🇺🇬 Ugandan president's son vows crackdown on graft after taking over military

The son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to fight corruption in the military after taking over as its top commander, a move widely expected to accelerate his rise to eventually succeed his father.

Museveni named 49-year-old son Muhoozi Kainerugaba as the East African country's new Chief of Defence Forces last week.

In a formal handover ceremony on Thursday, Kainerugaba "vowed to improve the welfare of soldiers by fighting the evil of corruption and mismanagement of resources", according to a statement released by the military.

#Uganda

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🇸🇩🇺🇳 Sudan needs 'immediate action' on hunger to avert widespread death, UN-backed report says

Immediate action is needed to "prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan," a United Nations-backed global authority on food security warned on Friday.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had been due to issue an update to its December analysis. But it was unable to do so due to the war.

Instead, the IPC said it reviewed the latest evidence available and published the alert on Friday "to express major concern" about the deteriorating situation.

"Without an immediate cessation of hostilities and significant deployment of humanitarian assistance ... the population of Khartoum and Gezira States, Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan, is at risk of reaching the worst levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition during the upcoming lean season starting from April – May 2024," the IPC said.

#Sudan #UN

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🇪🇬 Egypt's population growth declines to 1.4%

In Egypt, population growth is at half-mast. In 2023, it slowed to 1.4%, its lowest rate in decades, according to figures by the Ministry of Planning data.

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world, with 106 million inhabitants, according to the official Egyptian statistics agency.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had already warned of the burden of the birth rate on public finances and government services. To curb the demographic push, the authorities launched the 2019 campaign, "Deux, c'est assez" (Two is enough).

#Egypt

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🇸🇳 Senegal’s top court confirms Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s election victory

Senegal's Constitutional Council on Friday confirmed the presidential election victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The top court validated provisional results announced on Wednesday based on vote tallies from 100 percent of polling stations.

Faye won more than 54% of votes in last Sunday's delayed presidential poll, with ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba taking over 35%.

Faye ,44, is due to be sworn in as Senegal's youngest president on Tuesday in the city of Diamniadio, according to the presidency.

#Senegal

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🇪🇹 Power restored in Ethiopia

The power cut affecting Ethiopia "except Bahir Dar and surroundings" is over, the Ethiopian Electric Power announced. "Due to a problem in our system, the power has been interrupted," their statement read, not giving reasons for the power failure.

Most of the country was without power for about 18 hours.

This incident comes days after Ethiopia's Ministry of Water and Energy said it is "widely investing in power generation and infrastructural development to become an energy hub in Eastern Africa".

#Ethiopia

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🇪🇹🇨🇳 Ethiopia's state minister said China is a good model for African countries

China is a good model for African countries, said Semereta Sewasew, Ethiopian state minister for Economic Cooperation, during an interview with CGTN at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024.

Ethiopia hopes to engage with China in technology development and financial sectors, she added.

#Ethiopia #China

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🇺🇳🇸🇴 UN warns upcoming heavy rains to trigger cholera outbreak in Somalia

The upcoming heavier-than-normal Gu (April to June) rains in Somalia are expected to trigger cholera outbreaks in areas where the disease has not been observed for years, the UN humanitarian agency warned.

"The outbreak is expected to escalate when the anticipated heavier-than-normal Gu rains start, especially in high-risk districts located along the Shabelle and Juba river basins," the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

The cholera outbreak is spreading in Somalia, with more than 4,380 cases and 54 associated deaths recorded in 32 districts from Jan. 1 to March 18, according to the UN.

"The outbreak is driven by high levels of malnutrition among children, insufficient access to clean water, open defecation practices, latrines with poor hygiene, and inadequate sanitation among communities, among other factors," the OCHA said.

#UN #Somalia

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🇸🇴 Somalia parliament passes bill allowing President appoint PM

Somalia made significant changes to its constitution on Saturday, granting the president the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister.

The amendments, proposed by the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC), underwent thorough scrutiny.

One major change establishes a president-appointed prime minister, replacing the previous requirement for parliamentary confidence votes. This adjustment seeks to provide more flexibility in governance, addressing tensions arising from power and resource distribution among clans and regions.

The amended constitution also introduces a five-year term for government bodies, refers to regional state leaders as presidents, and promotes a multi-party system.

However, some political figures, including former presidents and state leaders, oppose these changes, citing concerns about insufficient consensus.

Despite parliamentary approval, the constitution still requires a public referendum to complete Somalia’s transition to a permanent constitutional democracy.

#Somalia

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🇸🇴 Puntland government severs ties with federal government of Somalia over new constitution

In an extraordinary meeting held today in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, the regional government has announced it is severing relations with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu.

This drastic move comes after the federal government councils voted to repeal the provisional constitution approved in 2012 and replace it with a new constitution.

The Puntland leadership has repeatedly warned that such an action undermining the federal system would harm national unity and stability. They cite several legal provisions allowing Puntland to reconsider its integration with the central government under such circumstances.

As a result, "Puntland will have its own overall governing authority until a federal system of government with a mutually acceptable Somali constitution subject to a public referendum is established," the statement said.

#Somalia

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🇪🇬 Egypt to receive first tranche of expanded IMF loan next week

Egypt will receive the first tranche of an expanded loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next week, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said.

Madbouly did not specify the figure, but the IMF said on Friday the expanded $8 billion financial support program enables the immediate release of $820 million.

The agreement expands a $3 billion, 46-month Extended Fund Facility signed in December 2022 which was put on hold after Egypt did not follow through on pledges to unpeg its currency, speed up the sale of state assets and implement other reforms.

Tourism and shipping are two of Egypt's main sources of foreign exchange.

