dealers are believed to be using illegal jetties along the coastline…"Security at sea and airports is very tight yet Kenya has been turned into a major transit point. The Government should act," said Otieno.

• Uganda: 200 Girls Defiled in Kumi: New Vision (Kampala): 9 April 2008.

A TOTAL of 203 girls have been defiled in Kumi district in the last seven months, the officer in charge of the child and family protection unit has said. According to Margaret Adongo, the cases were reported from July 2007 to March 2008, mainly in the sub-counties bordering swamps like Ongino, Kapir, Kobwin and Mukura. However, she did not explain the connection between the swamps and the defilement cases. Adongo, who was last week speaking during an interview with The New Vision, attributed the rampant cases to fear of responsibility by parents, polygamy, adultery, unemployment and illiteracy…The other factors are fear of HIV/AIDS, ignorance of the law on defilement, superiority complex and poverty. "Some parents believe in the saying: 'Eat early before you die'. So they marry off their young daughters to be able to enjoy the bride price," she explained… Adongo observed that out of the 28 cases that were taken to court, only one suspect was convicted…"Parents should educate their children other than wanting easy goods of a cow, three small goats and sh100,000 which the men pay for their young daughters as bride price. This ruins the future of the girls," Adongo said. "There are also many unplanned marriages. Many people have multiple spouses and as such fail to look after the children."

• Ethiopia: Bride-Price Key in Increasing Rate of Rape: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 10 April 2008.

High bride price levied on men by families and relatives of the would-be wife has been found to be a key factor for the increased rate of rape and abduction in the country, a report by CARE-Ethiopia said on Tuesday. CARE Ethiopia reported this while launching a new project entitled 'Healthy Unions: Behavioural Change to

153 Eliminate Bride Price, Bride Abduction, and Early Marriage in Ethiopia' in partnering with the National Committee on Traditional Practices of Ethiopia. Men who are unable to afford the bride price abduct young women and rape them, making them unmarriageable, CARE-Ethiopia said in the report on Marriage-related harmful practices (HTPS). The report said bride price, bride abduction and early marriage are harmful practices, throughout Ethiopia, shaped by economic and social conditions and steeped in cultural and traditional norms. Speaking at a launching of the project during a workshop, CARE Ethiopia, Health Union Project Manager Seifu Taddess said while some believe that the practice of providing a bride price symbolizes the bond between the two new families, the price of the bride often negatively wraps the term of the marriage… Indicating the National Committee on Traditional Practices of Ethiopia (EGLDAM), CARE Ethiopia stated the incidence of bride price is widespread among the Oromo people, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group representing 40% of the total Ethiopia population "In Oromiya, where the project will operate, 80% of marriages resulted from abduction, where as the national average stands at 69%," he stated while explaining for the selection of the region, in particularly Borena and West Hararghe, for the project .

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Media Women Challenged: The Post (Buea): 11 April 2008.

Ndi Chia made the challenge at the Annual General Meeting of the National Professional Media Women in Cameroon, NAPMEW, where he gave a talk on "Women in the Media and Challenges" at the Cameroon Cultural Centre, Buea, Friday, April 4. The head of The Post editorial team invited Cameroonian media women to avoid being cosmetic, only using journalism as a vehicle to "showcase" themselves, especially on radio and television. He said appearing on television was one thing and that delivering good, relevant reports and newscasts was quite another. “The Cameroonian women in the media should distinguish themselves on the home front and then push to be actually seen and heard on world renowned media like the BBC and CNN, just like the venerated Christiana Ammanpour," Ndi Chia advised. To him, hard work, humility, reading and yet more reading are the ingredients to make a spicy and successful journalism career, whether the practitioner is male or female. He argued that a certificate in journalism was only as good as the cardboard piece of paper on which it is printed, adding that a journalist's real certificate is his or her output, based on thoroughly investigated and well written stories and meticulously researched, well produced magazine programmes and documentaries.

• Congo-Kinshasa: Interior Minister Asked to Intervene in Case of Newspaper Editor And Assistant: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

Reporters Without Borders and Journalist in Danger (JED), its partner organisation in Democratic Republic of Congo, wrote today to Congolese interior minister Denis Kalume Numbi asking him to intervene in the case of newspaper editor Nsimba

154 Embete Ponte and his assistant, Davin Ntondo Nzovuangu, who are being held incommunicado. The editor of L'Interprète, a small-circulation fortnightly, Ponte was arrested at the "Pascal" bus stop in Masina, a municipality to the east of Kinshasa, at 7:30 a.m. on 7 March, the letter said. After several days without news of him, his family and lawyers finally learned that he was being held in a building used by the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) on the bank of the Congo River, near the prime minister's office. Their repeated attempts to visit him and to find out why he is being held have been unsuccessful; Ponte has not been able to see a lawyer or a doctor, in violation of articles 18 and 19 of the constitution, which guarantee the rights of detainees in police custody. Nzovuangu, who works closely with Ponte, was arrested on 29 March. It is not known where he has been held since then. The United Nations Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) also tried in vain to obtain information about Ponte and Nzovuangu.

• Congo-Kinshasa: Mass Graves Found in Bas-Congo, Rights Group Claims: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 11 April 2008.

A Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) human rights group has said mass graves with human remains have been found in the southwestern Bas-Congo Province where security forces recently clashed with followers of a religious sect. "The most recent of these graves, containing the remains of 20 bodies, was discovered on 31 March in Materne, between Boma and Matadi towns," Amigo Gonde, coordinator of the NGO, African Association for Human Rights (Asadho), told IRIN. "The other two graves - discovered further away and several days earlier - contained some 30 bodies." Gonde, who demanded an independent inquiry, said one of the graves had apparently been dug up. "The grave at Materne had been dug up by unidentified persons and its contents taken to an unknown place, but there are indications to suggest the bodies were indeed there," he said. DRC authorities could not be reached immediately for comment, but aid workers in the region said they were aware of the claims and were investigating. Civilians in the area said a doctor in a rural health clinic, who first spotted one of the graves, had been questioned by local authorities… Scores of people were killed in February and March during clashes between police and followers of Bundu Dia Kongo, which is contesting state authority. Aid workers said many others were wounded - some of whom sought treatment at various health facilities… Bundu Dia Kongo's spiritual leader and national assembly deputy, Ne Mwanda Nsemi, said he would initiate international judicial proceedings against "the massacre" of his members. The sect is seeking to emancipate traditional African or Congolese culture and demands the restoration of the former Kingdom of the Congo. It has set up tribunals to try citizens who break the law and has its own police force. Occasionally they lower the national flag to hoist their own.

15. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

WEST AFRICA • Ghana: Postponed Deportations of Liberians Over Refugee Status: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 April 2008.

155 The high court in the Ghanaian capital Accra on 8 April ordered the government to postpone a planned deportation of 22 Liberians claiming to be refugees being held at the country's immigration office, just hours before they were due to leave the country in contravention of a previous government promise not to deport any more refugees. The 22 Liberians, among them women and children, have been kept at a holding room at Ghana's immigration headquarters since 31 March. They were among 600 Liberian refugees arrested and detained in recent weeks, following riots by refugees demanding repatriation to a third country or US$1,000 each if they were to return to Liberia. The minister of state at the interior ministry, Nana Obiri Boahen, told IRIN that the government had chartered a plane with the intention of carrying the 22 back to Liberia on 8 April… The head of public affairs at the UNHCR office in Accra, Needa Jehu Hoya told IRIN that as far as the agency is concerned all registered refugees have been safely returned to the designated refugee camp at Buduburam, and the agency does not recognise the 22 detained at the immigration headquarters as refugees. The head of the Legal Resources Centre, Edward Amuzu, told IRIN the coalition will be asking the court to free them all nonetheless.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Flood Victims to Be Relocated Permanently: New Era (Windhoek): 10 April 2008.

Government is formulating logistics to permanently relocate to higher ground thousands of people who are displaced by floods in the Caprivi every year. The planned long-term solution could also save millions of dollars of government and donor money, which is spent on relocating and feeding people who are displaced by floods. During her visits to traditional leaders in the region, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertina Amathila appealed to all traditional leaders to assist and support government initiatives in facilitating and speeding up the relocation exercise. "We need to relocate these people permanently to higher ground. The Government cannot continue to spend a lot of money every year because this money should be used to help build permanent structures where these people can permanently live in," said Amathila. She stated that the process of continuously moving people from one place to the other does not only have financial implications but is a burden to the State. She said the relocation of flood victims disrupts learning in affected areas. Government will need to identify better places within the region where to construct hostels for school children as well as living structures for communities…

• Zimbabwe: Refugees Fear Mugabe's Wrath: Cape Argus (Cape Town): 8 April 2008.

Zimbabwean refugees in Cape Town have appealed to the international community and President Thabo Mbeki to immediately deploy peacekeeping forces to their country amid fears that Robert Mugabe is set to unleash a reign of terror on civilians who voted against him. Some of the refugees who spoke to the Cape Argus said Mugabe's orchestrated mass killing of the 1980s, farm invasions of 2000 and the

156 urban purges of 2005 were stark examples what "the dictator" could do. The refugees, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, said Mugabe was ready to shed the blood of their loved ones back home…"If Tsvangirai becomes president Mugabe will mobilise war vets, the army, police, secret service and the militia to take revenge on the people who just want bread and freedom… The man urged the UN, African Union and Southern African Development Community members to ensure that Kenyan- style violence be prevented and "the people's victory be retained". The refugees said they were worried and angered after the black-out on announcing the winner in the presidential race, which many believe Tsvangirai, has won. A run-off of the presidential election has been ordered by Mugabe.

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: UN Says Humanitarian Situation Worsening Faster Than Expected: UN News Service (New York): 11 April 2008.

The humanitarian situation in Somalia is deteriorating faster than expected, owing to an unusually harsh dry season, rising insecurity and soaring inflation rates, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today. The UN has revised upwards the number of those living in a state of humanitarian emergency from 315,000 to 425,000, and the number of newly displaced people from 705,000 to 745,000. The total number of those needing assistance in the country is estimated to be around 1.8 million, but that figure could increase to 2 million once current assessments are concluded, OCHA said in a news release. Somalia has experienced an extremely dry season from January to March with high temperatures and unusually dry winds. The dry conditions have also affected other countries in the region, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and parts of Kenya… In addition, the country - like many others - has witnessed a dramatic increase in food prices over the past year. The prices of locally produced maize and sorghum have increased by 300 to 400 per cent, while imported foods such as rice and vegetable oil have increased by some 150 per cent. At the same time, the Somali shilling has depreciated by 65 per cent… Deteriorating security in recent months has made it more difficult for aid workers to assist those in need in the strife-torn East African nation, which has not had a functioning government since 1991.

• Kenya: Talks Deadlock Could Slow IDP Returns – Officials: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008.

The suspension of talks between Kenya's key political parties, announced on 8 April, could slow or halt progress made in returning thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, humanitarian officials said. "This [the suspension of talks] could mean that the process established to make the plans necessary for the return of IDPs could slow down or be put on hold," Jeanine Cooper, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Kenya (OCHA-Kenya), said. "However, humanitarian agencies will continue to assist IDPs wherever they are." The opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) suspended talks with President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) on the formation of a coalition cabinet in line with an

157 accord signed in February. "We have resolved that negotiations ... be suspended until PNU fully recognises the 50-50 power-sharing arrangement and the principle of portfolio balance," Anyang' Nyong'o, ODM secretary-general, told a news conference in the capital Nairobi. The ODM announcement prompted its supporters to demonstrate, lighting bonfires in the streets of a Nairobi slum… More than 1,500 Kenyans died and an estimated 350,000 others were displaced between January and February following violence in parts of the country sparked by the disputed presidential elections held on 27 December 2007. Since then, thousands have returned home while others have travelled to their "ancestral" homes. According to the Kenya inter-cluster team, about 202,470 IDPs remained in 235 camps as at April.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: Plight of Displaced in Chad, Central African Republic Worries Security Council: UN News Service (New York): 9 April 2008.

Condemning continued armed activity of rebel groups in eastern Chad, members of the Security Council today expressed their concern over the humanitarian situation in that region and the neighbouring north-eastern Central African Republic (CAR), as the number of displaced persons continues to swell. Council members also welcomed progress in setting up the mission in the two countries, known as MINURCAT and its European support force, EUFOR, said Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, Council President for April, in a press statement after a briefing by Assistant Secretary General Edmond Mulet. "They stressed that the full deployment of MINURCAT and EUFOR Chad/CAR will contribute to the protection of vulnerable civilian populations and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, pursuant to resolution 1778 (2007)," he said… The innovative, multi-dimensional MINURCAT was set up by the Security Council last September to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the northeast of the CAR and eastern Chad and in the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan… They also encouraged authorities in Chad and CAR to continue their efforts to promote inclusive political dialogue in their countries, he said.

• Chad: Fire Sweeps Through Refugee Camp in East - 3,000 Homeless: United Nations High Commission for Refugees (Geneva): 11 April 2008.

A fire swept through part of the remote Goz Amer refugee camp in eastern Chad on Friday, leaving some 3,000 Darfurian refugees homeless. UNHCR staff reported that 10 people were slightly injured, and many refugees lost all their food rations and meagre belongings. "The refugees have already suffered so much tragedy and now face yet another trauma," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in Geneva. "I am deeply relieved that there was no loss of life in this devastating fire. We will do everything we can to help and to get shelter and food supplies to them as quickly as possible." The cause of the midday blaze was believed to be an untended cooking fire which spread rapidly, fanned by high winds. "Everybody around, refugees and all our partners alike, rushed to the spot and tried to extinguish the fire with whatever

158 they had -- clothes, extinguishers and water," said Emmanuel Uwurukundo, UNHCR's acting head of office in nearby Koukou-Angarana. "The teamwork was outstanding."… Many of the refugees constructed traditional stick and mud shelters to replace UNHCR tents they received when they first arrived in 2004. The traditional huts were easily ignited in Friday's blaze. Uwurukundu said bricks should be used in future to avoid such incidents.

• Congo-Kinshasa: UN Envoy Calls On Parties to Implement Commitments in Kivus: UN News Service (New York): 7 April 2008.

The top United Nations official in the Democratic (DRC) has appealed to the parties in the volatile Kivu provinces in the country's northeast to implement the commitments made in recent accords and help more than one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees try to resume normal life. Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in the DRC, told the opening of the mixed technical commission on peace and security in the Kivus - otherwise known as the 'Amani programme' - that it was time to move into the "realization phase" of the peace process. Speaking at the conference in the town of Goma on Friday, Mr. Doss said the vast population of IDPs and refugees in North Kivu and South Kivu, which have been beset by fighting and instability since the official end of the civil war in 2003, are waiting for the commitments in the accords reached in January by Government forces (known as the FARDC) and armed rebel groups to be fulfilled…"In the last weeks, the United Nations gave priority to the monitoring and consolidation of the ceasefire," he said. "An informal dialogue mechanism was established between the FARDC and the armed groups, and the UN would like to see this quickly formalized… The accords include provisions for members of the armed rebel groups to either disarm or join the 'brassage' process in which they join the FARDC after retraining…

16. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Burkina Faso: Meningitis Epidemics in Vaccinated Areas: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 10 April 2008.

People vaccinated against meningitis are supposed to have protection for three years but health officials have announced that meningitis epidemics have occurred in several areas where populations had recently been immunized. "[Health researchers] are currently collecting information so as to identify the factors explaining the recurrence of the epidemic in districts where populations have been vaccinated", Ousmane Badolo, head of the epidemiologic surveillance department at the ministry of health, told IRIN. Vaccination campaigns target people between 2 to 30 years old; according to the ministry of health, 80 to 90 percent of the victims of meningitis belong to that age group. A total of 714 people have died since 1 January out of 7,184 cases. Several different bacteria can cause meningitis which is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the central nervous system. The Neisseria sero-group is one of the

159 most important to watch because it often leads to epidemics, experts say… A total of five out of the country's 55 districts have reached the epidemic threshold and 14 others are on alert. Meanwhile, 3.5 million people have been vaccinated this year out of a population of 14 million. The government said it is in the process of procuring a million more vaccines with the help of UN Children's Agency UNICEF.

• Benin: Young Faces Eaten Away By Ignorance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 11 April 2008.

In just four months the face of this child in northern Benin was eaten away by the disease known as Noma. And yet it could have easily been prevented. The disease is not communicable, experts say. The cause is simply poor nutrition and oral hygiene. Noma starts in the mouth as a oral lesion that then becomes gangrenous, rapidly destroying soft and hard tissues of the mouth and face. Over 100,000 children suffer from it each year, according to the Winds of Hope Foundation which provides support, most of them in Africa. If detected early, it can be treated easily with vitamins, mouthwash and common antibiotics. If treated late - as with this child - major surgery is required and only 50 percent of patients survive. If Noma goes untreated then up to 90 percent of children die. "Those who survive are forced to live with permanent disfiguration and the inability to eat or breathe normally," said Bertrand Piccard, Winds of Hope president who is an organizer for World Noma Day on 22 May… The victims are mostly under the age of six, although in Benin some are as old as 15, the head of the Noma project for the ministry of health, Sylvie Bankolé Pognon… Early detection is key but for that, health workers and traditional healers need training, and the community, particular mothers, need to be made aware of how to detect the disease. . "[They must] be able to recognize the first signs of noma and take [the child] to the nearest hospital," Pognon said.

• Mali: Inoculations Get Booster From Brazilian Vaccine, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

A campaign to vaccinate 5.7 million people across southern Mali will begin tomorrow thanks to the first-ever 'South-South' dose supply from South America's only manufacturer of yellow fever vaccine, the United Nations health agency said today. Three million doses are coming from the Brazilian company Bio Manguinhos while the other three million doses will be provided by Sanofi Pasteur - one of the other manufacturers of yellow fever vaccine pre-qualified by the UN World Health Organization (WHO). "The fact that we have now three manufacturers of WHO pre- qualified Yellow Fever vaccine around the world means that we are much more able to meet supply demands both for emergency and routine vaccination," Adamou Yada, Programme Manager for Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response in WHO's African Region, said. "This first mass shipment of vaccine from one developing country to another is proof of that," Dr. Yada added. Mali's mass vaccination campaign is part of the Yellow Fever Initiative that has $58 million worth of support from GAVI, the public-private alliance for vaccinations, to

160 drastically reduce the numbers at risk from the disease in West Africa. Mali is the third country; after Togo and Senegal, to undertake a national preventive vaccination campaign as part of the Initiative, with other countries due to follow as soon as sufficient vaccine is available… The 12 countries taking part on the Yellow Fever Initiative are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

• Nigeria: Sokoto Confirms 90 Deaths Due to Measles, Meningitis: Leadership (Abuja): 9 April 2008.

Sokoto State government has confirmed that 90 persons have died as a result of the outbreaks of meningitis and measles in 14 local governments of the state from January this year to date. Health Commissioner, Alhaji Hamzat Ahmadu, disclosed this to newsmen in his office in Sokoto. According to him, 70 of the deaths were caused by meningitis while 20 one were due to measles. Ahmadu added that, a total of over 700 suspected cases of meningitis were reported in these local governments. " Most of the samples of cerebro spinal meningitis fluids taken from the patients for laboratory confirmatory investigations indicated that the disease is caused by N. Meningitis, a bacterium capable of causing outbreak", he added. According to the health commissioner, the state government regrets that in spite of the measures put in place such as vaccination, early detection and treatment, the deaths were recorded… Ahmadu also said that, the state government has in the period under review bought assorted drugs worth N 20 million for the control of the situation… He advised the people of the state to always sleep in well ventilated rooms, avoid over crowding as well as report all suspected cases promptly for proper diagnosis and treatment. It will be recalled that similar massive cases of CSM and measles were recorded about 10 years ago in the state.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: New Sex Journal for Youth: New Era (Windhoek): 10 April 2008.

A journal aimed at educating school-going youths as well as adults on their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS infections will be launched this morning at the Hage Geingob School by the National Social Marketing Programme (NaSoMa). According to a press release, this organization was established in 2000 in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services. The current programme activities are funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW and the Namibian Global Fund Programme… In implementing its Behaviour Change Communication strategy, NaSoMa uses a risk-reduction approach to target vulnerable groups who are at high risk of HIV infection and transmission… The main objectives of the journal are to:

• Enable youth to identify and understand their vulnerability to STI's, including HIV/AIDS infection;

161 • Create dialogue on reproductive health issues, complementing life skills activities at schools;

• Reinforce messages around positive behaviour change.

"The journal is targeting both urban and rural school learners in all 13 regions of the country, and will be distributed at no cost. It provides an opportunity for youth to learn more on making informed decisions about sex, relationships, peer pressure, alcohol and drugs, causes of STI's, including HIV/AIDS amongst young people, and other health related matters.

• Angola: Moxico - HIV/Aids Concerns Authorities: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 11 April 2008.

Health authorities in eastern Moxico province are concerned about the relaxation in the implementation of actions to fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and HIV/Aids in the region. Angop learnt from the supervisor of the provincial programme on fight against STDs, Gloria Muhangueno, during a meeting held last Thursday in Luena, with State-owned institutions and non-governmental organisations involved. Representatives of partner organisations attending the meeting pointed out the lack of financial and material support as the main cause of the reduction of actions under the programme. The lack of activity of the Provincial Commission for fight against HIV/Aids and the lack of a follow-up by the organs concerned were, among other factors, mentioned as the reason for the unsuccessful work.

• Angola: Huíla - Cholera Kills 14 People: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 10 April 2008.

At least fourteen people died by cholera in the Southern Huila province, in a total of 1,297 cases diagnosed by the health authorities in the first quarter of this year, Angop has learnt from the head of the public health and diseases control department, Barnabé Lemos. According to the source, 60 per cent of deaths occurred in Lubango city, the most affected region of Huila province, whereas the other 40 percent in Matala, Quipungo and Chibia districts…

• Botswana: Bonepwa to Stage Mr 2008 HIV Positive Living Pageant: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone): 9 April 2008.

The Botswana Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA) Mr 2008 HIV Positive Living pageant will be held next month at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) under the theme "A new age of men involved, informed, in action against HIV/AIDS". BONEPWA programme officer Rosemary Mokgosi said their objective is to encourage men's participation in HIV/AIDS issues. Police commissioner Thebeyame Tsimako will be the guest speaker at the event. Tsimako is the current chairperson of Men's Sector. Mokgosi, however, pointed out the pageant is not necessarily for HIV positive people only. She said that one of the major

162 considerations is that prospective contestants should be people who know their status and are conversant with HIV/AIDS issues. Aspirants should also be 18 years and above and should be citizens of Botswana, fluent in both Setswana and English and should at least hold a minimum qualification of Standard Seven. Finally, participants should also have disclosed their HIV status and should be members of a support group or if not they will be required to join one.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Cholera Alert As Disease Spreads to 16 Districts: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

A cholera alert was issued Thursday as the government admitted that 59 people had died from the disease since last November. A further 1,217 people have already contracted the disease which has been discovered in 16 districts in Nyanza, Rift Valley, North Eastern and Western Provinces. The worst affected districts are Suba, Migori, Homabay, Rongo, Siaya, Kisumu East and West, Bondo, Nyando, Kisii South, Wajir, Mandera East and Central, Naivasha, Nakuru and Bunyala. On Thursday, the Director of Medical Service, Dr James Nyikal, confirmed that this latest outbreak, going by the statistics, could turn out to be one of the worst if urgent measures are not taken to contain it. "Most deaths occurred at home or on the way to hospital," Dr Nyikal said at a news conference in Nairobi. To avoid cholera, the government advises Kenyans to adhere to the following:

• Always wash hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet and before eating food

• Always use the toilet and also ensure that the water used to clean soiled clothing is disposed of in the toilet. Any other materials used to clean children after defecating must be disposed of in the toilet as well.

• Ensure safety of household water by either boiling or treating it with chlorine based tablets or solutions

• Food should be well-cooked and enough for a single meal to avoid contamination of stored cooked food.

• Any person who visits or handles a cholera patient is advised to wash their hands thoroughly with soap

• Kenyans are also advised not to wash clothes or materials contaminated by stool from patients suffering from cholera in water sources such as rivers and lakes.

• Kenya: 59 Die of Cholera in Five Months: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

163 Fifty nine people have died of cholera in the past five months in what the Ministry of Health reckons to be the most serious outbreak to hit the country in the recent past. A total of 1,217 cases have been reported in 16 districts in Nyanza, Rift Valley, North Eastern and Western provinces. According to Health ministry statistics, Nyanza Province was the hardest hit with at least 45 deaths and 750 infections in 10 districts… On Thursday, the director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, said most of the reported deaths occurred at home. At a news conference in Nairobi yesterday, Dr Nyikal said the ministry had issued an alert to all health personnel to be vigilant for early detection and management of patients suffering from diarrhoea. He said that drugs worth Sh17 million had been sent to the affected areas all over the country. Public use: "We have distributed to the affected areas chlorine-based tablets and solutions for water treatment at household levels." Water boards and local authorities were also asked to ensure that all water supplied for public use was treated and that all households should use toilets…

• Uganda: Govt Should Be Honest About HIV/Aids: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008.

PRESIDENT Yoweri was recently quoted in The New Vision as advising the youth against being deceived that circumcision was a medicine to AIDS. Recent remarks that those who infect others with AIDS should hang, astounded me. Another article intimated laxity and recklessness among the youth as a cause of HIV spread. A recent report by the World Health Organisation indicates a high increase in infection rates in Uganda with the overall prevalence rising from 6.2% to 6.4%. In a lay man's understanding, it means 1.6 million Ugandans are HIV-positive. If each of them can have unprotected sex with 17 other Ugandans, then statistically, every Ugandan would be HIV-positive. What a worrying trend? What went wrong? Why the increase in prevalence rate? First, the rate at which Uganda is embracing globalisation is worrying. There is no safety net against the influence of the Western media like Channel O television. The effect of such exposure is tremendous and is beginning to yield negative returns… The misplaced perception on sex engineered by tabloids which have glorified the "sexy" people has made matters worse. Many male chauvinists look at women in terms of whether they are sexy or not. Many women also see themselves in terms of being "sexy". When such a woman is told she is sexy, she takes it as a compliment. This perception calls for a protracted campaign by the HIV- AIDS activists. There exists typical African vengeance and revenge, especially by some of those infected by AIDS. Thus the culture of deliberately infecting others with AIDS is on the increase… Parliament should enact laws to charge those who deliberately infect others with AIDS with murder or manslaughter. The current legal regime is not adequate. The challenge, though, is proof that one had the criminal intention. Charging one for murder presumes compulsory testing for HIV, yet one's status can change overnight. The Government should control the dress code, liquor, indecent exposure in the media, poverty, the mushrooming guest houses and corruption. Sensitisation campaigns should also be repackaged… However, Ugandans must know that after the Government has played its part, it is everyone's duty

164 to remain alive. The Government cannot follow people to their bedrooms to ensure they are safe.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Brazzaville: Climate Change Linked to Spread of Disease: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 April 2008.

Climate change is emerging as a major threat to health and adding pressure on public health systems, especially in Africa, a senior UN official has said. "It causes a rise in sea levels, accelerates erosion of coastal zones, increases the intensity and frequency of natural disasters and accelerates the extinction of species," Luis Gomes Sambo, World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Africa, said. "The impact on human health is even greater." Climate change, he added, is thought to directly contribute to changes in the geographic distribution of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and epidemics of meningococcal meningitis, Rift Valley fever and cholera in previously unaffected areas. "For example, the geographic distribution of meningococcal meningitis appears to be expanding from the usual meningitis belt to the southern African region," Sambo said on 7 April during the commemoration of World Health Day in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of Congo. "Waterborne diseases and epidemics of acute diarrhoea are rampant in flood situations," he added. The continent has seen extensive flooding across eastern, western and southern regions… He said WHO would give priority support to African countries to develop the capacity to assess and manage the adverse health impact of climate change. In terms of health capacity, Africa faces a crisis. For example, it has 14 percent of the world population and 25 percent of the global disease burden - yet it has only 1.3 percent of global health workers… Waterborne diseases and epidemics of acute diarrhoea are rampant in flood situations To improve the situation, according to the WHO, one million more health workers are immediately needed in Africa. Facilities in health centres also need major improvements… Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that climate change jeopardises the quality and availability of water and food, which are the fundamental determinants of nutrition and health.

• Cameroon: Resistance - The Price For Insufficient Vaccination: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé): 9 April 2008.

The propagation of polio virus persists in the West and Central African regions. Poliomyelitis is a contagious disease caused by a virus which attacks especially the limbs of children. It weakens them and renders the limbs, and paralyses them for the rest of their lives… Following the widespread use of the poliovirus vaccine in the mid-1950s, the incidence of poliomyelitis declined dramatically in many industrialized countries. A global effort to eradicate polio began in 1988, led by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and The Rotary Foundation… Despite these efforts, the propagation of the epidemic of the polio virus persists in the West and Central African regions. In Cameroon, the polio virus is still resistant because the country is surrounded by countries such as Nigeria where the polio virus is still present and is spreading fast.

165 The second reason is that if the polio virus is manifesting from time to time in our population it means it finds its place in some children who are not sufficiently protected. It may be because their mothers did not take them for vaccination or they have not yet received the sufficient doses of vaccine which can be enough to protect them from the virus… He also appeals that each time there is paralysis of a child less than 14 years parents should immediately contact the nearest health services for measures to be taken immediately.

17. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Dead Baby Trees By the Millions As Reforestation Fails: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008.

Of the 50 million seedlings planted every year in the 11 northern Nigeria states worst effected by desertification, 37.5 million wither and die within two months, environmental officials say. "The 12.5 million seedlings that make it to maturity are not enough to create deforestation-reforestation equilibrium, especially given the fact that a large number of the trees that grow are later chopped down," Kabiru Yammama of the National Forest Conservation Council of Nigeria [NFCCN] told IRIN… People in the north use an estimates 40.5 million tonnes of firewood each year, he said. At the same time, the desert is encroaching at an estimated annual rate of between 8 and 30 hectares in the 11 states, which are Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi. Around 35 percent of the arable land there has been overtaken by desert in the last 50 years, he added. This has adversely affected the livelihoods of over 55 million people, more than the combined population of Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Mauritania… He blamed the failure on the government not the people: "You can't plant a tree in the desert without a water source and expect people who are struggling for water for their human needs to shoulder the extra burden of watering it," he said… But he also said that as long as the government does not provide alternative sources of energy for people that are affordable and easy to use they will continue to rely on the trees for cooking fuel. Yammama noted that Nigeria has a 3 billion ton coal reserves that is not being exploited plus stockpiles of special coal stoves, "But the lack of the refined coal has stalled their sale," he said.

• Ghana: Lessons From Climate Change: Public Agenda (Accra): 11 April 2008.

The theme for World Health Day 2008 is climate change and health. According to WHO the theme was selected to put one of the biggest challenges - climate change-at the centre of global health dialogue. To a poor and developing country like Ghana, the choice of this theme is more appropriate, considering the fact that Ghana is currently experiencing the effects of global warming and its attendant unpredictable hazards to health and the rainfall pattern. More so, changes in the climate globally is said to be posing a greater threat to gains made in public health. Increasing air temperature, heat waves, sea level rise, drought and storms are some of the climatic happenings in

166 Ghana which are having devastating effects on water resources, agriculture, health, desertification and coastal zone settlements. In the best parts of 2006 and 2007 Ghana experienced energy crisis due to the low water inflows into the Volta Reservoir. Environmental experts have warned that climate change on Ghana's water resources will reduce freshwater flows between 15-20% for the year 2020 and 30- 40% for the year 2050 in all the basins. These are signs that are written on the wall and should alert our policy makers to evolve policies that would preserve the environment if Ghana is to avoid few catastrophes… In tackling climate change, the voices of women and children must be heard and their needs assessed as part of the national response to prospective changes to the environment. Besides, women and children must have access to the knowledge and tools necessary to protect themselves and their communities.

• Sierra Leone: Heavy Storm Destroys SLMB School in Bo: Concord Times (Freetown): 10 April 2008.

The Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood secondary school Njagboima in Bo was last week damaged by a heavy storm. The heavy breeze which started around 9:15pm local time swept through the Bo city for five hours leaving many structures among them the SLMB School roofless. The community people of Njagboima shortly after the storm disaster informed the school authorities that the storm could sweep away any human object, which even prevented them from coming outside and see the extent of damage. Principal of the school Abu Sesay told journalists that he was baffled by the level of destruction. He said they have negotiated with the school management and community to construct a six-class-room building in order to cushion the accommodation problem. Sesay said the school management and community are hoping to get the necessary support from Non Governmental Organizations such as the European Union and the government of Sierra Leone to construct the six-class-room building to accommodate the increase in population.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: WHO Drafts Climate Change Action Plan: The Herald (Harare): 10 April 2008.

The World Health Organisation is working on a global strategy and action plan to support member-states in developing their capacity for effective interventions to alleviate the impact of global climate change. Speaking at World Health Day commemorations whose theme is "Protecting health from climate change", WHO regional director Dr Luis Sambo said climate change was a serious issue, which required proactive action as it is a threat to public health especially in developing countries. "Climate change is one of the most critical global challenges of our time… As a result, WHO will prioritise supporting countries in the African region to develop their capacities to assess and manage the adverse impact of climate change.

• Namibia: Plants in Sperrgebiet Area At Risk: The Namibian (Windhoek): 10 April 2008.

167 A LOCAL environmentalist has warned that the Sperrgebiet, the only arid biodiversity hotspot in the world, could soon face a severe species extinction crisis because of climate change. Pierre du Plessis, an environmental consultant with the Centre for Research Information Action for Development in Africa (CRIAA SA-DC), said the Succulent Karoo Biome - a unique vegetation area that includes the Sperrgebiet - was especially vulnerable to climate change. Du Plessis recently held a public talk in Windhoek on the impact of climate change on park management in Namibia. He said Succulent Karoo plants are adapted to winter rainfall and it is predicted that climate change will shift winter rainfall towards the South Pole, denying plants the cool, wet weather needed for seed to grow. In the long term this could cause these plants to go extinct… The Sperrgebiet has the highest diversity of succulent plants in the world - about 2 000 endemic species. A succulent is a plant with thick fleshy leaves or stems that store water. An endemic plant or animal occurs nowhere else in the world… To cope with climate change impacts, park managers must limit all non- climate stresses in protected areas, he said. They should strive to increase natural resilience by reducing the number of 'simultaneous insults' to ecosystems and by preventing over-population and over-grazing through timely relocation or culling during boom cycles.

• Mauritius: Slowing Deforestation May Be Worth $Billions: L'Express (Port Louis): 8 April 2008.

A slowdown of deforestation from the Amazon to the Congo basin could generate billions of dollars every year for developing nations as part of a UN scheme to fight climate change, a study showed yesterday. Burning of forests by farmers clearing land accounts for 20 % of world greenhouse gas emissions. A 190-nation UN climate conference agreed in Bali, Indonesia, in December to work on ways to reward countries for slowing deforestation. "Even with quite conservative assumptions, you can generate substantial amounts of money and emissions reductions," said Johannes Ebeling of EcoSecurities in Oxford, England, of a study with Mai Yasue at the University of British Columbia in Canada… They said a 10 % decline in the rate of tropical forest loss could generate annual carbon finance for developing nations of between 1.5 billion and 9.1 billion euros ($2.4 to $14.30 billion) assuming carbon prices of 5 to 30 euros a tonne. Such curbs would represent about 300 million tonnes of avoided carbon dioxide emissions a year - about the amount of heat-trapping gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, emitted by Turkey, or half the total of France. The United Nations wants reduced emissions from deforestation to be part of a new long-term climate treaty beyond 2012 to help avert more droughts, heat waves, outbreaks of disease and rising seas… So far, most focus in the UN debate had been on rewarding countries with high deforestation rates - such as Brazil and Ecuador - for slowing the losses. But nations such as Guyana or Suriname, which have maintained high forest cover, or others like Costa Rica and Chile, which have slowed or reversed deforestation, would gain little.

EAST AFRICA • Ethiopia: Nearly $68 Million Sought to Aid Drought Victims – UN:UN News Service (New York): 11 April 2008.

168 The Ethiopian Government and its humanitarian partners have appealed for $67.7 million to assist drought victims in the East African nation, where some 2.2 million people are in need of emergency food aid, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today. Inadequate rainfall in the latter part of last year has been blamed for drought in the Horn of Africa, which is also expected to lead to reduced crop harvests in Djibouti, Eritrea, northern parts of Kenya and south-central Somalia… A total of almost 172,000 metric tons of food aid is required for those in need. In addition, special attention will be given to health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and agriculture to help address the adverse impact of the drought…

• Kenya: Nakuru in Plans to Recycle Lead: The Nation (Nairobi): 10 April 2008.

A lead recycling plant has been proposed for Nakuru Town. This comes in the wake of reports citing lead as one of the causes of the declining waterbuck population at Lake Nakuru National Park. The park, situated only a few kilometres from the location of the proposed plant, had about 5,000 waterbucks by 1990 but their numbers had dropped to only 712 by 2001. Conservationists attribute the drop in waterbuck numbers to the stiff competition for pasture posed by buffaloes and the effect of lead at an old dump site within the park. Ecologist Jackson Raini told the Nation last year that some waterbucks that had been feeding near the old dump site were found to have ingested lead contained in batteries. A battery-manufacturing firm had been dumping waste in that section before the area was ceded to the Park. Carcasses of waterbucks that had been feeding within the old dump site were found to have brittle skulls and other bones, which was a manifestation of lead ingestion. The Lake Nakuru National Park integrated management plan document compiled in 2001 says that tests carried out on tissues of dead flamingoes showed traces of heavy metals such as zinc, lead, copper, iron and chromium. Drainage: Assays of liver and kidneys for elements of metals revealed arsenic, lead, mercury, copper, cadmium, chromium, iron, zinc, nickel and selenium. Although Nakuru Town has two sewerage treatment plants, flood waters sweeping down open drainage channels discharge water directly into the park. The Japanese Government built a water quality testing laboratory at the park to help in monitoring of chemical and biological parameters.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Torrential Rains Kill 15 And Leave Hundreds Homeless: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 8 April 2008.

Fifteen people have died and hundreds more were left homeless after days of torrential rains in Kasai Occidental and Bandundu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a humanitarian official told IRIN. "At least 500 people have been left without shelter; some are still sleeping in the rubble of their houses while others have found refuge with their neighbours," Marie-Madeleine Kaneku, the director of the NGO Caritas in Luebo district of Kasai Occidental, said. The dead

169 included three children aged between six and 10, who died when the walls of their homes collapsed. Others were seriously injured. At least 100 houses were destroyed by the torrential rains and the accompanying strong winds on 2 April in the town of Tshikapa, Kaneku said. "Two schools have also been damaged by the rains," she said. Heavy rains were also reported in Tshikapa, 101km away, where a hospital was destroyed. "The main building at the health centre of Kapemba was damaged," she said. "Following the damage to the health centre we were forced to evacuate all the sick," François Kamudji, the medical director at the hospital, said… The heavy rains covered a stretch of 350km. Kaneku said those affected by the rains had not yet received help.

18. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Romanian Coy to Establish Refineries in Delta, Lagos: Leadership (Abuja): 11 April 2008.

A Romanian company is set to establish refineries in both Delta and Lagos states. The company, BSM International petroleum refinery and petrochemicals Limited, has said it will recover oil, diesel, petrol and kerosene when it commences operations with an expected initial daily turn out of over 17 barrels per day. The quantity is to rise to 200 barrels per day with operations further extended to other states of the Federation and already, 250 hectares of land has been given for the situation of the site… The president and chairman, board of directors of the company, Lateef Lai Ogungbadero, made this known when a delegation of the company paid a working visit to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in Abuja. He disclosed that the company, whose headquarters is located in Romanian, is expected to employ about 10,000 Nigerians, some of who will undergo training in Romania and also have Romanian partners. According to him, the company will also establish transportable stations aimed at taking care of the industrial and other areas which will be done in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)… The president, who did not state the amount of money that will be used for the establishment of the company, revealed further that it has entered into discussions with some ECOWAS countries in a bid to extend the project to those countries… Bello, who noted that the refineries in Nigeria are moribund, said the country needs projects to solve its problems especially in relation to oil.

• Nigeria: Irate Community Chases Out Shell Officials: Vanguard (Lagos): 11 April 2008.

OFFICIALS of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC-West, were yesterday at Uzere, Isoko South Council of Delta state chased out of the community by the entire people for unfulfilled promises even as they gave the oil giant a 21-days ultimatum to complete a six years cottage hospital and ten years epileptic water projects or have their operations shut down. The SPDC team led by Mr. Yemi Awolola, the Community Inter Face Coordinator, Land Area, West, had gone to the oil rich community for this year's SPDC organized "People's Parliament" where lectures on various topic

170 of mutual benefit would have been delivered. Trouble started when immediately after the address of the community president-general's speech, Mr Yemi Awolola of SPDC was to make his opening address but the microphone was suddenly seized from the MC by Mr. Emma Ekebe who went ahead to reel out all the alleged atrocities of SPDC against the people and at the end announced that the Parliament session has been cancelled and adjourned until when SPDC is ready to deal positively with all the issues at stake, to which the mammoth gathering applauded… Some of their immediate demands from the Anglo-Dutch oil giant are the release of fund for the completion and commissioning of the Uzere cottage hospital; energizing the water scheme from the SPDc flow station; completion of the Tapioca drying plant and provision of a well equipped science laboratory for the Uzere Grammar School. Other demand include relocation of the West and East Flow stations to a distance location due to the multiple health and economic hazards to the people and commencement of environmental remedial process including replacement of damaged roofs due to gas flare.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Mozambique: Country to Expand Production of Natural Gas: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo): 11 April 2008.

Production capacity in the Pande and Temane gas fields, in the southern Mozambican province of Inhambane, is to be expanded by 50 per cent as from 2010, to respond to the growing demand, both in Mozambique, and in the neighbouring South Africa, reports Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias". The current estimates of production are placed at an annual figure of 120 million gigajoules (about 3 billion cubic metres of gas). Mineral Resources Minister Esperanca Bias told reporters that a study is currently underway to produce cooking gas and kerosene from natural gas, rather than importing these fuels… Addressing a meeting of economists from the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), Bias said on Thursday that Mozambique has the geological potential for the discovery of new gas fields. Exploiting the gas fields is in the hands of a consortium led by the South African petro-chemical giant SASOL (with 70 per cent of the shares). Its partners are the Mozambican Hydrocarbon Company (CMH), with 25 per cent, and the private sector funding arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with the remaining five per cent… Inside Mozambique, the gas is used to generate one megawatt of electricity (to supply the districts in the northern part of Inhambane), and to supply industrial consumers in the southern city of Matola (who use up to 1.5 million gigajoules a year).

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Douala/Kribi-Campo Basin - Over 15.7 billion for Oil Exploration in Matanda: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé): 11 April 2008.

Twenty-six years after the drilling of five oil wells, two of which produced positive results in the Matanda block, government has decided to revisit the potentially oil/gas rich area located in the Douala/Kribi-Campo basin. A Production Sharing Contract for oil exploration in the block was signed yesterday between the government,

171 represented on the one hand by the Minister of Industries, Mines and Technological Development, Ndanga Ndinga Badel and the Executive General Manager of the National Hydrocarbons Corporation, Adolphe Moudiki and on the other, by the General Manager Exploration/Production of Glencore Exploration Limited, Alan Johnson and the General Manager of AFEX Global Limited, Richard Bray. The contract, valued at 38 million dollars (about CFA 15.7 billion) will enable the consortium to carryout exploration activities on the block for the next three years. "The minimum work programme subscribed by Glencore/AFEX consortium for the first period provides for: the acquisition, processing and interpretation of 170 square kilometers of 3Dseismic data, 15 kilometers of 2D seismic data and the drilling of two wells", a press release issued at the end of the signing said. The contract, the release stated, will reactivate exploration activities on this part of the Cameroon mining domain which for over a decade registered no activity, but whose potential in gas was proven in two wells drilled by Gulf Oil Corporation in the early 80s… The Matanda block is located to the south and west of Douala town. It is in a transitional zone and covers the northern part of the Wouri River's estuary. The block covers an area of 1,187 square kilometres.

19. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: EFCC Probes Past Govts On $500bn Oil Revenue: Vanguard (Lagos): 11 April 2008.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said, yesterday, it would soon carry out a critical examination into what past administrations in the country did with the $500 billion generated from oil in the last 50 years, according to its acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde. He spoke as President Umaru Yar'Adua reiterated the determination of his administration to boost the war against corruption, pledging a total support for the commission (EFCC) to ensure it frees the nation from the shackles of corruption. Lamorde who spoke at the 5th anniversary celebration and launch of commemorative of anti-corruption stamps, said: "Nigerian which made nearly half a trillion dollars from oil in less than five decades, a figure that dwarfs the total international aid to the whole of Africa, still has 70 per cent of citizens live in conditions of dispiriting poverty, on incomes of less than a dollar a day. We are going to take a critical look into how this problem arose over a period of the last five decades." Warning that the "nation was virtually on a life support machine," Lamorde said: "The outlook was bleak, and only the illusionists among us failed to see that the nation was virtually on a standstill.”Corruption had taken an unprecedented stature, assuming an alarming cultural dimension, and frustrating all attempts at effective economic growth and a decent expression of development." Yar'Adua hails EFCC: In his speech, President Yar'Adua said: …"The debilitating effects of unbridled corruption are multifaceted and multifarious. It encourages the distortion of our moral values and political mis-governance. In five years, EFCC has provided leadership in the cleaning of the financial environment, creating enabling environment for such landmark achievement as successful consolidation of the banking sector…"I am

172 informed that the Commission has concluded more than 250 cases and conviction, and recovered assets worth $5 billion." he said… Sultan wants anti-graft war as strategic national agenda :Also speaking, chairman of the occasion and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa'ad Abubakar (III), said the war against corruption should be taken to all the spheres of national life. He warned that the war against corruption in the country should not be politicised, rather it should be seen as the strategic national agenda. Sultan Abubakar while warning the EFCC to steer clear of partisan politics preached spiritual and ethical rejuvenation for the battle against graft to succeed. There must be no sacred cows – Akiolu : Oba Rilwan Akiolu (1) of Lagos enjoined Nigerians to ensure that the war against corruption was fought to the logical conclusion, insisting that the war must be total and devoid of protecting sacred cows.

• Nigeria: EFCC Seeks Abolition of Multiple Banks Accounts: Vanguard (Lagos): 9 April 2008.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) yesterday called for abolition of operating multiple banks accounts by the three tiers of governments and corporate individuals, saying the practices promote money laundering and other financial crimes in the country. The Acting Chairman EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde who stated this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financial Terrorism (AML/CFT) Compliance Stakeholders Summit in Abuja, urged financial institutions to promote a strict credit administration that would discourage local and state governments from operating multiple accounts… The summit, tagged, "Taking the AML/CFT regime to the next level", sponsored by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, was aimed at checkmating money laundering and other financial crimes in the country. He said that operating multiple accounts by the governments and corporate individuals must be stopped if we are sincere in containing criminal profits… Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Mr. Bayo Okauru recalled that the activities of the AML/CFT in the past were strategically focused principally on the banking industry… He said, international cooperation and information exchange are crucial to combating money laundering, terrorism financing and drug trafficking within the West African sub-region. He added that, "towards this end, we would partner with ECOWAS Commission and GIABA to rid the region of the menace of these crimes".

20. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA • West Africa: Ecowas Convention On Small Arms Zooms: The Analyst (Monrovia): 9 April 2008.

The ratification of the Economic Community of West African States Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their ammunition and related materials has begun in Monrovia. The ratification exercise, which is expected to be discharged by the National Legislature, was launched on Friday, April 4, 2008 at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Monrovia. The ceremony brought together lawmakers, government

173 officials, civil society leaders, rights activists and the public. Speaking during the ceremony the chairperson of the Liberian Action Network on Small Arms (LANSA), Rev. Fr. Anthony Borwah said LANSA, is a consortium of over 25 civil society organizations collaborating and cooperation to eradicate the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Liberia. Fr. Borwah said the objectives of the convention include the consolidation of the gains of the declaration of moratorium on the importation, exportation and manufacture of small arms and its code of conduct and the continuation of efforts for the control of small arms and light weapons within the ECOWAS countries… The deadline of the submission of the ratified document to ECOWAS secretariat on Small Arms control is May of this year. He expressed thanks and appreciation to partners of LANSA for their continuous support for the fight against small arms.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Rallies Banned As Mugabe Boycotts Summit:allAfrica.com: 11 April 2008.

Police have banned all political rallies in Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe plans to boycott Saturday's summit of regional leaders called to discuss his country's election crisis. Zimbabwe's government-controlled broadcaster, ZBC News, reported assistant police commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena as saying the police "will deal with any political party" which defies the ban on rallies. It was introduced on Friday "with immediate effect." In a separate report, the broadcaster quoted the permanent secretary in the Zimbabwe foreign ministry, Joey Bimha, as saying the extraordinary summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) - convened by the current SADC chairman, President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia - was "unnecessary." Three cabinet ministers would represent the country, ZBC News said. The meeting will be held in Zambia.

• Zimbabwe: Pahad Calls for Poll Results As SADC Gathers: Business Day (Johannesburg): 11 April 2008.

THE government yesterday broke its silence on the protracted delay in the release of Zimbabwe's presidential election results, and called for their immediate publication. Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad said that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission delay was "almost like keeping the international community in suspense". "It is important that the expressed will of the people is respected. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should explain the delay in the announcement of the results. This will calm the situation and ease the tension," he said. The ruling Zanu (PF) was preparing for a run off poll while the outcome of the presidential contest was not yet known -- this despite the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai having claimed victory, Pahad said. Zanu (PF) was also challenging results at some polling stations -- while the MDC had no knowledge of what these results were, he said… The Institute for Democracy in SA said it had information from observers still inside Zimbabwe that increasing military and

174 paramilitary mobilisation were breeding community level violence. Pahad also said that the government was concerned about those acting outside the law by intimidating rural communities and invading the farms of people perceived to have voted for the opposition. He said the South African embassy had sent a diplomatic note to Zimbabwe's foreign ministry on Tuesday to plead for the protection of South African farmers after two South African-owned farms near Chinoyi were invaded… He said that SA was not a hegemonic power that could impose its will -- at the whim of South Africans -- on any other country. "There is no South African government that will try to impose its will... that will never happen. "We can't take on the weakest countries and we don't intend to do that."

• Zimbabwe: Three ZEC Officials Convicted, Fined: The Herald (Harare): 11 April 2008.

Three Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials from Masvingo were yesterday convicted and fined $8 million or one week in prison for contravening the Electoral Act after losing a ballot box while two other officers appeared before a Bindura magistrate on similar charges.Steven Chipadza, Charles Muchatukwa and Bothman Beat had pleaded not guilty but were convicted after the court ruled that the State had submitted overwhelming evidence against them. Cuthbert Muzvondiwa Huvaya (39), the Bindura Assistant District Administrator, and Chengetayi Manyanga (45), a headmaster at Marian Primary School in the town, were not asked to plead to fraud charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Charles Murove. Chipadza, Muchatukwa and Beat manned a district election centre in Masvingo Province and were responsible for securing ballot material including ballot papers. However, they did not get escort when they drove one of the vehicles carrying election material to Shilo Polling Station in Chiredzi North constituency and dropped a ballot box containing ballots for the just-ended harmonised polls. They did not report the missing ballot box and the case only came to light after a villager picked up some ballot papers and reported the case to police. . Investigations by the police led to the recovery of all the ballot papers from the villagers. Police have since deplored the sentence saying it was not deterrent enough in relation to the gravity of the offence. . In the second case, the State alleged that Manyanga intentionally omitted endorsing results for the same polling station on Form V23 resulting in the Bindura North constituency Chief Election Officer, Huvaya, failing to capture the same results. "The omission was only realised after the results were sent to the Mashonaland Central Province Command Centre on March 30 2008," Mr Muchenga alleged. So far at least 15 ZEC officials have been arrested countrywide on allegations of electoral fraud and for manipulating results in favour of the MDC in the March 29 harmonised elections. Eight officials were arrested in Mashonaland West, Gweru, Mutare and Binga, one in Manicaland, two in Masvingo another two in Mashonaland Central while two others were apprehended in Matabeleland North province.

• Zimbabwe: Amnesty International Calls For Immediate End to Political Violence: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 10 April 2008.

175 As leaders of Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) states prepare for an emergency meeting regarding the ongoing political crisis in Zimbabwe, Amnesty International today expressed serious concern at reports of post-election violence targeting perceived supporters of opposition parties in Zimbabwe. The organisation called on the police to end political violence and investigate any allegations of police and army involvement in some of the incidents. According to information received by Amnesty International, incidents of post-election violence are widespread -- suggesting the existence of coordinated retribution against known and suspected opposition supporters. Violence has been reported in Harare, Mashonaland East, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Manicaland provinces. Victims of political violence have reportedly been pulled from buses and assaulted at their homes in rural areas, townships and farms. Amnesty International welcomed the SADC announcement of an emergency meeting to discuss the Zimbabwe crisis on 12 April in Lusaka. The organisation called on SADC leaders to redouble diplomatic efforts to avoid further deterioration of the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. "Zimbabwe has been allowed to operate outside the African Union and United Nations human rights frameworks for too long -- reinforcing a culture of impunity in the country," said Mawanza, Amnesty International's Zimbabwe researcher.

• Angola: Africa Insight - Country's MPLA Hits the Campaign Trail Months to Elections: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

Although the parliamentary elections in Angola are not due until September, the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has started campaigning. Speaking during celebrations to mark the signing of the peace treaty between the government and rebels of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita) six years ago, the information secretary at the MPLA's political bureau, Norberto Kwata Kanawa, said last week the party was "testing how receptive the masses were to its message, taking into account the September parliamentary and next year's presidential elections. The meeting was held in Bocoio, a village in the coastal province of Benguela where Unita, the main opposition party, has great influence. The main speaker, hardliner Gen Kundy Painhama, blamed Unita for the war that devastated the country, adding that the party was smuggling in weapons and encouraging violence. However, he refuted claims that the MPLA was showing increasing intolerance to dissent and said it was time for national reconciliation and unity. But Unita's parliamentary leader, Alcides Sakala, said national reconciliation and unity could not be achieved due to increasing intolerance on the MPLA's part. The September parliamentary polls are largely expected to be a two-horse race between the MPLA and Unita, although the country has 98 registered parties… Meanwhile, churches, especially the dominant Roman Catholics, have been calling for peace and reconciliation, even as the ordinary rural folk continue to be apprehensive of the elections, fearing they might lead to violence. NGOs, which are actively involved in civic education, say such fears are widespread, amid claims of citizens being intimidated or forced to surrender their voters' cards to ruling party officials. Still, nobody seems to want a return to war. The authorities have begun a nationwide campaign to disarm civilians, a rather difficult task, given the size of the country and range of weapons in use… Dr Nelson Pestana, an

176 academic, says the many guns in civilian hands, the desire for revenge, authoritarianism, militarism and a culture of violence, ethnic differences, huge social gaps, high levels of poverty, unemployment and limited access to education have created apprehension about the election. Despite these fears,, voter registration was surprising successful, with more than eight million people registered… Ironically, 68 per cent of Angolans live below the poverty level, with 28 per cent of them living in abject poverty, according to the most recent data from the United Nations Children's Fund. Meanwhile, dozens of luxury condominiums worth millions of dollars are coming up on the outskirts of Luanda, neighbouring huge slums where thousands of hawkers and street children struggle to survive. The paradox of having nothing amid plenty is a way of life in Angola.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: President And Raila Move to End Tension: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

Prime Minister designate Raila Odinga Thursday asked his supporters to be patient and avoid violence as President Kibaki said he was still committed to swearing in an expanded Cabinet by Saturday. Mr Odinga, who spoke after a meeting with American ambassador Michael Ranneberger, said his differences with President Kibaki were "a small gap" and he was optimistic a solution would be found in the "not too distant future." President Kibaki, on the other hand, said in a statement issued by Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua, that he remained committed to resolving the stalemate over a joint Cabinet. The two who had separate functions as a week passed since their last face to face meeting also indicated they were waiting for the other to make the first move to break the Cabinet stalemate. Mr Odinga's statement on violence appeared to be meant to cool tempers in Kibera, Kisumu and Busia where mobs blocked roads and uprooted a section of the railway line in Kibera. Dr Mutua said President Kibaki remained committed to resolving the dispute over how to share ministries, but would wait for the invitation he sent out to Mr Odinga to be honoured…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Parliament Extends President Paul Biya's Rule for Life: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

In yet another setback for democracy in Africa, Cameroon's parliament adopted a constitutional bill removing a two-term limit to allow President Paul Biya to extend his 25-year rule on Thursday, despite opposition to the extension that caused of riots that killed dozens of people in February. The bill submitted just a week ago was approved on Tuesday by the assembly's constitutional law committee that dismissed more than 20 opposition amendments. Opposition lawmakers, who criticised the bill stormed out of the chamber before the vote, Reuters reported. Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) enjoys a huge majority, controlling 153 of 180 parliamentary seats. The CPDM oversaw the introduction of a new constitution in 1996 that limited presidents to two seven-year terms. Biya's second term under that

177 constitution expires in 2011, but he made it clear in a New Year speech that he would like to stay on… Parliament members from the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the main opposition with 15 seats, walked out of the assembly in protest, saying parliament should not amend a constitution that emerged from cross-party negotiations in the early 1990s. There was little visible reaction in the capital Yaounde, whose streets were empty late on Thursday due to heavy rain. A Reuter’s reporter saw members of Cameroon's military rapid reaction force patrolling parts of the city on Wednesday night… A number of African presidents have abolished two-term limits introduced in the 1990s in a wave of multi-party rule after the end of the Cold War. But efforts to do so in Nigeria, Zambia and Malawi have been blocked in recent years.

21. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Ogun Govt Imposes Curfew: Leadership (Abuja): 10 April 2008.

Owing to the communal fracas that erupted between Awori and Owu communities in Sango-Otta area of Ogun State, the state government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the area in order to checkmate the lingering crisis. The state Governor, Gbenga Daniel, while declaring the curfew, which will last from 6pm to 6am, with effect from yesterday also announced the immediate composition of a commission of enquiry, which has been mandated to look into the cause of the crisis and find a lasting solution as well as recommend appropriate sanctions for erring residents. While ordering that the 12-hour curfew should remain in force until further notice, Daniel vowed that the long arm of the law will catch up with all those involved in the fracas, irrespective of their status in the society… The monarch, who is of Owu extraction, was imposed on the people of Awori in 2005, under the influence of the former president, who is an Owu man and the generalissimo (Balogun) of the owu clan. The Olowu of in , Oba Adegboyega Dosumu had in 2005 installed the coronet Obas in Awori land claiming that Owu Community was the rightful owner of the land harbouring the Aworis. This development has generated cold blood between the two communities leading to several clashes in the recent past.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: Peace Deal Put Off As Kony Fires Matsanga: The Monitor (Kampala): 12 April 2008.

The much-anticipated signing of the peace agreement between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army rebels has been put off indefinitely. "We are going back to Juba [from Ri-Kwangba] and then to Kampala because the signing of the Final Peace Agreement has not taken place," Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the leader of the government peace delegation, said early on Friday afternoon. "The scheduled signing [by President Museveni on Tuesday] in Juba has been put off until we have communication from the chief mediator [Dr Riek Machar]." He added: "Unless circumstances

178 significantly change, the government has no plans to extend the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement." The agreement expires on Tuesday, April 15, the day the deal would have taken effect after President Museveni's signing… The failure of Mr Kony to sign the Final Peace Agreement, painstakingly negotiated in Juba in South Sudan since July 2006, will come as a big blow, especially to the people of northern Uganda who hoped the deal would bring permanent peace after two decades of war… The war in northern Uganda killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 2 million more into squalid camps and destabilised neighbours Sudan and DR Congo. Mr Kony, who has not been publicly seen by many of the dignitaries gathered in Ri-Kwangba on the South Sudan-DR Congo border, was supposed to have signed the final deal on Thursday. He did not because he wanted clarification on the kind of justice process he and his fighters would be subjected to… Dr Machar held a meeting with donors who have spent more than $10 million (about Shs1.7 billion) on the peace process… Even if Mr Kony had inked the deal, his fighters would not have disarmed and he would not have come out until warrants the International Criminal Court issued against him and his commanders for war crimes and crimes against humanity were withdrawn.

• Uganda: Rebel Chief Refuses to Sign Peace Deal: New Vision (Kampala): 10 April 2008.

LRA chief Joseph Kony yesterday refused to sign the final peace agreement, demanding clarification of two issues in the document. Kony wants more explanation on mato- oput (Acholi traditional justice) and the operation of the special division of the High Court that is to prosecute rebel fighters, chief mediator Dr. Riek Machar told journalists at the Congo-Sudan border town of Ri-Kwangba, the venue for the signing… Kony, Okot Odhiambo and Domonic Ogwen are indicted at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Signing the peace agreement could save them from the trial. The Government promised to ask the ICC to drop the case and allow mat oput and the local courts try the rebels. But, the ICC insists the warrants are valid.

• Uganda: U.S. Rules Out Africom Base in Country: The Monitor (Kampala): 11 April 2008.

The United States is not searching for new military bases in Uganda and Africa, a senior US official has said. "We have no interests in creating more bases in Africa and in Uganda in particular," the chief of public information at the United States Africa Command based in Stuttgart Germany, Mr Vince Crawley, said in response to journalists' queries at a briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala yesterday. Mr Crawley and Mr Stephen Stark, the acting US embassy spokesman in Kampala, were briefing journalists about the four-day visit to Uganda of General William E. Ward, Commander of the United States Africa Command (Africom), which began on Wednesday. While Africom has headquarters in Germany, there has been a hostile reaction from many African countries to the idea of such a major US military installation moving onto African soil… Morocco, Algeria and Libya are all reported to have refused US requests to set the command centre on their soil, while South

179 Africa has been actively discouraging support for the idea amongst its neighbours. Critics of the command on African soil say that it is intended to increase US military influence on the continent as it exploits interests in oil and other natural resources rather than improving security. Mr Crawley told the media to the contrary that the US interest on the continent he called, "matters" to America is not to look for additional bases but "strategic partnership".

• Sudan: UN and African Union Envoys for Darfur Crisis Hold Talks in Southern Sudan: UN News Service (New York): 9 April 2008.

The United Nations and African Union envoys heading international efforts to resolve the Darfur conflict have travelled to the town of Juba today for talks with the former southern Sudanese rebels as they seek to bring new momentum to the stalled political process. The UN's Jan Eliasson and the AU's Salim Ahmed Salim met with Salva Kiir, Sudan's First Vice President, and members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Task Force on Darfur, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters. The two envoys also held consultations with the United Resistance Front (URF), a recently-formed alliance that groups together five movements from Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied militiamen since 2003. Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Salim briefed their audience today about last month's meetings in Geneva with the regional partners and the wider international community, and they also discussed the way forward for the political process. More than 200,000 people have been killed and almost 2.5 million others displaced from their homes in Darfur, and previous attempts to find a lasting peace have faltered or stalled. The UN and AU have deployed a hybrid peacekeeping mission known as UNAMID to try to quell the violence and the humanitarian suffering but so far less than 10,000 personnel - out of the 26,000 expected at full deployment - are in place.

• Somalia: 5 Ethiopian Soldiers Killed in Mogadishu Roadside Bomb: Garowe Online (Garowe): 9 April 2008.

An Ethiopian army truck driving through the Somali capital on Wednesday hit a landmine, killing at least five soldiers on board and wounding others, witnesses said. The remotely detonated explosion completely destroyed the army truck and sent plumes of smoke into the air. Ethiopian army reinforcements rushed to the area and pulled the wrecked truck from the scene of the explosion. No suspects were arrested for the roadside bombing, but security sources believe it is the work of insurgents aiming to topple the country's Ethiopian-backed interim government. In a separate attack, African Union peacekeepers from Burundi were the target of a roadside explosion that hit their vehicle, wounding an unconfirmed number of soldiers on board. At least two Somali civilians were wounded by the blast… A day earlier, AU peacekeepers from Burundi were the target of a suicide car bombing that killed one peacekeeper and wounded six civilians. Somalia's capital has known little but near-daily shootouts, roadside bombings and assassinations since Ethiopian troops helped oust Islamist rulers from Mogadishu in early 2007. The Islamists have regrouped since and are believed

180 responsible for a relentless wave of guerrilla attacks that has virtually crippled the weak interim government and its foreign military backers.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Canadian Parliament Adopts Rwanda Genocide Day: The New Times (Kigali): 10 April 2008.

Canada's former Minister of Justice Liberal MP Irwin Cotler Monday proposed a motion commemorating the 14th anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide which was unanimously adopted by the Canadian Parliament. Introducing his motion, the Opposition critic for human rights said: "During a 3-month period beginning April 7, 1994, 800,000 Rwandans were killed in an organized campaign of Genocide that targeted ethnic Tutsis and political moderates, including Hutus." "This Genocide was made possible by the indifference and inaction of the international community," Cotler explained. The motion - adopted unanimously - declared, "The House of Commons solemnly commemorates the Rwanda Genocide on the occasion of its fourteenth anniversary; reaffirms its commitment to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and designates April 7 as a Day of Reflection on the Prevention of Genocide."… The Rwandan ambassador made an impassioned speech at Parliament Hill in Ottawa saying that freedom of speech should not be used as an excuse to intoxicate public opinion. "The denial of Genocide is abusing the freedom of speech and it is dangerous for the society; that's why we must fight it," Mukabagwiza said. A group of Canadian and European revisionists recently met with massive protests when they tried to hold a meeting in Montreal.

22. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA • Gambia: Govt Ratifies Anti-Terrorism Bill: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 4 April 2008.

The Gambia on Wednesday ratified the Anti-terrorism bill 2008 at the Second meeting of the National Assembly in the 2008 Legislative Year. It could be recalled that the Anti- Terrorism Act, 2002 sought to provide the necessary legal framework for the global fight against terrorism. The Act has among other things also made it an offence for a person to recruit in The Gambia, any person into the Armed Forces of a Foreign State or otherwise without the authorisation of the Government of The Gambia. Presenting the bill for ratification on Wednesday, Marie Saine Firdaus, Attorney General and Secretary of state for Justice said the 2002 Act failed to recognise that the act of any recruitment of persons in an armed force of a foreign state involves both the recruiter and the recruited and thus both parties are involved in the commission of the offence. "Therefore, this bill seeks to expand the scope of application of the Anti- Terrorism Act 2002 to include all persons involved in the illegal act of recruiting or being recruited in an armed force of a foreign state or otherwise. It also stipulates the category of persons who come under the purview of "recruited persons" who can be guilty of the

181 offence created" she said. Considering the fact that The Gambia operates a rather liberal immigration policy, SoS Saine stated that, the country has been a magnet for all categories of people from around the world and has a very youthful population. "Therefore, the threat of the activities of terrorist penetrating this country cannot be discounted" she said…

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Islamists Quit Town a Day After Capture: The Nation (Nairobi): 11 April 2008.

Jowhar, the seat of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), went without a proper administration for the second day today after Islamist forces who captured it early on Wednesday retreated. Local authority officials appointed by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to run the regional capital of the Middle Shabelle region left the area before the insurgents came. "Now there are no rebels and no government officials in control," remarked Ali Iyow Moalim, who lives in the town. Jowhar, some 90 kilometres from Mogadishu, became the base of the TFG when the government relocated from Nairobi, at the end of the two-year Somali peace talks in October 2004. It is strategic for the stability of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, but has fallen into the insurgents' hands twice within two weeks. Worse still, the Islamists also captured the town of Mahaday, 115 kilometres north of Mogadishu later in the evening; they took control of Balad town, only 40 kilometres north of the capital. It was the second time in 48 hours for the Islamists to take control of Balad. These incidents have created uncertainty regarding who is in control in the areas affected by violence in the country.

• Somalia: Explosion Rocks Somaliland Parliament Building: Garowe Online (Garowe): 9 April 2008.

A bomb exploded through a part of the parliament building in Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland on a day of intense political negotiations to settle an enduring dispute about the upcoming elections. No one was wounded when the explosion happened at noon on Wednesday in Hargeisa, the breakaway region's capital city. But there was extensive damage to an office inside the parliament building, which is home to the House of Guurti (elders). Gen. Mohamed Dubad, Somaliland 's chief of police, told local media that six suspects have been apprehended in connection with today's explosion. Of the six suspects, four are reported to be employees who work at the parliament building, according to local sources. Somaliland Interior Minister Abdullahi "Irro" Ismail later told the BBC Somali Service that members loyal to the opposition Kulmiye party were behind the attack. He said two Kulmiye party members are in police custody for questioning.

12.NORTH AFRICA

• Mauritania: Two Killed in Police Raid Against Islamists: The Nation (Nairobi): 9 April 2008.

182 Police in Mauritania raided early Tuesday morning a block of apartments in a northern suburb of Nouakchott, in a bid to arrest alleged Islamists who the day before put a fierce resistance to the security forces killing at least one of them. A second person was reported dead during the clashes on Monday evening, in what appears as a continuation of last year's upsurge of violence attributed to "Salafist" groups (Islamic extremists), allegedly linked to Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. Tuesday's events were the latest incidents involving those supposed extremist Muslim militants. After the early morning raid, the police was to realise, that the house it has targeted and circled all night in the affluent northern suburb of Tevragh Zein was unoccupied, witnesses in Nouakchott told the Nation correspondent in Dakar. It was unclear whether the alleged Islamist militants fled overnight or if the house was already empty when the heavily armed security forces decided to organise its siege on Monday night, after the violent clashes of the day before.

• King Mohamed VI Launches Thermo-Solar Energy Plant in Morocco: African Development Bank (Tunis): SPONSOR WIRE: 5 April 2008.

King Mohamed VI on Friday, 28 March, laid the foundation stone of the Ain Beni Mathar thermo-solar electricity plant at a ceremony attended by many people, including the African Development Bank Resident Representative in Morocco, Nono Matondo- Fundani. The ceremony, held at the site of the project, 86 km to the south of Oujda in eastern Morocco, signified the official commencement of works on the two-phased combined and integrated power station with an installed capacity to generate 472 MW of electricity, including 20 MW from the solar component. The cost of the project is estimated at € 400 million. The Bank will partially finance the project with two loans amounting to € 287.85 million, of which € 36.45 million was approved in March 2005 and € 151.40 million in December 2007. Other sources of funding include $ 43.20 million from the Global Environment Fund (GEF), a loan of € 43 million from the Spanish Development Agency (ICO) and the National Electricity Corporation (ONE) of Morocco.

• Egypt: U.S. Photographer Arrested, His Interpreter Still Detained: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 11 April 2008.

Police arrested US freelance photographer James Buck and his Egyptian interpreter, Mohammed Saleh Ahmed Maree, on 10 April 2008 in Mahalla and took them to the nearest police station, where they were both detained. "After being threatened and intimidated by policemen, we were taken at around 2 a.m. (local time) to see a prosecutor, who ordered our release," Buck told Reporters Without Borders. "As we left the police station, we were arrested again without any explanation. The authorities released me two hours later but my interpreter is still held." Buck refused to leave the police station without his assistant and threatened to go on hunger strike. The police insisted that he leave and told him they were going to transfer Maree to another police station in the town. A student of journalism at the University of California's Berkeley campus, Buck was arrested at he was taking photos of the relatives of people arrested during the 6 April protests. The police confiscated his camera's

183 memory card. In another development, "The Washington Post" stringer and blogger Nora Younis and bloggers Mona Seif and Malek Mostafa were stopped on 11 April at a police barricade on the road between Cairo and Mahalla and were prevented from leaving for several hours by the police, who confiscated the keys to their car.

• Tunisia: Authorities Seize Three Issues of Opposition Newspaper: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 8 April 2008. Three issues of Al-Mawkif, a weekly newspaper published by the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), were seized between 14 March and 4 April. PDP secretary- general Maya Jribi said the confiscations were due to articles about "a possible increase in the price of bread, the sale of contaminated vegetable oil and the transfer of an archeological site to a commercial promoter." The Tunisian authorities often confiscate both Tunisian and foreign publications without giving any explanation. • Tunisia: Opening of a Direct Shipping Sea Line Between Radès And Casablanca: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 4 April 2008.

The opening of a direct shipping sea line between Tunisia and Morocco will reduce the sailing time between both countries from 15 to 3 days, in addition to boosting trade between them. The new sea link which was officially inaugurated by a Moroccan ship, "The Fes" on Friday during a ceremony held at the Rades shipping harbour by Mr , Minister of transport and Mr Ridha Touiti, the Minister of commerce and handicrafts, will enable the crossing of freight ships from Casablanca to Radès every 10 days. Prior to the opening of this new line, the freight ships of both countries had to dock first in Malta, Marseilles or Valencia.

• Tunisia: 'Tunisia Has Achieved Great Progress' Says Latest EU Report: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 4 April 2008.

In a memorandum published on April 3, 2008 the EU writes that Tunisia was the first Euro-Mediterranean country to have signed an association agreement with the EU in 1998. Insofar as the creation of a Free Trade Area by 2010 is concerned, “Tunisia adds the memorandum is the most advanced country, which has launched the dismantling of the tariff barrier since 1996. All tariffs for industrial products have been abolished since January 1, 2008."

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184 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: April 22, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From April 13 to April 19, 2008

THE HEADLINES 1. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Kufuor Meets Chinese Power Company Delegation: Accra Mail (Accra): 18 April 2008. • Ghana: Tourism Practitioners Engage Chinese Interpreters: Public Agenda (Accra): 18 April 2008. • Nigeria: Why FG Accepted India, China Oil Deal: This Day (Lagos): 17 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Angola: Chinese Team Checks Country Market: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 16 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Chinese Ship in Durban 'Carrying Arms for Harare': Business Day (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008. • South Africa: Legal Ivory Sold to China 'Could End Up in Illicit Market' Reach: Business Day (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Chinese Still Keen to Invest in IDBZ: The Herald (Harare): 17 April 2008. • Namibia: Walvis Bay Reaches Out to China: New Era (Windhoek): 18 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Oil Prospects High in Eastern Province: The East African Standard (Nairobi):17 April 2008. • Ethiopia: Heavy Trucks to Dock at Djibouti: Addis Fortune: Addis Ababa): 13 April 2008. • Kenya: Nema Blames Council Over Chinese Factory: Business Daily (Nairobi): 16 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: China Donates $50,000 to Earthquake Victims: The New Times (Kigali):12 April 2008

185 2. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA

• Africa: Move to Help Poor Countries Benefit More From Gold-Mining: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 18 April 2008. • Africa: Infrastructure - Continent Needs $22bn Yearly – Ezekwesili: This Day (Lagos): 18 April 2008. • Africa: AU Commissioner Denounces Impunity: FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda): 18 April 2008. • Africa: Open Civil Society Letter: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 15 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Ending Conflicts Must Remain Priority for UN And AU - Ban Ki- Moon: UN News Service (New York):16 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: African Governments Reject UN Intervention: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008. • Africa: Scramble to Defuse World Food Price Crisis: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Sudan: Darfur - UN, African Union Envoys Hold Fresh Talks With Leaders of Rebel Groups: UN News Service (New York): 19 April 2008. • Africa: Continent Needs Reliable Energy Supply: Business Daily (Nairobi): 16 April 2008. • Africa: Summit to Discuss Global Challenges Facing Africa: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 16 April 2008. • Africa: Continent to Grow 6 Percent – IMF: New Vision (Kampala): 15 April 2008. • Africa: WB Wants Wealth Funds to Put $30b Into Continent: The East African (Nairobi): 15 April 2008. • Africa: AU Human-Rights Court Struggles to Make an Impact: The East African (Nairobi): 15 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: U.S. Senate Passes Feingold Measure Calling for Resolution to Crisis in Chad, Central African Republic, and Sudan: United States Senate (Washington, DC) : PRESS RELEASE :15 April 2008.

3. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA

186 • Liberia: UN-Backed Anti-Rape Campaign Reaches Country's North: UN News Service (New York):16 April 2008. • Gambia: Journalist's Case Postponed Yet Again :Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra) :PRESS RELEASE :16 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: President of Journalists' Union Brutally Assaulted; Freelance Journalist Abducted, Whereabouts Unknown: International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: ZANU-PF Sets Up 'Torture Camps': Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 19 April 2008. • Angola: Lack of Cooperation Prompts UN to Close Human Rights Office: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008. • Malawi: Two Journalists Arrested, One Beaten By Police: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008. • Zambia: Journalist Beaten By Police, Detained Briefly, His Photographs of Forceful Police Action Deleted: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008. • Angola: Children Trafficking Poses a Danger to Society: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 16 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Groups Demand Talks On Truth Bill: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 17 April 2008. • Uganda: Enforce LRA Arrest Warrants – Lawyers: New Vision (Kampala): 14 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Equatorial Guinea: Arrests And Death in Custody of a Political Opponent: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008. • Cameroon: Troops Deployed to 'Enforce' Amended Constitution: The Post (Buea): 17 April 2008. • Cameroon: Police Disrupt Press Conference in Yaounde: The Post (Buea): 18 April 2008. • Rwanda: Talks to Try Burundian Genocide Suspects Begin: The New Times (Kigali): 18 April 2008. • Rwanda: $3 Million Hostel for "Forgotten" Genocide Survivors: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008. 4. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs WEST AFRICA

187 • Liberia: Refugees to Return in Six Months: The Inquirer (Monrovia): 18 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Provoking Xenophobia Will Be Dealt With Severely: BuaNews (Tshwane): 15 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: SA Deports 7 799 Zimbabweans Since Last Month: The Herald (Harare): 17 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Sudan: Attacks On Food Trucks Force UN Agency to Cut Rations in Darfur: UN News Service (New York): 17 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: Thousands of Refugees From Darfur Remain Along Volatile Border - UN Agency: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008. 5. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA

• West Africa: West African States Tasked On Health Sector: Vanguard (Lagos): 18 April 2008. • Ghana: UNAIDS Pledges More Support Towards HIV/ Aids Interventions: Public Agenda (Accra): 18 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Angola: Luanda to Vaccinate 1.7 Million Children Against Polio: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 18 April 2008. • Madagascar: UN Help Sought for Outbreak of Rift Valley Fever: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008 EAST AFRICA

• Tanzania: Moshi Rural Hit By Cholera Outbreak, Seeks Help: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 18 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology Still Costly: The Post (Buea): 18 April 2008.

6. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA

188 • West Africa: Sub-Regional Meeting on Biodiversity Ends: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 18 April 2008. • Ghana: Anglogold Ashanti Pollutes Creeks At Teberebie: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra): 17 April 2008 EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Waste Burning At Dumpsite a Health Risk, Says Builder: The Nation (Nairobi): 18 April 2008. • Ethiopia: Official Says Expertise Needed to Inspect Harmful Consignments: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 17 April 2008. • Kenya: Parliament Passes Bill to Control Plastics: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 17 April 2008. • Tanzania: Soda Plant Likely to Spell Doom to Flamingoes: Arusha Times (Arusha): 12 April 2008. 7. ENERGY WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Konrad Adeneur Foundation Warns On Discovery of Oil: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra): 15 April 2008. • Sierra Leone: Low Water Level Threatens Power Supply in Bo, Kenema: Concord Times (Freetown): 17 April 2008. • Nigeria: Military Cannot Protect You, MEND Threatens Oil Companies: Leadership (Abuja): 19 April 2008. • Nigeria: FG Spent N207bn On Oil Subsidy in 2007 – PPPRA: Leadership (Abuja): 18 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Food And Electricity Prices Spark Union Protest: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 17 April 2008. • South Africa: Solar Heaters Should Be Seen As Long-Term Investments: BuaNews (Tshwane): 17 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: Govt Turns to Solar Water Heaters: New Vision (Kampala): 16 April 2008. 8. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Senate Launches Search for : This Day (Lagos): 18 April 2008. • Nigeria: Fake Investors Scrambling for N70 Billion Textile Revival Fund: Vanguard (Lagos): 18 April 2008.

189 SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Botswana: Aussie Firm Joins the 'Uranium Scramble’: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone) :16 April 2008. • South Africa: Country Writes Off Cuba's Debt of R926m: Business Day (Johannesburg):18 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• East Africa: Kampala-Kigali Oil Pipeline to Cut Down Costs: East African Business Week (Kampala): 14 April 2008. • East Africa: Tanzania Fails to Attend Key Common Market Talks: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 17 April 2008. • Kenya: Country Facing Food Shortage Because of Rising Prices - UN Aid Officials: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008. • Kenya: Sh1.5bn Boon for Farmers: The Nation (Nairobi): 19 April 2008. • Uganda: Polls Alone Can't Develop Africa - M7: New Vision (Kampala):18 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Profits Sour for SA Firm With Operations in Country: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008. • Rwanda: Government to Import Sugar From Egypt: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008. • Cameroon: After Constitutional Amendment, MPs Rewarded With Colossal Allowances : The Post (Buea) :18 April 2008. 9. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: MDC Says It Rejects March 29 Poll Recount: SW Radio Africa (London): 19 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: 'Zim Not for Sale’: The Herald (Harare): 19 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Court Dismisses MDC Application to Stop Vote Recount: SW Radio Africa (London): 18 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Wants Mbeki to Quit Talks: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008. • Southern Africa: What Now From SADC? : UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 18 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

190 • Kenya: Save Zimbabwe, Raila Tells Africa: The Nation (Nairobi): 20 April 2008. • Kenya: Raila, Kibaki Preach Unity to Kenyans: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 19 April 2008. • Sudan: Ban Ki-Moon Welcomes Imminent Census in Sudan to Bolster North-South Peace: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008. 10. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Gambia: 14 Police Officers Leave for Darfur: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 18 April 2008. • Liberia: UN Sees Peacekeeping Success in Country: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 16 April 2008. • Côte d'Ivoire: Army Rejects UN Accusations of Arms Embargo Violations: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Arms Ship Quits South Africa: SW Radio Africa (London): 19 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: SA 'Cannot Stop' Arms for Country: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: Kony Fears That Museveni Will Arrest Him: New Vision (Kampala): 17 April 2008. • Uganda: U.S. May Delete LRA From Terrorists List: New Vision (Kampala): 13 April 2008. • Somalia: Ethiopian Soldiers Confiscate Ex-Prime Minister's Weapons: Garowe Online (Garowe) :18 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Burundi: Secretary-General Ban Deplores Deadly Fighting Around Capital: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Cautious Calm Settles Over War-Scarred Ituri Region: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Eastern Region Will Remain Focus of Mission's Resources, UN Envoy Says: UN News Service (New York): 15 April 2008.

191 11. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR” WEST AFRICA

• West Africa: Senior Officials Receive Training to Combat Terrorism: Commonwealth News and Information Service (London): 16 April 2008. EAST AFRICA

• Somalia: Al Shabaab Responsible for Slaying 4 Teachers: Garowe Online (Garowe): 14 April 2008. 12. NORTH AFRICA • Egypt: Police Raid Publishing House, Seize Copies of Novel: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

• Egypt: Military Court Convicts 25 Members of Opposition Group in 'Transparently Political Verdict', Says Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

• Morocco: Police Beat Four Journalists Covering Protests: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 15 April 2008. • Western Sahara: Status Quo in Western Sahara Negotiations Unacceptable - Latest UN Report: UN News Service (New York): 16 April 2008. • Tunisia: Three Local Business Schools Among Africa's Best According to International News Magazine: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 15 April 2008. ------.

THE REPORT IN DETAIL

13. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Kufuor Meets Chinese Power Company Delegation: Accra Mail (Accra): 18 April 2008.

192 John Agyekum Kufuor has granted audience to a delegation of Shenzhen Energy Group Limited from China, which is in the country to build a thermal power plant at Kpone, near Tema, and noted with satisfaction the growing economic partnership between Ghana and the Asian country. He said his government was fully behind the company in its contribution to the national effort to achieve energy security. The project, initiated by Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Ho Asogli, would add 560 megawatts of electricity to the nation's generation mix. Chinese companies are undertaking a number of projects in the country, including the construction of a 600 million-dollar hydroelectric dam at Bui, as well as roads. Mr Gao Zi Min, Board Chairman and leader of the delegation, said they were determined to share their experience and help Ghana to meet its energy needs to speed up the pace of industrialization. He pledged quality job and quick completion of the project. Phase One which is programmed to be completed by the end of 2008, would generate 200 megawatts of electricity…

• Ghana: Tourism Practitioners Engage Chinese Interpreters: Public Agenda (Accra): 18 April 2008.

Ghanaian Tourism Practitioners, including officials of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ghana Tourists Board on Sunday engaged the services of Chinese interpreters to enable them to market Ghana's tourism potentials effectively to Chinese tourists. The industry players are in Beijing to participate in the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market, an exhibition that provide a platform for tourism industries around the world to meet and show their attractions. Ghana has about 12 participants from the private sector in addition to officials of the Ghana Tourists Board, led by Mr. Martin Mireku, CEO of the Board and the sector Minister, Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng. Countries participating in the fair include: Ethiopia, Thialand, Philiphines, Egypt, Ukraine, Brunei and United Kingdom and some tour companies and consultancies. Mr. Roy Graff, Consultant for Speed Ghana, a tourism development company, facilitating Ghana's participation in the fair told the GNA that the interpreters were engaged because of the language barrier. He explained that even though the Chinese would like to see tourism attractions in Ghana and other parts of Africa, there was the need to engage interpreters who could explain things to visitors who came to the fair. Mr Graff said the company made use of Chinese students majoring in English to do the interpretation. To enable effective communication, the interpreters met with the various tour operators to be briefed on the activities. The Ghanaian participants had also designed brochures in the Chinese language to enable the Chinese visitors to read about the attraction sites and other tourism products in Ghana.

• Nigeria: Why FG Accepted India, China Oil Deal: This Day (Lagos): 17 April 2008.

Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has declared that the Federal Government accepted the oil deal by Indian and Chinese firms, to build more refineries in the country. The deal was also to ensure capacity utilisation in meeting existing demands of petroleum products in the country. Head of DPR, Mr Tony Chukwuemeke, made this declaration in Abuja, emphasising that the initiative is in line with the policy of

193 government to revamp all refineries in Nigeria and build more plants, to ensure expansion and optimise outputs in the sector. According to him, the development is to enable foreign oil companies operating in Nigeria to put their resources together and build more oil refineries in the country, instead of just buying petroleum products from Nigeria for export. This he said would reduce scarcity of the product and stimulate income flow in the economy, as more revenue would accrue to government through this process. He said the Indian Oil and Gas Group, ONGC, with the steel giant Mittal, already have oil blocks from Nigeria in the deep offshore and for that reason, the firms are committed to building more refineries in the country.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Angola: Chinese Team Checks Country Market: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 16 April 2008.

A delegation of the Sino-Africa Development Fund, led by its chairman, Giao Jian, arrived Tuesday evening in Luanda for a three-day visit meant to survey the Angolan market and establish possible partnerships, ANGOP learnt. Giao Jian, who is also the deputy governor of the Chian Development Bank (CDB), was welcomed at the airport by the ambassador to China, Joao Manuel Bernardo, and that country's diplomatic representative in Angola, Zhang Beisane. Ambassador Joao Manuel Bernardo said that this first visit to Angola by a team from this institution shows the ongoing changes in this country. "Angola is becoming one of the stopping-places for those who who want to help our country to grow and create better living conditions for its people", he said… It was created in November 2006, during a China-Africa summit held in that Asian country, with the participation of African heads of State and Government as well as China.

• Zimbabwe: Chinese Ship in Durban 'Carrying Arms for Harare': Business Day (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008.

A Chinese ship allegedly carrying armaments for the Zimbabwean army was cleared to dock in Durban yesterday afternoon, following a long wait for clearance outside the harbour. The vessel , owned by the parastatal Chinese Ocean Shipping Company, was the subject of intense speculation as it spent the day marooned in the far reaches of Durban's outer anchorage. News reports suggested it had been denied permission to dock. The Democratic Alliance 's spokesperson on defence, Rafeek Shah, said the vessel was alleged to be carrying several container-loads of weapons for the Zimbabwe Defence Force, including mortars, more than 3000 mortar bombs and 1500 rocket-propelled grenades. However, the vessel's captain, in a radiophone interview with Sapa, denied that it was carrying "dangerous cargo"… Shah pointed out that this occasion offered an example of how SA could put pressure on the Mugabe regime. Sanctions would have to be a Southern African Development Community initiative -- if not a measure of the New Partnership for Africa's Development -- he argued, or the armaments could simply be imported by Zimbabwe's defence force through another country.

194 • South Africa: Legal Ivory Sold to China 'Could End Up in Illicit Market' Reach: Business Day (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008.

China, one of the centres of trade in illicit ivory, is on the list as a customer for the 30 tons of legal ivory which SA has permission to sell on world markets. Despite being a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites ) trade in illegal ivory has flourished in China. Its emerging middle class has such an appetite for ivory carvings and jewellery that in 2005 Richard Leakey, the renowned anthropologist, warned that the enormous economic growth in China posed a huge threat to African elephants. While some in southern Africa think that allowing restricted trade in legal ivory will reduce the amount taken from poached animals, others think that legal trade fuels the illegal trade. They point to increased elephant poaching in central Africa in recent years… Van Schalkwyk said the proceeds were "used exclusively for elephant conservation and community conservation and development programmes within or adjacent to the elephant range". Once the ivory approved for sale in southern African countries had been traded, a nine- year moratorium on any ivory sales would come into force. Last year 23000 elephants were poached in Africa as a whole -- levels not seen since the original ban in trade of elephant products in 1989.

• Zimbabwe: Chinese Still Keen to Invest in IDBZ: The Herald (Harare): 17 April 2008.

The potential uptake of a significant stake in the Zimbabwe Infrastructural Development Bank by a Chinese investor is still in the offing with a delegation having been in the country recently to assess the investment. Herald Business broke the story in January this year, but since then the negotiations have been shrouded in secrecy. IDBZ is reluctant to divulge who the suitor is but indications still point to China Development Bank, which has made a major investment drive on the African continent. IDBZ chief executive Mr Charles Chikaura this week revealed that a Chinese contingent was in the country in March and is still keen to invest. "The Chinese investors were in Zimbabwe last month. Negotiations have now started in earnest and initial indications are that the investors are happy with what they have seen and are keen to invest," he said. The institution's shareholding structure as at December 31 2007, shows that the Government, with 77.99 percent is the most likely to cede a portion of its stake. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe controls 16,75 percent and Staff Share Trust has 3,67 percent… An expert tracking Chinese investment in Africa says China is moving away from stocks and wants to pin investments on real assets, indicating that "real assets in Africa are under-priced, hence the great Asian appetite for African mineral resources and economic partnerships. "Having a sound financial services sector on the continent that underlies the rich natural resources is a key starting point," the expert told Herald Business.

• Namibia: Walvis Bay Reaches Out to China: New Era (Windhoek): 18 April 2008.

195 The Walvis Bay Municipality this week reaffirmed its intention to forge international partnerships through the signing of a partnership agreement with the Chinese port city of Wenzhou. The signing took place this week at a special ceremony here, hosted in honour of a visiting delegation from the Chinese city. The delegation which was led by the Chinese city's Vice Mayor, Chong Hongfeng, included high- level government officials and private sector representatives. The delegation was in the country to identify possible areas of cooperation, and was especially impressed with development at the Namibian harbour town. They were given a tour of the port facilities, while municipal officials and various stakeholders such as the EPZ, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group, the NCCI and NamPort delivered presentations on their operations, as well as on Walvis Bay as an economic gateway to Africa… The people of Wenzhou are renowned for their business sense and the city's commercial culture is more dominant than anywhere else in China, making it the most active and developed private economy on Mainland China. Located in the southeastern Zhejiang province of China, Wenzhou is a prosperous foreign treaty port, known for its enterprising emigrants who left China to start restaurants, retail and wholesale businesses in Europe and America. Wenzhou exports food, tea, wine, jute, timber, paper and alunite (a non-metallic mineral used to make alum and fertilizer). Its main industries include food processing, papermaking, low-voltage electric appliances, light industries and building materials, with some engineering works producing mostly farm machinery.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Oil Prospects High in Eastern Province: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 17 April 2008.

The offshore oil exploration in Eastern Province by a Chinese company has triggered interest from other international oil companies. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has been prospecting for oil in Isiolo and Wajir since last year, ending a 16-year exploration lull. A senior petroleum geologist with the Ministry of Energy, Mr Hudson Adambi said that the Chinese company accepted to underwrite the risks associated with oil exploration by signing six exploration-sharing contracts at once. "CNOOC's entry into Kenya has encouraged other international oil companies, which immediately began to show increased interest in petroleum exploration opportunities," said Adambi. The chances of striking oil by CNOOC in the areas, he said, were encouraging thus making the company the local focal point… Adambi spoke in Isiolo when the Chinese company donated learning materials to local schools. The company handed over two water wells to the residents. Education Minister, Prof Sam Ongeri and Eastern PC, Mr David Jakaiti received the donation of desks, chairs and other learning materials. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Zhang Ming said the donations were given in the spirit of the Olympic Games.

• Ethiopia: Heavy Trucks to Dock at Djibouti: Addis Fortune: Addis Ababa): 13 April 2008.

196 The first batch of 300 semi-trailers and dump trucks the federal government bought from China are expected to arrive at the Port of Djibouti on Tuesday, April 15, sources active in the maritime sector disclosed. These are part of the 2,100 heavy duty vehicles imported from China by the Ministry of Works and Urban Development (MoWUD) in a bid to alleviate the shortage of haulage vehicles for the nationwide condominium projects it is currently undertaking. The Ministry signed an agreement with China Geo Systems (CGC) Overseas Construction Ethiopia Ltd to procure 2,000 trucks in January this year. However, it was Chinese XIAMEN XIA GONG Trading Co. Ltd. that won the contract to supply loaders and crushers after the MoWUD floated the tender. Drivers are expected to be sent to the port next week, to drive them in… Ethiopia's Ambassador to Djibouti, Shemsedin Ahmed Roble, wants them to serve another purpose in the meantime. In a letter he wrote to the MoWUD early last week, he urged authorities here to consider transporting pile up cargo laying in Djibouti to Ethiopia. The Port of Djibouti is already congested. The land side of the port has been in full strain for the past few weeks, leading to trucks carrying outbound cargo staying unloaded for over 10 days. Containers are kept for an average of 20 days (on sea port yard) and 45 days (inside the dry port), while vehicles stay for 28 days… Once they are brought here, each of the 100 dump trucks and semi-trailers will be distributed to companies involved in the constructions of 400,000 condominiums across the country. The federal government has set out to construct 400,000 houses in Addis Ababa and other regional towns in four years.

• Kenya: Nema Blames Council Over Chinese Factory: Business Daily (Nairobi): 16 April 2008.

