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Focus on Mother Africa, news and events

A ''rousing'' dance song 
for everyone who loves
Mother Africa

*****************************************


 
Russian senior diplomat
discusses 
settlement of
crises in Africa ---
 with
Benin’s ambassador
March 30th, 2:48pm (TASS) 
 
Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and 
Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, and 
Benin’s Ambassador to Moscow, Akambi Andre 
Okunlola-Biau, discussed issues related to
 the settlement of... crisis situations in
Africa,
 at a meeting on Thursday.
 
During the conversation the parties shared views on relevant 
international and regional issues --- with the focus on the 
settlement of crisis situations on the African continent. 
 
Meanwhile, the intention of Moscow and Cotonou to deepen the 
political dialogue and coordination of positions in the UN and
 other multisided entities, was confirmed, according to a 
statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
 
The sides discussed: some issues of further development of
 mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Benin
 in trade, economic, humanitarian and other areas, as well 
as preparations to holding the second Russia-Africa 
summit in St. Petersburg this year, the 
ministry added.
 
 
 
_______________________________________
 
 
Reactor at Egyptian nuclear power 
plant authorized for construction
by Javier Arana Villasusa
March 30th, 11:58am
 (Prensa Latina) 
 
The Egyptian Nuclear & Radiological Regulatory Authority
announced today ---- that it has given the  green light to
the construction of the third reactor of the Dabaa 
power plant, which is being built on the 
Mediterranean coast of this North
 African country.
 
A statement from the entity reported on joint meetings with
representatives 
of the Nuclear Power Plants Authority to
evaluate the first 
two units and plan the establishment
of the third.
 
It assured that the latter will pose no
 threat to humans or the environment.
 
The Dabaa plant is Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, 
located some 320 kilometres northwest of Cairo.
 
Designed with Russian technology, the facility will have 
four VVER-1200 pressurized water nuclear reactors, 
each with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts.
 
Construction of its first reactor began in July 
last year and its second, in November.
 
In December 2017, the presidents of Egypt and Russia, 
Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and Vladimir Putin, respectively, 
signed an agreement in this capital to start works 
on the plant at a cost of 28.75 billion dollars.
 
Russia will finance 85% of that total, with a loan 
of 25 billion dollars to be paid over two decades.


 
____________________________________________



 
Namibia Suspends Poultry Imports 
From Argentina and Chile
March 29th, (teleSUR)
 
Since October 2021, an increasing number of H5N1 
avian influenza cases have raised concerns about
 the potential for the virus to spread from 
domestic animals to humans.
 
On Wednesday, Namibia announced the suspension of 
the import and in-transit movement of live/raw poultry, 
birds, and live/raw ostrich products from Argentina 
and Chile --- after outbreaks of highly pathogenic 
avian influenza in the Latin American countries.
 
According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), 
the incubation period of the disease is 14 days. Therefore, the 
suspension of imports enters into force 14 days before the 
date on which a case of avian flu was confirmed.
 
This means that the suspension of imports enters into force
 two weeks before February 24th in the case of Argentine 
products and March the 10th in the case of Chilean 
products, as explained by Albertina Shilongo, 
chief veterinary officer at the Namibian 
Agriculture Ministry.
 
"Consignments containing poultry products packed in their final 
packaging on or after the date of start of suspension will be
 rejected and sent back to the country of origin or 
destroyed at the importer's cost," Shilongo 
stressed, adding that refrigerated 
trucking containers ---- will be 
regarded as a consignment,
 and will be handled as 
an entity.
 
"We will not allow cartons (e.g. in the case of chicken meat) to 
be sorted according to the date of production. All previously
 issued import and in-transit permits are hereby canceled
 and recalled with immediate effect," she noted.
 
Shilongo, however, said that cooked poultry meat products for 
commercial purposes may still be imported into Namibia 
under the veterinary import permit.
 
"The current avian influenza situation has been raising 
concerns within the international community. Since 
October 2021, an unprecedented number of out
breaks has been reported in several regions of
 the world... reaching new geographical areas 
and causing devastating impacts on animal 
health and welfare," the WOAH said on 
February the 13th.
 
"The disease puts at risk global food security and the 
livelihoods of those who depend on poultry farming. 
It has also led to an alarming rate of wild bird die-
offs and has affected other wildlife including 
sea and land mammals," it added.
 
 
__________________________________________



Zimbabwe's senate speaker invites 
Russian business to partake in 
the republic’s development
March 29th, 2:15pm (TASS) 
 
President of the Senate of the Zimbabwean Parliament Mabel 
Chinomona has invited Russian businessmen to participate
 in the development of the republic’s economy.
 
"Considering the close ties between our countries, we 
invite Russian businessmen... to participate in this 
active transformation of our country," she said, 
at a plenary meeting of the Federation 
Council on Wednesday.
 
"In order to keep strengthening our economic ties, we 
sincerely expect more Russian business delegations 
to arrive in Zimbabwe, with the support of the 
Russian-Zimbabwean business forum and 
to partake in various areas of work, 
particularly on the production of 
fertilizers, pharmaceuticals,
and equipment for heavy 
engineering," the 
speaker said.
 
''The fourth meeting of the Russian-Zimbabwean
 intergovernmental commission on economic, 
trade and science-technical cooperation 
clearly demonstrates a very close inter
-action between the two countries,"
 she noted. 
 
"In this respect I hope very much that the Russian-
Zimbabwean business council --- which is being 
created now --- will go to considerable lengths 
in terms of improving economic cooperation 
between our countries. It is necessary to 
keep strengthening economic ties 
for the benefit of our people," 
Chinomona concluded.
 
 
______________________________ 



  “To spite Russia and China”: 
experts explained the 
African tour of Harris
March 29th, 9:37am
https://en.news-front.info/
 
The sudden trip to Africa by US Vice President Kamala Harris, 
as well as the general noticeable activation of the US 
agenda on the Black Continent, is the head of the 
White House scenario to reduce the level of 
influence of the Russian Federation and 
China... according to a number of 
observers of the Kenyan Nation.
 
According to experts, Harris intends to turn the continent 
against Moscow and Beijing. Africa has been caught in 
the middle of a diplomatic whirlwind, as the Western 
bloc tries to step up its efforts to fight the growing 
weight of the Russian-Chinese tandem.
 
Ali-Khan Satchu, a Kenyan economics expert and CEO of the
 consulting firm Rich Management, notes that the collective
 West has long neglected Africa, concentrating its own 
efforts only in the areas of security, countering 
terrorism and migration. 
 
The Ukrainian crisis, and Moscow’s friendly attitude
towards Africa are increasingly unnerving the West.
 
“The trips to Africa by American and European politicians
 speak of the growing geostrategic importance of the 
continent - as world powers recognize the need to 
preserve their alliances in the region. US leader 
Joe Biden attended the 27th Conference of the 
Parties to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (COP-27)
 in Egypt in 2022, and US Secretary of 
State Anthony Blinken visited South 
Africa, Congo and Rwanda in 2022 
just days after the African tour of
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
 Russia, Sergey Lavrov”, the
 publication recalls.
 
According to Reuters, in recent decades, Beijing has been
 marked by significant investment in Africa – in particular, 
this concerns the development of infrastructure and the
 development of resources. Moscow’s influence... has 
also clearly increased on the continent.. including 
through the presence of the Wagner PMC, writes 
the British news agency.
 
 
________________________________________


Russian Ambassador to Algeria 
talks about problems with 
the grain deal 
March 28th, 10:55pm
(Izvestia.ru)
 
Almost all statements of the West regarding the "grain deal"
remain only words --- because only 2.5% of grain was sent 
from the territory of Ukraine to African countries in need,
Russian Ambassador to Algeria, Valerian Shuvaev, said
 in an interview with Izvestia.
 
"Unfortunately, almost all statements of the West regarding the
 so-called grain deal remain just words, while Russia regularly
 fulfills all its obligations under this humanitarian initiative. 
Only 2.5% of the grain exported from the territory of 
Ukraine was sent to the needy countries of Africa, 
while the lion's share went, contrary to the 
assurances of the West, to quite 
prosperous states," said 
Valery Shuvaev.
 
In addition, the actions of the West actually block the export of
 Russian agricultural products, including fertilizers, the Russian
 Ambassador to Algeria explained, which leads to a worsening
 of the already existing food crisis not only for Africa, but for 
the whole world. However, the republic is independently 
increasing the purchase of Russian grain, Valerian 
Shuvaev summed up.
 
The so-called Black Sea Initiative was concluded in Istanbul on
July 22nd, 2022. The first document of this package deal is an
 agreement between the Russian Federation, Turkey, the UN 
and Ukraine. It provides for the creation of safe sea 
corridors for the export of Ukrainian grain from 
three ports - Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
 
 This document was supposed to end in November, but the
 agreement was extended for another 120 days, and then
 for another 60 days.
 
The second part of the package is the "Memorandum on
 assistance in promoting Russian agricultural products 
and fertilizers to world markets" between the Russian
 Federation and the UN. According to the document,
 the world organization should join the work on 
lifting restrictions that prevent the Russian 
Federation from exporting its products 
and fertilizers. This agreement is 
valid for three years.
 
 
____________________________________


Zimbabwe Appeals for More 
Donations for Cyclone-Hit 
Malawi
March 28th,
(teleSUR)
 
On Monday, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa 
called for more donations to the people of Malawi, after the 
devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the African country.
 
Mnangagwa.. chairing a resource mobilization meeting, said 
that Zimbabwe stood with the people of Malawi, expressing 
his deepest sympathy to Malawian President Lazarus 
Chakwera, and the bereaved families and the 
country at large.
 
Mnangagwa commended the coordinated responses being
 undertaken by countries in the Southern African 
Development Community (SADC) towards 
assisting the people of Malawi.
 
He appealed for more support from Zimbabweans to assist the
 people of Malawi to recover from the effects of the cyclone.
 
On Saturday, the Zimbabwean government handed over 
300 tons of maize meal to Malawi to assist the victims.
 
Business organizations at the resource mobilization meeting
 responded swiftly to the appeal by Mnangagwa and pledged
 various goods ranging from food hampers, fuel, blankets, 
medical supplies and transport.
 
Two local cement-producing companies also donated 
120 tons of cement. The cyclone left more than 500 
people dead and displaced about 35,000 others 
in Malawi. 
 
 
_____________________________________



 High-profile US official touring Africa 
to counterbalance Russia, China’s 
role — daily
March 28th, 9:42am (TASS) 
 
The United States has been ramping up its campaign in Africa, 
and US Vice President Kamala Harris’s tour of the
continent ------ is part of Washington’s policy of
countering the growing
 influence of Moscow
and Beijing, Kenia’s Nation 
newspaper
reported on Tuesday, citing a 
number of African experts.
 
According to the daily, "Africa finds itself in the middle of a 
growing diplomatic vortex as the US and its Western allies
ramp up efforts to counterbalance the expanding clout of" 
Russia and China in the continent. Turkey, India and the
 Middle East, are also involved.
 
Aly-Khan Satchu, CEO of the investment consultant Rich
 Management, believes that the West and US, especially 
under President Donald Trump, "had neglected Africa
outside of the security, counter-terrorism and 
immigration lens."
 
 According to the Kenyan economist, the conflict in Ukraine 
and "Africa’s evident sympathy for Russia was a wake-up 
call and the West is trying to push back."
 
Trips to Africa by US and European officials show the
 continent’s rising geostrategic profile as world 
powers acknowledge the need to rekindle 
alliances in the region.
 
 In 2022, US President Joe Biden attended COP27 in Egypt, 
while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South 
Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo & Rwanda. 

The former’s trip came just days after Russian Foreign
 Minister Sergey Lavrov’s African tour, the 
newspaper writes.
 
 
_____________________________________________



EU supported rights abuse 
against migrants in Libya 
--- UN
March 27th, 6:55pm
(PressTV)
 
The United Nations has warned that the European Union is
 providing support to organizations perpetrating rights 
abuse, including systematic torture and sexual 
slavery, against refugees and migrants 
in Libya.
 
The United Nations raised the alarm on Monday in an
 investigation on the deteriorating human rights 
situation in Libya, saying the 27-member bloc 
is facilitating the commission of abuses 
against migrants in the conflict-torn 
North African country.
 
In its final report, the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission 
on Libya concluded that there were "grounds to believe a 
wide array of war crimes and crimes against humanity 
have been committed by state security forces and
 armed militia groups."
 
"Migrants, in particular, have been targeted and there
 is overwhelming evidence --- that they have been 
systematically tortured" in detention centres, 
it said.
 
The mission's chairman Mohamed Auajjar said investigators
 found crimes against humanity had been committed against 
migrants in detention centres under the control of Libya's
 Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration (DCMI) and
 the country's coast guard.
 
“These entities receive technical, logistic and monetary 
support from the European Union and its member states"
 for the interception and return of migrants, Auajjar said.
 
"We are not saying that the EU and its member states 
have committed these crimes," investigator Chaloka 
Beyani told reporters, adding though, that "the 
support given --- has aided and abetted the 
commission of the crimes."
 
Beyani added it was "clear that the DCIM has responsibility 
for multitudes of crimes against humanity in the detention 
centres that they run. The support given to them by the 
EU has facilitated this."
 
The UN report also stressed that there were reasonable 
grounds to believe that sexual slavery and crimes 
against humanity are being committed 
against migrants.
 
Mission member Tracy Robinson said they 
also uncovered slavery... in general.
 
"We have found instances of enslavement of persons who 
have been traded to outside entities to perform various 
services, but also sexual slavery of women in and
 around detention centres," she said.
 
