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US’ bid to win back influence in Africa

The new partnerships of the African countries have reduced its dependence on Western aid. The diversification of African countries development partnership, nevertheless, has alarmed the Western powers as it might dilute their standing in the continent geo-politically…reports Asian Lite News

The three-day US-Africa Summit was convened in Washington during December 13-15, 2022, with delegates from 49 African countries out of a total of 54 participating along with representatives from civil society and the private sector, young leaders and African diaspora in the US participated invarious events during the period.

The summit was aimed at strengthened ties with African partners through dialogue and collaboration including economic engagement, promoting democracy and protecting human rights, mitigating the impact of Covid-19 and future pandemics, promoting food security and strengthening regional and global health, responding to the climate crisis and advancing peace and security.

The interest of the African countries in attending the summit was to find ways and means for post-Covid-19 economic recovery and address food and energy security being aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine war. This summit seen from a diplomatic perspective was an effort of the US to reframe its relationship with Africa in view of its rising stakes vis-a-vis increasing footprints of rival powers in the continent, particularly China and Russia.

The first day of the summit featured sessions on topics ranging from trade and investment; to health and climate change; to peace, security, and governance; to space cooperation. The second day focussed on increasing two-way trade and investment at the US-Africa Business Forum. CEOs and private sector leadership from 300 American and African companies participated in the forum.



The third and final day had a session titled “partnering on agenda 2063”, the African Union’s strategic vision for the continent, followed by discussion on food security and food system resilience.

It is with regard to this long-term agenda that African countries go to big powers for funding and technological support. China, in particular, has taken asymmetric advantages from the African countries as a major fund provider. Although volume of new Chinese loans to African government’s has dropped from a peak of $28.4 billion in 2016 to $1.9 billion in 2020 due to pandemic, many analysts point out that the Chinese loans have created financial instability due mainly to unsustainable debts. US sees this with concern.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned African leaders at the summit that the rising influence of China and Russia posed a risk of “destabilising” the continent. President Joe Biden tried to use personal diplomacy to win back US influence in the continent.

The US considered conveying the summit after a gap of eight years. During these eight years, other global powers including the EU, China, Japan, Turkey, India and the UAE have become Africa’s development partners. But the other development partners, especially, India and the EU are not seen with suspicion, contrary to Chinese image of as an exploiter of the continent’s resources without ensuring commensurate gains for them. The new partnerships of the African countries have reduced its dependence on Western aid. The diversification of African countries development partnership, nevertheless, has alarmed the Western powers as it might dilute their standing in the continent geo-politically.

Austin told a panel with several presidents at the start of the three-day summit that US rivals had a different approach. “The combination of those activities by those two countries (China & Russia), I think that bears watching. And certainly, I think their influence can be destabilising.”

Austin said China was raising its footprint in Africa “on a daily basis” through its growing economic influence. “The troubling piece there is they’re not always transparent in terms of what they’re doing and that creates problems that will be eventually destabilising if they’re not already,” he said.

Realising that Trump years saw a decline in the US engagement with the African continent, the US is making efforts to enhance its engagement. The Biden administration had released the new “US Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa”, which emphasised the growth potential of the region, diversity in the eco-systems and their power as a group in UN voting, making them crucial in shaping the world’s future.

In the Africa Business Forum on the second day of the summit, President Biden said: “When Africa succeeds, the United States succeeds. Quite frankly, the whole world succeeds as well.”



The agenda is to win back influence in Africa in the fluid geo-political order, and specially when China is increasing its footprints to exploit the natural resources of the continent without compensating them adequately by development of infrastructure and making them more vulnerable. China is also developing its military infrastructure in the continent.

The US agenda is to win back influence in Africa amid a fluid geopolitical order. The Biden administration has stressed working with the African Union, both on the security and diplomatic fronts. The US support for the African Union to gain a formal berth in the Group of 20 club of major economies, months after he threw support behind a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council are steps in that direction.

African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat hailed the US support but warned that there was still far more focus on fighting extremists in the Middle East. “This double standard has had disastrous consequences for Africa and for peace and democracy in the world.” Meanwhile, Biden’s administration plans to unveil $55 billion for Africa over three years.

In one of the first announcements, the White House said the US would invest $4 billion by 2025 fiscal year to train African health workers, a rising priority for Washington since the Covid-19 pandemic. The US engagement in Africa may raise greater hope as it appears more constructive than that of China

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US to counter China by expanding trade ties with Africa

The US want to wrest control of the supply chain for electric car batteries from China in Africa, where reports of child abuse and forced labour are rampant.

