🇺🇸🌍 The US military influence in Africa
Part 1 – Military bases

Recently we’ve covered the theme of the UK’s influence in Africa. But it would be wrong not to talk about the ever-growing US military presence on the continent, which already exceeds that of Britain and France.

🔻After the end of the World War 2 the USA were quick to replace the UK and France as leaders not only in the western world, but also in Africa. However, up until the end of Cold War the continent was mostly viewed as a field for proxy wars with the USSR, and the United States policy was to support the pro-Western forces.

▪️After the dissolution of the Soviet Union the overall interest towards Africa lowered, because the only influential enemy just disappeared. But the 9/11 changed the situation drastically. The theme of terrorism became one of the main in the US international strategy. Whether it is true concern or just a mean to satisfy interests in certain regions, the fact remains that the US military presence greatly increased, and Africa was not an exception.

🔻Since 9/11, the US military has built a sprawling network of outposts in more than a dozen African countries. Officially, it is done so to battle the terrorism. Unofficially, goals also involve suppressing the growing influence of foreign nations, like Russia and China, and influencing African nations to make them more controllable to satisfy political and economic interests.

▪️The full footprint of the United States AFRICOM bases is hard to grasp, since some military facilities the US government tries not to reveal. However, as of now there are 26 active military bases (another one is planned to be established in the Kingdom of Morocco) and also US military personnel is present in 4 UN peacekeeping operations’ bases.

▪️The highest concentrations of the AFRICOM bases are in the Sahelian states on the west side of the continent, as well as in the Horn of Africa in the east. The AFRICOM is actively seeking to enhance its presence and is primed for expansion in the future. Some African states are positive about these bases, since the United States still provide some security to the states and help battle terrorism, like in Somalia, although not so actively.

🔻Despite some improvements, the situation in many countries that host US military personnel remains harsh. At the same time, the USA successfully preserves its influence and interest on the continent, although encountering competition from Russia, China and Turkey. The United States interests in Africa are growing, as the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 indicated, and in trying to satisfy them they will continue to increase military presence

However, having only military bases does not mean a full projection of military power on region. For that special operations are also needed, which is a topic for another post, so stay tuned for part 2.

High-res

#USA #Africa #Map

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🇨🇲🛤 Cameroon to start building railway to disputed iron ore project in August

Cameroon will begin construction in August of a railway line connecting its coast to a large iron ore deposit straddling its border with the Republic of Congo, the interim mines minister said.

Cameroon signed a deal with two China-linked companies in June 2021 to construct the railway, despite facing legal action from Australia's Sundance Resources.

Construction for the railway linking the deposit in Nabeba to Cameroon's southern port town of Kribi is set to begin at the end of August in the town of Ntam, Cameroon's interim Mines Minister Fuh Calistus Gentry said late on Tuesday, after a meeting with mining officials in Congo.

The minister added that 12 new mining projects had been identified in Cameroon, five of which were scheduled to begin this year.

#Cameroon

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🇮🇱🇲🇦 Israel considers recognition of Morocco's rule over Western Sahara

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser visited Rabat on Wednesday as his government mulls a possible announcement of recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over disputed Western Sahara, officials said.

Morocco considers Western Sahara its own but the Algeria-backed Polisario front demands an independent state there. In 2020, then-U.S. President Donald Trump recognised Morocco's rule over the territory in return for its partial upgrade of relations with Israel.

Israel's Western Sahara move could lead to a full upgrade of its diplomatic ties with Rabat, with their diplomatic missions, currently designated liaison offices, becoming embassies. Reuters source in Netanyahu's cabinet acknowledged it was being discussed within the country's National Security Council.

#Israel #Morocco

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🇱🇾 Joint "6x6" committee sign agreements on drafting election law in Libya

Members of the Libyan 6+6 Joint Committee for Preparing Electoral Laws announced that they had reached an agreement on presidential and legislative electoral laws, pending the signing of the agreement by the speakers of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State.