The investigators voiced concern about the deprivation 
of liberty of Libyans and migrants throughout the 
country, in what they said could also amount to
 crimes against humanity.
 
They found numerous cases of "arbitrary detention, murder,
 torture, rape, enslavement, sexual slavery, extrajudicial 
killing and enforced disappearance, confirming their 
widespread practice in Libya.”
 
Libya has been beset by violence and chaos since the overthrow 
and killing of its long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi following a
 bombing campaign by the US-led NATO military alliance in 2011. 
 
The resulting chaos and factional divisions then escalated into 
a regional proxy war fueled by foreign powers, who poured 
weapons and mercenaries into the country.
 
Since 2015, Libya has been divided between the internationally
 recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli 
and lawmakers in Tobruk, allied to renegade military 
commander Khalifa Haftar.
 
The Government of National Unity of Libya was supported by
 countries such as Qatar, Turkey, some European countries 
and the United Nations, and countries such as Egypt, 
Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE also supported 
the army of Khalifa Haftar, a retired general 
based in Benghazi and Tobruk.
 
The two rivals fought for power in the country for several years,
 and after a year of intense conflict that led to the advances 
of the government of unity to the capital city of Tripoli,
 they announced a ceasefire in August 2021.


 
__________________________________________



Norilsk Nickel redirects copper to
 Tangier — department director
March 27th, 5:21pm (TASS) 
 
Norilsk Nickel has implemented the idea of a new hub and
 directed a significant portion of products to Morocco’s 
Tangier, department director Ravil Nasybullov told
reporters.
 
"The idea of a new transport hub - yes, it has been implemented.
 A significant portion of our products goes to the port of tangier. 
Our export deliveries are about 350,000 - 370,000 metric tons.
 Nickel is largely going through the port of Rotterdam. 
A material portion of copper, goes to Tangier," 
he said.
 
It was reported earlier that the company views the port 
of Tangier in Morocco, as a new hub for distribution of 
its products.
 
 
________________________________________
 
 
 
Russia aware of danger from terrorist,
 extremist presence in Africa, senior
 diplomat says
March 27th, 1:30pm (TASS) 
 
Russia is fully aware of the danger emanating from the presence
 of terrorists and extremists in African countries and is in touch
 with African officials in this regard, Russian Special 
Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa 
and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov
 told journalists on Monday.
 
Earlier, speaking at the second Russia-Africa Inter-Parliamentary
 Conference, Jean-Pierre Kanefu, deputy quaestor of the National 
Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), urged 
that Russia provide assistance to combat the terrorist threat in
 the east of the country so as to restore peace and stability.
 
"Of course, our diplomatic and other agencies are in contact, 
since we realize the danger from the presence of terrorists 
and extremists in African countries," Bogdanov said, 
responding to a TASS request to comment on the
 Congolese politician’s remark.
 
Rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23) began an offensive 
in the eastern DRC in January 2021. Later, they managed to 
capture two cities in the province of North Kivu. Kinshasa 
accuses neighboring Rwanda of supporting the militants.
 
In June 2022, the leaders of the East African Community (EAC) 
decided to dispatch a peacekeeping contingent to the eastern 
DRC in a bid to stabilize the situation and shut down the M23 
rebel’s combat operations. The DRC's leadership agreed to
 host the contingent provided that the peacekeepers did
 not include any Rwandan soldiers.
 
Founded in 2000, the EAC brings together Burundi, the DRC, 
Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.
 
 
_______________________________________
 
 
 
TASS, Namibia Press Agency to 
sign cooperation agreement
March 27th, 11:59am (TASS)
 
TASS and the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA) 
are planning to sign a cooperation agreement.
 
Director General of TASS Russian News Agency Sergey 
Mikhailov discussed cooperation issues with his 
NAMPA counterpart, Linus Chata, in the 
Namibian capital on Monday.
 
"We will work on the agreement being truly unique 
and reflecting our specific needs in exchanging
 information," Mikhailov said.
 
He pointed out that TASS is successfully interacting with
 many African news agencies, reiterating that, in 2019, 
TASS put together the first Russia-Africa media forum 
of news agencies and intends to hold it again this 
year in St. Petersburg.
 
Chata noted that Russian-Namibian cooperation in 
the sphere of media outlets has a promising future.
 
 
_____________________________________
 
 
 
Senior diplomat doubts West can 
disrupt arrangements for Russia-
Africa summit
March 27th, 9:29am (TASS/)
 
Western countries are trying to hamper the work Moscow has 
been conducting toward holding the 2nd Russia-Africa 
summit, but they are unlikely to succeed, Russian 
Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, told 
TASS on Monday.
 
"The plans have not changed, they (the West - TASS) have been 
trying to disrupt our work and dissuade [African nations from 
taking part], but I think they will hardly succeed in doing so,"
said Bogdanov, who is also the Special Presidential 
Representative for the Middle East and Africa.
 
The 2nd Russia-Africa summit and economic forum is scheduled
 to take place in St. Petersburg on July 26-29. The debut summit 
was held in Sochi in October 22-24, 2019. The event’s motto 
was "For Peace, Security and Development."
 
 
 
___________________________________
 
 
 
Russian envoy on his way to Libya 
where mission will reopen — 
senior diplomat
March 27th, 8:56am (TASS)
 
Russian Ambassador to Libya, Aydar Aganin, is heading off for
Tripoli where the Russian diplomatic mission will be restored 
to full capacity, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail 
Bogdanov told TASS on Monday.
 
"The [Russian] ambassador is heading off [for Libya]," 
said Bogdanov, who is also the Special Presidential 
Representative for the Middle East and Africa.
 
Security guarantees for its diplomatic mission in Libya remain
 a priority for Russia, the senior diplomat emphasized.
 
Earlier, Bogdanov said that Moscow was planning to reopen the
 embassy in Tripoli and restore the operations of its consulate
 general in Benghazi, Libya’s second largest city, soon. 
 
Russia expects that the restoration of its diplomatic missions
 in Libya will help promote its economic interests in the 
North African country.
 
 
 
___________________________________________________________



 Survivors of Cyclone Freddy in 
Malawi - Yearn for Fresh Start
March 26th, (teleSUR)
 
As the search efforts continue in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, 
which ravaged through southern Malawi, hundreds of survivors in
 evacuation camps are yearning for a fresh start.
 
The devastating cyclone has left a trail of destruction in its wake,
 with many houses submerged in water and debris, leading to
the death of over 500 people, and the displacement of over
 500,000 people. Despite the tireless efforts of rescue 
teams, many victims are still missing, and the death 
toll is still on the rise, leaving some survivors 
hopeless.
 
"I'm uncertain about what my future holds, but I feel compelled to
 begin afresh. The disaster took away all of my immediate family, 
and while starting over may seem straightforward, the thought
 of living without them, is unimaginable," said Samuel 
Simwaka, a 25-year-old man, at a camp in 
Blantyre City.
 
"My family was my pride and joy, but now that it's gone, I have
 nothing left to remind me of my previous life, no property or 
belongings. I'm completely on my own," he added, tears
filling his eyes.
 
Simwaka, who has tragically lost both of his parents and a 
brother, was working on setting up a sleeping tent with his 
new friends. The two have all faced similar situations and
 they are currently residing at an evacuation camp in the 
commercial city. The camp, a primary school, is 
providing temporary shelter to over 
1,500 survivors.
 
On the other side of the city, 16-year-old girl, Esime Kavaro, from 
a location called Naotcha recalls what happened on the night 
of the catastrophe of March 12th. Although her home stood 
the intense weather, her neighbourhood was completely 
destroyed.
 
"We had to leave our home because of what happened. It was 
something we had never experienced before. Although our 
home survived, I cannot shake off the thought of what I 
witnessed. The incident caused a lot of damage to 
both lives and property, and I am struggling to 
come to terms with it," explained the 
teenager, who was staying with 
a brother.
 
Despite the challenge, Esime hopes to move on with her life once
 all is resolved. Inspired by what she has experienced; Esime is
 considering enrolling in the military in the future to assist 
others who may face similar challenges.
 
According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs
 (DoDMA), Cyclone Freddy has killed 511 people, with 1,724 
people injured, and 564,239 people displaced as of March 
25th, 2023. There are also concerns that the death toll 
from the disaster in southern Malawi could rise to 
1,000 due to the widespread impact of the 
destruction in many parts of the region.
 
A tweet reads, "Malawi's president pleaded for international 
help to deal with Ciclone Freddy's devastation, calling it a 
'national tragedy' as the death toll rises to 225."
 
During his first visit to the victims of the cyclone Freddy, 
Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera appealed to the
 international community to provide aid to the country. 
He described the disaster as the worst in Malawi's 
history and expressed deep concern for 
those affected.
 
"We require urgent assistance. We urgently need helicopters to 
airlift food supplies and other equipment now that the situation 
has slightly improved," Chakwera said.
 
More humanitarian aid and support continue to pour in from
 international organisations and individuals, including the
 Red Cross Society of China and the Chinese community
 in Malawi.
 
Although many people are still receiving assistance from the
 government and other well-wishers in camps, some victims
 have expressed their desire to leave the camps soon and 
begin rebuilding their lives.
 
Meanwhile, Malawians are showing solidarity by providing
 assistance to those who have been severely affected by
 the disaster. Currently, there are 577 evacuation camps
 spread across the country, providing shelter for the 
displaced population.
 
 
___________________________________


 
Memorial to Russian WWI 
soldiers opened in Tunisia
March 26th, 8:13am (TASS) 
 
A memorial to the Russian soldiers who fought in World War I 
was unveiled on Saturday at the Christian cemetery of the 
Tunisian city of Menzel Mourguiba, the head of Russian
 House in Tunisia, Yury Zaitsev, told TASS by 'phone.
 
"On the initiative of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to 
Tunisia and Russian Ambassador Alexander Zolotov, who
 personally supervised the work, today we held the 
ceremony to unveil a memorial to the Russian 
World War I soldiers - the only one in North 
Africa at the moment," Zaitsev stressed.
 
"The ceremony was attended by officials from the Russian
 Embassy, the Defense Attache Office, the Russian House
 in Tunisia, & fellow countrymen living in Tunisia, as well
as 
Tunisians interested in the rich history of relations 
between our countries," he went on to say.
 
"Work to commemorate our compatriots in Tunisia will continue,"
 the head of the Russian House pledged, pointing to great 
assistance on that track received from the Russian 
Heritage association of Tunisia, the Alexander 
Solzhenitsyn Center of Russians living 
abroad, historians, archivists, as 
well as compatriots 
and Tunisians.
 
 
___________________________________


Uganda satisfied with defense 
cooperation with Russia, 
says president
March 25th, 1:42pm (TASS)
 
Uganda highly appreciates its cooperation with Russia in 
defense, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said in an
 exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director-
General Mikhail Gusman.
 
"Today, we are very satisfied with our cooperation with 
the Russian Federation. We cooperate in the sphere 
of defense, and we buy high-quality weapons and
 technologies from Russia," the Ugandan
 leader said.
 
Museveni also emphasized that he was grateful 
for the Soviet Union’s assistance in Africa’s 
fight against colonialism.
 
 
_____________________________________



DR Congo: Skilling up 
the slums in Kinshasa
March 24th, 7:33pm
(africanews)
 
Marie-Josee Loando lives in Pakadjuma, one of Kinshasa's 
many slums, where she sells bread to the residents of
 this sprawling settlement.
 
It has an unfortunate reputation for both crime and sex 
work, but Marie-Josee's lucky --- as she's manage to 
get some free business training from a local NGO. 
 
"I've seen a change in my business, because 
of the training we got," she told Africanews.
 
"I used to spend most of my income on buying cosmetics
 and clothes to enhance my beauty. But that training 
has opened my mind to sound business practices."
 
In 2021 a young lawyer called Eliane Kibubi decided to 
start the NGO Pakadjuma Resilience Foundation to
 support women like Marie-Josee...  as well as 
their children.
 
"Both my parents are teachers. For me, education is the 
foundation of every society and in this area, most
 children have not had the chance to go to s
chool," she told Africanews. 
 
"Many girls have not been taught certain values. 
This is a place where rape, robbery and 
prostitution are part of everyday life 
and it reflects the reality of our 
Congo as a whole."
 
Unemployment is high in Kinshasa, but despite that 
it attracts a lot of migrants from other parts of the
 giant country.
 
Eliane supports people who've settled in Pakadjuma 
after fleeing the fighting in the mineral-rich east of
 the country.
 
Her NGO helps around 500 people by giving them 
enough education to successfully apply for 
private schools which it also pays for.
 
Some of them, such as one unnamed young woman, are
 widows of soldiers who've been killed in the fighting.
 
"Many of us can't afford to pay for studies and we feel 
ashamed to start studying at a late stage in life. But 
Mama Eliane, our sister, was compassionate 
towards us and started educating us for 
free," she told Africanews.
 
 
____________________________________________



 Rwanda Heightens Surveillance
After Marburg Virus Outbreak
March 24th, 5:24pm
 (teleSUR)
 
Public health workers and local leaders in eastern 
Rwanda's Kirehe District are working together to 
heighten surveillance measures at the Rusumo 
border, following an outbreak of Marburg virus 
disease in Tanzania's Kagera region.
 
Bruno Rangira, the Kirehe District mayor, said they have 
ramped up preparedness involving public awareness 
campaigns on Marburg signs and symptoms,
 prevention measures as well as plans 
for managing suspected cases.
 