In order to counter China in Africa, which has made inroads with investments and trade, the US sought to expand its influence by bolstering trade ties in the continent, writes Arianna Skibell in Politico.

Biden administration is planning investments in the supply chain for electric car batteries in Africa. The US want to wrest control of the supply chain for electric car batteries from China in Africa, where reports of child abuse and forced labour are rampant, writes Politico’s E&E News reporter David Iaconangelo.

Notably, China is playing out in African mines. Zambia and Congo are major sources of cobalt and copper, key ingredients for lithium-ion batteries.

Once extracted, the bulk of those minerals are exported to China, where 75 per cent of the world’s lithium-ion batteries are made, writes Skibell.

The US wants to disrupt that flow by helping Congo and Zambia not only extract minerals but also process, manufacture and assemble them into batteries.

“This is the future, and it is happening in (Congo) and in Zambia,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken proclaimed last month at the signing of a US agreement with the central and southern African nations.

While the US agreement to help these African countries create a competitive battery industry doesn’t mention China, success there could create a new base for competing against the Asian superpower.

At the same time, it could open the door for new partnerships with US car companies, reported Politico.

That could be crucial for helping President Joe Biden meet his goal of having electric vehicles account for half of all new US car sales by the decade’s end.

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Analysts predict a looming supply shortage of critical minerals, reported Politico.

Progress on the world’s rising climate action ambitions could be undermined by a shortage of some of the critical minerals used in clean-energy technologies including wind turbines, solar farms and electric vehicles (EVs), unless governments act now to head off a “looming mismatch” in supply and demand, according to a far-reaching report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

It is pertinent to note that Chinese trade with Africa is about four times that of the United States. Beijing has become an important creditor by offering cheaper loans – often with opaque terms and collateral requirements – than Western lenders.

According to a Eurasia Group analysis, in 2021 China-Africa trade, at USD 254 billion, vastly outstripped US-Africa trade, which stood at USD 64.3 billion. Those figures are up from USD 12 billion and USD 21 billion, respectively, in 2002.

Western leaders have sharply criticized what they see as Beijing’s foot-dragging in addressing the heavy debt burden facing many African countries.

China remains the region’s largest bilateral investor, but its new loan commitments to Africa have declined in recent years.

It’s not all about economic sway – Washington has been alarmed by China’s efforts to establish a military foothold in Africa, including on the Atlantic coast in Equatorial Guinea. (ANI)

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Humanitarian aid remains priority in Ethiopia

Despite easing curbs, relief efforts in Ethiopia's Tigray challenged.(pic credit: https://twitter.com/OCHA_Ethiopia)

The UN body also said although humanitarian actors are now moving supplies into the Tigray region, they are not enough to meet growing needs…reports Asian Lite News

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said humanitarian access and the delivery of urgently needed assistance to conflict-affected parts of northern Ethiopia remain a key priority to ensure people’s recovery from conflict.

The FAO, in its latest humanitarian response overview for Ethiopia, said humanitarian assistance has slowly started to reach people affected by the conflict, following the recently signed peace agreement between the government in Addis Ababa and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

“However, humanitarian access and the delivery of urgently needed assistance, especially in Tigray, remain key priorities to ensure people are able to recover from conflict,” it said.

According to the FAO, across the three conflict-affected regions in northern Ethiopia that are Afar, Amhara and Tigray, the conflict has further contributed to mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and limited access to markets, food and basic services.

“It has likewise hindered many communities from engaging in agricultural activities, as well as accessing farm inputs (seeds, fertilizer and tools) and vital services (healthcare, education, banking and water),” it said.

The UN body also said although humanitarian actors are now moving supplies into the Tigray region, they are not enough to meet growing needs.

“This distinct lack of resources and limited access to humanitarian support has diminished people’s coping capacities, increasing their vulnerability to additional shocks and stressors,” the FAO said.

According to the FAO, in the just-started 2023, it will prioritise the restoration of people’s agricultural livelihoods, particularly in conflict and drought-affected parts of Ethiopia, so as to ensure people have the resources they need to strengthen their resilience.

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which left thousands dead and millions more in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

In November 2022, the two parties in the Ethiopian conflict formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities and orderly disarmament.

The deal also includes restoring law and order, restoring services and unhindered access to humanitarian supplies.

