Cameroon was recently removed from African Growth and Opportunity Act by the United States over accused human rights violations. The AGOA is a “piece of legislation dedicated to improving US relations with Sub-Saharan countries for economic purposes.” The United States largest national interest in Cameroon is regional stability and counterterrorism in the Lake Chad region. Their invested economic relations with… Read more »
In Africa, civil rights have become a greater focus in the past several decades than previously. The oppressive governments in Africa turn to punishing their opposition because freedom of speech is not guaranteed. Even the democratic governments do not guarantee the rights to their citizens. In Nigeria, there are protests with crowds demanding the release of Omoyele Sowore who was… Read more »
JOHANNESBURG (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Gabon’s new environment minister, Lee White, a British-born conservationist, has vowed to fight illegal logging by strengthening governance of forests after a national scandal in which about 350 containers of rare kevazingo wood went missing. Illegal logging, political apathy and climate change are key reasons why White made the move into politics, hoping to bolster… Read more »
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s state security agency on Wednesday denied that its officers opened fire on campaigners calling for the release of a Nigerian activist and former presidential candidate who remains in detention despite having been granted bail. Omoyele Sowore, who ran for president as a minor candidate in the February election in which former military ruler President Muhammadu Buhari… Read more »
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria and neighboring countries Benin and Niger have agreed to set up a joint border patrol force to tackle smuggling between the West African countries, they said in a communique on Thursday. Foreign ministers from the three countries met to discuss smuggling following a decision by regional giant Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest economy and biggest population,… Read more »
CONAKRY (Reuters) – A young demonstrator was killed in Guinea on Thursday during protests against President Alpha Conde’s perceived attempt to extend his mandate, the security minister told Reuters. At least fourteen people have now died since demonstrations erupted in the West African country last month against changes to the constitution that many fear could allow Conde to seek a… Read more »
A second Ebola vaccine is to be offered to around 50,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of a major clinical trial. The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine will be used alongside a vaccine made by Merck, which has already been given to around 250,000 people. Merck’s jab has now been approved by the World Health Organization…. Read more »
Militants in eastern Mali have killed 49 soldiers in an attack on a military post in Indelimane in the Menaka region, the army has said. This makes it one of the deadliest assaults of the past decade. The Islamic State (IS) group said via its self-styled Amaq news outlet it was behind the attack. Mali has suffered violence since 2012,… Read more »
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan needs up to $5 billion in budget support to avert economic collapse and launch reforms after the ouster of veteran ruler Omar al-Bashir, its finance minister told Reuters.Sudan’s Finance Minister Ibrahim Elbadawi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Khartoum, Sudan November 7, 2019. Picture taken November 7, 2019. The country, in crisis since losing most… Read more »
Authorities say nearly 40 died when gunmen targeted buses transporting mining workers Jason Burke and agencies Wed 6 Nov 2019 18.58 ESTLast modified on Thu 7 Nov 2019 14.53 EST Gunmen in Burkina Faso have killed nearly 40 civilians in an ambush on a convoy transporting workers for the Canadian goldminer Semafo, regional authorities have said. The attack on Wednesday underlines the growing instability in the Sahel, where… Read more »