Stakeholders have accused regulators of laxity in the handling of an environmental impact assessment for the controversial Nakuru battery-recycling firm, Xhianghui International Kenya Ltd. In a letter to the Director General of the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) and the Municipal Council of Nakuru, stakeholders have challenged the watchdogs to make the EIA findings public. They allege that the two bodies breached procedure in handling the company's EIA by not involving the immediate neighbours… But the environment regulator has now turned the heat on the Nakuru Municipal Council for purportedly hurriedly licensing the company before Nema completed its work. Environmental laws allow NEMA up to 90 days to conduct due diligence… Nakuru is famous internationally because it is home to lake by the same name which hosts flamingoes- one of the main tourist attractions in the country. Tourism is a leading foreign exchange earner, having raked in Sh70 billion last year, coming second to remittances from the diaspora with Sh85 billion. According to Nema guidelines, there is nothing wrong with a lead battery recycling plant as long as the investor keep the amount of the poisonous metal being released into the air within stipulated limits. Although Xhianghui is located at the town's industrial area, pressure on land has seen residential estates such as Hilton, London and Bangladesh built side by side with industrial establishments. Green activists had earlier pointed out that the land allocated to the proposed Chinese plant was too small to allow for the construction of a mini effluent treatment system to avoid releasing raw waste into the town's sewerage system… Last year, Nakuru municipal officials applied for extra land for

197 industrial development from the ministry of lands arguing that a population that has since surged to over 500,000 people already overstretched its current size.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: China Donates $50,000 to Earthquake Victims: The New Times (Kigali): 12 April 2008.

The Chinese Government has donated $50,000 (Frw27m) to help earthquake victims in the Western Province. According to sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the money will be handed over once the normal documentation procedure is complete. Sunday Times has learnt that the move came after a February meeting in which officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister's Office, diplomats and international organizations discussed how to support the quake victims. "The only thing remaining is for the two sides to sign hand-over papers, which will be done after your Government has finalised the issue of banking account forms," the Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Kigali, Mr. Yi Zonghua confirmed in an interview Thursday. At least 37 people died and over Frw5 billion worth of property destroyed when three earthquakes hit Nyamasheke and Rusizi districts in February. According to a Government report, 643 people were hospitalized as a result with 276 and 367 suffering from physical and psychological trauma, respectively… The national Disaster Management Unit that operates under the Prime Minister’s Office is coordinating relief efforts at the central level… According to Yi, China continues to assist Rwanda through several economic development projects… He gave an example of the new building that will house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is under construction and would be completed in four months. China also continues to send medical doctors to Kibungo hospital since 1982. It has also promised to send about 10 youth volunteers to work in Rwanda - in cultural, industrial, agricultural and information technology fields…

14. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA

• Africa: Move to Help Poor Countries Benefit More From Gold- Mining: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 18 April 2008.

Mali and Ghana are Africa's second and third largest gold-producing countries, but with most of the income leaving the country they remain entrenched in poverty. To counter this, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Oxfam America have launched a new mining code to put in place region-wide social, environmental and business practice standards across the gold-mining industry. Gold is mined in a number of West African states, including Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire… The mining code, launched in Dakar on 17 April and to be ratified by parliaments in 2009, aims to put in place transparent financial practices, impose strict environmental standards, and make sure more of the revenue from the industry ends up in the hands of governments and communities.

198 "The benefits of the gold-mining industry are not currently felt by populations... mines can even introduce conflict to countries. This code will... try to recoup more revenue from gold-mining to help the producers themselves," Mamadou Makhtan Gueye, director of the ECOWAS Commission, told journalists at a press conference. "A race to the bottom" : According to Gueye, countries in the region have not been working together to support each other's standards, but are fighting to lower them in a bid to attract foreign investors… Bitteye said: "Through this code we hope to institute common law so that one country cannot accept an offer that is rejected by another." Civil society involvement : Oxfam's Bitteye wants to give communities a bigger voice in the process and strengthen their ability to scrutinise financial flows… Balancing act : While advocates of the code do not foresee too many obstacles from West African governments in passing it, mining companies are likely to put up a fight. Financing the regulations may fall into industry hands. "We need to balance between the need to create revenue and help development in these countries, and meeting investors' interests," said Helene Cissé, the code's legal adviser… Despite a potential struggle, many activists IRIN spoke to were confident the code will be endorsed. Joana Manu, from Dumase, a village in Western Ghana, told IRIN: "So many people who actually work in this industry want to see change... companies will have no choice but to listen."

• Africa: Infrastructure - Continent Needs $22bn Yearly – Ezekwesili: This Day (Lagos): 18 April 2008.

World Bank's Vice-President, Africa Region, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has disclosed that Africa needs an investment of 22 billion dollars (N2.6 trillion) on "annual basis" for infrastructural development. This include the construction of highways, water and air transportation facilities, as well as other social amenities," Ezekwesili told journalists at a breakfast meeting at her office at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC yesterday. She said the investment was urgently needed to address the lack of infrastructure in Africa, which she said was also affecting sustain able economic growth and development on the continent. Therefore, African countries will need an infusion of that huge layout of financial resources to put up those infrastructure that will support their socio-economic upliftment," she said. The Vice-President also said between 17 and 18 billion dollars (N2 -3 trillion) would be required for the operations and maintenance of existing infrastructure to ensure optimal performance… She, however, urged African governments to revamp their agricultural sector, which she said was formerly the mainstay of their economies, in order to make their countries self- sufficient in food production, as well as guarantee food security… In doing so, they should also develop effective land and water management to enable them harness their resources efficiently and effectively to check poverty and hunger,"

• Africa: AU Commissioner Denounces Impunity: FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda): 18 April 2008.

Julia Dolly Joiner, Commissioner for Political Affairs at the Africa Union, has called on everyone to collectively fight against impunity, end discrimination and promote gender equality on the continent. This statement is contained in a speech delivered, on

199 her behalf, by Dr. Mamadou Dia, at the opening of a three-day sub-regional workshop on "Realising Women's Right through Human Rights Education", which ended on Wednesday, 16 April, 2008, at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. In her statement, H.E. Mrs. Joiner emphasized that "we have a moral obligation to save both current and future generations and we must act now to build the culture of respect for human rights in Africa. To prevent human rights violations on our continent, Madam Joiner stressed that "human rights education is very crucial for the prevention of human rights violations on the continent by promoting respect for the dignity, equality and participation in democratic-decision making and the long term prevention of abuses and violent conflicts on our continent… Welcoming participants on behalf of the Women's Bureau of the Gambia, Mr. Kajah Sonko, Programme Officer, said, a national Women's Bill has been developed in consultation with partners in 2007, which incorporates international and regional human rights treaties such as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. The three-day programme was characterised by presentations from the respective countries, such as, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Senegal and others.

• Africa: Open Civil Society Letter: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 15 April 2008.

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, write to extend our best wishes for the upcoming "Capacity building workshop on human rights and gender in HIV legal frameworks" to be held in Dakar, Senegal from 16-18 April 2008. In light of the importance of a robust legislative response to the epidemic and strong action on behalf of the most affected communities, we draw your attention to serious human rights concerns that have been raised with respect to the N'Djamena "model law" and the national HIV laws that have followed it. This meeting is a vital opportunity to update these laws so that the region of West and Central Africa reflects the very best guidance on how countries respond to HIV with legislation. A number of provisions of the N'Djamena "model law" violate international human rights law and the UNAIDS/Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights ("the International Guidelines"). Further, while the International Guidelines emphasize the importance of protecting women's rights, the model law is extremely detrimental for women, who are more likely than men to be tested for HIV (due to testing conducted in antenatal clinics) and more vulnerable to violence and abandonment resulting from disclosure of their status.

Specifically:

- The "model law" contains language that could severely restrict educational activities around HIV prevention in schools.

- In explicit contravention of the International Guidelines, the "model law" allows mandatory HIV testing in situations such as where pregnant women go for a medical check-up, or "to solve a matrimonial conflict". Mandatory testing for pregnant women

200 jeopardizes women's health and lives by discouraging them from seeking pregnancy related care.

- The "model law" imposes a blanket duty on health care practitioners to disclose the HIV status of their patients to their patients' spouses or sexual partners, regardless of the actual risk of transmission. The law contains no provisions to ensure that the person living with HIV be given advance warning of such notification, nor any means to prevent violence or abandonment that may be a direct result of such involuntary disclosure. This provision has particular implications for women who bear the brunt of intimate partner violence.

- The "model law" contains a provision criminalizing "the willful transmission of HIV", and defines HIV transmission to be transmission of the virus "by any means". This broad language could impose criminal penalties even on individuals who practice safer sex and/or disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners, or on mothers who transmit HIV to their children, either in utero or during labour and delivery.

UNAIDS and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reissued the International Guidelines in 2006 in recognition of the continued centrality of human rights to the fight against AIDS. We urge you to ensure that the HIV laws in West and Central Africa guarantee human

rights protections, including the human rights of women. HIV laws in the region should be based on education, empowerment, non-discrimination, and community engagement. Punitive provisions and other approaches that exacerbate stigma and discrimination will only drive people away from testing and treatment services and risk undermining an effective response to the epidemic.

We therefore urge you to ensure that the workshop results in:

1) Concrete plans, within established time periods, to amend the limited number of articles in national HIV laws that are at variance with international human rights law and the UNAIDS/Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' International Guidelines.

2) The N'Djamena "model law" has been promoted as a template for legislation in the region. It is therefore critical that it be revised so that it provides parliamentarians with a resource that reflects international human rights principles and the UNAIDS/Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' International Guidelines. We understand that revision was agreed to during the previous meeting on the "model legislation" in Dakar, July 2007. Specifically, the law should be revised to include provisions that specifically protect the rights of women, prisoners, and other vulnerable populations as well as to amend existing provisions on:

o Education on HIV and AIDS in schools;

o Mandatory HIV testing;

201 o Partner notification;

o Discrimination;

o Criminalisation of transmission;

o Prisons.

3) A clear commitment to genuine participation with civil society partners, particularly with representatives of those communities who will be most affected by the laws under discussion including persons living with HIV and women, from the region and across Africa, throughout the drafting, amendment, and implementation of these laws. We look forward to learning the outcome of this week's meeting and to following this important process.

Sincerely,

AIDS and Human Rights Research Unit

University of Pretoria, South Africa

AIDS and Rights Alliance of Southern Africa…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Ending Conflicts Must Remain Priority for UN And AU - Ban Ki-Moon: UN News Service (New York):16 April 2008.

Preventing and resolving conflicts peacefully must remain high on the shared agenda of the United Nations and the African Union, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a high-level Security Council meeting today at UN Headquarters, calling for deeper cooperation between the two institutions. In a speech to a meeting on peace and security in Africa, attended by many heads of State and other high-level figures, Mr. Ban said he would "spare no effort" in making the partnership between the UN and the AU complementary, effective and inclusive. The Secretary-General said the two bodies have already started taking concrete steps to work more closely together on peace and security issues, from deploying good offices and mediation on border issues to developing early warning strategies and building operational capacity on conflict prevention… But he voiced deep concern at the uncertainty in Zimbabwe, where the results of the presidential election on 29 March have still not been released. "Absent a transparent solution to the impasse, the situation could deteriorate further with serious implications for the people of Zimbabwe… Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe also addressed the open Council meeting, presenting two reports from Mr. Ban regarding UN cooperation with regional organizations and on conflict prevention, especially in

202 Africa. More than 40 participants are expected to speak during today's debate, which is being chaired by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa…

• Zimbabwe: African Governments Reject UN Intervention: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008.

Despite mounting pressure from some major Western powers to intervene in Zimbabwe's electoral crisis, U.N. involvement remains a distant possibility. At the U.N.-African Union (EU) Summit held here Wednesday, both the United States and Britain argued that a U.N. presence in Zimbabwe was critical to break the deadlock, but their position failed to win over most of the AU members. "This matter should be put to the government of Zimbabwe," South African President Thabo Mbeki told reporters… In a statement Thursday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Mbeki should stand down as a mediator. He also accused the Mugabe government of committing gross human rights violations and called for the U.N. to bring the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Mbeki and Mugabe are old comrades in their joint struggle against white apartheid rule in South Africa and Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, before the days of independence. Mbeki said Wednesday if election results indicated that no candidate has reached the absolute majority of more than 50 percent, then there would be a run-off. "That second round should be handled in the same way as the first round, with no violence," he said… round should be handled in the same way as the first round, with no violence," he said. Mbeki, whose country currently holds the 15-member Security Council's presidency, said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is fully capable of handling the current political crisis in Zimbabwe. SADC is currently waiting for the announcement of final results… In a statement Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the situation as an "abomination" and harshly criticised the AU stance. "It's time for Africa to step up," Rice said. "Where is the concern from the African Union and from Zimbabwe's neighbours about what is going on in Zimbabwe?" British Prime Minister Gordon Brown also issued a statement Wednesday saying the world must stop Mugabe from "stealing elections". He also raised the prospect of a run-off contest supervised by the U.N. monitors… U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has remained largely neutral in the dispute…"The credibility of the democratic process in Africa could be at stake here," he told the summit. "If there is a second round of elections, they must be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, with international observers."

• Africa: Scramble to Defuse World Food Price Crisis: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008.

STAPLE food prices continued to soar on world markets yesterday as governments moved to head off a global food crisis. Food prices have been rising relentlessly over the past 18 months due to a combination of factors, including increased demand from fast-growing countries such as China and India, rising production costs like the price of fuel, shrinking resources such as the availability of land and water, and sharply increased speculative trading of all globally traded commodities. This week, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel highlighted "huge supply constraints" in the food

203 market as one of the key crisis factors in the world. "Food prices are very bad. It's not a happy picture," he said… Meanwhile, China, the world's largest grain producer, yesterday curbed fertiliser exports, and the Philippines failed to buy all the rice it needs as record prices heightened concern that the world is running short of food. China would increase export duties on all fertilisers to as much as 135% to safeguard local supplies, its ministry of finance said…"The prices are just too high," said Vic Jarina, the deputy director of the Philippines National Food Authority… The World Bank has forecast that 33 nations, from Mexico to Yemen, could face social unrest because food and energy costs have increased for six years in a row. Haitian Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis was voted out of office this month by the country's senate after violent protests over food costs. China's finance ministry said: "If we can effectively control exports, we can ensure fertiliser needs for planting in spring, and curb the rising trend of domestic fertiliser prices." If China effectively stops exporting fertilisers, it could be "fatal" for the global supply of some products, such as ammonium phosphate, Xu Hongzhi, an analyst at Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant, said… China also started to tax wheat exports at a rate of 20% this year. The tax for maize and rice was set at 5%. Food-importing countries worldwide are cutting taxes to try to secure supplies… Turkey would abolish import duties on rice to counter speculation that had pushed prices up in recent weeks, Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker said yesterday. Egypt, Africa's largest rice exporter last year, would reduce the land allocated for planting the grain to save water and encourage farmers to grow more maize, Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza said this week. "As a general rule, export taxes, quotas or bans do not make economic or development sense," European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told a European Parliament committee in Brussels.

EAST AFRICA

• Sudan: Darfur - UN, African Union Envoys Hold Fresh Talks With Leaders of Rebel Groups: UN News Service (New York): 19 April 2008.

The United Nations and African Union envoys spearheading efforts to devise a durable political settlement to the five-year conflict in Darfur have held several days of talks in the Sudanese region with representatives of the groups and movements that have not signed previous peace accords. Jan Eliasson of the UN and Salim Ahmed Salim of the AU met with Khalil Ibrahim, the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), in a rebel-controlled area of West Darfur yesterday. A day earlier the two envoys - accompanied by military officers from the hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force known as UNAMID - held consultations in North Darfur state with members of the Abdul Wahid movement of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM). Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Salim discussed the primacy of the political process and the urgent need to cut the level of violence, better protect civilians and ensure greater humanitarian access during the talks with the two groups. Today the Special Envoys are scheduled to meet representatives of the Sudanese Government in Khartoum, the capital.

204 • Africa: Continent Needs Reliable Energy Supply: Business Daily (Nairobi): 16 April 2008.

Last month I travelled to Nigeria to meet President Umaru Yar' Adua to discuss ways to support the country's energy development plan. The implementation of the plan is a vital step to help Nigeria to improve its power sector, help its people access electricity and improve the quality of life. The lack of a reliable energy supply remains one of the biggest barriers to a better life for millions of Africans. According to the World Bank's "Lighting Africa" initiative, in Sub-Saharan Africa, "over 500 million people presently lack modern energy, with rural electricity access rates as low as two per cent."… Inadequate and unreliable power affects everyone - domestic consumers, businesses, organisations and the government. It limits income-generating opportunities, raises the cost of doing business, affects security operations and discourages foreign investors. Simply put, it prevents a country from realising its full potential… GE Energy, a major business within GE, is one of the world's leading suppliers of technologies designed to deliver traditional, renewable and alternative sources of reliable, high-quality power. We are currently operating in over 100 countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania… To meet the current energy demand, several African nations have implemented small- scale renewable energy projects. These on-site energy projects are particularly useful in remote locations, because of the excessive cost of transporting electricity from large-scale power plants. The broader application of renewable energy technology has the potential to alleviate many of the problems that face Africans every day, providing a sustainable, cleaner source of power. GE's Jenbacher biogas engines are an example of such technology, which can burn natural gas or a variety of specialty fuels created from the anaerobic digestion of animal or agricultural waste products. This fuel flexibility, combined with their ability to operate off the grid, has resulted in their selection for several international rural electrification initiatives, including in India and Bangladesh… In Nigeria and all of Africa, we are committed to providing state-of-the- art technology and expertise to help meet their energy needs.

• Africa: Summit to Discuss Global Challenges Facing Africa: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 16 April 2008.

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Review Summit is to discuss global challenges that are facing the continent such as poverty and underdevelopment. According to an African Union diplomat, the summit will continue advocating expanded and substantial debt relief. The summit will also look at ways to increase direct foreign investment and access to the markets of industrialised countries including the removal of distorting tariff and non-tariff barriers, the diplomat said. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, current chairperson of NEPAD left for Dakar late on Monday for the summit, which will also focus on democracy and sustainable economic growth on the continent. Heads of state attends the summit from four other African countries that are Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and South Africa… The Dakar meeting was decided by the African Union in June, last year, during the Heads of State's summit in Accra, Ghana. NEPAD was launched in 2001 with eight

205 main sectors to reduce the development gap between Africa and the rest of the world. The outcomes of the summit will be presented to the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government scheduled for Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, in July this year.

• Africa: Continent to Grow 6 Percent – IMF: New Vision (Kampala): 15 April 2008.

AFRICA'S economic growth is to expand by 6.5% in 2008 fuelled by a surge in oil exports, but the global economy slowdown poses a risk, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. "The immediate prospects are for continued economic expansion but with a widening gap between oil exporters and oil importers," the IMF said in its 2008 regional economic outlook. The IMF noted that coupled with higher food and energy prices, inflation is poised to increase to 8.5%. "The global economy is slowing down. Oil prices have risen to record levels and global financial markets are unsettled. This marks a shift from recent years when demand for sub-Saharan African exports was healthy and non-fuel commodity prices were growing at double digits." It noted that while African markets had shown limited reaction to global financial markets turbulence, a reversal of portfolio flows could reduce external financing and hurt growth…"In light of these risks there is about one in five chance in 2008 that growth in sub-Saharan Africa will fall to less than 5%."

• Africa: WB Wants Wealth Funds to Put $30b Into Continent: The East African (Nairobi): 15 April 2008.

The World Bank is asking the world's richest governments to divert one per cent of the money they have set aside for equity investments to equities in Africa. World Bank president Robert B. Zoellick announced the proposal at an independent think tank in Washington DC, ahead of the meeting this month of the Bank and International Monetary Fund that will also feature finance ministers and central bankers from around the world. In a speech dwelling on Africa, Mr Zoellick pledged an increased agricultural lending to sub-Saharan Africa to $800 million next year and proposed to urgently conclude a global trade deal and enhance transparency in the extractive industry… It is understood that sovereign wealth funds, state-owned funds created from governments' budgetary surpluses, have accumulated about $3 trillion in assets altogether, including those controlled by Abu Dhabi, Norway, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, China, Australia and Qatar… One per cent of these assets would mean about $30 billion of private investment to Africa, which has projects in infrastructure development that are already studied and found feasible but with capital constraints… These sovereign wealth funds have invested billions of dollars in European and American investment banks like Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and UBS. The International Finance Corporation, the Bank's private sector arm, is designing an open platform for funds to enable joint ventures with governments and their funds. IFC has invested $8 billion in sub-Saharan Africa since its inception, of which $160 million went into equity last year alone. It is now setting up a two new $100 million funds for infrastructure and micro equity… Indeed capital inflows into Africa have remained strong despite the global credit crunch. Private funds like the Middle East and Africa

206 Investment Company, a private equity firm consisting of 16 institutions and business groups from Saudi Arabia, Kuwaiti, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, is already investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Africa, particular Uganda's telecommunication sector.

• Africa: AU Human-Rights Court Struggles to Make an Impact: The East African (Nairobi): 15 April 2008.

The African Court of Justice has failed to make an impact on human rights abuses on the continent, two years after its inception. This was the conclusion of a South- South round table meeting held in Arusha recently on the promotion of human -ights systems. The meeting was organised by the East African Law Associations umbrella body in collaboration with the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative of Uganda and co-sponsored by the International Court of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya chapter and the Cyrus Vance Centre for International Justice… Mr Niyundeko said a key problem facing the human- rights court is the fact that most African Union member states are hesitant to ratify the protocol that established it. "The court faces the risk of being misconstrued by those who don't know it; we need to use the media to educate the continent about our activities," he said. Currently, only 24 out of 53 African union members, among them Kenya and Tanzania, have ratified the protocol. In addition, only Burkina Faso and Mali have issued declarations accepting the court's jurisdiction in cases moved by individuals and non-governmental organisations…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: U.S. Senate Passes Feingold Measure Calling for Resolution to Crisis in Chad, Central African Republic, and Sudan: United States Senate (Washington, DC) : PRESS RELEASE :15 April 2008.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution authored by U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, calling on governments, multinational bodies, and non-state actors in Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Sudan to implement a comprehensive peace process to end the violence. The bipartisan resolution recognizes that the conflicts in Chad, CAR, and Sudan are intricately related and require increased cooperation and commitment from the national governments, backed by the wider international community. Despite agreements to cease support to rebel groups, these countries continue to suffer cross- border attacks by armed militants, which have already displaced thousands and left millions of people in need of humanitarian assistance. Feingold’s resolution is co- sponsored by Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Chuck Hagel (R- NE) and 19 other senators.

“The conflicts in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Sudan cannot be resolved in a vacuum because they have both domestic and regional implications. A sustainable peace requires good-faith negotiations both within and between the countries with strong

207 monitoring by the international community,” Feingold said. “I am pleased the Senate has sent such an important and timely message. The international community cannot ignore the complex cross-border problems that have resulted in great suffering."

Feingold’s Resolution:

• Expresses concern for the citizens who have been gravely affected by the violence in this region • C alls upon all parties to cease hostilities immediately and uphold human rights • Urges the governments of Chad and Sudan to abide by promises not to support insurgent groups and to recommit to inclusive negotiations towards regional peace • Urges the government of Chad to restore its political legitimacy by improving accountability, provision of basic services, and respect for basic human and political rights • Encourages the United States and international community to support multilateral peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Chad, and Central African Republic and to play an active, constructive role in a comprehensive peace process to stabilize the region.

Feingold has served on the Subcommittee on African Affairs since 1993 and has served as both its Chairman and Ranking Member. As the current Chairman, Feingold has continued to make sure the United States addresses the region’s conflicts, humanitarian and health crises, and governance challenges.

15. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA

• Liberia: UN-Backed Anti-Rape Campaign Reaches Country's North: UN News Service (New York):16 April 2008.

A United Nations-backed campaign to stamp out rape in Liberia, the highest reported crime in the West African country as it recovers from a devastating civil war, has been extended to the north with a senior UN official calling for full implementation of the law. Families of rape victims must not compromise to reach private settlements with rapists or their families, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Rule of Law Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu said at the launch of the nation-wide campaign in northern Lofa County, the fourth of the country's 15 regions that it has so far reached. "Such a rapist would go on to rape other children and women," she added. "Compromising rape amounts to betrayal of the victim and endangering other girls as well the law must be allowed to take its course when this crime is committed." She called for individuals and communities to expose all rapists to allow the law to deal with them, urging Liberians to seek a clear understanding of what the rape law is about because explaining and publicizing the law cannot be left to the Government alone. "Passing the rape law was a very progressive move by the Liberian Government,

208 but passing the law does not stop a crime if the law is not enforced," Mr. Mensa-Bonsu declared. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), with some 14,000 uniformed personnel on the ground as of January, was set up in September 2003 to help implement a ceasefire ending years of civil war. With the democratic election of President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf in November 2005, the Missions has focused on civil and social issues and in a report earlier this month called for legal prohibitions of all forms of violence against children, more resources for rural education and better human rights training for national police… A drawdown plan for UNMIL's military and police components to be carried out in several stages allows for 9,750 peacekeepers on the ground by the end of 2010.

• Gambia: Journalist's Case Postponed Yet Again: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

The sedition trial against Fatou Jaw Manneh, a US-based Gambian journalist, was on April 14, 2008, adjourned to April 21 by Magistrate Buba Jawo of the Kanifing Magistrates Court. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that Jawo, adjourned the case on the grounds that defence lawyer, Lamin Jobarteh, was indisposed… Manneh, who was arrested upon her arrival from the USA on March 28, 2007, has been charged with three counts of sedition, following a series of online articles she wrote criticising the regime of President Yahya Jammeh. Since the trial started more than a year ago, there has not been any significant progress. The journalist remains stranded in The Gambia, even though she had been living in the US for a decade prior to her arrest.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: President of Journalists' Union Brutally Assaulted; Freelance Journalist Abducted, Whereabouts Unknown: International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the government of Zimbabwe to end harassment of media after an attack on Matthew Takaona, President of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), and called for an investigation into the abduction of Stanley Karombo, a freelance journalist. "We are very worried about the worsening conditions journalists face in Zimbabwe," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa office. "We condemn the attack on Matthew and call on the government to conduct investigations into this attack and the reported abduction of Stanley." In recent weeks the government of President Robert Mugabe has cracked down on journalists in the country in the midst of political unrest. At least five foreign media workers and two Zimbabwean journalists have been arrested for their coverage of tensions in the country after the opposition reportedly won presidential and parliamentary elections held on March 29… The IFJ calls for the release of all journalists in the country. Four of the foreign journalists arrested in Zimbabwe were cleared of charges this week and released. A fifth journalist was convicted of making a

209 false declaration of the motives for his presence in the country and was deported. The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries.

• Zimbabwe: ZANU-PF Sets Up 'Torture Camps': Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 19 April 2008.

Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF party is using a network of informal detention centers to beat, torture, and intimidate opposition activists and ordinary Zimbabweans, Human Rights Watch said today. Victims and eyewitnesses told Human Rights Watch that ZANU- PF has set up detention centers in the opposition constituencies of Mutoko North, Mutoko South, Mudzi (all in the province of Mashonaland East), and in Bikita West (in the province of Masvingo) to round up and instill fear in suspected political opponents. "Torture and violence are surging in Zimbabwe," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "ZANU-PF members are setting up torture camps to systematically target, beat, and torture people suspected of having voted for the MDC in last month's elections."… During the day, ZANU-PF and their allies (so-called "war veterans," youth militias and some armed men in military uniform) gather at these camps to decide on their targets, generally those known or thought to support the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). According to witnesses, the targets are then rounded up and brought to the camps at night, where they are beaten for hours with thick wooden sticks and army batons. Human Rights Watch has interviewed more than 30 people in the last two days who have sustained serious injuries, including broken limbs, as a result of these beatings… ZANU-PF officials are calling the crackdown Operation Makavhoterapapi, or "Where did you put your cross?"… Human Rights Watch said that the camps could not operate without the complicity of senior officials in the security forces and government ministers…"The SADC and President Mbeki have completely failed Zimbabweans, and are allowing ZANU-PF to commit horrific abuses," said Gagnon. "The African Union should assume responsibility for protecting civilians from rising violence, and ending the political impasse before Zimbabwe sinks deeper into disaster."

• Angola: Lack of Cooperation Prompts UN to Close Human Rights Office: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

The United Nations announced today that it will close its human rights office in Angola, after authorities in the southern African nation decided not to sign an agreement that would have formally established the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the country. OHCHR, which has had a presence in Angola since 2003, has been asked by the Government to cease its activities in the country by 31 May, according to a news release issued by the Geneva-based Office… UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said she "respected but regretted" the Government's decision… Over the past five years, OHCHR has been working to increase awareness of human rights in Angola, which was devastated by a 27-year civil war that finally ended in 2002. In addition to helping to establish a national human rights institution, the Office also assisted the Ministry of Justice in the area of alternative

210 mechanisms of justice, and promoted the inclusion of human rights education in primary and secondary schools.

• Malawi: Two Journalists Arrested, One Beaten By Police: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008.

Journalist Maxwell Ng'ambi was arrested by police on suspicion that he intended to interview a former speaker of parliament and cabinet minister, Sam Mpasu, from prison without permission to do so. Mpasu was convicted by a magistrate's court on 8 April 2008 on three charges of abuse of office involving procurement of education materials in 1994 and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment. In a related development, the police also detained another journalist, Chinyeke Tembo, who went to enquire about the arrest of his colleague. Tembo told MISA Malawi that he was beaten by the police and detained for complimenting the beauty of a policewoman. Malawi laws provide for indecent assault, which include gestures toward women… BACKGROUND: In February 2008, police arrested a reporter working for Blantyre Newspapers Ltd, Mike Chipalasa, and his editor, James Mphande, for publishing an allegedly false story "likely to cause public alarm and fear". They were released on bail and have not been taken to court to date. In March, police also arrested Wanangwa Tembo, an intern for the same publisher, for taking pictures of police officers who had gathered outside Anti-Corruption Bureau offices where their colleague was detained.

• Zambia: Journalist Beaten By Police, Detained Briefly, His Photographs of Forceful Police Action Deleted: Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek): PRESS RELEASE: 18 April 2008.

On 17 April 2008, senior reporter Kaiko Namusa, from the state-owned newspaper "Times of Zambia", was assaulted and detained for over an hour at the Chipata Central Police station for taking pictures of police officers who were manhandling a cyclist for allegedly breaking traffic rules. Namusa, who was in Eastern Province, Zambia, on an assignment with the Programme Against Malnutrition (PAM), said he was caught up in the fracas after police noticed him taking photographs of them beating a cyclist. He said the police officers seized his camera after beating him and demanded that the photos be deleted, saying that if published, they would tarnish their image. Namusa was then ordered to accompany the police officers to the station alongside the cyclist. Upon reaching the station, he was told to sit on the floor with other suspects as officers told him it was wrong for him to take photographs in their town. Namusa said that when he demanded the return of his camera, the officers got annoyed and sought permission from their superiors to have him locked up. One of their supervisors agreed that he be locked up for "conduct likely to cause a breach of peace", and that he only be released if his supervisor from Lusaka traveled to Chipata… Namusa was only released when one of the officers managed to delete the pictures from his camera.

211 • Angola: Children Trafficking Poses a Danger to Society: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 16 April 2008.

The director of National Institute of Children (INAC), Eufrazina Gomes Maiato, Wednesday in Luanda said that children trafficking is not only a danger for them and their families, but also for the whole society. According to Eufrazina Maiato, who was speaking on Wednesday at a workshop on "Children trafficking in Angola", this is a concerning fact in the country, for the shapes it taking, as it is done in secret. "We have only noticed ten cases, but there are children who have gone out of sight and until now we do not have any signs of them", revealed the director of INAC, while addressing the forum. She stressed that one of the objectives of this meeting is to warn the people who have given their children to other peoples due to lack of conditions. However, the executive director of the Southern African Regional Network against Trafficking and Abuse of Children (SANTAC), Margarida Guitunga, said that many teenagers have been taken with false promises of better opportunities of jobs in other countries. "Mozambique is the source transit to take children to other countries. Angola has a very big border and it facilitates the passage of traffickers", she said.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Groups Demand Talks On Truth Bill: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 17 April 2008.

Civil society groups have asked the Speaker of the National Assembly to reject the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Bill when it is taken to Parliament. The Attorney- General, Mr Amos Wako, was to publish the Bill today. The rights' groups want the proposed law returned to key players for "proper" constitution and amendment before it goes to the House. Speaking at a forum organised by Multisectoral Task Force on Truth, Justice Reconciliation Process yesterday, the International Centre for Policy and Conflict Executive Director, Mr Ndung'u Wainaina, said the public would lobby MPs to demand that the Bill be properly drafted. "The Bill, due to be published Thursday, has a lot of loopholes that need to be amended before Parliament starts debating on it. We want it to be owned by the people. The content must, therefore, be scrutinised," he said. The groups questioned the method used to appoint commissioners under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, saying the commission should be a public, not Government process… In the proposed Bill, the group said, the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission would only deal with injustices committed between1963 and this year. "We want an opportunity to address justice issues since pre-independence. We want the task force to cover human rights, land and economic crimes," he added…"We also need clarity of implementation, a time frame and accountability," Wainaina said. Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation, Ms Rukia Subow, said the law, not the truth commission, should deal with corruption and human rights' violations. She said the proposed Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission would focus on healing and reconciliation…

212 • Uganda: Enforce LRA Arrest Warrants – Lawyers: New Vision (Kampala): 14 April 2008.

THE International Bar Association (IBA) has called on the Government to act decisively to enforce the outstanding arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Joseph Kony and the other indicted leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The IBA further encouraged the UN Security Council and the entire international community to put pressure on the Ugandan Government to enforce the outstanding arrest warrants and comply with its obligation to cooperate with the Court. In addition, the IBA strongly urged the Sudanese and all other governments of adjoining countries to refrain from providing safe haven to Joseph Kony and the LRA. The IBA's call comes in the wake of the latest reports that Joseph Kony had again delayed the final signing of the historic Juba peace agreement due to his continuing fear that he may be surrendered to the International Criminal Court in The Hague… This latest failure to sign is viewed by some as a last-ditch attempt to force President Museveni to categorically request that the ICC withdraw the arrest warrants or risk jeopardising the entire peace deal. Furthermore, there are unconfirmed allegations that Okot Odhiambo; one of the LRA leaders indicted by the Court has been killed, fuelling suggestions that the entire peace process is likely to be derailed… The International Bar Association (IBA), established in 1947, is the world's leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. With a membership of 30000 lawyers and 195 bar associations & law societies, the IBA has considerable expertise in providing assistance to the global legal community.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Equatorial Guinea: Arrests And Death in Custody of a Political Opponent: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

Amnesty International is concerned at the deteriorating human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea, in advance of the parliamentary and municipal elections scheduled for 4 May 2008. Political opponents have recently been arrested, some of whom continue to be held without charge or trial. Some have reportedly been beaten while in detention in order to extract confessions from them. Amnesty International is gravely concerned about the death in police custody during the night of 12 to 13 March 2008 of Saturnino Ncogo Mbomio, a member of a banned political party Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea (Partido del Progreso de Guinea Ecuatorial - PPGE). No investigation into his death has, as yet, taken place and no autopsy has been carried out to establish the cause of death. Amnesty International calls for an immediate, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the death of Saturnino Ncogo, in accordance with international human rights standards… Saturnino Ncogo Mbomio, who the Equatorial Guinea authorities claimed was to take delivery of the car, was arrested by members of the security police on the morning of 12 March 2008 in his house in the neighbourhood of New Building in Malabo. They accused him of “hiding things in the house”. He was initially taken to Malabo Central Police Station where he was interrogated for several hours, and reportedly tortured. In the afternoon, police

213 officers took him back to the house, which they searched… Later that night he was transferred to Black Beach prison where he died in his cell during the night. The authorities alleged he committed suicide by throwing himself from the top of a bunk-bed, fracturing his skull.

• Cameroon: Troops Deployed to 'Enforce' Amended Constitution: The Post (Buea): 17 April 2008.

The government of Cameroon came close to declaring a state of emergency on Thursday, April 10, as contingents of troops were deployed in major towns of the country, apparently, to forestall any upheaval against the controversial amendment of the 1996 Constitution. In Yaounde, Douala, Bamenda, Buea and Kumba, armed troops inundated the streets, occupying strategic positions, while truckloads of soldiers drove through the length and breath of the towns, ostensibly to scare denizens from mobilising for any protest action. Security was reportedly beefed up at the National Assembly and its environs, where combined troops patrolled the area, interrogating and searching passers by. Also, journalists and others, who had business at the Glass House, were routinely searched and questioned… After news broke that MPs had voted the controversial bill, irate inhabitants seethed in anger, cursing the MPs and the regime, but none could openly react. The Constitution was modified following calls by some members of the ruling CPDM party to give President Paul Biya another chance to stand as candidate during the presidential elections of October 2011. But it came against popular outcry from the teeming masses of Cameroonians who argued that the President has already served for a very long time and should step down when his mandate ends in 2011. Prior to its modification, the constitutional amendment proposal became the most unpopular project in public debate, and the February nationwide upheaval has been largely attributed to it, ignited as it were, by the hike in the prices of fuel…

• Cameroon: Police Disrupt Press Conference in Yaounde: The Post (Buea): 18 April 2008.

The police force acting on firm instructions from the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Yaounde II, Abdou Patcha, disrupted a press conference held by Luc Frederic Mbang, National President of Popular Youth Front, PYF, party. The press conference, which was supposed to brief journalists on the party's stance regarding the unpopular bill whose adoption was made possible only by the CPDM MPs, came to a halt when four police officers of the Yaounde Second Police District threatened arrest. The SDO ordered that the conference be postponed to a later date. "The atmosphere in the country now does not warrant such a gathering. Until further notice, out! I say, out! And if anyone fidgets, we will execute our instructions to letter," said the policemen.

• Rwanda: Talks to Try Burundian Genocide Suspects Begin: The New Times (Kigali): 18 April 2008.

214 Burundian nationals who committed Genocide may after all not get away with it thanks to ongoing talks between authorities in both countries. The Office of the Prosecutor General has said that they were in the middle of a process to charge some Burundian suspects and that a significant amount of witness statements had been compiled. The development follows a recent appeal to the Government by IBUKA, an umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors, to devise ways of bringing to justice Burundian nationals implicated in the Genocide… At the function which was held at Rebero hill, Kigali, Simburudari said that Burundians were particularly involved in killings in the Eastern and Southern provinces. The Genocide occurred at a time when Rwanda was host to thousands of Burundian refugees who had fled their country following a coup in their country. Many of them are accused of having joined bands of Interahamwe militias to hunt down and kill Tutsis during the Genocide.

• Rwanda: $3 Million Hostel for "Forgotten" Genocide Survivors: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008.

The Aegis Trust has launched a 3 million dollar (about Rwf 1.6 billion) appeal to build a new hostel for the most vulnerable survivors of the 1994 Genocide, the UK-based organization has announced. Land for the 600-place hostel has already been secured on a three-and-half acre in Kigali, says the organization in the Kigali Memorial Center newsletter. Aegis Trust manages the center which is home to remains of some 300.000 victims of the mass slaughter. The organization is partnering with the Association of Student Genocide Survivors in Rwanda - AERG for the project. Aegis Trust says the hostel will be a model from which others are to be constructed across the country. According to Aegis, the highest priority will be given to girls and women vulnerable to sexual violence. However, all potential residents will apparently be assessed on risk… The hostel will provide a safe living environment, healthcare including psychological support, education, training and work experience leading to work employment opportunities. A school will be built alongside the hotel, and small businesses will be developed to provide work experience, training and employment, as well as a stream of revenue to help support the project - if successful… Through their umbrella organization IBUKA, survivors want government to use all tools at its disposal to have the UN respond to the numerous General Assembly Resolutions calling for support to them.

16. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs WEST AFRICA

• Liberia: Refugees to Return in Six Months: The Inquirer (Monrovia): 18 April 2008.

Latest reports from Accra, Ghana say the Government of that country and Liberia in collaboration with the UNHCR have signed a tripartite agreement for the repatriation of Liberian refugees from that country within six months. The tripartite agreement was signed last Wednesday at the Ghanaian Interior Ministry, following

215 discussions between the three sides. According to Deputy Information Minister, Gabriel Williams, who is currently in Accra, Ghana, he told this paper yesterday that the agreement spelt out that the repatriation process began as of April 15, 2008. Mr. Williams, who spoke to this paper when he was contacted on the issue to provide details of the agreement, said the Ghanaian Minister of Interior, Mr. Kwanena Dartels, signed on behalf of his country while the Deputy Internal Affairs Minister of Liberia, Madam Estelle Liberty who is heading the Liberian delegation to the talks signed on behalf of Liberia. Minister Williams said the Director of the African Bureau of the UNHCR, who arrived in Ghana from Geneva to join in the discussion, Marjon Kamara, as well as the Country Representatives of the UNHCR offices in Ghana and Liberia, also signed the tripartite agreement. According to him, in keeping with the agreement, the tripartite committee would meet every two months at a venue to be decided to work out technical details on the repatriation process… The lawmakers also agreed to dispatch a four- man team to Ghana to ascertain circumstances surrounding the plight of the refugees, amidst reports that Ghanaian security authorities had harshly treated them.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Provoking Xenophobia Will Be Dealt With Severely: BuaNews (Tshwane): 15 April 2008.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba has urged the police to deal strongly with those who fuel xenophobic attacks. "The police should be strong in communicating a message that xenophobic attacks will not be tolerated," the minister said during a roundtable discussion held at State Theatre on Tuesday. "The lives of foreigners are not cheap. Their property needs to be respected and protected." The roundtable was held with immigrants and refugees who had fled from various African countries and now live in South Africa… Ms Sally Peberdy from the University of Western Cape said xenophobia and migration was an emotional topic. "People are being killed for who they are in our country and we need to find solution about this," she said, adding that an anti-xenophobic initiative was needed. She said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region needed to develop a regional identity. The number of students in neighbouring countries who come to study in South Africa's tertiary institution was on the rise, said Ms Peberdy.

• Zimbabwe: SA Deports 7 799 Zimbabweans Since Last Month: The Herald (Harare): 17 April 2008.

South Africa has deported 7 799 Zimbabweans since the beginning of March this year for border jumping and overstaying. The figure indicates an increase from last year's figure of 3 969 amid reports that they were being sent back to vote. Police Officer Commanding Beitbridge District Chief Superintendent Nicholas Mawere confirmed the deportations. He said the number of deportations drastically increased towards the elections, especially with effect from March 25. "Basically, we have noted a marked increase of nearly 49.1 percent of people being deported from South Africa for several

216 reasons including, not holding proper travel documents and overstaying. The highest number of deportees of 4 675 was received in April," he said. Chief Supt Mawere said police would intensify patrols along the Limpopo River so as to curb the practice of border jumping… Two thirds of border jumpers sneak into South Africa through the crocodile-infested Limpopo River. Last year, police arrested over 3 000 people while trying to illegally cross into Botswana and South Africa during an operation code-named Border Round-Up.

EAST AFRICA

• Sudan: Attacks On Food Trucks Force UN Agency to Cut Rations in Darfur: UN News Service (New York): 17 April 2008.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today that it will have to cut rations to the strife-torn Darfur region of Sudan by half because attacks on its trucks are preventing vital relief supplies from getting through. So far this year 60 WFP- contracted trucks have been hijacked in Darfur - where the agency is feeding over two million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees - with 39 trucks still missing and 26 drivers unaccounted for. One driver was killed in Darfur last month. WFP's trucks should be delivering 1,800 metric tons of food daily around this time of year to supply warehouses ahead of the rainy season, due to begin next month. However, deliveries have dropped to less than 900 tons per day… The number of those requiring assistance is expected to rise to some three million during the rainy season from May to September - also known as the pre-harvest 'hunger gap,' when last year's agricultural stocks are depleted and there is less access to food in the market.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: Thousands of Refugees From Darfur Remain Along Volatile Border - UN Agency: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

About 8,000 Sudanese remain scattered in a handful of villages along the volatile border with Chad, more than two months after a major round of fighting erupted in West Darfur, the United Nations refugee agency reported today. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Ron Redmond told journalists in Geneva that the agency has been able to transfer some 5,400 people to two camps it runs in eastern Chad, despite the logistical challenges posed by the continuing insecurity and the remoteness of the region. "There has been sporadic military activity on the Darfur side of the border, and armed groups are often seen on the Chadian side," Mr. Redmond said. "On Sunday morning, a UNHCR team on the Chad side of the border witnessed aerial bombing on the Sudan side southeast of the Chadian border town of Birak."… Nearly 2.5 million people have been displaced because of the conflict between Government forces, allied militiamen and rebels in Darfur that has raged since 2003, and more than 200,000 others have been killed. Since the start of the year a hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) has been in place to try to quell the humanitarian suffering and violence.

217 17. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA

• West Africa: West African States Tasked On Health Sector: Vanguard (Lagos): 18 April 2008.

GOVERNMENTS of West African countries have been asked to dedicate fifteen percent of their budget towards revamping the health sector. This call was made by stakeholders at the Sub-Regional Meeting on 'Ownership and Leadership of Sexual and Reproductive Health in West Africa', which has just ended in Abuja. In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the participants argued that adequate funding of the health sector would help raise the health status of the people in the region, and thus put the countries on the path to achieving the Millennium Development Goals… The meeting convened by the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Africa Region and West Africa Health Organization (WAHO/ECOWAS) was attended by delegates from Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria, parliamentarians and development partners. Dr. Ibrahim M Ibrahim the DG Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria PPFN, in an interview with reporters said "increasing budgetary allocation is a key strategy towards improving the health care delivery system in the sub region.

• Ghana: UNAIDS Pledges More Support Towards HIV/ Aids Interventions: Public Agenda (Accra): 18 April 2008.

In the last decade, the number of women living with HIV/AIDS is said to be growing faster, especially in sub-Sahara Africa with an estimated figure of 60%. In Ghana women form over 63% of people living with HIV/AIDS. The Country Director of UNAIDS, Dr. Leopold Zekeng who disclosed this said a core responsibility of his organisation is to support civil society organisations to be more involved in the national response programme, since government alone cannot provide the necessary services to the larger population of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA). "UNAIDS is involved in CSOs working in the area so that Ghana can scale up prevention and ensure that PLWAs have greater access to support services and also reduce stigma."… Dr. Zekeng stated this when UNAIDS presented IT equipment to the Society for Women and Aids in Africa (SWAA) Ghana in Accra to support SWAA's activities in the three northern regions. The items include three desk top computers, a printer, a fax machine and a UPS to stabilize power. The President of SWAA Ghana, Madam Cecilia Lodonu- Senoo said the organization has for the past ten years engaged in advocacy on women's reproductive health issues, awareness creation on HIV/AIDS, sensitization of the plight of orphans and vulnerable children and the empowerment of women to claim their rights and access to social services… Madam Cecilia complained about the fact that

218 resources needed by SWAA to implement programmes were not forthcoming. According to her, many of the people - women who are in legal and stable marriages are infected with HIV/AIDS due to socio-cultural practices like polygamy. "Majority of them lack the power to actually negotiate for safer sex. Poverty and lack of parental responsibility also lead most young girls to contract HIV/AIDS as they try to make a living" she lamented.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Angola: Luanda to Vaccinate 1.7 Million Children Against Polio: Angola Press Agency (Luanda): 18 April 2008.

The provincial health authorities of Luanda intend to vaccinate, during the second phase of the campaign against Poliomyelitis that starts this Friday, over 1.7 million children, aged from zero to five years. Catarina Oatanha, a physician with the provincial health department, explained that just like in the first phase held in March, the vaccinators will call on people's houses, marking with ink a finger of the child that is vaccinated, to avoid repetition. The other way to guarantee the success of the campaign, said Catarina Oatanha, is that the citizens will be integrated in teams, mainly the community leaders, for them to sensitise the people. The official alerted parents that in case any of their children is not vaccinated by Sunday, they are to look for a mobile vaccination team in the surroundings of their residences, in order to have them immunised. The campaign against child paralysis is an emergency, due to the case detected last January, in Viana District, by the provincial sanitary authorities of Luanda. Poliomyelitis, also known as child paralysis, is a disease that attacks mainly the spinal medulla and lower limbs.

• Madagascar: UN Help Sought for Outbreak of Rift Valley Fever: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

Health and agriculture ministry officials in Madagascar have asked two United Nations agencies for assistance as they fight a deadly outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic disease known as Rift Valley Fever (RVF). Seventeen people are suspected to have died from the virus outbreak across five regions of the Indian Ocean island nation, according to local authorities, and a total of 418 cases are suspected this year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported today. Laboratory tests by scientists have also confirmed at least 59 cases of human infection. Officials in Madagascar have asked the WHO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to undertake a joint mission to the country to support their efforts to contain the outbreak. Transmitted by mosquitoes, RVF is a dangerous disease that affects both livestock - including sheep, goats, cattle and camels - and humans, but is usually well-established in animal populations by the time the first human cases are observed. Humans become infected through mosquito bites or direct contact with infected material and liquids such as animal blood during slaughtering, while the uncooked milk of infected animals can also pose a risk. No cases of human-to-human transmission have ever been reported… While some infected

219 people experience no detectable symptoms, others develop flu-like fever, muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, vomiting, loss of appetite and sensitivity to light.

EAST AFRICA

• Tanzania: Moshi Rural Hit By Cholera Outbreak, Seeks Help: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 18 April 2008.

An outbreak of cholera in Kibosho, Moshi Rural district yesterday claimed one life while an unspecified number of people were being treated in hospitals and health centres. Reports from the area, some 15 kilometers from Moshi on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, say the situation was getting out of hand. The critically hit area is Kibosho division, with scores of residents in the area said to be in a critical condition. ,Vincent Msacky, an assistant medical officer at a hospital there, said the situation was critical and appealed for support from district and regional authorities to contain it. He said at least one person had died and many have been hospitalised. If not contained, many lives could be lost, he declared. He said a temporary centre to treat sick people has been set up at Umbwe health centre. Cholera is a highly contagious disease caused by "vibrio cholera" microbes, with infected people vomiting and running out in fluid stool everything in their body's digestive system…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology Still Costly: The Post (Buea): 18 April 2008.

The use of the ultrasound technology (echography) as a diagnostic option is still too expensive for the ordinary Cameroonian although the technology has been around for over five decades. The ultrasound-based diagnostic technique developed in the late 1940s and early 50s in the US and some European countries, is used to examine internal organs such as the bladder, kidney, appendix, muscles, tendons, testes, bone surfaces and others. Besides, obstetrical ultrasound is commonly used during pregnancy to check the development of the fetus. But even the very basic ultrasound applications in Cameroon are still very expensive for commoners. At the Limbe Provincial Hospital, a patient spends at least FCFA 8,000 for ultrasound diagnosis. At the Baptist Hospital Mutengene, the cost is a little lower at FCFA 7,000 and at the far away Catholic Hospital Njinikom, an obstetrical sonographic examination costs FCFA 4,000… Meanwhile, one Dr. Roland Besong, a former intern at the Hospital, said ultrasound technology is costlier in Africa due to lack of means to acquire the technology and even to train specialists to handle it. He added that most of the private hospitals do not have amply qualified staff to handle the equipment to good effect.

18. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA

• West Africa: Sub-Regional Meeting on Biodiversity Ends: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 18 April 2008.

220 A sub-regional meeting of West African focal points of the convention on biological diversity concluded, on Wednesday, at Paradise Suites hotel, in Kololi. The meeting brought together participants from different West African countries, and aims to serve as a preparatory meeting for delegates attending Conference of Parties (COP 9), which is to be held in the German capital city of Bonn. The two-day sub-regional meeting sought to review the implementation of the CBD in the sub-region particularly the program of work for protected areas and to further update and share information on the scope of COP 9 with PRCM regions on CBD focal points. In his keynote address, Kotu Cham, SoS for the Department of Forestry and Environment, underscored the importance of this capacity building forum where we identify critical issues related to the implementation of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (POWPA) cannot be emphasised. He also added that the forum is expected to inform and build the capacity of participants in West Africa and help to harmonize the views in Bonn…

• Ghana: Anglogold Ashanti Pollutes Creeks At Teberebie: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra): 17 April 2008.

A RESEARCH conducted on samples of water draining from wastepipes of bungalows occupied by personnel of AngloGold Ashanti Mining Company, in the Western Region, which finds its way into the waterbodies of surrounding communities, in its catchment area, has revealed it to be injurious to human life. The research conducted last month, by the Water Research Institute (WRI), of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), indicates that the effluents from the waste pipes, which was being discharged into the environment, was heavily contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, making it unsafe for the environment. In a report dated March 19, 2008, and signed by Dr. J.A. Ampofo, Head of Microbiology of the Environmental Biology and Health Division of the WRI, and released to FoodFirst Information and Action Network (FIAN)-Ghana, an international human rights organisation, stated that "the effluent from the pipes at Mile 5 (bungalows), and Mile 6 (bungalows and offices), supplied for analysis, are not bacteriologically safe to be discharged into the environment, as they are heavily contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, and possibly other micro-organisms. "It is important for these effluents to receive pre-treatment, before discharging them into the environment… The research was conducted at the request of personnel of FIAN-Ghana, and its Australian counterparts, who got samples of the effluents from the wastepipes… Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, the Co-ordinator of FIAN-Ghana, Mr. Mike Anane, noted that the activities of AngloGold Ashanti, Iduapriem Mine, in the Western Region, was a gross disrespect and abuse of human rights to food, water and health, guaranteed under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Ghana is signatory. The Co-ordinator was therefore calling on the government, to halt, what he termed the "irresponsible gold mining operation operations of AngloGold Ashanti, Iduapriem Mine."… FIAN-Ghana further noted that Anglogold Ashanti discharged raw sewage into the waterbodies, depended upon by people living at Teberebie, and surrounding communities, dumps waste rock emanating from the mining activities of the mining company on the farmlands of the people, making it impossible for the people to farm, in order to make a livelihood… They indicated that the activities of the mining

221 company, had made it extremely difficult for their children to go to school, as well as affected their water sources, thereby killing aquatic life.

EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Waste Burning At Dumpsite a Health Risk, Says Builder: The Nation (Nairobi): 18 April 2008.

The burning of waste at the Kibarani dumpsite has become a health hazard to companies situated in the vicinity and motorists using the busy Kibarani highway. Civicon Limited, a construction company located opposite the dumpsite, claims 10 of its employees have been diagnosed with stomach and eye problems due to effects of smoke from the site. Now the company director, Mr David Horsey, has written to the council clerk, Mr Wisdom Mwamburi, questioning why the dumpsite is still operating seven years after it was declared closed. "The smoke fumes and forced inhalation of toxic air is hazardous to our workers and general public. This is in contravention of our safe working environment policy. We are sure that this sentiment is also felt by all users of the highway, including tourists," said Mr Horsey… He urged the council to take action immediately or else the concerned people may be forced to sue.

• Ethiopia: Official Says Expertise Needed to Inspect Harmful Consignments: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa): 17 April 2008.

An official system that ensures customs staff a high level of expertise must be adopted to protect Ethiopia and neighbouring Djibouti from being a passage for harmful physical, chemical and biological weapons, a top environmental scientist said on Wednesday. Opening a regional workshop that kicked off here on Wednesday, Dr Teweldeberhan G/Egziabher, Director-general of Federal Environment Protection Authority said a system of transmitting the absent experts' knowledge to the custom offices whenever in need must be developed… The Director-General said more recent but equally disruptive terrorist and counter terrorist initiatives "more likely" can target both Djibouti and Ethiopia… The Green Customs Initiative Workshop, organized by Environmental Protection Authority in collaboration with United Nations Environmental Program, for Ethiopia and Djibouti, will continue until Saturday. During a three-day long workshop, serious issues of concerns, between the two countries, including illegal international trade in environmentally sensitive commodities, such as O- zone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes and endangered species will be a topic of discussion.

• Kenya: Parliament Passes Bill to Control Plastics: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 17 April 2008.

Parliament has passed the Plastic Control Bill, which seeks to regulate the production, distribution, consumption and disposal of plastics. Yatta MP, Mr Charles Kilonzo (ODM- Kenya), who brought the Motion, said the management of plastic waste has been a concern for the Government and manufacturers. He noted that the plastics industry

222 employed about 18,500 people. The sector has a monthly production capacity of 15,000 tonnes. However, the country lacks legal framework on how plastics can be disposed, he said. Kilonzo stated that local authority bylaws were outdated and therefore impotent. Supporting the Motion, Water Assistant minister, Mr Danson Mungatana, said plastics had become an eyesore. He told the House that roads from Nairobi to his Garsen constituency were littered with plastic bags.

• Tanzania: Soda Plant Likely to Spell Doom to Flamingoes: Arusha Times (Arusha): 12 April 2008.

Construction of a multi-million dollar soda ash plant at the shores of Lake Natron in the northern tourism circuit is still a controversial issue being resented especially by environmentalists. In view of the projects anticipated repercussions, the government has been advised to conduct thorough research on environmental impact before construction of the plant. Speaking during a fact-finding tour, some Members of Parliament from the Land, Natural Resources and Environment Committee of the National Assembly said construction of the plant would affect the ecology of the lake - which is home to lesser flamingoes. Professor Raphael Mwalyosi, the MP for Ludewa is quoted by the Daily News as saying Lake Natron hosts three quarters of the world's population of lesser flamingoes and the birds depend on the lake for breeding and food. He cautioned that any kind of development in or around the lake would affect the lives of the birds as they prefer the lake because it was isolated and undisturbed… Every year a good number of tourists visit Lake Natron to see the exotic species of water birds and, in doing so, villages around the lake get income through levies. Mr Lembeli cautioned against rushing into projects which have short lifespans compared to tourism which has been there for decades, and would continue for generations to come.

19. ENERGY WEST AFRICA

• Ghana: Konrad Adeneur Foundation Warns On Discovery of Oil: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra): 15 April 2008.

THE RESIDENT Representative of the Konrad Adeneur Foundation (KAS), Mr. Klaus Loetzer, has indicated that the mere discovery of oil, and the abundant existence of natural resources in the country, would not propel the nation towards its desired development. According to him, it was good that there has been an oil discovery in the country, in addition to gold, and the many other natural resources that Ghana had possessed for centuries, but the discovery would remain meaningless, if it is not harnessed properly to address the challenges of the country… Mr. Loetzer made this known at a consultative meeting on natural resources management for traditional authorities, on the theme "Working with Traditional Authorities for Governance and Natural Resource Management at the Local Level," in the Upper West Region last week… The workshop organized by the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), with support from KAS, was to build synergies for traditional leaders in the region, to engage with the district assembly structures at the

223 local level, in the management of resources. It was also to create awareness on the potentials of gold mining, and land management, for addressing poverty at the lower level…

• Sierra Leone: Low Water Level Threatens Power Supply in Bo, Kenema: Concord Times (Freetown): 17 April 2008.

Water table at the Guma Dam that facilitates the supply of electricity to Bo and Kenema cities has drastically reduced to 99.50 degree, indicating that the Dam at the moment cannot supply light to consumers of the two cities. Commercial manager of the Bo/Kenema power service (BKPS) Saturday disclosed that until May when it starts to rain, the situation cannot be remedied at all. Jerrimy Morry who was addressing journalists at the Dam said, his organization, for that past couple of months, has come under scathing criticisms from consumers because of the constant blackout in Bo and Kenema… Emile Sandy, station engineer said the tama plant in Bo that used to supply light to Bo and Kenema during the dry season was out of operation because of the non- availability of spare parts to repair it. He maintained that every dam should have a tama plant so that when the water levels of the dam get low, it would resume operations.

• Nigeria: Military Cannot Protect You, MEND Threatens Oil Companies: Leadership (Abuja): 19 April 2008.

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, (MEND) has warned oil companies working along the coastal region of Nigeria to be ready for war, just as it said the military was not in a position to protect them. MEND said the oil companies were in for a raw deal, stressing that it had decided to step up its attack on oil installations ahead of schedule. "And there will be many more to follow," it assured. Nigeria's main rebel group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, yesterday said it had stepped up attacks against the country's oil infrastructure by supplying explosives to communities to use to blow up oil pipelines…

• Nigeria: FG Spent N207bn On Oil Subsidy in 2007 – PPPRA: Leadership (Abuja): 18 April 2008.

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency yesterday revealed that the Federal Government spent N207.85 billion on subsidy for the year 2007; even as it said a total sum of N304 billion was required for the administration of the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) scheme in 2008. The executive secretary of the agency, Mr. Oluwole Oluyele, made the disclosure during the presentation of cheques for petroleum products subsidy reimbursement of oil marketers in Abuja. "The requirement of N304 billion for the administration of PSM in 2008 implies a monthly requirement of about N25 billion for products subsidisation," he said. The executive secretary, who handed cheques of N21.4 billion to petroleum marketers, being payment for the audited 2007 outstanding subsidy reimbursement for petroleum products (PMS and HHK), said in 2006 government spent a total sum of N261.10 billion to subsidise products consumption… Mr. Oluyele added that the PPPRA will be scaling down the number of

224 approvals for external products sourcing in view of the fact that local production from the nation's refineries have increased from 4% for PMS in 2007 to 11.46 per cent in march 2008 and HHK moving from 15 per cent in 2007 to 59 per cent in march 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Food And Electricity Prices Spark Union Protest: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 17 April 2008.

Thousands of members of the Congress of South African trade Unions (COSATU) took to the streets of Johannesburg on Thursday to protest rocketing food and electricity prices. The unionists made their way through the city's central business district and then marched on the headquarters of the national power utility, ESKOM. "Prosecute those responsible for price fixing and collusion" and "food security: a caring society", read some of the placards carried through the streets by the 5,000-strong singing and dancing crowd… After signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) presented to him by the protesters, ESKOM's Chief Executive Officer, Jorgen Vos, said he took the COSATU concerns "very seriously", and that ESKOM was working with stakeholders to "ensure that the poor do not feel the heavy impact of power cuts"… The march then turned to a major supermarket chain, Pick n Pay, where protesters handed general manager Kevin Krom another MOU demanding action on spiralling food prices. Krom said he would share their concerns with senior management and other retailers. It looks like there is collusion between the supermarkets and government to fix the prices of some commodities. I can't run my life now… Official estimates put South Africa's unemployment rate at 25 percent; although independent economists have said the joblessness rate is nearer 40 percent. COSATU vowed to organise more demonstrations throughout the country until the government gave in to their demands.

• South Africa: Solar Heaters Should Be Seen As Long-Term Investments: BuaNews (Tshwane): 17 April 2008.

Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has again urged consumers to use solar water heaters, saying this was not only a response to the current energy crisis, but as a sustainable long term investment for South Africa. "The use of solar energy, which is a renewable energy source, will assist us in reducing the load of pressure on the national electricity grid while increasing energy supply mix as a renewable source of energy," said Ms Sonjica addressing community members at the official launch of kwaNokuthula Solar Water Project in Riversdale on Thursday. Solar water heating is one of the key energy response measures that were highlighted in the National Electricity Response Plan launched by government in January this year… During the launch, the minister acknowledged the Western Cape provincial government for establishing a solar water heating training academy which is expected to take its first batch of 240 trainees soon…

EAST AFRICA

225 • Uganda: Govt Turns to Solar Water Heaters: New Vision (Kampala): 16 April 2008.

THE energy ministry has launched a two-year pilot project aimed at encouraging the use of solar water heaters. The move is expected to save energy, top officials said on Tuesday. Estimated to cost euros 90,000 (about sh237m), the project would save electricity during peak hours by switching water heating from the main grid to solar thermal technology, Benon Bena, the principal energy officer, explained. "In the two years, we plan to install 500 solar water heaters in Kampala and Entebbe and within a period of six years, the plan is to install 65,000 solar water heaters," he said at the launch of the project at Hotel Africana, Kampala. Bena said the cost-effective heaters could last 25 years. He said a family of five people with a heater of 150-180 litres, would need about sh3m. This is a saving of sh64,000 per month, Bena disclosed…"So people should not get scared of the upfront payment. This is possible because 40% to 60% of electricity in most households, schools, hotels goes towards water heating but this will greatly reduce," Bena argued.

20. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Senate Launches Search for Iyabo Obasanjo: This Day (Lagos): 18 April 2008.

The drama over Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello's escape from arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday engaged the attention of the Senate, which mandated its Chief Whip, Senator Mahmud Kanti Bello (Katsina North), to investigate her whereabouts and give a report on her safety or otherwise to it next Tuesday. The resolution by the Senate to launch a search for the Chairman of its Committee on Health and daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo was consequent upon a motion moved by Senator Bello in which he called attention to her current travails in the hands of the anti-graft body… It was over the allegation that she collected N10 million from the Ministry of Health in December 2007 from the controversial N300 millon unspent budget of the ministry. The money was allegedly received by the former Health Committee Clerk, Mr. Angulu, on her behalf for the purpose of funding the committee's capacity-building seminar on National Health Policy Bill in Ghana between March 16 and 20, 2008.

• Nigeria: Fake Investors Scrambling for N70 Billion Textile Revival Fund: Vanguard (Lagos): 18 April 2008.

NATIONAL Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), has raised that the fake and dubious investors comprising mainly traders, importers and other parasitic anti-industry elements are scrambling for the N70billion textile industry revival fund recently approved by the Federal government… The union therefore demanded for the effective disbursement of the fund to genuine manufacturers that must bring succour to this distressed sector especially focusing

226 on the assurance of reopening closed factories, recall of workers declared redundant, re-tooling of machines and payment of workers' gratuities and benefits…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Botswana: Aussie Firm Joins the 'Uranium Scramble’: Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone):16 April 2008.

An Australian company is to become the third firm active in Botswana's relatively novel area of uranium mining following the granting of an exploration licence to Impact Minerals. A-Cap Resources and African Energy were the first two companies to be granted such a licence for a mineral whose worldwide demand is high due to its use as an alternative source of energy and in nuclear weaponry. Impact Minerals, which was established to explore for deposits of uranium, gold and nickel and which was listed on the ASX in November 2006, has been granted exploration licences covering about 20,000 sq. km to explore specifically for uranium. The company has extensive tenement holdings in Western Australia and Queensland, a portfolio of six projects with the potential for world-class deposits of nickel and significant deposits of gold and uranium. In a statement, the company's Managing Director Michael Jones said the licences cover about 350 km of strike extensions of rocks that host deposits and prospects near Serule in the Central District…."The expansion of Impact's uranium exploration programme into Botswana is a major strategic addition to its existing projects in Queensland and Western Australia where Impact currently owns about 40 percent of the inferred resource of uranium oxide within the Nowthanna uranium deposit." Impact also said it was currently in discussions with other parties with a view to joint uranium exploration in Africa. Presently it is negotiating to buy a 15 percent share of Botswana's uranium licences currently being held by its southern Africa consultant John Blaine… Due to its increased demand which outstrips supply by a very wide margin, prices of the mineral have risen sharply from about $10 (P64.5) per lb in 2002 to about $100 (P645) per lb today. With the world's net electricity consumption expected to nearly double over the next two decades, some 30 new nuclear reactors are being built with expansion fastest in developing Asia, including China and India. The abrupt rise of interest in nuclear energy is partly due to the fact that in this highly environmentally conscious age, nuclear plants are once again seen as clean energy as they emit a tiny fraction of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal or gas. It has been used to produce nuclear weapons for more than 50 years and electricity for more than 40 years.

• South Africa: Country Writes Off Cuba's Debt of R926m: Business Day (Johannesburg):18 April 2008.

SA has written off nearly R1bn of Cuba's debt as the Caribbean island state is not in a position to repay the debt in the foreseeable future. This emerged after a post-cabinet news briefing yesterday when chief government spokesman Themba Maseko said Cuba's debt position also had the potential to undermine bilateral economic relations between the two countries. He said the cancellation of the R926,8m debt owed by Cuba to SA had

227 been approved. "This debt arose out of the insurance cover provided to Cuba by the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of SA for the export of diesel engines and pesticides in 1996. "Given the assessment of Cuba's debt position, the government is of the view Cuba is not in a position to meet its obligation in the foreseeable future.

EAST AFRICA

• East Africa: Kampala-Kigali Oil Pipeline to Cut Down Costs: East African Business Week (Kampala): 14 April 2008.

The recently signed Kampala-Kigali oil pipeline deal will reduce the current high costs of transportation, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame has said. Addressing the media during the monthly press briefing in Kigali recently Kagame said, "We talked to the Libyans who were behind this project and fortunately our brothers in Uganda and Kenya supported us in having it implemented." Last month, Uganda and Rwanda signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend a 600km oil pipeline from Kampala to Kigali. The pipeline is also expected to be extended to Bujumbura, Burundi and Eastern Congo once it finally gets to Kigali. The pipeline is fully funded by Tamoil East Africa Lt, a subsidiary of Tamoil Africa Holdings, a Libyan firm that has been contracted to install the pipeline. The project was initially between Kenya and Uganda. The two states have an agreement with Tamoil East Africa Lt, the contractor, authorizing the Libyan firm to set up an 8-inch diameter, 320km oil pipeline from Kenya's port Eldoret to Jinja, Uganda with an annual capacity of about 1.2m cubic meters. Rwanda, a new member of the East Africa Community (EAC) since early last year came in and negotiated the deal with the Libyan investors. The country's request was embraced by initial beneficiaries, Uganda and Kenya who initiated the deal… Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Eastern Congo get most of their fuel and other commodities through Kenya's port of Mombasa. The post election crisis in Kenya, among other factors is the more reason that a pipeline be built.

• East Africa: Tanzania Fails to Attend Key Common Market Talks: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 17 April 2008.

Negligence has been blamed for the failure by the Tanzania taskforce team to attend a crucial meeting of the East African Community on the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the region which started in Kigali on Tuesday this week. The government side and private sector representatives were aware of the meeting but failed to attend under unclear circumstances… Negotiations meant to clear the way for the free movement of persons, labour, goods, services and capital within the East African region by end of 2010 opened yesterday at the Kigali Serena Hotel. The eight- day talks involving high level negotiators from member states will see the countries present their national perspectives in the regional grouping… The Minister for East Africa Affairs Dr. Deodorus Kamala said, "It is true that Tanzania is missing in the Kigali common market negotiating meeting of East Africa's technical committee." Speaking to The Citizen from Kampala where he is attending a council of ministers retreat on

228 infrastructure issues, Dr Kamala said Tanzania notified the East African Community Secretariat that it was not in a position to attend the meeting for various reasons and requested the postponement of the meeting to a later date…"Our officials did not have time to prepare for the common market negotiations due to budget and Sullivan summit preparations… Mr Sebahizi, also the executive secretary of the country's regional integration committee, said the negotiators will draft a report which will be used in subsequent negotiations before the end of year… He expressed optimism that by the end of the ongoing negotiations, a common understanding amongst delegates will have been achieved for the betterment of the integration process in the regional bloc.

• Kenya: Country Facing Food Shortage Because of Rising Prices - UN Aid Officials: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

Worries over a possible food shortage in Kenya - where tensions are still running high despite the recent announcement of a new power-sharing Government - are on the rise due to surging food prices worldwide, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today. Further complicating the situation in the East African nation is the fungi that have reportedly destroyed 5,600 hectares of rice in Central Province, where between 10 and 20 percent of the country's annual production is harvested. Even during good years, Kenya is a net importer of rice, and this fungi problem results in the need for an even greater amount of imported rice to feed its people… Rice prices have soared 75 per cent globally in the past two months, while the cost of wheat has risen a whopping 120 per cent in the last year, contributing to a food crisis worldwide… Earlier this week, the East African nation's major parties agreed on a grand coalition Government following months of post-election violence in which 1,000 people were killed and more than 300,000 others forced to flee their homes. Last week, OCHA launched a revised appeal for $189 million for Kenya.

• Kenya: Sh1.5bn Boon for Farmers: The Nation (Nairobi): 19 April 2008.

Farmers hit hard by high prices of farm inputs can now sigh with relief as the Government has released Sh1.5 billion to the National Cereals and Produce Board to buy top dressing fertiliser and sell it to them at subsidised rates. Agriculture minister William Ruto has also confirmed that the Government has cleared all debts owed to farmers who had supplied cereals to the NCPB. "Last week we paid a total of Sh417 million and this week we have cleared the remaining Sh225 million. We will also pay farmers upon delivery of their cereals to avoid running into any debt," the minister said yesterday. Eliminate cartel: He said farmers were holding up to 10 million bags of cereals, which the NCPB was ready to buy. Mr Ruto vowed to eliminate a cartel running the sale of fertiliser across the country who he blamed for the woes being experienced by farmers…

229 • Uganda: Polls Alone Can't Develop Africa - M7: New Vision (Kampala):18 April 2008.

A large market, sound infrastructure, sufficient energy and financing are the conditions without which Africa cannot develop, President Yoweri Museveni has said. Opening the first strategic retreat for East African Community ministers at Speke Resort on Thursday evening, Museveni said elections alone, as the West often argues, cannot launch Africa on the developmental path. He said Africans must find answers on why Asian countries, which were also colonised, had taken off… Forty years after independence the GDP of Africa is still small. Why? People who don't know what they are talking about say it is lack of good governance. There are no elections in China - I don't know whether that's good governance, but China is a roaring economic success. In India, a businessman would be a billionaire by selling to its huge market of one billion people. "But here I sell to these few beautiful Ugandans; I don't have enough people to buy from me. We should work fast on the integration process to expand our ability to buy, so that our markets grow in size," he added… He said the railway line must be connected to South Africa and Ethiopia. He also said strategic roads that cross Uganda must be made to Western standards to provide a backbone to the economy.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Profits Sour for SA Firm With Operations in Country: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008.

Allied Technologies (Altech) - that have some interests in Rwanda as well, will invest heavily in east Africa, which it sees growing to account for more than a third of its profits from 10 percent now, the South African IT firm has said. The company was early last year granted license by government to wire up Rwanda by broadband connection. In Rwanda, it has a subsidiary Altech Stream Rwanda Limited. Through a holding firm, Altech bought a 51 percent stake in two Kenyan and one Ugandan technology companies for $80 million in March this year. "We ourselves are pouring in a lot of money," Chief Executive Craig Venter told Reuters on Wednesday in an interview. "The profitability of this investment is about 10 percent of Altech's overall profitability ... but I see that contribution growing to maybe 30-40 percent over the next three to five years or so."… The Rwanda broadband license allows it to deliver broadband Internet access services in major Rwandan cities, using WiFi and WiMax technology and dedicated spectrum. The deal also included the rights to install its own satellite earth- station for direct connection to the Web…"Detailed engineering designs of the broadband infrastructure are under way and the Kigali network is expected to be operational before the end of this year (2007)", Mr. Venter said… The firm is engaged in telecommunications, Fleet Management Services, Multimedia, Information Systems, wireless data services and rail upgrade expertise. It operates in Europe as well.

230 • Rwanda: Government to Import Sugar From Egypt: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali): 18 April 2008.

Severe sugar shortages in the country are to be supplemented with imports from Egypt as part of the strategy to cut prices as well, the Commerce and Trade Minister Monique Nsanzabaganwa has announced. The sole sugar producing firm Kabuye Sugar Works has been operating below capacity and has actually halted production creating a deficit in supply that needs to be tackled, Minister Nsanzabaganwa told a press conference yesterday. Public concern is rising especially in Kigali where prices specifically for food have risen by over 30%. A kilogram of sugar has been buying about Rwf 500 (about $90 cents) but has now shifted to prices ranging between Rwf 900 and Rwf 1200, depending on where you shop. According to available estimates from the Uganda-based Madhvani Group of Companies that took over Kabuye Sugar Works, Rwanda needs well over 22,000 tonnes of sugar annually but has factory could only supply some 16,000 tonnes… The World Bank estimates that 33 countries around the world face potential social unrest because of acute rises in food and energy prices. Food riots, which started last year with the tortilla protests in Mexico, have now spread to Cameroon, Egypt, Haiti, Indonesia and Peru.

• Cameroon: After Constitutional Amendment, MPs Rewarded With Colossal Allowances: The Post (Buea):18 April 2008.

Only two days after the CPDM parliamentary majority voted massively for the controversial constitutional amendment that delimits the number of presidential mandates in Cameroon, the National Assembly Bureau, April 12, took a decision granting MPs huge allowances. Presided at by the House Speaker, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, the meeting took place at the Ngom Jua Hall on the second floor of the Ngoa- Ekelle Glass House. Following the upsurge of protests, the meeting instituted session allowance of FCFA 1.2 million to MPs who are not members of the Bureau. Given that there are three ordinary sessions of the National Assembly a year, the MPs are expected to bag FCFA 3.6 million from session allowances. Many MPs The Post talked to, saluted the decision as a move taken to bridge the yawning financial gap between members of the Bureau of the National Assembly and ordinary MPs. The ordinary MPs and their Bureau counterparts were at daggers drawn when the authorities of the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House instituted huge car allowances to members of the Bureau last year. While ordinary MPs were given only a car loan of FCFA 8 million, members of the Bureau had larger sums. In this perspective, the House Speaker takes home a car allowance of FCFA 60 million, while the First Vice President has FCFA 50 million. The five Vice Presidents have FCFA 40 million car allowance each… In view of the recent prescriptions by President Paul Biya, the Bureau meeting increased the salaries of the National Assembly workers by 15 percent. While defending the institution of such allowances, Hon. Joseph Banadzem, Bui Central constituency MP in the Northwest Province, said the measure was to enable MPs earn what their equivalents in government receive… Meanwhile, some alternate MPs have called on government to

231 institute allowances for them too. They argue that they are elected officials just like their substantive counterparts…

21. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: MDC Says It Rejects March 29 Poll Recount: SW Radio Africa (London): 19 April 2008.

The MDC said it rejected the partial recount of votes from March 29 elections, which began on Saturday, and said it would not accept the outcome. The recount in 23 of 210 constituencies, which is due to take three days, could overturn the results of the parliamentary election, which showed Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF losing its majority to the MDC for the first time. Results of a parallel presidential election have not been released. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said they rejected the process and also rejects the outcome of the flawed process, adding the "position of the party is we have nothing to do with the process." "It's not a recount, it's a discount of the will and the vote of the people," said Chamisa speaking from Gweru, where the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is recounting votes from seven of the 23 constituencies… ZANU-PF lost 16 out of those 23 constituencies in the original count, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said. Zanu-PF needs to win 9 seats to get a simple majority in parliament. Results of a parallel presidential vote have not been released, but MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he has won.

• Zimbabwe: 'Zim Not for Sale’: The Herald (Harare): 19 April 2008.

EVERY Zimbabwean has an obligation to defend national sovereignty and should never succumb to imperialist machinations aimed at reversing the gains of the liberation struggle, President Mugabe has said. Addressing thousands of people gathered at Gwanzura Stadium to commemorate the 28th Independence anniversary yesterday, Cde Mugabe said it was important to note that independence came after a protracted struggle hence the need to jealously safeguard it. Departing from his prepared speech, the President said it was a shame that some Zimbabweans were being funded by the British to reverse the gains of independence. He said those who fought in the liberation struggle did not do so for money, but for national sovereignty that included the right to land ownership… The President said attempts by the British to recolonise Zimbabwe through their local puppets would never succeed. He said the United Kingdom had no moral authority to preach to Zimbabwe about democracy as the Zimbabweans fought the former coloniser in order to bring about such democracy… Cde Mugabe said Government would be forced to take over businesses that were increasing prices of basic commodities without justification irrespective of who owned them… In the health sector, the Government would continue improving the working conditions of the personnel coupled with increasing the availability of drugs and equipment… In the energy sector, rehabilitation of two generators at Kariba Power Station was underway to increase power supply while special emphasis would also be put

232 on promoting establishment of biodiesel plants in some parts of the country… The President said Zimbabwe would establish a joint venture with a Chinese company to make water treatment chemicals to curb shortages that sometimes lead to water cuts in urban areas. Commenting on social issues, Cde Mugabe decried the lack of discipline among the youths, saying some had resorted to drug abuse… Government, he said, was concerned with the increase in rape cases involving minor children and might be forced to take drastic measures that included castration of the perpetrators…

• Zimbabwe: Court Dismisses MDC Application to Stop Vote Recount: SW Radio Africa (London): 18 April 2008.

The Zimbabwe Electoral commission is to proceed with the recount on Saturday of ballots from 23 constituencies in the harmonised elections of March 29th. This was confirmed by MDC lawyer Alex Muchadehama after a High Court judge on Friday dismissed with costs a legal application by the party to block the recount. The court had twice postponed hearing the MDC challenge this week. Muchadehama said ZEC has written to the MDC inviting MPs from the affected constituencies to attend the recount. It is not clear whether the MDC will do this, as the party had filed another petition seeking to nullify any new results that may arise from the recount. Muchadehama said ZEC had moved the ballot boxes to a secret location but they have now been returned to the provincial collation centres in the affected constituencies across the country. There has been no independent monitoring of the ballot boxes since the elections, making it certain that ballot boxes have been stuffed in favour of ZANU-PF during this time. The MDC lawyer said: "They are covering up for many things in this recount as they certainly want to overturn the majority that the opposition gained in parliament."… On Thursday the South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad, said South Africa would ensure that the recounts were impartial and objective by sending a team of SADC observers… But Pahad failed to explain how this would be possible given the facts on the ground.

• Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Wants Mbeki to Quit Talks: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008.

ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to relieve President Thabo Mbeki of his mediation duties and immediately replace him with "a special envoy" similar to one that brokered a deal in Kenya. "We want to thank President Mbeki for all of his efforts, but he needs to be relieved of his duties," Tsvangirai said… He pulled no punches in expressing reservations about Mbeki's understanding of conditions in Zimbabwe. This follows Mbeki's statement after a meeting with President Robert Mugabe on his way to the SADC summit in Zambia last weekend that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe… Speaking to the media in Johannesburg yesterday, Tsvangirai said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had asked the SADC chairman, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, to lead "a new initiative due to the urgent situation in Zimbabwe based on the violence, intimidation and changing electoral conditions"…

233 Tsvangirai rejected as "unfounded and baseless" allegations by Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa in the state-controlled Herald newspaper yesterday saying Tsvangirai had colluded with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to effect "illegal regime change in Zimbabwe" and that these actions were "treasonous".

• Southern Africa: What Now From SADC? : UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 18 April 2008.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has been lampooned and condemned across the world for saying there is "no crisis" in Zimbabwe on his brief stopover in the capital, Harare, on the way to an emergency summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Zambia to discuss Zimbabwe's disputed 29 March elections. Now there is also a growing chorus from within the African National Congress (ANC), Mbeki's own party, in South Africa, the continent and the world for Mbeki to discard his much-maligned policy of "quiet diplomacy" and get tough on Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. Mbeki's comment that "there is no crisis in Zimbabwe" drew a sharp response from Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), that Mbeki "needs to be relieved of his duties" as a mediator. The SADC appointed Mbeki to mediate between the MDC and the ruling ZANU-PF party in 2007… Britain's Economist magazine said in an editorial, "Can Mr Mbeki seriously suggest, with a straight face, that the result would have been held back if Mr Mugabe had not lost?" The Washington Post, under the headline "Rogue Democrat", commented in an editorial: "The government of President Thabo Mbeki has consistently allied itself with the world's rogue states and against the Western democracies.”It has defended Iran's nuclear program and resisted sanctions against it; shielded Sudan and Burma from the sort of pressure the United Nations once directed at the apartheid regime ... Now Mr Mbeki's perverse and immoral policy is reaching its nadir - in South Africa's neighbour, Zimbabwe.".. All diplomacy is quiet: Chris Maroleng, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, a Pretoria-based think-tank, told IRIN the "quiet diplomacy" label was a misnomer, as "all diplomacy is quiet." He said, "Mbeki knows that open criticism of ZANU-PF creates intransigence, so he has steered away from public criticism." Post-apartheid South Africa learnt to its cost that public criticism of other African governments, even ones that had no pretensions to democracy, was a high-risk game… Maroleng pointed out that the 1995 execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other political activists in Nigeria on trumped-up charges by Sani Abacha's military dictatorship saw a "serious backlash" from other African countries after South Africa's founding president, Nelson Mandela, called for sanctions against the oil-rich nation,. From then on, Maroleng said, South Africa's foreign policy has been multilateral in its approach and always "wary of pushing a Western agenda, in case it is seen as a proxy or lackey of the West"… South Africa's economic clout on the continent - it produces 25 percent of Africa's GDP - has led to it being given disparaging labels such as the "Yanks of Africa", but this is not mirrored in its broad diplomatic engagement on the continent…

234 EAST AFRICA

• Kenya: Save Zimbabwe, Raila Tells Africa: The Nation (Nairobi): 20 April 2008.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has asked leaders of African countries to act with speed to save Zimbabwe from collapse. The PM said the age of dictators was long gone and that President Robert Mugabe of the Southern Africa country should not be allowed to hold his country to ransom by interfering with the release of election results three weeks down the line. Mr Odinga said President Mugabe should emulate President Kibaki's statesmanship and put the interests of the nation above his own… Mr Odinga said democracy in Kenya was made able by the citizens who resisted bad governance and monolithic regimes. He said Africa, and more so Zimbabwe, needed leaders like Ghanaian President John Kufuor who saved Kenya from the pain of political mischief. "He came to Kenya when the country was on fire, carried a bucket of water which he poured onto the fire when some people claimed he came for a cup of tea," Mr Odinga said. The Prime Minister explained that by inviting Mr Kofi Annan to broker a political agreement, President Kufuor achieved special status for acting differently from some African leaders who are shy to "remove the log in their cohorts' eyes".

• Kenya: Raila, Kibaki Preach Unity to Kenyans: The East African Standard (Nairobi): 19 April 2008.

The new dawn beckoned as President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga ventured out for a public engagement a day after the Grand Coalition Cabinet took office. They had similar messages: the burning urge to unite the country; the strong will to make the coalition work; and the irrepressible will to ensure Kenya will not return where it was in the season of post-election violence where ethnic passions ran high. Both summed the new era in two words - a "New Beginning". President Kibaki, former retired President Moi, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka joined family and friends at the burial of former Cabinet minister Jeremiah Nyagah in Mbeere District on Friday…"Unless we embrace the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood the Grand Coalition Government will not work Kenya is back on its feet. We have to make this Grand coalition work," said Kalonzo at the dinner… Raila seemed to remind Kenyans that they had fought and killed each other largely over land matters and now he would move deliberately and initiate land reforms that would allow Kenyans to own land wherever they wished…"God has shown us the way and made us to come together. Now, we are united and will sure work together," said President Kibaki in Mbeere…

• Sudan: Ban Ki-Moon Welcomes Imminent Census in Sudan to Bolster North-South Peace: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the intention of Sudan's Government of National Unity to proceed with a delayed national census as from 22 April in

235 preparation for elections next year. The census, earlier scheduled to run from 5 to 30 April, is an important milestone in implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended a decades-long civil war between the Government and rebels in southern Sudan, a conflict separate from the ongoing fighting in the Darfur region in the country's west. "The Secretary-General expresses the hope that the census will not be further delayed, as it could have considerable political and financial implications," as statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson said. "The Sudanese people, with the assistance of the international community, have invested much in the preparation of the census and look forward to a full and peaceful enumeration process."… He said overall security in the ceasefire zone remained relatively stable, but tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) actually increased along the current boundary between northern and southern Sudan…

22. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA

• Gambia: 14 Police Officers Leave for Darfur: The Daily Observer (Banjul): 18 April 2008.

A contingent of fourteen police officers of The Gambia Police Force will leave Banjul today, Friday, April 18 to the Sudanese trouble region of Darfur under the United Nations peacekeeping mission. The fourteen will join one hundred Gambian police peace keepers who are currently in Darfur. In his words of wisdom during a farewell ceremony yesterday at the police headquarters in Banjul, police Commissione Jatta Baldeh,who deputised for the Deputy Inspector General of police, said the deployment of the contingent is a manifestation of The Gambia's readiness to maintain peace in Sudan. He told the contingent to always obey command and be more vigilant to deal with situations with consciousness and maturity… Edward Sambou, Commissioner of police, urged the contingent to leave up to the UN peacekeeping standards.

• Liberia: UN Sees Peacekeeping Success in Country: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 16 April 2008.

The United Nations, which is battling a rash of political and logistical problems in its troubled peace missions in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, is rejoicing over the relative success of its peacekeeping operations in the once war-ravaged Liberia. The U.N. Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which was created in September 2003, is gradually winding down operations in view of the termination of the West African nation's conflicts and its steady progress towards political stability. "Liberia has been free of conflict for the past four years and there is good news coming out of the country," says U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. But he warns that "hope and tranquility we see today is tempered by a tenuous and fragile peace"… Still, a battalion each from Namibia and Bangladesh has already been withdrawn, while the Ghanaian and Nigerian battalions have been reduced by one

236 company each. Another battalion from Senegal will be repatriated by June this year. By the end of September, a total of 2,450 troops would be repatriated, leaving UNMIL's troop strength at 11,691. The troops are mostly from Pakistan (3,403), Bangladesh (2,811), Nigeria (1,862) and Ethiopia (1,801)… Meanwhile, the United States is leading an international effort -- along with China, Germany, Nigeria, Benin and Ghana -- to train and restructure a proposed 2,000-strong army in Liberia. The total number of trained recruits so far is 1,124, most of whom have graduated from the Barclay Training Centre and Camp Ware in Liberia. In December, three rifle companies of the First Infantry Battalion were activated at a ceremony presided over by President Johnson- Sirleaf. Currently, three officers from Benin, Ghana and Nigeria, who were seconded to the Liberian Ministry of Defence, are assisting in the command and control of those units. Meanwhile, about 15 Liberian military personnel are undergoing officer and specialist training at Nigerian military institutions, while several other officers have benefited from specialist training in China, the United States and Germany.

• Côte d'Ivoire: Army Rejects UN Accusations of Arms Embargo Violations: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 April 2008.

The national army in Cote d'Ivoire has rejected an UN accusation that it is engaging in military training exercises which violates the conditions of a UN arms embargo. "We are engaged in the peace process which is under way," a senior military official, on condition of anonymity because he was speaking without authorisation told IRIN on 14 April. "Permitting our men to receive military training would be like preparing for war, something which would be absolutely wrong." An arms embargo was imposed on Cote d'Ivoire by the UN Security Council in 2004 shortly after a brief but deadly civil war which left the country divided between a rebel held north and a government controlled south with hundreds of thousands of people displaced. In 2007, the war formally ended when the rebels and government signed a peace accord in Ouagadougou that laid out steps for the cantonment of troops, the return of displaced people and voter identification culminating in elections. Under the terms of the accord, full disarmament would only take place after the elections… Although both sides have participated in arms decommissioning ceremonies, arms inspectors from the UN Mission in Cote d'Ivoire (ONUCI) said they have been barred from visiting some bases controlled by the Forces Nouvelles rebels and a branch of the national army loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo known as the Republican Guard… It also said that both the Defence Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (FDS-CI), which is also loyal to President Gbagbo, and the former rebel Forces Nouvelles had separately engaged in "training with military characteristics... outside of Cote d'Ivoire" and both sides were in violation of the embargo… UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will visit Cote d'Ivoire during a mission to the region which starts on 20 April, the UN News Service reported on 11 April. Ban will also meet with the Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore who mediated the Ouagadougou peace accord.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

237 • Zimbabwe: Arms Ship Quits South Africa: SW Radio Africa (London): 19 April 2008.

A Chinese ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe, which was turned away from South Africa, is heading to Angola in hopes of docking there, the transport minister of Mozambique said on Saturday. Reports say the ship left South African waters on Friday after a court refused to allow the weapons to be transported across South Africa. Mozambique's Transport and Communications Minister Paulo Zucula told Reuters that Mozambique has been monitoring the movements of the ship since it lifted anchor and left South Africa. 'We know that it registered its next destination as Luanda because here we wouldn't allow it into Mozambican waters without prior arrangements', he said. The An Yue Jiang, a Chinese ship, had been at anchor off Durban on South Africa's Indian Ocean coast since Monday, turning into a flashpoint for trade unions and others critical of President Thabo Mbeki's quiet diplomacy toward Zimbabwe. The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) refused to unload the weapons because of concerns Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's government might use them against opponents in the post-election stalemate.

• Zimbabwe: SA 'Cannot Stop' Arms for Country: Business Day (Johannesburg): 18 April 2008.

The furore over 70 tons of Chinese weapons destined for Zimbabwe deepened yesterday, with the government saying it could not impose a unilateral embargo on the arms, and the Democratic Alliance warning they would be used against civilians. The weapons are on board a Chinese freighter in Durban harbour but last night the South African Revenue Service said the vessel An Yue Jiang was at outer anchorage, or off port limits, and therefore "the cargo is not deemed to have been imported into SA yet". There are apparently 3-million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 3500 mortars and mortar tubes, as well as grenade launchers in the consignment. There is concern about the weapons going into the tension of Zimbabwe's post-election stand-off and perhaps being used against civilians opposed to President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF)…

EAST AFRICA

• Uganda: Kony Fears That Museveni Will Arrest Him: New Vision (Kampala): 17 April 2008.

Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, fears that President Yoweri Museveni will arrest him even if he signed the final peace agreement, Ruth Nankabirwa, the defence state minister, has said. That is why the elusive rebel leader has explored avenues to fail conclusions to the two-year-old peace talks going on in Juba, South Sudan, she added. "But Kony has nowhere to run. Signing the peace agreements is the only way out for him, but he doesn't want to. I do not know why killers fear death," she said. Nankabirwa said reports that the rebel leader killed his deputy, Okot Odhiambo, were a concoction… Media reports quoting LRA sources noted that Odhiambo was among the nine rebels who died after a misunderstanding in the LRA

238 camp. But, Nankabirwa said that was a maverick scheme used by Kony to derail the conclusion of the talks. "When Kony ordered Vincent Otti's murder, my intelligence notified me. But the rumour that Odhiambo is dead is kiwaani (fake). This is another trap to kill the peace talks," she said… Nankabirwa said The Hague-based court could not excuse the LRA top commanders because it had evidence that they committed the atrocities. "The traditional justice system of matoput and facing the Ugandan courts were the only possibilities for Kony," the minister said. Kony skipped the April 10 meeting where he was expected to sign the final peace agreement to bring an end to the 21-year- old war in northern Uganda.

• Uganda: U.S. May Delete LRA From Terrorists List: New Vision (Kampala): 13 April 2008.

THE US is ready to remove the LRA from its list of terrorists if its leader, Joseph Kony, signs a peace deal and abandons rebellion. "The LRA is on the terrorists list because of its terror activities. If those activities cease, it is something we can consider," the US ambassador, Steven Browning, said. He was speaking during the visit of the commander of the US Africa command, Gen. William Ward, at the UPDF Senior Staff College in Kimaka, Jinja, on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Ward was asked whether the US would delete the LRA from its list of terrorists and he referred the question to the ambassador… In 2001, the US and European Union designated the LRA as a terrorist organisation. In its 20-year brutal rebellion, the LRA has been infamous for abductions, massacres, mutilations, rape, looting and torching of huts…

• Somalia: Ethiopian Soldiers Confiscate Ex-Prime Minister's Weapons: Garowe Online (Garowe) :18 April 2008.