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India to deploy women peacekeepers to UN Mission in Sudan

The viability of the UN’s peace and security efforts depends in large part on the contribution of women peacekeepers…reports Asian Lite News

India deploys a women-only platoon of peacekeepers to the UN Mission in Abyei on the border of Sudan and South Sudan as part of the Indian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force, Abyei (UNISFA).

The Indian contingent, which consists of two officers and 25 other ranks, will work as a platoon in an engagement and specialise in community outreach in addition to carrying out numerous security-related duties. India is among the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping. This time India is deploying the largest single unit of female Blue Helmets in a UN mission since 2007. The action indicates India’s intention to substantially increase the proportion of women in peacekeeping contingents.

“India is deploying an all-women’s platoon of peacekeepers as part of our battalion to the UN Mission in Abyei UNISFA. This is the single largest deployment of women peacekeepers in recent years. Good wishes to the team,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN ambassador Ruchira Kamboj tweeted.

EAM Dr. S Jaishankar expressed his pride regarding the deployment and tweeted, “Our cherished tradition of UN Peacekeeping reflects #NariShakti again. Confident that they will discharge their blue helmet responsibilities fully and do the nation proud.”

The press release from the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations stated, “Their presence will be especially welcome in Abyei, where a recent spurt in violence has triggered a spate of challenging humanitarian concerns for women and children in the conflict zone.”

The viability of the UN’s peace and security efforts depends in large part on the contribution of women peacekeepers. More women than ever before hold executive positions in UN peacekeeping. Women work with the UN as citizens, police officers, and military personnel.

Women peacekeepers are highly acclaimed in peacekeeping missions all around the world for their capacity to interact with local women and children, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault in conflict areas. Women from India have a long history of participating in peacekeeping.

India was the first country to deploy the first-ever all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) in the history of United Nations peacekeeping in Liberia on 30th January 2007. It consisted of 103 women performing operational tasks and providing round-the-clock security, carrying out nighttime patrols in the capital Monrovia, and assisting in enhancing the capabilities of the Liberian police. It motivated a generation of Liberian women to work in the nation’s security field.

Indian women have a long history of participating in UN peacekeeping deployments. Before being sent to the Republic of the Congo in 1960, women working in the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services were interviewed by UN Radio.

In 2014, Indian cop Shakti Devi of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who was deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), was awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award by the UN’s Police Division for her exceptional achievements. The Indian Army’s Major Suman Gawani received the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her work as a peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2019. Dr. Kiran Bedi was the UN’s first Police Adviser. These women have made a very significant mark in India’s contribution towards the UN Mission of peacekeeping.

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Uncertain economic outlook clouds Africa in 2023  

Despite easing curbs, relief efforts in Ethiopia's Tigray challenged.(pic credit: https://twitter.com/OCHA_Ethiopia)

To cope with the unpredictability of the international market and possible crises, economists urged African states to reduce their reliance on the outside by diversifying their economies …reports Asian Lite News

For the first time since 2009, global growth will be weak, not going beyond 2%, according to the IMF figures.

Growth in Africa will therefore be subject to external shocks and be plunged into uncertainty.

To cope with the unpredictability of the international market and possible crises, economists urged African states to reduce their reliance on the outside by diversifying their economies putting great emphasis on agriculture and industrialization.

Cameroonian economist Eugène Nyam said, “In Togo, the Guaranteed Minimum Inter-Occupational Wage has risen from 60 to nearly $90. Representatives of private-sector employers and trade unions agreed on this increase.”

Argan oil from Morocco is renowned for its many benefits. The turnover of the sector tripled between 2012 and 2019 to reach nearly 110 million dollars.

The kingdom has integrated argan into its agricultural strategy for 2023. It aims to transform the traditional crop into a modern, profitable and high-value sector and plans to double its production and promote the emergence of new middle-class farmers.

Crucially, these regional heavyweights will remain stuck in slow-growth mode, amid more challenging domestic and external economic conditions. South Africa will grow by just 1.5% in 2023 as higher interest rates, power supply issues and weak demand weigh on domestic and export-oriented business activity. The country could easily enter a technical recession—two consecutive quarters of negative real GDP growth—in 2023. Similar conditions will hamper growth in Nigeria, although the economy will benefit from resilient commodities trade and dynamic consumer goods and services markets in major cities, pushing growth to 3.1% in 2023.

In February, all eyes will be on the presidential election in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy. But whoever wins the contest, Nigeria’s next president faces a daunting task in reviving a moribund economy. Despite its plentiful oil reserves, theft from pipelines, corruption and a lack of refining capacity means that the country continues to spend billions on wasteful fuel subsidies. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s economic growth will likely continue to be restricted by the government’s tight control of the naira and penchant for state interference in the economy.