"Public awareness is being carried out by health officials 
and local leaders targeting residents, including the
 border community and travelers traveling to 
Tanzania," Rangira said, calling on 
residents to play their role in 
---- preventing the disease 
outbreak in the country.
 
"We have enhanced readiness for the possibility of a virus
 outbreak, including setting aside isolation rooms at the 
district hospital and at the border," said Jean Claude 
Munyemana, the head of Kirehe Hospital. Health 
personnel who used to screen for COVID-19 
have been empowered to screen travelers 
for Marburg virus signs. 
 
On Thursday, Tanzania's Health Ministry declared the first 
outbreak of the deadly disease in the country, which has
 killed five people, with 3 others admitted to hospitals.
 
Edson Rwagasore, the division manager of public health
 surveillance and emergency at Rwanda Biomedical 
Centre, confirmed that though there is no probable 
or confirmed case of Marburg virus disease in the 
country, the Health Ministry saw it important to 
enhance surveillance at points of entry.
 
Marburg virus is in the same family as the virus that causes 
Ebola and is a highly virulent disease that causes 
hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 
88 percent. Illness caused by the Marburg 
virus presents abruptly, with high fever, 
severe headache and severe malaise.
 
Many patients develop severe hemorrhagic symptoms 
within seven days, and vaccines or antiviral 
treatments to treat the virus are yet to
 be approved.
 
The virus is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and 
spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids 
of infected people, surfaces and materials.
 
 
______________________________________


 
Uganda: US couple accused of 
child torture released on bail
March 24th, 3:18pm
(africanews)
 
A Ugandan court has granted bail to a US couple 
arrested in December for torturing the 10-year-
old child in their care, their lawyer told AFP 
on Thursday.
 
According to court documents seen by AFP, Nicholas
and 
Mackenzie Spencer, both 32, must answer
for 
"aggravated child trafficking" and 
"aggravated torture" -- against the 
young boy, between December 
2020 and December 2022.
 
The couple had been arrested in December following a 
report from the nanny of the child, who was educated
in an institution for disabled children. The nurse.. had
reported "repeated inhuman inappropriate treatment".
 
Apart from prosecution for "torture" and "trafficking" of 
children, punishable by life imprisonment, they are also
 accused of having stayed in Uganda with an 
expired visa.
 
The couple, who deny all charges, was being held in 
a high-security prison outside the capital Kampala.
 
At a bail hearing on Wednesday, Judge Isaac Muwata 
released the couple temporarily on the condition that
 they pay a bond of 50 million Ugandan shillings 
(12,000 euros) and on the condition that they
 hand over their passports to the Ugandan 
authorities, their lawyer David Mpanga 
told AFP.
 
The couple told the judge that they both suffered from a 
rare condition that could not be adequately treated in 
Uganda's prison system. The magistrate agreed: that 
the couple could be released from gaol for treatment.
 
During their arrest in December, the investigators found
 evidence showing in particular that the child slept on 
a "wooden platform, without a mattress".
 
The boy was one of three children the couple were in 
charge of. International adoptions of children have 
created controversy in Uganda.
 
In 2020, U.S. authorities filed lawsuits and imposed 
economic sanctions against a U.S.- based adoption
 organization that placed non-orphan children with 
U.S. families.
 
 
_________________________________________________
 
 
 
Ministerial reshuffle in the DRC: 
Bemba in Defense, Kamerhe 
in the Economy
March 24th, 3:21pm
(africanews)
 
A reshuffle of the government was announced overnight from 
Thursday to Friday in the Democratic Republic of Congo 
(DRC), now in office Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama 
Lukonde but redesigning the ministerial team nine 
months before the next presidential election.
 
Among the new heavyweights of the government is, at 
Defense, the former vice-president (2003-2006) Jean-
Pierre Bemba. Former warlord, Mr Bemba.. had been 
sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International 
Criminal Court (ICC,) for crimes committed in the 
Central African Republic before being acquitted 
on appeal in 2018, after 10 years imprisonment.
 
He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Defense 
Minister, as the DRC, which has been struggling with 
armed violence for nearly 30 years in its eastern 
part, experiences a spike in tension, with its 
neighbour Rwanda -- accused of supporting 
the rebellion. of "M23" which has occupied
 large parts of the province of North Kivu 
since last year.
 
Another comeback, Vital Kamerhe, former chief of staff of
 President Félix Tshisekedi, sentenced in 2020 to 20 years 
in prison for embezzlement before being acquitted on 
appeal in 2022, is appointed to the Economy, also in
 the rank of Deputy Prime Minister.
 
A reshuffle had been presented as imminent for three months, 
after the resignation at the end of December of three 
ministers who were members of the party of 
businessman Moïse Katumbi, candidate for 
the next presidential election, who had 
left the government.. in solidarity with 
their political movement in a rupture 
with the ruling coalition.
 
The presidency warned early Thursday evening of an
 "important communication" to come --- before a 
spokesperson for Felix Tshisekedi appeared 
on national television after midnight to
 read the composition of the
 new government.
 
The next presidential election is scheduled for December
 20th. Félix Tshisekedi, in power since January 2019, has
 announced for months that he would be a candidate for
 re-election.
 
Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde has been Prime Minister since
 February 2021. President Tshisekedi had appointed him
 to consolidate his majority after ending the coalition 
he formed at the top of the state, with his
 predecessor, Joseph Kabila.
 
 
____________________________________



RUDN University to regain name 
of Patrice Lumumba, says PM
March 23rd, 5:26pm (TASS) 
 
The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) has once
again been bestowed with the name of Patrice Lumumba, the
first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
who became a symbol of the struggle of African peoples for 
independence, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin
announced on Thursday, responding to a proposal by 
Leonid Slutsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic 
Party in the State Duma.
 
"I want to give you some good news, Leonid Eduardovich;
 I know that, literally a few hours ago, an order by the 
Minister of Education and Science was signed to 
return the name of Patrice Lumumba to the 
university," the prime minister said. In his 
opinion, the decision was a just one. 
"It has been done," he stated.
 
The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia was founded in
 1960. It bore the name of Patrice Lumumba from 1961 to 
1992. In 1992 it was renamed the Peoples' Friendship 
University of Russia by a decision of the Russian 
government. The university’s primary mission 
was to train highly qualified national 
specialists for Asian, African and 
Latin American countries - but 
Soviet students also attended
 the university.
 
 According to the university’s website, it now tops the list of 
Russian universities in terms of the percentage of foreign
 students in the overall student body. The university 
awards degrees in several dozen 
academic disciplines.
 


______________________________________________________
 
 
 
Lavrov points to positive dynamics --- in 
military and technical ties with Burundi
 March 23rd, 11:42am (TASS) 
 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted positive dynamics 
in the sphere of military and military-technical cooperation 
with Burundi.
 
"We have good contacts in the line of law enforcement agencies.
Burundian representatives, traditionally, take part in the annual 
special meetings of high representatives in charge of security 
issues. There is a positive dynamic in the sphere of military 
and military-technical ties," the Russian top diplomat 
pointed out on Thursday... at a press conference 
following talks with his Burundian counterpart,
 Albert Shingiro.
 
"We will continue to improve, as I have already said, the legal 
framework of our relations, including in the field of peaceful 
nuclear development, healthcare, cooperation between 
the agencies dealing with justice, & labour activities,"
 Lavrov added.
 
In his turn, Burundi Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro pointed out 
that "both sides are ready to further strengthen interaction in
 these areas."

"Burundi has always had good relations with 
Russia in
the field of military equipment, military hardware,
 and we are ready to continue close cooperation
in this 
area," he said.
 
 
_______________________________
 
 
 
Burundi’s president confirms 
participation in second 
Russia-Africa Summit,
 Lavrov says
March 23rd, 11:27am (TASS) 
 
Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye has officially
 confirmed his participation in the second Russia-Africa 
Summit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said 
at a meeting with the African nation’s top diplomat 
Albert Shingiro on Thursday.
 
"We are grateful to Burundi’s president who in a special message
 confirmed his participation in the second Russia-Africa Summit 
set to take place in St. Petersburg in late July," Lavrov noted. 
"We will definitely prepare a productive program for his 
visit," he added.
 
Russia’s top diplomat also praised close cooperation between the 
two countries on the global agenda within the United Nations. 
"It is in our interest to increase the level and scope of trade, 
economic and investment cooperation," he pointed out.
 
Burundi’s foreign minister, in turn, conveyed President Evariste
 Ndayishimiye’s friendly greetings to Russian leader Vladimir 
Putin and the country's people.
 
 
____________________________________
 
 
 
Russia, Burundi working on agreement 
on peaceful use of nuclear energy, 
Lavrov says
March 23rd, 11:16am (TASS) 
 
Russia and Burundi are working on an intergovernmental 
agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at
 a press conference following talks with the 
African nation’s top diplomat, Albert 
Shingiro, on Thursday.
 
"We had a specific discussion of promising areas such as 
the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Our countries have
 joint roadmaps in this area and work is underway on
 an intergovernmental agreement, as well as on a 
memorandum on the training of personnel in the 
field of nuclear energy," Lavrov pointed out.
 
"We also discussed our bilateral relations. We share a common 
belief that they need to be consistently strengthened in all 
areas. In addition, we agreed on the necessary political 
steps to boost trade and economic cooperation and 
humanitarian ties," Russia’s top diplomat added.
 
 
_______________________________________



Erdogan seeks talks with Putin 
on supplying Africa with flour
 milled from Russian grain
March 23rd, 1:51am (TASS)
 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said he wanted
 to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the next 
few days about supplying African countries with flour that 
would be milled in Türkiye using Russian grain, he said
 in an interview with Turkish news media.
 
"Mr. Putin has already pointed out -- that grain is sent not to 
African countries, but to Europe. He said: ‘Let’s send grain 
to underdeveloped African countries.’ I replied to him: 
‘You send grain and we will mill it into flour and send 
it on to underdeveloped countries.’ We have this 
agreement. We will hold talks in 2-3 days, and 
we will discuss it," he said in the interview 
that was webcast on his Twitter page.
 
The previous time that Erdogan talked about Ankara’s 
readiness to process Russian grain at its mills, and 
send it to Africa’s poor countries, was on January 
the 5th.
 
Last Saturday, amid reports from the parties to the grain deal
 that it was allegedly extended for yet another 120 days,
 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman... Maria 
Zakharova, told TASS that Russia had agreed 
to extend the grain deal only for 60 days. 
 
Earlier, following the talks in Geneva, Russian Deputy Foreign
 Minister Sergey Vershinin noted that time will be sufficient
 for an objective assessment of how the UN implements
its 
assurances to ensure the unblocking of exports
of 
Russian agricultural products and fertilizers
to 
the world market.
 
Agreements to export food from Ukraine were signed on July 
the 22nd, 2022, in Istanbul to last 120 days and were 
extended for another 120 days in November.
 
One of the agreements sets forth a procedure for the export of
 grain from Kiev-controlled ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and 
Yuzhny. Russia and the UN also concluded a memorandum
 for the UN to work toward lifting the restrictions on the 
export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers
to world markets. Russia says the memorandum 
hasn’t been fulfilled.
 
 
______________________________________________________



 Ugandan Parliament Passes Bill
 to Criminalize Homosexuality
March 22nd (teleSUR)
 
On Tuesday, Ugandan legislators passed the Anti-Homosexuality 
Bill, 2023 which criminalizes the act. This was confirmed by 
Parliament Communications Director, Chris Obore.
 
"Yes, it was passed overwhelmingly. The vote represents 
the national mood against homosexuality, especially its 
deliberate and provocative promotion," he pointed out,
 explaining that the mover of the bill framed it well,
 focusing on the protection of family and children.
 
"It persuaded many legislators who believed that there 
will be no human rights to talk about when family is 
distorted," Obore said.
 
Once signed by the Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni into
 law, the bill will prohibit same-sex sexual relationships and 
the promotion of homosexuality, penalize homosexual 
practices, and provide compensation to the victims 
of homosexuality.
 
The bill introduced by an opposition lawmaker and passed at
 its third reading aims to protect the traditional family values, 
cherished culture, children and youth who are vulnerable to 
sexual abuse.
 
On Wednesday, the UNs' High Commissioner for 
Human Rights, Volker Turk, called on President 
Musevenisaid, not to promulgate the bill 
targeting LGTB people into law.
 
“The passing of this discriminatory bill – probably
among 
the worst of its kind in the world – is
a deeply troubling 
development,”
he lisped.
 
“If signed into law by the President, it will render lesbian, 
gay and bisexual people in Uganda criminals simply for 
existing, for being who they are. It could provide carte 
blanche for the systematic violation of nearly all of 
their human rights and serve to incite people 
against each other,” Turk warned.
 
 
___________________________________
 
 
 
Wagner PMC founder urges US 
to drop attempts to influence 
Africa in letter to top diplomat
March 22nd, 5:01pm (TASS)
 
Founder of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny
 Prigozhin ---- has suggested that Washington abandon
 attempts to "exert political influence in Africa" in 
a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken 
posted in Russian and English on Telegram.
 
"Since most African countries, do not trust the policies of
 France and the United States, and their trust ratings are 
very low, I suggest that you abandon the attempt to 
exert political influence in Africa and focus solely 
on the security that the Wagner PMC can
 provide," the letter reads.
 
According to Prigozhin, "today, taking advantage of the 
preoccupation of the Wagner PMC with the Ukrainian 
matters, the administrations of the United States 
and other countries are actively trying to 
reshape the ‘African pie’ and impose 
sanctions on anyone who 
opposes" it.
 
