Politics, Conflict & Security
In Ghana the attorney-general and Minister for Justice in the wake of law reform has urged civil society to resort to the law against violation of intellectual property rights.
In Zimbabwe National People’s Constitutional Convention recommended an immediate halt to the parliament-led constitution-making process or risk the rejection of a draft constitution resulting from the flawed procedure at a referendum. The committee called for an independent and democratic constitutional reform process.
In Kenya the government is being pushed to resign in seven days for failure to deliver a “sound option” for the trial of post-election violence suspects. Referring to shady cabinet deliberations, media reports criticized the proceedings as continuity in the deplorable tradition of ‘national amnesia’.
Alarm over Mungiki gang’s Influence in the Kenyan government was voiced by the National Security Intelligence Service adding that Media coverage and propaganda were partly to blame for challenges the government faced in its war against the group and other criminal gangs.
The leader of an Islamic sect blamed for days of deadly violence in Nigeria was killed in police custody. Yusuf lead Boko Haram, a sect which wants to overthrow the government and impose a strict version of Islamic law. Hundreds of people have died in five days of clashes between his followers and security forces.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice criticized Eritrea’s support of extremists in neighboring Somalia while threatening the implementation of sanctions. In the mean while the identification and voter registration process for the upcoming elections in Côte d’Ivoire has encountered some difficulties, including strikes in some parts of the country.
On the regional front the South African troops deployed as part of the African Union Special Task Force in Burundi are to be formally withdrawn soon. At the same time the Security Council has extended its Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur by another Year.
A United Nations-backed meeting of former high-ranking officials from Somalia’s military, police, and prison system and intelligence services kicked off recently in the latest bid at bolstering the war-wracked country’s security institutions.
While in a much welcome development the Burundi peace process has made much progress in recent months where the last rebel group, the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People has renounced the use of arms and been registered as a political party, changing its name to the National Forces of Liberation (FNL).
Human Rights, Social Issues & Domestic Politics
More than 130 civil society and human rights groups from across Africa issued a statement this week calling upon African states that are parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reaffirm their commitment and obligation to cooperate. The statement followed a decision by the African Union (AU) at its summit meeting on July 1-3, 2009 to not cooperate with the ICC in the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.
UN World Food Programme (WFP) is struggling to keep its planes flying in parts of Africa due to a dramatic shortage of funds. In the mean while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for classifying rape as a form of genocide. Recognizing sexual violence, he said, is a step in the process of group destruction "of the spirit, of the will to live, and of life itself".
UN agency reported that Somali clashes are forcing more refugees across the Gulf of Aden. In a developing dilemma the war in Somalia has left Kenya with a difficult choice between the security of her own citizens and humanitarian concerns of fleeing Somali refugees.
United Nations humanitarian workers have taken part this week in a joint assessment mission in a border area of southern Sudan where hundreds of people have fled recent attacks by the notorious rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). On a more promising note UN demobilizes the first batch of child soldiers in Darfur, where Thirty-six child soldiers who once served with an armed rebel movement in Sudan's Darfur region have been voluntarily demobilized and given assistance.
In a region plagued by chaos security forces have killed innocent civilians and unarmed men in a crackdown on the radical religious group known as Boko Haram, reportedly leaving several hundred people dead in northeastern Nigeria.
Also in an unfolding crisis the number of people fleeing fighting and reprisal attacks by Rwandan Hutu Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda (FDLR) militia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) South Kivu Province has increased by up to 600 percent in a few weeks, say humanitarian officials
While on the legal front, despite Sierra Leone’s innovative laws reinforcing women's rights, 2007 social services struggle to implement the laws. While there have been demands to legalize abortions in Rwanda where the ministry of health reports 50% fatalities amongst women resulting from reproductive health complications.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to lift a ban on the FM broadcasts of Radio France Internationale (RFI) across the Central African country. The government allegedly silenced the station in response to its coverage of the ongoing conflict in the east.
Health & Environment
In Ghana the attorney-general and Minister for Justice in the wake of law reform has urged civil society to resort to the law against violation of intellectual property rights.
In Zimbabwe National People’s Constitutional Convention recommended an immediate halt to the parliament-led constitution-making process or risk the rejection of a draft constitution resulting from the flawed procedure at a referendum. The committee called for an independent and democratic constitutional reform process.
In Kenya the government is being pushed to resign in seven days for failure to deliver a “sound option” for the trial of post-election violence suspects. Referring to shady cabinet deliberations, media reports criticized the proceedings as continuity in the deplorable tradition of ‘national amnesia’.
Alarm over Mungiki gang’s Influence in the Kenyan government was voiced by the National Security Intelligence Service adding that Media coverage and propaganda were partly to blame for challenges the government faced in its war against the group and other criminal gangs.
The leader of an Islamic sect blamed for days of deadly violence in Nigeria was killed in police custody. Yusuf lead Boko Haram, a sect which wants to overthrow the government and impose a strict version of Islamic law. Hundreds of people have died in five days of clashes between his followers and security forces.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice criticized Eritrea’s support of extremists in neighboring Somalia while threatening the implementation of sanctions. In the mean while the identification and voter registration process for the upcoming elections in Côte d’Ivoire has encountered some difficulties, including strikes in some parts of the country.
On the regional front the South African troops deployed as part of the African Union Special Task Force in Burundi are to be formally withdrawn soon. At the same time the Security Council has extended its Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur by another Year.
A United Nations-backed meeting of former high-ranking officials from Somalia’s military, police, and prison system and intelligence services kicked off recently in the latest bid at bolstering the war-wracked country’s security institutions.