Egypt continues to be greatly exposed to the global supply chain disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. With no end in sight to the war, reduced harvests and wheat exports still held up in the Black Sea, Egypt will continue to look at diversifying its food supply. Egypt will post growth of just under 3%, which will be less than half of that recorded in 2022, with the economy propped up as interest rates rise by a positive external contribution as real exports are supported by devaluation of the pound and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales to energy-strapped Europe.

But although foreign investors pulled $20bn out of the country’s debt market in February 2022, Cairo ended the year on a strong note, securing a $3bn IMF loan which is expected to catalyst additional financing of about $14bn from Egypt’s international and regional partners.

The continent’s second-largest economy, South Africa, is again expected to face a difficult year. According to the IMF, GDP growth is expected to rise by just 2.1% in 2023. External shocks are likely to be exacerbated by ongoing political instability, as the country’s institutions and services continue to decline.

In East and West Africa, analysts are looking to Kenya and Senegal to lead the way. Kenya is recovering from the uncertainties of national elections held in August 2022 and will be the fastest-growing major economy in Africa during 2023, posting real GDP growth in the region of 5.3%.

William Ruto administration is getting underway with its plans to unleash the “hustler nation” of small enterprises and informal traders. Ruto has already made some eye-catching moves to boost investor confidence, including removing the fuel subsidy, cutting back on pre-election spending pledges and winning a bigger-than-expected tranche of IMF funding. With a 5.3% growth expected this year, analysts hope that Ruto can go some way towards delivering on his ambitious election pledges. Meanwhile, Senegal’s plan to commence hydrocarbon exports from its large offshore reserves is prompting excitement among investors. Yet, experts caution that careful planning will be needed to avoid the “resource curse” that has afflicted so many other African countries.

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UN, allies concerned about rising violence in South Sudan

WFP gets $1.29mn to scale up humanitarian aid to South Sudan

The UN and international partners said the escalating ongoing violence had resulted in the loss of lives amid reports of the alleged use of heavy weaponry…reports Asian Lite News

The UN and international partners have expressed concerns over escalating violence in eastern South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area by armed youth from Jonglei state.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the African Union Mission in South Sudan, the European Union, and other regional bodies urged involved parties to cease hostilities immediately, exercise restraint, and respect human rights, Xinhua news agency reported.

“While the primary responsibility for protecting civilians lies with the Transitional government of South Sudan, UNMISS and international partners stand ready to provide all necessary support to protect civilians in affected areas,” they said in a joint statement issued in the South Sudanese capital of Juba on Wednesday.

The partners said the escalating ongoing violence had resulted in the loss of lives amid reports of the alleged use of heavy weaponry. The partners called on South Sudanese leaders to urgently intervene to stop the fighting and ensure the safety and security of civilians as well as unimpeded humanitarian access to people affected by the fighting.

The partners also stressed the need to investigate and hold accountable all perpetrators of the conflict, including those who were instigating and inciting violence and those responsible for the abduction of women and children. They encouraged national politicians and traditional leaders to persuade youth to immediately stop the violence and pursue a dialogue-based approach that focuses on restoring calm and peacefully resolving the root causes of the conflict.

UNMISS said it was intensifying patrols in conflict hotspots and closely monitoring the situation, noting that such fighting had in the past led to significant loss of life and large-scale civilian displacement.

The partners reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of this uncalled-for violence that poses a serious risk to the peace and stability of the South Sudanese people. They further requested the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, a ceasefire monitoring body, to investigate the violence and urge the parties to the conflict to facilitate access.

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Ramaphosa re-elected to lead ANC

Ascendancy to the helm of the African National Congress (ANC), in power for almost three decades, is a steppingstone to a second term as head of state…reports Asian Lite News

Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of South Africa’s ruling ANC party on Monday, despite being badly damaged by a cash-heist scandal that has dogged him for months.

Ascendancy to the helm of the African National Congress (ANC), in power for almost three decades, is a steppingstone to a second term as head of state.

But the 70-year-old is on much shakier ground than when he was first elected party leader in 2017, amid deep divisions within the ANC — the party shaped by Nelson Mandela to spearhead the struggle to end apartheid.

Ramaphosa promised a “new dawn” for South Africa when he became president in 2018, but his image has been dented by scandal and a lackluster economy.

Earlier this month, he survived an opposition-led attempt to open impeachment proceedings against him over accusations he attempted to conceal a burglary at his farmhouse.