"However, I want to draw your attention to the fact that the long-
term attempts of the United States and its satellites to ‘restore 
order’ and ensure security in Africa have not bore any fruit," 
the Wagner PMC founder pointed out. "Therefore, I invite 
you to support the Wagner PMC’s efforts in ensuring 
safety and security in Africa by sponsoring a new 
project named ‘Wagner. Safe Africa’ (WSA), in 
which you can invest, thereby saving
 American taxpayer money," 
Prigozhin added.
 
 
_______________________________
 
 
 
First load of equipment for El Dabaa
 NPP arrives in Egypt — Rosatom
March 22nd, 4:22pm (TASS)
 
 A cargo vessel carrying the first load of oversized equipment 
for construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) 
has arrived in Egypt, Russian state nuclear corporation
 Rosatom told TASS.
 
The official ceremony for acceptance of the plant’s melt trap 
took place on Tuesday at the power plant construction site. 
"Two years ago, we were at the plant in Syzran ----- where 
the fabrication of this technologically complex piece of
equipment started. The trap has now finally arrived
 at the site. This --- is one of the most important 
elements of the plant in terms of the safety 
of an NPP... with a Generation 3+ PWR 
reactor, and this confirms --- that we 
are building the safest NPP in the 
world," Atomstroiexport Vice 
President, Grigory 
Sosnin, said.
 
Melt traps are component parts of all modern nuclear power 
generating units with Generation 3+ PWR-1200 reactors.
 
The vessel, with the 3 main melt trap components on board,
departed St. Petersburg in early March --- bound for the 
construction site of the first power generation unit.
 
The El Dabaa NPP is the first nuclear power plant in Egypt
 to be built by Rosatom; it is located about 300 km 
northwest of Cairo on the Mediterranean coast.
 
 
 
____________________________________________
 
 
 
Egypt officially becomes a member 
of BRICS New Development Bank
 March 22nd, 3:12pm (TASS) 
 
Egypt has officially become a new member of the New
 Development Bank (NDB) created by BRICS member
 states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) 
after completing the necessary procedures, 
according to an update on the composition 
of the bank posted on the website of the 
financial institution on Wednesday.
 
Egypt was officially given status as a member on February 
20th, 2023, though a respective notification only appeared 
on March 22nd, according to the update.
 
The NDB board of governors authorized the bank to hold 
official talks with new potential member states... in late 
2020. After successful talks, the NBD approved Egypt’s 
accession in December 2021, while in September 2021 
a similar decision was made regarding the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Uruguay.. and Bangladesh. With the 
exception of Uruguay, they all became members of 
the bank after jumping through... necessary hoops.
 
The New Development bank was set up by BRICS nations on 
the basis of the intergovernmental agreement signed at the 
sixth BRICS summit in Fortaleza in July 2014. The bank’s 
goal is to finance infrastructure projects and sustainable
 development projects ---- in BRICS member states and 
developing countries. The bank previously received
an ''AAA+" international credit rating from Fitch 
Ratings and S&P Global Ratings --- allowing it 
to effectively attract long-term funding on 
international and local capital markets.
 
Since its founding, the bank has approved more than 90 
projects totaling $32 bln in support of such areas as 
transportation, water, clean energy, digital and 
social infrastructure, as well as 
urban construction.
 
 
_____________________________________
 
 
 
Cuba: 45th anniversary 
of Karramara battle 
is commemorated
by Alina Ramos Martin
March 22nd, 2:24pm
 (Prensa Latina) 
 
Representatives of the Cuba-Ethiopia People's Friendship
 Association, convened by the Cuban Institute of 
Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), 
commemorated the 45th 
anniversary .... of the 
Battle of Karramara.
 
The ceremony highlighted the brotherly relationship 
between the two nations -- sealed by the victory in 
that heroic deed, on March 5th, 1978, when Cuban 
and Ethiopian troops preserved the independence 
and territorial integrity of the African country 
from the expansionist efforts by 
neighbouring Somalia.
 
A wreath was laid at the Colon Cemetery, at the pantheon 
of those who fell in that battle, by a group of Ethiopian 
graduates from various specialties in Cuba, and 
Cubans who, in the last 48 years, fulfilled the
internationalist mission in Ethiopia.
 
The leader of the so-called movement of Ethiopian-Cubans, 
Anteneh Berhanu.... read a letter from the Ethiopian 
concurrent ambassador to Cuba, Genet Teshome 
Jirru, who reaffirmed Ethiopia's Government’s 
willingness to strengthen bilateral relations
in 
health care, education, agricultural 
technology and multilateral 
cooperation, among
 other areas.
 
Cuba’s solidarity beyond the Karramara epic, its role in the
 international sphere and in Africa, especially cooperation
 with medical brigades and professionals from other 
disciplines in that continent, were acknowledged 
by the speakers at the commemoration.
 
 
_____________________________________
 
 
 
Russia concerned about situation
 with murder of Chinese citizens 
in CAR, says top diplomat
March 22nd, 1:22pm (TASS) 
 
Moscow is concerned about the situation with the murder
 of Chinese citizens - by extremists in the Central African 
Republic (CAR), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov 
said at the press conference following talks with his
 Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed.
 
"We are concerned about the situation unfolding in the Central
 African Republic as a result of the extremist attack on Chinese 
workers and the murder of nine of these workers," the Russian 
top diplomat pointed out.
 
At the same time, Lavrov pointed out that riots in Kenya, were 
taking place simultaneously, which was - "not very surprising" 
for the Russian side either. "Because our Western colleagues
always demand that African leaders, as well as the leaders 
of other countries, always follow their advice. And those 
who show a minimum of independence --- receive 
provocations from the West," he added, "I’m
not saying anything, but I’m not excluding
anything either."
 
The minister pointed out that there were indeed situations in 
the economic and social spheres that provoked protests and 
discontent among the population. "But in most cases, the 
West intends to either create situations or use them in 
its own interests," he concluded.
 
On March 19th, unidentified assailants.. killed nine Chinese 
nationals working in a gold mine near the town of Bambari.
 Two others were wounded. Chinese President Xi Jinping 
on Monday called for the perpetrators of the attack on 
Chinese citizens in CAR, to be severely punished in 
accordance with the law.
 
 
__________________________________________
 
 
 
Russia interested in projects with
 Eritrea in mineral production 
sector — Lavrov
March 22nd, 12:41pm (TASS) 
 
Russia is interested in developing joint projects with Eritrea 
in the areas of transport infrastructure and mineral 
production, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey 
Lavrov told a press conference following 
the talks with his Eritrean counterpart 
Osman Saleh Mohammed, 
on Wednesday.
 
Special attention was given to efforts to fully unlock the existing
 cooperation potential in the economic field, Lavrov said. "We are
 interested in developing joint promising projects in transport
 infrastructure, agriculture production, exploration and 
extraction of mineral resources. We outlined Russian 
companies’ particular interest in entering the 
Eritrean market," he said.
 
"Our Eritrean friends vowed to come up with suggestions on the
 areas of efforts’ application with potential mutual interests 
from the viewpoint of attracting Russian business," 
Russia’s top diplomat noted.
 
Moreover, the sides agreed to provide direct assistance to 
representatives of the two countries’ business circles in 
establishing direct contacts, he added.
 
 
________________________________________
 
 
 
Lavrov says he discussed military
 cooperation with his Eritrean 
counterpart
March 22nd, 12:05pm (TASS)
 
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday 
he had discussed military cooperation with his Eritrean 
counterpart, Osman Saleh Mohammed, on Wednesday.
 
"We discussed military cooperation and interaction in the field 
of security," Russia’s top diplomat said at a news conference 
following talks with the Eritrean foreign minister "This is an
 important aspect of our cooperation, particularly taking 
into account the situation near the Horn of Africa and
 ongoing tensions between the regional players 
there," Lavrov added.
 
 
 
________________________________________



Over 550 Arrested During 
National Protest in
 South Africa
(March 21st, 5pm
(teleSUR)
 
Besides being overwhelmed by endless blackouts, 
citizens protest against the high unemployment 
rate, which remained at 32.7 percent for the
 fourth consecutive quarter.
 
As of Monday night, South African's National Joint Operational
 and Intelligence Structure arrested over 550 protesters, who
 are accused of public violence, intimidation, damage to
 infrastructure, robbery and attempted looting during 
a national shutdown protest.
 
"Gauteng recorded the highest number of arrests with 149, the
 Northern Cape recorded the second-highest number with 95 
arrests, the Eastern Cape also saw 80 protestors arrested,
 followed by Free State with 64 arrests," the South 
African Police Service (SAPS) said.
 
Opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) organized a
 shutdown, with thousands of protestors taking to the streets
 in major cities to force President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
 
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) also
 supported the national strike to protest against the high
 unemployment rate, which remained at 32.7 percent 
for the fourth consecutive quarter.
 
Citizens also reject the constant power blackouts caused by 
the poor state of the electrical network, which depends 
almost entirely on the indebted state 
company Eskom.
 
Corruption, insufficient energy supply, breakdowns, and the theft 
of equipment and cables are other factors that explain the South
 African energy situation, which forced President Ramaphosa to
 "State of National Disaster" and to create a new Ministry 
of Electricity.
 
Law enforcement officers have also confiscated 24,300 tyres 
throughout the country, since protestors usually use 
burning tyres to blockade roads.
 
SAPS Spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the protests, 
especially in Pretoria, were peaceful. Law enforcement 
deployments will continue to monitor the situation 
closely to ensure the safety and security of 
everyone in the country, Mathe said. 
 
South Africans demand that France exit the African 
continent #SouthAfrica #France #Colonialism #Video
 
 
__________________________________


Cuba congratulates Namibia on 
33rd independence anniversary
by Ana Luisa Brown
March 21st, 2:48pm
(Prensa Latina) 


The Cuban Foreign Ministry (MINREX) on Tuesday 
congratulated the brotherly people and 
government of Namibia - on its 33rd
 independence anniversary.
 
On Twitter, MINREX reaffirmed Cuba’s interest in 
continuing strengthening cooperation and 
solidarity relations with Namibia.


Namibia achieved independence from South Africa on 
March 21st, 1990, following a successful conclusion 
of elections, supervized and controlled by the 
United Nations.


For this purpose, Cuban internationalist forces was essential, 
which contributed to defeating the apartheid troops and its 
international sponsors.


Hundreds of Cuban collaborators in health, education, sports, 
construction and other areas --- have served in Namibia.


_____________________________________



Russia-Africa conference shows 
shaped multipolar world 
— official
March 21st, 11:41am (TASS)
 
 The Russia-Africa International Parliamentary Conference, 
which was held in Moscow on March 19-20, has shown 
that a multipolar world has already been shaped, 
Alexander Babakov, Russian State Duma
Deputy Speaker.. and chairman of the 
conference’s organizing committee, 
told reporters.
 
"The result of the conference is that the multipolar world has
 already shaped. A number of those African countries that 
have come, demonstrated these states’ readiness to 
recognize --- what was unfolding, and to treat it 
positively --- as well as not to regard Russia 
as an isolated country --- but as a reliable 
partner. There is no isolation of Russia 
either," the lawmaker stressed.
 
The second Russia-Africa International Parliamentary 
Conference.. was held on the platform of the State 
Duma. Over 40 official parliamentary delegations 
from African countries took part in the event. 
 
The conference was aimed at strengthening parliamentarian
 cooperation with African countries in the context of a multi
polar world, developing relations and elaborating common
 approaches to legal regulation in the field of economy, 
science and education and security.
 
The conference was a preparatory event for the second 
Russia-Africa summit to be held on July the 27th to the
28th, in St. Petersburg. The first international 
conference took place in Moscow in 2019.
 
 
____________________________________________
 
 
Russia to help Africa become strong 
pole of power in global arena 
— diplomat
March 19th, 6:20pm (TASS) 
 
Russia is ready to help Africa become a strong pole of power 
in the international arena, Oleg Ozerov, Russian Foreign 
Ministry’s Ambassador at Large, said on Sunday.
 
According to the diplomat, the African continent is a rising 
power, which "will gain more and more significance in this 
new world."

"Africa....  is getting prepared for a new stage of 
its
development, which will see two main processes.
This 
is the process of strengthening national
sovereignty - and
 Russia fully supports our
African friends on this because
 we want
each country to have an independent
voice, to 
determine its policy in the
international arena ----- by itself, 
without any foreign coercion.''

We are convinced that we
 have much in common.
We have common interests, 
first of all -- in what
concerns security," Ozerov... who
 is the head of
the secretariat of the Russia-Africa 
Partnership
Forum, told a roundtable meeting on 
security
within the framework of the second Russia-
Africa international parliamentary
conference.
 
Another security dimension, in his words, is strengthening 
integration processes on the African continent. He drew
 attention to the fact that an African continental free
 trade zone was launched in 2022. He also noted 
that the role of sub-regional integration 
associations is increasing. 
 
"We are convinced that these two mutually supplementing 
processes will help Africa develop as a strong pole of 
power in the global arena in the foreseeable view.
And, naturally, we are 
interested in, first,
promoting the 
development of this pole
of 
power and.... second, in having
a reliable friend, 
embodied by
African 
states," he added.
 
 
__________________________

US biolabs in Africa pose threats 
to continent – Russian diplomat
March 19th, 5:26pm (TASS)
 
The United States and its partners are establishing biological 
laboratories in Africa, which pose threats to the countries of 
the continent, Oleg Ozerov, Russian Foreign Ministry’s 
Ambassador at Large, said on Sunday.
 