In a press conference the head of HoR delegation at the Committee, Jalal Al-Shuwaidi, explained that they had completed the laws of the presidential elections and the National Assembly in its two chambers, and they are awaiting the presence of HoR and HCS Speakers for the final decision on these laws.

In turn, the head of HCS delegation at the Committee indicated that the laws agreed upon by the committee allow everyone to run, and do not exclude anyone from participating in the elections, nor are they characterized by exclusivity and exclusion.

#Libya

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🇷🇼 Rwandan President Kagame again sacks top military leadership

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has sacked more than 200 soldiers, including senior military officers.

Maj Gen Aloys Muganga, commander of the army's mechanised division, and Brig Gen Francis Mutiganda are among 16 officers who have been dismissed. Another 228 soldiers of other ranks have also been kicked out.

The statement, released by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in the early hours on Wednesday, gave no reason for the sackings.

The move comes a day after Kagame reshuffled top military officers, firing a defence minister and army chief at the same time and announcing their replacements - uncommon in Rwanda.

The reshuffle and sacking come at a time of heightened tension between Rwanda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

#Rwanda

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🇳🇬 Two Nigerian states cut working week to three days

Two state governments in Nigeria have reduced the working week to three days for state employees.

The move is to help them cope with increased petrol costs, following the federal government announcement to scrap fuel subsidies.

The Edo and Kwara states governments’ announcement will fuel debate in the public and private sectors about measures to help workers cope with the rising costs.

Public service staff across Nigeria work five days a week, but there’s still a lot of confusion about the fate of employees in the private sector where some are required to work for six days a week. There are also indications that other states may adopt the new model.

#Nigeria

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🇺🇳🇨🇩 UN official urges "responsible" withdrawal from the DRC

A top UN official said on Wednesday that peacekeepers should withdraw from the DRC as "quickly as possible" yet responsibly.

Speaking in the capital, Kinshasa, during a visit to the DRC, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, added that the Congolese state should step up its own response to the armed groups that plague the east of the country.

"We're obviously going to continue this work, and at the same time work with the Congolese authorities so that, as I said, the process of the Congolese state becoming more powerful will enable us to gradually reduce Monusco's presence, but to do so responsibly," he said.

The UN official also acknowledged the frustration with the peacekeepers as the levels of insecurity remain alarmingly high in the country, particularly in the east.

#UN #DRC

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🇪🇹🏴🇸🇴 Ethiopia thwarts al-Shabaab attack on its Somali border

The Ethiopian army on Wednesday "thwarted" an attack by Somali Islamist al-Shabab fighters against a border town between the two countries, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said.

"Ethiopia today successfully thwarted an attempted attack by the terrorist group al-Shabaab against the locality of Dolo, on the Ethiopia-Somalia border", briefly indicates the ministry .

The Ethiopian federal army "neutralized suicide bombers and destroyed weapons used by the al-Shabaab", continues the ministry without giving an assessment, ensuring that "the attackers were stopped dead before they could do great damage".

#Ethiopia #Somalia

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🇧🇮 The main opposition party suspended in Burundi

Burundi's interior ministry announced the suspension of The National Freedom Council, the main opposition party in the central African country, citing "irregularities".

The party leadership denounced "a serious violation of the Constitution" and "an attempt to destabilize and weaken the CNL" ahead of the 2025 legislative elections.

The ministry said it was responding to complaints by eight leaders from The National Freedom Council, also known as CNL. These leaders were ousted after opposing the party's president, Agathon Rwasa, in two recent party congresses.

"All activities organized by irregularly constituted groups are suspended nationwide," the ministry said, adding "Only meetings aimed at easing tensions within the party are authorized."

#Burundi

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🇸🇳 Senegal says mobile phone internet shutdown over

The Senegalese government says it has reinstated internet access for mobile phones, although the connection has proved to be problematic for many on Wednesday, even for those using virtual private networks (VPNs).

In its statement, the communications ministry had said access to some social media platforms would remain restricted.

This follows deadly protests that erupted last week after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was sentenced in absentia to two years in jail for immoral behaviour, but cleared of rape charges.

