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News and information from the fast-changing continent.
Africa: Nothing to Celebrate on World's Children's Day
[UN] On November 20th, we commemorate World’s Children’s Day, an occasion to take a step back and reflect. Reflect on our achievements but also on the remaining progress that we need to accomplish to fulfill the rights of every child.
The recognition of a child, as well as their rights and needs, is enshrined in the most widely ratified Convention of the United Nations, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). More than thirty years have passed since the adoption of the CRC in 1989 and yet,
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Namibia: 80% of Namibia's Children Not Getting Enough Water Daily
[Namibian] Eight out of every 10 children in Namibia do not have enough water to meet their daily needs.
Namibia has been named one of the most impacted countries along with Niger, Jordan, Burkina Faso, Yemen and Chad.
This is according a United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) report titled 'The Climate Change Child', which was released ahead of the COP28 climate change summit.
"In 2022, 436 million children were living in areas facing extreme water vulnerability," the report reads.
It says 80,6 % of Namibian
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Sudan: Civil Society Groups Call for 'Decisive Action' From International Stakeholders
[Dabanga] A group of 50 Sudanese and international civil society groups released a statement to mark seven months since the outbreak of war, sounding the alarm on the risk of further atrocities in Sudan and calling for decisive action from international stakeholders.
Conflict erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and despite both parties attending peace talks in Jeddah, there are no signs of de-escalation. Sudanese civilians are paying the cost of this war as
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Nigeria: In Berlin, Tinubu Pushes for Investment in Nigeria's Power, Rail Transport Sectors
[This Day] President Bola Tinubu met with German Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, yesterday in Berlin, where he stated that Nigeria's pursuit of German investment in targeted sectors of the economy was focused on critical growth-enabling industries in energy, transportation, and electric power production, transmission, and distribution.
Tinubu spoke on the side-lines of the G20 Compact with Africa Economic Conference in Berlin.
Recognising the success of Siemens AG in positively transforming the quantity and quality
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Uganda: Democracy in Uganda On a Downward Spiral, Says Afrobarometer Survey
[Nile Post] Alarming revelations from a recent Afrobarometer survey suggest that Uganda's democracy is facing a perilous decline, prompting concerns among politicians and researchers about the potential consequences if immediate action is not taken.
The 2021/2022 survey, spanning over 39 countries, including Uganda, indicates a stark disparity between the demand for democracy and its actual implementation.
Experts warn that this trend is contributing to a surge in coups across Africa, particularly in the western
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Ethiopia: More Than a Dozen People Killed in Govt Drone Strikes in Amhara - UN
[Addis Standard] According to a recent statement by the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), drone strikes by Ethiopian government forces in the Amhara region have resulted in the deaths of at least 20 civilians.
The attacks targeted a school and a bus station over the past week, raising concerns about human rights abuses amidst ongoing clashes in Amhara. These airstrikes took place amidst escalating tensions between the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and allied militias on one
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Africa: Why Aren't Sanctions Preventing Coups in Africa?
[ISS] Sanctions and suspensions of membership from the AU and regional blocs aren't as effective as they once were.
In response to the resurgence of coups since 2019, the African Union (AU) and regional economic blocs have issued sanctions against errant states, predominantly by suspending their membership. But despite an impressive record of taking action, the persistence of coups and other unconstitutional changes of government raises doubts about their effectiveness.
Between June 2019 and August 2023, the AU
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South Africa: Opposition MPs Walk Out of Hearing on Parliament Stage Storming - South African News Briefs - November 21, 2023
[allAfrica]
EFF MPs Accuse Parliament of Unfair Process, Walk Out of Hearing
Six members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have been charged with contempt of parliament charges for their action during President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation (SONA) address in February, reports Mail & Guardian. The MPs walked out of a disciplinary hearing on the incident, labeling it a "kangaroo court" due to the denial of a postponement request. They are now taking the matter to the Western Cape High Court. The
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Nigeria: Experts Fear Nigeria's Food Inflation Could Worsen Hunger Crisis
[VOA] Millions of people in Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, are struggling with economic problems analysts say were caused in part by government reform policies introduced earlier this year.
Nigeria scrapped fuel subsidies in May leading to price hikes in food, transportation and energy costs. Data released last week by the National Bureau of Statistics showed Nigeria's inflation hit an 18-year high of 27.3%. Analysts say the trend could exacerbate suffering in a country with an estimated 25 million
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South Africa: Israel Recalls South African Ambassador Ahead of Parliamentary Vote On Shutting Pretoria Embassy
[Daily Maverick] Israel has recalled Ambassador Eliav Belotserkovsky 'for consultations' as Parliament was expected to vote on Tuesday on whether to close the Israeli embassy in South Africa. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa was due to lead a BRICS discussion on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Israel has recalled its ambassador to South Africa after strong criticism by Pretoria and the ANC of Israel's continuing military assault on Gaza.