"Finally, Africa is facing the issue of biological threats. 
You know --- that the United States and its partners
are 
establishing laboratories across the globe, 
- including on the African continent - and 
the governments of these countries --- 
are not let into these laboratories,"
he told a roundtable meeting.. on 
security within the framework of
the second Russia-Africa inter-
national parliamentary 
conference.
 
 
_________________________________ 



Russia to set up its leasing company 
in Africa — Industry & Trade Ministry
 March 19th, 12:32pm (TASS) 
 
Russia’s efforts underway to set up a
trade 
mission in Nigeria, says
the ministry.
 
Moscow intends to set up its own leasing company 
on Africa’s territory, Russia’s First Deputy Minister 
of Industry and Trade, Vasily Osmakov, said 
on Sunday.
 
"A specialized Russian leasing company will most 
probably be created in Africa. We are currently 
choosing the location for this leasing 
company, as the African market 
has its specifics," he said.
 
"Gazprombank Leasing will most probably be
the backbone company," Osmakov added.
 
Trade mission in Nigeria
 
Russia’s efforts are also underway to set up a
trade mission in Nigeria, the First Deputy 
Minister says.
 
"Last year a maneuver was launched to distribute trade
 missions. It is planned to open a trade mission in 
Ethiopia in the second quarter of this year, with 
the government’s decision made. Efforts 
are underway to set up a trade mission
 in Nigeria ----- and other countries are 
being explored," Osmakov specifies.
 
 
_______________________________________



UK Home Secretary visits Rwanda
 as asylum deal remains mired 
in legal challenges
March 18th, 4:12pm
(PressTV)
 
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has travelled to
 Rwanda to discuss a controversial agreement which 
would allow the UK to detain and deport asylum 
seekers to the African nation, an arrangement 
decried by the UN refugee agency, as an 
“asylum ban” and a "clear breach" of
 international law.
 
Braverman accompanied by journalists with right-wing titles
 arrived in Kigali on Saturday where she was greeted by the
 permanent secretary to Rwanda’s foreign ministry 
Clementine Mukeka, and the British high 
commissioner to Rwanda Omar Daair.
 
Before departing, Braverman reaffirmed her commitment to 
the scheme, saying it would “act as a powerful deterrent 
against dangerous and illegal journeys.”
 
The visit comes 11 months after the British government
 outlined its plan to send thousands of asylum-seekers 
who had entered the country illegally ---- to Rwanda
to 
have their asylum claims processed in the 
African country.
 
The plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, the British
 government claims, aims to disrupt illegal human 
trafficking gangs and reduce the number of 
refugees seeking a safe haven in the West 
and forced to make the sometimes 
dangerous 30km distance sea 
journey across the Channel 
to England from France.
 
The scheme, which would see the UK pay Rwanda $145
 million over the next five years...  has faced a backlash
 from NGOs, asylum seekers, and a civil service trade 
union, that questioned its legality, leading the 
government to delay its execution.
 
So far, no flights have taken place after the first scheduled 
flight to the African nation was stopped at the eleventh 
hour back in June, due to an intervention by the 
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), 
followed by months of legal challenges 
which have since stalled the program.
 
Presently, the 'Illegal Migration Bill', which gives the 
government the go-ahead to deport anyone 
arriving illegally in the UK, is being 
debated in the British parliament
 
Most often, there are no safe and legal routes into
 the UK, forcing asylum seekers to take many risks.
 
Under the new bill, the ones who do make it to the UK “won’t
 be admissible to have their asylum claim assessed even if 
they are refugees coming from war-torn societies,” said
 Alexander Betts, Director of the University of Oxford 
Refugee Studies Centre. Instead, they will face
 immediate removal either to their country of
origin, or a third country, like Rwanda.
 
The government’s new plan comes as most of these asylum 
seekers qualify to have their claims considered in the UK
 under international law and the government cannot 
declare them inadmissible forcefully.
 
“When you open up the bill, on the first page there’s a big red 
flag which says: This might be in violation of the European 
Convention on Human Rights,” Betts told CNN.
 
Betts added that the proposed bill is of “historical 
significance,” since it amounts to “a liberal, 
democratic state --- abandoning the 
principle of the right to asylum.”
 
The United Nations Court of Human Rights has warned 
that the bill, if enacted, would be a “clear breach” of
 the Refugee Convention.
 
There are also concerns that the bill is impractical. The
 Rwandan government has indicated that Kigali can 
only process 1,000 asylum seekers over the
initial
 five-year period.
 
Home Office figures show that more than 3,000 migrants 
have crossed the Channel already this year, compared 
with a record of 45,755 channel crossings during the 
whole period of 2022, surpassing the previous
year's 
record ....by more than 60 percent.
 
Aside from its casualties... the flow of illegal migrants 
has also soured Britain's relations with neighbouring 
France, prompting a blame game between the two.
 
 
___________________________________________________


 Tanzania to Investigate Rare 
Disease Outbreak in Kagera
March 17th (teleSUR)
 
On Thursday, Tanzanian health authorities launched
 investigations after a strange disease killed five 
people and two others were admitted to a 
health centre in the region of Kagera.
 
Tumaini Nagu, chief medical officer in the Health Ministry, 
said that the investigations followed reports that five 
people have died in two villages in the Bukoba 
rural district, after they suffered fever,
 vomiting, hemorrhage, and 
kidney failure.
 
"Symptoms of the illness point to an infectious disease," 
she said, adding that samples of the victims have
been
 collected for laboratory tests.
 
Rapid response medical teams have been dispatched 
to affected villages --- for further investigations.
 
People who experience fever, vomiting, bleeding in various
 parts of their bodies, and feeling fatigued should report
to
 health centres for treatment, said Nagu, who also 
cautioned people against touching patients' 
sweat, blood, urine, and tears, to 
avoid infection.
 
Health authorities reminded people to regularly wash 
their hands using soap, running water, and sanitizers, 
adding that people should also avoid shaking hands.
 
They urged people to remain calm as the Tanzanian
 government is working hard ---- to establish the 
causes of the strange disease in the region.
 
 
___________________________________________


Putin to address Russia-Africa 
parliamentary conference 
Monday — Kremlin aide
March 17th, 4:20pm (TASS) 
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak at the Russia-
Africa parliamentary conference on Monday, Kremlin 
aide Yury Ushakov, told reporters on Friday.
 
"On March the 20th, when the president receives the Chinese
 leader, he will address the 2nd parliamentary conference 
’Russia-Africa’," Ushakov said, adding that the event will
 pave the way for the 2nd Russia-Africa summit, 
scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg
 from July the 27th to the 28th.
 
This conference "is like a preparatory event for the second
 Russia-Africa summit, which will be held July 27-28 in St. 
Petersburg," Ushakov, who heads the organizing 
committee of the summit, said. According to 
him, the summit forum will be preceded 
by more than a 100 different events.
 
Ushakov noted that delegations from about 40 countries of
 the African continent, including 14 heads of legislative 
bodies, have confirmed their participation in the 
conference. A total of more than 200 African 
parliamentarians are expected.
 
Speaking about the preparations for the July summit, 
the Kremlin aide assured that Moscow was "actively
 working, meetings are being held on a regular 
basis within the framework of 17 specialized 
working groups, that focus on various areas
 of cooperation between Russia and Africa."
 
"We believe that this summit is important for the further 
development of the entire complex of relations - 
political, economic, and military-technical - 
between Russia & the African countries," 
Ushakov said. 
 
He drew attention to the fact that many heads of states 
& heads of regional African organizations had already
 confirmed their participation... in the summit in St. 
Petersburg. "We are already working on the final 
declaration of the summit, on the action plan of
 the Russia-Africa partnership for 2023-2026.'' 
 
''We believe that the second summit will give a new 
impetus to the development of comprehensive
 Russian-African relations," Ushakov said.
 
 
___________________________________________
 
 
 
Over 40 African delegations 
to take part in Russia-Africa 
parliamentary conference
March 17th, 1:58pm (TASS) 
 
More than 40 delegations from African countries will take 
part in the parliamentary conference "Russia-Africa in
 the Multipolar World," the Kremlin's press service
 said on Friday.
 
"More than 40 delegations from the countries of the African 
continent will take part in the conference, a major run-up
 event to the second Russia-Africa summit," it said.
 
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said earlier that
 President Vladimir Putin.. will speak at the conference, 
which will be a precursor to the second Russia-Africa 
summit to be held in St. Petersburg on July 27-28.
 
 
____________________________________________
 
 
 
Rosatom subsidiary to construct 
small HPPs with total capacity 
of 500 MW --- in Congo
March 17th, 9:52am (TASS) 
 
RASU JSC (Rusatom Automated Control Systems), a
 subsidiary of the Rosatom State Corporation, is 
working on a project to build small hydropower 
plants (HPP) in the Republic of the Congo, 
with a total capacity of 500 MW at the 
initial stage, Russian Ambassador 
to the republic, Georgy Chepik,
 told reporters.
 
"I really like the project already being concretely 
developed by Rosatom’s subsidiary RASU JSC, 
which deals with hydropower. We are talking 
about container-type micro and small HPPs 
produced by Russia," he said.
 
The Republic of the Congo has defined 37 locations 
where the construction of HPPs with a capacity 
between 1 and 10 MW is possible, the diplomat 
said. "Total generation will be 500 MW at the 
first stage. This is roughly in line with the 
current total generation of the country 
from heat, gas and existing hydro-
power plants," he noted.
 
Should the project be successful, the capacity may 
be tripled, Chepik said. "This alone, will produce 
huge results. The Congo will export electricity, 
with remote areas being provided with 
electricity," he pointed out.
 
 
__________________________________________
 
 
 
Russia may provide mobile 
lab to Congo to study 
tropical diseases
March 17th, 9:05am (TASS) 
 
Moscow is working on providing a mobile laboratory to study
tropical diseases... to the Republic of the Congo, Russian
Ambassador to the African country, Georgy Chepik, 
told reporters.
 
"For us and the Congolese side, this is a very important
 project in the field of research and study of tropical 
infections and diseases. The idea was put forward 
by the Congolese side --- and Rospotrebnadzor 
(Russia’s sanitary watchdog) reacted very 
positively to it," he noted. "Currently, it is 
about working on providing the Congo 
with a mobile lab based on the 
Kamaz platform," 
Chepik added.
 
The envoy also said that Russia and the Congo would sign 
a memorandum on the project at a later date. "Russian
 and Congolese specialists will jointly use the 
laboratory," Chepik said.
 
 
__________________________________________
 
 
 
Russia looking for ways to bring 
grain exporters, Congolese
 buyers together — envoy
March 17th, 8:51am (TASS)
 
 Russia’s embassy in the Republic of the Congo is 
actively searching for possibilities to connect 
Russian grain suppliers to local purchasers, 
Russian Ambassador to the Congo,
Georgy
 Chepik, told reporters.
 
On the republic’s side there is demand for Russian grain, 
he said. "However, it is necessary to understand that
 the Congo is not structured the same way as Egypt, 
for example. There is no centralized state entity for 
grain purchases here," the diplomat explained, 
adding that the embassy is forced to search 
for opportunities, which it is actively 
involved in, "to connect [Russian 
exporters] to local purchasers."
 
Meanwhile, Russian companies that are accustomed to
 working with international traders have so far failed to 
agree with the Congo on new supply terms, Chepik 
noted. "As a rule, we deliver products to the 
loading port in Russia, whereas the 
Congolese... would like to get the 
products in the unloading port, 
of course, which is the main 
problem now," he said.
 
Russian firms interested in exporting their products, mainly
 grain and fertilizers, to the Congo, should take the initiative 
to make these deliveries, the envoy said. "Once grain has 
gone to smash it has straightforwardly affected the local 
consumer market. The same concerns fertilizers as well. 
Grain was one of our main exports to the Republic of the
 Congo... before the sanctions period," he pointed out.
 
Commenting on the grain deal, which would ensure access 
of Russian grain to the global market, Chepik said that the 
agreement only works partially and not efficiently 
regarding Russian supplies. 
 
"The only proper solution for us is to build our own logistics,
financial and insurance chains, that will enable us to really 
see who the unfriendly countries are," he concluded.
 
 
________________________________________
 
 
 
Russia, Congo to ink deal for 
construction of oil product 
pipeline
 March 17th, 8:20am (TASS) 
 
Russia and the Republic of the Congo plan to sign an 
intergovernmental agreement on the construction 
of a pipeline --- that will transport petroleum 
products in the African country, with the 
participation of a Russian company... 
ahead of the Russia-Africa summit, 
that will be held in St. Petersburg 
in July, Russian Ambassador to 
Congo, Georgy Chepik, 
told reporters.
 
The project on the creation of an oil product pipeline 
between Congo’s largest cities of Pointe-Noire and 
the capital of Brazzaville is part of immediate 
plans to develop relations between Russia 
and the Republic of the Congo, he noted. 
"It is named after the points that it 
crosses - Pointe-Noire, Lutete
and
 Maloukou Trechot,"
the diplomat added.
 
It was decided at the meeting of the sixth intergovernmental
trade-economic commission -- in September 2022 -- that an
 intergovernmental agreement... should be sealed between 
the governments of Russia and the Republic of the Congo 
on the project to build a pipeline to supply oil products, 
Chepik said. "The plan is, to have this agreement 
signed before the Russia-Africa summit, and a
 joint venture is likely to be set up, to deal 
with practical issues, and a concession 
agreement will be inked," he explained.
 