#Egypt

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🇪🇹🇪🇬 Ethiopia will pay for any impact of GERD on Egypt

Egypt’s Minister of Irrigation and Water Sources Hani Sewilam warned Ethiopia on Wednesday that any harm caused by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) to Egypt will come at a cost.

"Any dam constructed along the Nile River affects Egypt. Some impacts are manageable, others are not. Ethiopia will pay for any impact on Egypt one day,” Sewilam said.

Sewilam further asserted Egypt's right to take necessary measures to protect its security if directly threatened by the dam's operation.

In the case of extended drought, which could last for years, GERD would pose risks to Egypt, he explained.

Sewilam noted that previous negotiations primarily addressed this issue, along with drought concerns. He added that this represents the most critical situation Egypt and Sudan could encounter.

#Ethiopia #Egypt

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🇱🇾 Libyan western PM's residence targeted with RPGs, no casualties reported

The residence of Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah was targeted with rocket-propelled grenades on Sunday in an attack that left no casualties, a Libyan minister told.

The minister, who spoke in condition of anonymity, confirmed in a message that the attack only caused some damage. The minister has not disclosed any further details.

Two citizens said they had heard massive explosions near the sea in Tripoli's luxury Hay Andalus neighbourhood, the home to PM Dbeibah's residence.

A citizen said that after the massive explosions were heard, heavy security forces with their vehicles were deployed around the area.

#Libya

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🇲🇱 Mali political parties request elections after junta shuns transition promise

Political parties in Mali have requested a time frame for presidential elections after the ruling junta failed to organise polls within a promised 24-month transition back to democracy.

Mali has been under military rule since August 2020, the first of eight coups in West and Central Africa over four years, including in its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger.

Mali's current junta seized power in a second 2021 coup and later promised to take 24 months from March 2022 to restore civilian rule, with a start date of March 26, 2024 and elections in February.

It passed a new electoral law in June 2022, but said in September last year that it would postpone February elections for technical reasons, sparking outrage among political groups.

In a joint statement late on Sunday, some of Mali's main political parties and civil society groups called on authorities to set up an institutional framework for polls as soon as possible.

#Mali

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🇸🇴 Somalia receives 1.4 million vials of oral cholera vaccine

Somalia received 1.4 million vials of the oral cholera vaccine worth US$ 2.5 million in a stepped-up effort to stem an outbreak of the disease that has since January infected 4,388 people and claimed 54 lives, two-thirds of them children.

The number of reported cases this year, according to WHO, is three times higher than the average reported in the same period during the last three years.

The vaccines will be distributed to five hotspot districts across the country, with 700,000 vials earmarked for Bossaso in Puntland state which has experienced the highest case fatality rate. The other districts are Daynile, Mahady, Buurhakaba, and Balcad.

In addition to the vaccines, UNICEF is delivering 40 cholera kits for the treatment of about 4,000 people.

#Somalia

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🇸🇴🇺🇳 Puntland president meets with UN representative, discusses cutting ties with federal government

Puntland president Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland welcomed the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Somalia, Catriona Laing, to his office, where they discussed political issues, development, and humanitarian aid.

The meeting was attended by top Puntland officials, including the Vice President, and ministers of interior, planning, health, fisheries, humanitarian affairs, and women and family affairs.

“We discussed how the international community could work closely with Puntland after the decision we announced on Sunday night to cut ties with the Federal Government,” said Deni.

Liang said that their talks covered development programs, promotion of humanitarian aid, issues like malnutrition and cholera, and the stalled process of completing the federal constitution.

Laing added that President Deni promised dialogue with the Federal Government would continue to find an inclusive process, unite the country, and define the powers of the Federal Government and member states.

#Somalia #UN

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🇪🇹🇰🇪 Ethiopia mulls using Lamu port to import fertiliser

Ethiopia is exploring the possibility of using Lamu port to import fertiliser as part of an effort to expand its port destinations beyond Djibouti, which handles the bulk of its cargo.

Even though the idea to use Lamu was proposed years ago, it has not been used up to this point.

A delegation from Ethiopia has conducted a fact-finding mission on Lamu and Mombasa ports and is optimistic that they will be able to strike a deal with Kenya.

Ethiopian state Minister of Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Denge Boru stated, “The delegation has visited the port and road conditions up to Moyale, whether or not it is suitable for the operation.”

#Ethiopia #Kenya

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🇨🇩 M23 rebels in DRC call for federal system of government

The M23 rebels in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have called for a federal system of government, sparking angry reactions across the country.

The rebels made the announcement at a meeting that was attended by former members of a political party of former Congolese president Joseph Kabila in the eastern village of Kiwanja.

The meeting by the M23 rebels and a political movement known as the Congo River Alliance was held at a village under their control in the east of the DRC.

The rebels criticized the governance of the DRC and called for a federal system of government.

Their call has been condemned by many Congolese citizens who accuse the M23 rebels of being a proxy of neighboring Rwanda.

#DRC

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🇷🇼 Kagame endorsed as presidential candidate by seven political parties in Rwanda

Rwanda's president Paul Kagame has been endorsed as candidate by two of the oldest and political parties.

Liberal Party (PL), and the Social Democratic Party (PSD), endorsed the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) candidate Paul Kagame in the July presidential race on Sunday, joining four smaller political parties, which are already in a coalition with the ruling RPF — in endorsing Kagame.

Allied to the ruling party, leaders of the PL and PSD have historically served in different government positions.

Kagame has ruled over Rwanda for decades. He won the presidency in elections in 2003, 2010 and 2017 – with more than 90 percent of the vote.

Rwanda will hold presidential and parliamentary polls on July 15.

#Rwanda

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