Ethiopian soldiers deployed in southern Somalia confiscated heavy weapons belonging to former Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi on Friday, sources said. The Ethiopian soldiers, who were accompanied by officials from the Somali Ministry of Defense, confiscated the weaponry from the private residence of the ex-Prime Minister. Witnesses reported that 10 Toyota trucks equipped with anti-aircraft guns were pulled out of the Mogadishu residence of Mr. Gedi, who is still a member of parliament. A Gedi aide who lives in Mogadishu privately confirmed to Garowe Online that the armored trucks were confiscated by the Ethiopian troops on behalf of the Somali government. It is not clear why the interim government has confiscated the weaponry at this time, but insiders said Defense Ministry officials had indicated before that they would collect private weapons in the hands of government officials… The former Prime Minister, who has lived in Nairobi since resigning last October, is a close associate of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi… Observers say Mr. Gedi is quietly leading a political arm opposed to the leadership of Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf from his Nairobi base. The ex-Premier has publicly announced plans to run for Somali president in the 2009 elections.

CENTRAL AFRICA

239 • Burundi: Secretary-General Ban Deplores Deadly Fighting Around Capital: UN News Service (New York): 18 April 2008.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced grave concern at the deadly fighting between Government forces in Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL rebel group over the past two days in and around Bujumbura, the capital of the struggling African country. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns this armed confrontation, which inflicts unnecessary suffering on the civilian population and jeopardizes the implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement," his spokesperson said in a statement issued late today. Burundi's Government and Palipehutu-FNL (Forces Nationales de Libération), the last rebel hold-out group, signed the agreement in September 2006, and Mr. Ban warned in his most recent report on the situation that the two sides bore primary responsibility for ensuring that the accord is implemented. The small country is attempting to rebuild, with the support of the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), after a brutal civil war between its Hutu majority and Tutsi minority…

• Congo-Kinshasa: Cautious Calm Settles Over War-Scarred Ituri Region: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg): 17 April 2008.

Wading through the chest-high grass outside of this hamlet in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Mathieu Nyakufa gestures to the bones - still bleaching in the sun - of those who have been lost to the country's wars. "I was living just down here in the valley," the 52-year-old farmer says of one terrible morning in February 2003. "They were killing people with guns, with machetes, with spears and arrows. I escaped because I saw people running in my direction. Three of my children were killed in my own house." An estimated 200 civilians were killed in Bogoro, located in the heart of the Ituri region, when combatants of the Forces de Résistance Patriotique d'Ituri (Patriotic Resistance Forces of Ituri, or FRPI), a militia dominated by the Ngiti and Lendu ethnic groups, attacked this scattered collection of thatched-roof huts and mud dwellings. At the time, Bogoro was a stronghold of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (Union of Congolese Patriots, UPC), an armed group loyal to the Gegere and Hema tribes… The Bogoro massacre was one of many such slaughters that occurred in Ituri, which contains some of the world's most valuable deposits of gold and reserves of timber. A brutal extension of the civil war which engulfed this vast African nation from 1998 until 2003, the conflict in Ituri saw neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda arm militias in an ever-shifting web of alliances, as much for their own designs on Congo's natural resources as for any political solidarity with the Congolese… The conflict initially pitted the Lendu, a tribe mainly composed of farmers who arrived from southern Sudan hundreds of years ago, against the Hema -- a Nilotic grouping that came to the area more recently. However, it soon spread to include virtually the entire population of the region, claiming at least 60,000 lives… Often portrayed solely as an ethnic feud, the Hema-Lendu conflict was in fact more complex. In many ways, it resulted from policies which poisoned relations between two communities that had previously coexisted, albeit uneasily, for many years. Prior to colonial rule, Lendu farmers leased out vast tracts of land to Hema herders; this changed

240 with the arrival of the Belgians in the 1880s. In an echo of their policy in Rwanda, which elevated the Tutsi ethnic group over Hutus in the areas of administration, education and business, the Belgians in Congo favoured the pastoral Hema over the agriculturalist Lendu -- leading to resentment on the part of those left outside the arrangement… After the Belgians departed in 1960, the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko -- in power from 1965 until 1997 -- launched a campaign to reduce European influence which included renaming Congo as Zaire and nationalising many foreign-owned businesses. Significantly, the assumption of control over Ituri farm land previously owned by Europeans was overseen by Mobutu's minister of agriculture, Zbo Kalogi, himself a Hema. Kalogi favoured his own ethnic group in reallocating the land, deepening feelings of marginalisation among the Lendu… The conflict, which erupted into full- scale combat in 1999 and continued in fits and starts until last year, has for the moment been subdued through a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process that saw former militia members recruited into the national army -- and the involvement of warring factions in electoral politics… Worryingly, FRPI forces continue to engage in occasional skirmishes with the national army. And speaking off the record, certain officials voice fears that elements in Uganda's political and business establishment are still arming factions in Ituri so as to continue exploiting the region's natural resources…

• Congo-Kinshasa: Eastern Region Will Remain Focus of Mission's Resources, UN Envoy Says: UN News Service (New York): 15 April 2008.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has made solid progress in trying to stabilize the volatile east of the country, but the continued presence of armed rebels and militias means the region will remain the overwhelming focus of its operations for some time, its chief told reporters today. Alan Doss, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the DRC and the head of the mission, known as MONUC, said as much as 90 to 92 per cent of the total number of blue helmets are deployed across the east of the vast country, which is trying to rebuild after years of misrule and civil war. Nearly two out of every three MONUC peacekeepers are based in either of two provinces, North Kivu and South Kivu, where the fighting and violence has been the worst in recent years but two recent accords were signed… A large proportion of the DRC, which is as big as Western Europe, remains at peace, he said, although they are still burdened by enormous challenges, such as human rights violations, high infant and maternal mortality, and what he described as an epidemic of sexual violence… He said the presence of the notorious rebel group from northern Uganda, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), in the borderlands area was another concern, as no one knew of their intentions in the DRC… MONUC is consulting with both the Rwandan and the Congolese Governments to try to persuade the groups to disarm and repatriate, he added, saying it was vital for the countries of the region to work together, particularly given the porous nature of the borders.

23. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

241 WEST AFRICA

• West Africa: Senior Officials Receive Training to Combat Terrorism: Commonwealth News and Information Service (London): 16 April 2008.

Preventing, investigating and prosecuting terrorist offences are all addressed at Commonwealth-organised event Thirty-seven senior police and other law enforcement officials from West Africa are being trained to play their part in combating terrorism. They include prosecutors, police personnel, customs officials and representatives of national agencies for financial investigations from Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. These officials are being trained in preventing, investigating and prosecuting terrorist offences at a five-day Commonwealth workshop in Accra, Ghana. Winifred Sarpong, a prosecutor from Ghana who is attending the workshop, said it was the first time that she had been exposed to in- depth knowledge on how terrorists operate and how their networks are financed. David Fraser, Acting Head of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Criminal Law Section, noted that terrorism is a true global threat and that "insecurity anywhere is insecurity everywhere because of its boomerang effect". "West Africa has the realities of porous borders, high cash-based economies, concentrations of valuable minerals and the challenges of monitoring the movement of goods and money. This can create an environment which is fertile for those who want to pursue or support terrorist activities," he said. The course covers areas such as terrorism financing, investigating terrorist acts, legal issues in terrorism cases, handling hostage cases, mutual legal assistance, human rights and working with the media in a terrorist incident. It emphasises the importance of international co-operation and communication in the sharing of intelligence and evidence… The Secretariat has also published a detailed Counter- Terrorism Training Manual, employed consultants to assist some states to draft counter-terrorism legislation, and drafted model counter-terrorism legislation and implementation kits.

EAST AFRICA

• Somalia: Al Shabaab Responsible for Slaying 4 Teachers: Garowe Online (Garowe): 14 April 2008.

An Islamist guerrilla group in Somalia is responsible for the brutal slaying of four school instructors after fighters briefly seized a key town without bloodshed. A spokesman for al Shabaab fighters, Muktar Robow "Abu Mansur," did not distance his armed group from killing the four civilians in Beletwein, a provincial capital near the Ethiopian border. "Our fighters did not intentionally kill the teachers," Abu Mansur told the AP. Al Shabaab guerrillas captured Beletwein after Hiran Governor Yusuf Daboged and regional security forces withdrew from the town Sunday night, locals said. The governor was last reported to have safely reached the border village of Feer Feer, a key base for Ethiopian troops deployed in Somalia's central regions… But the al Shabaab spokesman was eager to distance his militant group from flyers spread throughout markets in the capital Mogadishu, threatening traders to lower the exchange rate or

242 face death. Abu Mansur said that al Shabaab is not responsible for those flyers, adding: "Soon, we will take steps against those groups [who spread the flyers]," he told Mogadishu-based radio stations Monday. He blamed the governments of Somalia and Ethiopia for hyperinflation, which has severely devalued the Somali Shilling and contributed to rising market prices for common goods… The Islamists have regrouped and are responsible for guerrilla attacks against the government and its Ethiopian backers, leading to a protracted conflict that has severely handicapped the Somali transitional government.

24. NORTH AFRICA • Egypt: Police Raid Publishing House, Seize Copies of Novel: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

On 15 April 2008, a police force led by a colonel raided the Cairo-based Malameh publishing house, which is owned by blogger Muhammad Al Sharkawi, and confiscated copies of a novel entitled "Metro". The police officers advised one of the Malameh employees that Al Sharkawi and the novel's author should appear before the police bureau. HRinfo noted with concern that the police force that carried out the raid is affiliated with the discipline police. "Metro" is the first graphic novel published in Egypt and refers to events of a political and social nature. The police confiscated the novel for being "harmful to public manners" because of its use of colloquial language in describing the events. HRinfo criticised the illegal action of entering and searching the publishing house without an official order from the Prosecutor's Office. The network also condemned the seizure of the novel, terming it a severe violation of freedom of expression.

• Egypt: Military Court Convicts 25 Members of Opposition Group in 'Transparently Political Verdict', Says Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 16 April 2008.

A military tribunal's conviction of 25 leading members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood demonstrates the Egyptian government's continued determination to crush any organized political opposition, Human Rights Watch said today. On April 15, 2008 a military tribunal at the Haikstip military base on the outskirts of Cairo sentenced Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat al-Shatir and 24 other civilians, seven of them in absentia, to prison terms of up to 10 years. The tribunal acquitted 15 others. The court also ordered the seizure of millions of dollars in assets belonging to the convicted men and their businesses. "The military tribunal's conviction of 25 Muslim Brotherhood members is a transparently political verdict from a court that should have no authority to try civilians," said Joe Stork, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch… Under changes to Egypt's Military Justice Code made in April 2007 those convicted may appeal the ruling within 60 days, but only on procedural grounds. The trial of the 25 defendants began in June 2007. They faced a variety of charges including money laundering, financing and belonging to a banned

243 organization, possessing anti-government literature, and arming Brotherhood- affiliated students. The court sessions were closed to the public, although some family members were allowed to attend at least one session… At the verdict and sentencing hearing on April 15, defense lawyers as well as the public were excluded. The judge entered the courtroom, read the verdict, and left again before the defense lawyers were allowed in… A regular civilian criminal court in Cairo had acquitted 17 of the defendants of all charges in January 2007, but police re-arrested them moments after the verdict. In February 2007, President Hosni Mubarak transferred their cases, along with 23 others, to the military tribunal… The military tribunal raised a number of important due-process concerns. Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Egypt ratified in 1982, affirms that everyone has the right to be tried by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal established by law… The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), to which Egypt is a state party, further holds, in article 26, "that state parties . . . shall have the duty to guarantee the independence of the courts." The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the body created to monitor the implementation of the ACHPR, elaborated on these rights in its principles and guidelines on the right to a fair trial. "The only purpose of military courts shall be to determine offenses of a purely military nature committed by military personnel," the commission wrote. "Military courts should not, in any circumstances whatsoever, have jurisdiction over civilians." According to the Muslim Brotherhood's website, the military court sentenced the following men to prison:

1. Khairat al-Shatir, 7 years 2. Hasan Malik, 7 years 3. Yusef Nada, 10 years (in absentia) 4. 'Ali Himmat Ghalib, 10 years (in absentia) 5. Ibrahim Faruq al-Zayyat, 10 years (in absentia) 6. Fathi Ahmad al-Khuli, 10 years (in absentia) 7. Tawfiq al-Wa'i, 10 years (in absentia) 8. As'ad Al-Shikha, 5 years (in absentia) 9. Ahmad Shusha, 5 years 10. Sadiq al-Sharqawi, 5 years 11. Ahmad Ashraf, 5 years 12. Ahmad Muhammad 'Abd al-'Ati, 5 years (in absentia) 13. Muhammad 'Ali Bishr, 3 years 14. Sayid M'ruf, 3 years 15. Mamduh al-Hussaini, 3 years 16. Farid Galbat, 3 years 17. Diya' al-Din Farahat, 3 years 18. Salah al-Desuqi, 3 years 19. Fathi Muhammad Bughdadi, 3 years 20. Ayman 'Abd al- Ghani, 3 years 21. 'Issam 'Abd al-Muhsin, 3 years 22. Muhammad Abu Zid, 3 years 23. Mustafa Salim, 3 years 24. 'Issam Hashish, 3 years 25. Midhat al-Haddad, 3 years According to the Muslim Brotherhood's website, the court acquitted the following men: 1. Khalid 'Oda 2. Sa'id Sa'd 'Ali 3. Muhammad Mihana Hasan 4. Muhammad Hafiz 5. Muhammad Baligh 6. Mahmud al-Mursi 7. Ahmad 'Ezz al-Din 8. Gamal Sha'ban 9. Yassir 'Abdu 10. Mahmud 'Adb al-Latif 'Abd al-Jawad 11. Osama Sharbi 12. Amir Bassam 13. 'Abd al-Rahman Sa'udi 14. Ahmad al-Nahhas 15. Al-Hagg Hasan Zalat

• Morocco: Police Beat Four Journalists Covering Protests: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 15 April 2008.

Reporters Without Borders condemns police violence against a total of four journalists covering demonstrations. "Journalists must be able to work with complete safety, without having to fear police batons," the press freedom organisation said. Police beat Mounir El-Ktaoui of the Arabic-language weekly "Al Watan Al An", BBC stringer

244 Mustapha Bekkali and Mohamed Hamraoui of the French-language weekly "La Gazette du Maroc" in the course of dispersing demonstrators protesting against food price increases outside the parliament building in Rabat on 12 April 2008. Ktaoui told Reporters Without Borders: "I was violently pushed back by five policemen who tried to grab my camera. I told them in vain that I was a journalist. They did not want to listen and kept hitting me." Freelance journalist Abdelilah Abbad was manhandled by local police chief Mohamed Ouhachi when he took photos of an unauthorised demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people on 9 March in Tangier (260 km north of Rabat). Policemen seized his camera and deleted his photos. "They held me down and twisted my arms and neck in order to take my camera," he told Reporters Without Borders, adding that he had filed a complaint accusing the police chief of assault.

• Western Sahara: Status Quo in Western Sahara Negotiations Unacceptable - Latest UN Report: UN News Service (New York): 16 April 2008.

Consolidating the status quo is not an acceptable outcome to the current process of negotiations over Western Sahara, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in his latest report on the long-running dispute between Morocco and the Frente Polisario. Mr. Ban writes that while he welcomes the two parties' commitment - outlined in a communiqué last month - to continue their negotiations, so far there was no sign of any breakthrough in the dispute. "Momentum can only be maintained by trying to find a way out of the current political impasse through realism and a spirit of compromise from both parties," he states, in the first report issued since UN-led talks were held in Manhasset, New York, last month. Mr. Ban recommends that the Security Council stress to both Morocco and the Frente Polisario that they enter into "a more intensive and substantive phase of negotiations" without any preconditions. He also voices concern about the humanitarian situation of the Western Saharan refugees, many of whom have been living in camps in the Tindouf area of neighbouring Algeria for years… He also notes the recent progress made in clearing mines and explosive remnants of war in Western Sahara. Morocco holds that its position over Western Sahara should be recognized, while the Frente Polisario contends that the Territory's final status should be decided in a referendum that includes independence as an option. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been in place since 1991 to monitor the ceasefire between the two sides.

• Tunisia: Three Local Business Schools Among Africa's Best According to International News Magazine: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 15 April 2008.

In its latest edition dated April 19, 2008, the weekly international news magazine, "Jeune Afrique" ranks three Tunisian business schools among the best in Africa. The Mediterranean School of Business (MSB) is ranked fourth in Africa and is awarded 4 stars by the magazine for its pedagogical partnership with the University of Maryland , USA , as well as for promoting a multi- lingual environment. The Institut des Hautes

245 Etudes Commerciales (IHEC), and the Institut Supérieur de Gestion (ISG), are ranked respectively 11th and 12th on the list. Both have international partnerships with French tertiary institutions. Topping the magazine's list, is the Business School of Witswatersrand University (WBS) in South Africa, which is also ranked first in Africa by the "Financial Times". The same newspaper also ranks WBS 71st in the world. Among the 14 other best business schools, 9 are from North Africa (2 in Algeria, 3 in Tunisia and 4 in Morocco), and 5 from sub- Saharan Africa, including 3 in Senegal.

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246 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: April 29, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From April 20 to April 26, 2008 THE HEADLINES 1. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS WEST AFRICA • China Earmarks U.S.$5 Billion for Food Production on Continent: The NEWS (Monrovia):23 April 2008. • Nigeria: FG Engages Chinese Bank On Coal for Power: Leadership (Abuja):25 April 2008. • Ghana: Embassy Racketeers Visa for $625 in China: Public Agenda (Accra):25 April 2008. • Ghana: Chinese And Ghanaian Businessmen Meet: Public Agenda (Accra):21 April 2008. • Nigeria: FG Seeks Chinese Investment in Free Trade Zones: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008. • Nigeria: Darfur - Protesters Besiege Chinese Embassy: Vanguard (Lagos):21 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Ship of Shame 'Recalled': The Namibian (Windhoek):25 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Britain Leans On China Over Arms Ship: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):24 April 2008. • South Africa: Country-China Memorial Stamp to Commemorate Diplomatic Ties: BuaNews (Tshwane):25 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Olympics Boycott Futile: The Nation (Nairobi): EDITORIAL: 22 April 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: CDC GM Wants Chinese Trawlers Checked: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008. • `Cameroon: Housing Challenge: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):23 April 2008. 2. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA • Africa: Food Crisis - ECOWAS Ministers Meet in Abuja: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008. • Africa: New Push to Send Bed Nets to Prevent Malaria Deaths in Africa Announced At UN:UN News Service (New York):23 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

247 • Africa: Bad Constitutions Breed Instability, NCC Delegates Told: The Times of Zambia (Ndola):25 April 2008. • Africa: Malaria Has Remained Among the Most Devastating Diseases in Continent: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): EDITORIAL: 25 April 2008. • Africa: Unctad Hears Gender Inequality Becoming Worse - And Better: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):24 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Africa: AU Regional Experts Meet in Kampala to Review African Governments? Commitment to Social Protection: African Union (Addis Ababa): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Africa: European Trade Deals 'Disintegrating Africa': Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):24 April 2008. 3. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA • Liberia: 'Taylor's Trial is Political' - Defense Counsel: Concord Times (Freetown):24 April 2008. • Nigeria: Minister Condemns Judgment On Child Rape Case in Nasarawa: Leadership (Abuja):24 April 2008. • Niger: Private Radio Station Closed for Broadcasting Testimonies of Soldiers' Victims: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Release Poll Results By Saturday, SADC Warns ZEC: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):25 April 2008. • Southern Africa: Human Trafficking On the Upswing: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:23 April 2008. • Namibia: Suspect Admits Raping Woman (77):The Namibian (Windhoek):25 April 2008. • South Africa: Country 'Regrets' Snub At UN Over Gaza: Business Day (Johannesburg):25 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Civil Society Calls for Broader Panel On Zim Crisis: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):24 April 2008. • Eritrea: Journalist Employed By State-Owned Radio Dimtsi Hafash Held Since 2006: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008. • Tanzania: Activists And Pupils March Against Abuse of Schoolgirl: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):23 April 2008. • Kenya: Kibaki Keeps Off Amnesty Pleas: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Landmark Hearing Over Transfer of Genocide Accused to Kigali Begins: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):24 April 2008.

248 • Congo-Kinshasa: Journalist Beaten By Angolan Diplomat - Arrested While Unconscious: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008. • Cameroon: Two Musicians Arrested for Criticizing Constitutional Amendments: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008. 4. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Mozambique: Another Truck Intercepted in Tete With Illegal Foreigners: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):22 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Renewed Violence Drives Thousands Out of Capital – UN: UN News Service (New York):25 April 2008. • Kenya: 150,000 Still in Camps As Resettlement Process Starts: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008. • Kenya: Resettling the Displaced First Test for the Grand Coalition: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008. • Kenya: Agency to Spend Sh11 Billion to Resettle IDPs: The East African Standard (Nairobi):26 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Congo-Kinshasa: Hundreds Flee New Violence in Strife-Torn Region, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York):24 April 2008.

5. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB) WEST AFRICA • Ghana: World Malaria Day - The Experts View Point: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):25 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: School Fears Pupil Has Lethal TB Strain: Cape Argus (Cape Town):23 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Pregnant? Malaria is Your Greatest Enemy: The Nation (Nairobi):25 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Malaria Battle Shifts to Rural Areas: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008. • Cameroon: Report Attributes Death Rise to Nutrition Neglect: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008. • Cameroon: Why I Practise Both Modern And Traditional Medicine - Prof. Lantum: The Post (Buea): INTERVIEW: 25 April 2008. 6. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Desert Encroachment - UN Pays for Tree-Planting: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

249 • Namibia: Plans to Turn Plastic Waste Into Profit: New Era (Windhoek):24 April 2008. • Africa: Rich Countries Must Deal With Climate Change: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):20 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Nema Puts Polluting Manufacturers On Notice: Business Daily (Nairobi):24 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: Forest, Climate Change - Urgent Need to Readapt: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):25 April 2008.

7. ENERGY WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Oil Contracts - FG Sacks 'Brief Case' Companies: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008. • Nigeria: House Names 26-Man Panel to Probe NNPC: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008. • Gambia: Bio Fuel Production Impacts On Trade And Agriculture: FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda):25 April 2008. • Ghana: Mining Companies Venture Into Biodiesel: Public Agenda (Accra):25 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Govt Allots Diesel for Winter Wheat Preps: The Herald (Harare):24 April 2008. • Angola: StatoilHydro Produces 200,000 Barrels of Oil Per Day: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):25 April 2008. • South Africa: Transnet to Spend R80bn On Expansion: Business Day (Johannesburg):24 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Fuel Shortage Hits Region: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008. • Uganda: Power Blackouts Expected As Vandalism Intensifies: New Vision (Kampala):24 April 2008. • Uganda: Lake Levels Up But Power Cuts Stay: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008. • Tanzania: Heritage to Explore for Oil in Country: New Vision (Kampala):22 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Central Africa: 'Active Oil Generation And Accumulation' Discovered in Lake Kivu: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):23 April 2008. • Cameroon: Power - Diversified Programme, Retarded Results: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):24 April 2008. • Cameroon: Worrying Disparity Between Supply and Demand: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):24 April 2008.

250 8. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Surrender Now, Efcc Tells Iyabo: Vanguard (Lagos):25 April 2008. • Nigeria: UNCTAD Official Blames Food Crisis On Structural Adjustment Programme: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008. • Liberia: Govt Links Rising Food Prices to Conflict Risk: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:25 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Paper Claims Ivory Used to Finance Purchase of Chinese Arms: SW Radio Africa (London):24 April 2008. • South Africa: No Respite From Inflation in Sight: Business Day (Johannesburg):25 April 2008. • Mozambique: Sugar Benefits From Zimbabwean Crisis: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):25 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Corporate Leaders for EA Summit: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008. • Kenya: Government Acts to Avert Petroleum Price Crisis: The East African Standard (Nairobi):26 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • East Africa: Kigali Most Expensive in Region: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008. • Cameroon: Littoral Authorities in Price War With Traders: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008. 9. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Police Swoop On Injured MDC Supporters: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 25 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Govt Authorises Unloading of Chinese Ship with Cargo for Country: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):25 April 2008. • Namibia: Chinese Arms Ship Sails Home: New Era (Windhoek):25 April 2008. 10. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Côte d'Ivoire: Ban Ki-Moon Encourages Ivorians to Continue Making Headway in Peace Process: UN News Service New York):24 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Uganda: MONUC Threatens to Attack LRA Rebels: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008. • Sudan: Despite Obstacles, Successes on the Ground Tangible: United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (El Fasher):24 April 2008. • Ethiopia: Project Launched for Ethiopian Peacekeepers: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):20 April 2008.

251

CENTRAL AFRICA • Burundi: Delegation From UN Peacebuilding Commission Begins Visit to Burundi: UN News Service (New York):19 April 2008. • Rwanda: Germany Arrests Genocide Fugitive: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008. 11. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR” WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Militants Hit Pipelines Again: This Day (Lagos):22 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Chaos At Nyanga Refugee Centre: Cape Argus (Cape Town):25 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Eritrea: Press Release On the TPLF's Statement of Severing Diplomatic Relations With Qatar: Shabait.com (Asmara): PRESS RELEASE; 23 April 2008. • Somalia: Deliberate Killing of Civilians Is a War Crime: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 25 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Congo-Kinshasa: Hundreds Flee New Violence in Strife-Torn Region, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York):24 April 2008. 12. NORTH AFRICA • Tunisia: Govt And France Strongly Committed to the Launch of the Mediterranean Union Project: Tunisia Online (Tunis):24 April 2008. • Tunisia: Thirty Five Novels Compete for Prestigious Literary Prize: Tunisia Online (Tunis):23 April 2008. • Tunisia: 6th Mediterranean Meeting On ICT And E-Business to Be Held At El Ghazala Technological Pole: Tunisia Online (Tunis):22 April 2008. • Tunisia: Surgical Team Performs First in Africa And the Arab World: Tunisia Online (Tunis):21 April 2008. • Egypt: Woman Detained for Promoting General Strike On Facebook, Released: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008. • Egypt: Raid of Satellite Communications Supplier, Confiscation of Equipment Part of Campaign to Undermine Broadcasters, Says HRInfo: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 21 April 2008.

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THE REPORT IN DETAIL

252 13. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA • China Earmarks U.S.$5 Billion for Food Production on Continent: The NEWS (Monrovia):23 April 2008.

A visiting Chinese delegation headed by the Chief Executive Officer of China-Africa Development Fund says about 5 billion United States dollars have been earmarked for the production of food and cash crops in Liberia and other African countries over a 50-year period.Mr. Chi Jianxin, at a head of a Chinese delegation, is in the country to explore investment opportunities in the agricultural sector. Chi said his company has the financial capacity and expertise to develop and stabilize the food situation in Liberia "particularly in rice production and other cash crops". During an acquaintance visit with Liberia's Agriculture Minister Chris Toe, the Chinese delegation summed up its exploratory visit in averring that an increased investment in the agricultural sector would provide more food as well as jobs for thousands of Liberians… The Agriculture Minister acknowledged that a good investment partnership could be in the areas of food and tree crops, agro processing technology and the training of Liberian farmers in commercial farming activities as a way of making Liberia self reliant in food production… The Chinese are intervening in the agriculture sector at a time when food prices have skyrocketed world wide over the last three years leading to food insecurity.

• Nigeria: FG Engages Chinese Bank On Coal for Power: Leadership (Abuja):25 April 2008.

The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has urged Chinese Development Bank (CDB) to lay emphasis on providing financial support to Chinese companies interested in the exploration of Nigeria's abundant Coal deposits for power supply in order to address the persistent power crisis in the country. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Chief Sarafadeen Tunji Isola, who made the call recently in his office during an open session meeting with the senior officials of the bank, stated that the meeting was timely, as it coincided perfectly with the period the Federal Government is laying the foundation stone of developing the Solid minerals sector in the country. The minister said the Federal Government is also keenly focused on encouraging Chinese companies to explore other mineral deposits of economic benefits to the country. He further noted that Nigeria is in dire need of China's support in the areas of capacity building, technical expertise and other collaboration activities including exchange programmes between the banks and the ministry… Speaking earlier, the senior commissioner to the Chinese Development Bank, Mrs. Lee Hong, said the purpose of their visit to Nigeria is to seek for the cooperation and approval of the Federal Government for their bank to provide Chinese companies with the necessary financing to develop the mining sector in Nigeria… She said China, who already has a wide network of exploration activities, is looking up to Nigeria as the giant of Africa to further improve its relationship with the rest of Africa.

253

• Ghana: Embassy Racketeers Visa for $625 in China: Public Agenda (Accra):25 April 2008.

At the recently-ended China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM) Trade Fair in Beijing, Chinese travel organisers stormed the Ghana stand to complain of the exorbitant Visa fees charged by the Ghana Embassy in China. The visa fees which now stand at $625 can only be applied for through accredited English-speaking- Chinese Visa Consultants who work in cahoots with corrupt embassy officials. The high visa fees coupled with corrupt practices defeats the aggressive penetration strategy adopted by the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporean Relations (MOTDR) and the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) in capturing a share of the Chinese Outbound Travel Market to Africa which had the highest growth rate in 2007. When confronted at the fair grounds in Beijing, an embassy official burst out angrily in front of one of the Chinese clients and denied all the allegations. However, Public Agenda investigations have revealed that it has been a tradition of the Ghana Embassy in China to rout Visa applications through English-speaking Chinese "Visa Consultants" as all application documents are in English only. Non-English- speaking Chinese visitors to Ghana have no choice but to consult with these English- speaking Chinese cowboys who work in cahoots with some corrupt Embassy officials… Commenting on the state of affairs, Jean Lukaz, a consultant to SPEED Ghana who coordinated Ghana Tourism's participation at the fair in Beijing, said that it was a disincentive to development support for one arm of the country to be pursuing a branding and marketing strategy to promote Ghana as a competitive tourism destination, whilst another kills the initiative through the personal agenda of irresponsible officials… The Ghana Tourism Exhibited and won a gold award in marketing thanks to SPEED Ghana… Although Ghana's Tourism has benefited from injections of support from various international development agencies due to its growth potential the latest jab has been a massive support to the sector from SPEED-Ghana [Support Programme for Enterprise Empowerment and Development], a GTZ and DANIDA funded project.

• Ghana: Chinese And Ghanaian Businessmen Meet: Public Agenda (Accra):21 April 2008.

The Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) would soon open an office in Shenzhen, a sub-provincial city of Guangdong province in southern People's Republic of China, situated north of Hong Kong, to facilitate business opportunities between China and Ghana, Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, the Chief Executive Officer has disclosed. He said China was the source of direct investment for Ghana and her investment cut across a wide range of areas including the energy, hospitality, industry, manufacturing and mining sectors. Mr Ahomka-Lindsay was speaking at a business interaction session between a China business delegation from the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) and Ghanaian businessmen in Accra. The 63-man delegation under the leadership of Mr Hu Deping, president of CABC, is on a four-day business tour to seek investment opportunities in Ghana and other parts of Africa. The tour is under the auspices of the China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Programme and the CABC.

254 The CABC is a joint project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Commerce of the China and the Guangcai programme established in 2005 to deepen the economic relations between China and Africa, particularly with regard to investments. Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay mentioned the energy, mining, infrastructure, industry, tourism and ICT sectors as some of the areas in the economy that Ghana would like China to invest in… He said it was a two-level mechanism that worked on the one hand alongside government departments, and on the other as a practical business tool to assist Chinese and African companies to further their interests and achieve greater success in investment and trade objectives. Mr. Hu said apart from the energy sector his country was ready to do more business with Ghana in other areas, especially in agriculture and tourism… Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said this at the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) pre-conference meeting underway in Accra. The meeting which focuses on building capacity on investment for WAIPA members precedes this year's World Investment Forum which takes place on Saturday and the UNCTAD XII conference which commences on Sunday in Accra. Speaking on capitalizing on Ghana's top reformer position in doing business, Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay said: "In raising awareness of Ghana as a preferred investment destination it is very important that we don't forget our domestic investor."..

• Nigeria: FG Seeks Chinese Investment in Free Trade Zones: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008.

The Federal Government's quest for foreign direct investment and diversification of the nation's economy will get an added boost, when the 6th Nigeria-China Business and Investment Forum (NIPC) gets underway in Hangzhou, China. Also, a Presidential delegation under the auspices of the Ministry of Transportation will use the opportunity offered by the Forum to canvass for Chinese investment in the transportation sub-sector of the economy. Executive Secretary of NIPC, Mr Mustafa Bello, said the two cities of Hangzhou and Nanjing were chosen to host this year's event, following the interest of Nanjing Jiangning Development Zone and Hangzhou Provincial governments in setting up and investing in the country's Free Trade Zones. Bello, who sounded upbeat about the prospects of new investments, especially in the nation's free trade zones, said already, a Chinese firm, GDIG has commenced construction of a $500 million Export Processing Free Trade Zone in Ogun State…

• Nigeria: Darfur - Protesters Besiege Chinese Embassy: Vanguard (Lagos):21 April 2008.

A NON GOVERNMENT organisation, Nigerians Against Darfur Genocide (NADG) yesterday morning protested at the Chinese Embassy, Abuja against genocide in Darfur as a result of the part played by the Chinese government in the conflict even as the police arrested six members of the group. The association which was led by the national coordinator of the group and former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Tony Anyanwu, has over the weekend called the Nigerian government to boycott the forthcoming Olympic Games in Beijing unless the host nation was

255 prepared to change its policies towards Darfur. The association alleged that the activities of the Chinese government in Darfur were being fuelled by the Chinese government as it was the major supplier of arms to the Sudanese government. According to the protesters, the protest was to bring to public notice the objectionable actions of the Chinese government… No official of the Chinese embassy addressed the protesting group numbering over 20 before they were dispersed by the police while six of them were arrested but later released and asked to report back today with their sureties… Anyanwu called on the Nigerian government, African Union, European Union and the United Nations, to put an end to the conflict by rescuing human beings, who happen to be Africans, from being totally wiped off…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Ship of Shame 'Recalled': The Namibian (Windhoek):25 April 2008.

CHINA has caved in to international pressure and recalled the 'ship of shame' carrying an arms shipment for Zimbabwe, which has been sitting on a time bomb since the March 29 presidential and parliamentary elections. The ship, An Yue Jiang, is carrying 77 tonnes of assault rifle ammunition, mortars and rifle grenades. It was feared that the arms could be used to crack down on opposition party members in Zimbabwe… Opposition against offloading the vessel's lethal cargo has mounted since the An Yue Jiang arrived at Durban in South Africa last week. It left South African waters last Friday and was variously reported to be heading for Walvis Bay and Angola. For a short while it literally vanished off the radar screen. Cosco, owners of the An Yue Jiang, was contracted by a Chinese company to deliver the weapons to Zimbabwe… The Chinese ship sparked widespread international condemnation after it tried to offload the arms in the South African port of Durban last week. Activists went to court and obtained an order preventing it from transporting the load overland to Zimbabwe. Dock workers also said they would refuse to offload the arms… Yesterday the ITF gave a "cautious welcome" to indications by the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the ship was "likely to return home without attempting to unload". However, the London-headquartered global union federation noted that the Chinese government had again deferred the final decision to Cosco, the ship's owners, and that the company had not yet made a definite announcement that the arms mission was being aborted. Cosco has given an assurance to the ITF that it was "actively resolving this matter"…"China is very concerned about the current situation in Zimbabwe. We think that maintaining stability and avoiding further deterioration of the situation in this country is of prime importance right now," the Chinese embassy in Windhoek said in its statement… The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has ranked China at number 10, the United States at number one and the United Kingdom at number six on a list of the world's biggest arms exporters, the embassy said.

• Zimbabwe: Britain Leans On China Over Arms Ship: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):24 April 2008.

256 BRITISH authorities have leaned on China and Angola not to help Zimbabwe take delivery of an arms consignment from a stranded Chinese ship refused permission to dock in South Africa last week. This came to light yesterday afternoon during a House of Lords debate in London. Answering questions on Zimbabwe, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mark Malloch-Brown, said he met Angola's ambassador to London yesterday morning who assured him the ship would not dock in Angola… Malloch-Brown, a former senior UN official familiar with Zimbabwe, also revealed that last week he met Chinese authorities in Beijing and raised a wide range of Zimbabwean issues with them… It is important to engage the broader AU beyond the immediate neighbouring countries of SADC and, within the AU, countries such as Nigeria that are traditionally leaders in the region." Meanwhile, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York said they were concerned about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe calling for "a civil society movement that gives voice to those who demand an end to the mayhem that grows out of injustice, poverty, exclusion and violence".

• South Africa: Country-China Memorial Stamp to Commemorate Diplomatic Ties: BuaNews (Tshwane):25 April 2008.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on Thursday launched a stamp and envelope commemorating the first decade of diplomatic relations between South Africa and China. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs this forms part of a series of events designed to celebrate this landmark in relations between the two countries. Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Trade and Industry Minister, Mandisi Mpahlwa, as well as Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad supported by other senior officials from South Africa are in Beijing, within the context of the 10th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the two countries… The 10th year anniversary celebrations of establishing diplomatic relations will culminate in a state visit to China later this year by President Thabo Mbeki where South Africa will be participating in Shangai Expo…

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Olympics Boycott Futile: The Nation (Nairobi): EDITORIAL: 22 April 2008.

In 1980, US President Jimmy Carter persuaded a number of African countries to boycott the Moscow Olympics, ostensibly because the then had invaded Afghanistan. The result was total disaster, for the Games went right ahead, but Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, renowned world-beaters, missed out on the action. The Soviets didn't leave Afghanistan until they were routed many years later. This time round, nobody is trying to persuade African countries to boycott the Beijing Olympics. However, there is a great deal of noise about China repressing Tibetans who are seeking independence for their region which China regards as one of its provinces. What is happening is rather laughable. As if it will make any difference besides antagonizing China, Western leaders led by US President George Bush, are vowing to boycott the Games' opening ceremony, while others like UK's Gordon Brown are saying they will attend only the closing ceremony. We hold no brief for the People's Republic of China,

257 and we cannot support its strong arm tactics against the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. But at the same time, we condemn the hypocrisy evident in the West's self- righteous preachments about human rights abuse in Tibet. Why is nobody cutting sporting links with the US and the UK for invading and occupying Iraq? When China tells the world to delink politics from sports, theirs are self-serving sentiments because they seem to favour suppression over dialogue with the Dalai Lama. But even he does not support a boycott of the Olympics. Why should Western leaders?

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: CDC GM Wants Chinese Trawlers Checked: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008.

The General Manager, GM, of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, Henry Njalla Quan, has said the government needs to take urgent steps to check the ravaging methods used by Chinese fishing trawlers in Cameroon. Njalla Quan stressed that if government does not take immediate steps to bridle the lot of the industrial fishermen from their destructive fishing methods in Cameroonian waters, there may be no more fish for the country soon. The GM raised this issue on Tuesday, April 22, during the visit to Limbe of the Inspector General at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Daniel Awum Anaraban… Njalla Quan's pre-occupations emanated from a series of problems that have been plaguing the local fishing community along the Tiko- Limbe-Bakassi coastline for over two years now. Since the influx of the Chinese trawlers and those of other countries into Cameroonian waters, the local artisanal fishermen have virtually been tossed out of the waters. The trawlers are said to rake every little bit of marine life when they are fishing, nor do they keep out of shallow waters, usually breeding grounds for fish. As the law states, they have to fish within a limit of three nautical miles away from the coastline. But this has not been the case.

• `Cameroon: Housing Challenge: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):23 April 2008.

Could the government have finally found a way out of the long-running quagmire into which it has been plunged over the years with teething housing problems? Difficult to say; but the protocol agreement signed between the government of Cameroon and a Shenyang-based Chinese construction company last April 18 is a landmark event which should expectedly; engender significant positive developments in the housing sector. As per the agreement, the Chinese outfit is expected to start the construction of some 1500 housing units, destined for the lower-income prospective property owners by the year's end. Given the scope of national demand, 1500 houses sounds really derisory; even ridiculous! But it is the specific context of very high demand and the recent history of similar undertakings that make this new offer interesting. National demand for housing in quantity and quality is very high. The government has shown concern for the problem right from the colonial company, the Société Immobilière du Cameroun (SIC) created in the late 1940s. Attempts to give SIC more clout in addressing housing problems have never really been seriously felt. Other initiatives by government

258 to identify and prepare plots for sale to citizens as a means of providing housing have generally been dwarfed by the exponential demand in the sector. MAETUR, the urban and rural lands development authority set up by government in the 1970s is the best illustration of government's inability to meet even a reasonable fraction of real demand… A few year's ago, a Cameroon-Tunisia joint venture company acquired tens of hectares of land in Yaounde's south end. Hardly had the company started taking up the walls of the first units of the 500-odd houses did they run into land tenure problems, necessitating the stoppage of work. Work has lately resumed but potential real estate developers are haunted by such obstacles… But the Chinese, the promoters of the project know but all too well, that a journey of 1000 kilometres takes the first step to start. Moreover, our Chinese friends, through other projects being carried out in the country, have a good reputation in the eyes and minds of Cameroonians. Their very association with the initiative is a good augur for the future.

14. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: Food Crisis - ECOWAS Ministers Meet in Abuja: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008.

Regional ministers of trade and industry are scheduled to hold an extra-ordinary meeting in Abuja, on May 8, 2008, to discuss the spiraling cost of basic food items and its impact on West Africa. Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean de Dieu Somda, said this when he addressed ambassadors of member states in Abuja, adding that poor "distribution" was responsible for distortions in the food situation in the region. While responding to concerns raised by the ambassadors during ECOWAS 18th Mediation and Security Council meeting, Somda said the meeting is expected to propose measures to mitigate effects of the rising cost of food on citizens and develop an intra-regional plan to cope with the situation. A review of the status of the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union is on the agenda of the meeting. Security of the region came up in the vice president's address. The looming food crisis is already causing agitation, which has implications for peace and security in the region… Meanwhile, the Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cuba, to implement a regional programme on renewable energy. President of Commission, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and the visiting Cuban Minister of Basic Industry (MINBAS), Mrs Yadira Garcia Vera, signed the MOU within the framework of South-south cooperation.

• Africa: New Push to Send Bed Nets to Prevent Malaria Deaths in Africa Announced At UN:UN News Service (New York):23 April 2008.

The United Nations has teamed up with religious, business and sports leaders in a new effort to send insecticide-treated bed nets to Africa to prevent millions of deaths from the disease, ahead of the first-ever World Malaria Day on Friday… Ann Veneman, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), noted that of the

259 one million people that die each year due to malaria, about 800,000 are children under the age of five who live in sub-Saharan Africa… Ms. Veneman stressed that the disease takes a heavy toll in terms of death and human suffering and is a major source of poverty. "The cost of malaria control and treatment drains African economies and, according to some estimates, slows economic growth by as much as 1.3 per cent per year," she noted. "Malaria prevention is an important component of poverty reduction and economic development, and progress is being made," she added…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Bad Constitutions Breed Instability, NCC Delegates Told: The Times of Zambia (Ndola):25 April 2008.

DELEGATES to the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) were yesterday told that the majority of African countries are unstable because of enacting bad constitutions and it was, therefore, important that they took the NCC deliberations seriously. Legal practitioner and lecturer at the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE), Eva Jhala said this when she presented a document entitled 'The scope of the constitution'. Ms Jhala said the constitution was the supreme law of the land and should, therefore, bring and promote harmony among people of various backgrounds in the nation. She said that the types of constitutions included unitary system, federal or decentralized, which was in the form of presidential system and parliamentary system but regrettably African governments failed to choose which of the types to adopt. As a result, she said, most of the countries were frequently engulfed in conflicts…"African governments take a bit there, a bit here and come up with their own constitution. A good constitution should not encourage personalization of power and it should not discriminate citizens, including the minority tribes. A good Constitution should not be used as a tool of oppression," Ms Jhala said… Ms Jhala explained that the country that proclaimed to adhere to the tenets of rule of law should ensure that it provided a system that secured to its citizens adequate procedure for redress of their grievances. Ms Jhala said that the rule of law pervaded over the entire field of administration and every organ of the State should be regulated by the same rule of law. She said that the concept of the rule of law would lose its vitality if instrumentalities of the State are not charged with the duty of discharging their functions in a fair, reasonable and just manner.

• Africa: Malaria Has Remained Among the Most Devastating Diseases in Continent: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): EDITORIAL: 25 April 2008.

MALARIA has remained among the most devastating diseases on the African continent with hundreds of thousands of fatalities attributed to the disease each year. Zambia has not been spared from this grim experience. Cases of malaria still dominate statistics in our health institutions across the country. The advent of HIV/AIDS has had the unfortunate effect of relegating malaria as a disease to lower ranks in the minds of most people with tragic out comes. This is why all efforts aimed at turning back the

260 terrible tide of malaria are welcome and should be supported wholeheartedly by all stakeholders. A number of corporate bodies and business houses have come forward with substantial resource outlays to support the fight against malaria in Zambia. The most visible of these initiatives has been the supply of mosquito nets to various communities in the country… But the onus is also on local communities who live within the affected communities to play their part because they live and interact with the people.

• Africa: Unctad Hears Gender Inequality Becoming Worse - And Better: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):24 April 2008.

The only way that the poor, particularly women, will benefit from all the efforts that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has put into improving global trade is to ensure that power inequalities are redressed. This is the comment of Esther Busser, trade policy advisor of the Geneva-based International Trade Union Confederation, who is attending the 12th UNCTAD meeting in Accra, Ghana. It started on April 20 and concludes tomorrow. The confederation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working towards realising workers' rights. In an interview with IPS she argued that UNCTAD leaders have previously not had the political will to take decisions that would benefit the poor. UNCTAD should look at how trade liberalization has affected the poor, particularly women, and "move away from matters of trade and investment alone"… The United Nations' special advisor on gender issues and assistant secretary-general Rachel Mayanja, said at the conference that UNCTAD should help governments to devise programmes that would ensure social equity in an era of imbalanced globalization… This is needed to free the poor, women and other marginalised groups from persistent constraints relating to employment, decision making and access to business finance… Bernice Chenge, a textile worker from Zambia who attended some of the fringe activities hosted by non-governmental organisations at the conference, agreed with Busser. "When a foreign company opened a textile company in the Zambian capital Lusaka, women who made up the bulk of the employees were paid less than the national wage. When we tried to complain to the authorities, some of us were seen as rebels and fired," she said. The International Trade Union Confederation has through its contact with workers around the world found that, as UNCTAD tries to take away the barriers to trade, it is not creating any mechanisms that would protect workers, said Busser… Actionaid's international trade policy coordinator Aftab Alam Khan said agriculture is, "at the heart of the commodities issue. Multinational companies dominate the sector, dictating the terms (of trade) and adversely affecting commodity-reliant developing countries while extracting unfair profits from the supply chain. ActionAid is anti-poverty NGO… Finland's President Tarja Halonen said governments do not need to choose growth over social justice, because the two could and should co-exist. "Empowering women to be active in decision-making and to be equal partners in the labour force and business environment, is a sure way for countries to solidify social gains and boost competiveness." Halonen added, "Governments should

261 do more to encourage and support young women and girls to take active roles in all spheres of society, including through the scaling up of education opportunities."

EAST AFRICA • Africa: AU Regional Experts Meet in Kampala to Review African Governments? Commitment to Social Protection: African Union (Addis Ababa): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008.

Representatives from governments across Eastern and Southern Africa will join civil society groups, NGOs, faith based organisations, and multilateral and bilateral agencies in Kampala from 28-30 April for a Regional Expert Meeting hosted by the Ugandan Government to review the progress of African governments’ commitment to social protection. The meeting is one of a series of national and regional dialogues being convened by the African Union (AU) in close collaboration with HelpAge International to develop programmes that deliver social protection for the most vulnerable and chronically poor people in society; including children, older people and those living with disabilities. The meetings follow on from conferences which took place in Livingstone, Zambia and Yaoundé, Cameroon in 2006, when a number of African governments made commitments to further social protection in support of their most disadvantaged citizens. Special emphasis was placed on implementing cash transfer schemes, including social pensions and child grants. The objectives of the Regional Expert Meetings are to review social protection programmes and policies already in place, debate findings, and look at ways of addressing the challenges of introducing social protection into national development policies. International agencies and other stakeholders including civil society groups will also share their expertise. Key recommendations from the meetings will be presented at the first-ever African Union Conference of Ministers of Social Development to be held in October 2008. The conference will review progress in Africa on social development, and discuss a revised AU Social Policy Framework which includes social protection.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: European Trade Deals 'Disintegrating Africa': Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):24 April 2008.

The European Union push for speedy signing of trade deals with individual African countries has 'shattered regional integration efforts', the campaign organization Oxfam has said. Oxfam says the pressure of the December 2007 deadline led to the fragmentation of the Economic Partnership Agreements - EPA - negotiating blocs, making a mockery of regional integration objectives, and resulted in widely differing texts. Southern African block - SADC, for instance, according to Oxfam, has 13 members split between three different EPA negotiating blocs… In West Africa, the aid agency says moves to a common external tariff will be made impossible if the bilateral EPAs that Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have initialed are not changed. Their differing texts and tariff schedules as well as standstill clauses preclude the adaptations required for regional harmonisation. The Common Market of Eastern and

262 Southern Africa - COMESA - now has a series of different agreements initialed with the EU where five countries have taken up the 'EAC text' and have the same tariff schedules. Another five have subscribed to a separate 'ESA text' and each with different schedules. The six remaining countries have chosen to stay with Everything But Arms… The Southern African Customs Union, the oldest customs union in the world, has been thrown into crisis, according to the agency. South Africa, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of the region's income, has not initialed an EPA, while the others have. Namibia is said to have backed the agreement with the provision that further changes would be made to the text. In an attempt to reconcile EPAs with regional integration, African heads of state apparently requested that all deals be brought to the African Union for review before they are signed and committed into law… The report says the EU will do irrevocable damage to the development prospects of some of the poorest countries in the world unless it overhauls free trade deals due to be finalized this year. The EU wants to finalise deals on goods by mid-2008 and wind up negotiations on services, investment and other areas over the following year. Yet as Oxfam put it, legal experts say that deals initialed at the end of 2007 are not legally binding and could be revised.

15. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: 'Taylor's Trial is Political' - Defense Counsel: Concord Times (Freetown):24 April 2008.

Defense counsel for former Liberian President Charles Taylor Wednesday said the trial of his client was political. Speaking at an outreach session organized by the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Freetown Terry Munyard said other nationals have committed the same crime Taylor was accused to have committed but they have not been prosecuted in any international criminal court. "International criminal courts should be made for anyone that is found wanting," he said. He said the defense team of Taylor was very small and that they were open to lots of restrictions from the prosecution adding, "We have very little resources to carry on with the trials." "The prosecution is making their case on two evidences which are linkage witnesses and crime based witnesses," he explained noting, however, that the defense team does not intend to challenge the prosecution's crime based witnesses. Munyard said they would be submitting to the prosecution that some of the linkage witnesses were bags of lies, adding that "Taylor is in good health to go ahead with the trial."..

• Nigeria: Minister Condemns Judgment On Child Rape Case in Nasarawa: Leadership (Abuja):24 April 2008.

Minister of women affairs and social development, Hajiya Saudatu Usman Bungudu, has described as unfair the court ruling on the rape case of a nine-month-old baby by a 28-year-old man in Nasarawa State. According to Bungudu, the culprit was said to

263 have been given a prison term of three months with an option of N3, 000 fine only. The minister, who spoke with an emotion-laden voice, said the judgement was not acceptable as it was not commensurate with the enormity of the crime committed adding that it did not violate only a child right but that of womanhood… She said credit facilities and soft loans had been secured to the tune of $5 millioon from the Islamic Development Bank as an effort at creating wealth for grassroots women. This, we believe will go a long way to empowering them economically, and to as well contribute to the success of the seven-point agenda of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua", she said.

• Niger: Private Radio Station Closed for Broadcasting Testimonies of Soldiers' Victims: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008.

Reporters Without Borders condemns the closure of the private radio station Sahara FM, the main station in Agadez, northern Niger, by the media regulatory body in Niger (Conseil supérieur de la communication, CSC), saying it is an authoritarian decision which will only worsen the situation in the north of the country… On 22 April 2008, the CSC ordered the indefinite closure of Sahara FM after the radio station broadcast testimonies from victims of soldiers' attacks. In its official report, the CSC indicates that this decision was made "without ruling out possible criminal charges"… On 3 April, Amnesty International published a report on a "new wave of extra- judicial executions" and "forced disappearances" by the Nigerian army in the Agadez region.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Release Poll Results By Saturday, SADC Warns ZEC: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):25 April 2008.

The Southern African Development Community has warned Zimbabwe that it will accept no more excuses from the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) if it fails to release the results of the Zimbabwean presidential elections by Saturday. SADC sent its observer team back to Harare last week to observe the recount of the 23 disputed constituencies where Zanu-PF claims there were irregularities. The ballots for the disputed constituencies in presidential, senatorial and parliamentary polls, which took place four weeks ago, are being recounted. Said a senior SADC observer who asked not to be named: I don't know why we are recounting -- it doesn't make sense to us. We are expecting the recount to be done by Saturday, then it will be up to them to announce… Civil society across Africa is looking to Kikwete -- who is known to be critical of Mugabe's regime -- to take a more energetic stance on Zimbabwe after the SADC summit and statement reflecting Mbeki's softly-softly approach. A post- conference communique, due to be handed to Kikwete in person, called for AU intervention to supercede the SADC's efforts. On Thursday South Africa's official opposition called on the South African government to press for Zimbabwe's expulsion from the AU and the imposition of travel sanctions on Zimbabwean government officials entering South Africa, in the manner of the European Union and

264 the United States… SADC sources said ballot boxes had been moved from locations where the ZEC had stored them to places such as shopping centres, where the counting was done. Party agents brought their own tallies of the original count. Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said anomalies noted during the recount had resulted in police arresting presiding officers suspected of malpractice. At one recounting centre three presiding officers had reportedly been arrested. MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai this week also broadened his campaign for regional support in the quest to break the impasse. Tsvangirai is in Ghana, where he met President John Kufuor… MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the party was setting up safe houses for activists fleeing violence in the countryside. The party's headquarters in Harare has become a shelter for dozens of its supporters, who are sleeping in corridors and in offices.

• Southern Africa: Human Trafficking On the Upswing: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:23 April 2008.

The victims of human trafficking in Southern Africa are often invisible because many countries in the region have failed to implement laws to combat it, Hans Petter Boe, Regional Representative for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said in his opening remarks at a conference in the South African port city of Durban… The conference was hosted by the IOM and the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa, which aims to facilitate regional dialogue and cooperation on migration policy issues, and attended by civil society and government representatives from the Southern African Development Community… Lack of legislation has allowed traffickers to either escape prosecution or only be convicted of such crimes as rape, abduction or fraud, but beyond this there are few national or regional mechanisms that afford the victims of trafficking any protection. Poor intelligence on the numbers of people trafficked and the inherently clandestine nature of the activity mean the traffickers usually ply their harmful trade without fear of repercussion. Vulnerable people : The UN protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, defines trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by improper means, such as force, abduction, fraud or coercion, for an improper use or purpose, like forced labour, servitude, slavery or sexual exploitation. Countries that ratify the protocol are obliged to enact domestic laws making these activities criminal offences, if such laws are not already in place Trafficked people are highly vulnerable: they have been brought into a country illegally, so they are reluctant to seek help from the authorities, fearing that they will be treated as illegal immigrants or criminals…

• Namibia: Suspect Admits Raping Woman (77):The Namibian (Windhoek):25 April 2008.

A 23-year-old resident of northern Namibia admitted in the High Court in Windhoek yesterday that he had raped and sodomised a 77-year-old woman in a night-time attack in the Ondangwa area near the end of last year. "I did it while I was drunk," was the only explanation Luciana Ndjaba Augustus offered for his behaviour when he first pleaded guilty to a charge of rape during an appearance in the Ondangwa

265 Magistrate's Court in November last year… The woman was still on her way to her daughter's house when she encountered Augustus and a companion. After exchanging greetings with his companion, she continued on her way. Then, however, Augustus started following her, it was alleged. He caught up with her, told her she had to choose between death and having sexual intercourse with him, and then pushed her to the ground, where he raped and sodomised her, it was charged… Now aged 78, she was called to the witness stand by State advocate Ruben Shileka yesterday to give evidence in aggravation of his sentence against Augustus. She told the court that the incident - in which she was raped by a man who is younger than her youngest child - had a severe effect on her…

• South Africa: Country 'Regrets' Snub At UN Over Gaza: Business Day (Johannesburg):25 April 2008.

THE government yesterday expressed regrets that there had been a walkout in the closed meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council chaired by SA following an attempt to have the council comment on the humanitarian security situation in the Middle East. The US, France and Britain walked out of a debate on the Middle East on Wednesday after Libya compared the situation in the Gaza Strip to Nazi "concentration camps"… The UN report warned that if Israel did not reverse its policies, the UN would be forced to discontinue its food assistance to 650000 Palestinian refugees as well as its garbage collection for 500000 people in Gaza. It said the lack of fuel had also had an adverse impact on water supplies and sanitation and there were obvious health risks associated with the flow of untreated sew age into the Mediterranean. Israel also continued to refuse the UN permission, despite its assurances to the contrary, to allow the delivery of materials for UN humanitarian infrastructure projects in the Palestinian territories.

EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Civil Society Calls for Broader Panel On Zim Crisis: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):24 April 2008.

AFRICAN civil society leaders are pressing for the appointment of a Pan-African panel of eminent persons to intervene in the Zimbabwean political crisis triggered by delays and refusals by authorities to release results of last month's presidential election. The civic leaders, among them lawyers, trade unionists and academics, met in Dar es Salaam this week and challenged the African Union (AU) to appoint a panel of eminent persons to tackle the Zimbabwe crisis. The meeting was organised by the East Africa Law Society, Open Society Initiative for East Africa, and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa. In a communiqué released after the meeting, which was characterised by emotional pleas for the international community to intervene in Zimbabwe, the civic leaders asked the AU to send a team of eminent persons to lead an initiative to resolve the southern African country's crisis. The communiqué was later presented to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete… The civil society leaders said the

266 AU should intervene in Zimbabwe in line with the organisation's constitutive laws which provide the continental group with the right to intervene in a member state when certain violations are perpetrated by the state… Participants at the one-day meeting were drawn from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Botswana, Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo. Others came from Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland and South Africa…

• Eritrea: Journalist Employed By State-Owned Radio Dimtsi Hafash Held Since 2006: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008.

Reporters Without Borders has learned from local sources that Tura Kubaba, a journalist with the Kunama-language service of state-owned Radio Dimtsi Hafash ("Voice of the Masses"), has been detained in Eritrea since the second half of 2006 and disappeared last year within the country's prison system… Arrested some time between August and December 2006, Kubaba was initially incarcerated in "Track-B," a military prison in a western suburb of Asmara. Run by an officer known as "Colonel Berhane," this centre consists of undergrounds cells and metal containers holding a total of about 2,000 detainees. In the course of 2007, Kubaba was transferred from there to an unknown place of detention. Aged about 40, Kubaba is a member of the Kunama, a minority ethnic group in western Eritrea. A local source said he was accused of having "contacts with Kunama organisations."

• Tanzania: Activists And Pupils March Against Abuse of Schoolgirl: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):23 April 2008.

Human rights activists, school pupils and secondary school students yesterday marched to the Nyamagana District Commissioner's Office protesting the gruesome violence committed against an 11-year old schoolgirl in Sengerema district. The demonstrators declared that should the government fail to take heed of their outcry over the inhuman act against the schoolgirl, they would bounce back to the streets to continue with the protest. Three employees of the Barrick Exploration Africa Limited (BEAL) mining site forced the standard-four girl from Sota Primary School situated at Igalula village, Ngoma ward, in the district to be raped by a dog on March 21… Annicet Edward Ndege, 30, Job Murama, 30, and Shija Madata picked the schoolgirl from where she was selling buns, sent her to the Nyanzaga mineral exploration centre, undressed and forced her to be defiled by a dog for about one hour. They finally paid the fateful girl Shs1,000. "One person of Asian decent was deported within 24 hours after he was caught using a belt belonging to the Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) for tying his dog," recalled Samson Magige… Kivulini, a non-governmental organization defending women's rights, said in a statement read by acting director Yusta Ntibashima that medical doctors already had hinted the possibility of the schoolgirl's reproductive health being totally impaired…

• Kenya: Kibaki Keeps Off Amnesty Pleas: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

267 President Kibaki on Friday remained non-committal as he faced more demands for the freeing of suspects held over post-election violence. Those arrested should be set free as part of the peace and reconciliation initiatives, Kipkelion MP Kiprono Magerer said. The MP asked the President and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to consider granting amnesty to those held. Mr Magerer said amnesty would hasten the ongoing plans to resettle persons displaced by the violence and also help in efforts to ensure reconciliation and peaceful co-existence. The MP was speaking at Kipkelion Town during the second day of the series of peace rallies in Rift Valley led by the President and the Premier. The rallies are being used to drum up support among the local communities for resettlement of those displaced during the post-election violence…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Landmark Hearing Over Transfer of Genocide Accused to Kigali Begins: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):24 April 2008.

The landmark hearing of transfer motion to Rwanda in case of genocide accused former businessman Yussuf Munyakazi, 73, began Thursday before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) with heated arguments from both the Prosecutor and the defence. The debate was interjected by the so called "Friends of the Court(Amicus Curie)--the Human Rights Watch, Bar of Kigali, Government of Rwanda and the International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association (ICDAA). The ICTR Prosecutor, Hassan Jallow, stressed that Rwandan legal framework grants fair trial, adding that this was demonstrated by the latest decision of the French Chamberry Court of Appeal on 2 April which approved extradition of former Rwandan businessman Claver Kamanya to Kigali. "it is an indication of confidence in the Rwandan judiciary system," he told the three-bench Chamber presided by Judge Ines Weinberg de Roca (Argentina) and assisted b Lee Muthoga (Kenya) and Robert Fremr (Czech)… Professor Jwani Mwaykyusa, lead defence counsel, strongly opposed the Prosecutor's move, saying Rwandan judicial lacked competence and was partial. "It is absurd to transfer a case to a system which should be answering the same charges," he said, apparently referring to the alleged atrocities committed by the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) during the 1994 genocide and the indictments issued by French and, more recently, by Spanish judges against RPF soldiers… The Human Rights Watch representative, Aisling Reidy, said that they have evidence of intimidation and harassment of legal officers and witnesses in Rwanda, adding that the defence had difficulties in securing witnesses. She also doubted the financial ability of the Rwandan government to carry out a fair trial… Since June 2007, ICTR Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow has filed motions to transfer to Kigali five accused persons, including Munyakazi… Headquartered in Arusha, northern Tanzania, ICTR has, to date, delivered 30 convictions and 5 acquittals. Seven accused held in Arusha are currently awaiting their trials. Three others are detained in Europe awaiting their transfers to the ICTR, whereas 13 suspects are still on the run.

268 • Congo-Kinshasa: Journalist Beaten By Angolan Diplomat - Arrested While Unconscious: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008.

A broadcast journalist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo pressed charges today against an Angolan diplomat, alleging he was beaten unconscious by the diplomat and his aides on Saturday, according to local journalists. Journalists familiar with their colleague's station, Radio Télévision Mwangaza, told CPJ that the attack was in reprisal for coverage of a voter registration scandal in 2006 involving Angolan expatriates in the run-up to the country's elections… The news director was then surrounded by more than a dozen people and severely pummelled before Ngoma joined the melee, punching and insulting the journalist, according to Luboya. Police arrested Ndolo while he was unconscious and detained him for more than two hours on Ngoma's orders before taking him to the hospital, according to local journalists. Ngoma later accused the journalist of trespassing and assaulting his wife. Ndolo denied the charges, saying he had never met the diplomat or his wife. "We call upon the Congolese and Angolan authorities to investigate this assault and the reports that Angolan Consulate personnel were involved," said CPJ's Africa program coordinator, Tom Rhodes… According to Rose Lukano, president and director-general of Mwangaza (Swahili for "Light"), Ngoma has been hostile to her reporters since the station broke a 2006 story on the illegal voter registration of Angolans in the lead-up to DRC's historic elections.

• Cameroon: Two Musicians Arrested for Criticizing Constitutional Amendments: Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra): PRESS RELEASE: 23 April 2008.

Two renowned musicians, Lapiro de Mbanga and Joe La Conscience have been arrested and detained by the authorities in Cameroon for singing songs in which they criticized the recent controversial constitutional amendments, which allows the President unlimited terms of office. The two were arrested respectively on April 9 and March 20, 2008. Mbanga, a known member of the opposition party Social Democratic Front (SDF), was summoned and subsequently arrested by the gendarmerie of Mbanga City. According to sources in Cameroon he was accused of instigating the mass demonstrations against high cost of living which took place at the end of February. The sources report that Mbanga’s arrest was linked to a song he wrote entitled “Constipated Constitution” which warns President Paul Biya of the dangers the amendments could create. Joe La Conscience, who also wrote a song condemning the amendments of the Constitution, was convicted to six months imprisonment for an alleged illegal demonstration. The Constitutional Amendment Bill was adopted by the National Assembly in Cameroon on April 10, 2008. The amendment allows an unlimited number of presidential mandates, which according to critics empowers President Paul Biya to continue to rule for life. The amendments also grant immunity to the President for any acts committed by him during his time in office.

16. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

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SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Mozambique: Another Truck Intercepted in Tete With Illegal Foreigners: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):22 April 2008.

The Mozambican police intercepted one more truck in the western Tete province on Sunday, transporting 162 illegal male immigrants of Ethiopian nationality, aged between 20 and 40, reports Tuesday's issue of the daily 'Noticias'. This is the second case of illegal immigrants arrested in Tete, travelling in a truck from Malawi in less than a month. These immigrants were travelling in a truck of the Malawian company Chita One Investments, covered with a canvass, heading for Beira, the capital of the central Sofala province. A source of the Public Relations of the Tete police command told reporters that the truck was intercepted at a checkpoint about 3:00 am. The illegal immigrants are under police custody and are to be deported back to Malawi… Commander of the frontier guard troops in Tete, Ibraimo Manjera, said that about 700 illegal immigrants were caught in Tete in the last two weeks, and about 70 per cent of them were travelling in trucks, either in containers or covered by canvasses…

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Renewed Violence Drives Thousands Out of Capital – UN: UN News Service (New York):25 April 2008.

Some 7,000 people have fled the Somali capital Mogadishu after a new round of fighting this week that killed a significant number of civilians and reportedly wounded 200 people, including women and children, the United Nations refugee agency announced today. "The exodus from the war-ravaged city further aggravates the situation in a country where over 1 million people are already internally displaced," Ron Redmond, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva, adding that some 700,000 left Mogadishu last year alone. "The latest violence also prevents the internally displaced living in areas surrounding the city from returning to their homes. He pointed out that international aid agencies, including UNHCR, are impeded from providing affected populations with the protection and assistance they need. Furthermore, aid workers encounter problems at checkpoints, including demands for money in exchange for passage. Ethiopian-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces fought with insurgents, and according to eyewitness reports, over 1,000 families fled their homes in two neighbourhoods north of Mogadishu following heavy shelling of residential areas… In a statement, Ghanim Alnajjar, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, condemned in particular the alleged deliberate killing of numerous clerics belonging to "Altabligh Group" at the Al-Hidaya Compound/Mosque. "The killings have to be investigated expeditiously and impartially, and any lasting peace in Somalia must be based on justice, truth and accountability," he stated.

270 • Kenya: 150,000 Still in Camps As Resettlement Process Starts: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

There are 166 camps hosting thousands of internal refugees countrywide. The number is 134 less the initial number of 300, according to statistics from the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS). Currently, a total of 150,671 men, women and children are still living in camps. Most of the camps are in the Rift Valley, which witnessed widespread post-election violence following the disputed presidential election last year. Smaller camps are found in parts of Central, Nyanza, Nairobi and Western provinces. Hosting; Within the Rift Valley, for instance, the North Rift has 41 camps hosting a record 77,588 refugees whereas the South Rift has 79 camps accommodating 49,575 internal refugees… Nyanza, which also witnessed destruction of property worth millions of shillings, has 15 camps hosting 4,294 displaced people, while the neighbouring Western Province has 16 camps accommodating 14,648 people… Supporting: KRCS is already at the forefront supporting the Government with the long- term needs of the displaced persons such as reconstruction of houses and provision of farm inputs. The organisation expressed concern over an imminent food shortage, saying many farmers are yet to go back to their farms.

• Kenya: Resettling the Displaced First Test for the Grand Coalition: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

The resettlement of Kenyans who are refugees in their country and in Uganda is the first political test for the grand coalition government. But as usual, Kenyan politicians have created a dispute over it; whether or not it should start immediately. Most Kenyans think the issue should be the security of the resettled, the creation of peaceful relations among the communities and projects to address the basic needs of the poor, who constitute the majority. Yet again, politicians have shown that they have no idea of issues of national interest. The resettlement should show serious commitment to addressing historical grievances, protecting the displaced's private property and laying a firm foundation for other reforms… To the Kenyans who lost land, the idea of sanctity of private property does not make sense any more. They have title deeds for land that is occupied by other people who may also have deeds for it. The constitutional guarantee that no property shall be seized without prompt and full compensation sounds hollow and immoral. To any Kenyan peasant the assertion that private property is protected is painful nonsense. Now Kenyan peasants know whose private property is protected - that of the elite. Some politicians were elected to Parliament because they had promised to evict the "foreigners." Such promises were sweet-sounding to the poor indigenous residents who saw an opportunity to be landowners. None of the peasants raised the question about the huge tracts of land owned by the multi-racial and multi-ethnic Kenyan elite, whose property is protected by the state machinery of violence… The Kenyan elite need to understand that ethnic ideology that perpetuates their rule is a double-edged political sword. Confronting the ideology head on is part of the important reforms that have to take place. The era of politics of issues has come. Politicians who do not abandon seeking votes through sowing seeds of ethnic, religious and ethnic hatred will surely find themselves behind bars.

271

• Kenya: Agency to Spend Sh11 Billion to Resettle IDPs: The East African Standard (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

THE United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will spend Sh11.9 billion on the resettlement of internally displaced persons. UNHCR country representative, Ms Liz Ahua, said the amount would cover transportation and facilitation of the displaced people, to start life afresh at their original homes. Ahua, who toured IDP camps in Naivasha, said bad weather occasioned by the long rains had adversely affected the victims, especially the minors. But the official allayed fears that the current food shortages had affected refugee camps in Northern Kenya, home to 300,000 to external refugees. She said UNHCR would donate shelter material worth Sh18,900 to every family, to facilitate resettlement. Elsewhere, the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) programme unveiled a Sh170 million programme for 21 districts to resettle victims of post-election violence.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Hundreds Flee New Violence in Strife-Torn Region, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York):24 April 2008.

Renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province today has forced the United Nations refugee agency to halt the distribution of aid to internally displaced persons and to call off a drive to register newly displaced people in the Rutshuru area. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) suspended operations after reports of new fighting between Government soldiers and fighters from the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) near the Kinyandoni Anglican IDP site in North Kivu. Clashes on Saturday and Sunday left at least one woman dead. UNHCR field staff reported that IDPs were continuing to flock to sites around Kiwanja. The majority is sheltering in public buildings and most new arrivals are women and children. Some said their homes had been destroyed and their possessions looted, while some parents said they had lost touch with their children. The displacement in the Rutshuru area, some 70 kilometres north of the provincial capital, Goma, comes three months after the signing of an accord in Goma between the Government and rival armed groups aimed at bringing lasting peace to the DRC's Far East after more than a decade of conflict. Despite the accord, tensions have remained high. A peace agreement in 2003 formally brought years of war to a close, but fighting flared again in North Kivu that same year. An estimated 1.3 million IDPs remain in the DRC, while 350,000 Congolese have fled to other countries.

17. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Ghana: World Malaria Day - The Experts View Point: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):25 April 2008.

272 Every year, malaria kills 1-2 million people, and infects 300-500 million, with 90% of deaths occuring in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is present in over 100 countries, threatening 40% of the world's population. Experts say, the disease remains the single largest cause of death, for children under five in Africa - it kills one child every thirty seconds worldwide, which has a serious effect on their future. Affected children may suffer neurological aftereffects, and impaired learning abilities. Dr. Mrs. Constance Bart Plange, Manager of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), defines malaria as an infectious disease of the blood, caused by a parasite called the plasmodium, a small parasite that cannot be seen with the naked eye, but only with microscope. She said mainly, mosquitoes of the Genus Anopheles transmit this small parasite into the human blood. She said there are four human malaria parasites namely, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium vivax. Epidemiological analysis in Ghana has revealed that only three species of the plasmodium are present: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale. What you need to know: Most Anopheles mosquitoes bite mainly at night, and some bite at dusk, while others bite late or early morning, and have site preferences. Endophagic mosquitoes enter homes to bite, while the ones that bite outside are called exophagic. There are favorable breeding grounds for anopheles, and these flying insects prefer relatively clean water, collecting in flowerpots, ponds, potholes, dugout pits, hoof prints puddles, rice fields and streams. The Anopheles mosquitoes (those carrying the malaria parasite) in Ghana, breed throughout the year, and rest mainly indoors (endophilic); others, however, rest outdoors after feeding on blood (exophilic). Plasmodium falciparum invades all the red blood cells of both the young and old, distorts, and weakens the red blood cells (RBC), ruptures the cells and release some toxins. The toxins cause fever, tissue damage (cerebral malaria)… Why pregnant women are a priority : Mrs. Aba Baffoe-Wilmot, a Medical Entomologist with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), said pregnant women are at high risk of getting malaria, and women in their first pregnancy are at high risk, because they lack the special antibodies, which protect women who have had at least one pregnancy, against malaria. She said that the effects of malaria on the pregnant woman can be catastrophic, because research has shown that blood smears, taken from the pregnant woman for laboratory tests, can prove negative, but the parasite may be hiding in the placenta… Treat malaria promptly, fully and correctly, for malaria in children can lead to death within 48 hours!... The disease also has debilitating effects on adults. In addition to time and money spent on preventing and treating malaria, it causes considerable pain, and weakness among its sufferers. This can reduce peoples working abilities. The adverse impact of the disease, on household production, and gross domestic product, can be substantial. Malaria, therefore, is not only a public health problem, but also a developmental problem for most of sub-Saharan Africa. At the national level, apart from the negative effects of lost productivity, on the major sectors of the economy, malaria has negative effects on the growth of tourism, investments and trade, especially in endemic regions… Lost work days ; The disease is also the leading cause of work days lost, due to illness in Ghana, and thereby contributing more to potential income loss, than any other disease. One study found that economically active persons, who suffer from malaria, lose 9 workdays per episode, with males losing

273 more time off, than females… Therefore, reducing/eradicating malaria will surely lead to wealth creation.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: School Fears Pupil Has Lethal TB Strain: Cape Argus (Cape Town):23 April 2008.

An Edgemead High School pupil suspected to be suffering from a deadly strain of tuberculosis has health authorities on high alert in Cape Town, testing pupils and teachers with whom she has been in contact for signs of the disease. They are set to resort to the Child Care Act to ensure that the girl is returned to Brooklyn Chest Hospital, from where she was allegedly removed by her father, to get the essential treatment. The head of health in the Western Cape, Professor Craig Househam, confirmed that the child was at best suffering from multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB… The US Centres for Disease Control describe MDR TB as "TB that is resistant to at least two of the best anti-TB drugs"… But Househam said initial reports were that the girl's prognosis was good, provided she got treatment immediately.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Pregnant? Malaria is Your Greatest Enemy: The Nation (Nairobi):25 April 2008.

When a community nurse in a Kisumu neighbourhood received a phone call from a friend asking her to attend to a very sick sister-in-law, little did she know what awaited her. The patient, Mrs Agnes Oloo, 23, who had lived in a childless marriage for five years, had all the clinical symptoms of malaria. "She was running high fever, a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, and was vomiting a lot," says the nurse, who requested anonymity because of the drastic decisions she had to make to save the patient's life… Mrs Oloo then said she had missed her periods for one month. This prompted the nurse to do a pregnancy test even as she sent a blood sample to the lab for a malaria test. The pregnancy test turned out positive, as did the malaria test, which showed a parasite load of three plus - very high. The nurse decided to put Mrs Oloo on a quinine drip, a procedure that should normally be administered in a hospital. Happily, Mrs Oloo responded well to the treatment. "She is now very pregnant," says the nurse with a chuckle. At Kiboswa Medical Clinic, Lucy Wayodi, a clinical officer, describes malaria among pregnant women as "very bad; it can result in miscarriage."… She advises that serious cases of malaria, especially in pregnancy, be referred to a hospital, because of the high risk of miscarriage or premature birth… According to officials from the division, 25 million out of the 34 million Kenyans are at risk of contracting malaria. It is estimated that 170 million working days are lost to the disease each year. The disease is also responsible for 20 per cent of all deaths of children aged five years and below. The division describes this age group and pregnant women as most vulnerable to malaria… Malaria, which is prevalent across Africa, is caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Africa accounts for 90 per cent of malaria cases globally… Miscarriages, death of the newborn and low birth weight are some of the effects of malaria in pregnancy…

274 According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the danger in malaria lies in the fact that its first symptoms (most often fever, chills, sweats, headaches, muscle pains, nausea and vomiting) are often not specific and are also found in other diseases such as the flu and common viral infections. In the Kisumu area, a doctor's worst nightmare lies in confusing malaria symptoms with those for typhoid… High temperature, perspiration and fatigue, which are associated with malaria, are also not specific to the disease. Such symptoms are also linked to Aids, which has serious implications in pregnancy and malaria… Malaria results in low birth weight babies because the parasites feed on the nutrients in the mothers' blood, technically starving the unborn child. Child survival is also compromised since such babies are prone to disease compared to others… Treated nets: Ms Wayodi confirmed that medics were now recording fewer cases of severe malaria in pregnancy than before the introduction of the insecticide-treated nets. Though preventable, the disease kills 92 children every day: Although malaria is a preventable and curable disease, it remains the leading cause of death and illness especially among pregnant women and children aged five years and below. The disease, which is spread by infected female mosquitoes - anopheles gambiae - kills 34,000 children aged five years and below annually, or 92 children daily. The disease also leads to the birth of 6,000 underweight babies each year and is the leading cause of anaemia among pregnant women… In Kenya and other sub-Saharan African countries, the type of malaria parasite commonly found, Plasmodium falciparum, causes a severe, potentially life-threatening infection.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Malaria Battle Shifts to Rural Areas: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008.

As Rwanda joins the world on Malaria Day, health officials should be smiles following a recent UN assessment that malaria prevalence was down by more than 60% in just two years of intensive intervention, RNA reports. Increased use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and the latest drugs in Rwanda cut malaria deaths in half, the World Health Organisation said in February. In 2005, the rate at which infections were happening has been rocketing 67% and often hitting high. Rwanda had actually been classified - along with Ethiopia - as "high risk" countries' where malaria was biting hard with thousands of deaths annually. WHO scientists carried out an assessment of the effects of bed nets and latest medicines in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Ghana. It said the "most striking" results were found in Rwanda. However, indication from the rural areas suggests that despite free-treated bednets and massive sensitisation programs and other measures, malaria cases are still prevalent… For example, in September 2006, up to 3 million nets were supplied in a population of about 9.4 million. In October, artemisinin-based therapies were stocked in all public hospitals and clinics - ending the use of Amodiaquine/Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine combinations. The two key items in the current "tool kit", as it has been called, were bed nets treated with insecticide that lasts as much as five years, and treatment with at least two drugs, one of them artemisinin, a compound derived from a Chinese herbal medicine… Later in February 2007, government also ended the use of historically known malaria drugs such

275 chloroquine and quinine, and ordered that all health centers prescribe Coartem - a drug heavily subsidized.

• Cameroon: Report Attributes Death Rise to Nutrition Neglect: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008.

A research on health and human well-being for 2007 has revealed that nutrition neglect accounts for the recent upsurge in death toll in Cameroon. According to scientists of the International Council for Science, ICSU, that did the research, at least 50 percent of the population in Sub-Sahara Africa suffer and die from diet-related diseases, with a high impact in Cameroon. The study states that nutrition neglect can result not only in anaemia, goitre and blindness, sometimes called 'diseases of poverty' but death in chronic cases. About 60 percent of deaths around the world and 47 percent of the burden of disease are attributed to diet-related diseases. About two-thirds of deaths occur in areas where the key risk factors are poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity. Like malnutrition, diet-related chronic diseases have their origin in early childhood. While the study states that nutrition is becoming one of the major determinants of chronic diseases, it carries scientific evidence supporting the view that alterations in the diet have powerful effects on health. The report recommends the importance to educate the population to understand that food should be eaten for its essential nutrients. Infant mortality rates are higher in Africa than anywhere else in the world mainly due to improper care and feeding practices, poor living conditions, and the absence of adequate quality food supplies for both mothers and children.

• Cameroon: Why I Practise Both Modern And Traditional Medicine - Prof. Lantum: The Post (Buea): INTERVIEW: 25 April 2008. Professor Daniel Noni Lantum is, to say the least, in a class of his own. A Western- trained medical practitioner and Professor in Public Health, he is also a prolific writer with several tiles on Nso folklore to his credit. But wait for this: The Professor is into traditional medical practice and easily combines this with conventional medicine. Professor Lantum was in Buea last week and talked exclusively to The Post.

The Post: My main curiosity is the two personalities that you incorporate; namely the conventional medical doctor and the traditional practitioner. How do these two marry? And how did you acquire both? Prof. Lantum: I am a civilised African. I mean that I also learned and acquired what we call the folk wisdom of Cameroon, and part of folk wisdom is traditional medicine. I learned about medicinal plants. I was treating people, before I went to secondary school and after that, I decided to do medicine. One of the reasons was that I had onchocerchiasis and there was no traditional medicine that could treat it; so I had to go and learn modern medicine to treat myself and other people. When I became a medical doctor and eventually a professor, I said wouldn't abandon folk medicine and that is why I combine the two. Being a modern doctor and scientist didn't help me to be able to do a lot of research on folk remedy, and to prove that they were effective. It also meant that I had to drop the bias that was imposed by colonialism. Anything about Africa was not good. I didn't believe in that, so I said, I will go and see,

276 and I gave a scientific dimension to what was called empirical knowledge… Have you ever had occasion to consult and start treating a patient in a modern hospital only to decide along the line to switch to the traditional way? Prof. Lantum: Oh yes! For instance, I discovered the treatment for cataract when I was Chief Medical Officer of Tiko Hospital. I had no ophthalmologist; so when patients came, I treated them with traditional medicine and opened their eyes. I treated my father with that traditional medicine which I learned from a Bororo man who was treating the cataract in the bushes of Ndumbo. It worked. Also, there are times when people come to you and their folk remedy is handy and then you prescribe that to them…. Some of them also claim to have an answer or cure for HIV/AIDS. Are they credible? Prof. Lantum: For the last five years I have been involved in implicating traditional doctors in the control of AIDS in this country. I conducted a series of seminars for the Southern Provinces and in Yaounde, Littoral, and the Western Provinces, South and Northwest Provinces. The first thing was to give traditional doctors an idea of what AIDS is and to find out what they thought about AIDS. I took them to see AIDS patients and made them to undergo screening. We now discussed and what they do was that when they see a case that they consider by signs and symptoms, they refer to modern hospitals…

18. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Desert Encroachment - UN Pays for Tree-Planting: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008.

In an effort to halt desert encroachment, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has concluded plans to pay up to $10 per stand, to any farmer that plants and maintains 10 seedlings of trees that survive for five years. This is part of measures aimed at curtailing the speed and approach of the Sahara, which experts say is progressing into the hinterland at the pace of two kilometre per annum… Speaking on the effort to commercialise the state's abundant neem tree potential, he said government decided to put the trees into proper use, while discussions will soon commence with Chinese experts and the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, on the establishment of orgao-need fertiliser, as well as pesticides and raw materials for pharmaceutical industries.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Plans to Turn Plastic Waste Into Profit: New Era (Windhoek):24 April 2008.

Namibia's plastic industry has embarked on a process of managing plastic waste in the country. The industry wants to formulate mechanisms that will guide the management of plastic and other waste as well as develop the plastic waste recycling industry as a mechanism to deal with plastic wastes. This would also lead to job creation while limiting the use of petroleum-based raw materials that the industry uses as well as reduce the use of landfill sites. Plastics Packaging Sales Director Jaco

277 Venter, whose company organised the workshop on plastic and waste management, said people could derive an income from the collection of plastic bags. This could be through issuing car guards with refuse bags to collect all plastic waste from vehicles or by using the green system (bags) for households to fill with recyclable material for reuse. These measures follow the realization that the plastic bag problem exists in Namibia and needs to be addressed. Apart from being an eyesore when littered, lots of animals and organisms mistake plastic waste for food. Plastic is made from petrol by-products, whose process of extraction is environmentally unfriendly… Another proposal at the workshop was to make producers take responsibility for the environmental compatibility of their products and by involving producers and sellers of plastic products and packaging directly in the recovery and recycling process. A follow-up meeting will be held to consider refining and implementation of the proposals made. Manufacturers of plastic bags and packaging material, distributors and sales agents of plastic packaging materials, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, retailers and whosalers, the Municipality of Windhoek, private waste collectors, recyclers of plastic products, the Plastics Federation of South Africa and the Namibia Manufacturers Association took part in the first workshop.

• Africa: Rich Countries Must Deal With Climate Change: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):20 April 2008.

The rich countries created the problems of climate change, and the rich countries bear the main responsibility for solving them, declared Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday. Addressing the opening session of the heads of state summit on poverty and development of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis, Stoltenberg noted that while all countries will be affected by climate change, "the most vulnerable, the poorest countries and people, those who have contributed least to the causes of climate change, will suffer most". In obtaining a global agreement on climate change, he insisted, "the industrial countries must lead the way by cutting emissions in our own countries, and by financing mitigation and adaptation in the developing world". Stoltenberg enthusiastically supported the idea of putting a price on carbon, and of carbon trading, which "creates incentives to reduce emissions, stimulates investments, and stimulates the transfer of funds and technology from rich countries to poor countries". A single measure - carbon trading - made it possible "to address these twin challenges: climate change and poverty", he argued… Almost half of Africa's carbon emissions come from deforestation, and Stoltenberg argued that this was something that must be addressed in a post-Kyoto agreement…

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Nema Puts Polluting Manufacturers On Notice: Business Daily (Nairobi):24 April 2008.

Environment watchdog- the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) - is training its officers to prosecute polluters. So far, Nema has trained 120 personnel to serve the entire country as prosecutors. It is expected that tough regulations will be

278 gazetted by mid year to streamline disposal of chemicals and to check other forms of pollution to limit the amount of emissions by manufacturers. The 120 prosecution officers drawn from the police force and Nema are also tasked with watching abusers of five other regulations: The Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit Regulations, water quality, waste management, protection of ozone layer and regulations on the conservation of biological diversity, access to genetic resources and benefit sharing… Environmental health campaigners have complained that dust emitted from industrial plants such as those manufacturing cement and smoke from heavy industrial plants may cause lifelong health complications to residents adjacent to the plants and factory workers. The new regulation is aimed at protecting human and animal health but industrialists already view it as a hindrance to the production process. The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has asked for more time to study the draft which has the implication of affecting manufacturing of steel products, household consumer goods, cement, chemicals and other industrial products.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Forest, Climate Change - Urgent Need to Readapt: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):25 April 2008.

If nature can't adapt to man's aspirations then man should adapt to nature's aspiration. Recent climatic changes in Cameroon characterised by early rains and increased temperatures in the northern part of the country tell of the consequences of man's negative activities on the forest. This, in a nutshell, is the whole spirit behind the one- day first ever Forest Day commemorated in Yaounde yesterday. Organised by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the occasion, presided at by the Secretary General at the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, Koulanga Denis, created a veritable arena for brainstorming. Experts, some of them scientists, representatives of local and international NGOs, university lecturers and policy makers focused their discussions on key approaches that could likely attenuate man's forestry activities, notably deforestation and forest degradation. All these activities they say play an important part in negatively influencing the world's climate. Meeting in Bali last December, conference delegates stated an urgent need for meaningful action to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. That, exactly, is what the Yaounde confab set out to achieve… In fact, being the second largest forest area in the world, the Central African Congo Basin could not be indifferent to the new challenge. The sub-region is expected to play a crucial role in the success of any climate change policy whether conceived from within or outside… Forest Day is essentially an information and sensitisation exercise, said Cyrie Sendashonga, Director of the CIFOR Central African Regional Office. But is one day enough to sensitise people on a problem as crucial as forest and climate change? Certainly not, Sendashonga said.

19. ENERGY

279 WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Oil Contracts - FG Sacks 'Brief Case' Companies: This Day (Lagos):25 April 2008.

The Federal Government has dropped 18 of the companies that recently got contracts to lift Nigeria's crude oil. THISDAY had reported that most of the companies that won the contracts were "brief case" concerns with no known investments in Nigeria. Most of the companies, which only exist in the books of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), are foreign firms. Federal Government's move is believed to be a way of checkmating these foreign companies who have been regular beneficiaries of crude oil export contracts. THISDAY learnt that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua may not have been satisfied with the explanations by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the criteria for the award of the contracts to mainly foreign entities… A senior official of NNPC confirmed to THISDAY that the President decided to prune the list to 28 from 42 because he could not find convincing reasons to retain the companies in the contract list. He however denied that the NNPC allocates contracts to mostly "paper companies", insisting that most of the entities are notable international traders, while others got theirs based on bilateral relationship with Nigeria…

• Nigeria: House Names 26-Man Panel to Probe NNPC: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008.

The House of Representatives has set up a committee of 26 members to probe the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), its subsidiaries, and the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The probe period, originally planned to cover May 1999 to May 2007 when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was president, has now been extended to cover till date. The panel will be led by the Chairman of the House Committee on Gas, Hon. Igo Aguma. Also named as "leaders" of the committee are Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Tam Brisibe; Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Claver Ikisipko; and Chairman of the House Committee on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Leo Okuwe Ogo… Aguma, while explaining the finer details of the committee's work, said they would follow the constitution and invite every party involved. "There will be no sacred cows. Anybody who had dealings with the sector during the period will come and testify. We have to determine the quantity of oil and gas we have, how many barrels that have been refined and also examine the operations and activities of the DPR, NNPC and its subsidiaries," he said. "You will agree with me that Nigerians have been getting less than the desired results even with the increase of price of crude in the international market. We don't know the quantity we produce and the revenue we derive from it. It is all about making information available to all Nigerians and cooperating with Nigerians on transparency," he added…

• Gambia: Bio Fuel Production Impacts On Trade And Agriculture: FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda):25 April 2008.

280 The global adoption of bio fuel as an "Energy security strategy" is fast becoming the main factor affecting agricultural production and international trade, said Buba Khan, the Food Rights manager at Action Aid, The Gambia. Mr. Khan made this statement during an interview with this reporter on the impact of Bio Fuel and ethanol on food supply to third world countries. The mandatory targets to increase the use of bio fuel in developed countries will have a progressive impact on the global South, especially in agricultural areas, added Mr. Khan. In his view, the global adoption of bio fuel as an "energy security strategy" is fast becoming the main factor affecting agricultural production and international trade. Mr. Khan added that the growing demand for bio fuel production is squeezing the agricultural market, introducing new bio-energy corporate actors and channeling heavy flows of investment into current and future agricultural lands…"Whilst we feed cars and factories with cheap crops from the South, food prices rocket, forests are destroyed and people suffer" concluded Mr. Khan.

• Ghana: Mining Companies Venture Into Biodiesel: Public Agenda (Accra):25 April 2008.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines and BioDiesel Ltd have entered into an agreement with the goal to develop a Biodiesel strategy for the land area for the members of The Ghana Chamber of Mines. The members of The Ghana Chamber of Mines represents the interest of 90% of all mining companies in Ghana including: AngloGold Ashanti, Newmont, Ghana, GoldField's Ghana, Ghana Bauxite and Ghana Manganese. Currently 4 304 km2 or 430 400 hectares of land area is under large scale mining operation by The Ghana Chamber of Mines member companies, who currently employees more than 50 000 peoples directly and indirectly. As part of a poverty reduction programme the Ghana Chamber of Mines members companies have introduced Alternative Livelihood Projects (ALP's) in all their catchments areas. The aim of the Alternative Livelihood Projects is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the communities and people even after mining activities had ceased in a particular region… After agreements have been effected, the member companies involved would provide start-up capital to out growers towards land preparation, as well as micro credits and agriculture inputs. Jatropha will be the one of the key crops to facilitate the above goals.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Govt Allots Diesel for Winter Wheat Preps: The Herald (Harare):24 April 2008.

GOVERNMENT has allotted 280 000 litres of diesel to farmers in Mashonaland Central to assist them in preparations for winter wheat cultivation ahead of the May 31 planting deadline. The province has targeted 20 000 hectares for wheat production. In an interview recently, provincial Agritex officer Mr Stanslae Tapererwa confirmed that the province had received the fuel, adding that farmers were collecting the diesel from two points, one in Bindura and another in Mt Darwin. "Of the 280 000 litres

281 initially received from Noczim, 250 000 litres were meant for wheat farmers in Bindura, Shamva, and Mazowe, while the remaining 30 000 litres were meant for farmers in Mt Darwin, Rushinga, Guruve and Muzarabani," Mr Tapererwa said. Each farmer, Mr Tapererwa said, got an allocation of 500 litres.

• Angola: StatoilHydro Produces 200,000 Barrels of Oil Per Day: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):25 April 2008.

The daily production rate of StatoilHydro in Angola is of 200,000 barrels, an amount that corresponds to a tenth of the total national daily production, 1.9 million barrels/day. This information was made available to the press by StatoilHydro Group's executive vice president for international exploration and production, Peter Mellbye, who is in Angola for contacts with partners of the Norwegian company and Angolan authorities of the oil sector. The director, who gave this information at the end of a meeting with workers of StatoilHydro in Angola, revealed that the firm's international production is of 475,000 barrels per day. At the moment StatoilHydro carries out its exploration activity in the Angolan blocks 15 and 17, being the biggest non-operating companies in the country and is among the seven most important oil producing firms in Angola, together with Sonangol. The Norwegian firm also provides technical assistance to projects of Sonangol P&P in blocks 34 and 4/05. StatoilHydro currently operates in Angola, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Venezuela.

• South Africa: Transnet to Spend R80bn On Expansion: Business Day (Johannesburg):24 April 2008.