On the Russian side, the ZNGS Prometey company has 
shown interest in the project, the ambassador noted. 
"It will most likely be involved in the intergovern-
mental agreement," he said.
 
The diplomat also noted that Russia’s oil major Lukoil, which
 has been working in the African country since 2019, is the
 flagship, in the development of the relationship between 
the two countries. "This is a very important, significant 
presence for us. It can only be compared with Rusal 
in Guinea and Alrosa in Angola. Lukoil is our most 
important economic presence here now," 
he stressed.
 
 
________________________________________
 
 
  
Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo, 
work on agreements ahead of Russia
-Africa summit
March 17th, 8:02am (TASS)
 
Russia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are 
working on several agreements between the two
 countries --- ahead of the second Russia-Africa 
summit, Russian Ambassador to the republic
 Georgy Chepik told reporters.
 
"We are working ahead of the second Russia-Africa summit on
 several documents, including trade agreements, agreements
 on the use of funds received as repayment of the debt of the
 Republic of Congo, an agreement on maritime transport, an
 agreement on mutual recognition of education and
 qualifications," he said.
 
According to the Russian diplomat, the sides are also working
 on a memorandum of cooperation in the construction area.
 
"We hope to finally sign a memorandum of understanding
 between the Russian State Duma --- and the National 
Assembly of the Republic of Congo, which, by the 
way, is headed by our graduate, Isidore Mvouba, 
who speaks excellent Russian and has a 
Russian wife," Chepik added.
 
The Russian ambassador revealed that the delegation of the
 Democratic Republic of Congo at the Russia-Africa summit 
would most likely be headed by the country’s president 
Denis Sassou Nguesso. "We assume... that Denis 
Sassou Nguesso will come to St. Petersburg.
 In any case, he has already voiced such 
intentions", he said.
 
 
____________________________________________


Africa's Economy Projected to 
Grow 3.9 Pct in 2023: UNECA
March 16th (teleSUR)
 
Fiscal deficits and debt levels are projected to improve in
 2023, but they remain relatively higher or at par with
pre-
pandemic levels in most countries.
 
On Wednesday, the United Nations Economic Commission
 for Africa (UNECA) -- announced that Africa's economy is
 projected to grow 3.9 percent in 2023 from 3.6 percent
 in 2022.
 
Presenting a report on recent economic and social 
developments in Africa Wednesday at the 55th
session of the Commission, UNECA's Macro-
economics and Governance Divisional 
Director Adam Elhiraika, said Africa's 
GDP growth declined from 4.6%
 in 2021.. to 3.6% in 2022, but 
is expected to rebound to 
3.9% in 2023.
 
"The slowdown in the global economy, high prices fuelled 
by the Ukrainian conflict, climate change & worsening 
international economic and financial conditions... 
significantly impacted Africa's growth in 2022," 
said Elhiraika, adding that the 3.9% growth 
forecast for 2023, is mainly driven by 
growth in the continent's east, 
north and west Africa 
sub-regions.
 
In the developing world, Africa was the fastest growing
region after East & South Asia (4.5 percent), followed 
by South-Eastern Europe (3.2 percent), and Latin 
America (2.1 percent).
 
"Unfortunately, Africa continues to grow at a low and
 unsteady rate of GDP," the director said, noting that 
the anticipated 3.9 percent growth rate this year 
remains low... compared to the pre-COVID-19 
periods -- and Africa needs to create jobs 
and reduce poverty.
 
Fiscal deficits and debt levels are projected to improve in
 2023, but they remain relatively higher or at par, with pre-
pandemic levels in most countries except in Central and 
Southern Africa which has had significant improvements.
 
Elhiraika said inflation across the continent is estimated to
decline to 12 percent in 2023 from 12.8 percent in 2022 as 
countries of the continent are expected to tighten their 
monetary policies to withstand inflationary pressures.
 
Fiscal space remains constrained despite narrowing 
economic deficits, making it harder for most 
countries to invest in major sectors to 
ensure resilience from shocks, said 
the director, adding that rising 
borrowing costs and debt 
service burdens pose a 
significant challenge -- 
going forward & that 
Africa's debt-to-GDP
ratio, is estimated to
reach 61.9% in 2023.
 
Elhiraika added that currency depreciation has 
been more pronounced in countries with 
flexible exchange rate regimes and in 
commodity-exporting countries.
 
Countries with fixed exchange rates, especially those 
within the Economic and Monetary Community of 
Central Africa and West African Economic and 
Monetary Union experienced an average 
depreciation of 10 percent against the 
U.S. dollar in 2022. 
 
 
____________________________________
 
 
 
Disorder, anarchy we wont allow,
 says President Ramaphosa
by Pavel López Lazo
March 16th, 3:53pm
(Prensa Latina) 
 
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday, 
claimed ahead of a planned national strike for Monday
 20th, his country will not allow anarchy and disorder.
 
Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters
 (EFF), said this week his party will hold the protest to 
mainly call for Ramaphosa´s resignation - as well as
 for the end to blackouts.
 
In relation to EFF’s demands, Ramaphosa assured that South 
Africa is governed by the rule of law. We are a constitutional 
democracy. Regime change can only come about through 
the vote. It cannot come about through anarchy, 
unleashing disorder in the country.
 
“I want to say very clearly: disorder and anarchy will not be 
allowed in South Africa. We will not allow those who want
 to spread anarchy to do what they like here in South 
Africa,” he said.
 
‘If you do not do what we like, we are going to take action 
against you’. That completely goes against the ethos
 of our Constitution,” he stressed.
 
 
_____________________________________
 
 
 
Angolan cultural institution 
signs agreement with Cuba
by Juan M. Garcia
March 16th, 2:07pm
(Prensa Latina) 
 
The Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto Memorial (MAAN) signed
a
 collaboration agreement on Thursday with the Fidel 
Castro Ruz Centre, to unite Angola and Cuba in the 
promotion of historical research and scientific-
cultural exchanges.
 
According to MAAN Director General Antonio Fonseca, the
signing of the document in Luanda was “a great joy,” 
which will come to fruition in the coming days,
when the document will be penned in 
Havana by the Cuban counterpart.
 
“Our joy is justified because the signing of this agreement 
can enhance research and the dissemination of the life 
and work of the leaders of the Angolan Revolution and
 the Cuban Revolution, Antonio Agostinho Neto and 
Fidel Castro Ruz, respectively,” he stated.
 
It means another open door, to transmit to the new
 generations the values cultivated by both patriots, 
as well as a way to promote the study, rescue and 
dissemination of the historical memory and the 
socialization of national culture, “which does
 justice to our historic ties”, he added.
 
Under the leadership of Fidel Castro, Cuba was always on 
Angola’s side, from the liberation struggle, the fight 
against foreign invaders and the maintenance of 
territorial integrity, to the beginning of the 
construction of the independent State 
and the subsequent tasks in favour 
of education and culture,
 Fonseca explained.
 
Such relationships of brotherhood, he noted, should be 
known to the present and future generations because
 “memory is a social and cultural right, a source of 
training that places man in the best conditions
to
 project the future.”
 
The trajectory of bilateral ties generated information that is 
still scattered and deserves the attention of both parties 
for its compilation and analysis, which can contribute to 
the historiography of the national liberation struggle in 
Angola, the intellectual pointed out.
 
In Fonseca’s opinion, the institutionalization of relations
 between the MAAN and the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre 
means establishing ties between two institutions 
with programs aimed at recovering & preserving 
the memory of the struggles, carried out for the
 good of their respective peoples and humanity.
 
 
______________________________________________


Russia to back Algeria's intention
 to join BRICS, says speaker
March 16th, 1:37pm (TASS)
 
 Russia will support Algeria's intention to join BRICS (Brazil, 
Russia, India, China and South Africa), Federation Council 
Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, who is leading the 
council delegation on an official visit to the 
country, said on Thursday.
 
"As you know --- Algeria has expressed a desire to join the
BRICS format. Russia will certainly support this intention
and will do its best to facilitate this," Matviyenko said 
after meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid 
Tebboune. According to her, Tebboune pointed 
out during the meeting that Russia was and
remained "a great friend of Algeria."
 
 
__________________________________


Russian Federation Council 
delegation headed by 
Matviyenko arrives 
in Algeria
March 15th, 7:14pm
 
A Federation Council delegation... led by the speaker of 
the upper house of the Russian parliament, Valentina
Matviyenko, has arrived in Algeria, where Russian 
senators will stay until March 17th.
 
During the trip, Matvienko will meet with the leadership 
of the African country, including the heads of the upper 
and lower chambers of the Algerian parliament: Chair
-man of the Council of the Nation, Salah Gujil and 
Chairman of the National People's Assembly, 
Brahim Bugali.
 
In addition, the senators will lay a wreath at the Monument
 to the Heroes of the War of Independence of Algeria, visit
 a photo exhibition dedicated to the 25th anniversary of 
the Council of Nations of the People's Democratic 
Republic of Algeria, the press service of the 
Federation Council of Russia, reported.
 
In late February, Russian Security Council Secretary, 
Nikolai Patrushev, met with Algerian President,
Abdelmajid Tebboun.
 
Russian Ambassador to Algeria, Valerian Shuvaev, 
earlier told RT ---- about promising areas of 
cooperation between the two countries.
 
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, in an interview
with RT Arabic, said that Algeria is among the leaders 
of the candidates ----- for joining BRICS.
 


_________________________________________



Mozambican president plans to 
attend Russia-Africa summit, 
says envoy
March 15th, 12:01pm (TASS)
 
 The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, plans to
attend 
the Russia-Africa summit to be held in July
in St. 
Petersburg, the country’s envoy to Moscow 
Jose Mateus Muaria Katupha, told TASS 
on Wednesday.
 
"I hope that the president of my country will participate
 in the summit, just as he did in 2019. So far everything
 indicates that he will come," he said.
 
The diplomat pointed out that Mozambique planned to take
 part in the summit at the governmental level as well. 
 
"I hope that [Mozambique's participation in the summit] will
 also take place on a cultural and scientific level. Perhaps, 
directors of various universities in Mozambique will 
attend, as well as businessmen," he added.
 
 
 
____________________________________________
 


Mourning and uncertainty 
in Malawi due to Cyclone
by Javier Arana Villasusa
March 15th 10:59am
(Prensa Latina) 
 
Days after the most recent cyclone´s overwhelming passage 
through Malawi, the count of the human damage continues, 
with a provisional death toll of 200 people and material 
damage the extent of which...  remains unknown.
 
Meanwhile, the human damage count continues, hundreds of 
internally displaced persons found refuge in Blantire (south), 
the main commercial city of the country, where they live in
 precarious conditions waiting for official and international 
aid that barely arrives ---- according to statements of 
the victims.
 
The events indicate that the second lashing of the 
enimagmatic cyclone was even more destructive 
than the first one because the accompanying 
heavy rains caused floods and mudslides 
that swept away dozens of people, 
while the winds destroyed 
houses and crops.
 
So far... the number of victims is more than 19 thousand, 
according to the most updated report of the authorities.
 
The weather phenomenon, unofficially holder of the record
 for the longest in duration, was born near the coasts of 
Australia at the end of February and in its transit 
through the Indian Ocean increased to a force 
yet to be calculated and with which it had 
hit the islands of Reunion, Madagascar, 
Mozambique, as well as areas 
of Zimbabwe.
 
However, that was not the end of its story, as it 
strengthened on its exit to the Indian Ocean,
and, once again, turned its fury on 
Mozambique and Malawi.
 
 
_________________________________________



Russia-Africa summit plans to adopt
 declaration, and joint action plan 
— envoy
March 14th, 3:23pm (TASS)
 
 The participants of the second Russia-Africa summit, to be 
held in St. Petersburg, plan to adopt a political declaration
and a joint action plan, Oleg Ozerov, the Russian
Ambassador-at-Large, and Head of the 
Russia-Africa Partnership Forum
 Secretariat, said.
 
"We’ve already discussed a political declaration, we also
intend to discuss its content with all African countries. 
This will be our joint document --- that reflects our 
common interests. And we're sure, that we will 
be able to agree on it.  The second document 
will be our joint action plan. We’ve.. already 
prepared and coordinated with the African
Union, a joint action plan, it is ready for 
signing," he said at the Russian Union 
of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs’ 
international forum ‘Russia-Africa: 
Cooperation ------ as a path to 
sustainable development’.
 
Ozerov also expressed hope, that the summit would 
address the issue of the development of relations 
between the Eurasian Economic Union and 
regional African organizations.
 
The diplomat pointed out that the key task for Moscow 
is to strengthen the sovereignty of African states.
 
 According to him, Moscow is "the beacon of sovereignty".
 
"We’ve ensured our sovereignty - and we are ready to help 
others precisely to move to a new model of international
 relations, to equal cooperation in a multipolar world. 
I think our interests coincide with those of the 
African states, and we will continue to work
 together to achieve concrete results,"
 he concluded.
 
 
_____________________________________


Namibian president to attend 
Russia-Africa summit
ambassador to
 Russia says
March 14th, 1:10pm (TASS)
 
Namibian President Hage Geingob, ministers and business 
people, are set to attend the second Russia-Africa summit 
in St. Petersburg, the African country’s Ambassador to 
Russia, Clemens Handuukeme Kashuupulwa, said at
 a conference on Tuesday.
 
"We expect that the president of the Republic of Namibia 
will visit this very important summit with a delegation of 
ministers and members of the business community,"
 he said at the conference entitled "Russia - 
Africa: cooperation as a Way Toward 
Sustainable Development."
 