The Israeli government has recalled Ambassador Eliav Belotserkovsky "for
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Sudan: At Least 5 Million Children At the Brink in Darfur As Unchecked Conflict Worsens
[Unicef] In the last seven months of fighting in Sudan, reported cases of children killed and injured in Darfur spiked 550 per cent when compared to all of 2022.
The escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan over the last seven months has reached a grim milestone in Darfur, where at least 5 million children are facing extreme deprivation of their rights and protection risks due to ongoing conflict.
Since the war broke out on April 15, over 3,130 allegations of severe child rights violations have been reported in the
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Africa: Antibiotic Resistance Causes More Deaths Than Malaria and HIV/Aids Combined
[The Conversation Africa] Each year antimicrobial resistance - the ability of microbes to survive agents designed to kill them - claims more lives than malaria and HIV/Aids combined. Africa bears the brunt of this development, which thrives on inequality and poverty. Nadine Dreyer asked Tom Nyirenda, a research scientist with over 27 years' experience in infectious diseases, what health organisations on the continent are doing to fight this threat to medical progress.
What is antimicrobial resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance
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Africa: Early Births - Between 34 and 37 Weeks - for Moms With Pre-Eclampsia Can Reduce Baby and Mother Deaths
[The Conversation Africa] About half a million babies die each year as a result of pre-eclampsia, an aggressive and potentially life-threatening problem in pregnancy. Approximately 46,000 women also die each year due to the disorder.
The condition - a high blood pressure (hypertension) disorder - can affect multiple organs in the woman's body, including the liver, kidneys, heart, brain and blood clotting system, as well as the growth and development of the foetus. If severe, and untreated, it can lead to the placenta detaching from
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Nigeria: Burna Boy, Rema Win Inaugural Afrobeats Awards
[Leadership] The duo of Burna Boy and Rema have won the inaugural Afrobeat categories at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards held on Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Burna Boy won the Top Afrobeats Artiste, while Rema's 'Calm Down' remix featuring Selena Gomez snagged the gong for the 'Top Afrobeats Song'.
The 'African Giant' crooner beat stiff competitions from Wizkid, Rema, Tems, and Cameroonian star, Libianca, on his way to making history as the first-ever winner of the newly-created 'Top Afrobeats Artiste' category.
The
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South Africa: Fixing School Infrastructure Vital to Stop Learning Crisis - Equal Education Report
[allAfrica] November 29 marks the 10th anniversary of Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga signing the Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure into law. And despite this legislation clearly stating that all schools should have been provided with libraries and laboratories by then - as well as sufficient electricity, water, safe toilets, classrooms, fences, and internet - many learners across the country struggle to receive quality education with poor school conditions.
The South African
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Mozambique: At Least 40 People Killed By Wild Animal In Tete Over Last Seven Months
[AIM] - AT LEAST 40 PEOPLE KILLED BY WILD ANIMALS IN TETE OVER LAST SEVEN MONTHS Maputo, 20 Nov (AIM) - At least 40 people have lost their lives as result of attacks by wild animals, over the last seven months, in the central Mozambican province of Tete.
According to Óscar Zalimba, director of Territorial Development and Environment in Tete, speaking recently to reporters, the human-wildlife conflict is very worrying, "we recorded eleven more cases this year, when compared to 2022.' The deaths, which
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Kenya: High Court Halts Suspension of 67 Police Officers Over Corruption Allegations
[Capital FM] The High Court has issued an injunction to halt the suspension of 67 police officers following a decision made by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
The move follows a petition filed by activist Memba Ocharo, represented by lawyer Danstan Omari, who argued that Koskei's decision was procedurally irregular.
Ocharo's lawsuit aims to overturn the suspension, asserting that it directly violates constitutional provisions safeguarding the independence of the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service offices.
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South Africa: Khayelitsha Residents Document Their Daily Struggle With Toilets
[GroundUp] Photographic exhibition shows access to sanitation from the perspective of people living in informal settlements
Khayelitsha residents exhibited photos they took of toilets in informal settlements on Thursday. The event was under the auspices of the Politics and Urban Governance Research Group (PUG) and took place at the University of Western Cape Public Health building.
Thirteen residents from BM section were trained to use cameras using film to document their daily experiences with ablution facilities.
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Rwanda Ranked Fifth Most Environmentally Sustainable Country
[New Times] Efforts in sustainability strategies, programmes, and investments have ranked Rwanda as the fifth most environmentally sustainable country in Africa, according to a new report.
In this era of adverse challenges drawing from climate change with developing countries being the most affected, Rwanda has moved to galvanise efforts with the main objective of accelerating private sector-led economic growth and increased productivity, focusing on the promotion of sustainable management of the environment and
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Africa: Plastic Pollution Crisis Deepens Despite Global Efforts
[allAfrica] Every year, humanity produces a staggering 430 million tonnes of plastic, two-thirds of which quickly becomes waste. This relentless tide of plastic is polluting our land, sea, and air, and it's increasingly finding its way into our food chain. By 2060, experts estimate that global plastic production will surpass a staggering billion tonnes, further exacerbating this growing crisis.
