Tag: AFRICA

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Ethiopian PM to lead frontline combat against rebel forces

Ethiopian PM to lead frontline combat against rebel forces

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced his decision to lead frontline combat from Tuesday against rebel forces amid the expanding conflict in the northern part of the country…reports Asian Lite News

Ahmed called on “all patriotic Ethiopians” to join him in frontline combat against forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), reports Xinhua news agency.

“The time necessitates leading the nation through martyrdom. To this end, I will march to the battlefield from tomorrow onwards to lead our defence forces,” Ahmed said an address to the nation.

Ethiopian PM to lead frontline combat against rebel forces

“All of you who aspire to be one of Ethiopia’s most admired children, stand up for your country and join me on the frontline,” he said in a statement posted on social media late on Monday.

The conflict, which erupted on November 4 last year in the conflict-hit Tigray between forces loyal to the TPLF and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), has over the past months spread across neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions.

Over the past months, forces loyal to the rebel group TPLF have advanced southward into central parts of the East African country.

ALSO READ: Ethiopian Deputy PM, US envoy discuss situation in northern Ethiopia

This was, eventually, followed by huge popular mobilisation in the Amhara and Afar regions as well as other regional states in the country to fight back the TPLF’s expansion.

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) ratified a six-month state of emergency rule to contain the rebel group’s advancement and to ensure the country’s peace and security.

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Africa News News World

Tunisia foils 9 illegal immigration attempts

Tunisia foils 9 illegal immigration attempts

Tunisia has foiled nine illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to the Italian coast…reports Asian Lite News

According to the media agency, the Tunisian Maritime Guard rescued 223 immigrants of different African nationalities, including 111 Tunisians, Xinhua news agency reported.

Tunisia foils 9 illegal immigration attempts

Thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean every year as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels.

ALSO READ: Tunisian President eyes early end of exceptional measures

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Africa News COVID-19 News

South Africa likely to experience fourth wave of Covid-19

South Africa likely to experience fourth wave of Covid-19

South Africa is likely to experience a fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic but the numbers of hospital admissions and deaths will probably not be as high, a senior epidemiologist said…reports Asian Lite News

“The numbers of infections and detected cases may be comparable to earlier waves,” said Harry Moultrie, senior medical epidemiologist at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, citing the new scenario model conducted by the South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium.

South Africa likely to experience fourth wave of Covid-19

However, Moultrie said, the ratios of admissions and deaths to infections are expected to be “substantially lower” than in previous waves, “as a result of the vaccination coverage, particularly among the elderly, and protection from prior exposure”. reports Xinhua news agency

He also urged the public to continue keeping social distancing and avoiding crowded indoor spaces.

The Covid-19 modelling consortium was established to project the spread of the disease to support policy and planning in South Africa over the coming months.

ALSO READ: Africa’s Covid-19 cases near 8.53mn

The daily new infections in the African country continued to decline in the past two months, with the latest seven-day rolling average below 300.

The peak of the third wave saw around 20,000 new cases per day in July.

As of Friday, the country has registered 2,926,914 confirmed cases and 89,515 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

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Blinken in Kenya as part of 3-nation tour in Africa

Blinken in Kenya as part of 3-nation tour in Africa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi as part of his three-nation tour in Africa, which will also take him to Nigeria and Senegal…reports Asian Lite News

Following his arrival on Wednesday, the Secretary of State held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during which they discussed regional peace and security, reports Xinhua news agency.

Blinken in Kenya as part of 3-nation tour in Africa

After the meeting, Blinken tweeted: “Our commitment to the US-Kenya Strategic Partnership is stronger than ever. From Covid-19 to climate change, to fostering an inclusive, growing economy, meeting global goals is not possible without partners like Kenya.”

According to the State Department, US and Kenya are are currently working together to address regional priorities, particularly ending the crisis in Ethiopia, fighting terrorism in Somalia, and restoring the civilian-led transition in Sudan.

ALSO READ: Blinken to meet with Israel, three Arab states on normalisation

Before his talks with Kenyatta, Blinken also met with local civil society leaders in Kenya.

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Africa News News World

UN says over 300 illegal immigrants rescued off Libyan coast

UN says over 300 illegal immigrants rescued off Libyan coast

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said that more than 300 illegal immigrants have been rescued and have returned to Libya…reports Asian Lite News

A total of “307 persons were returned to Tripoli on Wednesday night, in two different operations undertaken by Libyan maritime forces,” the UNHCR tweeted.