The second Russia-Africa summit and economic forum is
 scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg from July the
26th to the 29th. The first summit was held in Sochi,
from October the 22nd to the 24th, in 2019.
 
 
__________________________________________



Ethiopia reaffirms commitment 
to non-proliferation of 
nuclear weapons
by Pavel López Lazo
March 13th, 2:50pm
(Prensa Latina) 
 
“As an IAEA founding member since 1957, Ethiopia has 
over the years enhanced its collaboration with the 
agency and is also committed to, and strongly 
supportive of, the agency’s mandates,” 
Molla stated --- while reaffirming his 
country´s readiness to collaborate 
& promote technical cooperation
 with the IAEA ---- in key socio-
economic sectors including 
agriculture, food security, 
health, water resources 
management, and the
environment, as well
as manufacturing &
power generation,
 among others.
 
In this regard, Molla announced a group of steps for setting 
up the Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST)
 to sustainably manage this sector.
 
“We´re outlaying on research and development, building
 necessary infrastructure and developing policies and
 programs to support innovative companies and 
entrepreneurs in all sectors,” Molla added.
 
IAEA´s Deputy Director-General and Head of Technical
 Cooperation Department Hua Liu, on the other hand,
 stressed the meeting is aimed at --- boosting the
efficiency and effectiveness of the technical 
cooperation program in Africa.
 
 
___________________________________


Association of National Olympic 
Committees of Africa --- green-
lights Russia for 2024 Games
March 13th, 2:41pm (TASS)
 
Members of the Association of National Olympic 
Committees of Africa (ANOCA) have voted 
unanimously in favour of admitting 
Russian and Belarusian athletes 
to compete in the 2024 Summer 
Games in Paris, ANOCA’s press
 office said in a statement 
on Monday.
 
"Over 100 African athletes representatives... taking part
 in the Continental Athletes’ Forum held in Algiers this 
weekend have unanimously expressed their full 
support --- of the resolution adopted by the 
ANOCA executive board -- on March 3rd --
2023 welcoming the return of Russian 
& Belarusian athletes competing as
 neutral athletes in international 
competitions" ---- the
 statement reads.
 
"The participants from 50 National Olympic Commission
 (NOC) Athletes’ Commissions (ACs) across Africa 
gathered in Algiers, Algeria, for the Association 
of National Olympic Committees of Africa 
(ANOCA) Athletes’ Forum," according to
 ANOCA’s statement. 
 
"In their discussions they reiterated that athletes should
 never pay the price of a conflict whatever it is and 
wherever it is."
 
"Politics should not put pressure on Sport to withdraw
 from its fundamental values of solidarity and unity," 
the statement emphasized.
 
On February 28th, 2022, the International Olympic 
Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to 
international sports federations to bar 
athletes from Russia and Belarus 
from taking part in international 
tournaments, citing Moscow’s 
special military operation in
 Ukraine as the reason.
 
Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 
2022, the majority of global sports federations 
decided to bar athletes from Russia and 
Belarus from all international 
sports tournaments.
 
At its session on January 25, 2023, the IOC Executive 
Board put forward a proposal to permit individual 
athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in
 international sports tournaments, but only 
under certain conditions. 
 
Specifically, eligible athletes from the two countries 
should not be "active supporters" of Russia’s 
special military operation in Ukraine and 
must compete under neutral status.
 
On February 9th, Reuters news agency quoted IOC 
President Thomas Bach as saying in a statement
 that any potential boycott of the 2024 Summer 
Olympic Games in Paris by the Ukrainian 
National Olympic Committee (NOC) 
would be in violation of the 
Olympic Charter.
 
 
______________________________


Diaspora Kitchen Festival 
highlights traditional 
Cameroonian cuisine
March 12th, 5:40pm
(africanews)
 
For several years in Cameroon, the trend among chefs has 
been the progressive ditching of local cuisine in favour 
of Western gastronomy.
 
Cameroonian chefs, supported by Afro-American colleagues, 
are working to reverse this trend through the first Diaspora 
Kitchen festival, which aims to promote traditional
Cameroonian cuisine.
 
"We are the ambassadors of this cuisine, of certain dishes
 that tend to disappear. For example, the leaves of foléré 
are unfamiliar to many except in the northern regions, 
many do not know -- that we can highlight this. So, 
that's the goal, this why we are invited today, to 
showcase these dishes that tend to disappear"
 explained chef Armand Ewodo. 
 
Another chef, Eloge Fankam, showcased 
the advantages of pre-prepared koki. 
 
"Well, this is flour based koki, I make traditional koki with 
red oil as we do conventionally. But the advantage with 
this product is that it is already prepared. We don't 
have the time... to wash the seeds and work on 
them, to remove all the skins and impurities, 
it's already clean, we just add water, we 
add the elements, salt, chilli and then
 red oil", he said.
 
Cameroonian cuisine is rich and diverse. The Diaspora
 Kitchen festival is the first of its kind. According to 
the organizers, the festival aims to standardize and
 codify Cameroonian gastronomy and train local 
professionals...  who work in hotels and 
restaurants, teaching them traditional 
dishes to introduce to the public.
 
"Using stock cubes is not good for your health, using too
 much salt is also not good and the same applies to oil. 
We have to go back to the source... of what we did 
before. Because a grilled fish with a maillonaise 
which is only a substitute product, it has no 
flavour and it's a chemical product.''

''It 
is necessary --- that we Africans, Cameroonians,
realize that 
...we are turning towards something
which can 
destabilize our culinary education,
even for our 
children & future 
generations"
affirmed 
Christian Abegan, an expert in
gastronomic 
strategy.
 
The transmission of this culinary heritage was 
done through tasting sessions focused on
 traditional dishes. 
 
A festival dedicated exclusively to the culinary art
 that came to celebrate the Cameroonian cuisine.
 
Africanews correspondent in Cameroon, 
Lambert Ngouanfo, added:
 
"At the end of the exchanges between Cameroonian 
and Afro-American chefs, culinary standards were 
defined to allow traditional Cameroonian dishes 
and meals to be more attractive in restaurants 
both in Cameroon and abroad.''
 
''The objective of the organizers is to make Cameroonians 
stop rejecting their own culinary heritage, in favour of 
meats, poultry and other dishes --- imported from 
Europe or Latin America".
 
 
______________________________
 
 
 
Nairobi's Pallet Café offers 
opportunities to the 
hearing impaired
Pallet Café -- in 
Nairobi, Kenya
March 12th, 12:47pm
(africanews)
 
Nairobi's Pallet Café, as it is known, has a unique 
business model with a majority of its staff 
having a hearing impairment. 
 
"The story and inspiration behind opening Pallet Café... and
establishing it the way it is, is empowerment. We need to
empower people who are differently abled. Not help 
them, empower them. Give them a life. And that -
is 
what is behind Pallet Café", explains Susan 
Watkins, General Manager at Pallet Café
 in Lavington, Nairobi.
 
Employment opportunities in Kenya for people with hearing 
impairment are not easy to come by and the move by Pallet 
Café... has provided a lifeline for those working here. 
 
The recruitment process varies from walk-in job seekers 
to referrals by different people or institutions for the 
differently abled.
 
The new staff undergo a two-week training course 
before being allowed to handle patrons.
 
Kabiru Mwenja is a regular here and 
shares his experience.
 
"The service here is amazing, I think I come here may be 
too often than I should but I am a big fan of the people 
as well. I think I have got to know the people working 
here and it is an added benefit to learn some sign 
language.So far I have learnt the sign for thank 
you, I am still working on other alphabets" 
said regular patron, Kabiru Mwenja.
 
Thanks to the positive reception, Pallet Café has opened
 two more branches, one in Gigiri in Nairobi and the 
other in Diani on the Kenyan Coast.
 
Africanews correspondent in Kenya, 
Ronald Agak, added: 
 
"Other than offering a unique experience and amazing
 food, Pallet Café also offers a serene environment 
for clients who would want to work away from 
their offices".
 
 
___________________________________
 
 
 
South Africa's university students 
denounce increasing cost 
of education
March 12th, 11:49am
 (africanews)
 
Every year, the cost of studying at a South African
university --- is becoming unbearable for students. 
 
According to data from financial services group, Old 
Mutual, university students in South Africa will fork
 out an average of 3000 US dollars in 2023.
 
In the past week, students from the University of 
Witwatersrand shut down the campus in protest 
over the exclusion of students who cannot 
afford to register for the new academic 
year and payoff debt. 
 
One of the student leaders says they're demanding 
that the university does not leave academically 
deserving students stranded.
 
Lungile Magagula, Wits University Student Forum Interim 
Chairperson said financial exclusion is not a valid 
reason to bar students from starting the new 
academic year.
 
“The problem here is that students are not able to register 
due to financial reasons. Most students who are unable 
to register are academically deserving to register but 
they are unable to because of financial reasons. And 
that is one of our major demands,” said Magagula.
 
Last week, students at Wits University were seen sleeping
 in public places due to delays in securing financial aid
 for accommodation. 
 
Onkokame Seepamore, a final year BA Law student 
expresses concern that financial aid for 
accommodation continues to be a 
struggle every year.
 
“At the current moment, I don’t have funding and I am
 appealing for financial  aid. For the past years, it was 
okay, but this year it became a struggle, because I 
didn’t have funding at all. I had problems getting 
accommodation and  registering.” 
said Seepamore.
 
Jabulile Mbanjwa, Bachelor of Laws (LLB) student recalls
 repeatedly applying for bursaries but with no luck.
 
“I studied a BA Law and I am doing the two postgraduate
LLB and because financial aid has defunded the two 
year and three year stream of LLB --- I am stuck 
without funding. I was fortunate to register 
but I don’t know how I am going to cover 
my fees --- and I was not able to get 
accommodation because I don’t 
have financial aid.“ 
recalls Mbanjwa.
 
Seven years ago, Fees Must Fall protests erupted on
 campuses throughout South Africa. Students were 
calling for free and quality tertiary education. 
Lungile says this is the perfect time to put 
pressure on the government to provide 
free education.
 
“It is time for us to consider free education. These are issues 
that emanate from us not having free education. It is time for
 the government and universities to work together in order
 to consider free education“, demands  Magagula.
 
At this point, students and management of Wits 
University are still locked in negotiations. 
 
On the ground, students are hoping that a mutual 
solution will come sooner rather than later.
 
 
____________________________________________




Survivors of hacking attack: 
recount ordeal at the hands 
of ADF militia
March 11th, 4:55pm
(africanews)
 
Survivors of an attack occurred this week in 
eastern DRC, have recounted their ordeal 
at the hands of the ADF militia. 
 
On Wednesday, ADF militants killed at least 
forty people in two villages in North 
Kivu province.
 
Some villagers described how they had 
welcomed the fighters before the
 killing started.
 
"They came in a group, like visitors, we thought they were
 coming to greet us. They ordered us to leave the house. 
We wondered what the problem was, thinking that they 
were ordinary peasants. Then I was dragged, pushed 
brutally out, hit and cut in the face by a machete", 
said Kabuo Tsongo, a female survivor of
 the attack, hospitalized in Kalunguta.
 
The ADF militia is aligned to the Islamic State group, and 
ranks among the deadliest armed groups in eastern DRC. 
 
According to the village chief there was no shooting 
during the attack, instead the attackers used 
bladed weapons.
 
"Houses were burned, people were killed with machetes, 
set on fire, but there was no crackling of bullets", said 
Deogratias Kasereka, chief of Mukondi village
 
Last week, the United States offered a reward of up to 
$5 million... for information concerning ADF leader 
Seka Musa Baluku.
 
Since 2021, North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri
province
 have been under a so-called
"state of siege".
 
 
____________________________________
 
 
UN delegation in the DRC
to 
assess situation in
North 
Kivu province
March 11th, 3pm
(africanews)
 
United Nations officials arrived in the Democratic 
Republic of Congo, on Friday, to assess the 
security and humanitarian situation in
 the east of the country.
 
Fighting in the North Kivu province has intensified 
recently, with the M23 rebels threatening to cut 
off all road links to Goma, a city of more than
 one million inhabitants situated on the 
border with Rwanda.
 
Speaking on arrival, the French ambassador to the 
UN, reaffirmed the support of the international 
community with the DRC.
 
"The main message we have come to convey is that
the United Nations, the international community, 
stands by the Democratic Republic of Congo in
its ordeal --- because what is happening in the
east of the country is not acceptable --- the 
action of the groups, is very reprehensible,
it must be fought", said Nicolas de Rivière.
 
Several regional initiatives intended to defuse
 the conflict, have, so far, failed to stop
 the fighting.
 
An Angola-mediated ceasefire... that had been due 
to take effect on Tuesday, collapsed the same day.
 
"We have been saying....   since the beginning of this 
interview that the Security Council has many levels 
in its action for peace & security. One of the main 
tools for peace and security --- is dialogue. It's
difficult to make it --- without dialogue and 
negotiations. Indeed, we don't have only 
dialogue; and we are here to envisage 
all the possibilities of the objective -
to bring peace & security", added 
Gabon's ambassador to the UN, 
Michel Xavier Biang.
 
The Congolese government accuses 
Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. 
 
UN experts, the US and several other 
western states, have also concluded 
that Rwanda supports the group, 
although Kigali has so far 
denied that.
 
The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, 
known as MONUSCO is one of the largest 
and most expensive UN missions in the 
world, with more than 16 000 
uniformed personnel.
 
Residents accuse it -- of failing to deal with the 
dozens of armed groups operating in eastern 
DRC, including the M23 rebels.
 