POWER cuts were affecting Transnet's expansion projects, CEO Maria Ramos said yesterday, when she unveiled Transnet's R16bn capital expenditure programme for the year. The investment drive is part of the parastatal's sweeping five-year plan to beef up infrastructure and contribute to the country's economic growth. "We are from time to time affected by the power issues -- like everybody else -- and we are committed to deal with the savings we have been asked to work with Eskom on… Ramos announced that Transnet planned an R80bn capital expenditure programme over the next five years. The rail division will continue to use up most of the R16bn capital budget for this year. Capacity expansion on the coal line has been improved to 78-million tons a year, at a cost of R628m, with R225m to be spent on 110 dual-voltage locomotives. The ore line has been expanded to 47-million tons a year, at a cost of R1, 37bn. A total of R4bn was spent on capitalising the rolling stock and maintaining infrastructure. Another R849m will be spent on modernising and renewing Transnet's rail fleet and R365m on upgrading 200 locomotives. Fifty new locomotives have been ordered and the rail capacity expansion is continuing… An amount of R622m is for the Port of Ngqura and container terminal. About half of the R80bn for the capital expenditure programme will be funded from the parastatal's own reserves, but R37bn will be borrowed. Ramos said that Transnet's borrowing would not exceed 50% of its capital… The pipeline division will receive R11,9bn and R9,6bn will be spent on port terminals.

282 EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Fuel Shortage Hits Region: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008.

Dealers attributed the shortage to the low supply and rising world oil prices. Petrol and kerosene stocks, however, remain sufficient. Energy minister Daudi Migereko yesterday appealed to the public to use the available fuel products sparingly, adding that the ministry, dealers and other stakeholders would ensure that the supply normalised. "Fuel is coming in but the flow is not steady. A ship carrying about 60 million litres of fuel to Kenya got a problem and went back. Dealers had to use a small ship through Tanzania," he explained. The diesel price has increased to almost that of petrol. Diesel costs between sh2, 390 and sh2, 480, while petrol costs between sh2, 490 and sh2, 520 at different filling stations in the city and its suburbs. Early this month, petrol cost sh2, 560 and diesel sh2, 100. Kerosene costs sh2, 000. Shell Uganda chairman Ivan Kyayonka said the fuel shortage had hit the entire East African region. Kyayonka, however, noted that fuel prices were expected to rise higher even when supply normalised because world oil prices had increased. A barrel of oil cost $120 early this week. Kyayonka said the cost of energy and transport were also expected to increase.

• Uganda: Power Blackouts Expected As Vandalism Intensifies: New Vision (Kampala):24 April 2008.

Vandalism of electrical equipment has spread to the transmission grid, posing a risk of a regional blackout and threatening security of banks' information systems, the transmission company has said. The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) owns a transmission network of 1,400km of between 66kV and 132kV and 12 primary sub-stations, which evacuate power from generation facilities. Of the 1,400km transmission lines, over 225km of single mode optical fibre has been installed along the 132kV power lines from Mutundwe to Malaba on the border with Kenya. The fibre optic provides data and communication infrastructure to banks and telecommunication companies. Innocent Kihika, the UETCL manager of corporate services, said 30 galvanised and metallic electric lines had been vandalised on the Nalubaale-Lugogo and Nalubaale-Kampala North lines… James Mwine, the acting UETCL manager for operations and maintenance, said vandalism was economic sabotage.

• Uganda: Lake Levels Up But Power Cuts Stay: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008.

THE Lake Victoria water levels have risen but the amount of electricity produced at the Jinja-based hydropower complex will reduce further due to restricted water outflow. Energy engineers familiar with the operations of Kiira and Nalubaale power stations disclosed that the rains had raised the water levels to 11.37m from 11.29m last

283 month. But the Directorate of Water Development (DWD) is restricting water outflow. "At this level, the agreed curve release rate is 800 cubic metres per second," a senior engineer explained… Hydropower production dwindled with the reduction of water outflows. This led to procurement of expensive diesel- powered generators, pushing tariffs up thrice… There have been numerous reductions of water outflows but the lake levels continued to recede until the rains intensified last May. Energy experts argue that drastic water outflow reduction would plunge the sector and the economy into a crisis because the measurement cannot be relied upon to plan for electricity supply. "A decision to reduce hydro-power production should take into account the burden of expensive thermal power as an alternative," they warned…

• Tanzania: Heritage to Explore for Oil in Country: New Vision (Kampala):22 April 2008.

HERITAGE Oil, one of the companies exploring for oil in Uganda, has signed two exploration licenses in Tanzania. The licenses, known as the Kimbiji and Latham Areas, cover approximately 9,300 square kilometres and are held under one production sharing agreement (PSA). The PSA was awarded through a competitive tender process to Petrodel Resources Ltd in September, 2006. It runs for four years with provision for extension for four years and three years respectively. It also has the right to development license of 25 years. Under the farm-in agreement with Petrodel, Heritage will earn a 70% working interest in the Kimbiji Area, and a 29.9% working interest in the Latham Area. Heritage will fund all seismic costs of the required work programmes on both blocks, including the acquisition of 2D and 3D seismic data, and the drilling of two exploration wells within the Kimbiji Area. Heritage will also be appointed the operator upon drilling the second exploration well in the Kimbiji Area. Total costs for the initial exploration term for the two licenses are estimated at approximately $17.5m for the Kimbiji Area and between $5m and $12m for the Latham Area… Tony Buckingham, the chief executive officer, stated…"Heritage has a proven track-record of finding new large discoveries, including the hydrocarbon system in Lake Albert, Uganda and the M'Boundi oilfield in the DR Congo. We are confident that we will see that track record continue."

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Central Africa: 'Active Oil Generation And Accumulation' Discovered in Lake Kivu: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):23 April 2008.

Presence of traces of oil has been discovered in western Rwanda after exploration studies by Canadian company Vangold Resources Limited, its officials have announced. "The result of the Lake Kivu Study indicates that there are 57 slicks in Lake Kivu categorized as 2 pollution, 53 unassigned and 2 priority unassigned slicks. The study does not identify 100% oil slicks but indicates that the two priority unassigned slicks are likely oil seeps", the firm said in a statement after the preliminary report on Friday. "The 53 unassigned and 2 priority unassigned slicks require further investigation

284 that includes Landsat fault/line interpretation, seismic correlation and geochemical sampling studies. A fault/linear interpretation of Landsat imagery in earlier studies indicate a strong correlation of slicks with faults."… The reconnaissance aerial- geophysical survey is to be conducted over a period of 18 months by either plane or helicopter. The cost of the surveys is estimated to be US$1.2M (Rwf 650m). Over a period of a year, the company has been doing technical studies of the probable area that has now been narrowed to 1,631 sq kms. The 'White Elephant' area had previously been curved to 2,708 sq kms in area representing 11% of the land mass of Rwanda… Mr. Francis Karanja a geologist and Vangold's Exploration Manager in Kenya said: "The report stated that the existence of the long chain hydrocarbons in the Lake Kivu waters has all along indicated possible presence of active oil generation and accumulation in East Kivu Graben. This factor reduces the risk in petroleum exploration of the Kivu Graben as it is one of the four primary factors of a working petroleum system." The news comes at a time when prices of petroleum products in Rwanda - like internationally are rocketing high. Transport fares have also doubled thereby affecting costs of commodities including food. Government heavily subsidises petrol products and recently moved its import route from Kenya to Tanzania following the post election violence that hit the country.

• Cameroon: Power - Diversified Programme, Retarded Results: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):24 April 2008.

Since 2002 when the ugly face of energy shortage came out pronouncedly, several actions have been taken to remedy the situation. After handing over the production, transportation and distribution of energy to Aes-SONEL and observing that there was no miracle to immediately solve the problem of shortage, government moved ahead to conceive an ambitious programme to that effect. This programme prioritised the building of hydroelectric Power stations. The Memve'ele hydroelectric power project is situated on the border with Equatorial Guinea. It will be built on the River Ntem, South province. It is expected to produce about 200MW and will cost about CFA 142.3 billion… Nachtigal: The power station on the Sanaga River (Centre province), with electricity power worth 300MW, is one of the short term projects envisaged by government… Lom Pangar Dam: Situated on the Lom River in the East province, this reservoir will cover 950 km_. It will enable, on the one hand, the improvement of the Sanaga flow in the dry season worth about 925m3/second… Kribi Thermal gas station: The Kribi thermal station to function with natural gas will produce energy worth 150MW. It will contribute in reinforcing electricity supply in the South interconnected network. Yassa Thermal station: The foundation stone of the project was laid recently by the Prime Minister in a grandiose ceremony. The Yassa project is expected to bring in additional 86 MW into the Aes-SONEL network. It goes operational in 2009.

• Cameroon: Worrying Disparity Between Supply and Demand: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):24 April 2008.

The exact figure for energy demand in Cameroon is unknown but estimates put is at over 800 megawatt. Production is basically in the hands of Aes-SONEL whose

285 installed production capacity stands at 933 megawatts. Of this amount, 721 MW is hydroelectric while 212Mw is thermal. All these include the 24MW from isolated installations. Production sources are made up of 03 hydroelectric stations: Songloulou, Edea and Lagdo and 06 thermal stations connected to the following networks: Oyomabang, Bassa, Logbaba, Bafoussam, Limbe and Djambouto. Energy is equally tapped from 31 isolated stations. Since the beginning of 2000, the energy sector in Cameroon has suffered the consequences of some important changes that have taken place on the international economic and energy sectors notably characterized by unstable global growth and fluctuations of hydrocarbon prices which have continued till date. According to sources at the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the total power available is forty times inferior to Cameroon's hydro electric potential. The effective production of electricity is notably inferior to the capacity available (by about 50%) These observations were clearly visible with the water shortage of 2002, which made AES-SONEL to carry out serious power cuts and urgently put in place, small thermal power stations in order to face the problem. Taking into account climatic hazards, the increase of household demands in relation with the demography and the rising standard of living and even that of economic activity, the necessity of a strict energy policy was indispensable.

20. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA

• Nigeria: Surrender Now, Efcc Tells Iyabo: Vanguard (Lagos):25 April 2008.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday advised Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, to surrender for arrest and prosecution in connection with the controversial N10 million she collected from the Federal Ministry of Health, saying she could only hide but would not succeed in running away from justice. The commission said it could have declared her wanted but for its commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism. Lead counsel to EFCC and Commander of the agency's operations, Mr James Binang, spoke for the commission on a day its private counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, picked holes in the legal opinion of the Chambers of Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) that Senator Obasanjo- Bello ought not to physically appear in court over the N300 million scam in the Health ministry, until the determination of an application filed by her to challenge the competence of the charge preferred against her and the jurisdiction of the court to try her. According to Jacobs, the position of Chief Babalola (SAN) was no longer the position of the law, citing the case of Anthony Alinta and two others Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria to back up his claim… Why I won't submit to EFCC – Iyabo ; Explaining her decision not to submit herself to the commission did not mean that she was above the law, she said the EFCC ought to let her be since she was already challenging the competence of the two-count charge slammed against her in the law court. She spoke through her counsel, Mr Bankole Akomolafe of Chief Babalola (SAN) Chambers. According to Akomolafe, "the Ministry of Health paid N10 million to the Senate and not to Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.

286 The sum of N10 million was paid to the Senate Committee on Health by the Senate to cover the retreat for the study of a bill. "The money was never meant for Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, but for the organisation and members of the Committee on Health who participated in the retreat. The money was spent by the Committee for the purpose for which the Ministry of Health meant it… Iyabo Obasanjo had also written a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Andoakaa (SAN), inviting him to prevail on the commission to toe the path of rule of law by allowing her be until the court decides her application challenging the competence of the charge preferred against her. She similarly wrote the President of the Senate, Chief , and the acting Chairman of the EFCC to protest what she called her harassment by the Commission's operatives.

• Nigeria: UNCTAD Official Blames Food Crisis On Structural Adjustment Programme: This Day (Lagos):23 April 2008.

The Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, embarked upon by most African countries in the 1980s, including Nigeria, has been blamed by an official of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Mr. Rolf Traeger, as one of the major reasons for the current food crisis plaguing some countries in sub- Saharan Africa. The projected national demand for rice in Nigeria is put at 4.64 million metric tons annually while current rate of consumption is put at 2.3 metric tons. Current local production of the commodity is a meagre 525,000 metric tons per annum. It follows straightaway that the country will have to import the shortfall which is projected at the cost of $267 million. Under the guidance of institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Traeger, who spoke exclusively to THISDAY at the on going UNCTAD XII conference in Accra, Ghana said, most countries in sub- Saharan Africa embraced hook, line and sinker the Structural Adjustment Programme that was prescribed by the Bretton Wood institutions as the panacea for their economic woes. This he said affected the production systems of these countries, the consequences of which is the current food crisis many of them are now experiencing. “The production system of many developing countries underwent serious changes because on one side domestic support for production, that is subsidies to farmers, were generally cut. At the same time there was a very deep trade liberalization that was put in place by the developing countries as part of the SAP. “This means that it was much cheaper and easier to import those products. This happens in a context in which international commodity prices were depressed or even falling. So in that context, developing countries were capable of importing food at reasonably low prices…

• Liberia: Govt Links Rising Food Prices to Conflict Risk: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:25 April 2008.

A surge in rice prices in 1979 contributed to Liberia's descent into chaos, sparking riots and a political crisis that led to the coup that brought Samuel Doe to power. Now the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has identified Liberia as one of 37 countries facing a hunger crisis as a result of food price hikes. "Given our history of conflict, if we want to ensure there is stability and that peace is consolidated, we want

287 rice to become available, accessible and affordable," said Minister for Agriculture Chris Toe. Liberia currently imports 90 percent of its rice - the staple of its 3 million people - from Asia and the US, despite having fertile uplands and lowlands ideal for rice production. To head off the worst case scenario, the government says it has designated 15,000 hectares of land for commercial rice production under a US$30 million agreement intended to boost local food production and reduce soaring import costs as global food prices surge. "According to our figures, an enormous amount of lowland, over probably 600,000 to 700,000 hectares and only 4 percent of that is now being used for irrigation purposes. Most of it is just out there and nothing is done with it," said Toe… In the meantime, the government says it will tackle the escalating food crisis by securing access to commercial imports and appealing for international food aid. Opposition parties are also calling on the government to reduce the government tax on rice, currently US$2 per bag… People are increasingly turning to alternative staple foods such as cassava, yam, plantain and even imported spaghetti to lessen the impact on threadbare pockets. People say they are becoming increasingly worried that food price hikes could lead to instability and slow Liberia's progress…"The guns are no longer firing in Liberia, but economic hardship is killing the citizens," said Spencer Page, a taxi driver.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Paper Claims Ivory Used to Finance Purchase of Chinese Arms: SW Radio Africa (London):24 April 2008.

The Zimbabwean newspaper claims that Robert Mugabe's regime has illegally sold US$1 million of ivory as part payment for a shipment of ammunition, grenades and mortars from China. The paper claims that Poly Technologies, a state owned arms manufacturer received payment for the arms on the 1st April, when information began filtering through that Zanu PF and Robert Mugabe had lost the elections. The controversial 'An Yue Jiang' ship is said to contain weapons purchased via that deal… The paper says 8 tonnes of ivory from the National Parks stockpile were flown to China on the 1st April this year. If true this would be a violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The convention provides for controlled sales of ivory that have to be sanctioned by the world body. Environment and Tourism Minister Francis Nhema is reported to have told a South African newspaper the country had not used any of its ivory stocks to finance the deal. Ironically Nhema is the current chairperson of CITES… Meanwhile a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman has confirmed that the controversial arms ship, that was trying to deliver arms to Zimbabwe from China, has been recalled back home. Congress of South African Trade Unions spokesman Patrick Craven welcomed the decision saying; 'This is a great victory for the trade union movement…

• South Africa: No Respite From Inflation in Sight: Business Day (Johannesburg):25 April 2008.

288 FACTORY, mining and farm prices jumped by an annual rate of 11.8% last month, accelerating from a revised 11,3% in February and suggesting there would be little respite from inflation in the next few months. The increase in SA's producer price index (PPI) was the biggest in 10 months and defied forecasts for a slowdown, hardening the case for another interest rate hike at the Reserve Bank's policy meeting in June… "The headline PPI number suggests there is little hope of a respite in consumer inflation in the short term," said Absa Capital economist Monale Ratsoma… Bank profit is sensitive to higher interest rates, which push up the cost of debt, leading to a greater risk of defaults and slower consumer borrowing. Consumer spending -- the economy's main growth engine -- has already slowed sharply in response to a cumulative 4,5 percentage point increase in lending rates since June 2006. Import prices for producers quickened to an annual rate of 15,9% last month from 14,9% in February. Export prices slowed to 8.3% from 8,5%...

• Mozambique: Sugar Benefits From Zimbabwean Crisis: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):25 April 2008.

The collapse of the Zimbabwean economy has proved beneficial for Mozambican sugar producers. According to Joao Jeque, the executive director of the Mozambican Association of Sugar Producers (APAMO), the Zimbabwean crisis has had the unexpected effect of reducing the smuggling of Zimbabwean sugar over the border. The main source of contraband sugar in Mozambique used to be Zimbabwe "but in 2007 we found that the flow of Zimbabwean contraband sugar into Mozambique was not as intense as in previous years", Jeque told AIM. "Some sugar is entering Mozambique illegally", he said, "but not in the huge quantities of the past, because of the situation in Zimbabwe". He thought the Zimbabwean authorities were now making an effort to control the trade in sugar, in order to ensure supplies for their own domestic market… The illegal sugar constitutes unfair competition, since it is sold at prices lower than those charged by the Mozambican sugar companies. In the case of Zimbabwean sugar this has been possible because unscrupulous operators were able to play on the huge difference between the official and parallel exchange rates for the Zimbabwe dollar… The four sugar mills operating in Mozambique can completely saturate the domestic market, and still have a surplus to be exported to the European Union and elsewhere. The companies are continuing to expand their production capacity, and expect to be producing about half a million tonnes of sugar a year by 2012, which is more than double the current capacity of about 243,000 tonnes.

EAST AFRICA • East Africa: Corporate Leaders for EA Summit: The Nation (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

East Africa's business leaders are set to meet in Uganda to discuss ways of making the region more competitive in the global market. Meeting under the auspices of the East African Business Summit, corporate chiefs will engage their public sector counterparts in addressing the challenges facing the region. The Summit, to be held at Kampala's Serena Hotel from July 17-19 this year, will be the fourth edition and

289 marks its revival after a three-year hiatus. It is being organised by Citi, Deloitte, KPMG, Nation Media Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Serena Hotels. Briefing the media at Nairobi's Serena Hotel on Thursday, Mr Charles Muchene, the Summit chairman, said the meeting seeks to unlock the region's rich human capital potential for economic transformation… The exclusive invitation-only forum's theme is 'Enhancing East Africa's Competitiveness'. It will be addressed by selected international speakers. The topics were prepared from the feedback received from the 3rd Summit and regional meetings held in Kampala, Kigali and Dar-es-Salaam in February 2008… They include global and regional competitiveness, growing and managing talent, to achieve innovation through partnerships with learning institutions, and public governance and political structures… Other topics to be discussed are public-private partnerships as an alternative to public infrastructure financing and the innovative use of technology to drive the region's competitiveness.

• Kenya: Government Acts to Avert Petroleum Price Crisis: The East African Standard (Nairobi):26 April 2008.

THE State-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) has been officially mandated to buy enough petroleum stocks to serve as strategic reserves to stabilise unpredictable domestic prices of fuel products. The Treasury would fund procurement costs, Energy Minister Mr Kiraitu Murungi announced yesterday. The latest move is part of the Government's effort to cushion the country against unpredictable oil prices amid escalating costs of crude oil in the international market. In a Kenya gazette Legal Notice No.43 released yesterday, Murungi set the initial amount of the strategic stock to be purchased to the level equivalent to last 30 days of consumption. He said procurement of the oil reserves would be funded by monies to be appropriated by Parliament in the 2008/09 financial year. He also said Parliament would have to appropriate monies to fund additional procurement of additional stocks up to the optimal level of 90 days of consumption in subsequent financial years. He said the strategic oil stock, which will be stored by the Kenya Pipeline Company Ltd, would be replenished accordingly to its optimal level at all times… High oil prices and recession are inseparable and that could explain why the Government has taken the move. In Kenya, visible inflationary impacts result mainly from oil prices (albeit some spill over impacts from the post-election violence) are already negatively influencing economic growth projections, with high price inflation, higher interest rates and credit squeeze starting to hit business…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• East Africa: Kigali Most Expensive in Region: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008.

Commodity prices in Kigali are still high and have remained so since late last year compared to other Eastern Africa capital cities, the Regional Agricultural Trade

290 Intelligence Network (RATIN) has said. Since early January, wholesale maize prices have been above USD 250 per Metric Tone (Rwf. 137.500) while rice has been USD 750 per Metric Tone (Rwf. 412.500), says the report from a survey conducted also in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Wholesale beans have been on the average of USD 390 per Metric Tone (214.500). However latest reports indicate a downward trend in commodity prices. A kilo of bean in a Kigali market buys at Rwf. 380 (about $70 cents). As for Rice, costs range between Rwf 800 and Rwf 600. A kilo for maize flour ranges between Rwf 500 and Rwf 400 depending on where you shop. Wholesale prices in East African capital cities during March ranged between $298/metric tonne (MT) and $226/MT, while those of beans ranged between $888/MT and $598. During March, the price of rice in Kampala, Dar es Salaam and Kigali ranged between $815/MT and $775/MT, RATIN said. The harvesting of Rwanda's short rains maize crop was expected to climax later last month and prices are expected to start decreasing. However, short rains maize production in Rwanda will not meet Rwanda's demand and more maize will be imported from Uganda where short rains production is expected to be above average. However, rising prices in Kenya, according to the survey are due to speculation. "Farmers are hoarding maize in anticipation of higher prices as a result of expected reduced production due to the long rains," the report said. Kenya's private maize millers are unable to find grain to buy despite offering relatively high prices… Usually, harvesting in parts of the Rift Valley and western Kenya produces about 180,000MT. After mid-May 2008, maize will flow from southern Tanzania into Dar es Salaam thus increasing supply.

• Cameroon: Littoral Authorities in Price War With Traders: The Post (Buea):25 April 2008.

Authorities of the Littoral Provincial Delegation of Commerce are on a desperate campaign to enforce President Paul Biya's March 7 ordinance on the reduction of prices of basic commodities. In the last couple of days, the authorities with the collaboration of the forces of law and order have been sweating it out with Douala businessmen who have not reduced the prices of basic commodities. The prices of soap, cooking oil, sugar, sardine, toilet tissue, rice and so on, have either remained at the level before the ordinance or they have gone up a notch. Both wholesalers at Mboppi Market and retailers in the numerous markets across Douala seem to have ignored the new prices the Ministry of Commerce announced recently. The situation is even becoming worse because store owners are fixing their own prices. Another disturbing issue is the arrogance with which the traders respond to customers when they question the rise in commodity prices. Meanwhile, retailers are blaming the wholesalers for the price hikes… On April 19, Tsegui, accompanied by a price control team as well as a squad of gendarmes carried out surprise visits to some markets in Douala to enforce the price reduction. At the Douala Central Market, the team sealed nine shops which were identified for selling certain commodities above the official prices. Two shops were also sealed at the New Deido Market, while some 155 bottles of cooking gas were seized from a trader at Mabanda Market. The trader was reportedly selling a bottle of gas at FCFA 5,800, which is above the official price of FCFA 5,570.Meanwhile, many observers

291 doubt whether the new Littoral Provincial Delegate of Commerce will go anywhere in enforcing the price reduction of basic commodities…

21. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Police Swoop On Injured MDC Supporters: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 25 April 2008.

About 400 people seeking refuge from alleged state-sponsored violence at the opposition party offices of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the capital, Harare, have been arrested by riot police, according to an IRIN correspondent. Hundreds of people, including children, have fled to Harare from rural areas, seeking medical attention after the ZANU-PF government launched "" (Who did you vote for?) in the wake of their parliamentary election defeat and an anticipated second round of voting in the presidential ballot. President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF lost control of parliament after the 29 March poll for the first time since independence from Britain in 1980, while the MDC have claimed that their leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the presidential vote by the required 50 percent plus one vote, ruling out the need for a run-off ballot. ZANU-PF has said there was no clear winner in the presidential race, although the results have yet to be announced. A political analyst who declined to be identified, told IRIN the victims of Operation Mavhoterapapi, including those who sought refuge at the MDC offices, were being portrayed by the state media as the perpetrators of post-election violence and were likely to be charged with public violence. MDC supporters contemplate retaliation: Taziva Maponga, 38, of Mudzi in Mashonaland East province, told IRIN: "Most of these perpetrators of violence are people who belong to our communities and are well-known. There is a growing feeling among us as supporters of the MDC that we can't let small groups of people do whatever they want with us. If they continue burning our houses and granaries, we might also have to roast them alive."… ANC president Jacob Zuma, who deposed Mbeki from the party presidency in a bitter power struggle in December 2007, has called on African leaders to "move in to unlock this logjam", while the country's largest union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), is organising mass demonstrations on 10 May against the "dictatorial Mugabe". Violence worsens humanitarian situation ; The clerics said the post-election violence was exacerbating the "widespread famine" in Zimbabwe, and compounding the severe shortage of basic commodities and medical supplies brought about by an eight-year recession that has seen inflation rise to more 165,000 percent annually. Appeal for international assistance : Chamisa said the MDC was appealing to humanitarian organisations to assist victims of political violence. "The situation is overwhelming us. There is no way in which we can, on our own, provide shelter for [the people from] over a hundred homes that have been destroyed; drugs and hospital bills for the maimed or displaced families, some of whose members are mere toddlers, and food for the hungry. Casualties are increasing by the day." After an international tour to Europe and African countries, Tsvangirai is currently staying in neighbouring Botswana, a critic of Mugabe's presidency…

292 • Zimbabwe: Govt Authorises Unloading of Chinese Ship with Cargo for Country: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):25 April 2008.

The Angolan government informed that the cargo-boat, An Yne Jiang, of China Ocean Shipping Company, a Chinese maritime transportation company, was authorised to moor at the Luanda's port, only to offload goods designed for the country. However, ANGOP learnt this Friday from a note that the government explains that the warlike material that the aforesaid ship is carrying, bound for Zimbabwe, was not authorised and shall not be unloaded in the national territory.

• Namibia: Chinese Arms Ship Sails Home: New Era (Windhoek):25 April 2008.

A Chinese ship carrying bullets and mortar bombs reportedly worth US$200 million procured by Zimbabwe has changed course and is now headed home after several African ports heeded calls to bar it from off-loading its cargo. Though the ship, An Yue Jiang, faced a withering verbal attack on all fronts from human rights groups and from unionists, the local public interest law firm the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) marshalled the Namibian side of the attack. Placard-wielding protesters marched to the Chinese Embassy yesterday to vent their rage. The Political Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Windhoek, Lin Jing, said the Chinese government is aware of the 'sensitive' political situation in Zimbabwe where many believe the opposition MDC might have 'won' recent elections but where uncertainty still reigns. The shipment, in light of delays to release the results from the heavily contested poll, had triggered alarm among rights groups, trade unionists, religious leaders and diplomats… China is well aware of the volatile situation unfolding in Zimbabwe but Lin explained that at the time the Chinese arms deal was sealed last year, things were still "okay". "When the deal was made in 2007, there was nothing wrong in Zimbabwe," he explained… Lin also brushed aside suggestions from certain sections of the media implying the order was made explicitly with the aim to violently crush Mugabe's opponents.

22. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Côte d'Ivoire: Ban Ki-Moon Encourages Ivorians to Continue Making Headway in Peace Process: UN News Service New York):24 April 2008.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today met with all the main political actors in Côte d'Ivoire and encouraged them to continue making progress in the West African nation's peace process, as he wrapped up a regional tour that also took him to Burkina Faso, Liberia and Ghana. Earlier today Mr. Ban held meetings with the Ivorian Foreign Minister, political party leaders, civil society representatives and the President of the Independent Electoral Commission. He later observed the work being done by the UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNOCI. The Secretary-General also presided over the signing of a Code of Good Conduct by the country's political parties for the

293 upcoming elections. After being delayed several times, the presidential polls - which were to be held as far back as 2005 - are now slated for 30 November. The holding of free and fair elections is one of the provisions of last year's Ouagadougou Peace Agreement, which paved the way for an end to the conflict between the Government- controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north. Earlier this month, almost half a million Ivorians received new birth certificates, the first step in a process to enable them to vote in the elections… In addition, Mr. Ban signed an agreement with the Prime Minister and the donor community, in which donors pledged 27 million Euros towards the next phase of the peace process…

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: MONUC Threatens to Attack LRA Rebels: New Vision (Kampala):23 April 2008.

THE United Nations Peace keeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (MONUC), has threatened to flush out the LRA rebels from their Garamba base in eastern Congo if they fail to sign the peace agreement. The MONUC head of regional relations unit, Gani Are, said the mission was setting up a new base in the Congolese town of Dungu to deal with the LRA. "We are deploying our soldiers in Dungu. We have a military plan for the LRA. We are waiting for the Congolese army to ask for our help and we get in," Are said. He was speaking during a workshop on peace and security in the Great Lakes region at , Kampala, on Tuesday… The LRA have been moving between South Sudan and the Central African Republic via Dungu, where they attacked villages, looted and abducted hundreds of civilians in recent months. Gani Are said the Nairobi and Ngurdoto agreements, signed last year between Kampala and Kinshasa, mandated MONUC to fight negative forces in Congo… The UN mission learnt lessons from the humiliating incident in January 2006, when eight Guatemalan peacekeepers were killed by the LRA, he stressed. "We carried out intelligence work and know the group we are dealing with and this will not happen again."… The UN estimates that 150 villagers, mainly children and women, were abducted from Obo village in Central African Republic since February, while The United Nations Children's Fund reported that another 200 were abducted from the DR Congo in the same period. In addition, 55 children were reported abducted from South Sudan, according to the chief mediator in the peace talks, Riek Machar. Amnesty International has called upon the three governments and the United Nations to unite for their liberation…

• Sudan: Despite Obstacles, Successes on the Ground Tangible: United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (El Fasher):24 April 2008.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council on the situation in Darfur, the UN / AU Joint Special Representative, Rodolphe Adada, appealed to member states to redouble efforts to assist the Mission overcome the logistical and political obstacles it currently faces, stressing that Council members must commit themselves to providing UNAMID with the means to accomplish the tasks assigned to it. Adada said that while the challenges facing UNAMID in Darfur are formidable, there are high

294 expectations regarding what the Mission should deliver. He warned that the warm welcome UNAMID has received could rapidly degenerate into deepening frustrations among the people of Darfur, if expectations are not met. He added, "It will be tragic if the high aspirations of this mandate, including the responsibility to protect millions of innocent Darfurians civilians who are still living in fear, are disappointed." Speaking to reporters outside the Council, Adada said that up to 80 per cent of the entire UNAMID force could be deployed by the end of this year if donor countries do more to help out, whether by providing troops or equipment. Adada said logistical challenges remain one of the biggest problems, with the Mission lacking the infrastructure at the moment to house the thousands of staff expected at full deployment. He said UN and AU officials were working hard to try to accelerate deployment and to make the most of the available resources - including fresh water - in the parched and landlocked region. Despite the challenges and limited resources, Adada stressed that UNAMID has made a tangible difference on the ground, in areas related to its primary mandate; the protection of civilians. More protection is being provided to vulnerable groups, especially in IDP camps though Community Policing and raising awareness on issues related to Gender-based violence. In the last three months, UNAMID Police as registered and trained 287 IDP volunteers in Community Policing, 30 of who are women.

• Ethiopia: English Language Project Launched for Ethiopian Peacekeepers: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):20 April 2008.

The Ministry of National Defense (MoND) and the British government on Thursday launched a Peacekeeping English Project (PEP) with a view to help Ethiopian peacekeepers meet the standards and participate in foreign peace missions. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to that effect between State Minister of Defence Kassahun Dender and British Ambassador to Ethiopia Norman Ling aimed at inaugurating the roll-out of the project intended to build English language skills of its personnel. Under the MoU, the British government will put aside 3.8 million ETB for the first year of the initiative to run until at least 2011 and be supplemented by funds from the Ethiopian MOD. Ambassador Norman said the program will be instrumental in Ethiopia's bid to build capacity of its personnel in the context of international peace keeping operations, where it is the 7th largest troop contributing country in the world. The ambassador said the language training would be important in helping the personnel to communicate effectively in future AU-UN deployments… In Ethiopia the project will support the Ministry of Defence to set up and deliver intensive English courses, with teaching conducted by Ethiopian teachers supported by the British Council.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Burundi: Delegation From UN Peacebuilding Commission Begins Visit to Burundi: UN News Service (New York):19 April 2008.

295 A delegation from the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, set up to help prevent post-conflict countries from sliding back into war and misrule, travels today to Burundi on a six-day mission to examine how to help the struggling African nation move forward. The eight-member delegation is expected to meet with Burundian Government officials, representatives of regional groups such as the African Union and the Conference on the Great Lakes Region, civil society, women's groups, the media, religious leaders, human rights advocates, members of the private sector and others. In a statement the commission said the team aims to make a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground by Burundi, where a comprehensive ceasefire agreement was signed in 2006 after years of civil war but sporadic fighting has continued. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement yesterday voicing concern over the latest developments after an outbreak of deadly fighting between Government forces and members of the rebel Palipehutu-FNL group in and around the capital, Bujumbura, this week… The delegation is also hoping to review the preparations made so far by Burundi since the Peacebuilding Commission agreed to take on the country as one of its areas of focus.

• Rwanda: Germany Arrests Genocide Fugitive: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):25 April 2008.

German investigators have arrested a former local administration official accused of taking part in the Tutsi Genocide in the north east former province of Byumba, state radio reported Friday evening. Mr. Rwabukumba Onesphore - the former bourgmester of Muvumba Commune which was part of the Byumba prefecture - now part of eastern province was nabbed after a request from Rwanda, spokesman of the Rwanda Prosecutions Department Jean Bosco Mutangana told Radio Rwanda. He said by virtual of fact that Mr. Rwabukumba was holding public office but opted to plan and execute mass killings in his locality and his association with the genocidal government makes him responsible. Mr. Rwabukumba was bourgmester between 1988 and 1994… The development comes as President Paul Kagame ends his four-day state visit to German where he urged developed countries to do more to apprehend fugitives still moving free in there.In a particular Mr. Kagame demanded action on Dr. Ignace Murwanashyaka head of the Rwandan extremist rebels - the FDLR - holed up in jungles of D R Congo… However, unlike his forces blamed for carrying out the massacres and fleeing to DRC, Dr. Murwanashyaka - living in Bonn - does not seem to have Genocide charges against him - but instead is held responsible by the UN for the carnage the FDLR has cause in DRC.

23. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

296 WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Militants Hit Pipelines Again: This Day (Lagos):22 April 2008.

Barely 72 hours after they crippled Adamakri crude flow line belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) again carried out a major attack, destroying oil pipelines in Isaka and Abonema, both in Rivers State. Following the consistency in the attacks which have crippled operations of major oil companies, SPDC has declared a "force majure" for April and May regarding lifting of crude oil from Bonny terminals with effect from 1.00 am today. The implication, according to SPDC spokesman, Precious Okolobo, is that they would defer 169,000 barrels per day, 30 per cent of which belonged to Shell. While MEND said they hit pipelines in Isaka and Abonema Rivers, close to Idama flow station, Shell acknowledged that major pipelines in Soku-Buguma and Buguma-Alakiri were attacked… MEND claimed that since they have been pushed to the background, they have nothing to protect and would fight to destroy all the oil facilities in their region until their demands for "equity" were met… The militant group, which wrote to President George Bush of United States accusing him of conniving with President Obasanjo to hound and violate their human rights in the oil- producing region, told Bush that their action would have a ripple effect on the American economy since they had written an earlier letter to him without any response, adding: "The ripple effect of this attack will touch your economy and people one way or the other and hope we now have your attention"…"If the root issues such as the control of our resources continue to be swept under the carpet, and the government's deception of the Niger Delta people continues, including holding sons of the Niger Delta hostage in Northern Nigeria, then, like Otto von Bismarck once remarked, 'the great questions of the time will be decided, not by speeches and resolutions, but by iron and blood.'"

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Chaos At Nyanga Refugee Centre: Cape Argus (Cape Town):25 April 2008.

Police remained on high alert at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Nyanga a day after violence erupted as desperate refugees tried to gain access to the building. Earlier this week three refugees were injured when police opened fire with rubber bullets to disperse a crowd that had attempted to force its way on to the centre's premises. Unlike Wednesday, many refugees had given up on gaining entrance to the premises and not many turned up on Thursday morning. By 8.30am on Thursday, Home Affairs security guards had already locked the gates and police were instructing the crowd of refugees to go home, while pushing them away from the gate with their batons. Two police vans drove straight into the crowd in their attempt to clear the refugees from the gate and some had to scatter to escape being run over. A female security guard, who had threatened to remove the Cape Argus team from the periphery of the Refugee Reception Centre on Wednesday, was pushing and shoving refugees, telling them to leave the area. "I don't even care if you take pictures of

297 me," she yelled, between her shouts directed at the refugees. Refugees and businesses in the area say they are fed up with the chaos at the Refugee Reception Centre at Airport Industrial. A businessman said he and his staff had had enough of the "havoc" in the area which started when the Refugee Reception Centre moved to Nyanga two months ago…"Home Affairs should not call the police when they are overwhelmed by a situation they have created. "They should create the necessary infrastructure to accommodate these people. They fled wars in their own countries, now they are in a war here," he said.

EAST AFRICA • Eritrea: Press Release On the TPLF's Statement of Severing Diplomatic Relations With Qatar: Shabait.com (Asmara): PRESS RELEASE; 23 April 2008.

On 21 April 2008, the TPLF regime issued a press release in connection to its severing of diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar. The measure taken was indeed shocking and caused all who followed closely to inquire as to why the 'measure' came to be. Furthermore, the State and Government of Eritrea are mentioned in the press release. Therefore, as it is compulsory that observers have a clear and in depth understanding of the whole matter; the relevant truth is stated as follows: A couple of months back, the State Department labeled Eritrea as a 'state sponsor of terrorism', and when requested to state the reasons, it unofficially alleged that 'Eritrea is a conduit of support of Qatar and Libya to Somalia,' a statement that was entirely unsubstantiated and that completely shocked all those who followed the affair closely. The TPLF regime and its allies were busy in pursuing their sinister ploys of adventurist and erroneous policies under the guise of 'terrorism' in the Horn region in general and in Ethiopia and Somalia in particular, on one hand, while searching for a way out from the frustration that followed after their gamble failed, on the other. But the truth of the matter remains that the character of blackmail pursued by the TPLF by creating situations and expecting reward for them will by no means confuse even the naïve.

• Somalia: Deliberate Killing of Civilians Is a War Crime: Amnesty International: PRESS RELEASE: 25 April 2008.

Amnesty International refutes statements made by the Ethiopian government on its report about a raid on the Al Hidya Mosque in Mogadishu on 19 April 2008. In the attack, Ethiopian forces killed at least 21 people, including 11 unarmed civilians inside the mosque, and detained at least 40 children and youths, aged 9 to 18. At least 10 others were killed by Ethiopian forces in the vicinity of the mosque. Reports released by the organization are based on several cross-checked, independent sources such as family members of victims, testimonies gathered at the location, including individuals present in the mosque while the killings took place, and local Amnesty International contacts…“Deliberately killing civilians is a war crime,” said Amnesty International. “We call on the Ethiopian government to ensure an independent investigation is carried out into the raid on the mosque and the subsequent treatment of those detained by its forces.” Seven of the 21 killed at the mosque were reported to have

298 had their throats cut, a form of illegal execution practised by Ethiopian troops in Somalia. Amnesty International has documented a pattern of these ‘throat-slitting’ executions, which often occur in security sweeps after attacks on Ethiopian forces in Somalia… Amnesty International again calls on the Ethiopian Government to commit to an independent investigation into the killings carried out during and after the Al Hidya mosque raid.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Hundreds Flee New Violence in Strife-Torn Region, UN Agency Says: UN News Service (New York):24 April 2008.

Renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) North Kivu province today has forced the United Nations refugee agency to halt the distribution of aid to internally displaced persons and to call off a drive to register newly displaced people in the Rutshuru area. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) suspended operations after reports of new fighting between Government soldiers and fighters from the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) near the Kinyandoni Anglican IDP site in North Kivu. Clashes on Saturday and Sunday left at least one woman dead. UNHCR field staff reported that IDPs were continuing to flock to sites around Kiwanja. The majority is sheltering in public buildings and most new arrivals are women and children. Some said their homes had been destroyed and their possessions looted, while some parents said they had lost touch with their children… The hundreds fleeing in recent days have added to an estimated existing IDP population of 860,000 in North Kivu, which lies next to the border with Rwanda and Uganda.

24. NORTH AFRICA • Tunisia: Govt And France Strongly Committed to the Launch of the Mediterranean Union Project: Tunisia Online (Tunis):24 April 2008.

The Mediterranean Union project was at the core of the meeting on Thursday between President Ben Ali and Mr. Henry Guaino, the special envoy of France's President Nicholas Sarkozy. Following the meeting, Mr. Guaino said that the talks focused on the Mediterranean Union project "to which, he said, Tunisia is committed, together with France". He added that "We examined all the aspects, as well as the possible problems relative to the union. We are convinced that Tunisia and France share the same views as to this project. Together, we will be able to launch this great historical project which places the Mediterranean at the center of European concerns and which strengthens the desire for unity among Mediterranean peoples, beyond the conflicts and tragedies that divide this region". The meeting took place in the presence of the Minister of State, and official spokesman of the Presidency of the Republic, as well as the Ambassador of France in Tunis.

• Tunisia: Thirty Five Novels Compete for Prestigious Literary Prize: Tunisia Online (Tunis):23 April 2008.

299 Twenty two novels in Arabic language and 13 novels in French have been pre- selected for the 2008 edition of Tunisia's most prestigious literary prize, the "Comar d'Or". The prize which is now well established on the Tunisian literary scene, since it has been running for 12 years, was initiated by Mr Rachid Ben Jemia, the CEO of the Comar insurance group, who has financially supported this cultural initiative out of the conviction that reading increases the intellectual potential and value of man. The success of this literary adventure is confirmed each year by the increasing number of novels which compete for the prize. In spite of the relative modesty of the first prize awarded each year respectively to the best French and Arabic novels (5000 dinars), the prize continues to be coveted by most Tunisian writers, because of the aura and prestige it bestows on the winners. In addition to the two first prizes there are also 'special prizes' of the jury (2500 dinars) for works of fiction that display a certain originality. Two 'discovery prizes' (1000 dinars each) are also handed out each year for promising novels by budding writers. Among this year's novels in French one can find "the solitude of the mathematician" by Jamel Ghanouchi, "What Tunis did not tell me" by Kaouthar Khelifi, and "an afternoon in the desert" by Mustafa Tlili. The Award ceremony is scheduled on April 26, 2008 at the Tunis Municipal Theater. The evening will be enhanced by the performance of Zied Gharsa, the renowned Tunisian 'Tarab' singer.

• Tunisia: 6th Mediterranean Meeting On ICT And E-Business to Be Held At El Ghazala Technological Pole: Tunisia Online (Tunis):22 April 2008.

The 6th Mediterranean Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and e- business meetings dubbed "e-3M Tunisia 2008" will be held, on April 23-24, 2008 at the El Ghazala technological pole and will focus on "Strategic Alliances: Another Means towards Growth." The event, which is placed under the aegis of the ministry of communication technologies, aims at promoting partnership and cooperation between both shores of the Mediterranean as well as boosting the activities of the El Ghazala technological pole. Tunisian-France cooperation will also be highlighted as the event is jointly organized by the El Ghazala technological pole and the Marseilles Technological Innovation Institution. Forty Tunisian companies specialized in the production of software and digital contents, as well as research, consultancy offices, public companies committees, training structures and regional distance e-work stations, will take part in the exhibit which is due to be held on the occasion. Alongside the event, workshops will be held on ICT related issues such as "Strategic Alliances: Stakes and Prospects for ICT's," "Alliances and Business Intelligence: Role of Information to Boost Partnership and Alliances" and "Strategic Alliance and Enterprises Restructuring."

• Tunisia: Surgical Team Performs First in Africa And the Arab World: Tunisia Online (Tunis):21 April 2008.

A team of five surgeons, composed of four Tunisians and a Frenchman , achieved a first in Africa and in the Middle East by operating a 9 month-old baby at the university hospital 'Fatouma Bourguiba' in Monastir, in order to remedy a congenital

300 malfunction of the heart which has impaired the infant's inter ventricular communication. This anomaly which affects about 2 to 4 new born babies out of 1000 appears during the constitution of the heart, in pregnancy. It consists in an abnormal cavity between the two heart cavities, the left and right ventricle which pump blood. This cavity causes an abnormal blood circulation between the two ventricles resulting in a heart murmur and a possible cardiac insufficiency; it may also affect the lung vessels. Prof Fawzi Maatoug, Head of the coronary diseases department said following the intervention that the surgery which used to be an open heart surgery was performed thanks to the latest cutting edge medical technology including the introduction through the patient's femoral arteries of two catheters directed both sides of the heart, with a view to close the cavity. In spite of the health problems affecting this baby who weighed between 4 and 5 kilos only, the surgery allowed the baby to be taken home after 24 hours spent in hospital. The baby is said to be in very good health and speedily recovering.

• Egypt: Woman Detained for Promoting General Strike On Facebook, Released: Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 24 April 2008.

HRinfo welcomes the 23 April 2008 release of Internet activist Esraa Abdelfattah. Abdelfattah was first detained on 6 April, after she posted a call for a general strike on her Facebook webpage. She was released on 14 April following a decision by prosecutors, but the interior minister then issued a detention order against her based on the country's emergency law. She was held in the Kanater women's prison, 25 kilometers north of Cairo, until finally released again on 23 April. The Ministry of the Interior has been systematically circumventing judicial decisions by courts and prosecutors to release activists accused of participating in the call for a peaceful strike on 6 April. The ministry has stretched the application of the emergency law for this purpose, and has used excessive force against dozens of young people who were not accused of exercising terrorism or violence, but who merely used the Internet to call for democracy. With the Ministry of the Interior's expanding campaign of arrests against political and Internet activists, official Egyptian prisons - as well as illegal places of detention, such as the Central Security camps - are now full of such activists, to such an extent it has become difficult to estimate the actual number of detainees. Gamal Eid, the executive director of HRinfo, said: "The intervention of the president himself for the release of these prisoners is becoming necessary, now that the Ministry of the Interior is running amok. Its excess is clearly evidenced by its arresting a girl under the emergency law merely for having participated in the call for a peaceful strike on her Facebook webpage". HRinfo also condemned the arrest of university student Bilal Diab, who was detained by security personnel for a few hours because he urged the prime minister to advocate for the release of Internet activists during a 21 April meeting of the prime minister with the students of Cairo University…

• Egypt: Raid of Satellite Communications Supplier, Confiscation of Equipment Part of Campaign to Undermine Broadcasters, Says HRInfo:

301 Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (Cairo): PRESS RELEASE: 21 April 2008.

The Egyptian government has initiated a drastic move to thwart satellite channels. It recently raided one of the most important companies offering satellite equipment for rent and confiscated five sets of its broadcasting equipment. This action may have serious consequences on the live broadcasting capacities of several satellite channels such as Al Jazeera, Dubai, Qatar and French TV. On 16 April 2008, security forces broke into the headquarters of Cairo News Company and confiscated five sets of live broadcasting equipment without providing any justification for the action. The authorities have also launched an investigation into the company without naming the offence allegedly committed. The company has been in operation for four years. It offers live broadcasting equipment for rent and services about 40 satellite channels in Egypt… Already, three channels - Al Hiwar, Al Baraka, and Al Hikma - have been banned… HRinfo has urged the Egyptian government to release the confiscated equipment and to stop all forms of direct and indirect blocking of satellite broadcasting and the free flow of information. HRinfo has also asked the government to stop engaging in shameful practices, rather than covering them up through the miserable means of an information blackout.

COUNTRIES Population

WEST AFRICAN STATES Cape Verde 500,000 th Ghana 23 million Guinea 10 million The Gambia 2 million Senegal 13 million Togo 6 million Cote d’Ivoire 18 million Nigeria 135 million Burkina Faso 14 million Mali 12 million Benin 8 million Niger 13 million Sierra Leone 6.5 million Guinea Bissau 1.5 million Liberia 3.5 million PAKISTAN 165 million

(July 2007 est.)

302 CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES

Equatorial Guinea 600,000 th Gabon 1.5 million Cameroon 19 million Rwanda 10 million Chad 10 million Republic of Congo 4 million Central African 4.5 million Republic(CAR) Sao Tome and Principe 2 million approx. DR Congo 66 million Burundi 8.5 million EAST AFRICAN STATES Uganda 30.5 million Kenya 37 million Ethiopia 77

million Eritrea 5 million Djibouti 500,000 th Tanzania 40 million Somalia 10 million

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Mauritius 2 million South Africa 44 million Botswana 2 million Seychelles 90,000 th Namibia 2.5 million Swaziland 1.5 million Angola 12.5 million Lesotho 2.5 million Zimbabwe 13 million Mozambique 21 million

303 Zambia 12 million Madagascar 20 million Malawi 14 million Comoros 1 million

304 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: May 6, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa By: Abbas S Lamptey Period: From April 27 to May 3, 2008 THE HEADLINES

25. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS WEST AFRICA • Liberia: China Targets U.S. $10 Million Hospital: The Analyst (Monrovia): 1 May 2008. • Nigeria: N60bn Wonder Lake - Imo Woos Chinese Investors: This Day (Lagos): 2 May 2008. • Ghana: Family Seeks GH¢200,000: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):29 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Country Inaugurates Consulate-General in China: BuaNews (Tshwane):27 April 2008. • Zimbabwe: Arms Ship Waits Off Luanda, Say Unionists: allAfrica.com:1 May 2008. • Namibia: Shikwambi Still in Chinese Jail: The Namibian (Windhoek):29 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Chinese, African Business People to Forge Links At Ngurdoto: Arusha Times (Arusha):26 April 2008. • Tanzania: Don Hit At China Non-Interference Policy: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):29 April 2008. • Kenya: Affordable Mobile Phones On the Way: Business Daily (Nairobi):28 April 2008.

26. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA • Africa: African Scientists Close to Malaria Vaccine: This Day (Lagos):30 April 2008. • Africa: Expert Seeks Prohibition of Torture in Africa: This Day (Lagos):29 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Africa: Jean Ping Takes Over AU Commission From Konaré: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):30 April 2008. • Africa: Japan to Build 1,000 Schools: Business Daily (Nairobi):29 April 2008. • Africa: Illegal Fishing Costs Continent Sh62 Billion: The Nation (Nairobi):2 May 2008. • Africa: Centre in Moving to Boost Rice Farming: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):1 May 2008.

305 CENTRAL AFRICA • Africa: Regional Countries Take Tough Stand On Negative Forces: The New Times (Kigali):28 April 2008. 27. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA • Mali: New Family Law Faces Opposition From Muslim Organisations: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:2 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Police Intensify NGO Raids: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):2 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Ethiopia: Country Frees Eleven Kenyan Muslims: The East African Standard (Nairobi):3 May 2008. • Uganda: 18 Kasese Secondary School Girls Defiled: New Vision (Kampala):1 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Congo-Kinshasa: UN - Tackle Wrongdoing By Peacekeepers: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 2 May 2008.

28. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Rainstorm Leaves Several Injured, Homeless: The NEWS (Monrovia):30 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Botswana Prepares to Host Harare Refugees: The Nation (Nairobi):3 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Zambian Banks Shun Displaced Farmers: Financial Gazette (Harare):1 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Dilemma of Resettling IDPs: The East African Standard (Nairobi):3 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Chad: UN Refugee Agency Deplores Murder of Aid Worker in East: UN News Service (New York):2 May 2008. • Chad: Aid Stoppage Called to Highlight Insecurity And Impunity: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 2 May 2008. • Rwanda: Refugees to Get Electronic IDs: The New Times (Kigali):29 April 2008. 29. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB) WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Cancer, Fistula Major Problems in Promoting Maternal Health: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: 300m People Suffer From Malaria – WHO: This Day (Lagos):29 April 2008. • Nigeria: Judge Decries Mental Breakdown of Prison Inmates: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008.

306 • Ghana: Koforidua Zongo Faces Cholera Outbreak If...: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):1 May 2008. • Ghana: Northern Health Services Declare War On Mosquitoes: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):2 May 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zambia: Country, Russia Sign $7m Malaria Grant: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): 1 May 2008. • Mozambique: Officials Master Floods - But Battle to Contain Diseases That Follow: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):2 May 2008. • Namibia: Namibia Ranks Top in HIV/Aids Care: New Era (Windhoek): 30 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Hospitals Now Run Out of TB Vaccine: The East African Standard (Nairobi):1 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Congo-Kinshasa: Malaria Still Biggest Killer: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 April 2008. 30. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Climate Change - WCU Proposes Adaptive Measures: Daily Trust (Abuja):28 April 2008. • Liberia: FDA Bars More Logging Companies: The Inquirer (Monrovia):1 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Gold Panners Descend On Mozambican Deposits: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):30 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Rare Forest Plant At Great Risk As Demand Increases: The Nation (Nairobi):2 May 2008. • Uganda: Lake Victoria Pollution Increases: New Vision (Kampala):28 April 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: Financial Mechanisms Are Essential for Sustainable Forestry – Madicott: The Post (Buea):1 May 2008. • Burundi: Food Worries for Thousands Rendered Homeless By Heavy Rains: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 30 April 2008.

31. ENERGY WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: FG Needs $120bn to Achieve Steady Power Supply: Leadership (Abuja):1 May 2008. • Nigeria: Court Stops Shell From Terminating Company's Contract: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008.

307 • Nigeria: 'Invest Foreign Reserves in Offshore Oil Refineries': This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: FG Beefs Up Security Around Oil Installations: This Day (Lagos):1 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Power Crisis is Main Short-Term Threat to Economy -- Business Heads: Business Day (Johannesburg):30 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Leader Approves Controversial Puntland Oil Exploration Project: Garowe Online (Garowe):30 April 2008. • Kenya: State to Revert to Petrol Blending: The Nation (Nairobi): 2 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Oil Exploration Goes Into Second Phase: The New Times (Kigali):26 April 2008. 32. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: How to Manage Excess Crude Fund – Tukur: Daily Trust (Abuja):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: Yar'Adua Asks Workers to Back 7-Point Agenda: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: Pengassan, Mobil Call Off Strike: Daily Trust (Abuja):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: Labour Faults Yar'Adua's Economic Policies: Vanguard (Lagos): 2 May 2008. • Ghana: Use Oil Revenue to Develop Agriculture: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):29 April 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zambia: State Stays Put: The Times of Zambia (Ndola);2 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Govt Makes Available Fuel for School Buses: The Herald (Harare):28 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Top Government Officials Take Blame On Illegal Fishing: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):28 April 2008. • Kenya: Tourism Earnings Fall By 61 Per Cent: The Nation (Nairobi):3 May 2008. 33. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Senate to Spend N1bn On Constitution Review: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008. • Nigeria: 50 Ambassadors Stranded in Abuja: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Won Election But Faces Run-Off: allAfrica.com:2 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai To Contest In Run-off: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):2 May 2008.

308 EAST AFRICA • Sudan: Top UN Official Offers Condolences After Plane Crash in Southern Sudan: UN News Service (New York):2 May 2008. 34. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Senegal: Landmines Claim New Victims in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 2 May 2008. • Côte d'Ivoire: Security Council Welcomes Steps Toward Holding Presidential Polls: UN News Service (New York):29 April 2008. • Guinea Bissau: UN Fund to Spend $6 Million on Peacebuilding Efforts: UN News Service (New York):28 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Conflict Resolution Syllabus for Schools: The East African Standard (Nairobi):30 April 2008. • Kenya: Muslims Urge Action On Somalia: The East African Standard (Nairobi):27 April 2008. • Uganda: Machar to Meet Kony Tomorrow: New Vision (Kampala):29 April 2008. • Sudan: UN-AU Peacekeepers Aid Darfur Villagers Attacked By Govt Forces: UN News Service (New York):3 May 2008. • Eritrea: Country Undermined Basis of UN Peacekeeping Mission's Mandate - Security Council: UN News Service (New York):1 May 2008. • Uganda: Army Warned On Land Grabbing: New Vision (Kampala):1 May 2008. 35. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR” WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: As Kidnappers Release Mrs. Idisi Again, Militants Blow Up Shell Flow Station: This Day (Lagos):4 May 2008. • Nigeria: No Proof of Global Terror in Nigeria, Says U.S.: This Day (Lagos):1 May 2008. • Africa: Country Reports on Terrorism - Africa Chapter: United States Department of State (Washington, DC): DOCUMENT:30 April 2008. EAST AFRICA • Somalia: The Death Toll of U.S. Warplanes Airstrike Increases: Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu):1 May 2008. 36. NORTH AFRICA • Western Sahara: Security Council Extends UN Mission for Another Year: UN News Service (New York):30 April 2008. • Egypt: Joint Action - Forty Members And Partners of IFEX Urge Authorities to Overturn Four Editors' Jail Sentences During Appeal Hearing On World Press Freedom Day : International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE :1 May 2008. • Tunisia: 'Employment Remains My Priority,' Says President: Tunisia Online (Tunis):1 May 2008.

309 • Tunisia: 'President Ben Ali Was Among the First Leaders to Support Mediterranean Union Project': Tunisia Online (Tunis):27 April 2008. • Tunisia: Critical NGO Activists Harassed: International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE: 30 April 2008. 37. NEWS COMMENTARY

• Southern Africa: Region Offers Critical Lessons On Internal Opposition: The Nation (Nairobi): Wene Owino. Gaberone.

• Yar'Adua's Seven Plus Two Point Agenda to Transform Nigeria: Inaugural Address of Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Installed : Abuja, May 29, 2007.

• Africa: Africa's Leadership Crisis the Case of Zimbabwe: The Namibian (Windhoek): 2 May 2008. Hidipo Hamutenya: Windhoek.

• Africa: Is Re-Colonising the Decaying Parts of the Continent the Solution to Its Woes? : The Nation (Nairobi): Peter Kagwanja: 2 May 2008.

• North Africa and the Globalization Challenge: by Arezki Daoud on the April 3rd, 2008:

• Permanent High Oil Prices and Their Impact on North Africa : Arezki Daoud: January 30th, 2006.

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THE REPORT IN DETAIL

38. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: China Targets U.S. $10 Million Hospital: The Analyst (Monrovia):1 May 2008.

Ambassador Zhou Xioua of the Republic of China Tuesday told this paper that his government has earmarked US$10 million for the construction of a hospital project in the country. The hospital, the ambassador said, will be built in the South-eastern part of the country. He said the design for the hospital is at the final stage. The Chinese Envoy said the hospital would provide a first class medical treatment to people of the Southeastern region when completed. The hospital, which will incorporate modern equipment, will cater to people with various kinds of diseases will be one of the best hospitals in Liberia. He noted that the hospital will contain 100 beds with offices and other accessories for medical doctors, health workers, to enable them

310 professionally carry out their responsibilities free of hindrances. Ambassador Zhou told our reporter construction works on the hospital will commence this year, and will be completed at the end of next year (2009). He disclosed that the construction of the hospital will be under auspices of the China - Africa Cooperation Fund, which is one of the three special programs, reached by the Chinese government in Beijing in 2006. Dr. Moses Pewee of the Ministry of Health said the hospital, when completed, will serve the people of Grand Geded, Sinoe and Maryland Counties. He said though Liberia was experiencing a shortage of medical doctors, the government has embarked on the training of health workers to tackle the problem. Meanwhile, National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) at the Ministry of Health and the People's Republic of China has ended a Technical Training Workshop and several persons were certificated. Through the training experts from China and health practitioners from Liberia had the opportunity to exchange information on prevention of Malaria in Liberia and how the people of China eradicated malaria.

• Nigeria: N60bn Wonder Lake - Imo Woos Chinese Investors: This Day (Lagos): 2 May 2008.

Imo State Governor, Chief has solicited for the partnership of Chinese investors in the development of the N60 billion Oguta Lake Resort, better known as the Wonder Lake Project, and other projects in the state. Governor Ohakim told Chinese businessmen at the second stanza of the 6th Nigeria-China Business and Investment Forum (NBCIF) in Nanjing, China that high margin of returns on their investments in the state is assured as all "business variables point to as a sure destination point for any would be investor coming to Nigeria." He said that the Imo Wonder Lake Tourist and Conference Center is an ambitious project in the West Africa sub-region with great prospects for investors willing to make a stake. The Governor represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Chuck Chuckuemeka cited a recent study by the African Institute for Applied Economics on Business Environment Across Nigerian States (BECANS), which concluded that "Imo State will always remain the choice of average foreign investors in Nigeria." He said that the state government having taking cognisance of the importance of a clean environment embarked on the 'Clean and Green' initiative. He underlined the peaceful nature of the state as an added advantage for prospective investors hoping to make the state their destination…He said that the state boasts of more than 2520 kms or roads which are substantially tarred and that its close proximity to Port Harcourt and Calabar Seaports ensures that investors "can reach any market, not only in Nigeria, but the entire West Africa sub-region… He listed the natural resources in the state to include kaolin, clay, granite, petroleum and gas, and other agricultural products like palm oil, palm kernel and cassava, among others.

• Ghana: Family Seeks GH¢200,000: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):29 April 2008.

The families of a-26-year-old electrician, who was crushed in a concrete mixer, whilst working for the China Railway Wuju Corporation, are seeking justice for the

311 death of their son as they filed another suit at the High Court against the company seeking an amount of GH¢ 200,000 for the loss of their relation. They are also seeking an order of compensation of GH¢ 50,000 from the Chinese Construction firm for the upkeep of the deceased's wife, child and mother. The families are also urging the court to declare that the death of their relation was not accidental. Further, they want the court to direct that the death of the deceased was intentionally caused by Chain Jain of the defendant company and that the defendant is liable for the deceased's family, for payment of the full cost of the mortuary fees from the day the body was deposited in the morgue until the day of burial. The plaintiffs are also seeking that the defendant be made to pay for all known and acceptable expenses for the funeral… Mr. Chan Jian, he indicated, was alleged to have instructed the deceased to scrape off pieces of caked cement residue, which had collected along the inner walls of the concrete mixer. "When Bismark began removing the caked cement residue along the walls of the concrete mixer, Mr. Chan Jian immediately stepped out of the concrete mixer, and pressed the button to switch on the concrete mixer, while the deceased was scraping the cement residue in it," the affidavit read. He indicated that the machine began crushing the deceased in the mixer, and he yelled for help, which prompted Mr. Chan Jian to switch the machine off, and some of the workers went inside the machine to drag the dead body of Addotey Mensah out… According to him, the Attorney-General was unwilling to have an inquest carried out, but if the inquest is not carried out, the chances of the applicant securing adequate compensation for the loss of the deceased, who left behind a child and a wife, will be diminished. Mr. Tagoe held that it had become imperative to come to the High Court, in view of the fact that the media published that the suspect, who switched on the machine that crushed the deceased, is being aided to abscond, due to the winding up of the construction firm of their construction works on the High Street in Accra, as well as information indicating that the expatriates, including Mr. Chan Jian, might leave the jurisdiction soon.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Country Inaugurates Consulate-General in China: BuaNews (Tshwane):27 April 2008.

During the year being celebrated by South Africa and China as the 10th year of strong and sound diplomatic relations, South Africa has opened the South African Consulate-General in Shanghai. "It is a very great pleasure to address you on this occasion of our official opening of the South African Consulate General in Shanghai, [on] the celebration of our Freedom Day [on Sunday]. "... [And] in the context of the 10th Anniversary Celebration of our diplomatic relations," said Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Friday. The minister, who was joined by Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad and Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, highlighted how South Africa's Consulate-General began its work in Shanghai on 19 October 2003. "We decided on Shanghai on the mainland, simply because of the economic development role this city plays in China…"We are a modern, diverse, stable, and innovative country with a rich culture, a magnificent natural heritage and a warm people. "We have an advanced infrastructure and a well-developed financial, economic and legal system.

312 "Many of our companies are globally competitive and in some instances are world leaders in their field, for example in the mining sector and in coal to fuel technology," said the minister. Despite all that has been achieved, the country still faces enormous challenges in terms of overcoming poverty, battling unemployment, providing healthcare and education to all, addressing social injustices, and ensuring sustainable growth in the country. "Let us also today celebrate the warm, friendly and mutually beneficial relationship that we have as South Africa and China - a relationship that is based on mutual respect and trust. "The Shanghai Consulate is officially opened," she said. The new Consul-General to Shanghai will be Vika Khumalo.

• Zimbabwe: Arms Ship Waits Off Luanda, Say Unionists: allAfrica.com:1 May 2008.

The Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe is anchored off Luanda and shows no sign of returning to China, says the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). In a statement issued on Thursday, the ITF general secretary, David Cockroft, said the federation trusted that the vessel, the An Yue Jiang, was waiting only to refuel and "that no attempt will be made to land any of its cargo of arms." The ITF said although there were 20 ships waiting to dock in Luanda ahead of the An Yue Jiang, "there is no guarantee that it will not be allowed in ahead of them, allowing it to arrive before or during tomorrow's national holiday in Angola." The An Yue Jiang sailed for Angola 10 days ago after it was prevented from offloading its cargo, first in Durban, South Africa, and then in other ports on the east coast of Africa.

• Namibia: Shikwambi Still in Chinese Jail: The Namibian (Windhoek):29 April 2008.

NO trial date has yet been set for Victor Shikwambi, 23, held on murder and robbery charges in a Beijing jail since June last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said recently. Permanent Secretary Veiccoh Nghiwete said he was not sure whether Namibian Embassy officials had been able to visit Shikwambi, who was staying with his uncle, retired diplomat Dr Sackey Shikwambi, at the time of this arrest. "Some of our local Embassy officials were supposed to have gone to see him, but I have not been advised on whether that has happened," Nghiwete said. Shikwambi and a Zambian friend, believed also to be a diplomat's son, were arrested in connection with the death of a young Russian woman, who died from suffocation after being robbed of her laptop computer and cellphone, the Ministry said last year. Both made a preliminary appearance in a Chinese court late last year, but it was unclear when the case would go ahead, Nghiwete said… China, which follows a very hard line on crime, currently ranks as the country where more people than anywhere else in the world are executed for violent crimes… No diplomatic immunity has been invoked in Shikwambi's case yet, but the Ministry hoped to convince the Chinese court to allow him to serve his sentence in Namibia if convicted, the Ministry previously said…

313 EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Chinese, African Business People to Forge Links At Ngurdoto: Arusha Times (Arusha):26 April 2008.

China-Africa Business Conference will be held at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Meru district in at the end of this month. The conference will bring together business people with the aim of providing both Chinese and African business people the opportunity to exchange entrepreneurship experiences, establish new markets and forge business links. The two-day high profile conference under the auspices of The Government of Tanzania, the China-Africa Business Council (CABC) and the United Nations Development Programme is the first of its kind to be held in Arusha. The Opening session of the Conference is on Monday 28th April 2008 at 9:00…

• Tanzania: Don Hit At China Non-Interference Policy: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):29 April 2008.

Some delegates to the Sino-Africa Business Forum yesterday warned against China's "indifference" to upheavals in areas where it had invested heavily. A senior research fellow with the Economic Research Bureau at the University of Dar es Salaam said the non-interference policy often adopted by China in conflict zones in which it had major investments was flawed. "The non-interference policy will instead promote bad governance and ultimately tarnish the image of China," said Prof Humphrey Moshi. He called on the fastest growing economic powerhouse in Asia to avoid supporting "rogue regimes such as the one presently in power in Zimbabwe". "China's engagement with regimes which have weak governance structures undermines the protection of human rights," Prof Moshi said. Prof Moshi said China, currently the world's fourth largest economy, should avoid investing in major conflict zones in Africa. He said such investments were not only likely to fuel conflicts in the countries in question, but also delay the conflict resolution and mediation process. He told the forum attended by nearly 500 delegates at a tourist lodge outside Arusha that China was Africa's third most important trading partner after the United States and France. There were justifications for linking the fast growing penetration of Chinese investments into Africa and good governance. Prof Moshi added that China's involvement with African regimes in trouble spots reduced pressure on combatants to make compromises and address causes of the conflicts. "The non-interference policy undermines Africa's progress into mainstreaming governance into the prosperity agenda," he noted… Available statistics have shown that Sino-Africa trade has grown more rapidly than Chinese trade with the rest of the world. It has grown from $ 2 billion in 1999 to $55.5 billion in 2006. Mr Oscar Fernandez Taranco, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the UN Development Programme Resident Representative to Tanzania, said as China-Africa business partnership surged forward, so were issues of corporate social responsibility. "Corporate social responsibility is increasingly becoming an imperative ingredient for any successful and long- term investment," he told the Forum… Africa's economies offer huge investment opportunities for the Chinese private sector while African entrepreneurs can benefit greatly from the Chinese experience,

314 technology and know how. "But the fact that Africa exports to China are overwhelmingly primary commodities, poses a challenge.”

• Kenya: Affordable Mobile Phones On the Way: Business Daily (Nairobi):28 April 2008.

An Asian based mobile phone manufacturer will next month officially launch a regional distribution office in Kenya, signaling changing fortunes in the mobile market where a growing Chinese presence threatens the stronghold of more established companies. Marketing its phones under the brand name, Mi, the Hong-Kong based company is citing the immense potential for sales of low end models to young mobile phone owners as its key motivation for entering the market… Mi, who hopes to sell its phones for between Sh1,500 and Sh4,000, will be joining several other Chinese manufactured phone makers that have flooded the market in recent months. The low-end mobile market has remained a key battle front for more popular brands such as Motorola, Samsung and Nokia as the mobile industry has grown locally and demand for cheap entry level phones has increased. Mi's formal entry will make it the first Chinese vendor to establish a local presence. Chinese manufactured phones have seeped into usage by Kenyans who are attracted by their ability to combine several features in a single package, often at a cheaper price than traditional vendors. The high-end market has not been spared either by the entry of Chinese phones that, in some cases, look just like more well-known brands… Mi-Fone hopes to launch its assault with four models offering popular features. The Mi100, with an ultra low-cost black and white colour screen, the Mi 200, with a colour screen, the Mi200 which features a radio and the Mi220f which has both radio and camera features…

39. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: African Scientists Close to Malaria Vaccine: This Day (Lagos):30 April 2008.

African research scientists are close to discovering "a safe and effective malaria vaccine," according to a WHO consultant in Accra. "We are closer than ever before to having a safe and effective malaria vaccine that will make a positive impact on the economy and the capacity of our health care system," Dr Daniel Ansong of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology School of Medical Sciences, Kumasi, Ghana, told a forum to mark World Malaria Day… Ansong said the vaccine would be a key component of the fight against malaria which kills about one million children annually. He pointed out that vaccines were playing an important role in the prevention of diseases such as tuberculosis, polio and tetanus. The scientist said results from the Mozambique trials showed a 49 per cent efficacy against severe malaria for 18 months in children between one and four years. He said some 160,000 children were expected to be recruited across Africa for the third phase of the trial to determine the safety of the vaccine on a larger scale."We can no longer fold our arms and accept the burden it (malaria) imposes," Ansong said.

315 • Africa: Expert Seeks Prohibition of Torture in Africa: This Day (Lagos):29 April 2008.

Government at all levels all over Africa have been called upon to initiate and sustain steps to prohibit and prevent torture of citizens; using the Robben Island Guidelines (RIG) as an ideal tool. Above call was made by Mrs. Dupe Atoki, a human rights expert and a commissioner with the African Commission, who described torture anywhere as an affront to human dignity, freedom from which is an inalienable human right. The Robben Island Guidelines was coined from a workshop held by the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), an international NGO with Observer Status at the African Commission, on Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa in 2002, which brought together African and international experts from different professional backgrounds dealing with the issue of torture from its various angles… According to reports by different national and international human rights Organisations, torture exists in over half the countries of the world and is present on all continents. No state in the world not even the most democratic is free from this abject practice. Africa is reported to register the highest incidence of torture and ill-treatment, followed by Asia… Despite its prevalence and seemingly ineradicable nature, torture is prohibited by a number of international and regional human rights instruments. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966); Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1975); the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984); the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1981); and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (2000)… Having attempted and fairly well too to combine the standards in the United Nation Convention against Torture and the Optional Protocol to the Convection against Torture, the RIG will assist Africa State Parties in meeting their obligation under these UN Treaties Atoki insisted that the adoption of the RIG represents an essential step forward in the promotion of human rights and the prevention of torture and ill-treatment in Africa, but it is not an end in itself.

EAST AFRICA • Africa: Jean Ping Takes Over AU Commission From Konaré: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):30 April 2008.

Former Malian President Alpha Ouma Konare, who has served as chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC) since 2003, handed over power to Jean Ping, former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Gabon yesterday at the headquarters of the Union. Ping was elected February this year during the last assembly of the African Union, the 10th AU Summit here in Addis Ababa. The current Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Tanzanian President, Jakaya Morisho Kikwete, accompanied by Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, chaired the handing over ceremony. During the occasion Konare wished sense of Pan-Africanism and confidence for the new leaders in achieving the set mission and vision of the Union. He pointed out that the implementation of good governance, democracy, non-

316 indifference, gender equality, peace and striving for the United States of Africa should be respected by the incoming leaders. Jean Ping has also promised to make an effort for the mission, vision and dreams of the continent. Giving a farewell banquet for the outgoing chairperson and other members of the outgoing commission on Saturday, Meles said Konare played a significant role to promote AU's cause and protect its interest.

• Africa: Japan to Build 1,000 Schools: Business Daily (Nairobi):29 April 2008.

Japan has announced an ambitious plan to build 1,000 schools in Africa over the next five years. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, said in a policy speech last week that Japan was looking to ensure sufficient places for large numbers of children to acquire basic education. Approximately 5,500 classrooms will be built, with a capacity for 400,000 children. This comes at a time Kenya faces severe criticism since it launched free primary education in 2003, due to high student teacher ratios. School infrastructure has been one of the major problems facing free education. Enrolment in primary schools has increased from 5.9 million to eight million since the inception of the programme. Although it was not immediately clear how many schools will be constructed in Kenya, it will go a long way to assist the government in its bid to offer quality free education. UNESCO statistics says that one out of three children never see the inside of a classroom. Through development partners, UNESCO plans to achieve universal free primary education and gender equality by 2015…" Japan will be assisting in the enhancement of teachers' abilities in the classroom, focusing mainly on improving teaching methods in math and science, “said Mr Koumura.

• Africa: Illegal Fishing Costs Continent Sh62 Billion: The Nation (Nairobi):2 May 2008.

The scale of illegal fishing across Africa is now so serious that it is in danger of decimating stocks across the continent, a new report says. The report represents the first detailed quantitative analysis of the problem on a global scale and studies indicate that losses for sub-Saharan Africa total $1 billion per year. Britain's minister for Trade and Development, Mr Gareth Thomas, said that the scale of illegal fishing could be double earlier estimates with weak international governance hampering progress in tackling the problem. His comments follow publication of the 'Global Extent of Illegal Fishing' report which reveals that global annual losses from illegal fishing could be double earlier estimates at $10 to $23 billion (between Sh62 and Sh142.6 billion) annually. The report follows a similar recent study by the Institute for Security Studies which says that that the scale of illegal fishing now threatens around 10 million African people who depend on fishing for an income… Depleted stocks : Not only are such fleets overfishing in African waters, having depleted fishing stocks around European Union and East Asian shores, but the loss of fishing stocks is being compounded by the way the fishing fleets go about their business. Firstly, the ISS report says that large amounts of unwanted fish are dumped at sea because they are not considered lucrative. Secondly, is the way in which the fleets operate, using harmful fishing methods, such as nets and long-lines that indiscriminately damage the ocean bed or kill birds,

317 dolphins and other marine animals…"For a family in Africa, it's about the father no longer being able to go out and earn a living because the area's been over-fished by illegal trawlers. "Governments are not doing enough to protect their natural resources -countries such as Namibia, Iceland and New Zealand have understood this and ensured their fish boosts their economies, but many developing countries are missing out. We can turn this situation around but only if governments act now to protect their communities from criminal operators." Big trawlers: Ghanaian fisherman, Mr David Quaye, 63, said: "I come from a fishing family -my father was a fisherman and my brothers are fishermen and I am secretary of the local fishermen's association. A long time ago, when we were fishing there were no big fishing trawlers and if there were, there was a particular zone for them where they fish. Now these bigger, foreign fishing trawlers are mixed with the local fishermen… The task of combating the myriad forms of criminal activities involved in commercial fisheries requires significant infrastructure and spending. An effective strategy to combat illegal fishing will also involve strong regional co- ordination. "African governments also lack the necessary political will. This may partly stem from insufficient concern about sustainable and responsible use of the oceans.

• Africa: Centre in Moving to Boost Rice Farming: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):1 May 2008.

As the world struggles to ease soaring prices of cereals, the Africa Rice Centre, Warda, has announced short-term comprehensive strategies to boost rice production. Its member countries, including Tanzania, are now required to respond to the rice crisis immediately. Rice is one of Tanzania's staple foods. A recent food assessment by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives shows that the price of rice has almost doubled in the past year. It said rice consumption exceeds production in Africa. Further, only 54 per cent of rice consumed in sub-Saharan Africa is supplied locally, it showed. Therefore immediate strategies are needed to fill the gap. "Humanity is today facing an acute rice crisis that, no doubt, is a serious threat to social peace keeping," said the Warda director general, Dr Papa Abdoulaye Seck, in a press release sent to this paper earlier this week… During his presentation to launch the short-term strategy, Dr Seck made a series of pragmatic recommendations to African governments. They include establishing seed legislation and encouraging the involvement of the private sector in seed supply and trade. More was also needed to reduce the import tax on small- scale farms and processing machinery which can increase the labor efficiency of rice farmers and improve grain quality. He called on the government to cooperate in reducing fertilizer prices. This is because fertilizers in Africa are two to six times more expensive than those in Asia and Europe, he pointed out. Other strategies include improving the capacity at research, extension, processing and marketing levels and promoting large-scale use of upland and lowland Nerica rice varieties… In fact, Africa accounts for 10 to 13 per cent of the world population but consumes 32 per cent of world imports. Its consumption growth rate is about 4.5 per cent per annum… Warda is an autonomous inter-governmental research association of African member states. It is one of the 15 international agricultural research centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

318 CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: Regional Countries Take Tough Stand On Negative Forces: The New Times (Kigali):28 April 2008.

Defence and security experts from an 11-nation member regional organization have agreed to strengthen bi-lateral and multilateral co-operation to help address the problem of negative forces holed up in some of their territories. During a meeting in Kampala, delegates at the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) agreed to adopt and implement non-aggression and common defence pacts for effective management, prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region. This was during a four-day workshop on peace and security called to propose concrete action areas, realistic timeframes and budgets, as well as responsibility centres and partners. Ambassador Richard Sezibera, the special presidential envoy to the Great Lakes region, who led the Rwandan delegation, told The New Times: "For the first time we have a non-aggression and common defence pacts that will help us address the problem of negative forces. Before, we didn't have a legal framework to criminalize these negative forces."… "Rwanda's biggest security problem remains Interahamwe. We still have a threat of Interahamwe though the Government has managed to reduce their numbers steadily. We are still waiting for the Government of DR Congo to take action as promised," he said in reference to last November's Nairobi Communiqué between Rwanda and DRC in which the latter committed itself to disarm Interahamwe militias and ex-FAR. The two groups - largely blamed for the killing one million people during the 1994 Rwanda Genocide - are currently known by a collective name of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), one of the groups blacklisted by regional countries and the US as terrorist organisations.Other notorious rebel groups include the infamous Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (Uganda), and Agathon Rwasa's FNL-PALIPEHUTU, the only remaining armed group fighting the Government of Burundi. The Non Aggression and Mutual Defence is among the ten protocols of the Dar es Salaam Declaration of 2004 where ICGLR member states agreed to criminalize aiding and abating activities of negative forces in the region. The pact has so far been ratified by Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. The pact needs one more country to ratify for it to come into force… The upcoming gatherings are Democracy and Good Governance workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, Regional Integration and Economic Development Cluster in Kigali, the Social and Humanitarian Affairs Cluster in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Cross-Cutting Issues in Bangui, Central Africa Republic.

40. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Mali: New Family Law Faces Opposition From Muslim Organisations: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:2 May 2008.

A new family law code waiting to be adopted by Parliament is facing opposition from some Islamic groups who claim it goes against Islamic principles, particularly when it

319 comes to proposed changes to the country's marriage laws. The new code aims to bring more equality between men and women in relation to marital status, parental rights, ownership of land and inheritance, wages and pensions, employment laws and education…"The code is a significant step towards gender equality while reflecting the reality of Malian culture today," the minister of women, children and the family, Maiga Sina Damba told IRIN… The current code has seen little change since it was first passed in 1962, three years after Mali gained independence, and according to Oumor Cissé, communications adviser at the ministry for women, children and the family, it is heavily influenced by "outmoded" French laws, and a strict reading of Koranic texts… Opposition: When the draft code went out to civil society groups for the latest round of consultations in early 2008, some Islamic groups started campaigning hard against the proposed changes to marriage laws, inheritance laws and property rights. In early April the Islamic Salvation Association (AISLAM) called for the bill to be withdrawn from Parliament. "All the proposals we made in the consultation phase of the new code were rejected," said Mohamed Kimbiri, president of AISLAM…"Despite much opposition to this change, legalising religious marriages has been dropped from the bill altogether," Kimbiri complained to IRIN… In defiance of the soon-to-be-adopted law, Islamic groups are continuing to issue marriage certificates… Further controversy: In another vein, under the current law when two people marry if they commit to monogamy they must stick to it in theory, but in reality a husband can re-marry without the consent of his wife. "Men can circumvent the law by making a new marriage without any legal consequences," said Daouda Cissé, a legal adviser to the women's ministry. Compromise solution? : "If Mali wants to be a fully- functioning democracy it is important to pass this code," Omar Touri, head of a women's rights network, Association of Women's NGOs (CAFO), told IRIN. "People have to change their behaviour and they have to accept change." The code brings Mali in line with a number of international protocols it has signed up to, including the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Given this, she said, "We have no choice but to pass it." But Abdoulaye Dembélé, deputy of the National Assembly, thinks it much more likely that a compromise deal will have to be struck, ensuring yet more delays…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Police Intensify NGO Raids: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):2 May 2008.

POLICE this week intensified their crackdown on civil society by arresting employees of a humanitarian organisation, Action Aid. The non-governmental organisation’s acting director Anne Chipembere, senior programmes officer Precious Shumba and three other employees were arrested in Mayo, Manicaland, by police officers from the Law and Order department. Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the arrests, but said the five Action Aid employees had since been released. “Investigations are still underway,” said Bvudzijena. “We came across these guys in Mayo and we are interested in finding out the nature of their business.” Earlier this

320 week the police asked to see Zimbabwe Election Support Network director (Zesn) Rindai Chipfunde-Vava following last week’s raid on the organisation’s Harare offices. The police seized election-related material from the offices…“The army and its allies — ‘war veterans’ and supporters of the ruling party Zanu PF — are intensifying their brutal grip on wide swathes of rural Zimbabwe to ensure that a possible second round of presidential elections goes their way,” Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said in the statement. Neither the army chief nor a government spokesman could be reached for immediate comment.

EAST AFRICA • Ethiopia: Country Frees Eleven Kenyan Muslims: The East African Standard (Nairobi):3 May 2008.

Eleven Muslims deported to Somalia from Kenya after the collapse of Somalia's Islamic Courts Union (ICU) have been released from Ethiopian jails and taken to Somalia. It is not known why they were freed without charges. But 19 Kenyans deported and detained with this group remain in Ethiopia's jails in Addis Ababa and Awasso cities. An unnamed Kenyan among those released has not returned to the country for fear of persecution. About 60 Kenyans and foreigners were deported to Somalia on January 27 after crossing from the war torn country in the wake of the collapse of the ICU spurred by an Ethiopian led invasion. Kenyan and Ethiopian authorities accused them of links with the ICU and Al Qaeida. Most were taken to Ethiopia and some to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba… In Nairobi the Muslim Human Rights Forum that has fought against US led renditions said its officials have met some of the released former deportees on the Somalia border. Al Amin Kimathi, head of the forum, said the eleven were set free from Awasso and taken to Baidoa in South Central Somalia in February, apparently after being cleared by a military tribunal.

• Uganda: 18 Kasese Secondary School Girls Defiled: New Vision (Kampala):1 May 2008.

A total of 18 girls from Kasese Secondary School were defiled and impregnated during one term last year. Aisha Tibananuka of the family protection unit said they investigated the cases, but only two were prosecuted because most parents were uncooperative. Tibananuka said the impregnated girls were aged between 14 and 17 years. Their parents preferred getting money from the culprits. She was speaking at a workshop on child labour organised by the district labour office in Kasese district recently. Participants blamed the rampant defilement cases on the failure to formulate a law dealing with parents who exonerate defilers. They noted that the number of street children in the area had increased. Some of the children were from child-headed homes or families facing domestic violence or those affected by HIV/AIDS. The seminar was sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund.

CENTRAL AFRICA

321 • Congo-Kinshasa: UN - Tackle Wrongdoing By Peacekeepers: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 2 May 2008.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should urgently address the failings of the investigating arm of the United Nations and ensure that UN peacekeepers responsible for abuses are held to account, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to Secretary- General Ban, Human Rights Watch provided detailed information from several UN documents, never before made public, that serious allegations of wrongdoing by Pakistani and Indian peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo were ignored, minimized or shelved by the UN's Organization of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). "UN peacekeepers around the world play an invaluable role," said Steve Crawshaw, UN advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "But the UN's failure to investigate its own crimes does nothing to keep the peace. Instead, it undermines peacekeeping efforts and the reputation of the UN itself." The OIOS is a branch of the United Nations responsible for investigating offenses by peacekeepers and other UN staff. Internal reviews of the organization prepared by outside experts in 2007 indicate that OIOS is unable to effectively carry out investigations or promote accountability. The reviews conclude that "major reform" is required… A preliminary OIOS assessment report from February 2008 lists 44 allegations, of which at least 10 allegations had supporting evidence. Senior OIOS officials overruled the preliminary report's recommendation for further investigations. In a stripped-down four- page memo to the UN's department of field support, OIOS concluded that there was sufficient evidence only of the purchase of counterfeit gold and the unlawful detention of a local Congolese resident by three Indian peacekeepers. All other allegations, including repeat allegations of weapons-trading with armed groups, were ignored. On April 28, the BBC broadcast its own investigation into these allegations and also found OIOS had seriously failed in investigations…"We welcome Ban Ki- moon's commitment to transparency and accountability," said Crawshaw. "But this must be translated into action to ensure that UN peacekeepers who commit crimes don't go scot-free."

41. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Rainstorm Leaves Several Injured, Homeless: The NEWS (Monrovia):30 April 2008.

A violent rainstorm has left several persons wounded and internally displaced in Foya and Voinjama districts, Lofa County. The storm which preceded a heavy down pour of rain last week also destroyed several homes and left many persons injured when their homes collapsed. Lofa County Superintendent Galakpai W. Kortimai said in the vicinity of the Catholic School in Voinjama City, a man's arm and leg were broken and presently undergoing traditional treatment. Superintendent Kortimai noted that four other persons were rushed at the hospital. When our reporter visited the hospital, a nurse confirmed the report, but said the victims were treated and later discharged. Mr. Kortimai disclosed that the storm destroyed 40 houses in Voinjama City and added

322 that prior to the Voinjama incident, the rainstorm swept away 35 homes in Foya District. Superintendent Kortimai who disclosed that the incident resulted into the internal displacement of 198 families said the number could climb because some cases were not reported… Meanwhile, Mr. Kortimai said he has already reported the incident to Internal Affairs Ministry for appropriate action.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Botswana Prepares to Host Harare Refugees: The Nation (Nairobi):3 May 2008.

Botswana is preparing for an influx of refugees fleeing the worsening political crisis in Zimbabwe sparked off by President Robert Mugabe's shock defeat in last month's elections. Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF has sparked off a political storm by declaring that opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, did not win the presidential election by the mandatory majority. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday met the contestants in the presidential election for the second time to verify the long awaited results before they are released. A dispute over the official results of the March 29 poll forced the electoral body to adjourn the verification. Election officials reportedly told the meeting on Thursday that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 47.8 per cent and Mugabe 43.2 per cent… Already, the opposition claims that 20 of its supporters have been killed by ruling party militia, led by veterans of the country's liberation war and thousands displaced from their homes. Botswana said it had set up a temporary camp inside a detention centre in the city of Francis town for illegal immigrants to accommodate Zimbabweans escaping the political violence… Tsvangirai was himself granted temporary refugee by Botswana soon after declaring himself the winner of the presidential election, saying he had become the prime target of the security forces…

• Zimbabwe: Zambian Banks Shun Displaced Farmers: Financial Gazette (Harare):1 May 2008.

ZAMBIAN banks are shunning lending to white commercial farmers, who resettled in the country after being displaced under Zimbabwe's chaotic land reform programme, a top Zambian banker revealed to a United Kingdom-based magazine. About 4 000 white commercial farmers were displaced under Zimbabwe's controversial agrarian reforms under which they were moved out of their farmlands to make way for peasant black farmers. However, the programme eventually benefited mostly ruling party elites and their associates. Most of the displaced farmers fled to other African countries. Zambia, however, was the recipient of the bulk of the farmers reported to have significantly transformed that country's farming sector. More than 20 other African countries invited the displaced Zimbabwean commercial farmers to begin operations on their lands to beef up depleted agricultural output. The countries included Ghana, Cameroon, Sudan, Guinea Bissau, Benin, the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Namibia. Stanbic Bank Zambia managing director, Larry Kalala, told the April edition of the African Banker, his bank was among those that had taken a

323 stance against the former Zimbabwean farmers arguing they "have external funds". Reports have indicated that many of the white commercial farmers had found the going tough and had started trooping back into Zimbabwe. By July last year, a pressure group -- Justice for Agriculture (JAG) -- reported that more than 100 of these farmers had returned after encountering problems settling in other African countries… The African Institute for Agrarian Studies (AIAS) said the short-term impact of the country's land reforms had been mixed. While access to land had created a wider potential economic basis for the majority, failure of policy to rapidly promote the productive use of land by the new small farmers had contributed, alongside drought, to the persistence of rural food insecurity and poverty, according to a recent paper by AIAS…

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Dilemma of Resettling IDPs: The East African Standard (Nairobi):3 May 2008.

The thousands uprooted from their homes by post-election violence return beginning Monday with the gun at the ready, in case of resistance. The success or failure of the 'forceful' resettlement will have wide ramifications on the power sharing deal between President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The deal was, apart from quelling the raging fires of inter-ethnic violence, expected to stabilise the situation and allow for resettlement of the displaced. But the emergence of historical land issues set off fears even among the displaced, it was not yet time to return to their homes. President Kibaki declared the Government would resettle them, and to achieve the goal, quickly put up 30 police stations in the traditional flash points. Raila and his team on their part supported the resettlement, but called for more time to smoothen the ground for their return. Local leaders, the majority of who voted against President Kibaki's and Raila's recent visit to the camps also warned the process should not be hurried… Local leaders wanted those arrested released, interdicted chiefs reinstated, and the Government to show its commitment to the power sharing deal. But on all grounds they have lost, the Government for which they are now a part of, is pushing on, eager to remove the trauma and pain of displacement off the back of those in the camps. Rift Valley is teeming with security personnel who will oversee the return of the displaced and also ensure their safety as they pick up the pieces of their lives. The programme launched by Rift Valley PC Mr Noor Hassan is coded Operation Rudi Nyumbani (Operation Return Home)… The Government, he revealed, will allow the IDPs to choose either to go back to their farms or relocate… But some IDPs fear returning to the farms, where they were evicted during post-election violence… Hassan said only five schools were yet to re-open following post-election violence, while 169 teachers were yet to resume duties…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: UN Refugee Agency Deplores Murder of Aid Worker in East: UN News Service (New York):2 May 2008.

324 The United Nations refugee agency today voiced its sadness at the killing of a senior aid worker in eastern Chad and warned that humanitarian staff operating in the region must endure an increasingly insecure environment in which to carry out their work. Pascal Marlinge, the Country Director for the non-governmental organization (NGO) Save The Children, was shot yesterday by bandits while travelling in a three-vehicle convoy on the road between the towns of Farchana and Adre. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis told reporters today in Geneva that "this shocking incident underscores the highly insecure environment that humanitarian workers face in delivering protection and assistance" in eastern Chad. More than 240,000 refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan and 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) live in 12 camps across eastern Chad run by UNHCR…

• Chad: Aid Stoppage Called to Highlight Insecurity And Impunity: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 2 May 2008.

Aid agencies in Chad have called a two-day aid stoppage in protest at the murder of a French aid worker in eastern Chad on 1 May. "The humanitarian community has... decided to recommend the suspension of all humanitarian activities, except for essential services, in all of the country on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May 2008," the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Chad Kingsley Amaning said in a statement on 1 May. Issued hours after a British non-government organisation Save the Children confirmed that its project director in Chad, Pascal Marlinge, had been shot dead by unidentified men at a roadblock in eastern Chad, Amaning's statement said the two days would be used to "sensitise" aid workers, beneficiaries and the authorities… Aid agencies working in Chad have been warning for months that the conditions are so dangerous that aid operations for around 250,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur and over 100,000 displaced Chadians are constantly threatened… One of the most serious previous attacks on an international aid worker happened in May 2006 when a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) official was shot during a carjacking in the centre of the aid hub Abeche… The UN and European Union have started deploying troops in eastern Chad with a one-year mandate to protect the 12 refugee camps scattered around the vast, desert region…

• Rwanda: Refugees to Get Electronic IDs: The New Times (Kigali):29 April 2008.

Officials from the National Council for Refugees (CNR) have announced that they would soon start issuing Identity Cards for refugees to help them easily reintegrate into the community. The exercise will get underway in September after the issuance of new IDs countrywide. The refugees who would get electronic IDs include those from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia but who are officially recognized as refugees. The Executive Secretary of CNR, Innocent Ngango, revealed this yesterday during a presentation of the council's action plan for this year at the Ministry of Local Government head offices in Kacyiru. "We want to issue Identity Cards to refugees so that they can easily be identified and assisted accordingly,"

325 Ngango said… The official observed said that there are over 50,000 Rwandan refugees still living in various countries including Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Congo Brazzaville…

42. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Cancer, Fistula Major Problems in Promoting Maternal Health: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008.

In continuation of the two-day workshop on Promoting Maternal Health organized for governors' wives, cancer has been identified as a challenge that refuses to be conquered in the medical world. No documented reason of its causes exists, said a radiation oncologist, with the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Abubakar M. Bello in his paper presentation in Abuja. Dr. Bello said "as a matter of urgency all the states in the federation should create screening centres, provide ultrasound machines and mammography and include cancer treatment in National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) list…. He said screening through Pap Smear Test has brought a change in the epidemiology of cervical cancer and has reduced the incidence rate by 60-90 and death by 90%.The First Lady appealed to the governor's wives to build waiting houses for cancer patients, in order to lessen the burden of rent and cost of traveling to hospitals far away from patients. She said the problem of accommodation contributed to the scourge of cancer, in many cases the patients cannot keep to date with appointments this leads to passing away of patients silently in their homes. Breast and cervical cancer continue to be on the increase in Nigeria, this made the First Lady to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre, and some other relevant bodies. The parties agree to work collaboratively with the view to establish a National Cancer Centre in Nigeria.