“Among them were 22 females and 11 children. UNHCR and partner IRC (International Rescue Committee) attended both disembarkations and provided medical assistance and relief items to survivors,” it said.

UN says over 300 illegal immigrants rescued off Libyan coast

Libya has been suffering instability and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal immigrants who seek to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores, Xinhua news agency reported.

So far this year, a total of 29,427 illegal immigrants have been rescued, while 490 died and 736 went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

ALSO READ: Six unidentified bodies recovered from mass graves in Libya

The rescued migrants were detained in overcrowded reception centers across Libya, despite repeated international calls to close them.

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Africa News China World

Congo Seeks Better Ties With China

Congo Seeks Better Ties With China

The forum brought together about 300 political leaders from African countries, and officials of local governments and relevant institutions from China and Africa…reports Asian Lite News

The Republic of Congo and China should promote their partnership by further strengthening cooperation between the local governments of the two countries, the Republic of Congo’s Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso said at the opening ceremony of the 4th China-Africa Local Government Cooperation Forum.

Congo Seeks Better Ties With China

The forum, which was held online on Tuesday, brought together about 300 political leaders from African countries, and officials of local governments and relevant institutions from China and Africa.

In his speech via video link from Brazzaville, the Congolese Prime Minister lauded “Congo’s regular participation in the meetings of this forum”, an event that demonstrates “the excellence of multifaceted relations” between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

Noting that his government places “special” emphasis on developing and promoting cooperation between its local communities and other local governments, especially those of China, Makosso highlighted the fruits of the bilateral partnership at the local government level.

ALSO READ: China’s new boundary law targets India

From twinning programme between bilateral cities, to the donation of anti-Covid-19 medical equipment from Chinese municipalities, as well as reciprocal visits of delegations, the two countries have benefited from the “constant strengthening of the Congo-China partnership at the level of local government,” he said.

The two countries should promote the partnership between their local governments, so as to serve the interest of their peoples, said Makosso, calling on both sides to rise to the challenges, especially urban governance, poverty reduction, public health and innovative development.

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Africa News News World

S. Africa insurer says paid 12 bn rand due to unrest in July

As a result of the July unrest that caused damage to property in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal provinces, the South African Special Risks Insurance Association (SARISA) has announced that it has paid out over 12.6 billion rand (about $812 million)…reports Asian Lite News

During its briefing to the media, SARISA Managing Director Cedric Masondo announced that the entity has received 14,051 claims valued at 32 billion rand.

The state-owned short-term risk insurer said the settlement of claims from the deadly riots that saw thousands of businesses looted in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces would not be finished until next year, and the company aims to pay out 80 percent of claims by March 2022, Xinhua News Agency reported.

ALSO READ: African national held with heroin worth Rs 5 crore

“We have also increased our staff complement, and our broker network is helping clients with claims formulation supported by our internal underwriting and legal team that have been hard at work with giving guidance and attending to policy interpretation matters,” he said.

In addition, he said SARISA has dealt with fraudulent and inflated claims.

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Africa News World

African national held with heroin worth Rs 5 crore

African national held with heroin worth Rs 5 crore

An African national was nabbed with 513 grams of heroin worth Rs 5 crore in the international market from the national capital…reports Asian Lite News

According to the official, a tip-off was received at the Anti Narcotics Cell Dwarka that an African national is supplying the contraband in the jurisdiction of Mohan Garden police station in Dwarka district.

After this, senior officials constituted a team of four policemen to nab the accused identified as Namdi Ilias Akabueze, a native of Nigeria.

African national held with heroin worth Rs 5 crore

On Tuesday, as per the information received, at around 1.25 p.m. the police team reached Chhath Puja Park, near Ganda Nala Najafgarh in the city.

“After a few minutes a team of Anti-Narcotics Cell/CAIF Dwarka apprehended that African national,” the official said.

He said that the accused was searched in the presence of ACP, Najafgarh Dwarka and due procedure was followed as described in the NDPS act.

The police arrested the accused under section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

As the accused was residing in Mohan Garden area of Delhi, a case has also been registered against his landlord.

