🇬🇦 General Nguema named Gabon’s transitional leader after coup

General Brice Oligui Nguema, the head of the coup and leader of Gabon’s elite Republican Guard – the unit in charge of the president’s security – has been named as the country’s transition leader.

Nguema is an influential figure in the country and is believed to be related to the deposed president and, which is more important, to the USA.

“The president of the transition insists on the need to maintain calm and serenity in our beautiful country. At the dawn of a new era, we will guarantee the peace, stability and dignity of our beloved Gabon,” military spokesperson said.

Also coup leaders said there would be a curfew from 6pm to 6am.

Interestingly that comparing to the Niger case, there are no westwide condemnation of the coup. No immediate sanctions, no threats. This just confirms suggestions that this is a pro-US coup.

#Gabon

@africaintel

🇷🇺🇺🇳🇲🇱 Russia seeks end to U.N.'s Mali sanctions

Russia is pushing the United Nations Security Council to immediately end independent monitoring of targeted U.N. sanctions on Mali and completely abolish its sanctions regime on Mali in August 2024.

Russia put forward the draft resolution to rival a text from France and the United Arab Emirates that would extend the sanctions regime and independent monitoring for another year, but also express a readiness to review the measures.

The 15-member Security Council is due to vote on both draft resolutions later on Wednesday.

#Russia #UN #Mali

@africaintel

🇬🇦 Gabon's Assala Energy says oil production unaffected by coup

Assala Energy, which is wholly owned by Carlyle Group (company in US), said its oil production in Gabon has been unaffected by the military coup in the country.

"We can confirm that all our personnel are safe, our operations continue as usual and our production is not affected," a company spokesperson said.

The private equity fund's non-U.S. energy arm first invested in Assala in 2017 when it acquired Shell's ageing operations in Gabon for $628 million.

However, earlier this month, Carlyle agreed to sell Assala to French producer Maurel & Prom, which owns and operates oil and gas assets in Africa, Europe and Latin America, including three licences in Gabon, for $730 million.

#Gabon

@africaintel

🇪🇺🇳🇪 EU to prepare ground for sanctions on Niger coup leaders

The European Union is moving ahead with the legal groundwork to impose sanctions on members of a junta that seized power in Niger last month, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

In deciding on sanctions, the EU will aim to mirror any measures taken by the West African regional body ECOWAS, Borrell said.

Borrell said he would propose establishing a legal framework for sanctions against those responsible for the coup when EU foreign ministers meet on Thursday, also in Toledo.

#EU #Niger

@africaintel

🇲🇱 New Mali army air strikes in the North

The former Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali on Tuesday accused the army of new air strikes on its positions.

A spokesman for the Coordination des mouvements de l'Azawad (CMA) told an AFP that the Malian army had struck CMA positions in Anéfis for the second day running. He reported no damage.

Previously, Malian army said on social networks that it had carried out airstrikes in the Anéfis sector, but "against columns of vehicles from armed terrorist groups" which, it claimed, were preparing attacks against civilians and military posts.

#Mali

@africaintel

🇪🇺🇨🇩 350,000 euros in EU aid to combat the Mpox disease in DRC

The European Union announced on Tuesday that it had granted 350,000 euros in aid to combat the mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a press release.

Congolese health authorities have reported nearly 9,000 cases of mpox in the country, and 500 deaths this year, the EU delegation in the DRC said in a statement, adding that the Maniema province in the east is the worst affected.

The situation has prompted the EU to "step up its support and extend it to three new health zones in Maniema, by strengthening response capacities, notably through surveillance, community awareness-raising, diagnostics and treatment".

The 350,000 euros from the European Union will go to ALIMA, a medical humanitarian organization operating in the DRC, for a five-month project.

#EU #DRC

@africaintel

🇺🇳🇲🇱🇷🇺 UN sanctions in Mali to end after Russia blocks renewal

United Nations sanctions in Mali will end on Thursday after Russia vetoed a renewal of the regime that targeted anyone violating or obstructing a 2015 peace deal, hindering aid delivery, committing rights abuses or recruiting child soldiers.

Thirteen Security Council members voted in favor of a resolution, drafted by France and the United Arab Emirates, to extend the U.N. sanctions and independent monitoring for another year. Russia cast a veto, while China abstained from the vote.

Russia then instead proposed extending U.N. sanctions in Mali for one final year, but immediately ending the independent monitoring now. It was the only country to vote yes, while Japan voted no and the remaining 13 members abstained.

#UN #Mali #Russia

@africaintel

🇿🇦 One of previous ANC leaders forms new party ahead of South Africa's general elections

Ousted African National Congress secretary general, Ace Magashule, on Wednesday announced the formation of a new party in South Africa, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT).

A close ally of ex-president Jacob Zuma, he was expelled from the ruling party just two months ago, after he was found guilty of violating its constitution.

At a press briefing in Soweto, he described the party as “a new ship for freedom”.

“I want to say to all South Africans, come along and join us. All those who are weary and politically abused. We have suffered collective betrayal as a people and a nation at the hands of the people who claim to be our leaders. We have been sold out, with few pieces of silver," he said.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel

⚡🇳🇪 The Nigerien government withdrew the diplomatic credentials of the French Ambassador.

This removes his diplomatic immunity and other privileges that come with being an ambassador, opening up for the possibility of him being detained or forcefully evicted.

@themediterraneanman

🇿🇦 Death toll from building fire in Johannesburg rises to 73

The death toll from a fire that engulfed a five-storey building Thursday morning in the central Marshalltown neighborhood, Johannesburg, South Africa has risen to at least 73.

Johannesburg emergency services in an update said 52 people were also injured and have been "transported to various healthcare facilities for further medical care".

The building in the Marshalltown neighbourhood was being used as ‘informal’ housing for some 200 homeless people according to the city's authorities.

Search and recovery operations were ongoing even as firefighters at the scene say they had put out the flames.

#SouthAfrica

@africaintel

🇮🇹🇳🇪 Italy fears military solution to Niger crisis could foment migration

A military solution to the coup in Niger would be a "disaster" that could trigger a new migration crisis, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday.

"A military solution would be a disaster," Tajani told reporters as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Spanish city of Toledo. "We need to work day by day for a diplomatic solution."

Asked if he feared military intervention could lead to a migration crisis, Tajani replied: "Yes, of course. To have a war in Niger means more people leaving this country, as in Sudan - there are more and more people leaving Sudan."

#Italy #Niger

@africaintel

🇳🇪🇫🇷 Niger military government orders police to expel French ambassador

Niger's ruling junta has ordered police to expel France's ambassador.

The visas of French ambassador to Niamey Sylvain Itte and his family have been cancelled and police are instructed to expel the envoy, the military government said in a statement dated August 29.

#Niger #France

@africaintel