• Nigeria: 300m People Suffer From Malaria – WHO: This Day (Lagos):29 April 2008.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has said more than 300 million people worldwide are affected by malaria, while between one million and 1.5 million people die from the disease every year. The report, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba, also stated that its parasite, previously widespread, is now confined mainly to Africa, Asia and Latin America. The report also identified as a major problem, the increasing resistance to drugs, but stated that some recent malaria drugs were undergoing clinical trials. Statistics has also shown that malaria parasites account for between 10 and 30 per cent of all hospital admission and responsible for 15 to 25 per cent of deaths in children under the age of five years. According to the report, 800,000 children under the age of five years die from malaria every year, making it one of the major causes of infant and juvenile mortality… In Africa, the report said a child dies through malaria every 30 seconds and that one out of very five children dies before their first birthday, from the disease which puts 40 per cent of the world population at risk.

326 • Nigeria: Judge Decries Mental Breakdown of Prison Inmates: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008.

Edo State Chief Judge, Michael Edokpayi, has decried the increase in the number of mental breakdown among prison inmates across the state. The Edo Chief Judge made the observation at Ubiaja prisons on his third day of visit to prisons in the state. He described the development as disturbing and called on all those concerned to come to the aid of the inmates. He added that any assistance in cash or kind would, in no small measure, reduce their hardship. Justice Edokpayi noted that his committee was not unmindful of the sorry state of prisons all over the country, as well as the harsh conditions the inmates were going through. The only lucky inmate released was one Chinedu Egbunike who had been in prison since 2005 for alleged conspiracy and armed robbery and whose case file had not been found.

• Ghana: Koforidua Zongo Faces Cholera Outbreak If...: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):1 May 2008.

The collection and dumping of refuse, has become a major challenge for most Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the country, especially the newly-created ones. One of such areas, which has been facing serious sanitation problems for many years now, is the Koforidua Zone C electoral area, within Koforidua Zongo. The area, which records the greatest number of residents, within the sub zongos in the region, is gradually losing its inhabitants, especially the youth, who are the economic backbone of the country. One factor, which are causing the area to lose its inhabitants, is the prevalence of several diseases, which are caused by a public toilets, and a deserted rubbish dump, situated right in the middle of the area. Alhaji Alhasan, the Assembly Member for area, in an interview with the paper, said he has on several occasions complained to the Assembly for intervention, but till date nothing has been done. According to him, the situation looked very alarming, and called for an immediate solution, before the place is declared a disease-prone area… The only public toilet, which serves almost the entire area, is also not properly maintained, because there is only one toilet disposal truck, within the entire municipality, and its environs. The residents say they are pleading with the government, to save them from this enormous sanitation crisis…

• Ghana: Northern Health Services Declare War On Mosquitoes: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):2 May 2008.

The Ghana Health Service is to institute a mechanism, known as Indoor Residual Spraying, in the Northern Region, to get rid of female anopheles mosquitoes, which are the main cause of malaria. Indoor Residual Spraying, according to health officials, was very costly, but with the support from President George Bush's recent US$17 million grant to combat the disease in Ghana, the cost of spraying homes would not be a problem. This was revealed to journalists, in Tamale recently, at the Northern Regional Health Directorate, in order to get the public well-informed about the initiative, which was yet to be launched. The Indoor Residual Spray was a process of applying

327 long-lasting insecticides onto the walls of rooms, ceilings and other areas. A health expert say the residual lasts 3 to 6 months, and was not dangerous to human health. It kills mosquitoes on contact, and reduces malaria by about 70%... The Northern Region was targeted, because of the high prevalence of malaria cases, due to its bad seasonal rainfall pattern. It is estimated that, about GH¢664.6 million, is spent annually, to fight malaria in Ghana, an amount which is twice the budget of the Ministry Health.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zambia: Country, Russia Sign $7m Malaria Grant: The Times of Zambia (Ndola):1 May 2008.

ZAMBIA and Russia yesterday signed a US$7 million grant for the malaria national support programme. Health Minister, Brian Chituwo, said yesterday that the fund, to be administered through the World Bank, would help scale up malaria interventions in the country. Dr Chituwo said the grant would greatly contribute to regional efforts in controlling the killer disease. The minister was speaking during the signing ceremony in Lusaka. He said part of the money would be invested in human resource development to equip health personnel with skills in the provision of quality heathcare… The envoy said next year, Russia would set aside about US$5 billion to go towards the education, health and energy support projects in developing countries such as Zambia. He said the funds under the Russian Development Agency Aid had been introduced to improve the lives of people in developing countries. Speaking at the same function, World Bank country manager, Kapil Kapoor, said the bank estimated the economic impact of malaria on the Zambian economy at approximately 1.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product every year…

• Mozambique: Officials Master Floods - But Battle to Contain Diseases That Follow: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):2 May 2008.

More people have died of cholera following recent floods in Mozambique than the number of those who perished in the rising floodwaters. Most rivers in central and northern Mozambique burst their banks after heavy rains in December, January and February, and as a result of Cyclone Jokwe -- which hit in early March. Exact figures are not readily available, but it is believed that about dozen people lost their lives in the floods, while three were eaten by crocodiles that had escaped their usual habitats. However, the international relief organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF), says that at least 72 people have died of cholera and an equal number because of other waterborne diseases such as dysentery. The numbers reveal that while Mozambican authorities have learned to mitigate the immediate consequences of massive floods, they are still struggling to cope with diseases that inevitably spread in the aftermath of such flooding… Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management (Instituto Nacional de Gestão de Calamidades, INGC) has described the recent downpours as the heaviest in living memory. Yet because the flooding followed similar patterns to the great floods of 2000 and 2007, authorities were able to extricate in good time almost all citizens living in areas at risk of being inundated.

328 More than 100,000 people were relocated, some of them forcibly, from the flood plains and transferred to resettlement camps at safe distances from rivers… Government would like to transform some of the resettlement areas into permanent villages in order to avoid the flood rescue operations, which take place on an almost annual basis. More than 20,000 houses were washed away over recent months. Most villagers are not keen on permanent resettlement because it means that they would lose their normally fertile plots of land close to the river banks..

• Namibia: Namibia Ranks Top in HIV/Aids Care: New Era (Windhoek): 30 April 2008.

The Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Richard Kamwi says Namibia ranks amongst the top five countries which have to date met the commitments made by the Heads of State and Government during the UN Special Session on HIV/Aids in 2006. He said the ranking is according to the UN Secretary General and World Health Organization (WHO) reports. Kamwi made the remarks last week in the National Assembly when he motivated the budget allocation to the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Kamwi said in terms of the national target to put 30 000 people on Anti- Retroviral Treatment (ARV), the ministry has surpassed the target and currently has 43 000 people on treatment. He added that according to the WHO, Namibia is leading the African region as far as the paediatrics treatment programme for HIV/Aids is concerned… Kamwi informed parliament that due to the terrible floods in the north and north-eastern parts of Namibia, the country experienced the second cholera outbreak this year. He said the second outbreak had severe consequences as over 1 000 people were infected and 13 lives lost. He however noted that indicators suggest that the outbreak has now reached its peak and the epidemic is now on the decline. The health minister thanked in particular the WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA as well as three SADC states, namely South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, who sent in technical teams to control the outbreak…

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Hospitals Now Run Out of TB Vaccine: The East African Standard (Nairobi):1 May 2008.

AN acute shortage of a TB vaccine has put the lives of more than 100,000 newborn babies at risk. Babies born in the past month have not been immunized against the killer disease. They risk contracting TB as the Government grapples with a severe shortage of the vaccine - Bacille Calmette- Guerin (BCG) - The Standard has learnt. The vaccine went out of stock a month ago, and the Government expects to replenish it in a fortnight. This means that babies, especially those born in public hospitals, have no immunity against TB. Dr Tatu Kamau, the manager of the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunisation (Kepi), yesterday confirmed there has been a shortage since last month… More worrying is that about 50,000 people are unaware that they have TB, an airborne disease that kills about 20,000 people in Kenya a year. A source at Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi, said the TB vaccine stocks would run out in two weeks' time.

329 CENTRAL AFRICA

• Congo-Kinshasa: Malaria Still Biggest Killer: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 28 April 2008.

Exaucée Makembi, aged three, has been very weak for three days and sleeps in the arms of her mother, Tina Nzongola, who has taken her to a health centre on the outskirts of Kinshasa. She is suffering from malaria. The doctor prescribed water-soluble artesunate, but Nzongola complains she does not have the funds to buy it, as it costs around US$5. Other patients lie on beds next to her - young and old - taking quinine and antibiotics because their cases, according to the nurse, are serious. "Most of the patients we receive have malaria," said Baby Bilo, a consultant at another health centre in the area. The situation is repeated all over the country. "Today, malaria is the primary cause of sickness and death in the country as it is in Africa, despite the efforts made," said Yacouba Zina, head of the malaria project of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. On average, five million cases of malaria, according to him, are registered every year throughout the country with a population of nearly 60 million. Between 500,000 and one million people die of the disease every year… According to him, the Congolese government since 2006 has taken an integrated approach to tackling the disease, including insecticide-treated bed nets. "Treated bed nets have either been donated or cost 50 US cents, while other partners are selling them at 18 cents," Angbalu said. Zina said the Global Fund, like other partners (the European Union and the World Bank), had ensured that the new drugs artesunate and amodiaquine are sold at 10 percent of their true value. Nevertheless, he notes, the number of malaria cases seemed to be rising. There are multiple reasons for this. The first is that, according to Zina, malaria is endemic in the DRC owing to its geographical location. The lack of access to the new drugs for most of the population is another reason, he said. In addition, the new strategy had improved the means of detection, prompting many more people to go for a test, and diagnosis is quick…

43. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Climate Change - WCU Proposes Adaptive Measures: Daily Trust (Abuja):28 April 2008.

The 2008 report by the World Conservation Union (WCU), has recommended the conservation of natural resources and biological diversity to address issues of climate change in traditional and indigenous societies. The report which drew attention to the adverse effects of climate change on the livelihood and cultures of these societies in various parts of the world, said it was necessary to recognise and promote indigenous adaptation strategies… The report also noted that many indigenous and traditional people have been pushed to the least fertile and most fragile lands and as a consequence, suffer social, political and economic exclusion. It said although these people have long had to cope with environmental changes and therefore have valuable knowledge about adapting to climate change, it warned that future climate change

330 impacts may exceed their adaptive capacity. It stressed that it was necessary for Governments at all levels to take the issue of climate change seriously as it could make or mar the economic growth of societies in years ahead.

• Liberia: FDA Bars More Logging Companies: The Inquirer (Monrovia):1 May 2008.

Following a recent publication in this paper regarding 12 logging companies been barred by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), additional 5 logging companies have been added to the list by the Concession review Committee. The five include: Cavalla Timber, Exotic Timber Corporation Enterprise incorporated and Nature Liberia Incorporated. Others include: Salami Mohammed Incorporated and Timber Management Corporation. It can be recalled that the twelve logging companies' bar was imposed when it was discovered that they operated outside of the threshold behavior criteria and were found to have been overtly involved in at least one of the following actions: support to militia, participated in, or facilitation of, arms for timber, or otherwise aided or abated civil instability…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Gold Panners Descend On Mozambican Deposits: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):30 April 2008.

GOLD panners in Chimanimani have descended on Mozambican deposits amid concerns that Zimbabwe's panning activities are causing massive environmental degradation in the neighbouring country, the Zimbabwe Guardian has learnt. Police sources in Chimanimani told this reporter that they have since intensified border patrols in a bid to check and control the movement of people in this mountainous area. "There is much concern about the panners' devastating activities on the Zimbabwean side. The illegal operatives are crossing the border in large numbers to extract the precious mineral from the Chimanimani Mountains on the Mozambican side and other areas like Madimba and Dima," said a senior police officer who requested anonymity. "The situation has prompted us to intensify border patrols, but we still encounter problems in our endeavours to completely curb the practice (gold panning)." he said. The officer said most of the panners who have descended on Mozambique used to do panning at Tark Forest in Chimanimani, but due to tight security at the site they moved to the neighbouring country where security is not as tight as in Zimbabwe…

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Rare Forest Plant At Great Risk As Demand Increases: The Nation (Nairobi):2 May 2008.

A wide bare circle is visible from the air in the middle of Arabuko Sokoke forest in Gede, Malindi District and cannot help wondering what could be responsible for the loss of trees. A closer look provides the answer - stumps of trees, hard wood specifically felled by illegal loggers and smuggled out of the supposedly protected forest. The forest,

331 covering about 400 square kilometres, is one of the very few remaining tropical forests in Africa and the largest indigenous coastal forest in Kenya. Like many others in Kenya, the forest is threatened by illegal loggers. Its wood, some of it from the rarest of indigenous species, is smuggled out every day to feed the carving industry, promoted by the tourism industry at the Coast. Most of the carvings find their way overseas… The forest is responsible for frequent rains over the Mida Creek and surrounding areas. It is home to thousands of butterflies that have been commercialised and source of honey that is gradually changing the economy of the local community, through exports to Europe and America… The Arabuko Sokoke forest, noted Dr Mutta, has 600 plant species out of which 169 are medicinal. Some of them are endangered due to over-exploitation. The forest is also the habitat of 230 bird species and more than 250 butterfly species…Some of the notable herbs that treat various diseases were displayed at the Open Day gathering. What was interesting though was the rush for the herbs that enhance man's libido… Among the plants identified for medicinal use are kadhimi kapala, mhirihiri, mbandajembe, mtsatsa, msunduzi, mtanga, kikwatha..

• Uganda: Lake Victoria Pollution Increases: New Vision (Kampala): 28 April 2008.

THE stinking algae mass, which has been covering the bays at , Munyonyo, Nakivubo and , has spread to the entire lake, which is a source of drinking water for Kampala and Kalangala islands, a Government official said. "The alga is spreading on the lake. Residents of Kalangala have been advised not to collect water from the lake for drinking," said Jennifer Namuyangu, the State Minister for Water. Namuyangu, who returned from a tour on Lake Victoria, warned that untreated drinking water could lead to waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery and diarrhoea. "Pollution of the lake is becoming a serious problem. I have ordered Kalangala district to install piped water to replace the boreholes and water wells." The algae mass, which looks like a green paint on the lake's surface, is a result of increased pollution from human disposal and industrial waste. The main reason for the spread of algae on the surface is the presence of increased nutrients, such as phosphates and nitrogen, substances that algae feed on.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Financial Mechanisms Are Essential for Sustainable Forestry – Madicott: The Post (Buea):1 May 2008.

The British High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Syd Madicott, has said appropriate global financial mechanisms are essential for the fight against environmental degradation. He explained that the British government, through the Eliasch Review Team, is

332 examining global financing mechanisms to promote sustainable forestry and contribute to the formulation of a new global deal on climate change. Madicott made the statement at a press briefing on April 25, in Yaounde. According to Madicott, it is the reason why some British experts of the Eliasch Review Team are Cameroon… A member of Eliasch Review, Michael Mullan, stressed that sustainable forestry is imperative because deforestation is a major source of carbon dioxide emission in the world. According to him, deforestation contributes to 17 percent of gas emission in 2004. The Eliasch study shows that 96 percent of emissions are linked to deforestation of tropical forests in developing countries. Another member of the Review, Judith Whiteley, recalled the Stern Review commissioned in 2005 which found out that all countries will be affected by climate change, but the poorest countries will suffer earliest and most.

• Burundi: Food Worries for Thousands Rendered Homeless By Heavy Rains: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 30 April 2008.

Some 5,000 people whose homes were destroyed a week ago after heavy rains in northwestern Burundi urgently need shelter and food aid, local officials said. Jean Paul Majambere, the administrator of Mugina commune in Cibitoke province, said on 28 April that the rains had destroyed more than 1,000 houses in the area, leaving thousands without shelter or food. "Serious material damage is still visible; houses are down and crops were completely damaged," Cibitoke governor Zépherin Barutwanayo said. Barutwanayo, who toured Mugina on 26 April, said the heavy rains had caused extensive damage in several locations in the commune, with Buseruko, Rugajo and parts of Rubona being the most affected. He said those affected had sought refuge with neighbours whose houses withstood the rains. "Those with strong houses have been spared," he added… Majambere said the banana plantations, the main source of income for most Mugina residents - from which they brew banana beer sold throughout the country - were "completely wiped out" by the heavy rains.

44. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: FG Needs $120bn to Achieve Steady Power Supply: Leadership (Abuja):1 May 2008.

Minister and deputy chairman, National Planning Commission, Senator Sanusi Daggash has said that Nigeria requires about $120 billion to achieve steady and uninterrupted power supply by the year 2020. He stated at the first annual general meeting of the National Association of Energy Economic/International Association of Energy Economics which ended yesterday in Abuja, the minister disclosed that the said amount needed to be invested in the power sector in the next 12 years to address the epileptic power supply in Nigeria… He stated that the power plants in Nigeria were installed in 1960, revealing that since then no new machine was installed and no proper maintenance was carried in the plants since there were installed…

333 • Nigeria: Court Stops Shell From Terminating Company's Contract: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008.

A Lagos High Court has restrained oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) from terminating a three-year contract between it and an indigenous auto engineering firm, Doyin Motors Limited. The order was sequel to an ex-parte motion filed for the firm by one Mr. Seni Adio of the law firm of Copley and Partners, accusing Shell of some underhand dealings meant to frustrate the contract with the aim of re-awarding same to a firm with foreign bias. Named with Shell as defendants in the substantive suit, are Mandilas Enterprises, Access Bank Plc and First Bank Plc. Presiding judge, Justice Sunday Oladokun Ishola specifically restrained Shell and her agents from terminating the said contract numbered "S14866 for Operation and Maintenance of SPDC Owned Light Vehicles in the Western Region" to prevent further negative implications to the plaintiff… The Court also restrained Shell and her agents from re-awarding the contract to Mandilas Enterprises Limited as alleged by the plaintiff); further undermining the plaintiff's relationship with her employees and impeding or interfering with Doyin Motors' performance of services contained in the contract…

• Nigeria: 'Invest Foreign Reserves in Offshore Oil Refineries': This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008.

Piling up hefty foreign reserves is desirable, but investing substantial part of the funds in key sectors of the economy where the nation has a comparative advantage in order to unleash the full potentials of the Nigerian economy is imperative, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Export Promotion Commission (NIPC), Engr. Mustafa Bello, has said. Nigeria's foreign reserve has been rising steadily and is currently estimated at $43 billion. But Bello told THISDAY shortly after addressing the second stanza of the 6th Nigeria-Business and Investment Forum (NCBIF) at the Jingling Hotel in Nanjing, China that it is hightime a chunk of the reserves is deployed to key investments, especially in the petroleum sector. Bello said that it will serve the nation and its economy better if we desist from merely exporting the crude oil while those nations that we export the commodity to reap huge benefits through the addition of value to the product. He suggested the establishment of oil refineries in countries like China and India, which have huge markets so that we can earn more foreign exchange from our natural resource."…

• Nigeria: FG Beefs Up Security Around Oil Installations: This Day (Lagos):1 May 2008.

The Federal Government has beefed up security at oil installations in parts of Delta State, following renewed threats to law and order particularly in Warri North Local Government Area. THISDAY gathered that there was sporadic shooting by unidentified gunmen suspected to be Ijaw militants in the area yesterday (Wednesday) morning. The shooting, coming barely two weeks after militants attacked Olero and Didi flow stations belonging to oil giant, Chevron has sent fears down the spine of residents in some the

334 riverside communities in Warri North. THISDAY checks revealed that the new wave of attacks and sporadic shooting were preceded by various threats and ultimatum issued by some Ijaw groups, including the Ijaw Youth Council, demanding an immediate end to alleged lopsided allocation of political positions between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups making up the local government area… The Ijaw groups have asked Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, an Itsekiri who hails from the local government area to use his exalted position to correct the said political and electoral imbalance by ensuring the Ijaw produce the next council chairman for the area. A group of Ijaw youths, under the aegis of the "Deadly Underdogs", claimed responsibility for the attack on the Chevron facility, during which several guns belonging to the security Joint Task Force (JTF) were captured… Explaining why they have resorted to the extreme measures to drive home their point on alleged political marginalization, Comrade Okoro Owei, Commander of the group, said there were plans to continue to deny Ijaws even a first-time occupation of the chairmanship of the Warri North Council in 17 years… However, the JTF Commander, Brig-Gen Naven Rimtip, warned that the JTF would not condone any threats from any lawless group whatsoever, which undermines the prevailing atmosphere of public peace and order in the area.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Power Crisis is Main Short-Term Threat to Economy -- Business Heads: Business Day (Johannesburg):30 April 2008.

DURING the next six months, the single biggest threat to the economy on the domestic front is the power crisis and Eskom's inability to meet the country's electricity needs, said five out of the 10 CEOs surveyed. "The difficulty with electricity supply strikes me as the most pressing concern in the next half year with regard to economic growth," said Absa's Steve Booysen. "If we were looking beyond the next six months, I would probably suggest that interest rates are the single biggest threat to the South African economy," he said. And if commodities continue to rise, that will further stoke inflation. "Far more dangerously, if commodity prices for oil and goods continue to skyrocket, inflation may rise. This may see the Reserve Bank hike interest rates further," FNB's Michael Jordaan said… When it came to external threats, the CEOs polled were split evenly on what was the greatest. Group Five's Mike Upton spoke for three of his colleagues when he singled out the flight of capital investment from SA that resulted from the subprime crisis in the US…"Without doubt recession or stagflation in the US economy would have a big effect here and inflationary pressures are a concern. And investors will look at the wider Southern African Development Community region when they take decisions on investment in SA, so a positive outcome from the situation in Zimbabwe is needed."

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Leader Approves Controversial Puntland Oil Exploration Project: Garowe Online (Garowe):30 April 2008.

335 The president of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has signed a letter formally approving an oil exploration project in the northern region of Puntland that has been mired in controversy and bloodshed since early 2006, Garowe Online has learned. The letter, dated April 25th, was signed by interim President Abdullahi Yusuf, himself a former Puntland warlord before being elected to the Somali presidency in October 2004 at the conclusion of a two-year peace process in neighboring Kenya… Although the letter did not elaborate, the "concession holders" refers to Australia-based mining firm Range Resources, Ltd., and Canada's Africa Oil Corp., two companies who have a joint venture to explore for oil and gas in the semiautonomous State of Puntland, northeastern Somalia… But many Puntland lawmakers, who represent local armed clans, remain strongly opposed to the oil law and have demanded a second vote after accusing Puntland Parliament Speaker Ahmed Ali Hashi using an ill-timed and "illegal" vote to break a 21-21 tie on the Puntland oil law… Many observers have wondered how it is possible to explore for oil in Somalia, where a civil war has raged for 18 years, worsened only by Ethiopian occupation troops protecting Yusuf's government in war-torn Mogadishu…

• Kenya: State to Revert to Petrol Blending: The Nation (Nairobi): 2 May 2008.

Blending of petrol with ethanol made from sugarcane will be reintroduced in Kenya. This is meant to cushion consumers from effects of escalating petroleum products prices. Energy permanent secretary, Mr Patrick Nyoike, said the high cost of crude oil had made it attractive for Kenya to revert to blending of petrol with ethanol to reduce expenditure of foreign reserves on importation of fossil fuel. He said the government will put in place rules for oil marketing companies to adhere to when blending… Green Africa Foundation said development of the bio-diesel industry will help in poverty eradication with farmers growing Jatropha in rural areas and also enable the country earn money from carbon credits globally. Foundation chairman, Mr Isaac Kalua, said oil marketing firms have shown interest in supporting integration of Biodiesel in mainstream petroleum products if standards are established and enforced.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Oil Exploration Goes Into Second Phase: The New Times (Kigali):26 April 2008.

The second phase of oil exploration in the Western Province is about to begin after the first phase was successfully completed. The area, known as the East Kivu Graben, covers parts of Nyungwe and Gishwati forests, and Lake Kivu. Vangold Resources Ltd, Canadian oil, gas and Mineral Corporation carrying out the exploration, announced the completion of the first phase on April 18. "The satellite imagery phase has been completed. What they saw were signs of seepage but this does not really tell much," confirmed Vangold's Country Manager, Joseph Katarebe. "We are now planning for the second phase and this involves bringing in planes to fly over the area," Katarebe told The New Times… A British firm, the NPA Group, prepared the report on behalf of

336 Vangold. Nyirahuku explained that in the first phase, pictures from land-set imagery [satellite pictures] of Lake Kivu and the environs show some oil slicks. While these slicks may indicate a possible presence of generation and accumulation of oil in East Kivu Graben, explorers say the journey was still long since no hint on the exact location and volume of the deposits. "You also have to analyse the slicks further to establish whether they are not due to pollution for instance," Nyirahuku warned. To establish this, "the next step is for Vangold to collect water samples and conduct a geochemical study - an analysis of the rocks," he explained… Government is closely monitoring these activities by providing necessary support. Vangold runs similar activities in Kenya, Canada, among other countries. The Government is not paying anything at this stage.

45. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: How to Manage Excess Crude Fund – Tukur: Daily Trust (Abuja):2 May 2008.

The Revenue Mobilisation Alloca-tion and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Chairman, Engineer Hamman Tukur, has proposed a new formula for the realisation of a realistic crude oil benchmark for the 2008 budget and the efficacious utilisation of the excess crude oil fund for crucial sectoral projects. Explaining the new formula before the House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency, Tukur said in view of the rising price of crude oil on the international market, the most realistic benchmark for the 2008 budget should be arrived at by basing the daily cost of any project in a given sector on daily crude production and calculating it against the chosen $59 per barrel benchmark. The RMAFC chairman said, "for instance, if the following sectors are identified as national priorities: Power, Railways, Agriculture, and Coal reactivation etc, then to determine their benchmarks the formula applies; daily cost of project by daily crude production, which equals to benchmark". According to him, "If the power sector requires $4b for reliable power over the period of say, four years, then annual requirement is $1bn… He said the new formula, "is a deliberate approach designed to reduce inflation through the importation of capital goods because the demands of the identified sectors are largely sourced outside the country and are therefore, within the medium term expenditure framework of the World Bank and the IMF, thus the fear of inflation does not arise". Tukur said the application of the new formula would enable Nigeria conserve and utilise whatever excess amount accrued from the fluctuation of the sale of crude oil instead of depositing it in the country's foreign reserve which is often used more by other countries.

• Nigeria: Yar'Adua Asks Workers to Back 7-Point Agenda: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has called on Nigerians to do away with past negative practices and work positively towards building a better future for the country. The President's call came just as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged him

337 not to allow his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and elements of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's model of politics within his government to sabotage the mandate the people of Edo State gave to Adams Oshiomhole. Speaking at the Workers' Day celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja yesterday, the President, represented by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Hassan Mohammed Lawal admonished organised labour to support his administration's seven-point economic agenda. He said the workers should partner government in its ongoing efforts to create a new Nigeria anchored on social justice, due process and rule of law… According to Omar, "As we said in the past, the seven-point agenda of this administration has by and large identified key development priorities that need to be pursued.”However, we are not seeing concrete steps to deliver on these priorities. As such, the real sectors of the economy continue to under-perform because of poor infrastructures and unfavorable macro- economic policies"…

• Nigeria: Pengassan, Mobil Call Off Strike: Daily Trust (Abuja):2 May 2008.

The four-day NNPC-brokered truce talks between Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) and PENGASSAN has yielded results as both parties reached agreement on the contentious issues. With the resolution of the labour face-off, the indefinite strike embarked upon by the workers, has been called off, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The workers were agitating for a pay rise, integrity of facilities, pension scheme, expatriate quota, safety at work environment and casual/contract staffing. The MPN is ExxonMobil's upstream subsidiary currently producing the country's largest volume of crude each day. The one-week strike and facility shut-down resulted to 860,000 barrels per day crude oil loss from MPN's export terminal in Eket, Akwa Ibom. "We have communicated the agreement to our members and asked them to go back to work.”As we speak, they have started re-opening the facilities shut down a week ago," Mr. Olusola George-Olumoroti, Chairman of MPN PENGASSAN branch, told NAN…

• Nigeria: Labour Faults Yar'Adua's Economic Policies: Vanguard (Lagos): 2 May 2008.

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday demanded an economic agenda from President Umaru Yar'Adua's government, saying so far, his policies had left the people poorer. NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, said though the President articulated a seven-point agenda, "the real sectors of the economy continue to under- perform because of poor infrastructure and unfavourable macro-economic policies." He said despite broad macroeconomic indices which showed positive developments, "the labour market consistently displayed fundamental weakness. What we see daily are high levels of unemployment and retrenchment across all sectors."… "The prices of agricultural inputs are also dangerously escalating. The plight of the average Nigerian is made worse today by the steady rise in the prices of food. The latest information is that bread producers are increasing the price of bread by 25 per cent," he said. Vows to resist increase in electricity tariff. But President Yar'Adua, represented by Labour Minister, Dr. Muhammad Hassan Lawal, called for the

338 emergence of a new Nigerian worker "who values hard work and realises that we can only make Nigeria work for the people by being diligent and patriotic." The president said: "These virtues are what Nigeria needs to build a better future for its people. Time is ripe for all Nigerians to move away from the past negative practices to positive ones."…

• Ghana: Use Oil Revenue to Develop Agriculture: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra):29 April 2008.

PARTICIPANTS AT a one-day consultative forum, on the policy document on oil and gas, in Bolgatanga, have expressed divergent views, and given suggestions on areas that the oil revenue could be channeled into, so as to develop the economy of the country, and make living standards bearable for all Ghanaians. According to the participants, there was the need for government to use the revenue, which would accrue from oil and gas prudently, by channelling it into critical areas like agriculture, education and health. While some of them were very unconvinced about the oil find, and wondered what quantity of it could be extracted, and for how long, others were optimistic that the finds were in large quantities, and could turn round the fortunes of the economy. With some of them citing Nigeria as a case study for neglecting the agricultural sector, some participants said agriculture was paramount, and must not be compromised for anything, when revenues from oil and gas were realized… Mr. Appah-Sampong said the structure of the Draft Oil and Gas Policy has four organized themes, Resource Management, Revenue Management, Safety and Environment, and Security. According to him, Norway was one of the oil producing countries that has been successful, and that the government of Ghana had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with that country, to help in the extraction and management of the oil, and gas products. Mrs. Mangowa Ghanney of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Accra, disclosed that, 11 international companies had expressed interest in the country's oil find. She called for local inputs, to customize the views of these foreign companies. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Alhassan Samari, noted that oil and gas were national assets, which belonged to every Ghanaian

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zambia: State Stays Put: The Times of Zambia (Ndola);2 May 2008.

Government will not withdraw the Industrial and Labour Relations Amendment Bill as demanded by some union leaders because it was formulated with the full participation of the stakeholders. President Mwanawasa said this yesterday when he officiated at this year's Labour Day celebrations whose theme was "Economic Empowerment Through Decent Work and Social Justice." Dr Mwanawasa said that trade unions were consulted in the formulation of the Bill and wondered why they could this time around indicate that the piece of legislation should be withdrawn. The President was reacting to Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president, Leonard Hikaumba's appeal for the Government to withdraw the proposed amendments from Parliament. "This law was formulated with your full support, so why should it

339 be withdrawn? Mr Hikaumba, you know that we consulted you, the trade unions have been consulted and they made their input," Dr Mwanawasa said…

• Zimbabwe: Govt Makes Available Fuel for School Buses: The Herald (Harare):28 April 2008.

GOVERNMENT has made available 260 000 litres of fuel for buses ferrying pupils to various boarding schools for the second term which begins tomorrow. Conventional buses would this morning collect fuel from two service stations in Harare and designated filling stations in other towns. National Oil Company of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Zvinechimwe Churu said his company, in consultation with the Public Transport Organisation, had provided diesel to ensure that boarders get to school smoothly. "The arrangements have always been in place as we work with the organisation on a daily basis. We have always availed fuel to assist them on both the rural and urban routes. Everything is in order and we have advised them where to pick up the fuel," he said. Mr Edward Chawasarira, the PTO president, said buses were ready to ferry schoolchildren to their various destinations… Mr Churu said the Ministry of Agriculture had indicated that 9.5 million litres of fuel were needed for the winter wheat programme so Noczim would ensure that the outstanding 3,5 million litres were also going to be made available in time for land preparations. However, Mr Churu castigated farmers who took advantage of this Government scheme to pursue their own selfish motives by reselling the fuel on the parallel market. "Farmers should desist from abusing this facility as the Government designed it with the sole intention of enhancing food security hence the low pricing of the commodity to make it accessible to all farmers," he warned… This year the country targets to plant between 60 000 and 70 000 hectares of wheat. Over 400 000 tonnes of the cereal are consumed annually.

EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Top Government Officials Take Blame On Illegal Fishing: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):28 April 2008.

Fishing industry stakeholders in Dar es Salaam yesterday alleged that some senior government officials were fuelling illegal fishing. Speaking to Livestock Development and Fisheries minister John Magufuli at a stakeholders' meeting at the International Fishing Market at Kivukoni (Ferry), they said senior officials from the fisheries ministry were behind illegal fishing in Dar es Salaam. Minister Magufuli, who called for the meeting, said he would deal "with the problem", and appealed for assistance through reporting of such cases. Although no names were revealed at the meeting, Oceanic Environment managing director Mr Feisal Mohammed, who was representing the stakeholders, said they would do so once requested and guaranteed of protection. The fishing sector contributes about 3 percent of the government's income, but has been dogged by illegal businesses, which not only do not pay tax but also benefit a few individuals…

• Kenya: Tourism Earnings Fall By 61 Per Cent: The Nation (Nairobi):3 May 2008.

340 The tourism industry has recorded a 61 per cent drop in earnings for the first quarter of this year due to the post-election violence. KTB boss, Dr Ong'ong'a Achieng' and research and development manager Kennedy Manyala during the briefing. The sector posted Sh8 billion in income compared to Sh21 billion that had been projected as earnings during the period. January through March is considered as high season for the local tourism industry because of the large number of visitors who come in to escape winter conditions that are usually prevailing in their mother countries. According to the Kenya Tourist Board managing director, Dr Ongong'a Achieng', flight and booking cancellations deprived the industry of earnings. The decline comes against the background of an 18 per cent growth the sector recorded in the same period last year. "The crisis led to massive cancellation by tourists who we had expected to arrive in the country by January. Several travel advisories that were also issued against coming into the country contributed to this," said Dr Achieng'. During the period, 274,000 tourists arrived in the country compared to 500,000 in the same period in 2007. Bed occupancy levels also dropped by 30 per cent resulting to closure of some hotels and an estimated 20,000 people losing their jobs… The number of visitors from the United Kingdom, United States of America and Germany, considered as source markets, also went down significantly… To maximise on the gains made by the peace deal, KTB is putting up aggressive media and public relationship strategies to market the country. The initiatives are designed to show Kenya as a safe destination. The board will also be focusing on high brand tourists.

46. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Senate to Spend N1bn On Constitution Review: Leadership (Abuja):2 May 2008.

The Senate has earmarked N1 billion for the joint adhoc committee to review the 1999 constitution. Speaking with Senate reporters yesterday, Senator , deputy Senate president who is also chairman of the joint committee confirmed that just like in the Senate, this time too, the sum of N1 billion has been earmarked for the activities leading to the review of the 1999 constitution. The deputy Senate president also told reporters that, contrary to speculations, that there was no bickering as a result of the composition of members of the committee. "The Senate selection committee is in charge of constituting the committee, and they are doing just that, there are no disagreements about it," Senator Ekweremadu said. The Senate had announced guidelines for the composition of the committee, which would have a senator each from every state of the federation, to be nominated by the senators of each state themselves… He said the practice was centuries old in the United States of America, that South Africa, Ghana, Zimbabwe and other African nations had already adopted it…

• Nigeria: 50 Ambassadors Stranded in Abuja: This Day (Lagos):2 May 2008.

One hundred and eighty days after their confirmation by the Senate, only about 10 of the 61 ambassadors-designate have left for their countries of posting while about

341 50 of them are still in Nigeria literarily abandoned. Some of those who have already left for their place of postings included among others former Senate Leader, Senator Dalhatu Tafida -United Kingdom, Prof. Joy Ogwu-United Nations (UN)'s mission in New York, General Timothy Shephildi-Russia, General Oluwole Rotimi-United States (US) and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro-Ghana… Six weeks ago, at the Presidential dinner held to bid them farewell in Abuja, it was disclosed that letters of acceptance from 20 countries were ready and were simply waiting for President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's signature. Officials of the ministry could not confirm if the ambassadors- designate have already been receiving salaries or allowances since their posting. Forty letters of credence were sent by President Yar'Adua for endorsement just three weeks ago. The delay in leaving for their countries of posting has been partly due to the varying process in the issuance of acceptance by the host countries and the personal and administrative matter the ambassadors-designate are to handle before leaving…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Won Election But Faces Run-Off: allAfrica.com:2 May 2008.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe's presidential election on March 29, but not by a big enough margin to avoid a second round run-off. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced on Friday that Tsvangirai had won 47.9 percent and Mugabe 43.2 percent of the vote, news agencies reported. "Since no candidate has received the majority of the valid vote cast... a second election shall be held on a date to be advised by the commission," Lovemore Sekeramayi, chief elections officer, was reported as saying by Agence France-Presse… The MDC said before the announcement of the result that Tsvangirai would not enter a run-off, but the Zimbabwe Independent reports from Harare that he will take part, notwithstanding public remarks to the contrary.

• Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai To Contest In Run-off: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):2 May 2008.

MAIN opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai will contest the looming presidential election run-off despite his public remarks to the contrary. This came as the presidential election candidates or their agents yesterday met Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) officials to tackle the crisis triggered by the withholding of results — more than a month later — due to a demand by President Robert Mugabe for a recount of the votes… Although Tsvangirai insisted he would not enter a run-off, information gleaned from documents on the deal between the two MDC factions to work together in parliament shows he will take on Mugabe in the second round. “This agreement is premised on the underlying assumption that Morgan Tsvangirai has either won the 2008 Zimbabwean presidential elections held on 29 March 2008, or will face a ‘run-off’ election,” the MDC agreement says…

342 EAST AFRICA • Sudan: Top UN Official Offers Condolences After Plane Crash in Southern Sudan: UN News Service (New York):2 May 2008.

The senior United Nations official in Sudan has offered his condolences to the Government of Southern Sudan after learning of the death today of one of its ministers and other military officials in a plane crash. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, also offered his deepest sympathies on behalf of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the wider Organization to the bereaved families of the crash victims, according to a statement issued by the mission in Khartoum. Media reports state that the aircraft was flying from the town of Wau to the regional capital of Juba when it crashed, killing everyone on board. Around 20 people are thought to have lost their lives, including Dominic Dim Deng, a Government minister. The UNMIS statement said it is making its helicopters available to bring aviation safety officials from the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan - established in the wake of the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement ending the long-running north-south civil war - to the scene of the accident so they can conduct their investigations.

47. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Senegal: Landmines Claim New Victims in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 2 May 2008.

One man was killed and 20 passengers injured when a bus drove over a landmine near the village of Lefeu, 70km north of the Casamance capital Ziguinchor on 1 May police said. The Gambian registered bus was driving the passengers north from Bignona 30km from Ziguinchor towards the Gambia according to Talla Diop, an officer with the Ziguinchor police force. A Senegalese army officer who wished to remain anonymous claimed the mine was laid by rebels with the Movement of Democratic Forces for Casamance (MFDC), to protest the Senegalese army reinforcing its position in the area… According to non-governmental organisation Handicap International, landmines have killed or injured approximately 1,000 people in Casamance since 1990. In September 2006 a staff member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was killed by a landmine on the same stretch of road… Violent incidents continue to take place in violation of a December 2004 peace accord. Local observers in Casamance have said they are concerned about an upsurge in violence in recent months after a period of relative calm in late 2007.

• Côte d'Ivoire: Security Council Welcomes Steps Toward Holding Presidential Polls: UN News Service (New York):29 April 2008.

343 The Security Council today welcomed the news that Côte d'Ivoire will be holding previously delayed presidential elections on 30 November, and urged the West African nation to redouble its efforts to meet that vital goal on the path to peace. The announcement of the election date, supported by all Ivorian parties, and the signing by President Laurent Gbagbo of related decrees, constitute "an important step forward," according to a statement read out by Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which holds the rotating Council presidency for April. Côte d'Ivoire became divided in 2002 between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north, but last year's Ouagadougou Peace Agreement paved the way for an end to the conflict and included a provision calling for free and fair elections to be held. Presidential polls were to be held as far back as 2005, but have been delayed several times since then. During his visit to the country last week, Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon encouraged all the main political actors in Côte d'Ivoire to continue making progress in the country's peace process… The 15-member body also encouraged the parties to build on the ongoing mobile courts' process for the identification of the Ivorian population and registration of voters, and said it looked forward to the publication of the electoral list "as a crucial step in the electoral process."

• Guinea Bissau: UN Fund to Spend $6 Million on Peacebuilding Efforts: UN News Service (New York):28 April 2008.

The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, set up to help countries emerging from conflict avoid relapsing into violence, has agreed to provide Guinea-Bissau with $6 million to support the Government's efforts relating to the upcoming legislative elections, security sector reform, the judiciary, the police and youth employment. Senior UN Peacebuilding officials have provisionally approved Guinea-Bissau's Interim Priority Plan on priority issues for funding. This follows Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon's decision last month to declare Guinea-Bissau eligible for support from the Fund following the request of the Peacebuilding Commission. A National Steering Committee co-chaired by the Secretary-General's Representative in Guinea-Bissau, Shola Omoregie, was sworn in earlier this month, coinciding with the visit to the country of a delegation from the Peacebuilding Commission. Bringing together representatives of the UN, the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors and civil society, the Committee is tasked with overseeing the selection of projects and the allocation of funding. Set up last year by the Secretary-General, the Peacebuilding Fund is designed to serve as a bridge between the phases of conflict and recovery, a period when other forms of financing are often not available to struggling nations. So far more than $248 million have been committed.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Conflict Resolution Syllabus for Schools: The East African Standard (Nairobi):30 April 2008.

The Government is preparing a conflict resolution policy for school's curriculum in response to effects of post-election violence. Contemporary issues will be incorporated in the curriculum, particularly in subjects that will enable pupils learn values of tolerance,

344 problem solving, dialogue and co-existence. The peace education manuals come in the wake of massive battering of the education sector during the post-election violence. "To avoid the creation of a violent generation, we need to embrace peace and transmit values that lead to mutual acceptance among our people," Education PS, Prof Karega Mutahi, told a workshop of education officials reparing the manuals. He added: "We can do this through integration of peace in our education programmes". Some 158,000 pupils were displaced alongside more than 100,000 teachers who are now in displaced people's camps… She said the initiative, the first of its kind in the country, was similar to those conducted in Ghana, Rwanda and the clash-torn areas of Northern Kenya. "About 600 educationists will validate the syllabus whose draft has been prepared," she said. Meanwhile, more than 200 students of Ringa Secondary School in Rachuonyo District have been sent home after they rioted… The 210 Form Three and Four students had their holiday Tuition cut short after the riot, on Sunday. "They claimed the food was stale and started pelting the deputy head teacher with stones," said Rachuonyo deputy DEO, Mr Jacob Onyiego.

• Kenya: Muslims Urge Action On Somalia: The East African Standard (Nairobi):27 April 2008.

Muslims have urged President Kibaki to rally African leaders in seeking a lasting solution to the mayhem in Somalia. The leaders accused the African Union and the UN of failing to take action as innocent citizens were killed in the Horn of Africa nation. National Muslims Leaders Forum Chairman, Mr Abdulahi Abdi, claimed foreign troops had held captive 40 Somali citizens whom they were torturing. In a signed statement, the officials, who had called a press conference at Nairobi's Jamia Mosque, accused the Ethiopian army of abusing the rights of Somali Muslims by bombing and storming mosques. "Last month, the Ethiopian army stormed a mosque in Somalia and killed 21 people including eight sheiks. Their acts are a desecration of holy places of worship," said Abdi. "The soldiers also stormed a hospital and killed patients before looting drugs and other medical equipment. They further ambushed a madrassa and abducted 40 children."… The leaders demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops from Somalia to give room for dialogue between the warring communities and political forces.

• Uganda: Machar to Meet Kony Tomorrow: New Vision (Kampala):29 April 2008.

THE chief mediator in the peace talks, South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar, is to meet LRA leader Joseph Kony in Ri-Kwangba tomorrow, according to Government sources. Defence state minister Ruth Nankabirwa told the defence and internal affairs committee yesterday that the Government was awaiting the result of the meeting to determine its next course of action. "We are waiting for the outcome of that meeting. The Government decided that Kony be given another chance. He raised issues which he wants a team of experts to explain to him." Nankabirwa, who was flanked by defence minister Crispus Kiyonga, was responding to a question by Lt. Jessica Alupo (Katakwi) on the way forward for the Juba peace process. "The ceasefire

345 agreement has not been extended and the current situation is based on a gentleman's agreement and goodwill of the Government. The sooner Kony meets Machar the better," she added. On April 10, Kony failed to turn up at Ri-Kwangba to sign the final peace agreement with the Government. He said he needed more information on the traditional justice system, the special division of the High Court to be set up in Kampala and the ICC.

• Sudan: UN-AU Peacekeepers Aid Darfur Villagers Attacked By Govt Forces: UN News Service (New York):3 May 2008.

The United Nations-African Union hybrid peacekeeping operation has evacuated North Darfur villagers wounded in recent attacks by Sudanese forces that have left three dead and at least eight injured. The joint operation - known as UNAMID - said it carried out successfully airlifted wounded civilians, "following SAF [Sudanese forces] air attacks on the village of Umm Sidir in North Darfur" on Thursday, according to a statement issued yesterday in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur and the mission's headquarters. A UNAMID medical team flew to Umm Sidir to provide initial medical care to the victims of the attack - which left two men dead and eight seriously injured. In El Hashim and Heles, one woman was killed, while property and live-stock were destroyed. The wounded, ranging in age from 17 to 40, were later flown by UNAMID forces to El Fasher where they were admitted to hospital. "One man, who has suffered severe head injuries from shrapnel, is said to be in a critical condition, another is awaiting surgery," the mission said. The other men are in a stable condition. The evacuation was conducted at the request of humanitarian organizations and in coordination with Sudanese authorities… Condemning attacks against civilians, UNAMID urged all parties to the Darfur conflict - which have claimed more than 200,000 lives and displaced nearly 2.5 million others since 2003 - to adhere to international humanitarian laws, which prohibit military attacks against civilians…

• Eritrea: Country Undermined Basis of UN Peacekeeping Mission's Mandate - Security Council: UN News Service (New York):1 May 2008.

Recalling its prior condemnation of Eritrea's hindrances, the Security Council said the country's ongoing obstruction of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) has dealt a blow to the blue helmets' mandate. The restrictions posed by Eritrea have induced UNMEE to relocate temporarily, according to a statement read out last night by Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which held the rotating presidency of the Council for April. "The Security Council will, in the light of consultations with the parties, decide on the terms of a future UN engagement and on the future of UNMEE," he noted. The 15-member Council said that it is prepared to help the sides break the stalemate, but warned that - as it has in previous statements - the two countries are responsible for reaching a "comprehensive and lasting settlement" of their border dispute and for normalizing their relations… Calling on the Horn of Africa neighbours "to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other," the statement urged

346 Ethiopia and Eritrea to follow up on commitments made in the 2000 Algiers Agreements, which ended the war between the countries.

• Uganda: Army Warned On Land Grabbing: New Vision (Kampala):1 May 2008.

DEFENCE minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga has asked army officers to desist from land grabbing. He said the act would alienate the people from the Government. Citing Col. John Mugyenyi and Maj. Gen. Jim Owoyesigire of the Air force, the minister asked the army leaders to investigate cases of land grabbed by army officers. Kiyonga was on Wednesday speaking at the second annual general meeting for Wazalendo Credit and Savings Cooperative Society, at the Junior Officers College at Gadaffi Barracks in Jinja. "Soldiers were accused of evicting people. This is betrayal. The land situation is spoiling our relationship with the population," he said. "Comrades, if we don't handle this issue carefully, it will be a big problem. We came to government through a revolution. Our revolution is to transform the people. The urge to get rich quickly is dangerous for the revolution."… "We need to sort out these issues. Our comrades like Mugyenyi, are evicting people. Jim of the Airforce has too much land in Masindi and is fighting the church. "Mugyenyi should know that he is a beneficiary of the revolution and he can not spoil it. What does a soldier want with 300 acres of land when other people have nothing? This matter should be addressed urgently," the minister said, adding that army officers should acquire land peacefully. He urged the soldiers to embrace SACCOs to improve their standards of living. The Government would improve the soldiers' salaries, Kiyonga added.

48. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: As Kidnappers Release Mrs. Idisi Again, Militants Blow Up Shell Flow Station: This Day (Lagos):4 May 2008.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Diebu Creek Flow Station was on Friday night blown up by militants operating along the creeks of Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State, causing a massive oil spillage along the waterways. The attack on the heavily guarded facility was said to have caught the soldiers deployed to protect it unawares as the militants who were said to have come in five speedboats easily overran them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Margaret Idisi, wife of the Chief Executive Officer of Lone Star Drilling Company Limited, Chief Humphrey Idisi, who was kidnapped from her husband's home in Port Harcourt on April 13, yesterday regained her freedom from her abductors. The attack on Shell facility, which resulted into a spill of crude into the river and surrounding creek, led to the shutting in of some undisclosed quantity of crude oil some of which had spilled before the shut in. The attack came as some suspected sea pirates attacked a ship and abducted the Captain suspected to be a foreign national and a Nigerian engineer 15 miles off the coast of Bonny, Rivers State. Information was scanty on the attack at press time last night, but Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa has confirmed the incident. The attack on the

347 30,000 barrels per day installation is the first attack on any oil facility since former Governor Timipre Sylva brokered a peace deal with militant groups operating in the state last year. Claiming responsibility for the attack is a Commander Douglas; a hitherto unknown militant who promised that the war had just began. He did not give any reason for the onslaught, which affected Shell's wells 12, 13, 15 and 16t. The attack also damaged the manifold supplying crude to the flow station and the equipment, which separates water from crude and the delivery lines to the oil terminal. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has been claiming responsibilities for several attacks on Shell facilities… The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, who confirmed the release of Mrs. Idisi, said she gained her freedom in the early hours of Saturday in Bayelsa State. "We do not know if any ransom was paid before her release, and we do not know the group that carried out the act…

• Nigeria: No Proof of Global Terror in Nigeria, Says U.S.: This Day (Lagos): 1 May 2008.

The United States (US) government has said its suspicions that the Nigerian Taliban has links with Al Qaeda affiliates led by Osama bin Laden and the Mali arm of Al- Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are yet to be proved by conclusive evidence. Also, the US said the widespread poverty in Muslim dominated North could be a breeding ground for radicalism in spite of the view expressed by Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar III, that there is no "Al Qaeda cell of Taliban in Nigeria." The US government made its views known in its 2007 Country Reports on Terrorism released in Washington, DC yesterday…"The Sultan of Sokoto, the supreme Muslim authority in the country has stated 'there is no AQ cell of Taliban in Nigeria.' The Sultan received information from a longstanding network of traditional local and regional leaders (emirs) and maintained that it would be extremely difficult for terrorist groups to operate without the detection by this network."… It said its Trans-Sahara Counter terrorism Partnership (TSCTP) set up to enhance the capacity of governments in the pan- Sahel, comprising Mauritania, Mali, Chad and Niger as well as Nigeria and Senegal are to tackle the challenge of terrorist organizations in the trans-Sahara. It is also meant to facilitate cooperation between those countries and the Maghreb nations that include Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, it stated… Sultan Sa'ad Abubakar had visited Washington, D.C. in November last year on the invitation of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), an organisation funded by the US Congress. He spoke on Muslim-Christian relations in Nigeria. Abubakar's visit was co-sponsored by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the African Programme at Johns Hopkins University. He also made a stop at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), where he delivered a paper entitled "Islam and Democracy in Nigeria". It is believed the US government sought his cooperation in tackling their concerns in the Northern part of the country.

• Africa: Country Reports on Terrorism - Africa Chapter: United States Department of State (Washington, DC): DOCUMENT:30 April 2008.

348 U.S. law requires the Secretary of State to provide Congress, by April 30 of each year, a full and complete report on terrorism with regard to those countries and groups meeting criteria set forth in the legislation. This annual report is entitled Country Reports on Terrorism. The Section on Africa follows below:

“Emergent threats, such as terrorism, climate change, and illegal exploitation of natural resources, equally demand vigilance and decisive action. The good news is that the African Union and its member nations are resolved to take the initiative tackling these problems, and are in fact making progress.”

–John Agyekum Kufuor, President of Ghana

September 25, 2007

• Al-Qa’ida (AQ) operatives in East Africa and al-Shabaab militants in Somalia continued to pose the most serious threat to American and allied interests in the region. The late 2006 defeat of the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) as a governing force in Mogadishu by Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, and the ensuing insurgency that engulfed Mogadishu and parts of south central Somalia for the remainder of the year continued to make Somalia a permissive operating environment and a potential safe haven for both Somali and foreign terrorists already in the region. • There were few significant international terrorist incidents in Africa, but civil conflict, ethnic violence, and activity amongst domestic terrorist groups continued in a number of countries. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) officially merged with AQ in September 2006 and subsequently, in early 2007, changed its name to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). • Hizballah continued to engage in fundraising activities in Africa, particularly in West Africa, but did not engage in any terrorist attacks within the region. • The Trans-Sahara Counter terrorism Partnership (TSCTP) is a multi-faceted, multi-year strategy to combat violent extremism and defeat terrorist organizations by strengthening individual-country and regional counter terrorism capabilities, enhancing and institutionalizing cooperation among the region’s security and intelligence organizations, promoting democratic governance, and discrediting terrorist ideology. The overall goals are to enhance the indigenous capacities of governments in the pan-Sahel (Mauritania, Mali, Chad, and Niger, as well as Nigeria and Senegal) to confront the challenge posed by terrorist organizations in the trans-Sahara, and to facilitate cooperation between those countries and our Maghreb partners (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia). • TSCTP’s main elements include:

• Continued specialized Antiterrorism Assistance Training (ATA), Terrorist Interdiction Program (TIP), and Counter terrorism Finance (CTF) activities in the trans-Sahara region and possible regional expansion of those programs; • Public diplomacy programs that expand outreach efforts in the trans-Sahara region and seek to develop regional programming embracing this vast and diverse

349 region. Emphasis is on preserving the traditional tolerance and moderation displayed in most African Muslim communities and countering the development of extremism, particularly in youth and rural populations; • Democratic governance programs that strive, in particular, to provide adequate levels of USG support for democratic and economic development in the Sahel, strengthening those states to withstand internal threats; • And, Military programs intended to expand military-to-military cooperation, to ensure adequate resources are available to train, advise, and assist regional forces, and to establish institutions promoting better regional cooperation, communication, and intelligence sharing. • The African Union: The African Union (AU) has several counterterrorism legal instruments including a Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism (1999), a 2002 Protocol to the Convention and a 2004 Plan of Action. The Addis Ababa-based AU Commission provided guidance to its 53 member states and coordinated limited technical assistance to cover member states’ counterterrorism capability gaps. The Algiers-based African Center for Study and Research in Terrorism (ACSRT) was approved and inaugurated in October 2004 to serve as a think tank, an information collection and dissemination center, and a regional training center. The AU is working with member states to eliminate redundancies between the ACSRT and the Committee on Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA), which was first established at the AU Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, in January 2005. • Angola: Angola’s borders remained porous and vulnerable to movements of small arms, diamonds, and other sources of terrorist financing. Angola’s high rate of dollar cash flow makes its financial system an attractive site for money laundering. The Government of Angola’s capacity to detect financial crimes is limited, although it did make several high-profile arrests of dollar counterfeiters in 2007. Angola has not signed the UN International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. • Botswana: The Botswana government was cooperative in international counterterrorism efforts. The Botswana government established the National Counter Terrorism Committee to address terrorism issues and weapons of mass destruction. In December, President Festus Mogae signed a law creating a new intelligence agency responsible for domestic and foreign intelligence gathering. The Botswana Defense Force designated a squadron as its counterterrorist unit and sent several officers to IMET-sponsored counterterrorism training. Terrorists may use Botswana as a transit point due to its porous borders as evidenced by a 2006 report of organized smuggling of immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the number of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants living in Botswana.

• Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso continued to lack the resources necessary to protect its borders and to monitor movement of terrorists. There was no formal method for tracking movement into and out of the country at border checkpoints, or at either of the country's two commercial airports. Burkina Faso was not a safe haven for any terrorist groups, but had the potential of becoming a

350 safe haven owing to its close proximity to several countries where terrorist groups operate and because its borders are porous, especially in the sparsely populated north. Despite its lack of resources, Burkina Faso was serious about fighting terrorism, cooperated with the United States where possible, and participated in training, seminars, and exercises, such as the regional Flintlock Exercises held in Mali this past year. • Burundi: Burundi’s counterterrorism efforts were hindered by domestic ethnic tension, the unsteadiness of a transitional period after a decade plus of civil war, a lack of mature governmental institutions, considerable corruption, and porous borders that enabled various rebel groups in Tanzania and Eastern Congo to freely enter Burundi. Due to Burundi's small size and overtly Christian identity, it is likely that any radical Muslim influence would be quickly noted and reported to both Burundian government institutions and the international diplomatic community. • Comoros :International terrorism concerns in Comoros focused on Comorian national Fazul Abdullah Mohammed (a.k.a. Harun Fazul), who is suspected of involvement in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. His whereabouts were unknown, but he was believed to have maintained contacts in the Comoros. The Comorian government's security forces had limited resources and training in counterterrorism and maritime security, so the country remained vulnerable to terrorist transit. Comorian police and security forces participated in USG antiterrorism assistance programs and cooperated with the Rewards for Justice Program. President Sambi, a devout Muslim democratically elected in May 2006, reconfirmed Comoros' rejection of terrorism and, with Comoros' religious leaders, publicly rejected Islamist extremism. In September, military and port officials participated in a USG-hosted Maritime Security Conference in Mombassa, Kenya. President Sambi has sought close partnership with the United States to develop Comoros and to create opportunities for the country's youth. • Cote d’Ivoire: Cote d'Ivoire has been in the throes of a political-military crisis since 2002, leaving the country politically and, until recently, geographically divided. Despite this instability, violence associated with the country’s crisis has not been linked with any international terrorist organizations, and there was little evidence to indicate a threat of terrorist attacks. While some Lebanese private communities living in Cote d'Ivoire were known to be active in donating personal income to Hizballah, it is unlikely that the Government of Cote d'Ivoire supported or subsidized it, although it was likely that it was aware of this. • Djibouti: Djibouti hosted the only military base in Sub-Saharan Africa for United States and Coalition Forces and was one of the most forward-leaning Arab League members supporting ongoing efforts against terrorism. President Ismail Omar Guelleh and many top leaders in Djibouti repeatedly expressed their country's full and unqualified support for the War on Terror. United States security personnel continued to work closely with Djiboutian counterparts to monitor intelligence and follow up on prospective terrorism-related leads.

351 • Eritrea: The Government of Eritrea was not an active partner on counterterrorism programs. The government linked broader cooperation in USG counterterrorism programs to the unresolved border dispute with Ethiopia, publicly stating that cooperation will occur only after the final demarcation of the border. During the March kidnapping of British diplomats in Ethiopia by an ethnic Afari rebel group, the Eritrean government played a role in securing their release. • Ethiopia: The Government of Ethiopia, after conducting a counter offensive in late 2006 in response to threats against its security and in support of the internationally recognized Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, battled insurgents and extremists that were formerly affiliated with the Council of Islamic Courts, including the AQ-affiliated al-Shabaab militia. Ethiopian forces provided critical support in the stand up of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeeping force, which was also targeted by extremist elements. In addition, Ethiopian forces countered Somali- based extremists who attempted to conduct attacks inside Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s location within the Horn of Africa made it vulnerable to money laundering activities perpetrated by transnational criminal organizations, terrorists and narcotics traffickers. As the economy continued to grow and become more liberalized, federal police investigation sources reported expectations that bank fraud, electronic/computer crimes, and laundering activities would continue to rise. On November 6, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) and the United States Department of the Treasury signed the terms of reference and work plan for a technical assistance package to strengthen Ethiopia’s anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing regimes. • Kenya: Following the late 2006 Ethiopian action to remove the radical Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in Somalia, Kenyan Ministry of Defense efforts largely prevented the flight of violent extremists across the Somalia-Kenya border. The Kenyan military drastically increased its numbers on the Somalia border, and worked closely with police elements in the region to block CIC forces and associated individuals from infiltrating Kenyan territory. Kenyan security forces apprehended several suspected extremist leaders during these operations. However, human rights organizations criticized the Kenyan government for closing the border and claimed that large numbers of refugees fleeing the fighting were forcibly returned to Somalia. At the same time, the Kenyan government suspended all flights to and from Somalia except for humanitarian aid flights and flights to the Transitional Federal Government’s (TFG) seat in Baidoa. The Kenyan government ended the suspension in August, but continued to require all flights from Somalia to first stop at Wajir Airport for immigration, customs, and security processing before proceeding to their final destinations in Kenya. The Government of Kenya did not knowingly provide safe haven for terrorists or terrorist organizations. However, Kenya's borders remained porous and vulnerable to movement of potential terrorists as well as small arms and other contraband. Supporters of AQ and other extremist groups were active in the East Africa region. Kenya continued to lack the counterterrorism legislation necessary to comply with the UN conventions it has signed. In

352 addition, it was difficult to detain terror suspects and prosecute them effectively under existing laws. The issue of counterterrorism legislation remained highly controversial in Kenya with elements of the press, the human rights community, and Muslim leadership criticizing proposed legislation as anti-Muslim and giving the government too much power to potentially abuse human rights. The Kenyan government wrote a revised draft of the defeated 2003 "Suppression of Terrorism Bill" in 2006, but the new bill was sharply criticized and subsequently did not pass. • Liberia: Despite limited resources, inadequately trained personnel, and a weak judicial system – products of 14 years of civil war – the Government of Liberia demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with the United States and the international community to combat terrorism. Through rule of law and security sector reform assistance programs, the United States supported a number of initiatives that addressed Liberia's vulnerabilities, which included porous borders, rampant identification document fraud, lax immigration controls, wide-scale corruption, and underpaid law enforcement, security, and customs personnel. There have never been any acts of transnational terrorism in Liberia. Of concern, however, were reports that hundreds of Middle Eastern businessmen purchased legitimately issued but fraudulently obtained Liberian diplomatic passports from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) officials. These documents would permit free movement between the Middle East and West Africa. • Madagascar: International terrorism was a concern in Madagascar because of the island nation's inadequately monitored 3,000-mile coastline. Limited equipment, personnel, and training for border control increased the risks of penetration. Following the International Maritime Conference in 2006, hosted by the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Embassy, Madagascar military and port officials participated in a similar event in Mombassa in September. Malagasy police, military, intelligence, and security forces have not had much training in counterterrorism and maritime surveillance. Despite limited resources, government officials were willing to cooperate with the United States; international maritime conferences and the Rewards for Justice Program were two examples of cooperative ventures. At the main port in Tamatave, which handled 80 percent of maritime traffic and more than 90 percent of container traffic, access control and overall security improved substantially. The U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Liaison removed Tamatave Port from its Port Security Advisory for Madagascar, with an acknowledgement that the Port met minimum standards under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. • Mali :Inadequate resources continued to hamper the Malian government's ability to control its long and porous borders, thus limiting the effectiveness of military patrols and border control measures. Mali is currently more threatened by tribal insurgencies than by terrorist threats, but cooperated with United States counterterrorism efforts, and remained one of the largest recipients in the sub-region of military training and assistance through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership and other United States assistance programs.

353 Northern Mali served as a potential safe haven for terrorists, traffickers, and smugglers due to the region's remoteness, harsh desert climate, and size. AQIM maintained a regular, small-scale presence, moving essentially without hindrance in the northern part of Malian territory, although it did not maintain any permanent facilities and was constantly on the move. • Mauritania: The December 2007 murder of four French tourists and the attack on a military checkpoint were both low-level attacks, but highlighted the fact that AQIM was active in the country despite the newly elected government’s significantly increased level of cooperation with the United States on counterterrorism. The Mauritanian Government actively pursued the perpetrators of the December attacks. The government embarked on an ambitious political agenda to build national unity. In June, 24 of 25 individuals accused of ties to AQIM were acquitted, and the remaining defendant sentenced in absentia to two years in prison. On July 31, the court acquitted 14 of 19 persons accused of complicity in the 2005 AQIM attack on a Mauritanian military base, for lack of evidence. The remaining five defendants received sentences from two to five years. In late October, the government arrested five other individuals for suspected ties to AQIM. Three of the five were released with the remaining two currently awaiting trial on terrorism and explosives charges. • Nigeria: The apprehensions and trials of extremists by the Nigerian government seemed to indicate not just recognition of potential threats to itself and its citizens, but a responsiveness and willingness to act to protect American interests, including facilities and personnel. These arrests also suggested some degree of cooperation and facilitation among extremist groups in the Sahel, which were made possible by porous borders with minimal controls, and the logistical difficulties inherent in patrolling the Sahara desert. Since 2005, the Nigerian Taliban (which has no connection to the Taliban of Afghanistan) has been suspected of having connections to AQIM in Mali and AQ affiliates. To date, no conclusive links have been definitively proven, although bin Ladin went on record in 2003 saying that Nigeria was fertile ground for action. In December 2006, Mohammed Yusuf, a Maiduguri-based imam and alleged "Nigerian Taliban" leader was charged with five counts of illegally receiving foreign currency. His trial was still ongoing at the end of 2007. Also in December 2006, Mohammed Ashafa of Kano was charged with receiving funds in 2004 from two AQ operatives based in Lahore, Pakistan to "identify and carry out terrorist attacks" on American residences in Nigeria. • Rwanda: The Government of Rwanda combated terrorist financing and reinforced border control measures to identify potential terrorists and to prevent entry of armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rwanda had an intergovernmental counterterrorism committee and a counterterrorism reaction team in the police intelligence unit. Rwandan police and marines conducted anti-narcotrafficking patrols on Lake Kivu. Central Bank and Ministry of Finance officials provided outstanding cooperation on terrorist financing issues. While the Government of Rwanda had not yet fully developed its laws and regulations in accordance with

354 international conventions and protocols concerning terrorism, it had the authority under local law to identify, freeze, and seize terrorist-related financial assets. Rwanda participated in regional initiatives on international counterterrorism cooperation, including the East African Standby Brigade. • Senegal: The Government of Senegal cooperated with the United States to identify terrorist groups operating in Senegalese territory. More work remained to be done, however, to develop first responder services, to facilitate the quick sharing of information between agencies, and to control porous borders where police and security services are undermanned and ill-equipped to prevent illicit crossborder trafficking… Legislation, and current laws made it difficult to prosecute terror suspects. As participants in the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Partnership, more than 318 Senegalese government officials participated in ATA programs. Senegalese military officials attended a counterterrorism seminar in Rabat and attended the Chiefs of Defense and Directors of Military Intelligence conferences. • Somalia: Somalia's fragile central government, protracted state of violent instability, long unguarded coastline, porous borders, and proximity to the Arabian Peninsula made the country an attractive location for international terrorists seeking a transit or launching point for conducting operations in Somalia or elsewhere. Despite the late 2006 defeat of the Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in Mogadishu by Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces, the ensuing low-level conflict that engulfed Mogadishu and parts of south central Somalia for the remainder of the year continued to make Somalia a permissive operating environment and safe haven for both Somali and foreign terrorists. The extremist al-Shabaab (The Youth), the militant "shock troops" of the CIC whose radicalism and violent means led to the CIC's undoing, initially dispersed and fled south along the Kenyan border. • South Africa: South Africa supported efforts to counter international terrorism and shared financial, law enforcement, and limited intelligence information with the United States. The South African government adopted broad counterterrorism legislation under the title “Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Bill” in 2004. It was unclear to what extent foreign terrorist groups were present in South Africa. Some analysts held the view that AQ or other extremist groups had a presence within South Africa’s generally moderate Muslim community. In January, the Department of the Treasury designated South African nationals Farhad and Junaid Dockrat as AQ financiers and facilitators, subjecting them to United States sanctions. Border security challenges and document fraud negatively affected the government’s efforts to pursue counterterrorism initiatives. South African documents often included good security measures, but because of corruption within the immigration services, thousands of South African identity cards, passports, and work/residence permits were fraudulently issued. • Tanzania: Tanzania took significant steps to establish a National Counterterrorism Center to build its capacity to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks, and worked closely with the United States to disrupt terrorist networks.

355 Tanzania law enforcement cooperated with the United States to exchange evidence and testimony on cases related to the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Dar Es Salaam. Tanzania continued its participation in several multi-year programs to strengthen its law enforcement and military capacity, improve aviation and border security, and combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Tanzania showed ongoing willingness to combat terrorist financing. In December 2006, the Tanzanian Parliament passed the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Bill, ending a legislative process that began in 2002 with support from the United States. The AML Bill created a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and bolstered Tanzania's ability to combat financial crime, including counterterrorist financing. • Uganda: Porous borders in a region rife with insecurity have left Uganda vulnerable to terrorist activity. In response, the Government of Uganda stepped up efforts to track, capture, and hold suspected terror suspects. Uganda also worked with the United States to push forward on peace and security initiatives in the Great Lakes Region. While the Ugandan government was a strong advocate for crossborder solutions to persistent problems, resource limitations and corruption hampered more effective measures. In March, the Ugandan military's counterterrorism units engaged some 100 Allied Defense Force (ADF) rebels, killing 60-80 and capturing 10-20. The Ugandan government engaged the Democratic Republic of Congo on the ADF through various regional mechanisms. • Zambia: Zambia demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with the United States and the international community to combat terrorism. In June, Zambia endorsed the U.S. Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. In July, the government submitted an Antiterrorism Bill to Parliament. The Bill criminalized acts of terrorism, including terrorist training and incitement; and granted the government significant authority to investigate, prevent, and prosecute acts of terrorism. Inadequate resources and training impeded Zambia’s law enforcement agencies’ counterterrorism capabilities. Zambia’s borders are long and porous, and its ports of entry are vulnerable transit points for human trafficking and international crime. Zambia made no progress in ratifying the counterterrorism conventions listed in UNSC 1373. In November, Zambia participated in an African regional workshop on implementing UNSC 1540. Despite offers of assistance from the United States, the Zambian government does not have an internationally compliant anti-money laundering or counterterrorist-financing regime. • Zimbabwe: Despite the Government of Zimbabwe's self-imposed isolation on most diplomatic issues, local intelligence and criminal investigative agencies were responsive to our counterterrorism needs. Government agencies routinely provided assistance by conducting investigative inquiries, traces, and border checks of individuals thought to be threats to USG facilities or personnel. During the year, the government attempted to strengthen its ability to prevent and suppress terrorism and money laundering activities. On August 3, Parliament passed the Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Bill, which provided a maximum punishment of life in prison for engaging in or

356 recruiting for foreign or international terrorist activities… The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe installed a new IT system that provided enhanced capability to detect, analyze, and disseminate information on suspicious financial transactions.

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: The Death Toll of U.S. Warplanes Airstrike Increases: Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu): 1 May 2008.

At least 15 people were reported dead in US planes' air strike in Dusamareeb town, central Somalia that killed the commander of Alshabab Islamic fighters, Aden Hashi Eyrow, on Wednesday night, residents said. "I saw human pieces in the hit missile homes and nearby houses," resident Fatima Said told Shabelle English service by phone. Three US AC-130 type aircraft slowly flying were reported to have bombarded the house of Adan Eyrow and near enough abodes. Some residents told that the hydroplanes headed to the north of the town after the bombardment… The spokesman for the Islamic al-Shabab militia, Sheik Muqtar Robow, said the strike killed Aden Hashi Ayro, his brother and seven others at his house in the central Somali town of Dusamareeb, about 300 miles north of Mogadishu. Six more people were wounded. "Our brother martyr Aden Hashi, has received what he was looking for — death for the sake of Allah — at the hands of the United States," Robow told Shabelle Radio by phone. "This would not deter us from continuing our holy war against Allah's enemy; we will be on the right way, that is why we are targeted. I call for our holy fighters to remain strong in their position and keep up the jihad," he added… Somali government officials have said Ayro trained in Afghanistan before the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and is the head of al-Qaida's cell in Somalia. He was a key figure in the al-Shabab movement, which aims to impose Islamic law and launches daily attacks on the shaky Somali government and their Ethiopian allies. Ayro also recently called for attacks on African peacekeepers in Somalia in a recording on an Islamic Web site… Al-Shabab is the armed wing of the Council of Islamic Courts movement. The State Department considers al-Shabab as terrorist organization… Ethiopia's archenemy, Eritrea, has offered assistance to the group, and it is re-emerging. In recent months it has briefly taken several towns, freeing prisoners and seizing weapons from government forces… The United States has repeatedly accused the Islamic group of harboring international terrorists linked to al-Qaida, which is allegedly responsible for the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. America is concerned Somalia is a breeding ground for terrorist groups, particularly after the Islamic militants briefly gained control of the south and Osama bin Laden declared his support for them.

49. NORTH AFRICA • Western Sahara: Security Council Extends UN Mission for Another Year: UN News Service (New York):30 April 2008.

The Security Council today extended until 30 April 2009 the mandate of the United Nations mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO), tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between Morocco and the Frente Polisario and organizing a referendum

357 on self-determination. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the Council called on the parties to enter into "a more intensive and substantive phase of negotiations" to resolve their long-running dispute. Morocco holds that its sovereignty over Western Sahara should be recognized; while the Frente Polisario's position is that the Territory's final status should be decided in a referendum that includes independence as an option. In his recent report on the issue, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote that while he welcomed the commitment of the two parties - outlined in a communiqué issued after UN-led talks held in March - to continue their negotiations, so far there was no sign of any breakthrough in the dispute. "Momentum can only be maintained by trying to find a way out of the current political impasse through realism and a spirit of compromise from both parties," he stated, a view endorsed by the Council in the resolution adopted today. UN-sponsored talks on the issue are facilitated by Peter van Walsum, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, and include representatives of neighbouring States, Algeria and Mauritania. The Council called on the parties to continue with negotiations without preconditions and in good faith, "with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution."

• Egypt: Joint Action - Forty Members And Partners of IFEX Urge Authorities to Overturn Four Editors' Jail Sentences During Appeal Hearing On World Press Freedom Day : International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE :1 May 2008.

We, the undersigned 40 members and partners of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), are concerned with the ongoing court case against four editors of independent newspapers in Egypt, who face one year in jail if they are not acquitted upon appeal. The case, one of many underway against Egyptian journalists and editors, appears to be an attempt to silence them for critical remarks about the President and other members of government and the ruling party. Last September, editors Ibrahim Issa, of the daily "Al-Dustour", Wael al-Abrashi, of the weekly "Soat al- Ommah", Adel Hamoda, of the weekly "Al-Fagr", and Abdel Halim Kandeel, former editor of the weekly "Al-Karama", each received a one-year prison sentence after they were found guilty of "publishing false information likely to disturb public order." They appealed their convictions and have been free on bail pending the outcome of the appeal. On 5 April 2008, the Agouza Court of Appeal postponed the hearing of their appeal to 3 May - coincidentally, World Press Freedom Day - in order to receive required documents and reports. The case started when a lawyer affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Party filed a complaint against them for allegedly defaming President Hosni Mubarak and his top aides, including his son, Gamal Mubarak… The four editors-in-chief were sentenced under Article 188 of the Egyptian Penal Code, which stipulates that anyone who "malevolently publishes false news, statements or rumours that are likely to disturb public order" will be punished by imprisonment for up to one year and a fine not exceeding 20,000 Egyptian pounds… Accordingly, the undersigned organisations urge the Egyptian authorities to drop all the charges and overturn the politically motivated prison terms issued against the editors. The Egyptian state should refrain from using the Penal Code to criminalise freedom of expression and freedom of the press… Signed, Al Haq Center for Development and

358 Human Rights, Egypt:, Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Indonesia, Arab Archives Institute (AAI), Jordan , Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo), Egypt, ARTICLE 19, United Kingdom, Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Bahrain…

• Tunisia: 'Employment Remains My Priority,' Says President: Tunisia Online (Tunis): 1 May 2008.

In an address to the Tunisian people on the occasion of the celebration of Labor Day, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali announced a set of measures destined to boost employment, improve the purchasing power of workers, as well as promoting safety in work places. These include notably the decisions:

• "To increase the minimum guaranteed wage in agricultural and non - agricultural sectors" whose amount shall be decided "after consultation with the concerned professional organizations". • The establishment of "a national program for the management of work related risks" aiming at "providing a safe and sound work environment". • The decision to undertake meticulous assessment of the realities in priority delegations that still need support", with the aim of upgrading the specific programs already put in place for needy families. • Following the decision to set up a 'Professional Baccalaureate', President Ben Ali has announced the decision to broaden the network of technological schools by "creating 56 schools as of the beginning of the next year, while making sure they cover all regions of the country", in addition to the decision previously announced of setting up a 'qualification diploma'. • The decision to "promptly create an observatory of emerging and innovative skills and occupations" in order to optimize the job prospecting operation, keep up with technological progress and meet the needs of the national economy.

President Ben Ali reiterated the importance he gives to employment which he said, "remains my priority; work being a fundamental human right and an essential factor for safeguarding human dignity. It is today", he added, "a major challenge we are striving to meet, using all our available means and capacities". He also noted that in spite of the difficulties related to continuous rise of oil, basic food prices and raw materials, "we are committed to ensuring the regularity of the rounds of social negotiations" as well as the improvement of "the social security rate, so that it reaches 95% of the population by the end of 2009”.

• Tunisia: 'President Ben Ali Was Among the First Leaders to Support Mediterranean Union Project': Tunisia Online (Tunis): 27 April 2008.

On the eve of his State visit to Tunisia; France 's President Nicolas Sarkozy "expressed his consideration and support to President Ben Ali as Tunisia has achieved an

359 exemplary economic ad social success". He also noted that Tunisian -French relations are excellent. Stressing the fact that an agreement "will be concluded for the first time with a Maghreb country during this visit, on the management and monitoring of emigration", President Sarkozy said that "this would create job opportunities in France, by easy and simplified means". Insofar as the Mediterranean Union project is concerned, President Sarkozy said, "this idea springs from a conviction that Europe 's future, and that of the southern Mediterranean, are entirely intertwined ". He also commended the efforts of President Ben Ali "who was one of the first leaders to support this project". The French President further pointed out that the Mediterranean Union "does not mean the burial of the Barcelona process". He announced that the Mediterranean Union will be effectively launched during a Summit conference which he will host in Paris on July 13, 2008, and to which he had "naturally convened President Ben Ali"… In relation to a question on France 's Arab and African policy, the French President stressed the fact that it is based "on concrete projects which have a direct impact on people's daily lives", pointing out in this respect "the innovating partnerships with Arab countries, which France hopes to develop notably in the field of the peaceful use of nuclear energy".

• Tunisia: Critical NGO Activists Harassed: International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto): PRESS RELEASE: 30 April 2008.

In light of recent repressive acts against critical activists and newspapers, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, during his visit to Tunisia, which commenced 29 April 2008, must not show any direct or indirect support for the Tunisian government's policies that put extreme pressure on legal activists, journalists and opponents, says HRinfo. On 29 April 2008, the Public Prosecutor summoned Radia Al Nasrawy, head of the Tunisian Association Against Torture, and Mohamed Al Nuri, head of the Freedom and Justice Organization, without officially explaining the reason for the summons. Officials only told the lawyers for Nasrawy and Nuri that the investigation is related to allegations about their having published false news when reporting on the suppression of student demonstrations in January 2007. The students were demanding an end to the blockage of Gaza City, in the Palestinian territories. In addition, state- dominated Tunisian newspapers initiated a defamation case against journalist Rashid Khashana, the editorial chairman of the "Al Mawgif" opposition newspaper, and against the newspaper's editorial manager, Mungi El Lawzi, who are going on a hunger strike to protest against the expropriation of their newspaper, and the governmental harassment against it, which is threatening its survival.

NEWS COMMENTARY

• Southern Africa: Region Offers Critical Lessons On Internal Opposition: The Nation (Nairobi): Wene Owino. Gaberone.

360 After resounding victories by the ruling parties in Botswana and South Africa in 1999, the two countries found themselves wrestling with the same questions facing Kenya today, after formation of the grand coalition government. The victories made nonsense of the opposition, and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and his then Botswana counterpart, Festus Mogae, were accused of endangering multi-party democracy by seeking total victory. Questions were raised about their democratic credentials because their actions had nearly killed opposition politics. Just like Kenya, the opposition's presence in Botswana became negligible, with many people worrying that the ruling party would always have its way.

Reduce number: Citizens of Botswana raised concern that under Mogae's watch, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) had routed its opponents in the 1999 elections and reduced the number of opposition MPs in the then 44-strong Parliament from 13 to seven. But Mogae's take on the matter has vital lessons for Kenya. He said something to the effect that weakening the opposition did not mean there would be no opposition. He asserted that if rival parties failed to take the BDP to task, there would be internal opposition to keep the ruling party in check. He was right as events have proved in Botswana and elsewhere, including Kenya.

Ruling parties : Right from independence in Kenya and Botswana, the most effective opposition has been from within the ruling parties. In the early years of independent Kenya, ruling party MPs like JM Kariuki, Jean-Marie Seroney, Oginga Odinga, Martin Shikuku, Masinde Muliro and Bildad Kagia provided the main opposition to the powers that be. When Daniel arap Moi succeeded Jomo Kenyatta as President, he still had to contend with internal opposition even after he made Kenya a de jure one party state. There was the group dubbed the Seven Bearded sisters by then attorney general Charles Njonjo. They gave the Front Bench a tough time in Parliament. They included now Lands minister James Orengo, Koigi wa Wamwere, Mashengu Mwachofi, Wamalwa Kijana and George Anyona. In the new era of multi-party politics, Moi had to live with internal opposition from people like Simeon Nyachae, Kipruto Kirwa and Kipkalya Kones. After two failures by opposition parties, they finally kicked Kanu out in 2002 with the crucial help of an internal revolt. It is obvious that, had the internal opposition in Kanu not grown into a fully-fledged revolt, the independence party would still be in power. That revolt came when the opposition was nowhere near dislodging it in its third attempt. After Kanu was kicked out, it was the turn of President Kibaki and the ruling Narc alliance to be rocked by internal opposition and humiliation from the Labour Democratic Party (LDP).

Palace operation: Indeed, the LDP, not Kanu, provided the most effective check on the powers that be. The defeat the government suffered in the 2005 referendum was a palace operation masterminded by the LDP brigade. In South Africa, the camp supporting ANC president Jacob Zuma has been a more effective check on Mbeki's power ambitions than the entire official opposition. Though he has been accused of concentrating too much power in his hands, Mbeki still lost to Zuma in the battle for control in the ANC and has to watch his back, not because of the opposition, but due to internal detractors within the party. In matters of policy, he must always be careful about the reaction of the huge

361 constituency supporting Zuma. Mbeki experienced his most humiliating political moment when Zuma and his allies swept the board in ANC elections last year. In the dual political system that is Botswana - de jure multi-party state and de facto one-party state - the BDP backbench, and sometimes even the front bench, has played a key role in keeping the ruling party in check. A remarkable case of opposition from the front bench was when Mogae and his then vice-president, Ian Khama, united to thwart a plot by cabinet ministers and ruling party MPs to increase their pay. The matter became public when BDP backbencher Michael Tshipinare tabled a motion in Parliament calling for the hike. In one of his contributions, Mr Khama slammed the MPs and ministers and stormed out before the stunned MPs could respond to his speech. The matter was put to rest when Mogae declared that there is no money for the proposed salary hikes. And last month, opposition came from the front bench when Cabinet minister Margaret Nasha successfully led in blocking controversial plans to give the BDP president - who is automatically the head of state -summary disciplinary powers in the party. In fact, the most important motions debated or passed by the by Parliament have come from BDP leaders. These include Oliphant Mfa's motion calling for making the Botswana Constitution tribally neutral and Joy Phumaphi's on declaration of wealth by leaders. In recent times, three of the ruling party' MPs have been a thorn in its flesh, with two, Duke Lefhoko and Boyce Sebetela being summoned for a disciplinary hearing. The three MPs annoyed the BDP with their independent and hard-hitting contributions in Parliament. The danger with internal opposition in the BDP is that in some cases, the party's high command can effectively call the dissenters to order. This means is that in a multi-party set-up, Kenya does not necessarily need an official opposition per se to keep the powers that be in check.

• Yar'Adua's Seven Plus Two Point Agenda to Transform Nigeria: Inaugural Address of Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Installed President of Nigeria: Abuja, May 29, 2007.

Yar'Adua's Seven Plus Two Point Agenda to Transform Nigeria

Seven Major Issues......

1. Power and Energy .

2. Food Security and Agriculture

3. Wealth Creation and Employment

4. Mass Transportation

5. Land Reform

6. Security

362 7. Qualitative and Functional Education

Plus Two Special Interest Issues....

1. Niger Delta

2. Disadvantaged Groups

POWER AND ENERGY – The infrastructural reforms in this critical sector through the development of sufficient and adequate power supply will be to ensure Nigeria’s ability to develop as a modern economy and an industrial nation by the year 2015.

FOOD SECURITY – This reform is primarily agrarian based. The emphasis on the development of modern technology, research, financial injection into research, production and development of agricultural inputs will revolutionalize the agricultural sector leading to a 5 – 10 fold increase in yield and production. This will result in massive domestic and commercial outputs and technological knowledge transfer to farmers.

WEALTH CREATION – By virtue of its reliance on revenue from non-renewal oil, Nigeria has yet to develop industrially. This reform is focused on wealth creation through diversified production especially in the agricultural and solid mineral sector. This requires Nigerians to choose to work, as hard work by all is required to achieve this reform.

TRANSPORT SECTOR – The transportation sector in Nigeria with its poor roads networks is an inefficient means of mass transit of people and goods. With a goal of a modernized industrialized Nigeria, it is mandatory that Nigeria develops its transport sector. The PDP government has already started this process by the ongoing rehabilitation and modernization of the railway. While the reforms might take some time to take effect, it is a need that must be addressed.

LAND REFORMS – While hundreds of billions of dollars have been lost through unused government-owned landed asset, changes in the land laws and the emergence of land reforms will optimize Nigeria’s growth through the release of lands for commercialized farming and other large scale business by the private sector. The final result will ensure improvements and boosts to the production and wealth creation initiatives.

SECURITY – An unfriendly security climate precludes both external and internal investment into the nation. Thus, security will be seen as not only a constitutional requirement but also as a necessary infrastructure for the development of a modern Nigerian economy. With its particular needs, the Niger Delta security issue will be the primary focus, marshaled not with physical policing or military security, but through honest and accurate dialogue between the people and the Federal Government.

363 EDUCATION – The two-fold reforms in the educational sector will ensure firstly the minimum acceptable international standards of education for all. With that achieved, a strategic educational development plan will ensure excellence in both the tutoring and learning of skills in science and technology by students who will be seen as the future innovators and industrialists of Nigeria. This reform will be achieved through massive injection into the Education sector.

Released by the Presidency, August 1, 2007

• Africa: Africa's Leadership Crisis the Case of Zimbabwe: The Namibian (Windhoek): 2 May 2008. Hidipo Hamutenya: Windhoek.

THE crisis in Zimbabwe goes on without abatement.

As we go to press, the presidential results of the now one-month-old election in Zimbabwe remain unknown. This is fundamentally a manifestation of the persistence and intractable problem of a leadership succession crisis in Africa, a crisis that has been besetting Africa since the advent of the main wave of independence at the beginning of the 1960s. Soon after the achievement of independence, the process began to unfold whereby political parties in Africa became mere fiefdoms of their party bosses. And the broad masses of followers, whose political enthusiasm and energy had been aroused during the struggle for independence, found themselves held hostage to the patronage of the party bosses. Also, in the absence of internal party democracy, parties began to largely fulfil the role of being instruments of the political ambitions of their leaders, whose preoccupation was now to stay indefinitely in power. The constitutional provisions that restricted the office of presidents or prime ministers to a specific number of terms (mostly two) had to be subverted so that leaders could prolong their staying in power. The avenue to democratic and peaceful leadership succession became blocked by the then emerging civilian autocracy and military dictatorship, which ascended to power through coups.

Political instability eventually became the order of the day. To remove the entrenched autocratic dictators and military rulers became a formidable task, holding back socio- economic development and progress in Africa. In Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has been one of the civilian autocrats who have been in power for 28 years, tolerating no rivalry to his power. His political desire to stay in the presidential office remains insatiable and unconstrained by conscience. Hence, the repeated flare-up of that crisis. As African leaders devote their attentions and efforts to clinging to power, our continent continues to endure the burden of underdevelopment, widespread poverty, high levels of illiteracy, widening income gap between the haves and have-nots, etc.

The end of the Cold War, namely, the ceasing of the once sharp ideological division between the East and West, at the beginning of the 1990s appeared to herald an era of democratization on the continent. The phenomenon of military coups d'etat, an undemocratic way of bringing about leadership succession in Africa, seemed to be on the decline, as various forms of multiparty political systems were being introduced around

364 the continent. But the introduction of multi-partyism did not prevent the leadership succession from developing into an acute crisis on the continent.

With military coups being widely discredited, gaining and clinging to power now took the form of civilian dictatorship, that is, self-entrenched autocratic rule via different forms of intimidation, election rigging and many other forms of undemocratic cheatings. These dishonest methods of leadership succession often led to violent conflicts. African autocrats did not hesitate to tamper with their national constitutions to prolong their stay in power.

Among the recent cases of succession-driven crises in Africa are those of Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Togo, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Thousands of lives have been lost due to the destructive nature of these conflicts. Another aspect of the leadership succession crises in Africa is that of African heads of state stepping down from the presidential office but manoeuvring to desperately cling onto a certain measure of power by remaining leaders of their political parties. The most recent examples are those of Namibia and Malawi. In the case of Namibia, the constitution had to be amended to accommodate a third term for the former president, Sam Nujoma, only. In Malawi, Nigeria and Zambia, similar attempts were made to amend the constitutions, but these were thwarted by a coalition of forces made up of opposition political parties, civil society organisations, and even sections within the ruling parties. The ambitions of Bakili Muluzi, Olusegun Obasanjo and Frederick Chiluba, in their attempts to amend the constitutions of their respective countries in order to extend their terms of office, were shameful because all these men came to power masquerading as born-again democrats.

In Zimbabwe and Uganda, opposition parties and civil society organisations failed to stop the incumbent presidents Robert Mugabe and Yoweri Museveni from amending their constitutions in order to extend their terms of office. Hence these two autocrats succeeded to extend their stay in power. And this why the crisis of leadership succession is continuing to brew in those two countries. The succession issue engendered a constitutional crisis in Ivory Coast resulting in a military coup, electoral fraud, civil unrest and subsequent division of the country into the south and the north. In Togo, a succession crisis ensued in 2005 following the death of that country's former military strongman, Gnassingbe Eyadema, and the military installation of his son, Faure Gnassingbe.

Because of the ongoing crisis of leadership succession, Africa has just witnessed carnage in Kenya. Now we are seeing the inexorable deepening of a similar crisis in Zimbabwe. In all these instances, countries did not only lose lives and property, but the process of democratisation has also been rolled back. Development and socio-economic progress took the back burner to the self-serving, blind and egotistical ambitions of some of these leaders.

As a consequence, Africa lost decades of opportunity to overcome poverty and its current global marginalisation. This happened as Asia and other developing regions were making

365 quantum leaps in their economic growth and development. In the light of these crises, African leaders must adopt a paradigm shift regarding their style of governance in the continent. They must resolutely strive to oppose those who seek to cling to power through electoral rigging and attempts to change constitutions to suit their greed for political control and self-enrichment.

Africa must adhere to constitutional governments, respect for human rights, and respect for the rule of law, inclusiveness and freedom of expression and association. This is what ideologically distinguishes the position of the Rally for Democracy and Progress from that of those who advocate the reactionary and archaic notions of "guided democracy" and no regime change. Africans must shame and reject the autocratic style of leadership in order realise a bright and just future for our continent. This is our unfailing duty and historic responsibility. Hidipo Hamutenya is a former MP and the leader of the RDP.

• Africa: Is Re-Colonising the Decaying Parts of the Continent the Solution to Its Woes? : The Nation (Nairobi): Peter Kagwanja: 2 May 2008.

As Africa's budding democracies like Kenya emerge from ethnic violence, cynics are entertaining the idea of a new scramble for Africa that would entail re-colonisation and loss of sovereignty.

With China's economic shadow looming large over the continent, voices prodding for Africa's re-colonisation, particularly by the West, are growing louder and brazenly bolder.

Recently, the South African journalist and colonial apologist, David Bullard, was fired after writing an article asserting, "un-colonised Africa wouldn't know what it was missing" (Sunday Times, April, 7 2008). Bullard stirred an hornet's nest by surmising that colonialism is the best thing that ever happened to Africa. Had the continent escaped being sliced into chunks by Europeans during the 1884 Berlin Conference, he argues, in the 21 century it would be a sitting duck for Chinese colonisers "looking for coal, metals, oil, platinum, farmland, fresh water and cheap labour."

Beyond Bullard's racial mongering, Africa's Post-Cold War political instability, state collapse, war and famine have been invoked as the central plank of the re-colonisation discourse.

Writing against the backdrop of the horrific events in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Somalia, the Kenyan academic, Ali Mazrui, courted the ire of his intellectual colleagues when he argued that "decaying parts of Africa need benign re-colonisation" (International Herald Tribune, August 4, 1994). The main thread of Mazrui "benign re-colonisation" thesis was that "external re-colonisation" under the banner of humanitarianism was necessary to stem "the cancer of chaos." Mazrui's idea of a trusteeship system like that of the United Nations over Congo in 1960 may have rationalised more than eight UN peacekeeping missions in Africa.

366 Other analysts like William Pfaff, urge for a "trusteeship system" by the former European colonial powers as the solution to much of Africa torn by conflict (International Herald Tribune May 25, 1996). Be that as it may, colonialism in whatever garb or shade is the worst form of dictatorship. The Trusteeship debate has a racist streak to it. Curiously, no calls for a trusteeship system for parts of Latin America, Eastern Europe (former Yugoslavia and Chechnya) or Northern Ireland where communal killings also occurred. Casting a dark shadow over Africa's sovereignty is refurbished United Nations Trusteeship Council, established in 1945 to administer and to ensure peace and security in non-self governing territories. Now under Michel Duclos of France as President and Adam Thompson of the United Kingdom as the Vice-President, the Trusteeship Council is beginning to be imagined in some quarters as a likely framework for the re- colonisation of "decaying parts" of Africa.