 
__________________________________


South Africa to Host BRICS
 Summit in Late August
March 10th, 2023 
http://infobrics.org/
 
South Africa will host the BRICS Summit in Gauteng 
province, on August 22nd-24th, said Minister in the
 Presidency, Mondli Gungubele.
 
Gungubele made the remarks while briefing
 the media about the cabinet meeting, 
Xinhua news agency reported.
 
This year's summit will be held under the theme: 
"BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually 
Accelerated Growth, Sustainable 
Development, and Inclusive 
Multilateralism," stated
 the Minister.
 
The BRICS consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China 
and South Africa. South Africa assumed the
BRICS chairship, on January the 1st, 
2023, taking over from China.
 
Source: in.investing.com
 
 
____________________________________

 
Burkina Faso: eleven soldiers and 
One Hundred & Twelve terrorists
killed in fighting
March 10th, 3:22pm
(africanews)
 
Eleven soldiers -- and 112 terrorists -- have been killed
in recent days during several anti-jihadist operations
in Burkina Faso, the target of deadly attacks in 
recent weeks, the army general staff 
announced on Thursday.
 
"Several large-scale operations were launched
simultaneously as part of the reconquest of 
the national territory.. wanted by the 
President of the Transition", an 
army press release states.
 
"During the progress of our units, 11 of our fighters lost their
 lives on the field of honour. Four others, who were injured, 
were taken care of by health structures", continues the 
staff. which specifies that the ground units were 
supported by the air force.
 
The army also indicates that 112 terrorists were
neutralized and weapons, vehicles & explosive 
devices, were destroyed or recovered. The 
operations, carried out for several days, 
are continuing in the north and east of 
the country, particularly affected by 
terrorist attacks.
 
According to the press release, they have made it possible 
to regain control of certain areas, and in particular, the 
town of Partiaga, in the east of the country, where 
several civilians were killed at the end of 
February, by armed terrorist groups.
 
No official report has been communicated, to date, for 
this attack. According to the Burkinabè Movement 
for Human and People's Rights (MBDHP), around 
60 civilians were killed.
 
"The forces have effectively set foot in Partiaga -- and have
carried out search operations in order to allow a dignified 
burial of the civilians who have lost their lives, following 
the abuses caused by the terrorists", underlines 
the staff.
 
Through this operation, the army hopes 
to "completely restore peace within 
the populations".
 
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, a transitional president who came 
to power in a putsch nearly six months ago, expressed in 
February, his intact determination to fight the terrorists.
 
The violence attributed to groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the
 Islamic State (IS) organization has since 2015 left more 
than 10,000 dead - civilians and soldiers - according to 
NGOs... and some two million displaced.
 
 
____________________
 
 
Mali junta postpones 
constitutional 
referendum
March 10th, 3:11pm
(africanews)
 
The ruling junta in Mali announced on Friday that it will
 postpone a constitutional referendum scheduled for 
March 19th, while assuring that it would respect its
 commitments to return civilians to the helm of
 the country in 2024.
 
"The date of the referendum scheduled for March 19th, 2023 
will be slightly postponed," government spokesman Colonel 
Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement read to the press. 

This referendum is the first step supposed to be 
validated by a vote on the way to elections in 
February 2024 and a return to civilian rule.
 
The junta justifies this postponement by the installation of 
the representations of the election management body in 
all regions of the country and by the desire to 
popularize the draft new Constitution.
 
"The new date for the referendum will be set after
consultations with the independent election 
management authority and all the actors
 in the electoral process," the 
statement added.
 
This constitution is a key element of the vast reform project 
invoked by the military to justify continuing to rule this
 country until 2024, which is facing the spread of
terrorism and a deep multi-faceted crisis.
 
The version of the constitution, presented as final, handed 
to the head of the junta Colonel Assimi Goïta, on February 
the 27th, affirms the "attachment to the republican form 
and secularity of the state.
 
Mali has been plagued since 2012 by the spread of jihadism
and violence, of all kinds. The junta pushed out French
soldiers in 2022 amid great acrimony and has turned,
militarily and politically, to Russia.
 
 
_______________________________________
 
 
 
Least developed states' summit 
ends in Doha with no massive 
aid pledges - UN
March 10th, 2:17pm
(africanews)
 
The 5th United Nations Conference of the least
 developed countries closed in Doha on 
Thursday (March 9th).
 
It saw nations pledge to donate funds. Among them
 Germany, announced $200 million for the least 
developed countries, Saudi Arabia, who is 
donating $800 million, and Canada 
offering UNICEF $34 million.
 
Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the 
UN detailed her country’s contribution.
 
"At the opening of the finale of the conference, His 
Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar and the 
President of the conference, underscored the 
firm commitment of the state of Qatar, to
supporting the development process of
 the Least Developed Countries," 
Sheikha Alia bin ahmed Al 
Thani said.
 
[He] "announc[ed] ...a financial contribution of a total of $60 
million, of which $10 million will be allocated for supporting 
the implementation of the activities of the Doha Program of 
Action of the least developed countries, and $50 million 
will be allocated for supporting the deliverables of the 
Doha Program of Action and building resilience in
the
 least developed countries."
 
Guterres started the summit by saying the 46 poorest 
states need a $500 billion a year stimulus to reach
the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs),
 a blueprint to end poverty and boost health 
and education by 2030. That goal was 
not met.
 
His Deputy chief said least developed economies needed
 a new impulse to deliver the Sustainable Development
 Goals (SDG) by 2030.
 
"SDG performance is low, below the global average, 
risks are growing ---- rather than diminishing."
 
"And 11 least developed countries spend over one-fifth of
 their revenue servicing debt. We need a new approach, 
and the Doha Program of Action responds to these 
unprecedented and interlinked challenges with 
a blueprint for recovery, for renewal and for 
resilience," Amina Mohammed urged.
 
The theme of this year's 5-day summit 
was "From Potential to Prosperity."
 
Not one leader from the world's biggest
 economies, attended the conference.
 
The conference is usually held every decade.
 
46 countries - with 33 in Africa - are listed by 
the UN among the least developed countries.
 
Additional sources • UN
 
 
__________________________
 
 

Kenya launches LGBTQ 
crackdown in schools
March 10th, 12:11pm
(africanews)
 
The Ministry of Education in Kenya has initiated a campaign 
to address the perceived infiltration of LGBTQ advocacy 
in schools.
 
The new strategy will see the government establish
 chaplaincies in schools, minister Ezekiel Machogu
 told senators on Thursday.
 
There are fears the programme could see misinformation
 about LGBTQ people and same-sex relationships 
taught in schools.
 
Gay sex remains illegal but anti-gay attitudes have been
 hardening after last month's ruling by the Supreme 
Court upholding the gay community's right to 
register an association.
 
A committee has already been formed to deal with LGBTQ 
issues in schools, the minister said and suggested its
 role could include reviewing school literature.
 
It will be headed by an archbishop from 
the Anglican Church in Kenya.
 
"These are issues that we cannot be able to allow to 
infiltrate into our schools," Mr Machogu said, as 
reported by the BBC.
 
In February this year, the Kenyan government cracked
 down on foreign books with gay content that it feels
 targets, teenagers.
 
This was after a public outcry from parents with school-
age children and religious officials who had demanded
 the government to do a thorough audit of books in the 
market and ban the ones with ''gay'' content.
 
It appears Kenya is doing its possible best to
 get rid of LGBTQ+ practices in the country.
 
Apart from Kenya cracking down on teen books with 
same-sex content, the government last September 
revealed it was in talks with Netflix, to ban the 
streaming of LGBTQ movies.
 
 
_____________________________________________


Putin discusses agricultural 
supplies with Egyptian
 President
March 9th, 6:26pm
(Izvestia.ru)
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Egyptian
 counterpart Abdul-Fattah Khalil al-Sisi held 
telephone talks on Thursday, March 9th. 
 
This was reported by the Kremlin press service.
 
It is noted that the conversation took place at the initiative 
of the Egyptian side. The leaders discussed, in particular, 
supplies of agricultural products and implementation
of projects in the fields 
of energy and industry.
 
In addition, the parties agreed to continue coordinating
 efforts to resolve crisis situations in the Middle East
 and North Africa region.
 
"All these issues will be discussed in the coming days 
during a meeting of the bilateral Intergovernmental 
Commission in Cairo," the Kremlin press 
service said.
 
"Our enemies are putting a lot of pressure on Egypt"

Mikhail Orlov, Head of the Russian-Egyptian Business
Council — on wheat supplies to the republic... amid
the crisis: and its dependence on the US and EU.

In December last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov discussed cooperation in the energy and
agricultural sectors, pluss the implementation
of joint large-scale projects, in a telephone
conversation with his Egyptian counter-
part, Sameh Shoukry.
 

_____________________________________________


 Kenya's Pastoralist Women 
Unbowed --- Despite 
Climate Crisis
March 9th (teleSUR)
 
Nuria Gollo, a livestock keeper and gender rights advocate
 from the vast northern Kenyan county of Marsabit that 
neighbours Ethiopia, said that losing nearly all her 
cows and goats to the raging drought in her 
backyard has been traumatizing.
 
The 50-year-old mother of five said that the worst drought to
 hit a large swathe of northern Kenya in four decades has
 upended the livelihoods of herders and subsistence 
farmers, pushing them to the brink of starvation 
and financial ruin.
 
Speaking at an event to mark International Women's Day in
 Nairobi, Gollo admitted that an acute dry spell linked to
 climate change has taken a heavier toll on the female 
pastoralists who have been robbed of their prized 
possessions, and reduced to a life of penury.
 
"The drought is getting worse in northern Kenya. Our cows 
and goats are dying. Even camels that are renowned 
for their resilience to extreme heat are also 
succumbing," Gollo said.
 
She was among a group of women and girls from Kenya's arid 
lands that are currently ravaged by drought who attended an
 event to mark International Women's Day convened by Plan
 International, a development and humanitarian organization.
 
Gollo painted a picture of a dire humanitarian crisis that is
 unfolding in the drought-affected counties, with women 
and girls bearing the brunt of hunger, malnutrition,
 water stress, and displacement.
 
She described the devastation that the climate crisis has
 brought to the nomadic communities in Marsabit, 
Kenya's largest county, saying that women, 
despite being the victims, have also taken 
the mantle to confront the phenomenon.
 
As nomadic women and girls face a bleak future due to
 climate change, a good number of them have also 
risen to the occasion to offer solutions by 
leveraging indigenous knowledge to 
help boost the resilience of grass-
roots communities and 
their ecosystems.
 
Gollo said the tenacity and resilience of pastoralist women
 in the face of the climate crisis has manifested itself
 prominently as they initiate projects like 
reforestation, and the conservation of 
watersheds, to boost the adaptive 
capacity of households.
 
She added that women and girls in Kenya's northern frontier
 districts have been on the frontline of climate response, 
motivated by the desire to bequeath a green, hopeful 
and prosperous future for their children.
 
Kenya marked International Women's Day with pomp and
 pageantry, as senior officials acknowledged the critical 
role of the female gender in the realization of the 
sustainability agenda, peace and stability.
 
President William Ruto reiterated his administration's
 commitment to achieving gender parity in all 
spheres of public service, to ensure Kenya 
becomes a prosperous and
 inclusive society.
 
He noted that women's contribution will be key to helping
 the country confront pressing challenges like climate-
induced hunger crisis and economic downturn that
 threatens long-term stability.
 
 
__________________________________________



 Preservation of tropical
forests - 
at the heart of
Gabon's One Forest
Festival
March 8th, 6:53pm
 (africanews)

The African forest, the Congo Basin, is the largest 
tropical forest in the world after the Amazon, and
 spans six countries, including Gabon.
 
As well as being a treasure trove for biodiversity, forests like 
these act as the planet’s green lung, with the International 
Union for Conservation of Nature estimating that they 
absorb approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon
 dioxide each year.
 
Preserving tropical forests is central to slowing the effects 
of climate change, yet despite this, large swathes of 
forest in the Amazon continue to be destroyed to 
make way for farm land.
 
The issue of tropical forest preservation was at the heart 
of the One Forest Summit, an international conference in 
Gabon’s capital Libreville, organised by the west-central 
African nation in collaboration with France.
 
Euronews correspondent Anne Devineaux 
went to Gabon to find out more for Focus.
 
One Forest Summit
 
French President Emmanuel Macron, and Gabonese President
 Ali Bongo announced this month’s One Forest Festival at 
the COP 27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh in
 November last year.
 
The festival, which took place on the 1st and 2nd of March,
 sought to promote North-South solidarity when it comes to
 climate change, given the precarity of the global south 
as sea levels rise and extreme weather events
become 
more frequent.
 
Building on previous One Planet Summits, politicians, 
international companies, scientists and NGOs 
gathered in Libreville to discuss the forestry 
sector --- focusing on three key areas; 
advancing scientific cooperation, 
sustainability, and finance.
 
Gabon’s President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, had a clear message 
for those attending the conference: "There are no better
 investments today than investing in our forests”.
 
The second day of the festival honed in on the topic of the
 Congo basin --- and the common challenges faced by the
 African, Amazonian and Asian tropical forest basins, 
as such forests are huge absorbers of carbon 
dioxide, but these regions remain on the 
frontline of climate change.
 
Ecologist at CENAREST Gabon, Alfred Ngomanda told
 Euronews -- that “The Congo Basin represents 40 
billion tons of sequestered CO2… It is 10 years 
of global greenhouse gas emissions that are 
currently stored in the forests of the Congo 
Basin. In Gabon, it is 100 million tons 
per year”.