Details about the huge cash haul, stolen from under sofa cushions, have dealt a massive reputational blow to the man who took the reins of Africa’s most industrialized economy on a pledge to root out graft.

Born on November 17, 1952, in Johannesburg’s Soweto township — the cradle of the anti-apartheid struggle — to a policeman and a stay-at-home mother, Ramaphosa had long eyed South Africa’s top job, but only came to it after a long detour.

He took up activism while studying law in the 1970s and spent 11 months in solitary confinement in 1974. Ramaphosa turned to trade unionism, one of the few legal ways of protesting the white-minority regime.

A protege of Mandela, who once described him as one of the most gifted leaders of the “new generation,” Ramaphosa stood alongside the anti-apartheid icon when he walked out of jail in 1990.

He was a key member of the task force that steered the transition to democracy.

But after missing out on becoming Mandela’s successor, Ramaphosa swapped politics for a foray into business that made him one of the wealthiest people in Africa.

In 2012, his image was badly tarnished when police killed 34 striking workers at a platinum mine, where he was then a non-executive director and had called for a crackdown on the miners.

He became Zuma’s vice president in 2014, often drawing criticism for failing to speak out against government corruption.

Renowned for his patience and strategic thinking, Ramaphosa narrowly defeated pro-Zuma rivals to take over leadership of the ANC party in 2017 and then the presidency when Zuma was forced out two months later.

Relaxed at public appearances, he attracts a support base that crosses South Africa’s racial and class divides, but still faces strong opposition from inside the ANC.

His anti-corruption drive has yielded some results, with charges being brought against some high-profile figures.

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Tensions rise between Burkina Faso and Ghana

Faced with jihadist attacks since 2015, Burkina Faso has been increasing ties with Russia in a bid to defeat the rebels…reports Asian Lite News

Tensions are rising between Burkina Faso and neighbouring Ghana following Ghana’s claim that Ouagadougo had invited Russian mercenaries into the country.

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo made the comments last Wednesday sparking a diplomatic row.

“These 48 hours were marked by the words of Ghana’s president Nana Akufo Addo on an alleged contract between the transitional government and a private Russian company. Faced with such a situation, the logical thing to do was to urgently summon the Ghanaian ambassador in Ouagadougou, but also our ambassador in Accra for consultation”, said Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s Deputy Minister for Regional Cooperation.

Faced with jihadist attacks since 2015, Burkina Faso has been increasing ties with Russia in a bid to defeat the rebels.

“As for our ambassador in Accra, he reported to us as soon as these remarks were made. So we also invited him for consultation so that we could examine together what action would be taken on this matter. In any case, a verbal note of protest was sent to the Republic of Ghana via its national representation in Burkina Faso”, added the Deputy Minister for Regional Cooperation.

Moscow has been actively courting public opinion on social media and enjoys growing popular support in several French-speaking African countries as France, the former colonial power, is increasingly reviled.

The new self-proclaimed head of the new military junta in Burkina Faso has called for an end to acts of “violence and vandalism” against France, amid high tension two days after the country’s latest coup.

The head of Burkina Faso’s ousted junta, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who was overthrown on Friday by his rival Captain Ibrahim Traoré, agreed to resign this Sunday, after initially refusing to abdicate.

Damiba agreed to step down as long as his security and other conditions were met, and the new junta leader who overthrew him has accepted the deal, religious leaders mediating the West African nation’s latest political crisis said on Sunday.

French institutions in the West African nation have been attacked over the weekend, following reports that the former colonial power had given protection to Burkina Faso’s deposed leader, allegations strongly denied by Paris.

On Sunday, protesters were dispersed with tear gas from inside the French embassy in Ouagadougou.

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16 killed by heavy rains in Johannesburg

Photo taken on April 13, 2022 shows containers swept down by floods in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The death toll due to heavy rains in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Province has risen to 253, said a government official on Wednesday. (Photo by Lebohang Motaung/Xinhua/IANS)

The torrential rains have damaged property, fauna and flora, and essential infrastructure, particularly roads, traffic lights, buildings, substations, power stations and pipelines…reports Asian Lite News

Heavy rains have killed 16 people in South Africa’s largest city Johannesburg in the last two weeks, an official has said.

“Thus far, 23 people have been rescued by Joburg Emergency Medical Services and 148 people have been rescued by the police search and rescue,” Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse said at a media briefing.