In 2005, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the termination of the Council as its mandate had expired in 1994, but it is emerging as a new site of the struggle for global dominance, especially by the veto-wielding powers and movers and shakers of global politics -China, France, The Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States.

The 21st scramble by both the West and China for unfettered access to Africa's resources and markets carries eerie echoes of its 19th century forerunner, especially the idea of Africa as being in need of being "saved' from conflict, disease and hunger. While Western analysts accuse China of neo-colonialism, many African leaders view the country not as an imperialist but as a friend and partner. Beijing backed many African liberation groups fighting for independence and has not put the strong demand for "good governance", democracy and human rights as condition for its aid to Africa.

Further, African states condemned as pariahs by the West, Zimbabwe and Sudan for instance, look to China's veto in the powerful UN Security Council to protect their interests. In the war against terror context, the Sino-Western rivalry in Africa seems to be drawing to a head, with the establishment of the US Africa Command (Africom) in October 2007. Washington has marketed Africom as a mere tweaking of its global military infrastructure to give close attention to Africa and to combat terrorism, improve security, promote development, health, education, democracy and economic growth in the continent.

However, the outfit is widely viewed as a move to counter Chinese growing influence in Africa. South Africa has fiercely opposed the establishment of Africom, and actively lobbied African states to resist the US request to host the command, perceived as a move by America to flex its military muscle in the struggle for Africa's strategic resources. Consequently, African unity is back on the agenda as a counter force to the new assault on the continent's sovereignty, but jostling for the mantle of Pan-Africanism among African leaders is undermining the project. But hope is not lost. President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa has popularised the concept of as the driving force of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad). However, Mbeki's heavy pro- market bias has imperiled his presidency and exposed Nepad to African critics who view

367 it as the new face of South African economic expansionism. Further, Nepad's governance audit, the African Peer Review Mechanism, has failed to stabilise states and forestall post-election violence in countries like Kenya.

Also in the Pan-Africanist pantheon is Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, now pushing for the fast tracking of the East African Federation. But the Federation is bedevilled by the woes of Uganda's democracy and feelings that "Kenya is overzealous about the federation because it has economic designs over Tanzania." On his part, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi may have inexorably pushed for the idea of a United States of Africa, earlier championed Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah.

But Gaddafi's "Africa Union Government now" failed to secure the necessary backing by African leaders during the African Union's summit in Ghana in 2007 as a result of his perception as representing the "Arab colonisers". Carrying the vote are pan-African gradualists like Mbeki who prefer the regional bloc path to a future United States Africa. However, despite its pan-African zeal, the new crop of African leaders has not inspired the confidence of academics. On their part, African intellectuals have contrasted the puny designs of contemporary leaders to the bold visions of earlier "philosopher-kings" like Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere and Leopold Senghor.

Their strategy is to re-invent pan-Africanism as a radical intellectual project.

In this regard, the University of Ghana launched the Kwame Nkrumah chair in African studies during 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. Similarly, the University of Dar-es-Salaam created the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Research Chair in Pan-African Studies on March 13, 2008 in honour of another pan-African luminary. The country's leading legal scholar, Issa Shivji, was appointed to the chair. The African Union has made remarkable success in underwriting power-sharing deals in countries like Kenya and Cote d'Ivoire. But pan-Africanism must bridge rhetoric and reality and counter narrow ethnic divisions stabilise the African state and reassert Africa's sovereignty.

Dr Peter Kagwanja is the President of the Africa Policy Institute, a pan-African research Think-tank based in Pretoria/Nairobi. Africa Insight is an initiative of the Nation Media Group's Africa Media Network Project.

• North Africa and the Globalization Challenge: by Arezki Daoud on the April 3rd, 2008:

… With the proliferation of air transport links between cities around the world, and the massive expansion of telecommunications, the Internet, and banking, globalization is here to stay. It is not only a potential source of wealth creation, if planned intelligently, but it is now also an accepted reality among North Africans.

In the 20 years past, the debate in North Africa over the benefits and risks of globalization used to be intense. It was a passionate debate in that it led to the confrontation of various ideologies and competing visions, from labor unions to

368 businesses, from political parties to central governments. The debate was also passionate because the region was negotiating the anchoring of its economy into that of the European Union, all while the World Trade Organization rules began to impact domestic policies.

Today, the issue is seemingly settled and the press, which usually carries the concerns of the population, has put the subject behind and is focusing on other issues. But is the topic of globalization a thing of the past? Recent events could bring back with a vengeance the globalization battle into the boxing ring. This time, though, North Africans may not be alone to challenge the virtues of intricately tangled economies. The Americans, to begin with, are looking at the Chinese, the Indians, the Brazilians, the sovereign funds, and others with a certain fear and the feeling of declining competitiveness. Two of the three current presidential candidates have pledged to revisit the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) given the growing perception that U.S. workers have gained nothing and lost a lot. The sorry state of the city of Detroit and the State of Michigan, once the world’s capital of the automobile industry is what Americans are working to avoid a repeat of. Representing a certain portion of the blue collar conservatives, John McCain will have to make similar pledges at some point in his campaign, if he wishes to compete.

While the Americans should blame their financial institutions for their sloppy work leading up to the subprime mortgage meltdown, and the subsequent credit crisis, they occasionally (some often) point their fingers to foreigners, in particular as their energy cost rises (OPEC is the villain), their trade deficit expands (China exports more), and their debt mushrooms (China lends more).

North Africans are not so different as well. Their issues are similar in some ways, and many of the economic problems have gotten out of control. Despite efforts to liberalize the region’s economies, they still remain highly centralized as of today. The role of central governments and state-controlled businesses and entities is instrumental, almost vital. In contrast, the role of individuals and the private sectors is almost inconsequential. Of course, progress has been made, but a liberal economy is still in its infancy.

North Africans are facing important problems, many of which are structural and will require changes in rules, but also in mentality, which is a hard thing to change. One of the most impactful problems today, in relation to the globalization debate is the region’s heavy reliance on food imports. In this issue, we address some the very challenges facing North Africans as they face one of the most unstable global agricultural markets to date. The reliance on imports during a period characterized by a weak US dollar and expensive agricultural commodities is forcing North African households to make changes in their own eating habits. In Algeria, for example, the bread industry is pushing consumers to move away from the traditional baguette and white bread to whole-wheat flour and related breads, pastas and couscous. This is because it is cheaper to market whole-wheat products. Although this is apparently a good move, given the fact that whole-wheat products are better for one’s health, the old habit of eating white bread will be difficult to

369 abandon. I personally tried it and three years into it, I still find white bread tastier and tempting.

Changing habits is not the only problem North Africans are facing. That may be the easiest thing to do. Perhaps more worrisome is the amount of money they have been pouring on importing their oil and food. By spending billions on food and other commodity imports, Algeria is quickly nullifying the gains it made through its oil revenues. By selling its oil in the weak US dollar and buying expansive food, Algeria is steadily chipping away the $72 billion it made selling oil and gas in 2007.

In Tunisia, the subsidy fund saw its payouts to cover the country’s deficit of just hard wheat and soybean oil explode from an average of 250 million dinars per year between 2002 to 2006, to 600 million dinars in 2007, and 960 million in 2008 on the same products without increasing volumes. The state uses a full 1% of GDP on subsidizing imports.

In Morocco, the situation is no better. The government has to deal with the potential insolvency of the state subsidy fund, the ”Caisse de Compensation.” In the 2007 budget, the government allocated 13.6 billion dirhams to the fund, but the latest spending assessment shows the fund committed a whopping MAD 22 billion to cover the rising prices of oil and food on the international market.

So what should North Africans do? Well, just like the Americans, they will first feel the pain, then hopefully learn something, then may be more hopefully, they’ll end up taking a hard look at their problems and work to identify a strategic path to economic growth that does not rely on simple global economic integration. They must realize that linking their economies to the EU or joining the WTO are no magical solutions in themselves.

In the US, the debate over overhauling the nation’s financial regulatory system has already begun. I bet a few short years from now, we will see a completely transformed and more robust financial and banking industry. Learning their lesson and looking at solutions within their own systems are what the Americans are using to rectify the problem. Successful economies such as South Korea, China, the US, Western Europe, and Japan are economies that actually have serious domestic growth expansion policies that almost exclusively depend on their own people’s talents, while North Africans have long been calling for foreign investors to come in, almost as the single most favored solution to the region’s economic woes. There is nothing wrong with attracting foreign investors as it shows confidence in the nation’s economy and its institutions. But countries must first harness their own energy, talents and resources to forge ahead. Foreign investors are necessary as they bring funds and know-how, but they have very little tolerance to risk and can leave as quickly as they came in. We’ve seen that already happen some years ago, when a famous American investor decided to pull all his money from the Casablanca Stock Exchange to move it to the another market in the Middle East. The Casablanca Bourse took an unprecedented beating and required some time before it recovered.

370 In concrete terms North Africans should realize that agriculture, energy, basic infrastructure, information technology, telecommunications, education and health must be strategic priorities, if the region’s countries want to be competitive without having to ask for foreign investors’ attention. Scrapping the current industrial and economic policies of the region’s countries should probably be the first action item on the agenda. It sounds rather severe as an action item, but if the US is embarking on the most revolutionary revision of its financial sector since the 1930s, why can’t North Africans challenge their current practices? Then employing new schools of thoughts and using ideas that are also revolutionary and make sense should follow as well. Part of the revolution in ideas is to revisit what the IMF and other such institutions have mandated to developing economies to follow. These institutions that were born in another era and another century themselves need to be challenged to their core. Short of an economic revolution, the current single step forward the region is making will follow with two steps back.

• Permanent High Oil Prices and Their Impact on North Africa : Arezki Daoud: January 30th, 2006.

Back in my undergrad time when I took oil economics in the late 1980s, the prevailing theory was that oil prices followed an up-and-down cycle. The cycle was the result of several factors, and apart from the geopolitical ones, of equal importance was when prices were high enough, they created an incentive to invest on oil fields that were generally too expensive to develop in other times. Once the market has enough oil, prices are supposed to decline in a sort of an ebb and flow cycle. This is a simplistic explanation, which certainly should include the development of alternative sources of energy as well.

Although I have not practiced oil economics for years and theories may have been refined since then, I cannot help myself but believe that the current state of oil pricing is not a transient one anymore and the cycle we knew in the past may not occur again. If that is the case, if prices remain above the $50 level, there are going to be significant implications for North Africa going forward, some bad, some good.

First, here is why I believe prices are likely to remain high and if an ebb-and-flow phenomenon is to happen again, then we may be at the low end of the range in that cycle. Much has been said about China, India, Brazil and other emerging giants. Indeed China and India, to name just these two, have been scouring the world in search of sources of oil, buying licenses and companies around the globe. Their economies are now competing head-to-head with the mature economies of Europe, Japan and the United States because they need fuel and a lot of it. Then, not only oil fields have been pumping oil at maximum capacity, the world’s refining capacity is reported to be insufficient to handle the massive demand for finished products. Although a spike in oil consumption in these countries could partly explain the reason why prices went up, it is not the only explanation why prices may no longer go down. The second most important factor that will contribute to keeping oil prices at above the $50 mark is the American consumer. With low unemployment and inflation under control, the American consumer has had

371 limited reasons to complain these days. He expressed his anxiety over high gasoline prices in summer only for a short time. Now, in the middle of winter, I don’t hear much about how high gasoline or heating oil prices that could further deteriorate household finances. As long as American consumers don’t complain, you can bet oil companies will keep those prices high.

Now what are the implications on North Africa? There are several important implications with often-opposite impacts depending on which country one analyzes. For oil producing countries it is all good news. For the ones that are forced to import it, adjustments on how to calculate the state budget and forcing some changes among consumers are necessary, although unpopular.

Algeria and Libya are likely to benefit for a long time from the export of oil and gas. While hydrocarbons are basically the only products exported by Algeria, that country has done a good job created an oil and gas industry base that is well integrated to global markets, with pipelines reaching Europe, maritime routes to the US and Asia, and an important knowledge base in the area of industrial management involving foreign corporations. Parallel to that, has been the country’s prudent financial management, which has helped boost the revenues, earnings and reserves. The challenge remains whether Algeria can build upon that base to expand in other industries and create a real economic profile. Without initiatives, it would be difficult to lift the standards of living of the Algerian population.

Libya is going through honeymoon period. The country is building its government and bureaucratic infrastructure from the ground up and most country risk analysts remain reluctant to improve the political risk rating of that nation at this stage. It is like a credit card company giving a good rating for a teenager. Too risky, too early. Several years or even decades of consistent improvements in administration, legislation, and other processes will be required before Libya is fully part of the global economic machine. But with oil flowing out of its fields and pipelines, Libya will have what it needs to reform, if Khadafi does not surprise us again.

With no major oil and gas resources of their own, Tunisia and Morocco will have to adjust to higher oil prices and re-work their finance laws accordingly. Calculating spending based on reasonably high prices is necessary. Both countries have compensation funds that are used to subsidize oil and gas prices when they exceed a certain price. As these funds have been facing difficulties as oil prices continued to climb, both countries will have to revisit their purpose and mechanisms. At some point, it is inevitable that a growing burden of energy price increases will have to be shared with consumers and businesses. Tunisia has already raised gasoline prices several times and Morocco has been generally more reluctant to follow that path because a great deal of the Moroccan population may not be able to spend more on energy.

Although drastically different from Libya on several fronts, Mauritania is also likely to undergo a honeymoon period as well. The country may benefit from the emergence of an

372 embryonic oil industry and at more than $50 a barrel, the outlook for what is one of the world’s poorest countries could improve.

In all of that, what’s missing is a true regionally integrated industrial policy that takes into account the strength of one country to compensate for the weakness of another. This is the case for oil and gas as it should be the case for agriculture, finance, and other economic activities. But the truth is that North African governments remain in general immature to move to a level where true integration for the sake of economic and human development and for the sake of security is a true priority.

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373 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Weekly Presentation: May 12, 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa Abbas S Lamptey Period: From May 4 to May 10, 2008 THE HEADLINES

50. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS

SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Minister Claims Controversial Chinese Arms Now in Country: SW Radio Africa (London):6 May 2008. • Namibia: Chinese Builders Broke the Law, Says Labour Chief: The Namibian (Windhoek):6 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Uganda: China Donates Anti-Malaria Medicine: New Vision (Kampala):4 May 2008. • Kenya: Chinese Firm to Renovate Kisumu Airport: Business Daily (Nairobi):4 May 2008. • Kenya: China Keen to Fund Road Projects, Envoy Says: Business Daily (Nairobi):5 May 2008. • Lawyers to Sue China Over Zimbabwe: The East African (Nairobi):5 May 2008. • Eritrea: NUEW And Chinese Counterpart Agree to Cooperate in Efforts to Ensure Women's Equality: Shabait.com (Asmara):6 May 2008. • Kenya: China Pledges to Join War On Counterfeits: The Nation (Nairobi):6 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • East Africa: EAC Ministers on a Working Visit to China: The New Times (Kigali):9 May 2008. • Cameroon: Nation Could Host World Cup After Construction of Sports Complexes - Chinese Expert: The Post (Buea):8 May 2008. 51. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA • Africa: 'Nigerian Insurance Industry Most Capitalised in Continent': This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008. • Africa: Franco-African Relations - Who is Tired of Whom? : The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008. • Africa: Women, Children Worst Hit By Cluster Bombs – NGO: Leadership (Abuja):8 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Africa: Undersea Cable to Connect 21 Continent Countries: BuaNews (Tshwane):28 November 2007.

374 • Africa: UN And Computer Maker HP Partner to Boost IT Skills of Young People: UN News Service (New York):8 May 2008. • Southern Africa: Deputy Defence Minister Highlights SADC Stand-By Brigade: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Africa: After China, India, Japan Calls On Continent: New Vision (Kampala):4 May 2008. • Africa: China Urged to Venture Abroad in War On Hunger: Business Daily (Nairobi):4 May 2008. • Economist calls on world to aid African farmers: Nairobi, Kenya (AP) CENTRAL AFRICA • Africa: Kagame Changes Africa for the Better - British Premier: The New Times (Kigali):6 May 2008. 52. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Global Food Crisis - 'Look to God for Help': This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008. • Ghana: Re - Systematic Racism And Discrimination At the British High Commission in Country: Public Agenda (Accra): OPINION: 9 May 2008. • Liberia: Tears Flow At Taylor's Trial: Concord Times (Freetown):9 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Doctors Report Escalation of Violence & Intimidation: SW Radio Africa (London):9 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Post-Election Death Toll Rises As State Sponsored Violence Escalates: SW Radio Africa (London): 8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Standard Editor Arrested: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Radio Director Arrested in Puntland: Garowe Online (Garowe):9 May 2008. • Uganda: Kyenjojo Prisoners Walk 38kms to Court: New Vision (Kampala):9 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Former Belgium Envoy Concludes His Testimony: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):9 May 2008. • Rwanda: Genocide Survivor Convicted for Planting Banana Tree On His Brother's Tomb: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):9 May 2008. • Tanzania: Security Officers Launch Manhunt for Witness Who Mysteriously Disappeared From ICTR Safe House: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):8 May 2008. • Rwanda: French Court Nods Transfer of Genocide Accused to UN Court in Arusha: Hirondelle News Agency Lausanne):7 May 2008.

53. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

375 WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Repatriation of Refugees Gains Momentum in Ghana: Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (Monrovia): PRESS RELEASE: 9 May 2008. • Liberia: Immigration Grabs Eight Illegal Aliens: The Inquirer (Monrovia):8 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Namibia: Relocation of Flood-Prone Settlements Gets Off the Ground: The Namibian (Windhoek):8 May 2008. • Zambia: Immigration Deports 60 Zimbabwe Prostitutes: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): 6 May 2008. • Angola: Moxico - 20 Foreigners Repatriated: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Compensate Us First, Refugees Tell State: The East African Standard (Nairobi):9 May 2008. • Kenya: 300 Refugees Return Home From Uganda: The East African Standard (Nairobi):10 May 2008. • Kenya: State Seeks $500 Million to Help Internal Refugees: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):9 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Chad: Southern Region Relatively Stable Despite Influx of Refugees, Says UN: UN News Service (New York):8 May 2008. • Burundi: Fighting Displaces 20,000: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 May 2008. • Burundi: Why Peace Remains Elusive: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 7 May 2008. 54. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB) WEST AFRICA • Ghana: Good News for Expectant Mothers: Accra Mail (Accra):9 May 2008. • Benin: The End of River Blindness: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:8 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Africa: Unaids is Out of Touch With Reality And Should Be Closed Down, Says Expert: Health-e (Cape Town): OPINION: 9 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Hospital Mortuary Full: The Herald (Harare):9 May 2008. • Namibia: HIV/Aids a Cash Cow for NGOs: New Era (Windhoek):9 May 2008. • Namibia: ICT Transforming Health Sector: New Era (Windhoek): 9 May 2008. • Southern Africa: SADC to Intensify Malaria Interventions: The Herald (Harare):9 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Uganda: HIV Cases Soar Among Kampala Sex Workers: The Monitor (Kampala):9 May 2008. • Djibouti: Country to Work With UN to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation: UN News Service (New York):9 May 2008.

376

CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Better Health At the Click of a Button: Africa Renewal (United Nations):9 May 2008. 55. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Desertification - NGO to Distribute 50,000 Tree Seedlings Free: Leadership (Abuja):9 May 2008. • Sierra Leone: Friends of the Earth to Clean Kenema: Concord Times (Freetown):6 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zambia: Surplus Crop an Achievement: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): EDITORIAL: 8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Polythene Bags Ban Suspended: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008. • Tanzania: Kikwete Launches Plan to Save Planet: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):8 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: CFA 20 Billion Needed to Protect Sangha Trans-Boundary Park: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):7 May 2008. 56. ENERGY WEST AFRICA • West Africa: New Oil Field is Largest in Region's Waters: BuaNews (Tshwane):8 May 2008. • Nigeria: In His First Visit to Niger Delta - Yar'Adua Warns On Future of Oil: This Day (Lagos):11 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Southern Africa: Botswana Bans Sale of Bulk Fuel to Zimbabwe: SW Radio Africa (London):8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Kariba Stations Set for Makeover: Financial Gazette (Harare):8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Uganda: Tullow Loses Congo Oil Exploration Permit: The Monitor (Kampala):7 May 2008. • Uganda: Fuel Crisis Ends Sunday – Government: New Vision (Kampala):9 May 2008. • Kenya: High Refinery Costs to Raise Petrol Prices: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008. 57. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Enact Laws On Economic Reform – IMF: The NEWS (Monrovia):8 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Country Cannot Grow Faster Than 3.5 Percent - U.S. Group: Business Day (Johannesburg):9 May 2008.

377 EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Set Timeline to Curb Foreign Dependency: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008. • Tanzania: Lack of Cash Hits Building Sector Hard: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: Nation Markets its Deep Sea Port: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):9 May 2008. 58. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Calls for Obasanjo's Trial Swell: Leadership (Abuja):9 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Mugabe Hints At Exit: Financial Gazette Harare):8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Mbeki Arrives for Talks: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London): 9 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Mbeki's Team Confirms Violence: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Army Responds to Violence Claims: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: SADC Voices Concern Over Violence: BuaNews (Tshwane):8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Campaign of Terror Unleashed: United States Department of State (Washington, DC): DOCUMENT: 8 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Sets Terms for Run-Off: Zimbabwe Standard (Harare):10 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: New Rules to Govern Coalition Proposed: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008. • Tanzania: 'Pemba Plea is Treasonous': The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008. 59. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Envoys Ask Government to Address Security Problem: This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008. • Senegal: Lack of Peace Accord Hampers Demining in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 May 2008. • Liberia: As Armed Robbery Rises Civilians Defend Themselves: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:7 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Sudan: Bombings in Darfur Cast Doubt On Resolving Crisis: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 6 May 2008. • Sudan: Bombing of Darfur Villages Unacceptable, Says Senior UN Official: UN News Service (New York):5 May 2008. • Eritrea: Country Undermined Basis of UN Peacekeeping Mission's Mandate - Security Council: UN News Service (New York):1 May 2008.

378 • Somalia: 13 Killed As Ethiopia Soldiers, Islamist Guerrillas Fight: Garowe Online (Garowe):8 May 2008. • Somalia: Insurgents Ambush Country's Interior Minister, 4 Soldiers Killed: Garowe Online (Garowe):10 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Chad: Govt Arrests 4 Eufor Troops: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 May 2008. • Burundi: Why Peace Remains Elusive: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 7 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: MONUC is Part of the Problem: New Vision (Kampala): EDITORIAL: 5 May 2008.

60. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR” WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Militants List Conditions for Niger Delta Summit: Vanguard (Lagos):9 May 2008. • Nigeria: Red Alert - IG Warns Over Al-Qaeda Plot to Bomb Country: Vanguard (Lagos):10 May 2008. • Senegal: Villagers Mutilated By Armed Men in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:8 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Congress Moves to Erase U.S. 'Terrorist' Label from the ANC:allAfrica.com:8 May 2008. EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Militia Bosses Asked to Surrender: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008. • Kenya: Anti-Terrorism Team On High Alert: The Nation (Nairobi):4 May 2008. • Sudan: Ban Ki-Moon Sounds Alarm On Violence in Outskirts of Capital: UN News Service (New York):10 May 2008. 61. NORTH AFRICA • Algeria: Government Bans Issue of French Weekly for Publishing Article On Kabylie Region: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 9 May 2008. • Egypt: TV Agency Boss Facing Charges Over Food Riots, Harassed for Links With Al-Jazeera: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris); PRESS RELEASE: 7 May 2008. • Morocco: Al-Jazeera Bureau Forced to Stop Broadcasting Maghreb News Programme From Rabat: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 7 May 2008. • Tunisia: A Euro- Mediterranean Institute of Joint Engineering Studies to Be Set Up By 2010: Tunisia Online (Tunis):6 May 2008. • Morocco: Imprisoned Journalist Goes On Hunger Strike to Mark World Press Freedom Day: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 5 May 2008.

379 • Tunisia: Literary Prize Reveals Fine Crop of Writers And Novels: Tunisia Online (Tunis):5 May 2008.

62. OPINION POLL

• Paving the Way to Prosperity in Africa: Gallup Polls:

63. NEWS COMMENTARY • Central African Republic: Who's Who With Guns?: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: ANALYSIS :9 May 2008. • Kenya: U.S. Security Interests Not Similar to Ours: Business Daily (Nairobi): COLUMN: 8 May 2008. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐.

THE REPORT IN DETAIL

64. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Minister Claims Controversial Chinese Arms Now in Country: SW Radio Africa (London):6 May 2008.

Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga on Sunday claimed that the controversial shipment of arms from China, initially blocked by South Africa, Mozambique and Zambia, was now in Zimbabwe. Responding to criticism of the shipment during a panel discussion on Iranian sponsored 'Press TV' Matonga is said to have derisively retorted, 'in any case that shipment is already in Zimbabwe.' Press TV's 'Four Corners' programme hosted a debate between Matonga, Briggs Bomba from Africa Action, Zanu PF apologist George Shire and an unnamed journalist. Bomba spoke to Newsreel Tuesday and expressed his disappointment at how Angola, contrary to its official position, might have helped Mugabe's regime get their hands on the deadly cargo. The Chinese ship 'An Yue Jiang' was carrying 3 million rounds of ammunition for AK-47's, 1500 rocket propelled grenades and 3000 mortar rounds and tubes. Pressure from trade unions and civil society groups in the SADC region ensured the ship spent weeks failing to get permission to offload. Emerson Mnangagwa, the man in charge of Zimbabwe's terror campaign through the Joint Operations Command, is said to have travelled to Angola and met President Eduardo dos Santos last week, in an effort to have the shipment allowed through. Angola officially declined to authorise the offloading of the Zimbabwean arms shipment, but no one knows if they kept their word. The picture continues to get to murkier with other reports suggesting the Angolan President's jet, a Falcon 900, was sighted in Zimbabwe Tuesday evening. No further details were available. Malawi's Nyasa Times newspaper added to the speculation by claiming intelligence agents from Malawi had travelled to Angola to help clear the shipment on behalf of the Zimbabwean regime.

380 • Namibia: Chinese Builders Broke the Law, Says Labour Chief: The Namibian (Windhoek):6 May 2008.

GOVERNMENT has investigated complaints about foreign companies operating in Namibia, especially Chinese ones, and found them to be in the wrong, particularly on occupational health and safety, minimum wages and conditions of employment. This was said by Labour Commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja when he addressed a Workers' Day celebration at Oshakati on Thursday. Shinguadja said not only Chinese builders were breaking the law, but Namibian and South African construction companies were also found wanting in many respects. "Let us put pressure on all the defaulters without being seen as if it is a xenophobic reaction… All sectors - particularly the security industry where employees have been without any pay for more than six months, especially here in the north-central regions - all must comply," he said. Shinguadja noted that although Namibia enjoyed relatively good labour relations compared to other countries in the SADC region, this relationship remained fragile and very sensitive.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: China Donates Anti-Malaria Medicine: New Vision (Kampala):4 May 2008.

CHINA has donated anti-malarial drugs worth $400,000 (about sh714m) to the health ministry. Speaking at the ministry's headquarters in Kampala recently, Chinese ambassador Sun Heping said the donation was aimed at promoting economic growth. The items included 159,000 doses of dihydroartemesinin Napthaquine, 96,000 doses of dihydro artemesinin piperaquine (duo-cortecxin) and laboratory equipment for a malaria treatment centre. "The Chinese government donated the first batch of anti-malarial medicines last year and is to set up a malaria prevention and treatment centre in Hospital this year," Heping said. Health minister Stephen Mallinga said the donation was timely because the ministry had changed the drugs used from chloroquine and fansider to artemesinin combination. "The provision of effective malaria medicine is a key strategy in the control of the disease." He also stated that the ministry had put in place policies and strategies to control malaria with emphasis on prompt case management, vector control using indoor residual spraying and use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

• Kenya: Chinese Firm to Renovate Kisumu Airport: Business Daily (Nairobi):4 May 2008.

The Sh3 billion reconstruction of Kisumu Airport is set to start next month following the award of the tender to a Chinese firm. Kenya Airports Authority chairman George Muhoho said China Overseas Engineering Group Corporation would sign for the contract next week. "We have awarded the tender to the lowest bidder. The expansion should start after 28 days," said Mr Muhoho. The work will include renovation of the existing two kilometre runway, which will be lengthened to three kilometres. The runaway was constructed in 1976 without any provision for

381 drainage, according to engineers. Stagnant pools of water characterise the runway during the rainy season, causing potholes. Some airlines have occasionally withdrawn services due to the poor state of the runway. "Upon successful completion of the exercise there would be an allowance for more aircraft since safety would have been taken care of at the airport," said Titus Naikuni, KQ managing director. Mr Naikuni said the condition of the runway had led to incurring unnecessary maintenance costs for KQ aircraft… Upon completion of the reconstruction exercise in 22 months, airlines are expected to bring in more and bigger aircraft since safety would have been enhanced thus earning the facility an international status.

• Kenya: China Keen to Fund Road Projects, Envoy Says: Business Daily (Nairobi):5 May 2008.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Zhang Ming, has refuted claims that his government had scaled down the amount of money it promised to fund the upgrading of Mombassa Road from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Gigiri. Speaking after a courtesy call to Nation Media Group, Mr Ming said that contractors on the ground experienced some difficulties in the original plan after huge deposits of black cotton soil were discovered along the excavation route. "As a result of the development, there were necessary changes in design of the road and difficulties in implementing contractor demands. But we are keen on completing the road even sooner," said Mr Ming. The construction of the 22 kilometre highway was to be fully financed by the Chinese government under a deal struck between President Kibaki and President Hu Jintao. Reports from the Ministry of Roads and Public Works had earlier indicated that the Chinese government, which had initially pledged to provide Sh5.3 billion for the project had cut the sum to Sh2.2 billion. The contractor, Shengli Engineering & Consulting Company of China, moved to the site at the beginning of April after a raft of agreements between the company and Ministry of Roads and Public Works. Once complete, the project is expected to improve traffic flow in Nairobi with the removal of five roundabouts on Uhuru Highway, which will be replaced with flyovers and underpasses. Roundabouts have been blamed for the traffic jams… Mr Ming said another Chinese company is negotiating with the government on the design and construction of the by-passes to ease traffic flow in the city centre.

• Lawyers to Sue China Over Zimbabwe: The East African (Nairobi):5 May 2008.

Lawyers from East Africa and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) are seeking legal action against the Chinese government over arms supplies to Zimbabwe. The East African Law Society and the Law Society of the Southern Africa Development Community say they have finalised preparations to institute legal action at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Two weeks ago, the 77,000-tonne An Yue Jiang ship carrying several container loads of weapons for the Zimbabwe Defence Force, including three million rounds of AK47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes, was denied entry

382 by several Southern African countries. The ship was turned away in Durban and Cape Town, where dockworkers refused to unload the cargo, and later from Beira port in Mozambique, where it was refused permission to dock. Tom Ojienda, president of the East African Law Society, told The East African last week that the two bodies will approach the ICC to investigate why China is sending arms to Zimbabwe given the current political situation there. The lawyers were speaking at an emergency Pan- African summit in Dar es Salaam on April 21 to discuss the election crisis in Zimbabwe. The summit, called by the East Africa Law Society, brought together 105 representatives of civil society, the legal fraternity, trade unions, academia from 21 African countries. According to the participants, the mediation efforts spearheaded by SADC and endorsed by the African Union have failed to deliver the necessary solutions to Zimbabweans and to uphold the will of the people… The summit participants were shown digital photos of people with severe injuries allegedly resulting from the systematic Zanu-PF terror campaign between March and April 2008 in various parts of Zimbabwe against people suspected of being Movement for Democratic Change sympathisers…

• Eritrea: NUEW And Chinese Counterpart Agree to Cooperate in Efforts to Ensure Women's Equality: Shabait.com (Asmara):6 May 2008.

The National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) and the All-China Women's Federation agreed to cooperate in efforts to ensure women's equality. In a preliminary meeting held at the Federation's Central Office in Beijing on April 29, the head of social service and rehabilitation at the NUEW, Ms. Tsega Gaim, and senior heads of the Chinese women's union, including the Vice President of the Federation, Ms. Zhao Shaohua, conducted discussion on topics of mutual interest. The two unions reached understanding to draw up programs on exchanging experience in the struggle to ensure gender equality. Besides, the All-China Women's Federation asserted that it would cooperate in strengthening the capacity of Eritrean women, particularly in the spheres of education and economy. Ms. Tsega Gaim, on behalf of the NUEW's Chairperson, extended an invitation to the Federation to visit Eritrea.

• Kenya: China Pledges to Join War On Counterfeits: The Nation (Nairobi):6 May 2008.

China will work with Kenya to ensure that goods imported into the country meet required standards. But there is need for cooperation between the two governments and the media to reduce the volume of counterfeits in the Kenyan market, Chinese ambassador to Kenya Zhang Ming said Monday. He confirmed that some of the goods coming from his country were either of low quality or fake and asked businessmen to avoid them. He disclosed that he recently visited electronic outlets on River Road to assess the situation and find out why they had counterfeit goods on their shelves. The envoy made the remarks after paying a visit to the Nation Media Group chief executive officer, Mr Linus Gitahi.

CENTRAL AFRICA

383 • East Africa: EAC Ministers on a Working Visit to China: The New Times (Kigali):9 May 2008.

A delegation of Ministers responsible for affairs of the East African Community (EAC) is on a working visit to the Peoples Republic of China. The delegation travelled with senior government officials of the EAC partner states including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. It is led by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs in Uganda, Eriya Kategaya. Kategaya is also Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers. The delegations also include Kategaya's counterparts Amason J.Kingi, EAC minister for Kenya, Dr. Diodorus Kamala of Tanzania, Monique Mukaruliza, of Rwanda and Venerand Bakevyumusaya of Burundi. Others include the Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community in Charge of Projects and Programmes, Ambassador Julius Baker Onen and other senior government officials. The main focus of the EAC Ministerial visit is to learn from the Chinese experience in infrastructure development and to garner support and partnership in developing the regional infrastructures. The result of the visit, including the robust perspectives and recommendations that came out of the Strategic EAC Retreats for Permanent Secretaries held in Mwanza, Tanzania in early March this year… Through the development of infrastructure, including roads, railways, civil aviation and telecommunications, the EAC aims to achieve not only higher standards of living in the region but also to make the region competitive and attractive for sustainable investment, trade and development and full integration into the global economic society.

• Cameroon: Nation Could Host World Cup After Construction of Sports Complexes - Chinese Expert: The Post (Buea):8 May 2008.

Li Chanqxin, representative of the Chinese Machinery Equipment Export and Import Company, CMEC, Wednesday, May 7, after signing the Sports infrastructural Development Convention with the Cameroon Government, told the press that Cameroon could host the World Cup after the execution of the FCFA 272 billion- contract… The convention was signed at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel by the Minister of Economy Regional Development and Planning, Louis Paul Motaze, on behalf of the Cameroon government and Li Chanqxin for the Chinese company. The Sport Development Programme was initiated by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and will be carried on in three phases. The first phase that begins from 2008-2010 will include the construction of the Yaounde -Olembe stadium of 60, 000 seats and a football and athletics training stadium… The second phase, which begins from 2011-2013 would be the construction of the Yaoundé-Olembe Olympic swimming pool, of 3,000 seats, a new campus for the National Institute of Youth and Sports, INJS, as well as a three star hotel… The third phase from 2013-2016 has to do with the construction of stadia of 15,000 to 20,000 places and a complex of 2,000 places in Bertoua, Ebolowa, Bamenda, Ngaoundere, Maroua and Kumba. Also there is the construction of sports complexes in Buea and Sangmelima to the tune of about FCFA 117 billion. Speaking during the ceremony, the Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, urged the Chinese to ensure the transfer of technology to Cameroonian experts and technicians. He lauded the initiative as a step forward in the Sino-Cameroon relations, citing the Lagdo

384 Dam, the Hospital in Guider, the Gyneco-Obsteric hospital in Yaoundé, the Conference centre and the sports complex, as fruits of the relationship… Presenting the programme of sports development to the press, Edjoa asked Cameroonians to have confidence in the project. He said the project's main objectives are to cover the deficit in infrastructure, ensure that all provincial headquarters have a stadium and host international sporting events… Concerning the maintenance of the stadia, he said the Chinese would ensure maintenance for some time and then later cede to Cameroonians as was the case with the conference Centre. He added that Cameroonians are already in China for training as part of the process to transfer of technology… The budget of the ministry for 2008 has taken into account compensation for displaced persons in the areas concerned, Edjao said.

65. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: 'Nigerian Insurance Industry Most Capitalised in Continent': This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008.

The regulatory body for insurance practice in Nigeria, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has confirmed that the capitalisation requirement in the country's insurance industry is the highest in the African continent. And as part of efforts geared towards encouraging adequate participation of Nigerian insurance companies in the underwriting of risks emanating from oil and gas operations in the country, stakeholders in the industry have kicked against the requirement mandating insurance companies to prepare consolidated balance sheet for members of the group. Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, made this confirmation while addressing newsmen in Lagos yesterday. He also disclosed that insurance bond has since become generally acceptable by stakeholders in import and export business, particularly the Nigerian Customs… He also disclosed that oil and gas companies have been advised to remove some of the bottlenecks that used to inhibit the participation of local insurance companies in oil and gas underwriting business before now.

• Africa: Franco-African Relations - Who is Tired of Whom? : The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

The news may have come as a surprise to the French, whose leaders are always talking about the influx of Africans, and the threat this "invasion" poses to their economy and culture. However, to Africans it was merely a confirmation of what they already know: France no longer attracts them. Gone are the days when the greatest dream of Francophone artistes, intellectuals, students and politicians was a trip to Paris or settling there. Le Monde, one of the leading French newspapers broke the story, which was based on reports filed to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs by its diplomats. Their common thread? France's image in Africa is "very tarnished." The

385 fact "has been established in a series of dispatches written at the request of the Quai d'Orsay (The French ministry of Foreign Affairs) in the autumn of 2007 by 42 ambassadors posted in Africa," the paper said on April 27, 2008… The request was made following the "devastating" speech delivered in Dakar by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on July 26, 2007 which prompted outrage across Africa, including a book, L'Afrique répond à Sarkozy (Africa Answers Sarkozy). More than 20 prominent African scholars and writers contributed to the work, which was published in March 2008 under the direction of writer and former Senegalese Minister for Culture Makhily Gassama. In Dakar, Mr Sarkozy accused Africans of being stuck in a mythical past and refusing to embrace modernity. He also praised the benefits of colonialism, while saying he would not apologise for mistakes or crimes he did not commit. Commenting on the diplomatic reports, Le Monde described the relationship between France and Africa as "two old acquaintances tired of each another". Before the French election last May, Mr Sarkozy believed he did not need Africa. But once in power, he quickly realised that his country had too many economic interests in the continent, particularly in Francophone Africa. So, he came up with the concept of "rupture" (change or shift), to define a new African policy for France, which will do away with what has been known as La Françafrique. French left-wing activist and writer Jean François Xavier Verschave coined the term to describe and criticise a combination of parallel diplomacy, shady business deals, diverted aid and flawed investments that helped promote individual interests and enrich members of a few "networks" in Africa and France… In the past decade or so, many things have been changing in political cultural and economic relations between France and Africa. Figures released in France in 2001 showed that the number of African students in French universities had been falling, with most students, including those from Francophone Africa, preferring the US or Germany, or any other destination where getting a student visa was much easier than in France. The percentage of foreign students from Africa in France fell from 58 per cent in 1985 to 45 per cent in 1999 of whom 40 per cent of whom were from sub-Saharan Africa. It is believed that this number has fallen even lower in the past five years. Notably, in 2005, the USA said that the number of African students registering in its universities had been increasing by 15 per cent each year… In countries formerly seen as belonging to the French influence zone because of their colonial past, new leaders are questioning the old concepts and looking at new horizons. Rwanda's Paul Kagame set the trend in a spectacular manner when he came to power after the country's genocide. Senegal's Abdoulaye Wade and Côte d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo followed suit… Since he came to power in 2000, Mr Wade has sought to establish ties with new economic partners from other parts of the world such as China, India, Brazil and the Arab world. Consequently, where French firms exclusively dominated the big businesses you find Chinese, Indian and Brazilian firms… About 6,000 French soldiers are permanently posted in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire,

386 Djibouti, Gabon and Chad. They are the most visible legacies of the colonial past and the result of accords negotiated in the 1960s. But certain quarters in Africa and France simply view these bases as the armed side of the Françafrique. For decades, French troops have helped protect and save unpopular regimes, like they did recently when armed opposition groups invaded N'djamena and nearly ousted Chadian President Idriss Deby. Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa, at the end of February, President Sarkozy pledged to review the military accords and suggested that some of bases military might even be closed. This may sound like an answer to a plea made by several African states years ago, but implementing the decision may be much harder, what with interested parties in France and Africa pushing for their retention.

• Africa: Women, Children Worst Hit By Cluster Bombs – NGO: Leadership (Abuja):8 May 2008.

The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) said in Abuja that research on areas affected by cluster bombs in Africa showed that women and children were mostly affected. IANSA national coordinator, Ms. Mimidoo Achakpa, who stated this at a roundtable on Cluster Munition, said such bombs contained multiple explosives and were dropped from the air. "This is what particularly ignites our passion for creating awareness and partnership to ensure that Nigeria and delegation of other countries endorse the Dublin Wellington Declaration.”We also desire to have strong humanitarian approaches aimed toward halting the proliferation of ammunition and thereby preventing more deaths," she said. She urged the stakeholders to support the struggle to achieve a comprehensive treaty position with no exemptions, delays and loopholes. She added that unlike land mines and other indiscriminate weapons, there was no provision in international law that specifically addressed the problems of cluster munition. Anahita Kar, communications delegate, Red Cross, said cluster bombs were illegal since wars had no rules and regulations. Kar said that the damage done after the usage of cluster bombs were more devastating, adding that soldiers only had the right to target the military camps. She expressed concern that such targets were often ignored to the detriment of civilians.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Undersea Cable to Connect 21 Continent Countries: BuaNews (Tshwane):28 November 2007.

The construction of an undersea fibre-optic cable is to move Africa closer to reliable telecommunications and affordable Internet access, by connecting 21 east, southern, and central African countries to West Africa and Europe. Construction of the 10 000 kilometre undersea cable is to begin next month following the announcement on Monday that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and others have come up with $70.7 million in financing for the project. "The project will transform the African telecommunication landscape and have a direct positive impact on business in East

387 Africa," Lars Thunell, Chief Executive at the World Bank's private sector arm, said on Monday. In Africa, the Internet reaches only 4 percent of the population and users pay the world's highest fees to connect at the slowest speeds when the continent's notoriously erratic electricity supply and satellite connections permit. The situation is worse in the countries to be served by the new cable… The IFC said it would provide $18.2 million out of $70.7 million in long-term loans sought by the EASSy consortium of companies. The rest would come from the African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, German development bank KfW, and French development bank AFD. The European Union also would provide some financing. The international lenders are channelling their financing through the West Indian Ocean Cable Company Ltd., formed specifically for the project, the IFC said.

• Africa: UN And Computer Maker HP Partner to Boost IT Skills of Young People: UN News Service (New York):8 May 2008.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Hewlett- Packard (HP) have joined forces to help young unemployed people across Africa build their entrepreneurial and information technology (IT) skills, it was announced today. The Graduate Entrepreneurship Training Through IT (GET-IT) initiative will initially be launched in six nations - Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda - and eventually be expanded further to span the African continent. The scheme seeks to train youth and graduates, who are between the ages of 16 and 25 and do not have jobs, acquire IT skills and run their own businesses. GET-IT courses will focus on teaching practical solutions for businesses in finance, management, marketing and technology management.

• Southern Africa: Deputy Defence Minister Highlights SADC Stand- By Brigade: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):8 May 2008.

Angolan deputy minister of Defence, Gaspar Santos Rufino, said Wednesday in Luanda that the Stand-by Brigade of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is "an instrument of great value for the support to peacekeeping missions and other operations." Speaking at the opening of the meeting of the sub-committee of the chiefs of staff of the SADC member countries' armed forces, taking place in Luanda to analyse various topics of military nature concerning the parties of the regional organ. "The Stand-by Brigade and all mechanisms of support must remain ready to support the efforts of the community, the African Union and United Nations, with a view to the promotion of security and stability, which are fundamental premises for the integral development of Africa," he stressed. The Stand-by Brigade is a military contingent that groups staff from the community. It was officially presented in August last year to the heads of SADC member countries… Also discussed was the support of SADC to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the amendments to the protocol on cooperation in the areas of politics, defence and security, including the ratification of the region's mutual

388 defence pact. SADC groups Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Mauritius, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

EAST AFRICA • Africa: After China, India, Japan Calls On Continent: New Vision (Kampala):4 May 2008.

WORLD economic powers are jostling to establish a strong presence in Africa. This month, African leaders will head to Yokohama, Japan, for a conference on African development known as the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which Japan convenes once every five years. Over 50 leaders have been invited for the conference, which will take place from May 28-30. Resolutions from the conference will be passed on to the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised countries summit, which will take place in July on the island of Hakkaido in the northern most part of Japan. Japan has been courting Africa since 1993 through technical and financial assistance. In 2006, China hosted about 50 African leaders, displaying a robust relationship centered on oil and aid. Early this year, India also hosted African leaders and promised duty-free imports from the world's least-developed countries, 34 of which are in Africa. India is an emerging economic powerhouse and trades with a number of African countries. But its interest in Africa is seen in part as an attempt to counter Chinese influence. Japan is about to launch a new assistance package for African countries. Japan believes international peace, security and prosperity cannot be achieved unless Africa's problems are solved. Japan is providing assistance to African countries through the TICAD process, which focuses on African ownership and worldwide partnership. The TICAD conference is expected to create a blue print for infrastructure development in Africa, an engine of growth… The three priorities will boost economic growth in Africa by making it self sustaining and pro-poor and ensuring human security by assisting in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. They will also help with the consolidation of peace and address environmental issues and climate change. The increase in engagement of developed countries in Africa is due to many factors. Africa has a population of almost two billion and is rich in natural resources including the much sought after oil. It has a huge potential for development. What it lacks is infrastructural development and investment capital. Twenty-three African countries are considered good performers and have maintained a growth rate of over 5% from 2005 to 2007. These countries, whose growth is led by export of natural resources, include Nigeria, DR Congo, Sudan, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Angola, Zambia, Botswana and Equatorial Guinea. Uganda, Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique had their growths led by stable macro-economic policies… But the challenges facing the continent are poverty, food shortages and infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation, climate change and a soaring unemployment rate. Japan contributes to conflict resolution, prevention and peace building. In order to support humanitarian crises and peace building so as to consolidate peace in Africa, Japan has committed $264m in aid. This is expected to address drought and floods that

389 ravaged much of Africa last year. Japan will start helping peace keeping training centres that operate across the continent.

• Africa: China Urged to Venture Abroad in War On Hunger: Business Daily (Nairobi):4 May 2008.

China should set up farms abroad to produce extra food for its huge population, said agricultural officials recently. Their backing for overseas agribusiness ventures may give further momentum to the wave of Chinese farmers already moving to Africa to boost their incomes. Liu Jianjun, chairman of the China-Africa Baoding Business Council, an organisation that sets up negotiations with African governments for Chinese investments, told Business Daily recently that he would like to set up a farm in Kenya to grow wheat, corn and pineapples. "Lots of land in Kenya is not farmed and yet it still receives food aid from the UN. At the same time, China faces a shortage of farmland." China, with its population of 1.3 billion, or 22 per cent of the world's people, only has an estimated seven per cent of the globe's arable land and about eight per cent of its water resources. While yields of staple crops like rice have significantly improved in recent years, a fast-changing economy is putting great pressure on the country's precious land resources. Rising wealth is pushing up demand for meat, requiring higher grain output to feed livestock. Yet expanding urban areas are encroaching on valuable farmland. Chinese businesses that venture abroad to explore agricultural resources will relieve some of the domestic shortages, said agriculture ministry officials, cited by the Beijing Morning Post. Chinese investment in overseas farms is not new. As early as 2006, a Chinese agribusiness the Suntime Group, invested in a rice growing venture in Cuba. It has significantly increased yields through new seeds and technology.

• Economist calls on world to aid African farmers: Nairobi, Kenya (AP).

Africa's food production could double in a matter of years and help stabilize spiraling food prices if wealthy nations help small farmers with simple agricultural reforms, a top U.S. economist said Thursday. Jeffrey D. Sachs, the head of Columbia University's Earth Institute, said wealthy nations had neglected aid for agriculture for decades in the mistaken belief that market forces would stimulate farmers to invest in good practices. But he said increased production requires money for fertilizer, water management and high-yield seeds -- things many poor farmers do not have and the international community has not been willing to provide. "While the ideological barriers [to giving aid to agriculture] are being broken, the financial ones are not," Sachs told journalists in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. "There's still no money really to get this done." Sachs said about $10 billion should be made available to small farmers through a global fund, and cited the example of Malawi in 2005 to show that simple interventions can increase crop yields dramatically… Despite strenuous objections from international donors, Malawi's government made vouchers available to farmers to buy fertilizer -- and the subsidy, combined with good rains, doubled the country's yield,

390 he said… Sachs estimated it would cost every person in the developed world $10 to double Africa's food production but said rich countries had "basically left the poorest of the poor to their misery." Investment was urgently needed, he warned, and the poor countries who were suffering most from rising prices were unable to fund necessary reforms on their own. "You can't start when you have nothing," he explained.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: Kagame Changes Africa for the Better - British Premier: The New Times (Kigali):6 May 2008.

The British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has hailed President Paul Kagame as one of the African Presidents changing the continent for the better. Brown made the remarks yesterday during the opening of the Business Call to Action event held in London. The aim of the meeting was to bring on board major business players in helping developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Kagame and Ghana's President John Kufuor were the only Heads of State invited for the high- powered meeting… Brown singled out both countries as being among the few making progress in achieving the MDGs because of their sound economic programmes and steadfast growth. He called on rich countries to play their part and make good their promises on aid and debt relief, and agree to a new World Trade Organisation (WTO) deal in the coming weeks. The premier called on big businesses to shed off what he termed the "old Fordist guise" of philanthropy as a means of eradicating poverty, and instead focus on developing long term business initiatives that mobilise resources and talents…"Developing countries - including Ghana and Rwanda - are already working hard to put in place the macroeconomic stability, supportive regulatory environment and measures to tackle corruption that are necessary for business and trade to thrive".

66. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Global Food Crisis - 'Look to God for Help': This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008.

President, God's Kingdom Society (GKS), Brother Aighalua, has enjoined people all over the world to look to God for help and succour in the face of the global food crisis. In a statement in Salem City, Warri, the Church headquarters, Aighalua, who spoke of the need for people to remain faithful both in times of prosperity and adversity, said the last days is a time when many people would be extremely selfish, lack natural affection or conscience, a time of constant friction between government and the people, and frequent natural disasters. He called for prudent management of available resources to avoid waste and hoarding, so that more people can benefit from what is available. He

391 said the devil is using all the forces at his command to put men in distress, knowing that his end was near, and expressed regrets at the food riots in Haiti, Egypt, Somalia, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Guinea among other places, which have prompted several countries to place embargo on the export of wheat and rice.

• Ghana: Re - Systematic Racism And Discrimination At the British High Commission in Country: Public Agenda (Accra): OPINION: 9 May 2008.

I wish to draw your attention to a systematic discrimination and human right abuse by officials of the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Ghana. It will be recalled that on the 8 February 2008, an article featured in the Ghanaian media including Ghanaweb by Kwami Agbodza highlighted some of the systematic race prejudice by officials of the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Accra. Kwami Agbodza's article represented the voice of hundreds of voiceless poor Ghanaians who have suffered silently, discrimination and abuse in the hands Visa Section officials in Ghana. Marriages have been broken; families have been torn apart and destabilized by officials of the Visa Section of the British High Commission through this systematic discrimination. There are testimonies where customers who provided all the required documentation have been refused visa on the grounds that they are too desperate to travel to the U.K. There are also instances where husbands, wives, sons, relatives who have proven beyond any reasonable doubt of their relationships with their sponsors, and without any interviews, have been denied the right to family re-union on the grounds that they were in a marriage of convenience, or that they were not genuine visitors. There are also overwhelming evidence based on the compilation of visa refusal reasons to conclude that the British High Commission holds Africans in contempt and treats us as strangers even in our own country, the high percent of visa refusal in Ghana is a testimony to this fact. It therefore appears that, despite the abolition of slave trade some 200 years ago, white supremacy and colonial mentality still exists in the hearts and minds of some minority… The question I want to ask here is "are Ghanaians who are legally resident in the U.K not entitled to family union". This is where I feel very strongly that our basic right under the current U.K human rights law is under threat… Ghanaians, for that matter Africans are often subjected to dehumanizing treatment in visa application, and I could not agree more with Kwami Agbodza when he used the phrase systematic prejudice and race discrimination at the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Ghana. I know the United Kingdom prides itself as one of the most tolerant, honest, fair and above all treats all human beings equal, irrespective of race, gender and religion. Unfortunately, Ghanaian visa applicants receive far less than this British pride. Customer satisfaction is the bedrock of every successful organization, and as customers we deserve firm, but fair treatment and also value for our money… Jalaal Hakim (UK).

392 • Liberia: Tears Flow At Taylor's Trial: Concord Times (Freetown):9 May 2008.

Prosecution witness at the trial of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, broke down in tears in the middle of her testimony in court on Wednesday as she gave a graphic description of yet more rebel atrocities. The witness, known only as TF1-028, told the Special Court sitting in The Hague that there was no shortage in the cruel acts of the AFRC/RUF rebels in their dealings with civilians. When she began narrating how her two uncles were allegedly killed by rebels with machetes, tears streamed down her cheek. "I saw my uncle lying down. He had been hacked on his neck... he was saying, 'God is great' ... then I saw my other uncle ... my uncle was asking what his elder brother had done when they hacked him... then they hacked him across his face, saying that was the answer...[and] he died," she said.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Doctors Report Escalation of Violence & Intimidation: SW Radio Africa (London):9 May 2008.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights have released a report expressing deep concern over the escalating cases of organised violence and torture and the increasing intimidation of medical personnel. The report says over 900 victims of violence have been documented in the post election period. But they stress that this figure grossly underestimates the problem because many cases go unreported countrywide and the violence is so widespread that it is impossible to properly document all the cases. The report said there are 22 confirmed deaths - at least double that number has been reported but some are not yet confirmed. There are also allegations that some of those killed have been buried on the orders of state agents before the cases were documented. Victims are showing up for treatment in large numbers daily. In the last 24 hours alone, 30 victims of violence were treated for limb fractures in Harare hospitals and clinics. One hospital treated an average of 23 victims a day over the last week. Most health centres are reported to have run out of supplies of Plaster of Paris bandages… The victims being treated have identified the perpetrators as war veterans, armed security forces and ZANU-PF youth militia. There were a few acts of violence that victims attributed to opposition members, and these appeared to have been retaliation or self-defense.

• Zimbabwe: Post-Election Death Toll Rises As State Sponsored Violence Escalates: SW Radio Africa (London): 8 May 2008.

The number of post-election deaths has now risen to at least 32 as the ruling party continues to hunt down opposition officials and supporters. It remains extremely difficult to get the full details and the death toll is almost certainly much higher. On

393 Tuesday in the Chiweshe rural area about 150kms north of Harare, our correspondent Simon Muchemwa said 11 villagers were murdered after they resisted unspecified demands by a group of so-called war veterans who brutalised the area on Tuesday. The details have varied depending on the source. Our reporter said the 11 were shot execution style, while other reports say they were beaten to death with branches and bicycle chains… In Mashonaland West province, at least 33 families were evicted from their homes at Vine Farm in Mutorangashanga on Monday. They were accused of voting for the MDC… The ruling party has been evicting farm workers and burning down villages in a brutal campaign to displace voters, ahead of the expected runoff presidential election between Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai. The date has not yet been announced even though the law states that the runoff should take place 3 weeks after the announcement of election results. The MDC has not yet said whether they will participate in the runoff.

• Zimbabwe: Standard Editor Arrested: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):8 May 2008.

POLICE yesterday arrested the editor of the Standard, Davison Maruziva, on allegations of publishing statements deemed prejudicial to the state and contempt of court after publishing an opinion article by MDC leader Arthur Mutambara lambasting a ruling of the High Court last month on the delayed release of the March 29 presidential election results. The Standard edition of April 20-26 this year carried Mutambara's article headlined "A Shameful Betrayal of National Independence" in which the robotics professor criticised Justice Tendai Uchena for dismissing the MDC-Tsvangirai's application to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the results of the election. Maruziva was arrested by detectives from the Law and Order section of the CID and was charged under provisions of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which deals with publishing or communicating a false statement prejudicial to the state. The Standard is a sister publication of the Zimbabwe Independent… Zimbabwe has some of the toughest media laws and a terrible record of harassment of journalists and repression of the media. Some of the hostile laws include the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Interception of Communications Act, the Broadcasting Services Act, the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, the Public Order and Security Act and the Censorship and Control of Entertainment Act. Meanwhile, Information and Publicity minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu reportedly told the Bulawayo Press Club at the weekend that the government was planning to tighten controls on the media…

EAST AFRICA • Somalia: Radio Director Arrested in Puntland: Garowe Online (Garowe):9 May 2008.

394 Security forces in the semiautonomous Somali territory of Puntland arrested the director-general of Somali Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), an independent broadcaster based in the northern port city of Bossaso. Mowlid Haji Abdi was at working at his office inside the SBC headquarters when armed police entered the building and demanded to see him Friday morning, an SBC employee said. The police unit did not have any court paperwork authorizing Mr. Haji Abdi's arrest, but stated that they had "government orders" to detain the radio station's director-general. The commanding police officer was allowed to privately enter Mr. Haji Abdi's office alone, according to a SBC statement posted online. But minutes later, the remaining officers jumped over the reception area counter and forcefully entered the back of the building, including the studio room with reporters broadcasting live news… The SBC director-general was then transported from the building to an undisclosed location, although inside sources suggested that he was taken to a jail inside the port of Bossaso…

• Uganda: Kyenjojo Prisoners Walk 38kms to Court: New Vision (Kampala):9 May 2008.

SUSPECTS from Butiiti Prison in Mwenge county, Kyenjojo district, walk 38kms to the court for trial. The shocking revelation was made yesterday by the Uganda Human Rights Commission chairperson, Margaret Sekaggya. Briefing journalists in Kampala yesterday, she said the suspects often don't reach in time to the court located at the district headquarters. "They often miss court sessions and tread back to Butiiti, prolonging their stay in prison." She said the commission had asked the Uganda Prisons to either take the suspects to the court or the hearings be held at Butiiti sub-county headquarters. The human rights body condemned the rampant killings and robberies in Kampala, especially in the suburbs of Kiwatule, Najeera, Kyanja, and . However, it commended the Government, especially the Police, for trying to improve security through its new initiative of community policing. In the last three months, Kampala has been hit by a wave of robberies and murders. Many people have been maimed on their way home.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Former Belgium Envoy Concludes His Testimony: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):9 May 2008.

The former Belgian Ambassador to Rwanda, Johann Swinnen, concluded his testimony at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) by wondering if the events which preceded the 1994 genocide had "something to do with a trap". "This confusion, this chaos, this distress and the radicalization which went hand in hand in front of situations of despair animated by actors not very serious, it was maybe something

395 thought out, calculated, planned... did many actors, officials, ordinary citizens fall into a trap?", questioned Swinnen in conclusion of his testimony. "I am speculating, I am not affirming anything", he said in his testimony at the request of the defence of the former head of the Rwandan diplomacy, Jerome Bicamumpaka, who is accused of 1994 genocide, along three other senior ministers in the trial known as "Government II". The other ministers are: Casimir Bizimungu (Health), Prosper Mugiraneza (Civil Service), and Justin Mugenzi (Commerce). All have pleaded not guilty. The Belgium envoy also stated categorically "that he was not pointing a finger at the persons responsible"…

• Rwanda: Genocide Survivor Convicted for Planting Banana Tree On His Brother's Tomb: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):9 May 2008.

Innocent Nsengiyumva, 55, a survivor of the 1994 genocide, was found guilty of crimes against humanity by the semi-traditional Gacaca Court and sentenced to 30 years in prison for having planted a banana tree on the his brother's tomb in the Nyarubaka sector ,Kamonyi district, reports Hirondelle Agency . The indictment charged that Nsengiyumva would have inflicted an indignant treatment to the remains of his brother, Justin Munyangabe, who was killed in April 1994, by planting, at the beginning of 1995, a banana tree seedling on his tomb. Seized of the case, the gacaca court convicted him. The conviction was confirmed in appeal, explained Faustin Dusabe, President of the Appellate Court of the sector. His wife has asked for a revision of the judgement. According to the local president of IBUKA, the main association of survivors, who is a neighbour of the defendant, "the trial was started and carried out in order to settle a score". It was denounced by IBUKA throughout the proceedings, he claimed. One of Munyagabe's killers, Marc Nkurikiye, confirms: "when we buried him the banana trees were already there, just as they remained there when we exhumed him". A fact brought up by Laurent Kigombe, a soldier who helped with the exhumation. "We did not touch anything, not even the banana trees", he explained, re-stating his testimony before the gacaca court… The Gacaca courts are presided not by professional judges but by people nominated from the society who have high moral standing in the community.

• Tanzania: Security Officers Launch Manhunt for Witness Who Mysteriously Disappeared From ICTR Safe House: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):8 May 2008.

Tanzanian police in collaboration with the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) security have launched a manhunt for a controversial protected witness who mysteriously disappeared on Tuesday from a safe house in Arusha. The witness was scheduled to re-testify over his own admission to have given a false testimony before the UN Court, trying key suspects of the 1994 genocide. Known only by code" GFA ", the witness disappeared while he was under guard of Tanzanian police supervised

396 by tribunal officers, just some few hours before his scheduled appearance. However, Arusha Regional Police Commander (RPC) Basilio Matei clarified that Tanzanian police's task was to man the gate, but all operations within the house's boundary are solely looked after by ICTR witness protection unit. The vehicles entering inside the house are only of ICTR with their personnel. The 'safe houses' are ordinary villas throughout Arusha and often surrounded by high walls, aimed at protecting the identity of the witness and any possible external influence in the course of the trial. The ICTR spokesman, Roland Amoussouga, said efforts were underway to track down the witness… GFA had testified for the prosecution in several trials currently in progress at the ICTR, including on-going Government II trial, which brings together in a joint case of four former Rwandan ministers accused of genocide and crimes against humanity in 1994. The four ministers are: Casimir Bizimungu (Health), Prosper Mugiraneza (Civil Service), Justin Mugenzi (Commerce) and Jerome Bicamumpaka (Foreign Affairs). All have pleaded not guilty…

• Rwanda: French Court Nods Transfer of Genocide Accused to UN Court in Arusha: Hirondelle News Agency Lausanne):7 May 2008.

The Final Court of Appeal, highest court in France, rejected Wednesday an appeal of a Rwandan accused of 1994 genocide, Dominique Ntawukuriryayo, and upheld the ruling by the Court of Appeal of Paris which authorized the accused's transfer to the Arusha, Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to stand a trial. Ntawukuriryayo, who was Deputy Governor of Gisagara, southern Rwanda, during the genocide, was arrested on 16 October in Carcassonne, south-west France, under an arrest warrant issued by ICTR on 21 September 2007. Ntawukuriryayo, 66, arrived in France in 1999 and enjoyed residence visa. The ICTR indictment alleges that the acts of Ntawukuriryayo led to killings of not less than 25, 000 ethnic Tutsi refugees on Kabuye Hill, Butare Province, Southern Rwanda, between 21 and 25 April 1994. The Investigation Chamber of the Court of Appeal of Paris in November, 2007, agreed to transfer Ntawukuriryayo to the ICTR's detention facility in Arusha but the decision was quashed due to legal errors by the Criminal Chamber of the Final Court of Appeal. The case was re-examined by the Investigation Chamber, but composed of new judges who on 14 February ordered the accused's transfer to the UN tribunal, but the accused challenged the ruling…

67. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Repatriation of Refugees Gains Momentum in Ghana: Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (Monrovia): PRESS RELEASE: 9 May 2008.

As Liberian refugees are expressing their willingness to return and contribute to the development process in Liberia, the momentum for repatriation has increased. During the past few weeks, the Liberian Government through the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), in collaboration with the United Nations High

397 Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has assisted in the voluntary repatriation of 275 Liberian refugees from Ghana. The repatriation of Liberian refugees from Ghana formally resumed following a Tripartite Committee meeting held between the Governments of Liberia and Ghana as well as UNHCR in Accra, Ghana, on 16 April 2008. An estimated 200 returnees are expected to arrive from Ghana by two shared UNMIL flights each week in the coming months. Prior to departure from Ghana, the refugees are provided with a returnee package… The UNHCR organized voluntary repatriation exercise for Liberian refugees began in October 2004 and officially ended on 30 June 2007. During that period, 7,021 out of a total of 47,450 Liberian refugees returned from Ghana (112,256 Liberian refugees were facilitated to return from countries of asylum in West Africa). Out of the more than 75,000 residual caseload of Liberian refugees in the region, 26,000 of them reside in Ghana.

• Liberia: Immigration Grabs Eight Illegal Aliens: The Inquirer (Monrovia):8 May 2008.

Immigration authorities have announced the arrest of eight Ghanaians who allegedly entered the country illegally onboard a canoe. The accused men have been identified by immigration officials as Maxwell Nartey, Seth Mansah, Emmanuel Omaboe, and Armah Okine. Others are Justin Eousie, Darko Ebenezer and Edward Blay. The Senior Inspector of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN), Col. Jebbe Jabateh, told this paper that the accused were arrested on Tuesday shortly after they entered the country. He said at the moment, the BIN is conducting a preliminary investigation into the matter and at the end of the process it intends to charge the accused with illegal entry. Col. Jabateh said the eight- crew members of the canoe arrived in the country with no passengers on board. When asked about the whereabouts of the canoe, Col. Jabateh said that it is currently detained at the Freeport of Monrovia… When the accused men were asked on the issue of their arrest when our reporter met them at the BIN offices, their spokesman, Maxwell Narty, said that their entry in the country was not deliberate. According to him, they entered Liberia while returning on a fishing trip from the territorial waters of Sierra Leone, and in the process their canoe encountered engine problem…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Relocation of Flood-Prone Settlements Gets Off the Ground: The Namibian (Windhoek):8 May 2008.

THE relocation of people displaced by floods at Oshakati is underway. The Regional Councillor for Oshakati West, Aram Martin, told the National Council yesterday that informal settlements situated in flood-prone areas of Oshakati would soon be moved to higher ground. Martin said the Oshana Regional Council and the Oshakati Town Council had decided to draw up short-, medium- and long-term plans for the affected areas, and had already started implementing these. The floods in the North displaced at least 65

398 000 people. In the Oshakati area alone, 20 000 were left homeless. In addition to moving residents, Martin said efforts would also be concentrated on redirecting the flow of water in the oshana in a way that it would not cause such severe flooding at Oshakati again. "The impact of the 2008 flood is economically high and people in the informal settlements, more specifically in Oshakati, have suffered much in terms of lost property. Business activities of small and medium enterprises have been closed, goods, products and infrastructure are damaged by the floods and workers have lost employment," he said… Heavy rainfall in northern Namibia and southern Angola, which caused an above-average seasonal flood in the Cuvelai delta, was the major cause of the flooding…

• Zambia: Immigration Deports 60 Zimbabwe Prostitutes: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): 6 May 2008.

THE Immigration Department on Sunday deported 60 Zimbabwean sex workers whom they also found in possession of several antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). The sex workers were among the 85 suspected illegal immigrants rounded up from guest houses during a joint operation with police conducted in the early hours of Saturday. Immigration department spokesperson, Mulako Mbangweta and Southern Province police chief, Lemmy Kajoba both confirmed the clamp-down, conducted following reports of some lodges harbouring Zimbabwean sex workers in Livingstone. Ms Mbangweta said the 60 sex workers were even boasting that they had killed several Zambian men, as they produced tablets of ARVs. This was to show their HIV status and that they had been willingly passing on the virus to their Zambian male clients. Some lodges had been turned into brothels where the sex workers were renting rooms. She said four Zimbabwean men were also deported, while 20 others were found to be Zambians after screening. One Zimbabwean man, who claimed to have been working for a Chinese company, has been asked to produce a valid work permit by yesterday, while his purported employer will be interrogated as well before appropriate action could be taken.

• Angola: Moxico - 20 Foreigners Repatriated: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):8 May 2008.

A total of 20 citizens from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe were repatriated in April this year to their respective countries, by the Angolan Immigration and Foreigners Services (SME) in eastern Moxico province, for illegally entering the national territory. According to a source from the SME Information and Analysis department, two Zimbabweans were repatriated through the Jumbi border post, in Alto Zambeze district, and 18 Congolese nationals returned across the Luau post. The source added that those repatriated intended to reach the country's capital (Luanda), to deal in trade and search for better living conditions. Moxico shares a border of 1,077 kilometres with the Democratic Republic of Congo

399 and Zambia, with 11 border posts controlled, including three fluvial ones in the districts of Luau, Bundas and Alto Zambeze.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Compensate Us First, Refugees Tell State: The East African Standard (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

Displaced people in Nakuru have asked the Government to suspend plans to move them from the camp. They insisted that the Government must compensate them before they leave for their homes. Most of those at the showground camp came from Kericho, Eldoret, Burnt Forest, Eldama Ravine, and Kipkelion areas. Those at the stadium fled from the town's estates. Last Wednesday, the Government began a vetting process for the displaced people to plan on how to repatriate them… Meanwhile, more than 1,500 people displaced from Karaha farm in Saboti constituency now want a police station in the area before they return. They protested that the seven officers deployed to patrol the area would not provide sufficient protection for them. "How can seven officers be expected to patrol an area covering 2,500 acres?" they asked… Many feared for their lives and vowed not to leave, despite a notice from the Rift Valley PC that camps in Trans Nzoia would be closed on Saturday. Seven police posts have been set up in Trans Nzoia East and equipped with enough security machinery and manpower. And more than 8,200 displaced people in Laikipia East District have expressed concern over the Government's management of their resettlement.

• Kenya: 300 Refugees Return Home From Uganda: The East African Standard (Nairobi):10 May 2008.

Three hundred displaced persons, who had sought refuge in Uganda, have returned. The refugees, who were camping at Mulada, arrived at 4.30pm yesterday in buses. About 132 of them returned to the country through the Busia border while 207 used the Malaba border. But another 1,800 refugees in Uganda refused to return, saying their security was not guaranteed. Mr Emanuel Nyabera, the spokesman for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said those who refused to return feared for their lives. "They still feel there is no peace," he said. He appealed to the Government to provide returnees with security, saying heavy police presence does not mean there is peace.

• Kenya: State Seeks $500 Million to Help Internal Refugees: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

The government will on Monday launch a fundraising campaign for nearly 500 million US dollars for the resettlement and support of persons displaced by the post- election violence. The government invited all Kenyans and other well wishers to support the fund. "Private companies, all leaders and other well-wishers are requested to

400 support the fund so that our brothers and sisters can be relocated back to their homes," a spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua, said. Thousands of displaced people on Monday began their journey back home in military trucks and buses, amid confusion and uncertainty. The programme, dubbed 'Operation Rudi Nyumbani' (return home), began in the Rift Valley Province. A total of 59,784 IDPs from different farms were resettled this week, and 70, 000 are still in camps and will soon be resettled, the government announced Thursday.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Chad: Southern Region Relatively Stable Despite Influx of Refugees, Says UN: UN News Service (New York):8 May 2008.

A good level of security prevails in southern Chad, despite concerns over road banditry and an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR), says the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the two countries. The refugees are arriving from the border town of Gore, where local officials met a delegation from the UN mission, known as MINURCAT, on Monday. The Prefect of Gore told the Secretary- General's Special Representative, Victor Angelo, that there were "no insecurity problems here the way you will see it in eastern Chad," but also asked for assistance to cope with the flow of refugees into the area, according to a news release issued by the mission. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that the total number of refugees in Chad is some 296,000, of whom 53,000 are Central Africans while the rest are Sudanese.

• Burundi: Fighting Displaces 20,000: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:9 May 2008.

At least 20,000 people have fled their homes near the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, after fighting between the army and rebels, officials said on 9 May. The clashes, between the army and Forces nationales de libération (FNL) rebels, were mostly in and around Kabezi, 20km south of Bujumbura. Kabezi is a commune in the province of Bujumbura Rural, which surrounds the capital. Emmanuel Ntunzwenabagabo, the adviser to the Kabezi administrator, said some 4,305 families had fled their homes in Kiremba, Mena, Ramba, Gitenga and parts of Mwara since 5 May. "They returned home on 6 May but were forced out again on 7 May," Ntunzwenabagabo said. Fighting between the army and the FNL resumed on 17 April. Since then, the army has continued to shell FNL positions in Bujumbura Rural. The fighting occurred as the FNL, the last active movement in Burundi, announced it was resuming talks with the government, which stalled in July 2007. FNL delegates are expected in Bujumbura on 14 May… The displaced have sought refuge at the Kabezi health centre while others are sheltering in a primary school and in the market… So far, Ntunzwenabagabo

401 said, the displaced had not received any assistance and only those near their homes had access to food from their homes.

• Burundi: Why Peace Remains Elusive: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 7 May 2008.

Burundians breathed a sigh of relief in March 2008 when the government and sole remaining rebel group, the Forces nationales de libération (FNL), announced they would resume negotiations on 1 April and complete them in July. But that day came and went without any talks taking place. Any lingering hopes for renewed dialogue were dashed when fighting broke out between the army and FNL fighters on 17 April, killing 33, with each side accusing the other of initiating the conflict. For some observers and analysts, the clashes demonstrated the FNL's determination to put pressure on the government and to show the outside world that it was still a force to be reckoned with. Talks between the government and the FNL stalled in July 2007 when rebel delegates walked out of the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM), designed to oversee a ceasefire accord signed in September 2006. The rebels, whose leaders are based in neighbouring Tanzania, said they did not feel their security was guaranteed inside Burundi. They also accused mediators of bias… Gaspard Nduwayo, a political analyst and university lecturer, said the current socio-political context also helped to explain the FNL's will to resume fighting. "The weakness of the government, the absence of a government response to the many demands of the population, and the public's grievances against the CNDD-FDD's [the governing party] rule, give strength to political opponents and legitimacy to the FNL fighting," he said… Since the talks stalled in July 2007, the FNL has made their resumption conditional on immunity being granted to its leaders. Existing immunity legislation, according to the rebels, does not mention the group by name. Southscan reported that the existing legislation only covered the period up to 2006, while the FNL wants the immunity to be extended to the present… The United States unambiguously blamed the rebels for the April attacks, accusing them of violating the 2006 ceasefire. A State Department statement on 23 April commended the Bujumbura government for "its measured response" and urged the FNL to return to the JVMM. In a message to the nation on 25 April, Nkurunziza also accused the FNL of repeated ceasefire violations and called for sanctions to be imposed on the rebels. Some analysts, however, have questioned whether such measures would be effective, given that the rebels tend not to travel out of the region or have important assets that might be frozen. In early May, the foreign ministers of Tanzania and Uganda, meeting under the auspices of the Regional Initiative on Peace in Burundi, said Rwasa and other senior leaders had 10 days to leave Tanzania for Burundi. "We do not accept that decision," FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana told Reuters. "We want amnesty first before we return to Burundi."

402 68. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Ghana: Good News for Expectant Mothers: Accra Mail (Accra):9 May 2008.

Pregnant women receiving antenatal care at government hospitals will no longer pay a cedi for the services. This was the outcome of a bilateral meeting held between President Kufuor and Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on Wednesday. As a result, the British government will support the health sector with £42.5million, out of which $6million will be set aside annually to implement the fee-free pregnancy of Ghanaian women. Yesterday, President Kufuor tasked the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to get together to implement the policy as soon as possible in line with the policy. Reducing maternal mortality in pregnant women is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which was discussed during the president's just ended "Call to Action" meeting in London… President J. A Kufuor himself paid a visit to OBE Television in London. OBE TV is a Ghanaian owned broadcasting company serving Ghanaian and African communities there. It carries extensive broadcasts of Ghanaian activities both at home and abroad like the President's visit to the UK, Ghana @ 50, Ghana at Germany 2006 and Ghana CAF 2008. He was conducted round the facility by Mr. Benard Ampaw, CEO of the company.

• Benin: The End of River Blindness: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:8 May 2008.

Twenty years ago Benin was among the countries in West Africa most affected by endemic river blindness. Today the disease, which causes blindness and chronic skin irritation and is blamed for stunting economic growth of the populations it affects, has been almost completely eradicated. "We have massively decreased the incidence of the epidemic," Laurent Assogba, a director at the Benin ministry of health said. Health workers are holding the country up as an example of what can be achieved with sustained funding and political will. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes Benin, and other West African countries where river blindness has been eradicated, as an "ongoing success story" and an example of the "value of synergy" that is necessary for good disease control programmes. When, in 1994, international agencies and the government first conducted a survey in Benin for river blindness, also known by the medical term onchocerciasis, between 25 percent and 98 percent of people were found to have it. Some 51 communities of the 77 in the country were living in a 81,000 sq km area deemed "endemic" by the survey. Today, the highest rate of infection anywhere in the country is 3 percent and in most areas it is 1 percent or less, according to the ministry of health… Since 1996, community-based ivermectine treatment programmes have been conducted by the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) in many other African countries, mainly in West and Central Africa. Drugs are distributed by members of the communities, trained and supported by international agencies, governments and donors. The World Bank estimates that eradicating river blindness has already prevented 600,000 cases of blindness plus it has made 25 million hectares of land habitable where once the

403 disease was endemic areas. But according to the non-governmental organisation (NGO) SightSavers International, 300,000 people in the world will remain blind because of the disease and 18 million are still affected. Of those, 99 percent live in Africa. A further 125 million are "at risk" of infection, the NGO said.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Unaids is Out of Touch With Reality And Should Be Closed Down, Says Expert: Health-e (Cape Town): OPINION: 9 May 2008.

The exclusive focus on HIV promoted by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is damaging health systems and distorting health financing, and UNAIDS should be closed down immediately, writes an expert in this week's BMJ. We are spending far too much on HIV relative to other health needs, writes Roger England, Chairman of the Health Systems Network. Some of the money would be better spent on strengthening general health services and funding more effective interventions in other diseases such as pneumonia and diabetes that kill more people, he adds. Globally HIV causes 3.7% of mortality, yet receives 25% of health aid and a big proportion of domestic expenditure. But HIV has not been the global catastrophe that was predicted, he says, in fact global HIV deaths are about the same as deaths of under fives in India. "With its own UN agency, HIV has been treated like an economic sector rather than a disease", claims England. Billions of pounds have been wasted by national AIDS commissions and in funding obscure disciplines and projects instead of strengthening public health systems in developing countries that could have controlled transmission, he argues… He believes that only 10% of the US$10bn a year dedicated to HIV is needed for the 2 million people now receiving free treatment. Switching the rest of the HIV funding to general health budgets would make a huge difference to developing country health systems allowing them to prioritise and improve the way they deal with prevention and treatment of a range of diseases… A UN agency dedicated to a single disease is a liability, and UNAIDS needs to be closed down, concludes England: "not because it has performed badly given its mandate but because its mandate was wrong and harmful…

• Zimbabwe: Hospital Mortuary Full: The Herald (Harare):9 May 2008.

Chitungwiza Central Hospital mortuary is full to the brim with authorities attributing the situation to an increase in the number of unclaimed bodies. The mortuary is designed for 30 bodies but currently has 40. "Our mortuary is full to the brim. People are not collecting bodies. We are currently working on an advert calling people to come forward and claim their relatives' bodies," said Chitungwiza Central Hospital chief executive officer, Dr Obadiah Moyo. Briefing the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, during a tour of the hospital this week, Dr Moyo said only seven

404 people had so far claimed their relatives' bodies. "We are not going to rush to bury these bodies because the last time we did so we had problems. We have devised a system for the unknowns whereby we fingerprint them. We are trying hard to empty our mortuary," he added… The United Bulawayo and Mpilo Central hospital mortuaries last year recorded an increase in the number of uncollected bodies. The number of unclaimed bodies at Mpilo Central Hospital awaiting State burial once rose to 50 while at the UBH mortuary authorities had to pile bodies on the floor in February last year.

• Namibia: HIV/Aids a Cash Cow for NGOs: New Era (Windhoek):9 May 2008.

Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) yesterday came under fire when HIV/AIDS activists accused them of squandering money from donors meant for the fight against the disease on non-core areas that do not directly benefit sufferers. A conference on Namibian Women Leaders on HIV/AIDS yesterday heard that many organisations purporting to represent sufferers have mushroomed all over the country, but their key mandate seems to be to cash in on generous funding from foreign donors. Melao Phillipus and Nelao Martin both HIV/AIDS activists yesterday told participants of the first-ever national female leaders' conference that few organisations have stuck to their operational mandate of fighting HIV/AIDS… According to Namibia Network of Aids Service Organisations (NANASO), at present there are 336 organisations active in the area of HIV/AIDS. Of these, 167 are NGOs, 143 being community-based organisations (CBOs) and 44 faith-based organisations (FBOs). Out of the 167 NGOs, 81 work in rural communities of the country.Activists further alleged that there is a mushrooming of NGOs purporting to have the interests of HIV sufferers at heart but who seem more interested in money making… Stigmatisation today is not only directed at those infected with the virus but also those fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. She added that there is a tendency to demoralise activism, something that Namibia should similarly address. HIV/AIDS in Namibia, like in many other countries, carries a woman's face and that has contributed to stigma and discrimination, said Martin. She associated the stigma to a lack of continuous educational programmes.

• Namibia: ICT Transforming Health Sector: New Era (Windhoek): 9 May 2008.

Africa should spruce up its e-health services to ensure improved access to health services as a fundamental human right, argued delegates at the IST-Africa Conference in Windhoek, New Era reports. It is estimated that more than 33 million people are HIV infected, and that 90 percent of these people are living in settings with limited resources. In Africa, this health pandemic is considered the most important health challenge. By December 2003 the World Health Organisation (WHO)

405 and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS launched the '3-by-5' initiative to help low- and middle-income countries provide treatment to three million people living with the disease by the end of 2005. According to Maria Zolfo from the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITMA) in Belgium, although the '3-by-5' target has not been met yet, the global efforts to scale up access to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) has brought positive changes worldwide. At the end of 2006 more than two million people living with HIV are treated with ART in low- and middle-income countries. "Telemedicine is a way to assist delivery of care in remote areas," said Zolfo. Telemedicine is considered as one of the fastest growing areas of information, communication and telecommunication (ICT) applications that are used in the health sectors for services enhancement. It started in the 1920s, but has since evolved, and its use in developing countries is reported to be on the increase… Telemedicine advice has initially been through an e-mail network but later through a discussion forum on a telemedicine website… Perceived benefits from ICT use in the health sector were improved two-way communication; greater support to patients in especially remote rural areas; assistance in the early diagnosis and research on patients; improved assistance to patients; and cutting traveling costs to health facilities for data collection, among others. While there was complete consensus that ICTs would assist in accessing health information, there was a concern that the cost of ICTs remains a major hindrance to the use of such technology…

• Southern Africa: SADC to Intensify Malaria Interventions: The Herald (Harare):9 May 2008.

Countries in the Sadc region will submit a joint proposal seeking funding for malaria interventions to the Global Fund to Fight HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria Round Eight. In an interview this week, co-ordinator for the Trans-Zambezi Malaria Initiative Dr Kaka Madambo said the region would submit its application to the Global Fund on June 1. "The move is meant to intensify regional interventions in eliminating the disease and mosquito breeding sites which cause malaria in the region," Dr Madambo said. He said the Trans-Zambezi project, which was mooted by Sadc Health Ministers, seeks to fill in gaps left by countries in eliminating the disease in the region. Although Dr Madambo could not give an estimation of the amount being sought for the project, he however said if approved, the money would procure boats instead of vehicles to reach to vulnerable communities.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: HIV Cases Soar Among Kampala Sex Workers: The Monitor (Kampala):9 May 2008.

406 The prevalence of HIV/Aids among women and girls involved in commercial sex in Kampala is on the rise. Cases of other sexually transmitted diseases like Syphilis and Gonorrhoea are also high among the sex workers. The coordinator of the Breaking the Ice Project being implemented by Reproductive Health Uganda in Kampala, Mr Robert Kanwagi said a recent study done in Kampala indicated that the HIV prevalence among the sex workers was as high as 47.2 per cent compared to the national rate of 6.7 per cent. The Breaking the Ice Project was launched in July last year by Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) to enhance access to HIV/Aids services among sex workers in Kampala as well as reducing the social-cultural barriers to utilisation of HIV related services. Mr Kanwagi said amongst young sex workers who are between 25-29 years, the prevalence of HIV is as high as 60 per cent and that 59.6 per cent were reported to be infected with other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)… "A poor woman or girl may not be able to deny a man sex because she needs money. Because of their lack of decision-making power in matters of sex, as well as other factors like poverty, they become more exposed to the risk of becoming infected than men," he said. He also said several men take advantage of poor women and girls and exploit them sexually.

• Djibouti: Country to Work With UN to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation: UN News Service (New York):9 May 2008.

Djibouti has become the first country to launch a joint programme by United Nations agencies to move more quickly to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM). The joint programme, run by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), is to begin in a country where nine out of every ten females has undergone the harmful practice. Djibouti's First Lady, Kadra Mahamoud Haïd, who officially launched the programme yesterday, said that it was "a route towards social progress, a tool to fulfil basic human rights, especially on integrity and dignity for girls and women." She also noted that, since FGM is gender-based violence, the Government of Djibouti, "has set up legal and institutional mechanisms to eradicate the violence." A World Health Organization (WHO) study in six African countries found that women who have undergone FGM face significantly higher risks of extensive bleeding, prolonged labour and death when giving birth. UNICEF estimates that around 3 million girls are at risk of FGM every year… Djibouti's Minister of Women's Promotion, Family Welfare and Social Affairs, Nimo Boulhan, said, "whatever the justifications are, we need to address this problem and stop subjecting girls and women to unnecessary suffering."…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Better Health At the Click of a Button: Africa Renewal (United Nations):9 May 2008.

Medical records and other health information can now be easily shared via mobile phones and other modern communications technologies. The small, dusty village of

407 Mayange lies 20 kilometres from Rwanda's capital, Kigali. Its health centre has fewer than 40 beds but serves an estimated 35,000 people. The Mayange centre could well be like thousands of other health facilities across the continent struggling to meet patients' needs with very few resources and staff. But thanks to an innovative partnership involving the government, non-governmental organizations and private companies, the Mayange centre is now able to use mobile telephones to provide better treatment. With software developed by Ericsson and phones donated by the Rwandan subsidiary of Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN), a South African firm, health workers can call up the medical records of pregnant women from an online database and then, by cell phone, tell care-givers what to do during an emergency. The memory of each phone donated by MTN includes a maternal and child-care training manual, with images and audio directions that can be sent to mothers and families. The project, although only a few months old, is "going to have a very big impact," Dr. Joseph Ryarasa told Africa Renewal. "To reduce maternal and child mortality, you need to educate mothers and health workers. Now we can send them educative messages on their phones or inform them about inoculations." With funding from the Rwandan government and support from the Earth Institute of Columbia University in New York, the Mayange health centre has a solar charger, provided by Ericsson, to power 30 phones. It also has a computer database, accessible by mobile phone, with medical records of families in the village, making it easy for health workers to monitor health patterns… Rwanda's Minister of State, Energy and Communications Albert Butare urges donors to support technological solutions that can help solve social problems. "When we embarked on adopting ICTs, we actually had problems with our development partners," he explains. "They told us, 'You are too ambitious. Do you really need computers and the Internet or sufficient drinking water, good shelter and food?' We said, '[They are] not exclusive. We need all of them'."

69. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Desertification - NGO to Distribute 50,000 Tree Seedlings Free: Leadership (Abuja):9 May 2008.

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Africa Desertification Control Initiative (ADCI), has disclosed its preparedness to battle the menace of desertification in the country with a free distribution of 50,000 tree seedlings to individuals in the country. Speaking on the project, which is underway, executive director of the NGO, Umar Danladi Dahiru, said that the distribution of the seedlings is part of ADCI's activities to mark the forthcoming World Environmental Day (WED) in June. Dahiru, who spoke exclusively to our correspondent in Abuja, warned that with what experts have said about the speed of desertification, the middle-belt states would soon be facing what the 11-frontline states of the country are facing. "Experts have said

408 that desertification is moving at the speed of about 0.6 kilometres per annum. If care is not taken, with the rate at which this thing is encroaching on the land, states like Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger and Kaduna may also be affected," he warned. The head of the Kano State-based organisation claimed that desertification has rendered a lot of people from the 11-frontline states, which include Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara states, jobless… He noted that the people of these areas, whose major occupations are farming and animal rearing, are always losing the sources of their occupations (lands) through desertification and other forms of land degradation…

• Sierra Leone: Friends of the Earth to Clean Kenema: Concord Times (Freetown):6 May 2008.

National coordinator of Friends of the Earth has said that this year's celebration of World Environmental Day scheduled for June 5 would be marked by the cleaning of Kenema and it environs. Mohamed Keine Sie said the cleaning exercise was a national action programme formulated to combat poor sanitation in their respective communities. He said the exercise was to compliment their effort in addressing desertification and deforestation in Sierra Leone. Sei further disclosed that the issue of desertification may create land degradation and biophysical impact on the environment which in turn will affect the socio economic standard of the people.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zambia: Surplus Crop an Achievement: The Times of Zambia (Ndola): EDITORIAL: 8 May 2008.

IT is unprecedented that even with the failed maize crop registered in major and traditional food-production areas around the country due to floods caused by above- average rain; the nation has still managed a surplus crop. Hats off to the thousands of subsistence and commercial farmers who endured the elements to still scrape through and manage to grow enough food under the most extreme of circumstances. But this feat could not have been attained had it not been for the enabling environment the Government guaranteed through the fertiliser support programme (FSP) and other user-friendly interventions. It is in this regard, however, that the nation needs concerted efforts through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to mop up all the produce in haste to ensure that not a single grain is lost but harnessed and stored in safe depots. This entails that every farmer is paid in time to ensure continuity and readiness for the next season. The Government and private sector will need to work in tandem if positive results are to continue. However, the last poor food production season should act as a wake-up call for planners who by now are well-versed with the freak weather patterns brought about by the global warming phenomena which has made global climatic patterns unpredictable. Here at home, the traditional maize crop has fast

409 been buckling to the changing weather patterns and the continued cultivation of the crop has become close to impossible. It is time now that every farmer took up the challenge of crop diversification. Millet, sorghum and other crops are the answer to the survival in many developing countries where food security is not assured. The food surplus that the nation has registered this season should not act to precipitate complacency but spur everyone to more hard work.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Polythene Bags Ban Suspended: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

The Government has suspended the implementation of a ban on polythene bags until full consultation among stakeholders is concluded. The ministry of Local Government explained the ban will be implemented after consultations at the East African Community (EAC) level. The Nairobi City Council (NCC) had recently announced the ban will be effected on June 1. However, the ministry of Local Government in a letter dated May 7 directed that the council suspends the implementation of the by-law until full consultation with all stakeholders is exhausted. EAC level: On Thursday, the Local Government Permanent Secretary, Mr Sammy Kirui, explained the ministry had consulted with Kebs on the move and had been informed that the matter is to be dealt with at EAC level. The EAC standards committee on plastics met and approved the revised standards which are now awaiting approval by the EAC Council of ministers. According to the PS, this is expected to be done by the end of this month after which ministers of Finance in the EAC countries will be advised on the way forward.

• Tanzania: Kikwete Launches Plan to Save Planet: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):8 May 2008.

President Jakaya Kikwete will today officially launch a major programme to save the earth from environmental hazards. The International Year of Planet Earth for the African region will be launched at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge outside Arusha. Eminent scientists from within and outside the continent will attend the function and a scientific conference later. The International Year of Planet Earth is a global programme coordinated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). Activities to mark the year started last year across the continent, according to officials of the Vice President's Office dealing with environment matters. The activities include conservation programmes and mitigation of disasters. Experts expected to be in attendance include earth scientists. Others are geologists, mining and energy experts, hydrologists and a host of other specialists. The Unesco director general, Koichiro Matsura, is already here for the occasion as are senior officials of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and representatives of other UN agencies… climate change, a process which leads to

410 increased temperature on the earth's lower atmosphere due to increased emissions of green house gases, has been cited as one of the main threats to the earth. Growth to industry, agriculture, transportation and urbanisation since the Industrial Revolution have produced vast quantities of greenhouse gases which experts equate to augmenting a thermal blanket over the planet. According to recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, atmospheric temperatures over the earth have risen by 0.6 Centigrades in the last century… It is feared that the global temperature will increase by between 0.8 to 3.5 degrees by the year 2100 if no action is taken to reduce green house gas emissions.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: CFA 20 Billion Needed to Protect Sangha Trans-Boundary Park: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):7 May 2008.

The Cameroon government, acting through the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, has expressed its determination to ensure the full implementation of the Yaounde Declaration of 1999 following the first ever summit on forest ecosystem. Forestry and Wildlife Minister, Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, made the declaration yesterday in Yaoundé while signing an agreement with the Sangha Tri-National Foundation for the better management of the Sangha Tri-national trans-boundary forest complex. The TNS is a trans-boundary conservation area where three countries, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville committed themselves to jointly manage the contiguous National parks of Lobeke in Cameroon, Dzanga-Ndoki in Central African Republic and Nouabale-Ndoki in Congo. According to the Board Chairman of the foundation, Laurent Magloire Some, about 30 million Euros (about CFA 20 billion) will be needed to effectively and in a sustainable manner manage the forest. Speaking at the signing ceremony organised at the Yaoundé Mvog-Betsi zoo yesterday, he hailed the German financial bodies, notably the German Bank for Reconstruction "KFW" for announcing its intension to disburse five million Euros to support the creation of a fund for the project. The same appreciation went to the French Development Agency which has announced it will be coughing out three million Euros fore the fund. Already, KFW has paid in 500,000 Euros to enable the project takes off…The Sangha Trans-Boundary Park has its management specificities in that the fund to be created will not be consumed directly in such a manner as to completely empty the coffers of the project. "The 30 billion Euros to be developed as capital will be used in generating interest which will be used in financing the activities of the park", Some told pressmen…

70. ENERGY

411 WEST AFRICA • West Africa: New Oil Field is Largest in Region's Waters: BuaNews (Tshwane):8 May 2008.

Kosmos Energy says its oil field at West Cape Three Points is the largest discovery in deep water West Africa. It is also potentially the largest single field discovered in the region, which includes oil major Nigeria. According to a report in the official Government of Ghana portal, an appraisal of one of the wells drilled at the West Cape Three Points Block, christened Mahogany-2, had encountered a substantial light crude oil column, based on what it described as "the results of drilling, wireline logs and reservoir fluid samples". "The success of the Mahogany-2 appraisal well is certainly great news for the people of Ghana. "The well confirms Jubilee as a giant field, the largest discovery in deep water West Africa since the inception of Kosmos in 2003. "It is one of the largest finds ever made here and potentially the largest single field discovery in this region," Kosmos Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James C. Musselman, told a news agency in Dallas in the United States… The company said it would conduct a high- resolution 3D seismic survey over the southeastern portion of the West Cape Three Points Block covering the Odum discovery and the adjacent area this summer. In addition, it expects to drill additional high-impact exploration prospects on its offshore Ghanaian acreage during the second half of 2008 and in 2009. Kosmos Energy is the operator of the West Three Points Block in which the company holds a 30.875 per cent interest. Anadarko WCTP Company, an affiliate of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, has a 30.875 per cent interest, Tullow Ghana Limited, an affiliate of Tullow Oil plc, has a 22.896 per cent interest, the E.O. Group has a 3.5 per cent interest, while Sabre Oil and Gas Limited has a 1.854 per cent interest in the block. The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), which has a 10 percent participating interest in the project, will be carried through the exploration and development phases… The West Cape Three Points Block comprises 1,761 sq km in water depths ranging from 50 metres to 1,800 metres. The Jubilee Field discovery well, Mahogany-1, is located 63 km from the Ghanaian coastline and 132 km southwest of the port city of Takoradi and is situated in the Tano Basin.

