22 April 2022
Nigeria: Taking mayflies (ephemeroptera), stoneflies (plecoptera) and caddisflies (trichoptera) as indicators for high-quality freshwater habitats, the author’s research has established three waterfalls in Nigeria as being of excellent ecological quality: Arinta Waterfalls in Ekiti State (southwest), Ekor Waterfalls in Cross River State (southeast) and Oowu Waterfalls in Kwara State (north-central Nigeria). These sites are not only of great importance for the ecosystem, they also have considerable potential in terms of ecotourism – largely untapped so far. Instead there are signs of the onset of human infringement.
https://theconversation.com/nigerias-pristine-freshwater-ecosystems-need-protection-before-they-are-lost-180796
Congo-Kinshasa/East African Community: At a summit of the East African Community in Nairobi, heads of state on Thursday decided the deployment of a joint military force to eastern DRC to combat armed groups (ADF, M23, et al.) operating there. No details were given concerning the size or composition of the joint force. DRC only joined the East African Community in March.
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. 5:14
France/Russia/Mali: PR is a tricky game. Following the adage that attack is the best form of defence, Paris has published pictures taken by drones that allegedly show Russian soldiers/mercenaries burying bodies outside a former French military base with the intention – a fake Twitter account had allegedly already done so – of accusing France of having done the killing.
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. 4:37
Kenya: Mwai Kibaki, Kenyan president from 2002 to 2012 has died aged 90.
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. 9:24
Art/Venice Biennial: Amongst the artists exhibited under the title “A Milk of Dreams” at the 59th Venice Biennial are Zimbabwe's Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, South Africa’s Bronwyn Katz, Algeria’s Baya Mahieddine DRC’s Antoinette Lubaki. “A Milk of Dreams” opens this weekend and runs until end November.
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. 13:56
Art/Venice Biennial Pre-Opening event: Artists, curators, researchers, representatives of cultural institutions from Africa and the diaspora have taken part in the African Art in Venice Forum, discussing “themes such as intra-African co-operation in the cultural sector, digital art and its challenges to the traditional art market, and women’s leadership in the African creative sector” and the restitution of art stolen during colonial times.
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. Around 16:00
Art/Venice Biennial/in the Arsenale: The Arsenale is the second main exhibition space at the 2022 Venice Biennale. Besides works by African-American artist Simone Leigh and Afro-Cuban artist Balkis Ayón, you can see those of Zimbabwean Portia Zvavahera, of the late Eritrean Ficre Ghebreyesus, of Sudanese Ibrahim El-Salahi, of South Africa’s Igshaan Adams, of DRC’s Sandra Mujinga of Kenya’s Magdalene Odundo. “All in all, a feast for African and Africa-inspired art.”
BBC Africa Live 22 April 2022. 17:52
21 April 2022
Kenya: Election time is time for tension. Negative ethnic messages for discrediting political opponents and hate speech are usual. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission was formed in 2008 to go against that – but it cannot act itself against perpetrators, it can only make recommendations to the relevant authorities. Also, targeting election times only will be of not much good, since “Kenyans’ everyday talk is full of ethnic bile, misogynistic utterances and words that are outright dehumanising.” Instead of publishing a (debatable) list of hate speech words to be avoided or banned, the problem needs to be addressed much more comprehensively.
https://theconversation.com/latest-approach-to-kenya-election-hate-speech-raises-more-questions-than-answers-181082
Congo-Brazzaville/Angola/Algeria/Italy: Italian energy company Eni has signed a deal with Brazzaville to up gas supplies by over 4.5bn m3/year. This comes after the signing of similar deals with Angola and Algeria. All this to reduce Rome’s dependence on Russian gas.
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2022. 17:11
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2022. 12:07