The government says the internet shutdown was necessary to stop hateful and subversive messages and videos, but rights groups accuse it of censorship.

In addition to hindering opposition protests, it hampered many businesses - including those in the informal sector that rely on the internet for their day-to-day operations.

#Senegal

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🇿🇦 South African court dismissed Zuma's case over alleged leak

A South African court has thrown out a private prosecution brought by the former president, Jacob Zuma, against a senior state prosecutor and a journalist.

Zuma had claimed that Billy Downer and Karyn Maughan leaked his confidential records. Maughan's lawyer argued that Zuma had pressed charges because he didn't like the way she had reported a corruption case against the former president.

The Pietermaritzburg court ruled that the private prosecution violated press freedom and South Africa's constitution. The court also ruled that Zuma is forbidden from further pursuing these charges privately.

#SouthAfrica

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🇹🇳 Tunisia military helicopter goes missing

Tunisia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday it had lost contact with a helicopter that left for a night flight near Bizerte late on Wednesday with four crew on board.

The ministry was searching land and sea areas to determine its location, it said.

#Tunisia

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🇺🇬 Uganda's President Museveni tests positive for COVID

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has tested positive for COVID-19, is in good health and will continue his duties, while getting treatment, a senior health ministry official said.

"Today the President tested positive for COVID-19. This was after developing mild flu-like symptoms. However he is in robust heath and continues to perform his duties normally while adhering to SOPs," permanent secretary at the health ministry said.

Earlier on Wednesday after giving a State of the Nation address at the parliament's grounds, Museveni, 78, gave a first hint that he may have contracted COVID, saying in the morning he had felt a slight cold.

#Uganda

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🇿🇦 South African president to visit epicentre of cholera outbreak

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to lead a delegation of government leaders to Hammasnkraal, a township north of the capital, Pretoria, where there was a deadly outbreak of cholera.

Ramaphosa said the outbreak had caused devastation and government agencies had been working on measures to contain the spread of the disease.

His visit follows the death of at least 26 people, mostly in Hammanskraal, the epicentre of the outbreak.

More than 130 residents have been treated for the waterborne disease.

#SouthAfrica

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🇬🇭 Northern Ghana imposes meat ban over anthrax fears

The slaughter, sale and consumption of meat has been banned for a month in a northern region of Ghana because of a deadly anthrax outbreak. Anthrax is a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects livestock and can be transmitted to humans.

The movement of domestic animals has also been banned in Upper East Region to avoid the spread of the disease.

One person has so far died and 13 suspected cases have been identified. There are suspicions they ate anthrax-infected beef. Reports say at least 30 animals have died from anthrax.

Medics are tracing the contacts of those affected and efforts to vaccinate animals free of charge to contain the spread of the disease have also been stepped up

#Ghana

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🇸🇦🇸🇩 Saudi Arabia condemns attack on its embassy in Sudan

Saudi Arabia has condemned an attack on its embassy in Sudan’s capital "in the strongest terms".

The Saudi foreign ministry blamed armed groups for storming and vandalising the building in Khartoum, adding that the property and housing of Saudi employees had also been vandalised.

The kingdom totally rejected “all forms of violence and vandalism against diplomatic missions and representations", the foreign ministry statement said.

It also stressed the importance of confronting groups that it said were trying to undermine the restoration of stability and security in Sudan.

The statement, posted on Twitter, did not specify which groups were behind the attack, and did not posted photos of looted building.

#SaudiArabia #Sudan

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🇸🇩 Sudan's military ruler replaces two state governors

Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has replaced two state governors. It comes as fighting intensifies in the capital, Khartoum, and other areas between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Gen Burhan dismissed North Kordofan state governor Fadlallah Mohamed Ali al-Tom, and Sennar state's Al-Alim Ibrahim al-Nour. Caretaker governors have been appointed. No reason was given for their dismissal.

Parts of North Kordofan have witnessed fierce battles between the warring parties though there has been no fighting in Sennar state.

#Sudan

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