• Nigeria: In His First Visit to Niger Delta - Yar'Adua Warns On Future of Oil: This Day (Lagos):11 May 2008.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday visited Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State in what is his first visit to the Niger Delta region since he was sworn in as president of the federal republic. He used the occasion to warn that unless the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta stops immediately, Nigeria may lose her ranking as the number one oil producing country in Africa to Angola. Yar'Adua had been adv-ised based on security reports to shelve the visit to Bayelsa State following a bomb blast which occurred within

412 the premises of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) But he defied the warning and added colour to the flagging off of the gubernatorial campaigns of the party's candidate in the re-run election scheduled for May 24, Mr Timipre Sylva… He said the growing energy demand all over the world, which is responsible for the rise in oil price, is due to the needs of growing economies of China and some other Asian countries and not unrest in the Niger Delta. As part of his seven-point agenda, the president assures that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will receive all its entitlements in the 2008 budget, according to the NDDC Act…

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Southern Africa: Botswana Bans Sale of Bulk Fuel to Zimbabwe: SW Radio Africa (London):8 May 2008.

Botswana last week banned the export of bulk fuel to Zimbabwe, in a move seen as welcome regional pressure on Mugabe's regime, to respect the will of the people. As Zimbabwe's fuel problems increased, reports said authorities in Botswana began turning back buyers last week at the border posts in Kasane in the far northeast, and Maitengwe about 130km north of Francistown, Botswana's second city. However, the main Plumtree border post, about 100km southeast of Bulawayo, was still allowing single drums through. MDC MP for Makoni central John Nyamande said the ban may signal Botswana's exasperation with the regime in Zimbabwe. 'The ban is long overdue. This may be a message to the regime that other countries are not happy with what is happening in Zimbabwe. On the other hand authorities in Botswana are saying the bulk export of fuel to Zimbabwe was crippling its own supplies,' Nyamande said… The state- owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM), plagued by allegations of widespread corruption and mismanagement, has had its problems compounded by foreign currency shortages and rocketing inflation, leaving it unable to meet local demand since 2000.

• Zimbabwe: Kariba Stations Set for Makeover: Financial Gazette (Harare):8 May 2008.

THE Zambezi River Authority (ZARA) plans to install new turbine water flow metering equipment at the Kariba Dam where the Kariba North and South power plants are located. The power stations generate electricity for both Zambia and Zimbabwe, who jointly own ZARA. The multi-billion dollar project is aimed at improving the safety of the dam through modern monitoring equipment as the double arch structure is having to contend with continuously rising water levels as a result of above average rains in the Zambezi basin, according to experts. ZARA is responsible for the management of the Kariba Dam, including its safety and the protection of the environment. The authority opened a tender this week for the supply and

413 installation of equipment to bidders in the two countries. It said bidders would be encouraged to take familiarisation tours at the giant power station, with the capacity to generate 1 320 megawatts of electricity… To minimise structural damage of the dam walls and mitigate the effects of flooding downstream of the lake, the authority opened the dam's spillway in February. The concrete dam wall was constructed between 1950 and 1960. It is 128 metres high and 579 metres long and is a source of wealth for players in power generation, tourism and fishing. Lake Kariba, the water mass that has been created by the construction of dam wall, extends for up to 280 kilometres.

EAST AFRICA • Uganda: Tullow Loses Congo Oil Exploration Permit: The Monitor (Kampala):7 May 2008.

Uganda's only partners in its nascent petroleum programme, Tullow Oil and Heritage Oil, have lost their exploration rights on the Congolese side of the border to South African state oil company PetroSa. The decision by the Kinshasa government, which is being challenged by Tullow, has recast plans by Uganda and DRC to pursue joint exploitation of the oil fields. The DRC authorities said the initial award to Tullow was irregular and was signed by a vice minister for Oil, Nicolas Bandingaka, who at the time did not have authority to do so. Tullow paid a signing bonus of $500,000. In various interviews with financial news outlets yesterday, Tullow officials maintained their contract was lawful. "Tullow was prepared to raise its signing bonus to $1 million," Mr Tim O'Hanlon, Tullow's vice president for African business, told Bloomberg financial news… The Uganda government plans to build a mini-refinery on its side of the oil fields as early as next year and is in advanced stages of creating a state regulator and national oil company of its own. In an interview two weeks ago, Energy Minister Daudi Migereko said the plans were on course to produce oil for the domestic market by Christmas next year. However, the security situation at the border as well as the political relationship between Uganda and DRC has remained problematic. Border clashes last year left over 10 people dead and the Ugandan army threatening to invade. The situation was calmed by a bilateral deal signed in Tanzania in September in which the countries recommitted to joint exploration… South Africa has long been a player in the security sector of DRC and the region. The Congolese government, according to reports, has continued to accuse Heritage and Tullow of colluding with the Uganda government, a charge which the accused deny.

• Uganda: Fuel Crisis Ends Sunday – Government: New Vision (Kampala):9 May 2008.

ENERY Minister Daudi Migereko has said that the current fuel shortage occasioned by the break-down of a supply ship early in the week will by Sunday be no more, as the

414 major oil companies have all loaded fresh supplies at Mombassa destined for Kampala. "It was carrying about sixty million litres, and unfortunately it developed mechanical problems on the High seas so it had to be sent back to the Middle East, and this affected the delivery cycle. I know in between a number of companies had to work on some interventions. Kobil, he said has about 11 million litres in dare s Salaam destined for Kampala, while Shell is also working on the delivery of 21 trucks.

• Kenya: High Refinery Costs to Raise Petrol Prices: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

Kenyans should start preparing to pay more for petroleum products before the end of the year. This is because the local cost of refining a barrel of crude oil will have risen by then. Kenya Petroleum Refineries Ltd plans to hike the processing fee of crude oil by nine per cent from October 1 due to increased operating costs and a significant reduction in revenues. High inflation: KPRL's general manager, Mr John Mruttu, said the processing fee of a barrel (159 litres) of crude oil at the Mombassa-based plant will increase by nine per cent from US$2.15 to US$2.35. Operating costs : Mr Mruttu said KPRL's operating costs had increased and revenues had declined significantly as processing fees paid in Kenya shillings had gained considerable strength against the dollar since the last review. In 2006 when the last increase was effected, the exchange rate was Sh72 to the dollar while in March this year, this had reduced to Sh62, which KPRL's says translates to 14 per cent appreciation of shilling.

71. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: Enact Laws On Economic Reform – IMF: The NEWS (Monrovia):8 May 2008.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stressed the necessity for the National Legislature to give early consideration to the enactment of key legislations necessary to maintaining the momentum of economic reforms and to enable Liberia reach the completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, which are key steps in securing further debt relief for Liberia. Speaking recently at the end of a week-long IMF mission visit since Liberia's arrear clearance with the Fund earlier this year, Mr. Robert K.W. Powell, head of delegation noted that the extensive legislative agenda expected under the Liberian Government's Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and the need for key legislations aimed at reforming the economy were highlighted during discussions with the Liberian Legislature. He pointed out that it would be prudent for the legislators to give early consideration to the passage of the draft economic reforms laws including the Anti-corruption Act, Investment Act and the Act to amend the Revenue Code of 2000, among others.

415 SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Country Cannot Grow Faster Than 3.5 Percent - U.S. Group: Business Day (Johannesburg):9 May 2008.

SA's rapid pace of economic growth over the past three years was well above a sustainable level of about 3.5%, a team of international experts said yesterday. The "potential" annual growth rate identified by the Harvard-led group advising the government is well below the Reserve Bank's estimate of 4,5% -- which has nevertheless been surpassed since 2004. SA's pace of growth -- which has amounted to about 5% over each of the past three years -- was unsustainable as it was driven by domestic demand, the panel said in final recommendations released by the treasury. To achieve an official goal of boosting growth to a sustainable annual rate of 6% by the start of the next decade, SA should focus on creating jobs that boosted exports, it said…"To maintain overall growth and employment, the country will need to rapidly increase its exports," read the summary from the panel's chairman, Ricardo Hausmann of Harvard. It said the biggest constraint to growth was that only 42.6% of SA's working-age population was employed, compared with 65% in comparable countries… The panel urged the government to stick to its conservative fiscal policies and inflation targeting -- which has come under fire as soaring prices for food and fuel force the Reserve Bank to keep raising interest rates… It should also be "willing to intervene to back up its statements with intervention on foreign exchange markets and announce its change of policy to maximise the impact". The panel did not recommend a specific level for the rand, which has depreciated 13% against major currencies this year… The panel includes economists from US universities, the London School of Economics and the universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. The South African Institute of Race Relations said growth of 6%-8% could not be achieved without big policy changes.

EAST AFRICA • Tanzania: Set Timeline to Curb Foreign Dependency: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008.

On Wednesday, the European Union gave Tanzania some 555 million euros (Sh950 billion) in budget support. Early in the week, the EU had been forced to clarify its position on support for the Tanzania Government despite the mushrooming of mega scandals. Contrary to earlier reports, the Europeans will continue their generous links with Dar es Salaam. But they will do so, with at least a string attached. Tanzania must intensify the war against grand corruption. This is perhaps enemy No. 1 to prosperity of this nation. One thing the country has increasingly become synonymous with in recent times is the mounting cases of colossal looting of public resources. It's this mismanagement and illicit shifting of resources from where they would make a difference in people's lives, which condemn the majority of our people to a life of deprivation and sorrow. While we appreciate what the donors are doing for us, this is only a stopgap measure. It cannot be the long-term set-up for any country to continue to rely on foreigners to fund its national budget. With all due respect to our development partners, the solution lies in building our own capacity to finance our

416 budget. We cannot rely on foreign assistance forever… That Tanzania is the biggest recipient of donor support in East Africa may be a good thing, but in the long run, it's not the kind of tag that will lift us out of abject poverty. Foreign financing accounted for 41 per cent of Tanzania's national budget last year; Uganda's dependency was 34 per cent and Kenya's, only five per cent. A sizeable part of this foreign support is meant to drive our development agenda. We all know that donors haven't always been keen enough to honour their pledges… We must set a clear timeline to wean ourselves of this dependency. That will mean coming up with workable strategies to cut costs, while striving to create a more vibrant economy.

• Tanzania: Lack of Cash Hits Building Sector Hard: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008.

The building, construction and real estate industry in the country lags behind in attracting finances from the banking sector. Its stakeholders yesterday blamed the trend for poor infrastructural facilities in most parts of the country. However, members of the Contractors Registration Board (CRB) also cited several weaknesses among members as reasons that kept off potential financiers. Officiating a meeting of contractors and financial institutions yesterday, the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), Professor Benno Ndulu, said many small contractors cannot afford imposed deposits of bonds and guarantees. He said by December last year the sector received only 5.3 per cent of the total credit extended by commercial banks compared to 17.2 per cent for trade and 16.2 per cent for personal loans. "Many local contractors are small and lack entrepreneurial skills to enable them manage their business to compete with foreign firms," said Prof Ndulu. He explained that while local contractors constituted 97 per cent of all contractors in the country, they only got 30 per cent of the construction business while the remaining 70 per cent is undertaken by foreign firms… The board, he said, established the Contractors Assistance Fund in collaboration with the CRDB Bank to provide access to members, but the fund was overwhelmed. The fund, with an initial capital of Sh300 million, to Sh1.3 billion. The two-day forum, called 'Seeking collaborative solutions to contractors’ financial challenges', aimed at finding sustainable solutions to financial predicaments facing contractors.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: Nation Markets its Deep Sea Port: Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé):9 May 2008.

For two days running beginning yesterday, stakeholders of the Kribi Deep Sea Port will direct their interest, and that is normal, on the socio-economic importance of the project. At the opening ceremony yesterday, it was evident that no financier will accept to cough out a franc for the financing of the project without knowing properly what it will give. From the look of things, almost all donor organisations will develop interest on the project judging from the early reactions after the bird's eye presentation of the five members of government who mounted the rostrum at the Hilton. "We are interested in

417 infrastructure construction and based on our experience in sea port construction; we think that the Kribi Deep Sea Port is of interest to us", Xu Jifei, Senior Engineer and Deputy General Manager of the China National electric Equipment Corporation, said in one of the reactions… The project which is estimated at CFA 280 billion is government initiated and dates as far back as the 1980s. It has as motivation to develop the country towards the exploitation of ore resources, notably bauxite, Iron, Cobalt and Nickel; satisfy the constant need of Cameroon to have a Deep Sea Port, the necessity for the sub-region to have a container off-shore terminal and a transshipments as well as goods distribution platform from Senegal to Namibia. The project equally sets out to realise a development corridor for Kribi (Cameroon), Bangui (Central African Republic), Kisangani (DR Congo), and the Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo stretches.

72. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Calls for Obasanjo's Trial Swell: Leadership (Abuja):9 May 2008.

Calls for the trial of former President Olusegun Obasanjo over alleged corrupt practices swelled across the nation yesterday as different rallies were organised in Abuja and Kaduna by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Coalition of Northern Nigeria Civil Society Organisations, calling on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to prosecute Obasanjo and his daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello. Meanwhile, the National Assembly yesterday vowed to go to the root of the ongoing probes and to bring all the culprits to book - assuring that this time the probes would not be business as usual in which reports are swept under the carpet. Senate president David Mark, who was represented by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Wilson Ake, gave this assurance when a large crowd of protesters led by the leadership of the NLC, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and civil society organisations stormed the National Assembly demanding the prosecution of Iyabo, who is involved in the N300 million ministry of Health scam and requesting the National Assembly not to allow the reports of the ongoing probes in the National Assembly end up like previous ones. "We are committed to ensure that the probes do not end up like others in the past. We will ensure that all culprits are brought to book," Mark assured.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Mugabe Hints At Exit: Financial Gazette Harare):8 May 2008.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has hinted to his close lieutenants that he will resign in two years if he wins the impending run-off to be held this month, but details remain sketchy on how the veteran nationalist plans to manage his exit without causing further harm to the fractious ZANU-PF. The contentious succession issue surfaced at

418 the party's politburo meeting held last Wednesday at which reform-minded ZANU-PF members openly told the meeting that the revolutionary party would have to renew itself soon after the tricky run-off in which President Mugabe squares up against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai. While the meeting of the party's supreme decision-making body renewed its pledge to support the incumbent in the run- off, consistent with President Mugabe's endorsement at last year's special congress held in Harare in December, it took the unprecedented step of lifting the lid on the succession issue, once considered a hot potato in ZANU-PF. In 2004 President Mugabe invited ZANU-PF members to discuss his succession openly, but the Zimbabwean President had to kill the debate fearing it would tear apart the party. Highly placed ZANU-PF sources told The Financial Gazette this week that it became apparent at the politburo meeting that President Mugabe would not complete his term of office that is supposed to end in 2013 if he won the impending second round of voting.

• Zimbabwe: Mbeki Arrives for Talks: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London): 9 May 2008.

South African President Thabo Mbeki will travel to Zimbabwe on Friday to meet President Robert Mugabe and political leaders, in his role as mediator for the Southern African Development Community, to discuss the current situation in the country. "During his visit President Mbeki is expected to interact with the Zimbabwean political leadership," Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for South Africa's department of foreign affairs, said on Thursday. President Mbeki's visit comes on the heels of a delegation he tasked to investigate incidents of political violence in Zimbabwe. Mamoepa did not say whether President Mbeki will hold discussions with Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai who is believed to have sought refuge in neighbouring Botswana. Tsvangirai had indicated that he would be returning home by end of this week. It is not clear whether he is already in the country or not. The newly appointed Tsvangirai spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, said the MDC have not been officially informed that President Mbeki will meet with the party… Mamoepa declined to name no the political leaders he would meet or details of the planned meeting… President Mbeki is also likely to meet key service (security) chiefs to discuss the incidents of violence in the country. "Mbeki will meet with the country's political leadership in the context of his Southern African Development Community (Sadc)- mandated facilitation process," said Mamoepa in a formal statement he issued, quoted by SAPA.

• Zimbabwe: Mbeki's Team Confirms Violence: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):8 May 2008.

THE head of a South African contingent of regional election observers charged by South African president Thabo Mbeki to investigate claims of violence in Zimbabwe has confirmed that there is violence in the country and said his team will present their findings soon. "We have seen it, there are people in hospital who said they have been tortured, you have seen pictures, you have seen pictures of houses that have been destroyed and so on," said Kingsley Mamabolo, the leader of an eight-person team

419 currently in Zimbabwe. Mamabolo did not divulge the details of the itinerary or agenda for the fact-finding team dispatched by President Mbeki in his role as chief mediator on Zimbabwe for the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (Sadc). Police arrests: Reports from inside the country say many people have been arrested who were perpetrating violence and police say they still have to verify from which party the arrested were… The opposition MDC blames 'Zanu PF thugs' for the violence--a claim declined by the ruling party… Diplomatic visits to Zimbabwe: The team sent by President Mbeki is not the only team that has visited Zimbabwe to investigate violence claims. On Tuesday, Angolan Foreign Affairs minister, Joao Bernardo de Miranda and head of the SADC observer mission jetted into the country to talk to President Mugabe. Incidents of violence ; Incidents of post-election violence have increased and became more pronounced in rural areas in the last few weeks, especially in the provinces of Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Manicaland.

• Zimbabwe: Army Responds to Violence Claims: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):8 May 2008.

THE Zimbabwe National Army has issued a statement responding to allegations that soldiers were encouraging and perpetuating political violence that the opposition says has claimed the lives of 25 people. The army rejected charges that soldiers have violated human rights and murdered opposition activists. An officer of the army said some online-based publications and certain sections of the print media were releasing false information alleging the involvement of the army in post election violence. Army deputy public relations officer, Major Alphios Makotore, said the army was concerned by the allegations that soldiers have spearheaded a campaign of violence, torture and murder against opposition supporters. Makotore said: "The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) wishes to raise concerns over articles being published in the print and the electronic media on allegations relating to the alleged political violence, assaults, harassment and robberies perpetrated by men in army uniforms ... the army categorically distances itself and any of its members from such activities."… This is the first statement issued by the army since violence erupted in the post-election period.

• Zimbabwe: SADC Voices Concern Over Violence: BuaNews (Tshwane):8 May 2008.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has noted with concern the incidents of violence in Zimbabwe. A media briefing was held on Wednesday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on SADC's involvement on the verification process of the country's elections, which have been marked by controversy. Head of the country's delegation to the SADC election observer team, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo said both Zanu-PF and the MDC parties were blaming each other for the violence. There is an acknowledgement that there is violence taking place on all sides, due to the fact that both of them attribute the violence to the other means, he said… The team, who left on Sunday, was evidence that something was being done about the reports of violence, Ambassador Mamabolo told the media. "As mediator, as facilitator, our

420 President could not just sit around hearing all these stories and [so he] said he is sending a team. “We need to know what they are saying about that violence," he said. The team will report back to President Mbeki and make recommendations on what could be done to address the violence.

• Zimbabwe: Campaign of Terror Unleashed: United States Department of State (Washington, DC): DOCUMENT: 8 May 2008.

In the aftermath of the March 29, 2008 elections, President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party has unleashed a wave of political violence designed to cow opposition members and supporters into submission and deter them from participating or voting their conscience in a possible runoff election. Soldiers, police, war veterans and youth militia loyal to the ruling party have been deployed in rural areas throughout Zimbabwe to systematically intimidate voters through killings, beatings, looting of property, burning of homes and public humiliation. Women, children and the elderly have not been spared. Civil society groups, particularly those involved in election monitoring, and humanitarian organizations charged with providing desperately needed food assistance also have been targeted. Victims (below statistics are as of May 5, 2008): * Zimbabwe election environment. Over 700 documented victims have required medical treatment for post-election violence-related injuries, including over 200 requiring hospitalization and surgical procedures. * At least eighteen deaths have been confirmed. Hundreds of opposition supporters have fled their homes in fear. Homes and businesses throughout rural areas have been burned and cattle and other livestock slaughtered. * At least 6,735 persons have been displaced…* Government security forces beat more than 50 members of the civil society organization, Women of Zimbabwe Arise, for participation in a pro-democracy protest on May 5; 11 persons were arrested…

• Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Sets Terms for Run-Off: Zimbabwe Standard (Harare):10 May 2008.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday set down conditions for taking part in the Presidential election run-off as the African Union (AU) piled pressure on President Robert Mugabe to ensure this second round of voting was held in accordance with the electoral laws. Tsvangirai announced in Pretoria he was ready for the run-off, despite widespread concerns it would not be free and fair. He said he would only participate in the poll, to be held "no later than 24 May", if conditions guaranteeing free and fair election were in place. To forestall an escalation of violence in the run-up to voting, MDC sources disclosed the party would press for a peacekeeping force from the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and African Union that would ensure the election was held in peace. According to the Electoral Act, a run-off has to be held within 21 days from the date of the announcement of results. Tsvangirai said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), heavily criticised for delaying the announcement of results of the 29 March election, should be reconstituted… Sources at the Pretoria meeting said it was felt if Tsvangirai did not enter the run-off, it would be

421 a betrayal of those "who have died, were maimed, suffered or lost their property in the violence perpetrated by soldiers, militias and war veterans". Tsvangirai is expected to announce this week a special fund to assist the victims, mostly in the farming and rural communities.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: New Rules to Govern Coalition Proposed: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will head the top decision-making organ of the grand coalition, according to draft proposal on power-sharing. The five- member team will also include Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and the two Deputy Prime Ministers, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Musalia Mudavadi. The proposed Coalition Panel will be chaired by the President and, in his absence, Mr Odinga, according to the draft prepared by a joint team from the PNU/Government coalition and ODM. The draft recognises President Kibaki and Mr Odinga as the coalition's principals but does not specifically rule on the pecking order which sparked controversy when the leaders toured Rift Valley Province last month… Final arbiter: According to the draft agreement, the Panel is expected to act as a dispute resolution mechanism. It will serve as the final arbiter on any dispute arising in the coalition. Its decision will be final… Sources told the Daily Nation that copies of the draft agreement had already been circulated to the ministers who are expected to study it and propose changes before they meet again for talks. The National Accord and Reconciliation Act recently passed by Parliament will be the basis for the agreement which will also lay down the rules on policy, structure and procedures of the coalition… If adopted, the draft prepared by Mr Kilonzo, also the Mbooni MP, will further bind the newly-constituted grand coalition and hold it for the next five years… The agreement defines the structure of the coalition as having included individual parties' parliamentary groups, the joint parliamentary group, the coalition's negotiating panel, the coordination board, the coalition panel and the principals. The coalition panel will the highest decision-making organ and is expected to address all issues affecting the coalition. Decision making shall be by consensus, failure of which a majority of four out of five members present will carry the day. Any member of the panel can call a meeting and all of them have to be present to constitute a quorum… Draft policy : The coalition partners are also expected to appoint a 10-member committee to draft a grand coalition policy document. This document is to be implemented by the executive and the coalition's MPs.

• Tanzania: 'Pemba Plea is Treasonous': The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):9 May 2008.

The Government has described Pemba elders' demand for secession as treason, comparing it with what took place in the Comoros recently. The demand made two weeks after the collapse of the Zanzibar peace accord, which previously cited power sharing as the solution to the Zanzibar political crisis, is unconstitutional, according to the Government. Minister of State in the Vice-President's Office responsible for

422 Union Affairs, Mr Mohamed Seif Khatib, compared the elders and their supporters with "dangerous individuals" like Colonel Mohamed Bacar, who was recently ousted from the Comorian island of Anjouan by Tanzanian-commanded African Union troops. On Wednesday, 12 elders from Pemba presented their secession plea to the resident director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, a month after first floating the idea of breaking away from Zanzibar. The elders presented their petition to Mr Fernandez-Taranco, and asked him to forward it to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon… The group last month asked the US ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Mark Green, to send their message to President George W. Bush, asking him to help them break away from Pemba's union with Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland. But Mr Khatib declined to state whether the elders would be arrested and charged with treason. "Their move, according to the country's laws, is treasonous I don't believe that Pemba can be an independent country," Mr Khatib, who later yesterday flew to Zanzibar to assess the crisis, told The Citizen by telephone… To back their secession agenda, the Pemba elders claim that the island has been economically marginalised by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar on the grounds that Pemba has been an Opposition stronghold since the 1964 Revolution…"But nobody can claim that Pemba is a forgotten Island because development has been taking place, including the building of airports, a stadium and ports," Mr Khatib said. Pemba is situated about 50 kilometres to the north of Unguja. Small-scale farming is the main economic activity in Pemba, which is more fertile than Unguja.

73. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Envoys Ask Government to Address Security Problem: This Day (Lagos):9 May 2008.

High Commissioners and Ambassadors in Nigeria have advised the Federal Government to address problems associated with youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, security and poor infrastructural facilities in the country. They said if the problems were not tackled, foreign investment would continue to elude the country. The envoys numbering over 37 spoke in Abuja yesterday in an interactive session with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP in response to the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta urged the envoys to assist the country by informing their various governments to find ways of discouraging illegal importation of arms into Nigeria. The party also called for the relaxation of stringent visa policies against Nigerians wishing to travel to their respective countries. At the forum, the Greek Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Haris Dafaranas, called for an intervention of the party in the rampant cases of kidnapping, youth restiveness and other crisis in the Niger Delta. Dafaranas said any investor wishing to come into the country would have to take a decisive look at the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta and other crises… In his comment, the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner to Nigeria, Alhaji, Mohammed Bayoh, also lamented the effects of poor security in the country, stating that

423 in most cases, the diplomats were victims of armed robbery. "We are always attacked by armed robbers. There is no light (electricity) and water," Bayoh said… The PDP chairman also appealed to the envoys to relax the stringent visa stance against genuine Nigerian businessmen.

• Senegal: Lack of Peace Accord Hampers Demining in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 May 2008.

After years of delays linked to instability in strife-torn Casamance, the government finally launched a landmine clearance programme in the region in February 2008, but lack of adherence to the 2004 peace accord is hampering progress. The Senegalese government and members of the Casamance-based rebel group Movement for Democratic Change (MFDC) signed a peace accord in December 2004, but violent incidents continue despite it, leaving the region stuck in limbo with no peace and no war. After a period of relative calm in 2007 when just one person was killed by a landmine, 2008 has seen three landmine-related incidents - in February, April and May - which have led to six injuries and one death. A nine-member demining team, led by the government body CNAMS, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and non- governmental organisation (NGO) Handicap International (HCI), has begun modest demining efforts near the Casamance capital, Ziguinchor, but Pascal Simon, technical adviser with the UNDP's demining team, estimates scaling it up will require up to 250 people and US$30 million. Fruit left to rot on trees: Landmines have caused thousands of people to flee their villages and some 60,000 are now displaced in Senegal and across the border in Gambia and Guinea, according to Demba Keita, head of local NGO APRAN-SDP… The heavily mined border areas in the north and south have some of the most fertile land in the region but the cashews, mangoes, oranges and lemons are left to rot on the trees, according to Boubacar Ba, research adviser in the Ministry of Agriculture… Main problem: The absence of an agreed peace process is the biggest obstacle to progress on demining, according to several individuals involved. Civilians to take charge? : Many involved stress the need for demining efforts to be led by civilians, not the military, to get the MFDC on board, as outlined in the December 2004 peace agreement. While this in theory has been agreed, factions of the Senegalese army still want more control over how it proceeds, said one official who asked not to be named…2006 launched a demining programme on the Gambia and Guinea Bissau borders in cooperation with the Moroccan army, but direct attacks by the MFDC put a stop to their activities. Small steps: On the political front, while hopes for a solution to the region's troubles appear slim, the local governor is undertaking a returns study which gives the Mine Action Centre a new chance to raise awareness of the risks mines pose for returnees. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is currently deploying teams to demarcate potentially dangerous areas, and is running mine-risk awareness training in up to 500 schools in contaminated areas…

424 • Liberia: As Armed Robbery Rises Civilians Defend Themselves: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:7 May 2008.-

The current police force in the Liberian capital Monrovia is unable to combat an increase in violent crime, according to a recent independent report and many of the city's residents have created their own civil defence groups. "Armed robbery is on the increase in Monrovia and we are not convinced that our police force can handle this type of crime," said Eric Stewart, a community leader in the crime-prone suburb of Paynesville in the east of Monrovia where locals have formed patrols… The UN and Liberian police officials in Monrovia confirmed that crime has been steadily increasing in recent months with 47 reported cases of violent assault and theft from March to April. The UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which has been overseeing security in the war-ravaged country, started a programme in 2004 to train 3,500 police by June 2007 and police officials told IRIN that that number has since increased to 6,000… Training of an elite team of 500 police officers will soon be undertaken by DynCorp, a private American security contractor, Liberia's Chief of Police Beatrice Sieh said. The Quick Reaction Unit [QRU], as the team will be called, "will be trained by leading international police trainers to handle armed threats," she said.

EAST AFRICA • Sudan: Bombings in Darfur Cast Doubt On Resolving Crisis: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 6 May 2008.

Days after the UN and African Union condemned as unacceptable the bombings of villages and markets in Darfur by Sudanese government planes, at least 13 people were reported killed in an attack on a primary school and market in North Darfur state. The 3-4 May bombing of the school in Shegeg Karo by Antonov planes occurred while classes were in session, according to a statement from Darfur Diaries, an NGO that funds the educational centre. Gen Martin Luther Agwai, commander of the UN-AU force in Darfur (UNAMID), on 2 May condemned bombings in Umm Sidir, Ein Bassar and Shegeg Karo. The attacks, he said, had compounded the extent of displacement, insecurity and untold human suffering. The UN said the targeted areas were controlled by the Sudan Liberation Army, which have witnessed "repeated aerial attacks and possible fighting between government and rebel forces during the course of the last few days". The latest violence casts doubt on the viability of the Darfur Peace Agreement, signed two years ago after the final round of negotiations between rebel factions and the Sudanese government… Shuttle diplomacy : In an effort to revitalise the peace process, the UN and AU appointed Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim as special envoys in December 2006. However, the rebels have yet to come to the negotiating table - only seven groups attended the latest negotiations in Sirte, Libya, in October 2007. "There is no question that [the current mediation team] have understood the great and

425 terrible need for patience; that simply writing an agreement for the parties, when the parties are not committed to the agreement, will get us absolutely nowhere," said Nathan. Sources from the negotiating team said both Eliasson and Salim were engaging in shuttle diplomacy to break the mistrust among rebel groups.

• Sudan: Bombing of Darfur Villages Unacceptable, Says Senior UN Official: UN News Service (New York):5 May 2008.

The top military official with the new United Nations-African Union (AU) hybrid mission in Darfur, known as UNAMID, has voiced his deep concern at the rising toll of civilian deaths as a result of the recent bombing of villages in the war-torn Sudanese region. General Martin Luther Agwai, UNAMID's Force Commander and the Chairman of the Ceasefire Commission (CFC), said the reported bombings of villages, markets and populated areas in Umm Sidir, Ein Bassar and Shegeg Karo are unacceptable acts against civilians, compounding the extent of displacement, insecurity and untold human suffering. Recent attacks by Sudanese forces have left three dead and at least eight injured in North Darfur. UNAMID helicopters and medical evacuation teams are mobilized to evacuate casualties. The mission said it successfully airlifted wounded civilians, "following SAF [Sudanese forces] air attacks on the village of Umm Sidir in North Darfur" on Thursday. In addition, a UNAMID fact-finding mission is conducting an investigation on the ground and peacekeepers are continuing to monitor the situation.

• Eritrea: Country Undermined Basis of UN Peacekeeping Mission's Mandate - Security Council: UN News Service (New York):1 May 2008.

Recalling its prior condemnation of Eritrea's hindrances, the Security Council said the country's ongoing obstruction of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) has dealt a blow to the blue helmets' mandate. The restrictions posed by Eritrea have induced UNMEE to relocate temporarily, according to a statement read out last night by Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, which held the rotating presidency of the Council for April. "The Security Council will, in the light of consultations with the parties, decide on the terms of a future UN engagement and on the future of UNMEE," he noted. The 15-member Council said that it is prepared to help the sides break the stalemate, but warned that - as it has in previous statements - the two countries are responsible for reaching a "comprehensive and lasting settlement" of their border dispute and for normalizing their relations. Calling on the Horn of Africa neighbours "to show maximum restraint and to refrain from any threat or use of force against each other," the statement urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to follow up on commitments made in the 2000 Algiers Agreements, which ended the war between the countries.

• Somalia: 13 Killed As Ethiopia Soldiers, Islamist Guerrillas Fight: Garowe Online (Garowe):8 May 2008.

426 At least 13 people including a senior Islamic Courts militia commander were killed yesterday in heavy battles in a remote part of central Somalia, witnesses and local sources reported. The fighting erupted Wednesday afternoon in villages located between the towns of Bulo Burte and Beletwein, the provincial capital of Hiran region. An Ethiopian army convoy that left Bulo Burte and was en route to the border via Beletwein was ambushed by Islamist insurgents, sparking the hours-long battle. "Sheikh Amin Abdulle Barkadle was martyred...he was the [Islamic] Courts leader in Hiran [region]," Hussein Gagale, another Islamist commander, told local media. Residents in villages affected by the battle described horrific scenes of shells slamming into nomadic villages and killing civilians. One witness told Garowe Online that he personally saw the dead bodies of 3 Ethiopian soldiers, although he would not comment on reports of army trucks incinerated by insurgent rockets. Another witness, Moallim Ahmed, said: "I saw the dead bodies of at least four people, including kids and elders, who fled away from the fighting but were killed by a shell faraway." A spokesman for the Islamists said 5 fighters were killed during the battle… Somalia has been mired in armed conflict since the early 1990s, when warlords overthrew a military dictator and plunged the country into one of Africa's longest-running civil wars…

• Somalia: Insurgents Ambush Country's Interior Minister, 4 Soldiers Killed: Garowe Online (Garowe):10 May 2008.

Islamist rebels ambushed an armored convoy transporting Somalia's internal affairs minister Saturday in the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu, sources said. Muse Nur Amin, the Interior Minister, was in one of the vehicles but his car was not directly hit by the insurgents. But two other cars which were part of the Interior Minister's convoy were laced with bullets and later captured by the insurgents, according to witnesses. At least four government soldiers were killed and two others wounded, with the Interior Minister escaping the ambush unhurt. Ali "Ganey" Adan, a police commander in Lower Shabelle region, confirmed to reporters that Interior Minister Amin's convoy was attacked and local authorities dispatched police units to the area reinforce the government minister. Al Shabaab spokesman Muktar Robow "Abu Mansur," who claimed responsibility for the deadly ambush in Lower Shabelle region, bragged that no one on their side was hurt during the skirmish. In Mogadishu, at least 11 people died from a series of overnight attacks, including two Ethiopian soldiers who were killed when their vehicle came under rocket fire in northern Mogadishu. Five civilians were reported dead when shells hit their homes following street fighting between insurgents and government forces, locals said.

CENTRAL AFRICA

427 • Chad: Govt Arrests 4 Eufor Troops: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 9 May 2008.

Four troops from EUFOR, the European Union force in Chad, were arrested on 7 May by local authorities near the southern town of Moundou. They have not yet been released. "This is in blatant violation of the agreement we made with the government which established the current EU in Chad," the spokesman for EUFOR in N'djamena Lieutenant Colonel Jean Axelos told IRIN on 9 May. According to state-run radio, the four EUFOR troops were "disguised as tourists" and traveling in an unauthorized area. The radio said local police confiscated the soldiers' weapons, communications equipment and vehicles. Axelos said the government had signed a Status of Force Agreement allowing EUFOR troops to travel everywhere in the country. "We are going to write a letter of complaint about this to the relevant Chadian authorities," he said. "We hope it is the first and last time this happens."… On 8 January the EU launched EUFOR into the volatile east of Chad and northeast Central African Republic where various armed groups frequently clash. The 2,379 EUFOR troops currently on the ground are there to help protect humanitarian personnel providing aid to 250,000 refugees from Sudan's neighbouring Darfur region as well as 180,000 displaced Chadians.

• Burundi: Why Peace Remains Elusive: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 7 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: MONUC is Part of the Problem: New Vision (Kampala): EDITORIAL: 5 May 2008.

SERIOUS allegations persist against Indian and Pakistani officers serving under MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo. According to a recent BBC report, some have been involved in illegal gold and weapons trafficking in eastern Congo. Pakistani soldiers are alleged to have provided weapons and ammunition to the Front for National Integration (FNI), an armed group responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Ituri region. Indian peacekeepers are said to have engaged in illegal transactions with armed groups in North Kivu, including the Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda (FDLR), some of whose leaders participated in the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Both FNI and FDLR are among the negative forces MONUC was supposed to disarm. Instead of taking action against the culprits, the UN internal investigation arm, OIOS, is doing everything possible to minimise and ignore the abuses. The BBC reported that OIOS failed to fully investigate the allegations. Investigations take ages to conclude, reports are altered, key witnesses are not interrogated and crucial evidence is left out… For Uganda, this is distressing news. MONUC had been looked at as the force in the region that could disarm the LRA, or at least carry out the international warrants of arrest against its leaders. Instead, Joseph Kony is allowed to freely roam Garamba National Park, attack surrounding

428 villages, kill civilians and abduct children whom he prepares to become his new fighters. Unless the UN seriously investigates the allegations against its peacekeepers and drastically changes its mission in Congo, Uganda and the world might look at MONUC as part of the problem rather than the solution in the Great Lakes region.

74. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Militants List Conditions for Niger Delta Summit: Vanguard (Lagos):9 May 2008.

Militants in the Niger Delta say they would only participate in the proposed Niger Delta summit if the Federal Government promises to implement its outcome. In an online statement issued yesterday under the aegis of the Joint Revolutionary Council and signed by its spokesman, Cynthia Whyte, they wondered why government had failed to act on recommendations like the Ogomudia report and others on how to end the crisis in the region…"Any organisation that believes that it must partake in the summit must first seek and obtain a firm commitment that the deliberations obtained from the summit will be acted upon for the greater interest of our long suffering people. We have stomached enough jamborees which turned out to be exercises in futility."… Ijaw and Niger Delta organizations must demand that the government of the Nigerian state provide answers to why recommendations put forward by previous reports such as the Ogomudia Panel Report and others before it were not acted upon. We demand explanations on why these reports were discarded and ignored even though a lot of money was spent to mobilize the panel to work and prepare its findings. JTF tightens security in Ogoni: MORE soldiers have been deployed in some parts of Ogoni area of Rivers State. This is likely due to recent restiveness in these areas that resulted in the death of some persons. At press time two armoured personnel carriers were reportedly stationed at the headquarters of Tai local government area. The spokesman of the Joint Task Force and Army PRO in the state, Lieutenant Col. Sagir Musa, could not be reached for comments immediately.

• Nigeria: Red Alert - IG Warns Over Al-Qaeda Plot to Bomb Country: Vanguard (Lagos):10 May 2008.

INSPECTOR General of Police, Mike Okiro, alerted the nation yesterday that Al- Quaeda terrorists network plans to send time bombs to Nigeria and destroy the nation's economic and infrastructural concerns. Consequently, he has directed the Assistant Inspector General of police in charge of Intelligence, Mr. Israel Ajao, the Commissioners of Police for Air Wing, Border Patrol and all state Police Commands to be at alert and ensure that these 'dangerous items' don't get into the country. Okiro who spoke at Obudu Cattle Ranch at the opening of the IG's Conference with DIG's, AIG,s and States Police Commissioners also directed neigbouring states of Kano, like Kaduna, Bauchi, Jigawa and Katsina states to beef up security in their states to

429 avoid a spill over of the riot that recently emanated over the alleged defaming of the Quran. On the re-run elections taking place in Bayelsa and Sokoto states, Okiro directed CP's in both states to beef up security in order to ensure hitch-free gubernatorial elections saying "CP Kogi should do the same for the House of Assembly elections in that state".

• Senegal: Villagers Mutilated By Armed Men in Casamance: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:8 May 2008.

Armed men claiming to represent the rebel group Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) attacked twenty villagers from Tampe 15 km east of the regional capital Ziguinchor on 7 May and hacked each of their left ears with machetes, according to the victims and the Senegalese army. Malang Sane, one of the victims, said he and his companions were collecting cashew nuts in the forest when approximately 20 armed men approached them and started to attack them. He is currently receiving treatment at the regional hospital in Ziguinchor alongside the other victims. Antoine Diamacoune, the head of the MFDC faction at Kassolol on the Guinea- Bissau border, condemned the "brutal" act, but did not state whether or not the MFDC claimed responsibility. According to another victim, Dominique Mendy, who was also mutilated during the incident, the attackers gave them an order to stop collecting cashew nuts in future if they did not want to face further attacks. Colonel Ousmane Sarr, Director of Public Relations at the Senegalese army (DIRPA), said a lack of communication between the local population and the army was partly to blame for the incident… Prior to this, on 28 February 100 men ambushed vehicle passengers north of Ziguinchor. A representative from an international donor said he is concerned that the lack of progress on instigating a dialogue between the government of Senegal and the MFDC forces could act as a catalyst for more violence in the future.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Congress Moves to Erase U.S. 'Terrorist' Label from the ANC:allAfrica.com:8 May 2008.

The United States House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday to erase from government records the designation of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) and its leaders as terrorists. The legislation, which enjoys bipartisan backing and is supported by the State Department now heads to the U.S. Senate, where it is expected to win easy passage. The ANC led a decades-long struggle against apartheid in South Africa. During the 1980s, the ANC was included on the Reagan administration's list of "terrorist" organizations, which led to travel restrictions on visits to the United States. As a result, a special waiver is still required each time a U.S. visa is issued to any ANC member and several ANC applications have been rejected. "This is a country with which we now have excellent relations, South Africa," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in recent Congressional testimony. "It's

430 frankly a rather embarrassing matter that I still have to waive in my own counterpart, the foreign minister of South Africa, not to mention the great leader Nelson Mandela," she said, referring to South Africa's former president who remains on the United States government terrorism watch list… The bill's sponsor, House Foreign Affairs Chairperson Howard L. Berman (Democrat-California), welcome today's House action… Supporters hope that the bill will be signed into law before Mandela's 90th birthday on July 18.

EAST AFRICA • Kenya: Militia Bosses Asked to Surrender: The Nation (Nairobi):9 May 2008.

The Government has urged commanders of the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF), who are still at large; to surrender as it would consider granting them amnesty. Western PC Abdul Mwasera said the State was ready to grant them amnesty if they voluntarily surrender with their firearms. The PC told the Nation that the army had so far arrested over five commanders. The administrator said a number of SLDF members who surrendered had been granted amnesty. He said the doors were still open for those willing to surrender before security personnel catch up with them. He said the military operation had paid off as the officers had arrested more than 1,000 suspects, who face charges that include promoting war-like activities and murder in Mt Elgon. Mr Mwasera said that so far, 57 AK47 rifles, four hand grenades and ammunition had been recovered. He urged the local community to support the military operation and volunteer information to the security personnel that can enable them track down the criminals… Meanwhile, leaders in Trans Nzoia have urged the Government to lift a dusk- to-dawn curfew imposed on residents two months ago. The say the curfew, occasioned by the military action to flush out the SLDF militia group, had outlived its usefulness. Extorted money : They accused the police and other law enforcers of turning the curfew into a cash cow as they extorted money from those found breaking the directive.

• Kenya: Anti-Terrorism Team On High Alert: The Nation (Nairobi):4 May 2008.

Kenyan anti-terrorism officials are on high alert following the killing of an Islamist said to be the Al Qaeda leader in Somalia in a US attack on Thursday, the Sunday Nation has learnt. There are fears that the Al Qaeda cells in Somalia plan to retaliate the killing by staging attacks on American interests in Kenya, said an anti-terrorism officer familiar with the details of the plan but who could not be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press. The Thursday missile strike by US warplanes is also reported to have killed as many as 30 other people in what Washington's described as the biggest blow against an insurgency raging since 2007. The strike was reported to have hit the home of Aden Hashi Ayro, the military head of Al-Shabab, which controls much of Somalia. The dawn strike in the central town of Dusamareb is said to have been made during a meeting of Al-Shabab commanders. A Kenyan anti-terrorism official

431 familiar with the Thursday strike told the Sunday Nation that the operation succeeded after some members of the Al-Shabab fell out and passed information to the Americans… Kenya and the U.S. share anti-terrorism Intelligence especially after the August 7, 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi and the Kikambala Hotel in November 2002. Their joint efforts have led to successful operations in containing Al Qaeda cells in Somalia. The US who classified the group as a one of the terrorist units of the Al Qaeda in Africa claims to have trailed Ayro for several weeks. Ayro was among six Al Qaeda operatives or associates that Washington have been saying are in the Horn of Africa nation.

• Sudan: Ban Ki-Moon Sounds Alarm On Violence in Outskirts of Capital: UN News Service (New York):10 May 2008.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced grave concern over the fighting spurred by attacks by the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) forces that has broken out on the outskirts of the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Mr. Ban "condemns strongly the use of armed force and military means by JEM for the achievement of political ends and calls for an immediate cessation of fighting and a renewed commitment to a peaceful resolution of outstanding issues," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson… Yesterday, the UN and African Union (AU) envoys spearheading efforts to reach a lasting political solution in Darfur underlined the civilian suffering resulting from the fighting. Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim said in a statement that they are "alarmed and deeply troubled" by the military escalation between the Government and JEM.

75. NORTH AFRICA • Algeria: Government Bans Issue of French Weekly for Publishing Article On Kabylie Region: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 9 May 2008.

Reporters Without Borders condemns the government's decision to ban distribution of the 4 May 2008 issue of the Paris-based news weekly "Jeune Afrique", which has an article on the Algerian region of Kabylie. "This kind of arbitrary measure is likely to become more frequent as next year's presidential election approaches," the press freedom organisation said. "The Algerian government should ensure that the population has unrestricted access to diverse news and information instead of acting as a censor." "Jeune Afrique" received no explanation from the Algerian authorities about the ban on distribution of its latest issue, which was clearly linked to an article by Farid Alilat entitled "Kabylie, the great malaise" about the social, economic and security problems paralysing this region, located to the east of the capital… This is not the first time "Jeune Afrique" has been censored by the Algerian government. An issue with a

432 story about Algerian businessman Rafik Abdelmoumen Khalifa was banned from sale in March 2007. In February 2004, a few weeks before the last presidential election, the authorities also banned an issue with a report headlined "Who the generals are voting for."

• Egypt: TV Agency Boss Facing Charges Over Food Riots, Harassed for Links With Al-Jazeera: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris); PRESS RELEASE: 7 May 2008.

Reporters Without Borders has voiced concern about legal action against Nader Gohar, owner of the Egyptian TV news agency Cairo News Company (CNC), who was charged on 5 May 2008 with unlicensed broadcasting of food riots in the north of the country on 6 April. On 5 May, the al-Aguza correctional court in Cairo charged Gohar with broadcasting protests without permission in the Nile Delta city of Mahalla against a hike in the price of basic foodstuffs, in which demonstrators were shown tearing down photos of Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak. The complaint was made against him by the public Egypt Radio Television Union and on 17 April, police searched CNC offices and seized satellite dishes and equipment belonging to foreign channels that work with the broadcast company. Cairo's prosecutor-general questioned Gohar on three occasions and his trial is due to open on 26 May. Gohar denied to Reporters Without Borders that he had sent a team to Mahalla to cover the protests. "A lot of companies work without licences in Egypt. I am a victim of the state's campaign of harassment against al-Jazeera, one of the TV channels I work with regularly," he said…. "Legal proceedings started against Nader Gohar sound a warning to all Egyptian journalists who work with foreign media… Gohar, whose lawyer has not been given permission to see the file, faces a prison sentence and a harsh fine.

• Morocco: Al-Jazeera Bureau Forced to Stop Broadcasting Maghreb News Programme From Rabat: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 7 May 2008.

Reporters Without Borders calls on the Moroccan authorities to reverse their decision to stop the pan-Arab satellite TV news station Al-Jazeera from broadcasting a daily news programme covering the Maghreb countries from its studios in the Moroccan capital Rabat. "The attitude of the Moroccan authorities is incomprehensible," the press freedom organisation said. "Al-Jazeera has been broadcasting its special programme on the Maghreb for the past year and a half without any difficulty. The suddenness of this measure and the lack of a valid reason suggest that it was a political decision." On 6 May, Al-Jazeera's Rabat bureau received a fax from the National Agency for Telecom Regulation (ANRT) saying the frequency it used for broadcasting the Maghreb programme was being withdrawn because of "technical and legal problems." The Qatar-based TV station began producing its daily Maghreb

433 news programme on 17 November 2006. It already had a bureau in Rabat and was obliged to comply with Moroccan regulations. "We submitted a complete dossier to the government's High Authority for Audiovisual Communication (HACA), including our business registration, our licence, our terms of reference and the station's charter," bureau chief Hassan Rachidi told Reporters Without Borders. "But the application was frozen and we began working on the basis of provisional permits renewable ever three months. All our equipment was approved by the ANRT." The current permit is good until 13 June… Al-Jazeera has done many stories on Morocco, including the issue of Western Sahara. On 3 May, it referred to close relations which the late King Hassan had with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. But there is no evidence that this decision was linked to any of these stories… The station has been the target of a great deal of harassment in both the Maghreb and the Middle East, ranging from bureaucratic obstructiveness to the arrest of several of its correspondents…

• Tunisia: A Euro- Mediterranean Institute of Joint Engineering Studies to Be Set Up By 2010: Tunisia Online (Tunis):6 May 2008.

A number of Euro-Mediterranean civil engineering laboratories are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to set up a Euro-Mediterranean institute of joint engineering studies by 2010. The news was announced on Monday, by the Director of the civil engineering laboratory at the National engineering school of Tunis (ENIT), Mr Hedi Hsisse, during the Euro Mediterranean seminar on "Forays in geo-materials and structures" currently held in Hammamet from May 5 to 7, 2008. He added that the Euro Mediterranean laboratories taking part in the project were also planning to create a joint Euro-Mediterranean Masters and PhD diploma. The seminar which is held every two years provides an opportunity to researchers for laying the foundations of a structured scientific cooperation between Euro- Mediterranean civil engineering laboratories. It is also the occasion for scientists to take stock of the latest advances achieved in reducing the use of non- renewable natural resources, and in reducing natural hazards due to land slides. Participants to the event have come from Maghreb countries, Europe, Iran, the United States, and Canada. During the three days, the seminar is expected to last; they will thrash out themes relative to the development of complex works, as well as to the resistance of materials and structures.

• Morocco: Imprisoned Journalist Goes On Hunger Strike to Mark World Press Freedom Day: Committee to Protect Journalists (New York): PRESS RELEASE: 5 May 2008.

To mark World Press Freedom Day, Moroccan journalist Mustafa Hormatallah began a three-day hunger strike today to protest his imprisonment in Casablanca, while journalists led by the National Syndicate of the Moroccan Press planned to stage a

434 sit-in on Saturday. Hormatallah, a journalist with the independent weekly Al-Watan Al An, was sentenced in August 2007 to eight months in jail, and his editor, Abderrahim Ariri, was given a six-month suspended term for possessing "documents by criminal means." The Casablanca court also fined each of them 1,000 dirhams (US$120). The Supreme Court upheld Hormatallah's sentence in February. "We join with our colleagues in Morocco in calling attention to the fact that a leading journalist is languishing in prison on World Press Freedom Day," CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. "We call on the authorities to release Mustafa Hormatallah immediately." World Press Freedom Day is commemorated on Saturday. The case against Ariri and Hormatallah stems from a July 14 article in Al-Watan Al An about secret government documents that reveal alleged terrorist threats against Morocco. The weekly reproduced one of the purported secret documents of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, a Moroccan security agency, which discussed the monitoring of jihadist Web sites. The two journalists were convicted of "concealing items derived from a crime" under Article 571 of the Moroccan Penal Code… In a special report released in July 2007, CPJ noted that press freedom in Morocco has notably regressed in recent years. Independent journalists have been the targets of a series of politicized court cases, financial pressures, and harassment from authorities.

• Tunisia: Literary Prize Reveals Fine Crop of Writers And Novels: Tunisia Online (Tunis):5 May 2008.

The 12 th edition of the "Comar d'or" which concluded on April 25, 2008 with the award giving ceremony enhanced by the presence of the Tunisian singer and musician Zied Gharsa, has revealed a fine crop of writers whose novels are as distinctive as they are original. Endowed with three prizes , respectively the "Comar d'or", the "Discovery Prize" and the "Special Prize of the Jury", the six prizes are awarded each year to the best Arabic and French fictional works. This year's winners are: "Comar d'or" for the Arabic and French language novel : - Lawn Al Rouh (The color of the Soul), by Slahheddine Boujah and :- Un Après Midi dans le Desert, By Mustapha Tlili. :The "Discovery Prizes" were awarded respectively to Al Waghd (The insult ), by Khereddine Souabni and Ce que Tunis ne m'a pas dit ( What Tunis did not tell me) by Kaouthar Khelifi. And finally the "Special Prizes of the Jury" went in turn respectively to Khadaat El Asr ( The Lie of the times) by Mounir Raqqi and Sais tu seulement ce que vivre veut dire ?( Do you only know what to live means?) by Wafa Bsais. This year was no exception and if Mustapha Tlili's, An Afternoon in the Desert unsurprisingly was awarded first prize, the "Special Prize of the Jury" ( Do you only know what to live means? By Wafa Bsaies, published by Sahar editions ) indeed reveals a fine and sensitive novelist whose subtle but realistic evocation of a failed marriage, was deservedly distinguished by the Jury, composed of eminent writers and university

435 professors. Both Mustapha Tlili and Slaheddine Boujah are seasoned writers who have extensively published before and whose poetic style has earned them a well- deserved literary notoriety in Tunisia and in the Arab world, in the case of Boujah and in France, in the case of Tlili. Another additional feather in Mustapha's Tlili 's hat as it were, is that most of his previous novels such as La Montagne du Lion and his latest novel is no exception, were published by the well- known French publishing house, "Gallimard".

76. OPINION POLL • Paving the Way to Prosperity in Africa: Gallup Polls:

-- Gallup Polls conducted in 35 African countries reveal that a regional median of just 37% of citizens are satisfied with their roads and highways.

These data provide a mandate for improvement for African transport and infrastructure ministers, who gathered in Algiers in late April to discuss the state of the transportation sector on the continent and noted the lack of "up-to-date, reliable data." A safe, efficient, and reliable regional transportation system (including road, air, and water networks) is considered an essential component of poverty alleviation and economic growth in Africa. With a road density, or road coverage, of about 7 kilometers per 100 square kilometers, Africa's road infrastructure is far less well developed than that of Asia or Latin America, where road density tops 18 and 12 kilometers per 100 square kilometers, respectively. Including all road types, Africa's network is only about 2 million kilometers, of which only 30% are paved.

436 The Gallup Polls show wide-ranging differences in citizens' satisfaction with roads from country to country, from a relatively high level of satisfaction of 64% in Ghana, Tunisia (62%), and Mozambique (59%) to a low of 8% in Liberia and Congo (11%), after taking the margin of error into account.

In just 7 out of 35 countries polled (Ghana, Tunisia, Mozambique, Egypt, Namibia, Rwanda, and Malawi), majorities say they are satisfied with the roads and highways in their local communities. At the other end of the spectrum, less than one-quarter of respondents express satisfaction with their road infrastructure in nine countries (Mali, Sierra Leone, Benin, Chad, Togo, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Liberia).

Survey Methods

437 Results are based on face-to-face interviews conducted in 2006 and 2007. Randomly selected sample sizes typically number 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, in the 35 countries polled. In Angola and Congo, surveys were conducted in urban areas. Surveys in Chad and Sudan did not include Darfur. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

77. NEWS COMMENTARY • Central African Republic: Who's Who With Guns? UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: ANALYSIS: 9 May 2008.

The Central African Republic is striving to turn the page on decades of armed violence linked to mutinies, coups and attempted coups. Hundreds of thousands of civilians remain displaced, many of them unable, or too afraid, to farm their land. This is an overview of the various armed groups, government security forces and international military missions in the country.

L'Armée Populaire pour la restauration de la république et la démocratie - APRD

A rebel group active in the northwest, where it attacked the town of Paoua in January 2006. Led by former army lieutenant Florian Djadder, it is said to enjoy support from former president Ange-Félix Patassé. Most APRD members, thought to number between a few hundred and a thousand, are drawn from Patassé's presidential guard. APRD activity in the northwest displaced large numbers of civilians into the bush and prompted vicious reprisals from government troops, who targeted villages suspected of supporting the rebels. Having long resisted peace overtures from the government, the APRD agreed in March 2008 to join a national process of political dialogue. In the same month the group appointed Jean-Jacques Démafouth, who served as Patassé's intelligence chief, as its political leader. In early May, the APRD was reported to be close to signing a peace deal with the government.

Union des forces démocratique pour le rassemblement - UFDR

Active in the northeast and made up largely of the mainly-Muslim Gula ethnic group, it is operationally led by Damane Zacharia, also known as Capt Yao. Its ranks include men who helped President François Bozizé overthrow Patassé in 2003 but subsequently felt disgruntled with the lack of recompense. The group's leadership said it was fighting to

438 reverse the region's chronic marginalisation. In October 2006 the UFDR overran the town of Birao only to be repelled several days later with the help of French paratroopers. While under arms, the UFDR demanded Bozizé step down or share power. The group signed a peace deal with the government in 2007 and is taking part in a process of national dialogue.

The Front démocratique du people centrafricaine : Rebel group led by Abdoulaye Miskine, real name Martin Koumtamadji. Since Miskine signed a peace accord with the government in 2007, this group has also been involved in the national dialogue process.

Bandits: Known variously as coupeurs de routes (highwaymen), Zaraguina, or simply bandits, criminal gangs who kill, kidnap for ransom, loot and set fire to homes now pose the greatest threat to civilians in the north. Their attacks have prompted tens of thousands of people to flee their villages for a precarious life in the bush; have hindered access to fields and markets, reduced imports along key trade routes, especially from Cameroon, and delayed the return of CAR refugees living in neighbouring Chad.

Forces Armées Centrafricaine – FACA : The national army, numbering some 5,000 men, only about half of whom are thought to be on active duty at any one time. International human rights groups have accused FACA of burning hundreds of villages during their operations against rebel groups, although their record improved from mid- 2007. As well as being undermanned, the army is under-resourced, poorly trained and under-armed, but it is set to undergo major restructuring under a broad reform of the security sector.

Presidential guard: This special service in charge of presidential security contains some police and gendarmerie personnel, but most are drawn from FACA. The presidential guard was singled out by human rights groups for its brutality, although more recent reports suggest it has improved its record and limited its presence largely to the capital. Training and equipment for those in the presidential guard is significantly better that for those in FACA.

European Force (EUFOR) and the UN Mission in CAR and Chad (MINURCAT)

EUFOR is a European Union force authorised by the UN Security Council to operate in both eastern Chad and northeastern CAR, where it has a mandate to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian assistance and protect UN personnel. It is expected to number 3,700 troops when it reaches full strength. MINURCAT is a UN force whose role is training police and improving judicial infrastructure. It is made up of 350 police and military personnel. The two forces work hand-in-hand and, in CAR, are deployed in the northeastern town of Birao.

439 CEMAC Multinational Force – FOMUC: Deployed by the Economic and Monetary Union of Central Africa (CEMAC) in 2002 to support the regime of then president Ange- Félix Patassé, it is made up of 380 troops from the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Chad. Funded by the European Commission and France, FOMUC has bases in several parts of the country and patrols main roads. As well as providing security, FOMUC's role includes helping to restructure the national army to tackle Zaraguina bandits.

• Kenya: U.S. Security Interests Not Similar to Ours: Business Daily (Nairobi): COLUMN: 8 May 2008.

The claims earlier this week that Kenya's counter-terrorism authorities fear there could be a terrorist attack in the near future should draw our attention to at least two important factors relating to national security.

The first is the nature of Kenya's counter-terrorism infrastructure. Several hundred Kenyans have been killed by terrorists in the past decade, and all Kenyans believe terrorism is a serious crime. However, Kenya's political leaders have not succeeded in passing the law that criminalises terrorism. The country has in the past few years trained agents that have the capacity to detect, investigate and prevent terrorist activities, but without counter-terrorism legislation, they cannot prosecute the terrorists. There is no doubt that terrorism is a threat to business, tourism, innocent civilians and the normal day-to-day activities, but it is not a crime in this country. It is the responsibility of all Kenyans, especially journalists, civil society leaders, the corporate sector and academics, to urge the 10th parliament to pass counter- terrorism legislation promptly to enable law enforcement agents to deal effectively with threats of terrorism. At the same time, the MPs should ensure that such legislation does not erode civil liberties or undermine democratic rule.

The second factor that has been highlighted by the recent reports about a possible terrorist attack relates to the way the US government has been combating terrorism since 2001. It has been claimed that current terrorist threats to Kenya stem from a US missile attack that hit the home of Aden Hashi Ayro, the military head of Al-Shabab, last week. Al-Shabab is a Somali Islamist group that is reported to be linked to Al-Qaeda. If it is true that the Somali members of Al-Shabab pose a threat to Kenya because they seek to retaliate against American interests in this country, the conclusion one can draw is that Kenya's vulnerability to terrorism stems partly from its close association with the US. For example, in August 1998, Al Qaeda agents killed 212 Kenyans when they bombed the US embassy in Nairobi. It has been claimed that Kenya and the US have been sharing intelligence on terrorists' activities and movements since 1998, but several questions need to be raised about the nature of this intelligence and how it has been used to benefit Kenyans. How has intelligence

440 sharing between the two countries helped in the enhancement of security for all Kenyans? Do the US and Kenya agree on what social or ethnic groups should be targeted? Has Kenya supplied intelligence that has been used to militarily target suspected terrorists? While Kenya and the US may have similar interests in combating terrorism, Kenya's policy makers should note that the country's borders are porous and terrorists may come and go as they please. The Government can send soldiers to guard a few entry points along the Somali-Kenya border, as it has been doing recently, but they cannot guard the entire length of the boundary. Moreover, if Al Qaeda agents sought to attack American interests in Kenya, they would not arrive in the week they intended to carry out the offensive. They would most likely send their agents and establish cells in the country long before they carried out attacks. Given the history of terrorist attacks in this country in the past 10 years, Kenya must be prepared to combat terrorism. However, it needs to guard against the temptation to go all the way with the US. American security interests are not similar to Kenya's national interests, even when it comes to a country like Somalia.

Prof Makinda teaches security studies and international relations at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia.

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441 BUSINESS AND POLITICS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD Sub-Saharan Africa Weekly Presentation: May 20, 2008 Abbas S Lamptey Period: From May 11 to May 17, 2008 THE HEADLINES 78. CHINA -AFRICA RELATIONS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Yar 'Adua Condoles With China, Myanmar: Vanguard (Lagos):15 May 2008. • Nigeria: Kidnapped Chinese Construction Workers Regain Freedom: This Day (Lagos):11 May 2008. • Ghana: U.S.$40 Million Loan for Fish Farming Project: Accra Mail (Accra):11 May 2008. • Liberia: 15-Man Jury Set-Up for Chinese Murder Case: The Inquirer (Monrovia):16 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Country Sends Condolences to China: BuaNews (Tshwane):15 May 2008. • South Africa: Africa's Indispensable Partnership - Celebrating 10 Years of Official Ties Between South Africa and China: South African Institute of International Affairs Johannesburg): PRESS RELEASE: 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Glass Plant Construction Hampered: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):14 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Chinese Firm Mulls US$500m Investment: The Herald (Harare):10 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Uganda: Locals Survive China Earthquake: New Vision (Kampala):14 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Kagame Offers Sympathy to China: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):15 May 2008. 79. PAN AFRICA WEST AFRICA • Africa: Integration Ministers Meet in Abidjan: African Union (Addis Ababa): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008. • Africa: Continent Needs Investment, Not Charity – ITU: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008. • Africa: 1 Billion to Get Satellite Connectivity: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008.

442 • Africa: Strong Signs of Record Rice Production - But Prices Are Expected to Remain High in 2008 - Myanmar Disaster Could Worsen Outlook: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome): PRESS RELEASE: 12 May 2008. • Africa: Region Soars in Mobile Growth With Troubling Contradictions: Vanguard (Lagos):14 May 2008. • Africa: Africa Shifts Attention to Post Primary Education: This Day (Lagos):13 May 2008. • Africa: Continent Made $24.3bn From Tourism in 2007 - Yar'Adua: Leadership (Abuja):14 May 2008. • Africa: 400 Million Africans Unemployed: Concord Times (Freetown):12 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Africa: Sweden, Ireland And the UK Lead Continent's Aid Index: Business Day (Johannesburg):16 May 2008. • Africa: World Bank Shifting Gears On Aids: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):15 May 2008. • Africa: Scientists Seek Continent's 'Einstein': allAfrica.com:12 May 2008. • Africa: Continental Economic Outlook Launched: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):11 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Africa: A Green Revolution for Africa - Can It Be Made in Austria? : The East African (Nairobi):12 May 2008. • Africa: Oxfam Lists EPAs Signing Ills for ACP Countries: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):15 May 2008. • Africa: Ethiopia Dismisses New Border Deal With Sudan: The Monitor (Kampala):15 May 2008. • Africa: High Food Prices Renew Interest in African Farming: Business Daily (Nairobi):13 May 2008. • Africa: International Crime: The East African (Nairobi):12 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Africa: Increasing Africa's Food Security: The New Times (Kigali):11 May 2008. • Africa: UN to Promote Reconciliation in Post-War Countries: The Post (Buea):12 May 2008. 80. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: More Than 800,000 Residents Evicted From Abuja From 2003 to 2007: Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (Geneva): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008. • Niger: Court Rejects Imprisoned Journalist's Petition, Returning Case to Starting Point: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008. • Liberia: Charles Taylor Trial Advances At Sustained Pace: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):15 May 2008.

443 • Senegal: UN Decision On Hissène Habré Flouted: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 14 May 2008. • Liberia: Living With Fistula: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 May 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Townships in Turmoil Raise Fears That Xenophobia Will Spread: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Bulawayo Court Overturns Police Ban of MDC Rally: SW Radio Africa (London):16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Bloodbath in Mash Central: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Sudan: Mass Arrests After Rebel Attack Raise Concern: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 13 May 2008. • Kenya: Bill Seeks to Heal Ethnic Rifts: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Kenya: Military Accused of Killing Thousands: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Ethiopia: Editor And Three Others Previously Arrested Over Magazine Story Now Out On Bail: International Federation of Journalists (Brussels): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Cameroon: May Day Celebrations - Youths Want Jailed February Demonstrators Pardoned: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008 • Congo-Kinshasa: Child Protection - Launch of 'Watchlist' Report On Monitoring Mechanism: United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa):16 May 2008. • Rwanda: Woman (90) Set On Fire By Her Neighbours for Fear of Facing Gacaca: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):15 May 2008. • Central African Republic: 'Our Daughters Have No Future': UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:15 May 2008. 81. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs WEST AFRICA • Liberia: More Liberian Refugees Return: The Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (Monrovia): PRESS RELEASE: 13 May 2008. • Nigeria: Again, Libya Deports More Nigerians: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Not Enough Shelter for 'Township's Refugees': Business Day (Johannesburg):15 May 2008. • Zambia: UN Refugee Agency Begins Overland Return Operation From Zambia to DR Congo: UN News Service (New York):14 May 2008.

444 EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Somalia: UNICEF Feeds 44,000 Displaced Children: UN News Service (New York):14 May 2008. • East Africa: States to Step Up Coop, Tackle Migration: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):14 May 2008. • Kenya: Fear of New Ethnic Hostility As State Hurriedly Resettles IDPs: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Kenya: More Than 100,000 People Go Back Home: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Uganda: Lack of Services, Not Kony Preventing IDP Return: The Monitor (Kampala): 16 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: 300 Street Kids Attend "Ingando": The New Times (Kigali):11 May 2008. 82. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB) WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Senate Passes National Health Bill: This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008. • Nigeria: 'No Exemption From Anti-Smoking Law': This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Namibia: Drug Resistant TB Strain Confirmed: New Era (Windhoek):16 May 2008. • Angola: Deaths By Malaria Reduce Countrywide - Health Authorities: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):16 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Uganda: Foot And Mouth Disease Hits Kibaale: New Vision (Kampala):15 May 2008. • Uganda: Girls to Get Cervical Cancer Vaccine: New Vision (Kampala): 15 May 2008. • Tanzania: New Hope for Cancer Patients in Country: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 15 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: How Communities Can Win Battle Against Malaria: Focus Media (Kigali):15 May 2008. • Rwanda: Number of Aids Patients Goes Down - UN Report: The New Times (Kigali):16 May 2008. • Cameroon: Traditional Healers As Best Messengers in HIV/Aids Fight: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008. 83. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Environment - As Senate Considers Climate Bill: This Day (Lagos): 13 May 2008.

445 SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: 'Billion Tree Campaign' Blossoms to Seven Times Its Size: BuaNews (Tshwane):14 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Nema Clamps Down On Polluters With New Rules: Business Daily (Nairobi):13 May 2008. • Uganda: Uganda's Migratory Bird Sites Threatened: The Monitor (Kampala):14 May 2008. • Tanzania: UK Activists Pile Pressure Against Soda Ash Project: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):16 May 2008. • Tanzania: Dwindling Fish Stocks Alarm President: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):14 May 2008. • Uganda: Museveni's Dams a Threat to Lake Victoria: The Nation (Nairobi):15 May 2008.

84. ENERGY WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Future of Country's Oil At Risk: Leadership (Abuja):13 May 2008. • Nigeria: 100 Die in Lagos Explosion: Leadership (Abuja): 16 May 2008. • Ghana: Soaring Crude Price On World Market GOG to Take Ameliorating Action: Accra Mail (Accra):16 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Southern Africa: SADC Energy Ministers Deliberate On Regional Energy Shortfalls: Southern African News Features (Harare):15 May 2008. • Namibia: Fuel Prices 'Could Cripple Economy': The Namibian (Windhoek):16 May 2008. • Mozambique: Design Documents for Oil Refinery Signed: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo): 16 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Tanzania: Electricity From Wind is Way to Go: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): EDITORIAL:15 May 2008. 85. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Inflation Hits 355 000 Percent: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008. • Namibia: Billions Flow Into Unlisted Companies: Namibia Economist (Windhoek):16 May 2008. • Malawi: Aid Will Not Be Conditional Upon Signing of EPAs: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Country Among African Countries Facing Food Crisis: Financial Gazette (Harare):16 May 2008.

446 EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • MTN Confirms Takeover Bid: East African Business Week (Kampala):12 May 2008.

86. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Fresh Set-Back For Bakassi Treaty: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008. • Nigeria: Constitution Review Membership Divides House : This Day (Lagos):17 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • South Africa: Zuma Trial Likely to Start Early Next Year: Business Day (Johannesburg): 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Presidential Polls Set For June 27:allAfrica.com 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Delays His Return Home: SW Radio Africa (London):17 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Mugabe Allies Against Run-Off: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Amnesty Says Truth Commission Draft Bill Seriously Flawed: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi): 16 May 2008: CENTRAL AFRICA • Equatorial Guinea: Country Re-Opens Border With Cameroon: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008. • Cameroon: SDF Lauds U.S. Pledge to Repatriate Stolen Funds: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008. 87. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS WEST AFRICA • West Africa: Mano River Union (MRU) Vows to Sustain Peace: The Inquirer (Monrovia):16 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA • Zimbabwe: Mbeki 'Shocked' At Zim Violence: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):16 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Pardon for Poll Violence Crimes: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Somalia: Security Council Calls for Plans to Deploy UN Peace Force to Somalia to Continue: UN News Service (New York):15 May 2008. • Sudan: North And Southern Sudan in Peace Deal On Oil-Rich Region: The Nation (Nairobi): 16 May 2008. • Uganda: Kony Dodges Meeting With Clergy: New Vision (Kampala):14 May 2008.

447 • Somalia: Key Mediator Quits Talks to Resolve Somaliland Election Dispute: Garowe Online (Garowe):12 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: U.S. to Help Train Darfur Peacekeepers: The New Times (Kigali):10 May 2008. • Central Africa: 'Encouraging' Progress On Peace And Security in Region - Ban Ki-Moon: UN News Service (New York):15 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Four Priorities for Sustainable Peace in Ituri - Executive Summary and Recommendations: International Crisis Group (Brussels): DOCUMENT: 13 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: After Two Key Deals, What Progress Towards Peace in North Kivu? : UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 14 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Uruguayan Blue Helmets Receive UN Medals for Services to Peace: United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa):15 May 2008. 88. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR” WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Country Not Under Al-Qaeda Threat – IG: This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008. • Nigeria: Militant Group Disclaims Hijack of Chevron Supply Ship: Leadership (Abuja):16 May 2008. EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Sudan: Chad Denies Involvement in Khartoum Attack: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks :12 May 2008. • Comoros: Rebel Leader in Limbo: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA • Rwanda: Country Protests Over Rebels: The Nation (Nairobi):10 May 2008. • Burundi: Secretary-General Welcomes Arrival of Rebel Group for Peace Talks: UN News Service (New York):16 May 2008. 89. NORTH AFRICA • Africa: Egypt Partners With Sudan to Grow Wheat: Business Daily (Nairobi): 12 May 2008. • Tunisia: Ornithology - Recent Report Confirms Country's Reputation As Bird Sanctuary And Strong Bio-Diversity: Tunisia Online (Tunis):14 May 2008. • Tunisia: Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology Receives UN Prize for Public Transparency: Tunisia Online (Tunis):14 May 2008. • Tunisia: Opposition Weekly's Editors Call Off Hunger Strike After Harassment Lets Up: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 14 May 2008.

448 • Eritrea And Egypt Agree to Enhance Cooperation in Education: Shabait.com (Asmara):9 May 2008. 90. NEWS COMMENTARY • Africa: Keen On Business, China is Yet to Flex Its Formidable Military Muscle: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Africa: EU Seeks to Subdue Competitive China: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):15 May 2008. • Africa: Challenges of Democratic Transition: Fahamu (Oxford): OPINION: 15 May 2008. • COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY WEST AFRICAN DIALOGUE ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE • Africa: Economic Integration Requires New Strategies: allAfrica.com: GUEST COLUMN: 15 May 2008. • Sudan: Wake Up Call: Institute for War & Peace Reporting (London): OPINION: 13 May 2008. THE REPORT IN DETAIL

91. CHINA ‐AFRICA RELATIONS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Yar 'Adua Condoles With China, Myanmar: Vanguard (Lagos):15 May 2008.

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar'Adua yesterday in Abuja offered his condolences to the Republic of China and Myanmar over the recent natural disasters in the two countries. The president's condolences were contained in letters he sent to the Chinese President, Mr Hu Jintao, and the Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Your Excellency, I am greatly saddened by the unfortunate earthquake disaster that has resulted in the loss of lives and properties in the Sichuan Province of the Republic of China on 12th May 2008. "The government and the people of Nigeria are highly grieved by the magnitude of the loss," Yar'Adua said in the letter to Hu. Yar'Adua prayed that God would give China and Myanmar, especially the families of the deceased, the fortitude to bear the losses. Yar'Adua's wife counsels African politicians: Politicians across the African continent have been advised to accept the decisions of the electorate so as to avoid preventable clashes which turn women to widows and slow down the pace of development across the continent. These were contained in the views of the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar'Adua when she played host to the wives of Heads of African Missions in Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. In her views, "in those countries outside Africa where we always refer to when we talk about development, when elections are conducted, those who win take office, while those who lose congratulate them and they plan on how to develop their societies…

• Nigeria: Kidnapped Chinese Construction Workers Regain Freedom: This Day (Lagos):11 May 2008.

449 The three workers of China Civil Engineering Cons-truction Corporation (CCECC) kidnapped last Thursday in Calabar by people suspected to be workers of the company have regained their freedom. Chief Press Secretary and Special Assistant to Governor Liyel Imoke on Media, Mr. Patrick Ugbe, said in a telephone interview that the Chinese workers suddenly appeared at the gate to the Company's premises at Ikonno, Akwa Ibom State yesterday morning unharmed. He said the Government of Cross River State was not aware of any ransom paid by the Company for the release of the workers. He however said the State Government would investigate the circumstances leading to the abduction and release of the Chinese workers to ensure that such incidents did not happen again in the state. THISDAY gathered that the workers, whose names are yet unknown, were returning to their residence in the company's compound at State Housing Estate, Calabar at about 4 pm on Thursday when they were abducted and driven off in the company's vehicle. The abductors are said to have demanded a ransom before they could release the workers. The ransom demand was contained in a letter left in the workers' vehicle, which was abandoned by the kidnappers at the gate of the Company's site in Ikonno, Akwa Ibom State. Officials of the company are said to have also entered into negotiations for the release of the workers There are speculations that the Chinese officials may have been abducted by workers of the company who have been agitating for higher wages and better conditions of service, including better health services, which officials of the company have refused to accede to. Investigations revealed that the workers had tried to submit a letter to Governor Liyel Imoke about their grievances when the Governor inspected progress of work at bridge site last Tuesday. Although they did not succeed, they managed to pass the letter through a top aide of the Governor who later submitted the letter to the Governor. The Governor was said to be in the process of calling a meeting of officials and workers of the company when the news of the abduction filtered to him…

• Ghana: U.S.$40 Million Loan for Fish Farming Project: Accra Mail (Accra):11 May 2008.

Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Minister for Fisheries has announced that the Ministry of Fisheries is to contract a 40 million US dollar loan from Chinese Government to begin a 2,000 hectare fish farming project on River Pra at Shama in the Western Region. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU has been signed between the Ministry and two Chinese companies, Chinese National Fisheries Corporation and Lu Ye Fisheries to secure the loan. Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Minister was speaking at the harvesting of the first aqua culture pilot project at Akyem Soabe in Kwaebibirem District over the weekend. The project was launched last year. She said under the MOU, a joint committee comprising representatives of the companies and the Ministry would be instituted to supervise the project that would provide employment for the youth. Mrs. Asmah explained that the companies would provide equipment for construction works and supply the farmers with high quality fingerlings and after harvesting buy the fish from them. She said the Ministry would assist the farmers with soft loans to be repaid within 12 months to construct ponds and supply of fingerlings. On the aqua culture project, Mrs Asmah said about 800,000 Ghana cedis had so far been spent including the training of about 400 farmers from Kumasi Metropolitan Area and

450 more farmers would be provided with the necessary training to begin their own projects. She said last year 95,000 fingerlings were supplied during the launching to the management of Kwabs Farms Limited at Akyem Soabe and was expected to realise about 200,000 Ghana cedis after harvesting…

• Liberia: 15-Man Jury Set-Up for Chinese Murder Case: The Inquirer (Monrovia):16 May 2008.

The trial of murder suspect, Mohammed Konneh, has resurfaced in the May Term of Court with the setting up of a 15-member jury to begin hearing testimonies and perusing documents relating to the murder of the Chinese expert, Princess Tiang Chong Yu at the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC). Criminal Court 'A' Judge Peter Gbeneweleh who began hearings into the case yesterday with both defense lawyers and prosecuting attorneys present, requested the reading of the medical report pertaining to the accused since the case had been tabled almost a year due to information that the accused was insane. Mohammed who is said to be an ex-fighter of the defunct LURD group allegedly murdered Princess Tang, a Chinese instructor of the Bamboo Weaving class on July 14, 2007. According to court records, Princess Tang was stabbed with a silver knife and died after a period of profuse bleeding. Meanwhile the trial is to begin next Tuesday at which time the two medical doctors from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital who performed the medical examination on Mohammed would be made to appear to testify to his medical report… According to the medical report read in court yesterday, the doctors after accepting that the accused has some disorder problems, request that he be allowed out of prison in order to observe his mental status for some six months but said that the request was questioned by the prosecuting attorney who pleaded with Judge Gbeneweleh to have them appear in court. Still at the court, rape, a crime against the state, is at the highest peak in Liberia as eight out of every ten cases heard at the Temple of Justice seek justice for rape victims.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Country Sends Condolences to China: BuaNews (Tshwane):15 May 2008.

South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has extended the nation's condolences to the government and people of China following the devastating earthquake in the Sichuan province. "The thoughts and prayers of the government and people of South Africa indeed reach out to the government and people of China and in particular, families of those who have lost their loved ones. "We also commiserate with those who have lost all their worldly possessions and face displacement at this time," Minister Dlamini Zuma said on Wednesday. A powerful earthquake struck China on Monday, killing more than 14 000 people. According to Xinhua Agency, the official estimated death toll from the quake stood at nearly 14 463, unchanged from the previous day. About 10 million people in Sichuan province have been directly affected by the 7.9 quake that flattened entire villages, the state media said. Another 26 000 are reported to

451 have been still trapped in the rubble… The quake is the worst to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan tremor in northeastern China where up to 300 000 died. Offers of aid have come from around the world since the disaster, which occurred three months before the Beijing Olympics.

• South Africa: Africa's Indispensable Partnership - Celebrating 10 Years of Official Ties Between South Africa and China: South African Institute of International Affairs Johannesburg): PRESS RELEASE: 16 May 2008.

Ten years of official diplomatic relations between the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa have been marked by a series of celebratory events in both countries. With two way trade rising to US$9.86 in 2006, investment reaching new heights with the ICBC-Standard Bank announcement in 2007 and diplomatic collaboration continuing on a solid footing, the bilateral relationship is one of the drivers of growth on the African continent. At the same time, the deepening of economic ties has raised important questions as to the uneven impact of trade in certain sectors of the South African economy and has created challenges for China and South Africa alike. Managing these factors against the backdrop of mutual co-operation and shared hopes for African development are a feature of this maturing relationship. In recognition of this decade of friendship, the South African Institute of International Affairs and the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) are jointly sponsoring an international conference on 21-22 May 2008 to assess the past, present and future state of ties. This international conference brings together Chinese and African experts from the academic, policy and business community to assess China's engagement with Africa and particularly how South African and Chinese co-operation can strengthen Africa's development and stability. The key themes of the conference include:

• How can China and South Africa's partnership benefit Africa?

• Why China matters to Africa: partnership, investment and trade

• The geopolitical and geo-economic importance of Africa to China

• China's development trajectory: poverty reduction, rural development, agriculture and SEZs

• Peace and security: what role can China play in promoting stability in Africa?

• Zimbabwe: Glass Plant Construction Hampered: The Zimbabwe Guardian (London):14 May 2008.

THE construction of a US$ 120 million state of the art glass manufacturing plant in the city of Kadoma is being hampered by a critical shortage of water and the current power cuts. In the year 2002 the city approached a Chinese glass-manufacturing firm with the idea of setting up a glass manufacturing plant in the mining city. However, the deal was

452 finally sealed in the 2005. Council allocated the Chinese firm a 6,5 hectares piece of land for the construction of the plant set to be one of the biggest glass manufacturing plants when completed. The city's outgoing executive mayor, Fannie Phiri told the Zimbabwe Guardian in the city last week that the project which was set to be completed last year is facing numerous problems, chief among them being the current water shortages experiencing the city as well as the power cuts… Apart from the water shortages and power cuts, Phiri said the shortage of raw materials such as cement has also affected construction of the plant…

• Zimbabwe: Chinese Firm Mulls US$500m Investment: The Herald (Harare):10 May 2008.

A Chinese company is exploring the possibility of investing US$500 million for electricity generation in Zimbabwe, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Nansheng Yuan has said. Addressing journalists in Harare on Thursday, Ambassador Nasheng said China was ready to assist Zimbabwe in infrastructure restoration. He also said the China Hainan Airline was willing to expand the Victoria Falls Airport. "While Zimbabwe is still in the process of election, China has never stopped its assistance to the Zimbabwean people. "New funds will be injected for the ongoing renovation of the National Sports Stadium," said Ambassador Yuan. He said a new Chinese medical team arrived in Zimbabwe on Thursday and according to the working protocol between the two countries signed in March, China would make the payment for these doctors. Ambassador Nasheng said under the eight measures of assisting Africa proposed by Chinese President Hu Jintao during the China-Africa Beijing Summit in 2006, China would set up an Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre, a hospital and two schools in Zimbabwe… Ambassador Nasheng said these relations were now bearing fruit in many fields of co-operation, including politics, economic co-operation and trade, culture, tourism, people to people contact, especially after Zimbabwe adopted the Look East policy in 2002. "Take trade for example. In 2003, bilateral trade was US$197 million. In 2007, trade reached US$340 million, up 72.6 percent from that in 2003. "Zimbabwe exports to China also increased to US$200 million from US$167 million in 2003, a rise by 20 percent," he said…

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Uganda: Locals Survive China Earthquake: New Vision (Kampala):14 May 2008.

TWO Ugandan students escaped unhurt after their university buildings collapsed in the town of Chengdu in the devastating Chinese earthquake which killed over 15,000 people. "We had two students in a university in Chengdu and their institution was affected, reports Anne Mugisa. Some buildings collapsed. But the students are safe," said Evans Aryabaha, the second secretary at the Ugandan embassy in Beijing. He declined to give their identities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says about 5,000 Ugandans live in China. Most of them are students or businessmen… A foreign affairs official in Kampala said they were in touch with their embassy in Beijing but so far no Ugandan casualties had

453 been reported. "They would immediately let us know. No such information has been sent."..

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Kagame Offers Sympathy to China: Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali):15 May 2008.

President Paul Kagame has joined other world leaders to show support to China as the country recovers from a horrifying earth quake that has killed thousands of people, RNA reports. In his condolence message on Tuesday to the Chinese President Hu Jintao, Mr. Kagame offered his "sincere sympathy" to the Chinese people and expressed deep condolences to the victims, Xinhua News Agency reported. A 7.8- magnitude earthquake struck southwest China's Sichuan province Monday afternoon, killing more than 12,000 people. Other leaders include Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the Eritrean President Issayas Aferwerki and the Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor - who expressed grief over the huge loss of human life and property. The Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza said his country was standing by China with its belief that the Chinese government is able to win the battle against the disaster. He also hoped the people in the affected areas could rebuild their homes and resume normal life as soon as possible. Comoros President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi and Foreign Minister Ahmed Ben Said Jafar sent sympathies and condolences to the Chinese government and people, in particular the families of the victims, saying that Comoros will continue to make efforts to promote relations between the two countries as well as the two peoples. Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and the Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom also sent his sincere sympathy to the Chinese government and people. China and Rwanda have had a strong relationship dating back to decades. China has built several mega infrastructure projects like road and industry. Trade link between the two countries stood at about 35 million dollars annually…

92. PAN AFRICA

WEST AFRICA • Africa: Integration Ministers Meet in Abidjan: African Union (Addis Ababa): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008.

The Third Conference of African Ministers for Integration (COMAI III) will, from 19-23 May 2008, take place in the capital city of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, Abidjan, under the theme: “How to successfully integrate Africa”. The meeting will be held in two phases: a) 19-21 May 2008: Expert Meeting b) 22-23 May 2008: Ministerial Conference

Organised by the Department of Economic Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, the Conference is aimed at rationalizing and harmonizing the activities and programmes of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with a view to accelerating the African

454 integration process. The meeting is also intended to recognize the important role played by RECs as central pillars for achieving continental integration. During the Conference, the Ministers will consider a number of issues on their agenda, including the Advocacy for Regional and Continental Integration; External Debt and Integration; Governance, Sovereignty, and Regional Integration. Participants at the Conference shall include: the African Union Member States; Regional Economic Communities, namely: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); and Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)… Participation from the regional and international organizations includes key partners of the AU Commission such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA); the African Development Bank (AfDB); the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

• Africa: Continent Needs Investment, Not Charity – ITU: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008.

As stakeholders gather in Egypt to seek Information Communications Technology solutions that will take the African continent to the next level of development, Secretary- General of the International Telecommunications Union ITU, Dr Hamadoun Touré has stated that what Africa needs is more investment and not charity. Toure who stated this at a forum convened at the ongoing ITU Telecom Africa Forum in Egypt to discuss the progress of the $55 billion US dollars investment commitments in the bid to connect Africa by 2015 said "Investment, not charity, is the solution for Africa 's development." The Connect Africa Summit which seeks to help the continent meet its connectivity goals has identified the catalytic role of ICTs in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015 according to Touré …"Seven years before the 2015 target for achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, we need to be bold. We need to devise the strategies that will enable us to achieve these goals. "Information and communication technologies have a crucial role to play in achieving these goals, for example, through e-education e-agriculture and e-health," Toure said, adding "African countries need modern, reliable broadband infrastructure in order to create jobs for economic growth." A total of $55 billion US was earmarked speed up the processes that will drive the expansion ,to expand ICT connectivity and services to the entire continent by 2015 including a goal of .interconnecting cities to broadband by 2012 One of the participants, Mr Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, highlighted some of ITU's key actions to include the establishment of Centres of Excellence, youth scholarships and Internet training centres for Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries in Africa with the support of the Government of Spain. He also highlighted a policy and regulatory harmonization initiative underway in Africa with the support of the European Commission -. He also announced the recent launch of the Village Phone Direct manual, co published in six languages with the Grameen

455 Foundation, which is designed to help local partners implement their own village phone projects.

• Africa: 1 Billion to Get Satellite Connectivity: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008.

One billion Africans located in under-served rural and urban areas across the continent are set to benefit from an initiative powered by a non profit association of the international satellite industry called Global VSAT Forum to double the number of earth station terminals operating in Africa by 2012. The worldwide Global body of firms involved in the business of delivering advanced digital fixed satellite unveiled these plans to newsmen at the ongoing Telecoms Africa forum in Cairo. Mr. Jeremy Rose, Chairman, International Development Initiatives, Global VSAT Forum, who disclosed this initiative said that more than 20 satellites will be brought into service to connect Africa during the next five years to support this initiative. Rose added that to facilitate the industry's offering, complimentary capacity building will be delivered to governments in Africa by the GVF. These initiatives according to him are being unveiled to support ongoing plans by the International Telecoms Federation to meet Africa's connectivity goals set during Connect Africa Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda in October, 2007. The GSM Association had announced that its industry members planned to invest $50 billion between 2008 and 2012 in networks in Africa, covering 90 per cent of the population. The Association announced today that the number of mobile connections in Africa has risen 70 million in the past 12 months to 282 million. Mobile operators have ramped up investment in the region, extending GSM coverage to reach an additional 550,000 square kilometers occupied by 46 million people… Following booming growth in the mobile telephony sector - which saw 65 million new subscribers in 2007- and an encouraging investment climate spurring economic development in the region, Africa is a continent on the move: the theme for ITU TELECOM AFRICA 2008.

• • • Africa: Strong Signs of Record Rice Production - But Prices Are Expected to Remain High in 2008 - Myanmar Disaster Could Worsen Outlook: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Rome): PRESS RELEASE: 12 May 2008.

Rice production in Asia, Africa and Latin America is forecast to reach a new record level in 2008, FAO said today, warning that world rice prices could remain high in the short term, as much of the 2008 crops will only be harvested by the end of the year. "World paddy production 2008 could grow by about 2.3 percent reaching a new record level of 666 million tonnes, according to our preliminary forecasts," said FAO rice expert Concepcion Calpe. Myanmar: The destruction of Myanmar's food basket may sharply decrease national rice production and impair access to food, according to first FAO estimates. The cyclone damage could worsen the current global rice production outlook. The cyclone struck when paddy farmers were harvesting their dry season crop accounting

456 for 20 percent of annual production. Entire rice-growing areas are flooded and many roads and bridges are impassable… Major gains:"For the first time, paddy production in Asia may surpass the 600 million tonne benchmark this year, amounting to 605 million tonnes," Calpe said. "Major gains are expected all across the region. Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam could register the largest gains… Assuming normal rains in the coming months, rice production in Africa is forecast to grow by 3.6 percent to 23.2 million tonnes in 2008, with large expansions anticipated in Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Nigeria. Paddy production in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to rebound by 7.4 percent to 26.2 million tonnes in 2008. Production prospects, however, are negative for Australia, the United States and Europe… Prices: Rice prices have skyrocketed by around 76 percent between December 2007 and April 2008, according to the FAO Rice Price Index. International rice prices are expected to remain at relatively high levels, as stocks held by exporters are expected to be reduced heavily. In addition, other large importers will probably return to the international market to buy rice, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Senegal…. At the moment, only Thailand, Pakistan and the United States, among leading exporters, are exporting rice without any constraints," Calpe added. Auctions by the Philippines to import massive volumes of rice have also contributed to record rice prices. For prices to fall, favourable weather conditions must prevail in the coming months and governments relax rice export restrictions. Food summit : Heads of State and Government will meet in Rome (3-5 June 2008) to discuss the impact of soaring food prices and how to improve world food security.

• Africa: Region Soars in Mobile Growth With Troubling Contradictions: Vanguard (Lagos):14 May 2008.

Africa, once regarded as a big headache to the international community is at least getting it right in one sector, becoming the fastest growing mobile market in the world by overtaking Asia and North America. The mobile figure stands at 300million with Nigeria supporting with a snap-push growth of nearly 50million lines. This is even as ITU officials, regulators and operators expect more to come from this continent where poverty has impacted very negatively on other genres of communications. Mindful of the encouraging figures coming from Africa, Engr Ernest Ndukwe, boss of the Nigerian regulatory agency, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, speaking at an international forum on Nigeria, recalled that "someone once said that Manhattan in the City of New York in the US has more phones than the whole of Africa put together. But today there are more mobile phones in Africa than the whole of North America."… And at the exhibition ground here, Etisalat is giving a hint of the kind of competition its coming to Nigeria will stimulate with a massive display that is arguably the biggest attraction here. Looking at the role Nigeria is playing in the global telecom industry, ITU scribe, Dr Hamadoun Toure told Vanguard that he recently visited Nigeria to see things for himself and was highly encouraged by government's readiness to continue to give the industry priority treatment. "The enduring mission of ITU is to connect all the world's inhabitants to telecommunications and spread enormous benefits unleashed by the digital revolution. ICT is a great enabler for employment and

457 wealth creation giving people the ability to initiate business and generate revenues," Toure said…

• Africa: Africa Shifts Attention to Post Primary Education: This Day (Lagos):13 May 2008.