While in a much welcome development the Burundi peace process has made much progress in recent months where the last rebel group, the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People has renounced the use of arms and been registered as a political party, changing its name to the National Forces of Liberation (FNL).
Human Rights, Social Issues & Domestic Politics
More than 130 civil society and human rights groups from across Africa issued a statement this week calling upon African states that are parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reaffirm their commitment and obligation to cooperate. The statement followed a decision by the African Union (AU) at its summit meeting on July 1-3, 2009 to not cooperate with the ICC in the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.
UN World Food Programme (WFP) is struggling to keep its planes flying in parts of Africa due to a dramatic shortage of funds. In the mean while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for classifying rape as a form of genocide. Recognizing sexual violence, he said, is a step in the process of group destruction "of the spirit, of the will to live, and of life itself".
UN agency reported that Somali clashes are forcing more refugees across the Gulf of Aden. In a developing dilemma the war in Somalia has left Kenya with a difficult choice between the security of her own citizens and humanitarian concerns of fleeing Somali refugees.
United Nations humanitarian workers have taken part this week in a joint assessment mission in a border area of southern Sudan where hundreds of people have fled recent attacks by the notorious rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). On a more promising note UN demobilizes the first batch of child soldiers in Darfur, where Thirty-six child soldiers who once served with an armed rebel movement in Sudan's Darfur region have been voluntarily demobilized and given assistance.
In a region plagued by chaos security forces have killed innocent civilians and unarmed men in a crackdown on the radical religious group known as Boko Haram, reportedly leaving several hundred people dead in northeastern Nigeria.
Also in an unfolding crisis the number of people fleeing fighting and reprisal attacks by Rwandan Hutu Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda (FDLR) militia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) South Kivu Province has increased by up to 600 percent in a few weeks, say humanitarian officials
While on the legal front, despite Sierra Leone’s innovative laws reinforcing women's rights, 2007 social services struggle to implement the laws. While there have been demands to legalize abortions in Rwanda where the ministry of health reports 50% fatalities amongst women resulting from reproductive health complications.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to lift a ban on the FM broadcasts of Radio France Internationale (RFI) across the Central African country. The government allegedly silenced the station in response to its coverage of the ongoing conflict in the east.
Health & Environment
As part of Ghana's preparedness to address an outbreak of swine influenza, a communication strategic plan has been developed to ensure effective and efficient co-ordination between stakeholders. Jointly prepared by the GHS-Ghana Health Service and UNICEF, the plan's thematic areas are communication, surveillance, prevention and containment, planning and co-ordination and human response.
As new legislation is discussed in Angola that may lead to 3-10 year jail sentence for convicts who have knowingly passed on HIV; various civil society organizations have voiced fears regarding its possible adverse effects.
Also on the health front African first ladies have vowed to raise awareness on cervical cancer which is one of the leading causes of death among women on the continent.
Ethiopia as one of the countries considered by WHO to be in the "meningitis belt", has reported 18 deaths to the disease.
The threat of advancing desert has necessitated the birth of tree planting campaign in Nigeria, which has become an annual exercise. Such positive efforts towards environmental protection are aiming at increasing social awareness in the country as well.
While the Zimbabwe Investment Agency (ZIA) has recently made public their new investment prospectus chalking out opportunities in waste management and recycling which is a substantial hassle for resource starved local authorities.
On the technology front, Rwanda Internet users in Kigali City will soon be utilizing fast speed mobile wireless Internet called WiBro.
Also In Ghana a competition organized by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) introduced an "Electric Cream" capable of generating intense heat of up to 100 degrees Celsius within four minutes, intended to solve the energy problems of the country. This discovery has been tested and approved by the Chemistry Department of the University of Ghana.
The African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) is currently evaluating the path covered in 20 years, their challenges and what could be done to improve the future.
On the social front a domestic workers' training manual, intended at serving as a reference for both domestic workers and their employers has been launched by LAWA Alumnae Incorporated (LAWA-Ghana).
Economy
The UN has urged the free flow of labour on the African Continent asserting that unless appropriate steps are taken enabling free flow of skills and talent, the African Union's (AU's) facilitation of regional economic co-operation and integration will remain a pipe dream
While oil production in Uganda is expected to shift its economic centre of gravity as the western ledge is likely to become the national power house. Also Ethiopia Airlines is all set for buying 12 Airbuses expected to bring new levels of efficiency for medium-and-long haul operations
At the same time as the East African Investment Conference has stated that the region has a huge renewable energy untapped potential, which investors should help the region to exploit.
China’s foot hold in Africa continues to be quite strong at multiple fronts. Where it is deemed beneficial in certain cases, critical commentary about certain projects is also evident in the media. There is greater cooperation between Nigeria and China with various delegations holding Business Parleys. A Chinese firm is scheduled to take over Munali Mine in Mazabuka next month. In Ghana there was some critique about illegal mining by Chinese investors near River Ankobra resulting in wider spread of flooding near the river.
In the financial sector Gambia’s Oceanic Bank International Plc has expanded its operations by opening shop in Mainland China, a move highly lauded by analysts.
On the international front, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan have acknowledged the support from Gambia and other allies in West Africa in their bid to join world bodies like the World Health Organization and the United Nations. While a Report commissioned by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) declared that the Chinese Agricultural Boom ‘Holds Lessons for Continent’.
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Business and Politics in the Muslim World (BPM)refers to the project entitled, "Globalized Business and Politics: A View from the Muslim World.' This project has been undertaken and developed by the Gilani Research Foundation as a free resource and social discussion tool.
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