03 March 2023
“The ear that listens does not have to be big”
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 4:31 Proverb of the day. An Igbo proverb sent by Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Nwabuike in Enugu, Nigeria.
Mauritania: In this short (2’45’’) video interview, the president explains why his country has been successful in its fight against terrorism – basically it has done what’s necessary, first of all but not only in military terms, with the commitment needed. Pushed on the question by the BBC journalist, he clearly says that he would never accept to have Wagner in the country – Mauritania is a sovereign country. Though, for neighbouring Mali, he does not raise the same objections concerning Barkhane.
BBC Africa Live 02 March 2023. 19:18
Africa/Obesity: By 2035, the World Obesity Federation is expecting half of the world’s population to be obese or overweight; “almost all of the countries expected to see the greatest increases are low or middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.” Childhood obesity is of primary concern. See the report: https://www.worldobesity.org/news/economic-impact-of-overweight-and-obesity-to-surpass-4-trillion-by-2035.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 4:33
Ethiopia: Yesterday Thursday was Adwa Victory Day, the anniversary of the 1896 Adwa Battle where Menelik II’s army won against Italian troops. While the official celebration was held on Meskel Square, a parallel celebration was brutally suppressed by police firing tear gas and maybe even live ammunition with several people injured and maybe one person dead – the National Movement of the Amhara of the opposition saying one of its members was killed by police bullets.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 6:56
Ghana/Fishing: Accra having “Ghana committed to ensuring 100% electronic monitoring of its industrial fisheries at the One Ocean conference in Panama City”, all industrial fishing vessels that operate in Ghanaian waters are henceforth required to be fitted with electronic monitors including cameras.
BBC Africa Live 03 March 2023. 12:26
02 March 2023
South Africa/Sex Work: The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill 2022 suggests total decriminalisation of selling and buying sex. If passed, this would decrease exposure to violence of female sex workers (70% of them have experienced violence in the past year) and put them in a better position to negotiate safer sex and to thus protect themselves against HIV-Aids. Only two other countries – New Zealand and Belgium – have so far fully decriminalised sex work. Decriminalising the selling of sex while buying of it is illegal – called the “Nordic model” as it is practiced in Sweden and Norway – has been shown not to improve matters.
https://theconversation.com/sex-work-in-south-africa-why-both-buying-and-selling-should-be-legal-198742
Malawi: Maurice Munthali has quit. The hitherto president’s special adviser on peace, reconciliation and national unity and also spokesman for the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP), “accus(ing) the MCP of failing to provide ‘the type of leadership and direction that would meet the hopes of all Malawians for a better life’.” Though the president had centred his campaign on the fight against corruption, plenty of corruption scandals have happened since his election, implying people very close to him. Munthali is not the only one to have quit recently, Emmanuel Mwanyongo, a “rising star” within MCP has left the party and coalition partner Kamuzu Chibambo and his party have left the governing alliance.
BBC Africa Live 02 March 2023. 11:56