The World Health Organization (WHO) paints a grim picture, revealing that less than 10% of the world's annual plastic
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Senegal: Opposition Chooses New Candidate for Presidential Election
[RFI] Following Senegal's Supreme Court ruling on opposition leader Ousmane Sonko's ineligibility last Friday, his Pastef party announced another candidate to defy President Macky Sall in the upcoming presidential election.
The opposition Pastef party on Sunday designated Bassirou Diomaye Faye, secretary-general of the party and right-hand man of Ousmane Sonko, as its candidate for the February poll.
On Friday, Sonko, was told by both the Supreme Court in Senegal, and the ECOWAS court in Nigeria, that he could
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Libyan Desert's Yellow Glass - How We Discovered the Origin of These Rare and Mysterious Shards
[The Conversation Africa] The Great Sand Sea Desert stretches over an area of 72,000km2 linking Egypt and Libya. If you find yourself in a particular part of the desert in south-east Libya and south-western parts of Egypt, you'll spot pieces of yellow glass scattered across the sandy landscape.
It was first described in a scientific paper in 1933 and is known as Libyan desert glass. Mineral collectors value it for its beauty, its relative rarity - and its mystery. A pendant found in Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb contains a
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Congo-Kinshasa: Opposition Leader Moïse Katumbi Officially Launches Presidential Campaign
[RFI] The former governor of Katanga and leading opposition figure, Moïse Katumbi, has officially launched his campaign to become the next president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking on the launch of his campaign in Kisangani on Monday, Katumbi said: "Today's campaign launch is another step towards a brighter future for this city, and for this country."
"The needs of the Congolese have been neglected for too long, he added.
"Armed with my programme, which we launched last week in Kinshasa,
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Africa: UN Urges Dramatic Climate Action As Records Keep Tumbling
[UN News] With global temperatures soaring and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reaching unprecedented levels, dramatic climate action is needed to steer the world away from runaway climate change and align it to the objectives of the Paris Agreement, a major UN report has found.
The 2023 Emissions Gap Report, released on Monday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), carried a clear message - unless countries step up climate action and deliver more than promised in their 2030 pledges, the world is heading for a
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Africa: Talks On New Global Plastic Treaty 'Held Hostage' By Petrochemical Industry
[Daily Maverick] Negotiations on a global plastic treaty stalled in Kenya at the weekend, with some non-government groups describing the talks as a 'massive failure'.
Negotiations to craft a legally binding treaty to control global plastic pollution and harmful plastic products ended on a subdued note in Kenya at the weekend, after progress was seemingly "held hostage" by the vested interests of the oil and plastics industries.
Senior United Nations officials tried to put a brave face on things and urged negotiators to
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Nigeria: 'Your Money Is Not Your Money' - Mikel Speaks About Being an African Soccer Player
[Scrolla] Nigerian football legend John Obi Mikel spoke about the difficulties of being in the game, saying that as an African you effectively pay additional taxes.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand's Vibe with FIVE podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder said that players often need to send money home to support family members left behind.
"When you come from Africa - and this is something I don't think we speak a lot about - when you make money, it is not your money. You have all these relatives, cousins, whatever," he
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West Africa: Nigeria Rallies Support for Fight Against Illicit Financial Flows in West Africa
[Premium Times] Nigeria's Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made the appeal at the inauguration of the 27th Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of GIABA, in Abuja.
Nigeria on Monday called on the Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) to develop an institutional framework for the enforcement of financial crimes regulations in the sub-region.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made the appeal at the inauguration of
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Kenya: President Ruto in Germany to Seek Jobs for Kenyans
[Capital FM] President William Ruto is in Germany to explore employment opportunities for Kenyan citizens in the European nation.
Addressing a congregation in Sotik, Bomet County, Ruto said his decision was prompted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Kenya in May, during which Scholz unveiled plans to welcome 250,000 Kenyan professionals, skilled laborers, and semi-skilled workers to address Germany's significant labor needs.
"I was in Saudi Arabia, the German chancellor visited Kenya a few months ago, and
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Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Signs Agreement for SADC Troop Deployment
[allAfrica] President Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo signed an agreement in Kinshasa on November 17, 2023, that will allow for the deployment of Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops to the east of the country, for peacekeeping in the volatile region where civilians were terrorised by armed groups for decades.
The deployment by SADC was first agreed on at a summit in Namibia on May 7, 2023, after Southern African leaders expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation prevailing
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Mali: Mass Grave Found In Kidal By Mali Army
[allAfrica] A mass grave has been found in the north-eastern town of Kidal by Mali forces who recaptured the town from ethnic Tuareg separatists on November 16, 2023. The army gave no further details but said investigations were under way to bring those responsible to justice.
Civilians have been bearing the brunt of the fighting between militants and the Mali armed forces. Mali forces retook Kidal while the United Nations peacekeeping mission MINUSMA were leaving their camp in the rebel stronghold of Kidal, in
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