For five days, no fewer than 500 people, gathered at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre, Maputo, Mozambique for the Eight Biennial Conference of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)… The African continent has not achieved universal primary education for all her children yet. Indeed, some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa may not meet the 2015 deadline set for the achievement of the Education for All (EFA). But the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and a number of its partners agree that tangible progress had been made and that it was time to focus on what becomes of the huge number of primary school graduates, many of whom may not be able to acquire more education. With the theme: 'Beyond Primary Education, Challenges and Approaches to Expanding Learning Opportunities', therefore, ADEA members, which include Education Ministers, Ministers of Training, as the case may be; development partners, non governmental organisations, community based organisations and civil society groups, among others, presented to the African educational community the most recent tools, knowledge and practices that are well able to bring continent-wide progress in post-primary education, which is seen as one o the greatest educational challenges facing the continent today… Other highlights of Biennial were the launching of the Operational Guidance Paper on the School Fee Abolition Initiative (SFAI), presentation of the 2008 Akintola Fatoyinbo Africa Education Journalism Award and celebration of the 20th anniversary of ADEA's founding. This year also marks the transfer of the ADEA Secretariat from Paris to Tunis, launching of the first ADEA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (2008-2012), even as the 2008 Biennale also welcome, for the first time, the countries of North Africa, following the decision made last year, to extend the scope of ADEA activities to cover all of Africa.

• Africa: Continent Made $24.3bn From Tourism in 2007 - Yar'Adua: Leadership (Abuja):14 May 2008.

A total of US$ 24.3 billion was derived by Africa from tourism in 2007, says President Umaru Musa Yar 'Adua. He made this known in his presentation at the opening of the 47th meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja yesterday. The president who was represented by vice president Goodluck Jonathan at the event said the contribution of tourism to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of most African countries is not significant. According to him, the 2007 UNWTO tourism highlights quotes a total of 846 million tourists arrivals with a corresponding receipt of US$ 733 billion which amounts to 584 billion euro. "Africa's share of this is a mere 40.7 million arrivals and a receipt of US$ 24.3 billion", he stated… Yar 'Adua pointed out that Africa has gone through much travail which has not helped in the promotion of tourism, saying "some of these travails

458 were imposed while others grew from our soil". He said "tourism cannot flourish in an atmosphere of chaos and conflict. The most sought after ingredient that makes the soup of tourism sweet is peace. The other is how we package and promote our tourist products"… Nigeria, he continued, is determined to diversify its economy and the Federal Government is looking into tourism as one of the many avenues through which a contribution can be leveraged. Government is aware of the challenges ahead and is taking steps to overcome them, he emphasized.

• Africa: 400 Million Africans Unemployed: Concord Times (Freetown):12 May 2008.

Acting Director, Department of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at ECOWAS Friday said that over 400 million Africans have been affected by employment crisis which has been manifested as a poverty crisis. Henrietta Didigu made this statement on behalf of the acting commissioner of human development and gender at the ECOWAS ministers of public service conference at Lagoonda, Aberdeen, Freetown. "Unemployment is now a key challenge which must be addressed in order to deepen our regional integration process," she said. Didigu said in spite of paucity of employment and unemployment data, reasonable proxies exist to point of a growing massive employment crisis. "For example youth unemployment ranges between 40- 60% for most countries of the region, extreme poverty ranges between 16%-50% in member states. West African economies fail to create enough jobs for new labour market entrants," Didigu said. She said the consequences of the labour market situation are important among these are the phenomenon of brain drain and human trafficking… Didigu said: "In order to foster social development solidarity; the theme of the conference 'integrating employment and decent work agenda in governance and public service' must be adopted to address the social challenges within the context of the public sector and public service delivery. Mohamed Gasssama from the International Labour Organization said unemployment is at the heart of his organization's strategies for member states.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Africa: Sweden, Ireland And the UK Lead Continent's Aid Index: Business Day (Johannesburg):16 May 2008.

AN INDEX of 21 rich states ranking their commitment to help African states shows Sweden, Ireland and Britain are the leading contributors to development on the continent. The Washington-based Centre for Global Development said in its commitment to development index, which rates rich countries on how many their policies help or hurt African countries, that the three European nations were doing more to help the continent in seven development categories. The index tracks rich countries' performance based not only on the quantity of foreign aid, but also on the quality of assistance, their openness to exports from African states, environmental stewardship and support for multilateral security mechanisms. It includes contributions to international peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions. Japan remained the least committed to

459 the continent, while the US, the world's largest economy, was a distant 13th. Japan will host this year's meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised states in Hokkaido in July. President Thabo Mbeki is expected to attend. Counting heavily against Japan is its huge tariffs on rice, which average 600%-800%... The index gave Sweden the top spot because of its strong showing in aid and security, while Ireland finished second on the back of its large aid contributions and large peacekeeping troop presence in Liberia… In the environment subcategory, the US came in last with the report saying that the US has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

• Africa: World Bank Shifting Gears On Aids: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):15 May 2008.

The World Bank says it is recalibrating its financing for anti-AIDS efforts in Africa, which shoulders more than two-thirds of the world's HIV/AIDS burden. Some 22.5 million Africans are HIV-positive, and AIDS is the leading cause of premature death on the continent, according to the bank. Hardest hit are productive young people and women. So much so, that many private firms recruit two workers for every job in anticipation of losing staff to the disease. So far, the bank has thrown most of its money -- 1.5 billion dollars since 2000 -- behind what it terms "emergency response" measures such as providing antiretroviral drugs to fight the disease in more than 30 African countries. Millions of lives have been saved as a result and in some of these countries, HIV/AIDS prevalence rates have fallen. Even so, millions more have died and even now, for every new patient receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), four to six other people are being infected for the first time, the global lender said in its "Agenda for Action, 2007-2011", released Wednesday. More than 22 million Africans have died from the disease, and about as many as are currently infected, with 1.7 million of the new infections taking place within the past year alone. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS appears to be falling in Kenya and in parts of Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. However, prevalence rates exceed 15 percent in at least eight countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. By some forecasts, 40 percent of today's 15-year-old Africans will eventually become infected…"The 'feminisation' of the epidemic and its links to sexual and reproductive health, and the frequency of co-infection with TB (and the emerging Extensively Drug Resistant TB) and other opportunistic diseases, amplify the importance of providing people with integrated health services," the bank said. According to the bank report, more than 60 percent of people living with HIV in Africa are women, and young women are six times more likely to be HIV-positive than are young men. As a result of the epidemic, an estimated 11.4 million children under the age of 18 have lost at least one parent… Specifically, the bank said it would commit to provide at least 250 million dollars a year for HIV/AIDS initiatives and establish a grant incentive fund of 5 million dollars annually to promote capacity building, analysis, and HIV/AIDS project components in key sectors such as health, education, transport, and public sector management.

460 • Africa: Scientists Seek Continent's 'Einstein': allAfrica.com:12 May 2008.

Physicist Steven Hawking, who has been described as "the most famous living scientist on the planet," gave his first public lecture in Africa in Muizenberg, Cape Town, on Sunday. The lecture launched an initiative by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) to find Africa's answer to "the next Einsten". The initiative aims to "unlock and nurture scientific talent across Africa, so that within our lifetimes we are celebrating an African Einstein," according to Neil Turok, founder of AIMS and professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University in Britain. Hawking said he would be "delighted" if his visit created opportunities to enter maths and science. "The world of science needs Africa's brilliant talents," he added, "and I look forward to meeting prospective young Einsteins from Africa in the near future."… Beginning with the questions, "Why are we here?" and "Where did we come from?" Hawking's Sunday address took an audience of scientists, students and members of the public through a brief history of the cosmos, touching on the scientists and philosophers who have shaped our understandings of the universe and how it works, and interspersing scientific explanations with personal anecdotes and jokes. Confined to a wheelchair by motor neurone disease, which has rendered him almost completely paralysed and unable to communicate using his own voice, Hawking spoke through an electronic voice synthesizer attached to his chair…

• Africa: Continental Economic Outlook Launched: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo):11 May 2008.

Strong growth in Africa's gross domestic product is expected to continue in 2008 and 2009, according to Louis Kasekende, the chief economist at the African Development Bank (ADB). He was speaking in Maputo at the launch on Sunday of the seventh edition of the "African Economic Outlook", a report on the health of the continent's economy compiled by the ADB, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The launch was one of the preparatory events prior to the ADB Group's annual meetings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in the Mozambican capital. Kasekende put Africa's overall growth rate at 5.7 per cent in 2007, and predicted that it would rise to 5.9 per cent this year, a rate that would remain steady in 2009. It was particularly encouraging that growth in 31 African countries is expected to be higher than five per cent this year, compared with 25 countries where GDP grew by more than five per cent in 2007. Last year, 13 countries had growth rates of between three and five per cent, and in 2008 that figure is predicted to reach 16. In a masterpiece of understatement, the report remarks that some countries "continue to face serious problems, including the humanitarian catastrophe in the Darfur region of Sudan, economic collapse in Zimbabwe, conflicts and political unrest in Chad, Kenya and Somalia, which are likely to dampen their growth prospects"… Barfour Osei, the ADB's Chief Research Economist, pointed out that when the continent's forecast growth is broken down by region, the southern African growth rate is likely to decline in 2008, when compared with 2007… Osei noted that Africa had seen record

461 foreign direct investment of 836 billion US dollars in 2007. But while investment has risen sharply, foreign aid has not, despite all the promises made at successive summits of the G8 group of most industrialised nations.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Africa: A Green Revolution for Africa - Can It Be Made in Austria? : The East African (Nairobi):12 May 2008.

A grand initiative to give food production and agricultural development in Africa a shot in the arm got underway last week with experts drawn from all over the world making suggestions on what needs to be given priority to achieve a Green Revolution in Africa. Held in the city of Salzburg in Austria, the conference dubbed Towards a 'Green Revolution' in Africa, was part of a series of events meant to help millions of African smallholder farmers liberate themselves from extreme poverty. The participants focused on what African countries and emerging continent-wide initiatives like the Kofi Annan-led Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) need to do to make the "revolution" irreversible. The more than 60 participants acknowledged that though billions of dollars have been pumped into farming over the past couple of decades and some of the best brains have been deployed in such outfits as the 15 centres under the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research, all these efforts have failed to lift millions of African farmers and their families out of extreme poverty… The African Union had targeted a 6 per cent annual growth in agriculture throughout the continent. In his speech, Mr Annan downplayed that Agra is upstaging this initiative, saying; "Our work is in alignment with and supportive of the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme."… Some of the African participants wanted water to be made available to millions of farmers wishing to engage in small and medium-sized irrigation projects, enabling them to purchase fertilisers. African governments have failed completely to set up the right agenda, noted Robert Delve, a senior scientist at the Southern Africa-based Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical. The general feeling was that since African states have generally failed the transparency and accountability test, they cannot be entrusted with driving the Green Revolution agenda… The time has come, he said, for roads to be constructed in a way that connects countries, especially landlocked ones that struggle under the burden of high transport costs. There was also appreciation that climate change will continue to weigh heavily on Africa's push to feed itself. Mr Annan noted that climate change could cause crop yields in some African countries to fall by 50 per cent by 2020, which will be a disastrous scenario for the poor who are already struggling to survive.

• • Africa: Oxfam Lists EPAs Signing Ills for ACP Countries: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):15 May 2008.

Anti-Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) campaigning resurfaced last week, with Oxfam International reiterating its desire to see African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)

462 countries analyzing EPAs impacts before turning their interim EPAs with the European Union (EU) into legally binding arrangements. In its newly launched report titled 'Partnership or Power Play? How Europe should bring development into its trade deals with Africa, Caribbean and Pacific', Oxfam gives many reasons to describe EPAs as a 'failed document,' summarised below: Reason one: Does not support creation of new employments In the eyes of Oxfam, the deals initialed in December last year by 35 ACP countries fail to support economic diversification in ACP countries - hence restricting them (ACP countries) from developing new industries and creating jobs. Oxfam feels the EU will be using the so-called 'Stand-still' clause to compel ACP countries to freeze all their tariffs at current rates even on products that are due to be opened up for another ten or 20 years. Reason two: Little commitment on infrastructure upgrading: Oxfam records indicate that Africa alone needs at least $200billion to upgrade its infrastructure to competitive levels before tackling all other costs associated with boosting competitiveness… Reason three: EPAs create barriers to integration processes of developing countries In the eyes of Oxfam, the pressure that brought about delays in the signing of EPAs in December led to a fragmentation of Africa's blocs - hence making a mockery of regional integration objectives. Reason four: No commitment to technology transfer: So far according to Oxfam, it is only Caribbean negotiators who have succeeded in getting technology transfer into the December EPA texts. In the fifth step Oxfam sees that the full EPAs as initialed by the Caribbean states is a blow to the Doha Development Round of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations… Tanzania along with other East African Community (EAC) partner states signed the framework EPA last year under which the EU had given the EAC a 100 per cent duty and quota free market access. Consequently, under the framework which was the first towards a comprehensive Epa, which is expected to be in place by July 1, 2009, the EAC agreed to liberalise 80 per cent of its market to EU exports, and within a period of 15 years expect the same for rice and sugar, which are to be liberalised gradually within a timeframe that is already agreed and factored in the framework agreement. Oxfam however attacks the EU for opening up while simultaneously forcing ACP countries to reciprocate.

• Africa: Ethiopia Dismisses New Border Deal With Sudan: The Monitor (Kampala):15 May 2008.

Ethiopia says a border demarcation with neighboring Sudan is underway although an agreement has not yet been reached. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that the demarcation process was being executed with mutual respect and based on historical evidences. This border demarcation activity is based on the agreements signed with Sudan and former colonial master Britain. Both countries, which have shared a common border committee since 1972 have been trying to re-demarcate the border since 2001. The African Affairs Director in the ministry, Mr Wahde Belay, said there was no disagreement between Sudan and Ethiopia to solve the issue without the intervention of third party adding that the demarcation of 1600km border might take a longer time to finalise. Ethiopia and Sudan first signed the border agreement in 1903 and 1909 and agreed to re-demarcate the border in 1972.

463 • Africa: High Food Prices Renew Interest in African Farming: Business Daily (Nairobi):13 May 2008.

Africa's agriculture sector is attracting new interest from donors and the international community as a global rise in food prices threatens to wipe out recent economic gains in developing countries. Groups working with African farmers are now asking if these concerns can trigger a 'green revolution' such as the one seen in Asia following a severe food-price spike in 1973-4. At a special meeting on food prices called by UK prime minister Gordon Brown last month, the UK pledged £400 million over five years for research aimed at higher crop yields and better pest control, a doubling of the previous year's amount. It will also donate £120 million a year to boost the agricultural sector in poor countries and £34.7 million to reduce the cost of transportation in Africa. The US has announced funding for agricultural development as part of an additional US$770 million food aid package. And UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that a new international task force set up to tackle the rise in food prices will need "to boost agricultural development, particularly in Africa and other regions most affected". The moves come after years of declining funding for agricultural research. Investment in agricultural development for Africa fell by 66 per cent between 1985 and 2004, according to Farm Africa, a UK-based NGO that works with small farmers in East Africa. Now, as global attention focuses on soaring food prices, calls for long-term funding of agriculture are growing… agricultural output. Not everyone believes farmers need the kind of technology proposed by AGRA, such as high yield hybrid seeds and irrigation systems. Many say improving access to global markets is a bigger hurdle for African farmers. However most agree that food production will need to improve significantly if the continent is to stave off the combined effects of high food prices and climate change. Many African countries are vulnerable to current prices rises because they are net food importers. The cereal bill for low-income food-deficit countries on the continent is projected to increase another 74 per cent in 2007/2008, said Mr Annan… Global attention to rising food prices has been triggered by riots around the world. Thousands of people in Somalia recently held protests over counterfeit money and higher food prices. Riots have also been reported in Egypt and several West African countries as record lows for global stocks of rice and wheat led to prices doubling in less than a year. World leaders fear surging food costs will threaten political stability and economic growth.

• Africa: International Crime: (emigration of African medical personnel to the rich West): The East African (Nairobi):12 May 2008.

SHOULD THE WORLD DEVELOP a global treaty to regulate the emigration of African medical personnel to the rich West? The jury is still out, but this is an issue that is likely to gain prominence in coming years as thousands of African health workers - trained at a great cost by their impoverished countries - flock en masse to developed countries lured by higher salaries, better working conditions and more training opportunities… The human costs of the migration, some activists now contend, are so horrendous that they are comparable to crimes against humanity. "Active recruitment of health workers from African countries is a systematic and widespread problem

464 throughout Africa and a cause of social alarm," Edward J. Mills of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/Aids and nine co-authors wrote recently in the Lancet. "The practice should, therefore, be viewed as an international crime." According to this team, those facilitating the transfer should be tried at the International Criminal Court, since their trade deprives poor countries of much-needed medical personnel, resulting in millions of deaths each year…. Currently, statistics indicate, more than 13,000 health workers trained in sub-Saharan African countries practise in Australia, Britain, Canada and the US. Incredibly, one in four doctors trained in the region works in a developing country. IN ADDITION TO ESTABLISHING stricter guidelines on the migration of medical personnel, such as mandatory service periods in the public health sector after graduation, activists say that African governments themselves have to do more to retain their health workers. By allocating 15 per cent of their budgets to health care, said Dr Sam Zaramba, Uganda's director-general of health services at the Kampala conference, developing countries would be able to "provide enough remuneration, increase the number of health workers, provide enough medical supplies, improve health infrastructure to provide a conducive environment for the health workers leading to retention." According to the alliance, a physician in some sub-Saharan Africa or Asian countries earns as low as $100 per month, but could earn $14,000 monthly in some developed countries. In Kenya, fresh medical graduates earn about $1,000 a month.

]CENTRAL AFRICA

• Africa: Increasing Africa's Food Security: The New Times (Kigali):11 May 2008.

The most worrying scenario in Africa today, as the hike in food prices ravage the world's poor, is not in the price of the food, especially the imported kind per say, but is the underlying fact that Africa's population which is largely agrarian is still a net food importer, even after decades of attempts to kick start some sort of green revolution. This situation is a unique one in the world, and as much as we look to other examples, it demands a unique solution for sub-Saharan Africa. How do we move from a net food importer to a net food exporter like many Asian countries which a few decades ago were at the same development level like us? The British industrial revolution was based on the movement of labor from manual-based industry to machinery-based option, in the process, mechanizing and industrializing agriculture and thereby reducing the people involved in food production while at the same time increasing the productivity rapidly. These developments meant that people who were moving away from manual labor were being trained into vital skills and directed into the ballooning textile, chemical industries etc, on the back of the invention of steam and coal power to replace wind, horse and man power… Africa may not look into this model entirely because at the time of the industrial revolution in Europe, there was an excess of resources and capital from the new world, powered by slave trade and the huge British Empire that was created by British colonialism. But we get some key pointers. First, we must find a way of expanding our average farm sizes in order to utilize the economies of scale, and we have to think more in the direction of mechanization, the

465 science of improved varieties, with higher yields and shorter life spans, use of pesticides and fertilizers, reduce dependence on rain irrigation and move away from many of the traditional agrarian practices that have been practiced for ages, in order to have a realistic increase in food production. All this would not be possible if the farmers cannot afford to move into this technology direction. Therefore the issue of farmer financing and credit comes in… In many African countries, farmers are grappling with land fragmentation that reduces the farming to a very subsistence level which does not make much economic sense. The poverty levels in Africa are excruciating. Majority of Africans live on less a dollar a day, and poverty is actually increasing. In effect, unaided, the majority of African farmers can not afford the cost of new varieties, In this case the cost of exploiting their potential maximally… The situation only calls for a holistic concerted approach by governments, private sector, international organizations, philanthropists, home-bred and international scientists to joint coordinated efforts towards increasing productivity, slowly and carefully, through a bottom-up participatory approach that will involve the primary stakeholders in the problem assessment and solution formulation, implementation. The Kofi Annan-led Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is one such initiative at kick starting Africa's version of the green revolution from an African approach. AGRA's plan is quite multi-disciplinary, holistic and quite impressively organized, with the financial muscle (Rockefeller Foundation which was behind the Latin America and Asian versions of the green revolution and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) that should relive it from begging money from donors…

• Africa: UN to Promote Reconciliation in Post-War Countries: The Post (Buea):12 May 2008.

Societies that have suffered conflicts and are undergoing post-war trauma will soon be relieved of the burden of rebuilding mutual trust, confidence and to promote reconciliation, human rights and the role of law. The United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, UNCHR, May 6, at the Yaoundé Monte Febe Hotel trained 13 people to that effect. They are expected to vulgarise transitional justice in all countries of Central Africa that are still suffering from war- related trauma. The UNCHR Regional representative for Central Africa, Marie- Evelyn Petrus-Barry, said transitional justice is a new method conceived by the UN to curb conflict, rebuild justice and ensure reconciliation in countries as well as societies in warring situations. It is against this principle that the 13 people have been trained to facilitate judiciary procedures like putting in place measures to ensure quick trial of suspects, activate punishment measures against those found guilty of human rights abuses, work towards indemnifying civilians and prisoners, carry out enquiries with the aim of establishing the true cause of the conflict as well as promote equity, amongst others.

466 93. HUMAN RIGHTS, GENDER AND SOCIAL ISSUES

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: More Than 800,000 Residents Evicted From Abuja From 2003 to 2007: Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (Geneva): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008.

More than 800,000 residents were forcibly evicted from informal settlements in Abuja, Nigeria, from 2003 to 2007, during the administration of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, according to The Myth of the Abuja Master Plan: Forced evictions as urban planning in Abuja, Nigeria, a new report released by the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) and the Lagos-based Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC)… COHRE's Deputy Director, Jean du Plessis, said, "This shocking figure is even higher than the estimated number of people evicted in 2005 during in Zimbabwe, yet the world has hardly taken notice. COHRE and SERAC urge the current FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, to make a clear and firm break from his predecessor's destructive policies that violated the human rights of residents of Abuja and, in many cases, pushed them further into poverty… COHRE's Fowler, said, "The demolitions have made people homeless, destitute and vulnerable to other human rights violations including violence, theft and rape. People have lost their access to water and sanitation facilities, health care centres, and schools, and have been forced to move further from sources of employment. These widespread and ongoing evictions have resulted in the massive displacement of hundreds of thousands of people with a disastrous effect on health, education, employment and family cohesion. Nigeria has violated the right to adequate housing on a scale and with a persistence that is rarely seen anywhere else in the world. Yet these violations have received little international criticism, in contrast to similar violations in countries such as Zimbabwe or China."

• Niger: Court Rejects Imprisoned Journalist's Petition, Returning Case to Starting Point: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008.

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns today's decision by Niger's highest appeal court to reject a request to rule that the records of journalist Moussa Kaka's intercepted telephone calls cannot be used to prosecute him on charges of "complicity in a conspiracy against the authority of the state." The court's decision effectively returns the case against Kaka to its starting point. The manager of privately-owned Radio Saraounia and the Niger correspondent of Radio France Internationale and Reporters Without Borders, Kaka has been detained since 20 September… The press freedom organisation added : "We urge Niger's authorities not to go ahead with a trial that will just be a sad spectacle with a foregone conclusion." Rejecting a petition submitted by Kaka's lawyers, the country's highest appeal court ruled that the telephone taps were legal and could be used in evidence against Kaka although they were carried out by an unidentified government agency without a warrant. The court also rejected a request for Kaka's release… Kaka will now have to appear before Niamey's senior investigating judge for questioning about

467 the content of the phone intercepts. No date as been set for the resumption of the judicial investigation. Kaka has been held for almost seven months in a Niamey prison.

• Liberia: Charles Taylor Trial Advances At Sustained Pace: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):15 May 2008.

The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses in the trial of Charles Taylor, former , have been advancing at a sustained pace since January with 26 witnesses out of list of 72 , have already appeared on the stand of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) without interruption. Shortly after the arrest of the former head of state in April 2006, in Nigeria, the Special Court, headquartered in Freetown, decided to hold the trial in The Hague. The president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, had made the request, considering that the trial of her predecessor in West Africa was likely to destabilize the region. Taylor is accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes for having wanted to seize the diamantiferous riches of Sierra Leone, at the prices of some 150, 000 deaths, and several million displaced persons. According to the prosecutor, Taylor would have, once he forcible acquired power in Liberia, supported, trained and financed the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, the neighbouring country. One of the major difficulties of this trial is that it is not about crimes committed in Liberia, but those perpetrated in Sierra Leone starting in 1996… The trial of Taylor is the first against a former African head of state. Before him, only Saddam Hussein of Iraq, and Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia had been prosecuted for crimes against humanity. Saddam was sentenced to death and hung at the end of an "irregular" trial, according to Human Rights Watch. Milosevic died before the end of his trial at the tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

• Senegal: UN Decision On Hissène Habré Flouted: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 14 May 2008.

Two years after a United Nations committee requested that Senegal prosecute or extradite the former dictator of Chad, Hissène Habré, no action has been taken, six human rights organizations said today. Habré fled to Senegal after he was deposed in 1990. Senegal has an unambiguous legal obligation to prosecute or extradite the former dictator to face charges of torture, said a joint statement by the Chadian Association for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (ATPDH), the Chadian Association of Victims of Political Repression and Crime (AVCRP), the Chadian League for Human Rights (LTDH), the African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO), Human Rights Watch, and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH). Senegal indicted Habré in February 2000, but when it failed to prosecute him, victims sought justice in a Belgian court. In September 2005, a Belgian judge charged Habré with crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture during his 1982-1990 rule, and sought his extradition. Senegal arrested Habré in November 2005, before seeking the African Union's advice. In July 2006, at the request of the African Union, Senegal agreed to prosecute Habré in Senegalese courts, but it has not yet done so. On May 17, 2006, the UN Committee Against Torture ruled that Senegal, which is a party to the UN Convention Against Torture, was in violation of its treaty obligations

468 by failing to bring Habré to justice. The UN committee called on Dakar to prosecute or extradite the former dictator… In November 2007, Senegal told the UN committee that it was prepared to try Habré, but that it needed international funding. The rights groups noted that the European Commission, France, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands had already agreed to help fund the trial. The European Union sent a mission to Senegal in January to determine what is needed for the trial, and proposed that Senegal define a prosecution strategy, work according to a precise calendar, and name an administrative and financial coordinator for the trial, none of which has been done… Senegal is in the process of amending its constitution to make clear that its courts can prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the past. But at the same time, it has appointed the former coordinator of Habré's legal team, Madické Niang, as minister of justice - the government official heading the agency responsible for the organization of the trial… Hissène Habré ruled Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990 by President Idriss Déby Itno and fled to Senegal. His one-party regime was marked by widespread atrocities, including waves of ethnic campaigns. Files of Habré's political police, the DDS (Direction de la Documentation et de la Sécurité), which were discovered by Human Rights Watch in 2001, reveal the names of 1,208 persons who were killed or died in detention. A total of 12,321 victims of human rights violations were mentioned in the files… On July 2, 2006, the African Union, following the recommendation of a Committee of Eminent African Jurists, called on Senegal to prosecute Habré "in the name of Africa," and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade declared that Dakar would do so.

• Liberia: Living With Fistula: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 May 2008.

Of 600 rape victims recently interviewed by a Liberian non-governmental organisation, 90 percent of the women were found to be suffering from fistulas - a vaginal tear which results in loss of bladder control and social stigmatisation. Aid workers say the statistic, provided by the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) from surveys conducted in April 2008, shows the horrifying prevalence of rape and of a phenomenon which Liberian medical officials say they are ill-equipped to respond to. "These women are living with a serious scar and they are not getting access to treatment," said Una Thompson, head of WOLPNET. According to local health workers two types of fistula cases are prevalent in Liberia. One is obstetric fistula, which is a vaginal tear resulting from prolonged obstructed labour. A recent health survey showed that over average 994 women die for every 100,000 who give birth, a higher rate than was estimated during Liberia's civil war. The other common cause of fistula in Liberia is traumatic gynaecologic fistula that is a vaginal injury resulting from violent sexual assault or when objects are forcibly inserted into the vagina… Violent crime and rape especially of children are common in Liberia, and police and justice systems have proven ineffectual at ending impunity for these crimes. Read an IRIN report on crime in post-

469 conflict Liberia. Dr. John Mulbah, head of the maternity centre of Liberia's biggest referral hospital, the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Monrovia, said resources are limited to repair the damage… Liberia's health minister, Walter Gwenigale, told IRIN that transporting fistula patients from rural areas to Monrovia for the treatment is a major constraint on broading treatment. "Bringing those patients to Monrovia requires funds. We are aware that there are lots of fistula cases upcountry but the national health budget for Liberia is just US$11 million which is totally inadequate to deal with all health problems," Gwenigale said.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Townships in Turmoil Raise Fears That Xenophobia Will Spread: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 16 May 2008.

Violence against foreigners has flared up over the past week in Alexandra, a township in northern Johannesburg, South Africa, leaving two dead and more than 60 injured. Up to 1,000 people are still seeking refuge at a local police station and there are fears that xenophobic attacks will spread… Thomas Sithole, Chairman of the Alexandra Community Policing Forum, told IRIN that around 200 people were staying within the protection of the station during the day, but when night fell and violence took over the streets, the number climbed beyond 1,000. Finding someone to blame: The violence in Alexandra allegedly began after a community meeting to address social problems in the area. The local policing forum's Sithole claimed that "criminals were hiding behind xenophobia and organised the mob to be able to steal and loot."… According to Jody Kollapen, Chairman of the South African Human Rights Commission, the violence was part of a pattern of xenophobic attacks in South Africa and had now spread to other areas in Johannesburg, including Diepsloot township, northwest of Johannesburg… Kollapen said it was important to look at the underlying factors contributing to the violence: communities in Alexandra and Diepsloot were widely viewed as marginalised, lacking basic services and last in line for re-development initiatives, but socio-economic deprivation and poverty could not justify such attacks. "Deep poverty and high levels of crime were used as an excuse to redirect people's frustration to 'soft targets': foreigners," he told IRIN. A large percentage of the targeted people had come from Zimbabwe to escape shortages of basic commodities and fuel, 80 percent unemployment, hyperinflation and violence at home. "They have fallen from the pot into the fire," Matsangaise said. Up to three million Zimbabweans are estimated to have fled to South Africa. The number of foreigners affected by the violence in Alexandra was probably far higher than the 1,000 packed into the police station and, with attacks still ongoing, more were trickling in every day. "Fear of deportation by the police is also keeping many people away,"… But victims of the violence are very reluctant to return to the communities where they have been attacked, despite the South African government's promises of assistance and protection. "Facilitating their return will be complex - people will not return if they are fearful," Kollapen told IRIN. "If people don't want to go back any more, the violence has achieved its objective," and other communities might do the same, he pointed out.

470 • • • • Zimbabwe: Bulawayo Court Overturns Police Ban of MDC Rally: SW Radio Africa (London):16 May 2008.

A police ban on an MDC victory rally set for White City Stadium on Sunday has been overturned by the High Court in Bulawayo. The party had notified police they were going to hold the rally - as required by the country's repressive laws - but the officer commanding Bulawayo province, R.M Masina, sought to scuttle their plans. She argued, among other dubious reasons, that the police did not have enough manpower to police the rally, the atmosphere in the country was tense and that the MDC wanted to use the rally to incite violence. This forced the MDC legal team led by lawyer Job Sibanda, to file a High Court application Friday seeking to bar the police from interfering with the rally. Senior party officials like Eddie Cross argued that an MDC rally at the same venue in March was only policed by 20 officers and yet there were over 25 000 people at the venue and there was no violence. They also argued that Zanu PF had launched its own election run-off campaign and by denying the MDC permission to hold it's rallies the state was applying double standards. The legal team also pointed to the open hostility of the police as a factor betraying their bias.

• Zimbabwe: Bloodbath in Mash Central: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008.

THE attack on villagers at Mapondera in Chiweshe communal lands in Mashonaland Central early last week left the community traumatised. Six people were reportedly killed while scores were injured in the village bloodbath, a microcosm of escalating post- election violence gripping the country. Harare-based lawyer Shepherd Mushonga, a newly-elected MDC MP in the neighbouring Mazowe South constituency, in an interview this week said he helped to bury six party activists murdered last week. "I helped to bury all of them. It was an excruciating experience. Villagers were shocked and they are currently living as prisoners of fear. The killings were systematic and brutal," Mushonga said. "The villagers were rounded up, they had their hands and legs tied up with wires and their private parts tied with cables."… Victims have suffered severe beatings, fractured bones and severe burns. Hundreds of opposition supporters have fled their homes in fear. Homes and businesses throughout rural areas have been burned and cattle and other livestock slaughtered. At least 6 735 persons have been displaced." Human Rights Watch last week accused the army of spreading a "reign of terror", but the army dissociated itself with the ongoing violence. Government spokesmen have been spinning yarns in a bid to cover up the bloody trail of violence. Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa recently said the MDC was "lying" that Zanu PF was behind political violence and challenged it to produce evidence to back its claims… After Mbeki's visit government started climbing down, saying political bases and structures of violence by "main parties" had been dismantled. The Zanu PF politburo which hardly ever condemns violence came out on May 14 calling for a cessation of political

471 hostilities. Southern African Development Community (Sadc) executive secretary Tomaz Salomao said this week conditions for a free and fair poll currently did not exist…

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Sudan: Mass Arrests After Rebel Attack Raise Concern: Human Rights Watch (Washington, DC): PRESS RELEASE: 13 May 2008.

Mass arrests in Khartoum of perceived supporters of a Darfur rebel group and other political opponents raise fears of mistreatment, Human Rights Watch said today. The arrests by Sudanese security forces of more than 100 people followed an attack on Sudan's capital by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on May 10, 2008 that left dozens of civilians dead or severely injured… According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch, Sudanese security forces have arrested at least 100 individuals since the attack on May 10, some in house-to-house searches and others at checkpoints set up by police and security forces around Khartoum. Among those arrested are persons with suspected or known links to the opposition Popular Congress party and to Darfur rebel groups. According to government statements, the leader of the Popular Congress, Hassan al-Turabi, and several party members were arrested in the early hours of May 12. Although al-Turabi has reportedly been released, the whereabouts of the majority of those arrested are unknown. Human Rights Watch received unconfirmed reports that some of those arrested have been tortured and that at least two people have been summarily executed in public… Some 1,000 JEM fighters reached Omdurman on May 10 in a column of 50 to 150 vehicles and entered several districts, including the main market of Souq Libya and residential areas of Umbada, Al-Thoura, and Al-Muhandiseen. Government forces counterattacked with tanks and helicopter gunships. Residents reported that fighting was continuing on May 12 in the markets of Al-Souq Al-Sha'bi in Omdurman and Al-Souq Al-Arabi, AlG'abat and Al-Huria Street in central Khartoum. "Details of the clashes are unclear, but the continuing fighting in the markets means civilians are at terrible risk," said Gagnon. "Sudanese forces and the rebels should comply with the laws of war and spare civilians from harm."… "We fear the Sudanese government will respond as it has in the past, with attacks against civilians in Darfur," said Gagnon. "Darfur needs the international peacekeeping force to deploy in full as quickly as possible."

• Kenya: Bill Seeks to Heal Ethnic Rifts: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008.

Kenya will try to promote ethnic healing for the first time since independence if the National Ethnic and Race Relations Bill is enacted in Parliament. It would be the first time that a statutory body tries to establish what makes the country's 42 communities either co-exist or fight each other, then try and find a permanent solution. The issue came to the fore in January when violence erupted after the announcement of the disputed presidential poll results. As a result of the clashes, 1,200 people were killed and another 350,000 were forced to flee from their homes. The Bill

472 has been published by Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua. The commission will operate from Nairobi. The Commission will be expected to cultivate goodwill among the various ethnic groups by ensuring they enjoy equal access to various opportunities. It will also be expected to advise the Government on all issues pertaining to ethnic and racial relations. The commissioners, the Bill says, will also be mandated to deal with the negative aspects of tribalism and ethnicity. The formation of the proposed Commission emanates from deliberations of the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Committee which was formed after the post election crisis.

• Kenya: Military Accused of Killing Thousands: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008.

Thousands of Mt Elgon residents have been killed in the ongoing military operation on suspicion of belonging to an illegal military outfit. A fact-finding report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) says the majority of those killed in the two-month operation are members of the Sabaot community… The human rights watchdog accuses the military of adopting similar tactics used by the rag-tag Sabaot Lands Defence Force (SLDF), which is accused of killing more than 600 people in the last two years. Prior to the military operation, hundreds of people fled their homes following months of terror by the illegal militia. The report, released on Thursday, says many have succumbed to injuries from gunshots or constant physical beatings… Some of the forms of torture that victims said occurred at the military camps were sexual violence, food and sleep deprivation, broken limbs, swallowing sand and being submerged in sewage, the report says… Many women, the human rights organisation says, lost husbands and sons who were taken in for "screening" and interrogation at the start of the operation. "A number of the men who have been tortured can no longer bear children. Many others have died as a result of the injuries," the report adds. The report accuses politicians of worsening the situation by meddling in the allocation of land in the area. "The controversial scheme has not been devoid of political meddling and local leaders in the area have been accused of influencing the process ," it adds.

• Ethiopia: Editor And Three Others Previously Arrested Over Magazine Story Now Out On Bail: International Federation of Journalists (Brussels): PRESS RELEASE: 15 May 2008.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the Ethiopian authorities to drop charges against Alemayehu Mahtemework, the editor of monthly entertainment magazine Enku, and three others who were arrested with him after the publication of a cover story about a jailed popular singer. Mahtemework and three others, who have not been identified, appeared in court on May 6. The trial will resume on May 19. The charges are still not clear but local sources say the four are accused of publishing "stirring articles that could incite people." The defendants were held for five days before being released on bail…"There is no need to hold a trial when there is no offence," said Gabriel Baglo, the Director of the IFJ Africa Office. "We

473 call on the authorities to drop all the legal proceedings against Mahtemework and the three people arrested with him and to allow the magazine to work in total freedom."… The case stems from Enku's cover story for its latest edition on Ethiopia's most famous pop singer Tewodros Kassahun. Kassahun, known as Teddy Afro, is on trial for murder for a hit-and-run incident in 2006. He is well-known for his songs critical of the government and his fans have protested his trial. Mahtemework and his three co-defendants were arrested by police on the evening of 2 May in a van carrying 10,000 copies of the magazine for distribution. All the copies were seized.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Cameroon: May Day Celebrations - Youths Want Jailed February Demonstrators Pardoned: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008

As a sign of reconciliation and peace building in Cameroon prior to May 20 celebration, youths under the platform of a humanitarian operation, 'Collective Main Tendue', have pleaded with President Paul Biya to free youths who were jailed in connection with the February nationwide demonstrations. Speaking for the youths, Mouafo Djontu, human rights activist and former student union leader, made the request during a debate on the perception of believers on the events of February from the perspective of the Holy Scriptures, which took place on May 8 in Yaounde… Besides pleading for the presidential pardon, he said the platform has embarked on advocacy in diplomatic missions and human rights organisations to ameliorate the prison conditions of the youths. "We are soliciting presidential grace, medical, judicial and psycho-pastoral assistance, to the detainees."… One of the panellists, Dr. Doubla Avaly, drawing inspiration from the Holy Koran, said when a people keep virtues, Allah maintains them in good condition. He said "iniquities, crimes and man's perversion attract divine sanctions." According to Dr Doubla, Cameroon is sitting on a time bomb due to the absence of moral values, youth unemployment, generalised corruption, embezzlement of public funds, inter and intra tribal conflicts, and the weak purchasing power. He called for dialogue and reconciliation, insisting that political management must contribute to the well being of society. He called for the respect of such virtues as tolerance, honesty, respect for others, forgiveness, reconciliation and modesty…

• Congo-Kinshasa: Child Protection - Launch of 'Watchlist' Report On Monitoring Mechanism: United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa):16 May 2008.

A press conference was held in the Canadian embassy in Kinshasa on May 15, 2008, to launch the "Watchlist" NGO report on the monitoring and communication of information mechanism concerning children in armed conflicts in the DRC. The Canadian government, who funded the report, reaffirmed its engagement and support to "all the concrete initiatives to improve the protection of children touched by armed conflict." In attendance was the Canadian ambassador to the DRC Sigrid Anna Johnson, UNICEF representative Steven Laurier, Watchlist researcher Sarah Spencer, and UNICEF-MONUC Child Protection officer Ramatou Toure. In her short speech, Ms.

474 Johnson explained that the report constitutes "a new possibility for states to make considerable progresses in this regard" arising from resolution 1612 adopted in 2005 by the United Nations Security Council. This resolution recommends the installation of a mechanism of monitoring and communication concerning the violations of children's rights in periods of conflict… Furthermore, she announced that Canada contributed $129,000 Canadian dollars to fund the Watchlist report.

• • Rwanda: Woman (90) Set On Fire By Her Neighbours for Fear of Facing Gacaca: Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne):15 May 2008.

A 90-year-old woman Genevieve Mukanyonga, a survivor of 1994 Rwandan genocide, was brutally killed last week by setting her on fire in her own house and neighbours confessed to the crime in Muhanga, southern Rwanda , reports Hirondelle Agency. The old woman, who had lost all her children during the genocide, lived alone. Her body was found completely burnt, according to a neighbour. Six inhabitants of the village, between ages 24 and 77 years, confessed to the crime, which they justified for fear of being accused of being looters in 1994 before the semi-traditional Gacaca Court. "We broke into the deceased's house at around 10 in the morning. We tied her to the bed, poured kerosene and set her on fire", remarked septuagenarian Eulade Nsabimana, detained with his accomplices at Muhanga police station. "We concluded that there was a collective complicity in the killing. We assembled the entire village and 12 hours later confessions started", explained a police officer… The six alleged murderers of Mrs Mukanyonga have been identified as her neighbours and allegedly are implicated in the looting of goods belonging to the victims during the genocide. "The genocidaires are still there. How do you want us to feel safe now that they have chosen to kill us in the broad mid day? lamented a young woman in the area… According to IBUKA, murder of Mukanyonga brings the number of victims of such acts to 167 since 1995. During the first quarter of this year, at least 12 people have been reportedly killed under similar circumstances.

• Central African Republic: 'Our Daughters Have No Future': UN Integrated Regional Information Networks:15 May 2008.

Women in Ndele, a remote town in northern Central African Republic, are making a stand for their rights. The local chapter of the national women's organisation, OFCA, has launched a campaign to alert women to their rights on issues such as female genital mutilation/cutting, early marriages and polygamy. More than 15 percent of women in conflict-ravaged northern CAR are estimated to have experienced some form of gender-based violence, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Ndele's women used the occasion of the opening of an OCHA office in the town in late April to make their case to the Minister for Social Affairs and the Family, Solange Pagonendji N'dakala…"We live in a traditional society which still looks down upon us. Our rights are ignored, we are victims of violence and our young girls are not spared either," said Marguerite Zanaba, head of the local chapter of the organisation. "Since we are so far from the centre of power [the capital, Bangui],

475 men tend to regard traditional laws as entrenched ... We respect our traditions, they are part of our culture, but the world is changing; women in other countries have changed, their societies respect them, while here it's the opposite," said Zanaba. "Our young girls as young as nine to 13 years still suffer the removal of their clitoris, they become sexually handicapped," one Muslim woman, who asked not to be identified, told visiting UN and government officials… Family law: Although legislation exists to protect women in CAR, according to Zanaba few are aware of its significance. "We have heard of a family law but we are not too sure of the contents. It needs to be better explained." She also called for the abolition of polygamy, saying it created tensions among children over inheritance issues. "Most of us are Muslim women and we cannot do anything that goes against our society, which is very respectful of the Koran. We are reduced to having children and even our young daughters have no future," she said. Respect; The minister seemed sympathetic. "I am a woman, a mother just like you. I know what you go through here. "There is a family law, it has just been revised, you will be sent a copy," she added. "It addresses all the family problems and there is also a law that will provide for punishment for rapists…"The men in Bamingui-Bangoran [the prefecture of which Ndele is the capital] should also read these documents and respect the content," the minister said.

94. REFUGEES, MIGRATION AND IDPs

WEST AFRICA • Liberia: More Liberian Refugees Return: The Liberian Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (Monrovia): PRESS RELEASE: 13 May 2008.

In continuation of the accelerated repatriation of Liberian refugees from the West African sub region, the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), recently assisted in the voluntary repatriation of 217 Liberian refugees from the Buduburam camp in Ghana. On Friday, 9^th May 2008, 114 refugees arrived, while a group of 80 returned on Sunday, 11^th May. At the same time, on Monday, 12 May, 23 refugees arrived. The three groups arrived on board UNMIL flights. The returnees were received by LRRRC, the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization and UNHCR upon arrival at the Roberts International Airport. Later, the groups were transported to the LRRRC managed Transit Center in Schefflin, Margibi County where they were screened. Some of the returnees are being sheltered temporarily at the transit center while they contact their relatives for departure to their respective areas of origin or preference. The repatriation of Liberian refugees from Ghana formally resumed following a Tripartite Committee meeting held between the Governments of Liberia and Ghana as well as UNHCR in Accra, Ghana, on 16 April 2008. An estimated 200 returnees are expected to arrive from Ghana by two shared UNMIL flights each week in the coming months. Prior to departure from Ghana, the refugees are provided with a return package… The UNHCR organized voluntary repatriation exercise for Liberian refugees began in October 2004 and officially ended on 30 June 2007. During that period, 7,021 out of a total of 47,450 Liberian

476 refugees returned from Ghana (112,256 Liberian refugees were facilitated to return from countries of asylum in West Africa). Out of the more than 75,000 residual caseload of Liberian refugees in the region, 26,000 of them reside in Ghana.

• Nigeria: Again, Libya Deports More Nigerians: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008.

Libyan Government has again deported Nigerians residing in the North African country for crimes ranging from incomplete immigration documents to other illicit activities. One hundred and sixty three Nigerian were forcefully brought back into the country yesterday through the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos with Afriqiyyah Airlines at about 7.00 a.m. Many of the deportees, who wore sad, forlorn faces, were women and children. They reluctantly walked through immigration and other security checks raining curses on Libyan authorities who deported them. One of the deportees who identified herself as Joy, told newsmen that she was working as a hairdresser and she was in shop when she was arrested and taken to deportation camp. With tears in her eyes, she said that the job she was doing was a legitimate one and wondered why Libyan government arrested her, describing government's action as unfair, but admitted that her immigration documents were yet to be regularised. Another deportee, a nursing mother who hails from Benin told newsmen that her husband lives in Italy, explaining that she had concluded plans to join him with their son, Chinedu before she was arrested and later deported.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Not Enough Shelter for 'Township's Refugees': Business Day (Johannesburg):15 May 2008.

THERE was still no solution yesterday to the refugee crisis at Alexandra police station, with the government admitting there was no location big enough to provide temporary shelter to all those left homeless. safety and security MEC Firoz Cachalia said yesterday that a task team, chaired by his department and consisting of various government departments including home affairs, housing, and social development, had been set up at the police station to oversee deployment of police and metro police units in the township as well as the provision of food, medical attention and sanitation. He was speaking after a meeting between police and the Gauteng provincial executive committee consisting of chairman Paul Mashatile, Ignatius Jacobs, Barbara Creecy and housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane, Cachalia and Winnie Madikizela- Mandela, a national executive committee member of the African National Congress. The committee held meetings on Tuesday with various community organisations to get a better understanding of what had fuelled the violence in Alexandra on Sunday, and held talks yesterday with senior police officials at Alexandra police station and some of the victims. Cachalia said: "Our immediate concern is to restore safety and normality to the area and get shelter for those evicted… Police from other sectors have been deployed to the township, as well as Gauteng metro police. They would stay there as long as necessary, Cachalia said. Police and the government admitted yesterday they were

477 concerned about the violence, which has continued since Sunday. Police yesterday sent out flyers to shebeens and taverns asking them to close down from 8am-5pm until the situation in Alexandra improved.

• Zambia: UN Refugee Agency Begins Overland Return Operation From Zambia to DR Congo: UN News Service (New York):14 May 2008.

The United Nations refugee agency has expanded its repatriation operation to the town of Moba in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by launching road returns this week from Zambia. A convoy carrying 357 Congolese who had been living in Kala and Mwange camps in northern Zambia arrived in Moba, on the western shores of Lake Tanganyika, last night after two days on the round, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today. This was the first land convoy to Moba organized by UNHCR and follows a series of boat convoys across Lake Tanganyika that were suspended last year when UN aid workers were evacuated from the town because of an attack on local UN offices. UNHCR briefly resumed ferry returns last December before the rainy season set in and the first boat returns of the year began last week, with 1,200 Congolese returning from Mpulungu in Zambia. At least 64,000 Congolese fled to Zambia during the DRC's brutal civil war that ended in 2003 and so far UNHCR's voluntary repatriation scheme has allowed about 9,000 refugees to return.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Somalia: UNICEF Feeds 44,000 Displaced Children: UN News Service (New York):14 May 2008.

Against a backdrop of drought, soaring food prices and large numbers of people being driven out of their homes by armed conflict, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided food to 44,000 displaced children in war-ravaged Somalia. The agency warned that more than 2.6 million Somalis are currently considered 'food insecure,' and this number could climb to 3.5 million - almost half of the Horn of Africa nation's population - by the end of the year. "We are extremely concerned about the most vulnerable among this group and we are using all means possible to prevent a catastrophe for the youngest children," said Unni Silkoset, a UNICEF nutrition officer in Somalia… Over the next three months, each of the 44,000 children will receive 10 kilograms of the fortified corn-soya blend per month… The agency is also working to provide safe drinking water to the displaced living along the Mogadishu-Afgoye corridor, with some 200,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) benefiting from UNICEF's water trucking and other relief activities.

• East Africa: States to Step Up Coop, Tackle Migration: The Daily Monitor (Addis Ababa):14 May 2008.

East African countries on Monday vowed to enhance interstate and intra-regional cooperation in the management of migration. Senior government officials from IGAD

478 member states have converged for a three-day workshop that kicked off on Monday at the African Union Commission Head Quarters in Addis Ababa. The opening ceremony of the workshop was graced by the presence of IOM Director-General Brunson McKinley, .AU Commission Chairperson, Jin Ping, Ethiopian State Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda Alemu and AU Commissioner for Social Affairs.... The workshop, the first ever for the sub-region, follows a series of political developments concerning migration in the continent and the AU strategic frame work for a migration policy including the EU-Africa Declaration on Migration and Development. The east African sub-region is said to be not as well organized as the West Africa in dealing with the problem of migration… Meanwhile, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the workshop, IOM Director General Brunson McKinley said migration had a positive side to it and stressed to look at a tool for development as well. "There is a growing consensus among the international community about migration, that is both positive and negative," the Director General said "What we need to do, what the international community-all players need to do, is finding a way, a policy, an arrangement to maximize the benefits and minimize the negative aspects." The Director-General explained on the nature and scope of bad aspects of migration, which he said brain drain was one. But he said brain drain could be turned in to brain gain. "Brain drain could be worked on," he said.

• Kenya: Fear of New Ethnic Hostility As State Hurriedly Resettles IDPs: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi):16 May 2008.

The ongoing government resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is hurried and could set the stage for more ethnic violence in future, especially in the volatile Rift Valley Province. Catholic officials and humanitarian workers in the region worst hit by the post-election ethnic violence said anxiety was growing as IDPs were being forcibly or hurriedly resettled by the government since last week. Aid workers for the international medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said they witnessed the forced return and resettlement of displaced people living in Endebess camp, western Kenya. Inhabitants of the camp were threatened and told to leave, although many of them feared returning to their places of origin or had nowhere to go. In a statement issued Friday, MSF said its staff saw government officials and armed police going from tent to tent threatening people and pressuring them to leave. MSF staff also witnessed arrests and beatings in the camp. The coordinator of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Eldoret said he could not confirm the MSF report, but the government was resettling the IDPs "very fast." The local communities wanted the process slowed down so that underlying issues could be addressed, Nixon Oira told CISA. At the largest camp at the Eldoret show ground, people were not pushed out as such but were told the camp would be closed down shortly. "This approach is not the best," said Oira, adding that inter-ethnic harmony would be a big challenge in the coming days… Many of the IDPs are not ready to leave because they are not sure that the perpetrators of the violence have really had a change of heart, the priest added. At the Endebess camp, MSF said around 80 percent of the 9,000 refugees had left following government promises of security, shelter, seeds, food and money upon return, while others left under the threat of

479 violence. Of the 1,200 remaining, most are either too traumatised or too terrified of what may happen to them when they return home, or have no home to return to. The government has ruled out compensation for people who are still in camps.

• Kenya: More Than 100,000 People Go Back Home: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008.

Some 113,048 people who had been internally displaced, have been resettled so far, the Provincial Administration has said. Secretary to the Provincial Administration Mr Kenneth Lusaka said some 60,928 people had not gone back to their homes and castigated those inciting others not to leave the camps. "This exercise is voluntary and therefore those inciting others not to leave the camps are not assisting the country to reconcile and heal," he said… Mr Lusaka said the resettlement exercise had been peaceful and urged leaders and elders to continue preaching peace and engage each other in dialogue and reconciliation forums. In a related development, the Nyandarua County Council has offered transport to those wishing to go back to their farms…

• • • Uganda: Lack of Services, Not Kony Preventing IDP Return: The Monitor (Kampala): 16 May 2008.

Some internally displaced people interviewed by Saturday Monitor say they will not go back to their original homes, but not because of the fear of brutal rebel attacks, but because of the lack of roads, schools and hospitals. The most affected districts in the two-decade long Northern Uganda conflict have been relatively safe since rebel attacks ceased over 22 months ago. A peace process has not been concluded yet between the Lord's Resistance Army [LRA] and the government but for people like Mr Isaac Okello living in an IDP camp is still better than heading back home because of comparatively advanced social services there. Mr Okello, 32, a father of six is worried that his children will have no schools to attend and have no access to a health center if he takes them back to his family home…"There is a high chance that I will lose a family member in case they fall sick since there is nothing like a dispensary and the nearest health center is 15 miles from my village", he told Saturday Monitor. A US$ 600 million government fund to rebuild the north known as the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) has not gone beyond its planning phases… According to Mr Mao, villagers are in a dilemma where they are caught up between going back to their villages and getting their children out of school or remaining in the camp and not being able to farm so that their children can access education from nearby schools…

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: 300 Street Kids Attend "Ingando": The New Times (Kigali):11 May 2008.

480 The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday picked up 330 kids from Kigali streets and enrolled them on a two-week rehabilitation solidarity camp (ingando). According to the minister, Dr Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, the street children will attend the solidarity camp then they will be facilitated to go back to school. She said the children will be taught a number of subjects that will include human rights values and the history of Rwanda. "At the end of the solidarity camp, the ministry will identify those who can be taken back to primary or technical schools and others will get the opportunity join catch-up classes for a while before sitting for primary leaving examinations," she noted.

95. HEALTH MATTERS (HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TB)

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Senate Passes National Health Bill: This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008.

Regardless of the absence of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the Senate yesterday passed the National Health Bill into law. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello absence from Senate was due to the N10 million funding support the Committee reportedly got from the Ministry of Health for the capacity building seminar on the bill, which held in Ghana from March 16-20, this year. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged former Minister, Professor , the former Minister of State, Architect Gabriel Aduku and nine others to court for sharing N300 million unspent 2007 budget of the Ministry. The Senate Committee Chairman has been running away from arraignment by the EFCC… The Bill provides for the establishment of the Primary Healthcare Development Fund. The Fund would, among other things, ensure the provision of basic health care facilities through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The Fund would be financed from "an amount not less than two per cent of the value of the Consolidated Revenue Fund as well as grants from international donor partners." Besides, the Bill also provides that 50% of the money from the National Primary Health Care Development Fund would be used for the provision of basic health services for all citizens… Another 25% of the Fund would be used to provide essential drugs for primary healthcare while 15% of the Fund would be used for "the provision and maintenance of facilities, equipment and transport for primary healthcare." Ten percent of the Fund would also be used for the development of human resources for primary health care while ten per cent of total cost of projects in any State would be contributed by the benefiting State.

• Nigeria: 'No Exemption From Anti-Smoking Law': This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008.

With Abuja, the Nigerian capital set to join New York, London, Nairobi and several capital cities which have prohibited public smoking , the Federal Capital Territory Administration has said that no resident of the territory, be it government official or other highly placed individual would be exempted from the Tobacco Control Act of

481 1990, which would take effect from June 1, 2008. Disclosing this at a media briefing in Abuja, Chairman, Committee on the Ban of Smoking in Public Places, Mrs Felicita Olajide said questions had been raised as to the possibility of implementing the anti smoking Act in places like the National Assembly and the Presidential Villa. She however maintained that the fine or penalty for smoking in public would apply to all members of the society. "Dont forget that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is the biggest advocate of the rule of law, therefore he is not above it. But don't forget that the ban is on smoking in public," she emphasized. Smoking, she agreed, is the right of the smoker, but the smoker infringes on the right of the non-smoker by exposing him to second hand smoke, she said… The Anti Smoking Bill which is currently before the National Assembly is seeking to expand the places where smoking is prohibited, he said, disclosing that a task force comprising of the Police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abuja En-vironmental Protection Agency (AEPB) and other relevant agencies is being set up to implement the Act as from June 1, 2008.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Namibia: Drug Resistant TB Strain Confirmed: New Era (Windhoek):16 May 2008.

After months of suspicions, the Ministry of Health and Social Services on Thursday confirmed the country's first eight cases of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), which is resistant to four TB drugs. Minister of Health and Social Services yesterday announced at a press briefing that of the 291 multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) cases in the country, eight were found to have progressed further to XDR-TB. XDR- TB is a severe form of MDR-TB. MDR-TB is resistant against rifampicin and isoniazid while XDR-TB is resistant to these two as well as flouroquinolones and injectable amino glycosides. "XDR-TB cases are very difficult to cure but it is not completely impossible," the minister said. The minister added, "We are dealing with a situation that if not carefully handled might go out of hand." Two cases of XDR-TB were confirmed in Oshakati, two in Walvis Bay, one in Katima Mulilo, one in Okahao, one in Onandjokwe and one in Outapi. XDR-TB was diagnosed in people between the ages of 29 and 49. The minister said the Central Medical Stores has already procured specialised drugs to treat both TB types… The minister early February declared TB in the country a national health emergency. There were 15771 cases of TB reported in 2006, or about 765 cases per 100000 people. About 1000 cases per 100000 people have been reported in Erongo, Hardap, Karas and Oshikoto. TB is a new challenge faced by the entire world, WHO country representative Magda Robalo said.

• Angola: Deaths By Malaria Reduce Countrywide - Health Authorities: Angola Press Agency (Luanda):16 May 2008.

The number of deaths caused by malaria reduced by 3 million in the past two years, nationwide, due to the increase of prevention measures and the introduction of the new therapy about three years ago. According to the member of the Commission of Fight Against Malaria, Pedro Van-Dúnem, 3.246 million cases were diagnosed in 2003, whilst

482 7,800 were detected in 2007. He added that there was also a reduction, in the number of sick persons, of 3.24 million, in 2003, to 1.18 million in 2007. The reduction in deaths resulted from the fulfilment of measures such as the increase of coverage in the pre-birth assistance, which includes the distribution of mosquito nets and the prevention of malaria during pregnancy, with Fansidar. He added that 13 of the 18 provinces use Coartem as therapy for malaria, whilst the other five (Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Bié, Moxico and Benguela) use Arsucam. This difference resulted from the insufficiency of Coartem during the first two years of the implementation of the new therapy. Coartem and Arsucam have the same efficacy.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Uganda: Foot And Mouth Disease Hits Kibaale: New Vision (Kampala):15 May 2008.

Foot and Mouth cattle disease has broken out in Kibaale District. The district veterinary officer Dr. Moses Amanya has declared a quarantine and banned the sale of beef in the district. Livestock from the neighbouring Hoima and Kiboga districts is banned from entering Kibaale. Nkooki and Kisiita sub counties are the worst hit.

• Uganda: Girls to Get Cervical Cancer Vaccine: New Vision (Kampala): 15 May 2008.

THE Ministry of Health is to immunise 10-year-old girls against cervical cancer, a health official has said. The head of immunisation, Dr. Issa Makumbi, yesterday said the exercise would start next month in Ibanda and Nakasongola districts. He added that the Human Papilloma Vaccine would be used and each dose costs $300 (over sh500,000). Two dozes are required for each person. Makumbi said out of every 100 women, 45 suffer from cervical cancer. "There is need to combat the disease because between 45% and 50% of patients with gynaecological problems at Mulago Hospital suffer from cervical cancer." The minister made the remarks while receiving items for breast cancer patients from the Princess Nikky Breast Cancer Foundation based in Nigeria at the ministry's headquarters in Kampala. Cervical cancer forms in the tissues of the cervix, an organ that connects the uterus to the vagina. It is usually a slow- growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests, a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope. The symptoms include heavy bleeding, thick-smelly discharge, pelvic pain and pain when urinating. Makumbi said having many partners and engaging in early sex was one of the causes of cervical cancer.

• Tanzania: New Hope for Cancer Patients in Country: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): 15 May 2008.

President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday unveiled a facility for cancer treatment that will enable up to one million patients in the country to access vital medication. The President unveiled the Equinox Radiotherapy machine, which would be the third one in the country. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) donated the machine

483 to the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam. The Institute is the country’s only cancer hospital with radiation therapy capabilities, and is already struggling to cope with an influx of 3,000 new patients and up to 10,000 follow-up visits a year - figures which will increase dramatically as early detection techniques improve. Radiotherapy is a valuable tool for the curative treatment of cancer. President Kikwete thanked the IAEA for the donation saying the machine would boost the government's efforts to put more needy patients on medication at early stages of cancer attacks. Although cancer can be treated, many people have succumbed to the disease due to late detection. Treatment of the disease is also costly and many cannot afford it. Health and Community Welfare deputy minister Dr Aisha Kigoda said Tanzania is registering at least 35,000 cancer patients every year. She said the commonest types of cancer were breast, neck and womb. More than 80 per cent of the patients, according to Dr Kigoda, do not get treatment and end up dying in their homes. This was despite that womb and breast cancers could be easily detected and treated at early stages… President Kikwete said he was concerned about the number of people dying of cancer in the country. He also said the majority did not seek treatment at hospitals because they lacked awareness of the disease.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: How Communities Can Win Battle Against Malaria: Focus Media (Kigali):15 May 2008.

New community-based approaches in treating and preventing malaria are starting to bear fruit. Malaria continues to take a huge toll on global health. More than one million lives are lost to the mosquito-borne illness each year, with the vast majority of deaths occurring in Africa among children under age five. The use of mosquito nets is still one of the main elements in preventing malaria. (photo Timothy Kisambira). In Rwanda, malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for 43% of all deaths and 40% of health center visits. But the use of health facilities in Rwanda is low, and many children with malaria end up dying at home, without proper treatment. "Many Rwandan parents or caregivers prefer to purchase treatment from local pharmacists and pill sellers who are close by and charge less than health centers for medication, but who often do not provide high-quality medication or proper advice regarding dosing and duration of treatment", Paul Safari of the malaria control program says. In Rwinkwavu district, for example, community health workers reported 588 deaths of children under age 5 in 2002, almost three-quarters of which were attributed to malarial fever. Only 42 of these deaths occurred in health facilities… In response to these surveys and the evident gap in delivering treatment to young children with malarial fever, the National Malaria Control Program in 2004 teamed with the three NGOs to launch a pilot program for community-based distribution of ant malarial medication in five districts. The initiative aims to educate parents to identify danger signs associated with malarial fever and treat the illness with help from a nearby community drug distributor within hours of onset, when the chances of saving a child's life are at their highest. For more complicated cases, parents are advised to seek help at a health center. With support from the government of Belgium,

484 the National Malaria Control Program last fall purchased about 450,000 blister packs of malaria drugs to treat children under age five. Local distribution began in November 2004, with the packs offered at very low cost (10 cents) or on credit… As of April 2005, the program results were promising. In the initiative's first five months, more than 85% of children in the five districts were treated within 24 hours of the onset of fever. World Relief trained 329 local drug distributors and reported no deaths among children receiving treatment through these distributors. From November 2004 to February 2005 in Kibilizi district, Concern Worldwide reported that cases of children successfully treated for fever in the community rose from zero to 795. The International Rescue Committee reported that, as of May 2005, 280 community distributors in Kirehe district were treating more than 3,000 cases of childhood fever per month… About three million insecticide-treated mosquitoes were distributed between 2005 and 2008. Last year the ministry of health distributed 80,000 mosquito nets to people living with HIV/AIDS. More than 65% of children below five years, and pregnant women now sleep under treated mosquito nets.

• Rwanda: Number of Aids Patients Goes Down - UN Report: The New Times (Kigali):16 May 2008.

The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has reduced from 191,437 in 2006 to184,859 in 2007, a United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) country progress report has said. The report was presented Wednesday to a forum of NGOs at Alpha Palace Hotel. It was to show NGOs what was achieved and exchange ideas on the findings. It says that despite the decrease, the percentage of young women infected with HIV remains high and has continued to increase. The numbers stand at 3.7 percent among the15-19 age group, and 2.5 percent (20-24). 2005 statistics were 0.6 percent and 2.5 percent respectively. Women aged 30-34 are more greatly affected, with a prevalence of between 4.9 percent and 6.8 percent. Substantial differences in prevalence were found between men and women when the survey was conducted in 2005. HIV prevalence among men was 2.3 and 3.6 among women. "A complex combination of social, economic and biological factors increases the vulnerability of women to HIV", the report reads in part. "Given the increasing feminization of the epidemic in sub Sahara Africa, examination of these factors in the local context and appropriate targeted intervention is critical", it continued.

• Cameroon: Traditional Healers As Best Messengers in HIV/Aids Fight: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008.

Traditional healers have been identified as the best messengers in the prevention, care and reduction of stigmatisation in HIV/AIDS patients. It is against this background that a three-day interactive training of trainers seminar on the traditional healers self-proficiency training, known as the FAPEG method was organised by the Promotion of Traditional Medicine Association, PROMETRA, and the Ford Foundation. Speaking during the ceremony, the President of PROMETRA Cameroon, Dr. Fai Fominyen, stated that 80 percent of the population, according to statistics from the World Health Organisation, consult traditional healers. He said traditional healers are

485 consulted first especially in communities, thereby making them key players in the prevention, care and reduction of stigmatisation. Given the general believe that sickness, most often in villages, is associated with witchcraft, with patients sometimes conniving with traditional healers not to tell their families their serology status, healers are in the best position to orient patients to go to hospitals for their tests… One of the participants, Bernadette Menye, called for the abolition of widowhood rights. She said this is a major problem in communities where a husband dies of AIDS and the brother "washes the widow". She said in the process, not only is the brother contaminated but his wife too and the whole family may be wiped out. She lamented that during this time, the wife is treated as the witch who has killed her husband and brother. Besides, participants raised the issue of traditional autopsy performed on a corpse which exposes such persons to diseases. Infidelity was equally identified as a major vector of the spread of HIV/AIDS. Healers were encouraged to use one razor bled for a patient as well as other tools like fruits. In collaboration with the international scientific committee and PROMETRA Atlanta, USA, Dr Fominyen argued that research was carried out to ascertain the values of some five medicinal plants. He said PROMETRA is made up of Biologist, pathologists amongst others and not just healers.

96. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Environment - As Senate Considers Climate Bill: This Day (Lagos): 13 May 2008.

The Committee on Environment and Ecology of the Senate will tomorrow open a debate on a bill for an act to establish a National Climate Commission; in a public hearing scheduled to hold at the National Assembly. The bill, which has gone through the second reading, is being sponsored by Senator John Shagaya and promoted by Nigeria Climate Action Network (NigeriaCAN), an umbrella organisation of individuals and groups promoting the issues of climate change, led by Mr. Ewa Otu Eleri. The committee had earlier disclosed that the senate is trying to develop legislation for environmental security for Nigeria. The bill is a part of the holistic picture of sustainable development for the country… She added that the commission would be charged with the responsibility for the strategic planning and co-ordination of national policies in the field of climate and development. Issues have moved beyond whether a climate agency was desirable or not. The bill had an initial opposition. But that is not presently the case. The challenge before the committee will likely lie in the fact that climate a cross-cutting and multi-sectoral sector… Agencies whose mandates have to do with the proposed commission include the Nigerian Institute of Geological and Mining Research; Nigerian Institute of Oceanography; Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET); Nigerian Communications Commission; Nigerian Communications Commission; and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Others are the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission; Nigerian Academy of Sciences; National Planning Commission; Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN); Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; Energy Commission of Nigeria; Nigerian Society of Engineers; and Nigerian

486 National Petroleum Corporation. The public hearing reflected the list of the stakeholders which cuts across diverse areas as shipping and maritime, space, nuclear sector, environment, energy, manufacturing, and oil and gas. Therefore, where precisely to apply the knife in the thin lines separating competing sectoral interests is the delicate decision which the senate committee will reach after the hearing. Climate change is a national security and development issue and affects all sectors of the national life. Evidence is increasing about its unwholesome impact on the world. Diseases, low productivity in the agriculture and rising number of heat waves are tied to it. Most groups, except those who stand to gain in slowing down the progress of the Kyoto Protocol, will agree on this… The bill should be determined by broad- based national interests covering the oil industry, agriculture, health, desertification, the protection of coastal communities, etc. And this is the core of the argument here: What Nigeria needs is an institution with statutory powers that is capable of giving strong leadership and responding to what an independent analyst calls the clear and present danger of climate change.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: 'Billion Tree Campaign' Blossoms to Seven Times Its Size: BuaNews (Tshwane):14 May 2008.

A grassroots campaign to plant trees around the globe has announced that it is raising its target from one billion trees to seven billion trees. The Billion Tree Campaign, which is under the patronage of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Kenyan Green Belt Movement founder Professor Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert II of Monaco, said that in 18 months it has seen two billion trees planted, double its original target. The campaign was launched by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in 2006 as a response to the threat of global warming. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said: "Having exceeded every target that has been set for the campaign, we are now calling on individuals, communities, business and industry, civil society organisations and governments to evolve this initiative on to a new and even higher level by the crucial climate change conference in Copenhagen in late 2009." Tree planting remains one of the most cost-effective ways to address climate change. Trees and forests play a vital role in regulating the climate since they absorb carbon dioxide. Deforestation, in turn, accounts for over 20 percent of the carbon dioxide humans generate, rivaling the emissions from other sources. Trees also play a crucial role in providing a range of products and services to rural and urban populations, including food, timber, fibre, medicines and energy as well as soil fertility, water and biodiversity conservation. In terms of geographic distribution, Africa is the leading region with over half of all tree plantings. Regional and national governments organized the most massive plantings, with Ethiopia leading the count at 700 million, followed by Turkey (400 million), Mexico (250 million), and Kenya (100 million)… The two billionth tree was put into the ground as part of an agroforestry project carried out by the UN World Food Programme, It has now planted 60 million trees in 35 countries to improve food security.

487 EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Nema Clamps Down On Polluters With New Rules: Business Daily (Nairobi):13 May 2008.

A battery manufacturing factory in Nairobi's industrial area, Associated Battery Manufacturers, regularly sends blood samples of its workers to Britain for analysis, just in case they have lead poisoning in their blood. For this activity, the company spends about Sh350, 000 annually. "We strive to offer our employees the best medical care and we also offer them good diet during the day," says John Kinyanjui, the managing director of Associated Battery Manufacturers. Working at a lead recycling or processing plant is not a light matter. Protective clothing must also be worn at all times. But this is as far as the employees go. Lead is among the pollutants that can affect a large population of people living near such factories. "We control emission from our factory by feeding the resultant gas into machines that purify it," says Kinyanjui. Kenya, East Africa's manufacturing powerhouse, is facing the heavy task of dealing with pollution. Just like heavily industrialised China, Kenya has had the difficult task of dealing with pollutants such as lead, dust, noise, carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, among other pollutants which environmentalists say cause health hazards. Analysts say environmental watchdogs in China are getting strict with companies that pollute the air. But this has had a negative impact on the Third World-China has resorted to relocating its gas emitting factories to Africa… The new regulation intends to control emission of pollutants such as dust, black smoke, sulphur oxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide among other health hazards… European trade unions have called for a tax on imports from countries that refuse to fight their carbon emissions that cause global warming, saying it was needed to protect thousands of jobs in Europe. In the long run, the new Air Quality and Noise Pollution regulations being fronted by NEMA would protect thousands of lives exposed to regular gas emissions from manufacturers' chimney. But manufacturers fear the regulation will increase the cost of doing business in Kenya. The Kenya Association of Manufacturers has called for a delay in the implementation of the new laws to give its members time to give their input.

• Uganda: Uganda's Migratory Bird Sites Threatened: The Monitor (Kampala):14 May 2008.

As Ugandans joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Migratory Bird Day last Saturday, environmentalists expressed concern over the rate at which bird sites along Uganda's Lakes shores are being degraded. Environmentalists said the most affected bird sites are on Lakes Victoria, Albert and Kyoga among others and if the government doesn't come out immediately to protect them, the migratory bird sites would be no more. "The continued encroachment on the shoreline with a lot of human activity has left all bird sites in the country at the risk of extinction due to ruthless incursions by encroachers," the Nature Uganda Deputy Chief executive Director, Mr Ambrose Mugisha said, adding that in future, daughters and sons of this country will not have chances to look at different species of migratory birds that fly from Europe, America and the rest of the world to Uganda. Migratory birds are different

488 species of birds that fly distances of thousands of kilometres in order to find suitable conditions; habitats for feeding, breeding and raising their young. When conditions in Europe become difficult due to low temperature, birds migrate to Africa or other regions where the conditions may be less rough… The birds look for suitable breeding, wintering grounds as well as stopover sites along the flyways. He said the loss of Lutembe site used by the birds during their annual cycle could have a dramatic impact on bird's survival opportunities. Mugisha of Nature Uganda joins Mr Johnson Masereka, a chief warden at Mt Elgon National park in fighting against the rapid depletion of wild life. Mr Masereka said the rapid depletion of wildlife, trees and the accompanying degradation of land at Mt Elgon National Park reflects the "carelessness and hostility" of the people living around the park. He said whereas the government puts a lot of importance on conservation of wildlife at the park for ecological balance and to earn foreign exchange, the people have not been sensitised on these benefits.

• Tanzania: UK Activists Pile Pressure Against Soda Ash Project: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):16 May 2008.

A UK-based environment group has urged Tata Chemicals Limited of India and its Tanzanian partner, National Development Corporation (NDC), not to disturb Lake Natron area environment. It said shifting the project 32 kilometres away from the lake would not mitigate the negative impact the project is likely to pose to lesser flamingos (phoeniconaias minor) and the local community. "Birdlife International and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are of the view that Tata and NDC should abandon the project altogether," the activists said in a statement posted on the Birdlife International website. The project's impact is not limited to operations of the plant alone, but the entire process of brine extraction, disposition of waste and processing, they explained… They said intricate network of pipes and roads on the surface of the lake would affect the birds and the local communities just as it was the case with Lake Magadi in Kenya. The activists join forces with the Lake Natron Consultative Group comprising 32 non-governmental organisations from across the eastern and the Horn of Africa, and US in opposing the project. The NGOs argued in Nairobi, Kenya, a fortnight ago that the project would pose serious threat to the survival of the lesser flamingos and to the livelihood of pastoralist communities surrounding the lake… There is no way a project of such magnitude could operate without permanently scarring the landscape and damage local people's livelihoods and biodiversity, especially the highly sensitive Lesser Flamingos, Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, the Birdlife International's regional director for Africa is quoted as saying on the website.

• Tanzania: Dwindling Fish Stocks Alarm President: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam):14 May 2008.

President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday ordered investigation on the sharp decline of Nile perch stocks in Lake Victoria. He said the study should be jointly undertaken by experts in the Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries and the Vice-President's Office (Environment). The head of state said statistics indicates that fish stocks were

489 diminishing at an alarming rate. He cited a Nile perch stock which has declined from 756,000 tonnes in February 2006 to only 375,670 tonnes last February. He blamed declined stocks to increased number of anglers and fishing vessels in the lake which have increased from 55,985 and 15,434, respectively, in 2000, to 98,015 and 29,732, respectively in 2006. Dynamite fishing practice is also to blame, said the President. He urged that the livestock and fisheries ministry to closely cooperate with its Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts to ensure that East Africa partner states were not made to import fish products, but rather benefited from surging fish prices at the world market. The President made the observations when he inaugurated the first state-of-the-art fish processing plant that is fully owned by local investors through the National Investments Company Limited (Nicol).The company has invested Sh5.2 billion in the plant capable of processing 60 tonnes of fish per day. The plant, according to Nicol board chairman Felix Mosha, is expected to create at least 600 direct jobs. Mr Kikwete said experts to investigate fish stocks should also suggest strategies to fight illegal fishing and under declaration done by fish processing plants to evade paying export tax.

• Uganda: Museveni's Dams a Threat to Lake Victoria: The Nation (Nairobi):15 May 2008.

As the first rays of sunlight streak into Lake Victoria, Idi Otwoma and his two sons leave their village, pick up their nets and board their old wooden boat for the port of Kisumu. The sales from his catch put bread on the table for his family of two wives, eight children and nine grandchildren. But in the last few years, the seasoned fisherman has barely caught enough fish to feed his family. The catch is dwindling and this is becoming a tall order for Idi and his sons. At Uhanya fishing village in Bondo, the fishermen are an angry lot. They complain that they are forced to go further into the lake due to declining fish stocks… Mr George Omolo, the secretary-general of the Uhanya Fishers Group also says that the declining fish stock has coincided with the dropping water levels in the lake. Asked whether they know the reason for the drop in water levels, many fishermen say they have heard about the construction of huge dams in Uganda, which might have played a role in reducing the water level in the lake… It is a claim that Mr Frank Muramuzi, the director of the National Association of Professional Environmentalists in Kampala, Uganda, confirms. Mr Muramuzi says that in 1999 Uganda added Kiira dam to the 1954 Owen Falls dam, now renamed Nalubaale dam, in pursuit of more hydro-electric power… With the decline in lake water levels attributed to Uganda and the frequent arrests of Kenyan fishermen by Ugandan authorities, Mr Omolo questions the relationship between the two countries as expressed in the East African Community. "If the co-operation in the EAC cannot be used to resolve these serious issues, then it is of no use," he says. Engaging the Ugandan Government is a strategy that Mr Keefa Kawesa of EAC's Organisation for Management of Lake Victoria Resources (ECOVIC) also suggests. "This lake is shared by three countries. Why can't Kenya and Tanzania stop Museveni from draining the lake?" he asks. Egypt and Sudan, the other two countries which benefit from the lake, which is the source of the Nile, have intervened for their own good. "If you went to Jinja, the source of the Nile, you will see that Egyptian guards are stationed

490 there to make sure that we don't go beyond the agreed curve," says Mr Muramuzi. However, in this particular case the Egyptians and the Sudanese would not be interested in intervening to stop the construction of the dams because their countries, being downstream, will benefit from the channel creating the two new dams. This will significantly increase the amount of water draining into the Nile… Downstream from Kiira dam, construction of the new Bujagali dam is on course. When the dam is completed, it is expected to draw even more water from the lake. The dam is expected to produce 250 megawatts of electricity. Neither this nor the fact that it will submerge Bujagali Falls when completed will stop the Ugandan authorities from forging ahead with the construction. The arrests of Kenyan fishermen by Ugandan authorities and other minor conflicts are a precursor to bigger conflicts in future as individuals and countries compete for the dwindling water resources, he adds. Dying lakes : Mr Muramuzi also says that if the current rate of water depletion in the lake is maintained, the lake will soon join the list of dying lakes such as Lake Chad.

97. ENERGY

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Future of Country's Oil At Risk: Leadership (Abuja):13 May 2008.

Unless drastic measures are taken to curtail the activities of militants in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria would have to struggle to extricate itself from the economic consequences of the crisis in the next few months. Monitors and experts in the energy sector say the seeming criminal activities of the militants in the region, which had in the last few months hugely affected the sector negatively, would snowball into a serious economic crisis for the nation, if not checked. As one expert put it: "The Nigerian oil industry may soon be in the throes of the development in Angola at the heat of the civil war in the 1980s." "At the heat of the Angolan civil war, oil companies enacted a gradual wind-down process, which eventually saw them shutting down their production in the country despite the huge investment they made. "The first casualty of the gradual wind-down was explorations. As the war escalated, it was clear to the oil firms that the country had no future", an energy consultant told LEADERSHIP last night. "The companies therefore halted exploration and only managed to produce from existing oil wells as long as the hostilities in the battlefields allowed… In April, striking Exxon Mobil workers and wave of attacks on oil infrastructure by militant groups knocked more than half of the nation's quota for OPEC - 2.16-million-barrels-a-day. That contributed to propelling the Nymex light sweet crude-oil contract above $126.20. Attacks have increased significantly in the region in recent weeks and damage to pipelines has forced Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian joint venture, Shell Petroleum Development Corporation, to hold back more than 160,000 barrels a day from its Bonny Light oilfield… These losses, according to energy experts, have a strong implication for the future of the Nigerian economy and indeed the entire world. Analysts have signaled that from the poorest country in Africa to the United States, big businesses are likely to be inflicted with pains on a continued unrest in Nigerian oil sector and the continued increase in world oil prices. They also predict a cloudy future for Nigeria's oil

491 sector… Shell said "it needs an additional $3 billion for Nigerian projects to build equipment to capture gases and for facilities serving." The United Nations has set a deadline to end flaring, or burning off natural gas, by 2008 under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The release of gas into the atmosphere is seen as a potential agent for global warming.

• • Nigeria: 100 Die in Lagos Explosion: Leadership (Abuja): 16 May 2008.

No fewer than 100 people, including two school children, were in the early hours of yesterday killed by a fire incident which erupted from a pipeline at Ijagun, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, razing down several houses, including a secondary school. LEADERSHIP gathered that the pipeline, which had been vandalised by some suspected criminals, caught fire and exploded around Pako bus-stop area of Ijegun at about 11am. Some eyewitness told our correspondents that the fire razed many houses, including Ijegun Comprehensive High School. Policemen were immediately drafted to the area to ensure security… Meanwhile, government has permanently stationed some buses in the area to rescue victims of the incident to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, where many people seriously wounded by the inferno are placed in the emergency wards… Incidents of fire are on the increase in Lagos State. It would be recalled that no fewer than 25 vehicles and four houses were lost to fire last week when a tanker carrying a substance suspected to be combustible chemical caught fire in Fadeyi axis of the city. Last year, a similar incident happened in the area, leading to killing of thousands of people. Red Cross officials said many injured people had been taken to hospital and they were still trying to rescue more. Among the dead is a two-year-old baby, emergency relief workers said…

Previous Pipeline Disasters: December 2007: At least 40 people killed in Lagos;December 2006: At least 250 killed in Lagos;May 2006: At least 150 killed in Lagos;Dec 2004: At least 20 killed in Lagos;Sept 2004: At least 60 killed in Lagos;June 2003: At least 105 killed in Abia State;Jul 2000: At least 300 killed in Warri;Mar 2000: At least 50 killed in Abia State;Oct 1998: At least 1,000 killed in Jesse.

• Ghana: Soaring Crude Price On World Market GOG to Take Ameliorating Action: Accra Mail (Accra):16 May 2008.

To save Ghanaians from the dire consequences of escalating world fuel prices and the increase in the prices of goods and services, the government has reviewed various options on how to effectively manage the situation. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng in a press statement issued yesterday said "Government will soon announce measures aimed at reducing the effects of the global fuel and food crises on Ghanaians". He said the decision came from a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday after studying the increase in global crude oil price and its effect on the Ghanaian economy. The Minister also allayed fears that the situation may derail Ghana's economy and asked Ghanaians to remain calm as government takes

492 pragmatic measures to handle the situation… The announcement has also come under intense public scrutiny with contributors to radio station programmes in Accra subjecting it to criticism or appreciation, depending on the political angle the contributor is coming from. Some think it is a good move by a listening and caring government, others have rubbished it, claiming it is a political gimmick in an election year.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Southern Africa: SADC Energy Ministers Deliberate On Regional Energy Shortfalls: Southern African News Features (Harare):15 May 2008.

Regional energy ministers have agreed to revive the regional energy planning network to compliment the energy recovery roadmap established a few weeks ago to address the power shortages facing the region. The plan will contain prioritised programmes and activities' covering the entire energy sector and is to be reviewed every five years. It seeks to integrate energy conservation, regional energy linkages, Biomass Energy Conservation and Power Surplus Capacity utilisation among others as measures to mitigate energy shortages. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers responsible for energy, who met in Kinshasa, DRC at the end of April, also noted the importance of reviving the Energy Planning and Environmental Management Training Programme, which ended in February 2008. The meeting was chaired by Zambia's Minister of Energy and Water Development, Kenneth Konga and was preceded by a preparatory meeting of regional Senior Energy Officials on 28 and 29 April… Furthermore the ministers deliberated on the energy activities geared towards the revival of the Regional Energy Planning Network, were the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and individual national utilities will develop a plan on energy usage and conservation. However, in view of the significance of alternative sources of energy such as biomass in the energy supply mix, the ministers directed the SADC Secretariat to work towards consolidating efforts to identify funding for the proposed Phase IV, which is meant to ensure energy service delivery and environmental management at the rural level… In noting the rising petroleum prices, the SADC Energy Ministers directed that an elaborate regional bio-fuels programme be instituted immediately… Of particular concern to the Ministers was also the report of the Ministerial Taskforce, which met in Botswana in February, to overcome diminished power surplus capacity in the region. The ministers reviewed the regional harmonised framework on Power Conservation Programme, which was developed based on the experiences of the SAPP, RERA and ESKOM as well as experiences of other Member States, and directed that the SAPP should coordinate the implementation of the programme across the region.

• Namibia: Fuel Prices 'Could Cripple Economy': The Namibian (Windhoek):16 May 2008.

THE latest fuel hike could force major industries to cut back on production, granting no wage increases and possibly laying off workers because of shrinking profit margins. These views were expressed by some industries The Namibian spoke to following

493 yesterday's fuel price hike, which represents an increase of around 56 per cent since the middle of last year. Farmers, fishermen and miners all lamented the increase, which according to them will derail all intended new investments and could also lead to bankruptcy in some extreme instances. For many farmers it could be the final nail in the coffin, as they are just coming out of a taxing drought. Fishing, agriculture and mining - the mainstays of the Namibian economy - are Namibia's major export revenue earners and employers. These sectors use heavy-duty equipment which consumes thousands of litres of fuel per month. Petrol currently costs more than N$9 per litre while diesel costs over N$10 per litre. Major players in the fishing industry, Etale Fishing Company and Tunacor Fisheries, on Wednesday said the increase of the diesel price had put severe pressure on their operations, as input costs would spiral up. "More than 40 per cent of our costs goes to fuel. This is a big expense, and we are currently looking at ways how we can improve our fuel consumption," said Etale's Managing Director, Silvanus Kathindi… He said the company was avoiding retrenchments, but that the rising diesel price was a 'big concern' to the industry. Etale's fishing vessels use around 50 000 to 70 000 litres of fuel per trip, which normally averages nine days at sea. The company currently undertakes three trips a month.

• Mozambique: Design Documents for Oil Refinery Signed: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo): 16 May 2008.

The project to build an oil refinery at Nacala-a Velha, on the coast of the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, took a step forward on Thursday with the signing of agreements on the project design, reports Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias". The document was signed between the Ayr Development Group, a subsidiary of the Texas-based Ayr Logistics, which is financing the Ayr Petro-Nacala project, and the South African building company Group Five. Budgeted at 5.5 billion US dollars, the refinery, which is expected to start operating within the next seven years, will have the capacity to produce 300,000 barrels of fuel a day. This will relieve Mozambique of the need to import refined fuels, and since 300,000 barrels a day is much more than Mozambique's consumption, the surplus can be exported to other southern African countries. The chairperson of the Ayr Logistics board of directors, Philip Harris, said that besides complementary industrial infrastructures, housing and other projects of a social character, his group will finance the building of a vocational training centre to serve Nampula residents so that they can directly participate in building the refinery. Ayr Logistics and the Mozambican Education Ministry will supervise the centre, which is to train staff, not only for the refinery, but for other industrial activities across the country. Willie Zeelie, executive director of Group Five, a company with wide-ranging experience in building refineries, in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, said, after signing the contract, that "success of the Nacala-a-Vilha refinery is inevitable".

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Tanzania: Electricity From Wind is Way to Go: The Citizen (Dar es Salaam): EDITORIAL:15 May 2008.

494 The Sh135 billion wind-to-electricity project that is already blowing over Singida is a good step towards greater electrification of the country. It is also a means to help diversify power sources to enhance capacity and avoid blackouts such as those that happened in early 2006 due to overdependence on hydroelectric power. The Singida project is expected produce about 50 MW, equivalent to 10 per cent of the country's current total generation. This means that 10 projects of the size of the one at Singida would be able to cover the current national power generation. With advancements in wind power equipment technology, electricity from winds is going to be more reliable and so countries such as Tanzania stand to have better alternative power sources. Europe has advanced a lot in wind power technology. For example, Germany now produces more than 3,000 MW from wind turbines. And the target in the European countries is to have 50 per cent of all power generated by wind. There is dire need for our Government and other stakeholders to consider investing heavily in alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power. The benefits of these sources are that the power potential is not limited and the sources never wear out, unlike the hydro-sources. There have been advancements in harnessing solar power in Tanzania, but on very small-scales. More than 80 MW of electricity is estimated to be produced by individuals and institutions from solar sources. Electricity production on a larger scale from both solar, wind and other cheap and clean sources is now more necessary than before. As it braces itself for competition in the now liberalised power sector, it is high time Tanesco also diversified its sources instead of relying on expensive Independent Power Producers. With the blessings of ample wind, especially in the flat areas such as Singida and Dodoma, and plenty of year-around sunshine, there is no point in the majority of Tanzanians continuing to wallow in darkness.

98. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Inflation Hits 355 000 Percent: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008. • Namibia: Billions Flow Into Unlisted Companies: Namibia Economist (Windhoek):16 May 2008. • Malawi: Aid Will Not Be Conditional Upon Signing of EPAs: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Country Among African Countries Facing Food Crisis: Financial Gazette (Harare):16 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • MTN Confirms Takeover Bid: East African Business Week (Kampala):12 May 2008. 99. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

495 WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Fresh Set-Back For Bakassi Treaty: This Day (Lagos):15 May 2008. • Nigeria: Constitution Review Membership Divides House : This Day (Lagos):17 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• South Africa: Zuma Trial Likely to Start Early Next Year: Business Day (Johannesburg): 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Presidential Polls Set For June 27:allAfrica.com 16 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Delays His Return Home: SW Radio Africa (London):17 May 2008. • Zimbabwe: Mugabe Allies Against Run-Off: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):15 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Amnesty Says Truth Commission Draft Bill Seriously Flawed: Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi): 16 May 2008: CENTRAL AFRICA

• Equatorial Guinea: Country Re-Opens Border With Cameroon: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008. • Cameroon: SDF Lauds U.S. Pledge to Repatriate Stolen Funds: The Post (Buea):16 May 2008. 100. PEACEKEEPING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND SECURITY MATTERS

WEST AFRICA • West Africa: Mano River Union (MRU) Vows to Sustain Peace: The Inquirer (Monrovia):16 May 2008. SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Zimbabwe: Mbeki 'Shocked' At Zim Violence: Zimbabwe Independent (Harare):16 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Kenya: Pardon for Poll Violence Crimes: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Somalia: Security Council Calls for Plans to Deploy UN Peace Force to Somalia to Continue: UN News Service (New York):15 May 2008.

496 • Sudan: North And Southern Sudan in Peace Deal On Oil-Rich Region: The Nation (Nairobi): 16 May 2008. • Uganda: Kony Dodges Meeting With Clergy: New Vision (Kampala):14 May 2008. • Somalia: Key Mediator Quits Talks to Resolve Somaliland Election Dispute: Garowe Online (Garowe):12 May 2008.

CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: U.S. to Help Train Darfur Peacekeepers: The New Times (Kigali):10 May 2008. • Central Africa: 'Encouraging' Progress On Peace And Security in Region - Ban Ki-Moon: UN News Service (New York):15 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Four Priorities for Sustainable Peace in Ituri - Executive Summary and Recommendations: International Crisis Group (Brussels): DOCUMENT: 13 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: After Two Key Deals, What Progress Towards Peace in North Kivu? : UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 14 May 2008. • Congo-Kinshasa: Uruguayan Blue Helmets Receive UN Medals for Services to Peace: United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa):15 May 2008. 101. REBEL, MILITANCY AND “WAR ON TERRROR”

WEST AFRICA • Nigeria: Country Not Under Al-Qaeda Threat – IG: This Day (Lagos):16 May 2008. • Nigeria: Militant Group Disclaims Hijack of Chevron Supply Ship: Leadership (Abuja):16 May 2008.

EAST AFRICA/ HORN OF AFRICA • Sudan: Chad Denies Involvement in Khartoum Attack: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks :12 May 2008. • Comoros: Rebel Leader in Limbo: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks: 15 May 2008. CENTRAL AFRICA

• Rwanda: Country Protests Over Rebels: The Nation (Nairobi):10 May 2008.

497 • Burundi: Secretary-General Welcomes Arrival of Rebel Group for Peace Talks: UN News Service (New York):16 May 2008. 102. NORTH AFRICA • Africa: Egypt Partners With Sudan to Grow Wheat: Business Daily (Nairobi): 12 May 2008. • Tunisia: Ornithology - Recent Report Confirms Country's Reputation As Bird Sanctuary And Strong Bio-Diversity: Tunisia Online (Tunis):14 May 2008. • Tunisia: Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology Receives UN Prize for Public Transparency: Tunisia Online (Tunis):14 May 2008. • Tunisia: Opposition Weekly's Editors Call Off Hunger Strike After Harassment Lets Up: Reporters sans Frontières (Paris): PRESS RELEASE: 14 May 2008. • Eritrea And Egypt Agree to Enhance Cooperation in Education: Shabait.com (Asmara):9 May 2008. 103. NEWS COMMENTARY • Africa: Keen On Business, China is Yet to Flex Its Formidable Military Muscle: The Nation (Nairobi):16 May 2008. • Africa: EU Seeks to Subdue Competitive China: Inter Press Service (Johannesburg):15 May 2008. • Africa: Challenges of Democratic Transition: Fahamu (Oxford): OPINION: 15 May 2008. • COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY WEST AFRICAN DIALOGUE ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE • Africa: Economic Integration Requires New Strategies: allAfrica.com: GUEST COLUMN: 15 May 2008. • Sudan: Wake Up Call: Institute for War & Peace Reporting (London): OPINION: 13 May 2008. ------END TEXT ------.

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