19 April 2021
South Africa: A fire on Table Mountain’s slopes seems to have destroyed parts of University of Cape Town’s 200 year-old Jagger library. According to the university, some 3,500 collections are thought to be lost, including the Bleek-Lloyd collection of San language and mythology. The extent of the damage will be known once the affected buildings can be accessed safely.
BBC Africa Live 19 April 2021. 15:35
Rwanda/Refugees: Because of lack of funds the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has reduced food aid and halved aid in cash for the more than 100,000 refugees (mainly from Burundi and Congo-Kinshasa) depending on its aid. According to a spokesperson, “WFP continues to appeal for additional resources and hopes in the coming months it ‘can secure sufficient resources to increase the ratio size once again’.”
BBC Africa Live 19 April 2021. 16:40
China’s positive role for peace and security in Africa: The African Union’s peace and security architecture is ineffective, partly because it respects the sovereignty of the nation states too much. It “consists of the Peace and Security Council, supported by the AU Commission, Panel of the Wise, the Continental Early Warning System, African Standby Force and the Africa Peace Fund.” The author thinks that China’s security cooperation with Africa can play a very positive role in bringing peace. Since the first China-Africa Defence and Security Forum in June 2018, this cooperation “focuses on peacekeeping and peace-building missions”. The article says hardly anything concrete about how China contributes/will contribute to Africa’s peace and security architecture. Maybe more is available amongst the results of his linked “ongoing research”: “Beyond Silencing the Guns: China and a new Metaphor for Peace and Security in Africa”, published 20/12/2020: https://ojs.ugent.be/AF/article/view/17576.
https://theconversation.com/peace-and-security-in-africa-how-china-can-help-address-weaknesses-156219
Business skills for the poor? Giving (poor) “people the tools they need to understand the basics of business, they can become more self-confident, autonomous, resilient, and skilled at turning a profit. In short, to move from survival to success.” But the underlying egoism, individualism may contradict a value system oriented towards the community. Based on her research in Northern Kenya, the author suggests focussing on identity when building business skills: individual and community identity, and how to harmonise them.
https://theconversation.com/new-business-skills-can-improve-livelihoods-among-poor-people-how-to-avoid-the-pitfalls-154752
Somalia: Galmudug, Hir-Shabelle, South-West, Puntland and Jubbaland are the five federal states of Somalia. Each has veto power. The federal government has been pushing for direct elections – Puntland and Jubbaland want to maintain indirect elections (traditional elders and civil society representatives choose special delegates who are then nominated to the houses of parliament). For 7 months the resulting deadlock has not been overcome. The lower house of parliament has now extended the president’s term, directing the Electoral Commission to organise one-person-one-vote elections at the end of the two years. The article analyses the implications.
https://theconversation.com/how-a-protracted-political-battle-led-to-the-extension-of-the-somalia-presidents-term-159073
Nigeria: After the recent Boko Haram attacks which specifically targeted humanitarian aid facilities, the UN has temporarily suspended its humanitarian operation in Dikwa and Damasak in Borno State, saying it is closely monitoring the situation and will resume its operations assisting civilians affected by the conflict as soon as possible.
BBC Africa Live 19 April 2021. 5:06
Ethiopia: An unknown number of troops and civilians, including children and women, have been massacred in North Shewa zone of Amhara State, some 250 km northeast of Addis. The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) is thought to be responsible for the attacks. The numerous invaders overpowered “the federal security forces deployed to the area during previous attacks in March - where more than 300 people were killed over several days.”
BBC Africa Live 19 April 2021. 12:30
Nigeria: After a series of mass kidnappings from schools in Nigeria’s north-west, “(i)n addition to a perimeter fence, five guards and a security post, dogs will also be deployed at public boarding schools.” The number of dogs per school is not known. Furthermore, at least three daily prayer sessions will be held at all public schools “to pray against attacks from bandits”.
BBC Africa Live 19 April 2021. 13:01
18 April 2021
Egypt: The mummies of the 22 pharaohs are now on show at their new “resting place” south of Cairo - next to their coffins, with X-ray images also displayed. “Experts at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation took two weeks to carefully examine and unpack the mummies, after they were transported there in a lavish ceremony.”
BBC Africa Latest Updates 18 April 2021. 10:02
Chad: Rebels advance on the capital Ndjamena from two directions. “The rebel Front for Change and Concord in Chad (…) said it seized a garrison on Friday. The Chadian military said it destroyed a rebel convoy on Saturday.” Heavily armed security personnel is very visible on Ndjamena’s streets.
BBC Africa Latest Updates 18 April 2021. 9:52