During interrogation, the Nigerian national disclosed that he was an intruder and came to India through Bangladesh in 2019.

ALSO READ: South Africa’s economy expected to grow 5.1 per cent in 2021

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka District) Shankar Choudhary said further interrogation is going on to nab the source of the recovered drugs and its buyers and the entire chain of backward and forward links related to the crime.

Choudhary had recently launched ‘Operation Varchasva’ to make Dwarka area crime free.

Since the launch of the operation, several gangsters, snatchers and robbers have been arrested.

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Africa News News World

Six people killed in twin bomb blasts in Ugandan capital

Six people killed in twin bomb blasts in Ugandan capital

Six people including three suicide bombers were killed and 33 others injured in twin bomb blasts in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Tuesday, police said…reports Asian Lite News

Fred Enanga, police spokesperson told reporters that three suicide bombers detonated themselves at a checkpoint at the Central Police Station and on the parliamentary avenue, Xinhua news agency reported.

Enanga said the injured were rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital while counter-terrorism response teams managed to pursue a fourth suicide bomb attacker.

Six people killed in twin bomb blasts in Ugandan capital

“They shot and injured him, and immediately after, recovered an unexploded improvised explosive device, at Nansana-Katooke, at his home, which the bomb squad were going to neutralize. We are now pursuing other members of the terror groups,” Enanga said.

He said today’s attacks show that there is still need to pre-empt, penetrate and prevent deadly attacks by domestic extremists in the days to come.

“For now, the bomb threats are still active, and cannot be solved in one go, which calls for the popular intelligence and vigilance of the community,” he said.

Enanga said the blasts bear the hallmarks of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an affiliate of the Islamic State in central Africa.

“It clearly shows that the ADF linked radicalized groups, still have a desire to carry out lethal attacks, on soft targets, with suicide attackers and improvised explosive devices (IED),” Enanga said.

ALSO READ: UNSC extends mandate of mission in Sudan

“These kinds of threats remain significant because IEDs and suicide bomb jackets can easily be built from common houseold items found in local markets, retail shops, and supermarkets,” the police spokesperson added.

The latest attacks came about three weeks after two separate blasts, blamed on the ADF, killed two people and injured several others in central Uganda.

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Africa News News World

South Africa’s economy expected to grow 5.1 per cent in 2021

South Africa’s economy expected to grow 5.1 per cent in 2021

South Africa’s Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana has said the country’s economy is expected to grow 5.1 per cent in 2021, following an economic recovery faster than expected in the first half…reports Asian Lite News

The recovery reflects less stringent Covid-19 restrictions, lower interest rates, support from strong international demand, as well as higher commodity prices, Godongwana told the Parliament in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, when presenting the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), Xinhua news agency reported.

In 2020, the country’s economy contracted 6.4 per cent, according to him.

South Africa’s economy expected to grow 5.1 per cent in 2021

Over the next three years, the growth of the local economy is expected to average 1.7 per cent, reflecting some structural weaknesses such as inadequate electricity supply, he said, noting that the strength of the economic recovery will also depend on the rollout of vaccines.

This year’s MTBPS, which sets out the policy framework for the budget presented every February, adjusts the budgets of government departments and makes emergency changes to spending, is about navigating South Africa’s path to economic and social recovery, drawing on the resilience of its people as well as restoring the sustainability of its public finances and the dignity of the people in the face of the pandemic.

Given the economic outlook and the risks associated with it, it is critical that South Africa accelerates economic reforms for long-run growth, in terms of stabilizing energy supply and accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources, improving the efficiency of logistics infrastructure to support export growth, said the Minister.

Other reforms include the speedy resolution of issues blocking the release of high-demand spectrum and making affordable data available to firms and households, boosting tourism and attracting skills, and improving water management.

ALSO READ: Indian rice regains grip in Africa as China weakens

Dawie Roodt, the Chief Economist at Efficient Group, said MTBPS was a “conservative” budget. “The Minister is staying within the fiscal frame and reducing spending.”

Sizwe Pamla, the Spokesperson of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), however, said the statement was “disappointing” and “tepid,” adding that more measures are needed when joblessness is increasing.

“No new allocations were provided to stimulate a stagnant economy, and no new measures were provided to increase badly-needed state revenue or to deal with the ballooning levels of corruption and wasteful expenditure,” Pamla added.