The torrential rains have damaged property, fauna and flora, and essential infrastructure, particularly roads, traffic lights, buildings, substations, power stations and pipelines, she said.

Meanwhile, the country’s power utility Eskom is battling to restore the electricity supply affected by the floods that hit Johannesburg last weekend.

“Load shedding has further compounded our challenges with the maintenance and repair of infrastructure that has been severely damaged by the floods. There are approximately 5,000 outstanding calls logged to post the flooding, which need to be attended to, fixed, and cleared over the next 72 hours of reprieve,” Phalatse has said on Thursday.

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ANC starts conference to elect new leader

More than 4,000 delegates from across the country are attending the conference, which is scheduled to end on Tuesday and expected to elect the party’s top leadership for the next five years…reports Asian Lite News

South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), started its 55th national conference in Johannesburg.

More than 4,000 delegates from across the country are attending the conference, which is scheduled to end on Tuesday and expected to elect the party’s top leadership for the next five years.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, also President of South Africa, stated in his political report to the conference that in the past five years the country had low economic growth, blaming it on corruption, state capture, COVID-19 and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“State capture” is a term referring to high-level graft involving plunder of state resources and attempts to influence policy.

“Insecurity of electricity supply continues to be one of the greatest impediments to economic recovery,” he said. “Poor policy, mismanagement, state capture and corruption have left the electricity system in a state of real disrepair.”

State-owned enterprises functioning and performance also remains a significant challenge, with several struggling with significant debt, under-investment in infrastructure, the effects of state capture and a shortage of skills, Ramaphosa said.

However, some green shoots have started to sprout as the economy is showing signs of recovery, he said, adding that the conference should come up with measures to grow the economy fast, create jobs and improve the lives of the people.

Ramaphosa heckled

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa displayed serenity and authority Friday at the opening of the ANC convention, the historic party in power, on the eve of a crucial vote to designate its next leader and probable future head of state.

He maintained a tight smile in the face of the jeers and chants of opponents in the hall where 4,500 delegates from all over the country were gathered. Before delivering a speech similar to those he regularly addresses to the nation, reviewing the challenges and successes of his first term.

As if to inscribe his action in the continuity.

South Africans “expect us to have the courage and honesty to recognize our failures and to correct them,” he declared in an ANC jacket, referring to “the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

But “green shoots are beginning to sprout,” he added. “I am convinced that better days are ahead.

The “comrades” of the African National Congress (ANC) have taken over this conference center near Soweto for five days of debates in a green-yellow-black mass atmosphere.

“Let us show discipline, political awareness,” Ramaphosa demanded, calling for unity and hoping that delegates would debate calmly “rather than shouting at each other.

Due to major delays in the schedule, the vote could now take place late Saturday, a senior ANC official who did not wish to be named said.

The affable Cyril Ramaphosa, 70, sometimes mocked for a bonhomie that hides a shrewd negotiator, is well placed to retain the party’s presidency and win a second term, if the ANC wins the 2024 general election.

His only rival at this stage, far behind, is his former health minister, Zweli Mkhize, 66, who was removed after a corruption scandal.

No credible alternative

The head of state is approaching this vote just days after escaping impeachment proceedings, which paradoxically have closed ranks around him.

Ramaphosa is accused of trying to cover up the theft in 2020 of bundles of dollars hidden in a sofa at his rural Phala Phala estate. He has not been charged and the police investigation is continuing.

In the absence of a credible alternative within the ANC, the majority party in parliament supported him, ruling out on Tuesday the possibility of a vote on a forced departure of the head of state. Some voices have been raised against the “line” imposed, but the watchword is clear: play the Ramaphosa card.

Thwarting an impeachment procedure has “probably strengthened his candidacy for re-election”, eliminating any “uncertainty” on the choice to be made, says the political analyst Susan Booysen.

The ANC has been losing votes for the past ten years and for the first time fell below 50% in local elections last year. The party, which has been in power since the end of apartheid, is thus haunted by the fear of defeat in the 2024 general election.

Cyril Ramaphosa, who is very popular despite the scandal, seems to be the party’s best asset.

Tumi Mogotla, 37, who sells ANC-branded items outside the congress, hopes he will be nominated for a second term. Despite the turmoil of recent weeks, he still believes “Ramaphosa is best placed to root out corruption.

“The ANC needs Ramaphosa. He will win,” says analyst Ralph Mathekga. “Even those who hate him need him to win,” he added, referring to the internal divisions tearing the party apart.

And with the opposition struggling to organize itself, the way seems clear for Ramaphosa to retain power.

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