Africa: Moroccan Envoy Pips South African for UN Human Rights Council Post

[ad_1] The UN Human Rights Council has elected Ambassador Omar Zniber of Morocco as president of the UN Human Rights Council for 2024 after he beat South African envoy, Mxolisi Nkosi in a vote. Voting was by secret ballot on January 10 and held after the 47-member council resumed its work for 2024 without a leader for only the second time in its 18-year history. Of the votes cast, Zniber won 30 to the 17 cast for Nkosi with all […]

January 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: COP28 Just About Put Food Systems On the Climate Agenda. Now We Build

[ad_1] Though the talks' long overdue focus on food and agriculture ultimately disappointed, it provides a starting point for future action and advocacy. At COP28 in Dubai last month, food systems were finally put in the spotlight of global climate talks. There were numerous announcements related to the sector and, for the first time ever, there was a whole day dedicated to food and agriculture. Given the profound impact of agricultural practices and food consumption patterns on our planet's health, […]

January 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: Barrage of Discriminatory Laws Stoking Hate Against LGBTI Persons

[ad_1] Last year witnessed a surge in discriminatory legislation directed against LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) persons across Africa, said Amnesty International today. In a new briefing looking at 12 African countries, Amnesty International documents how legal systems were increasingly weaponized in 2023 to systematically target and discriminate against LGBTI individuals. This includes instances where laws were egregiously employed to persecute and marginalize members of the LGBTI community, highlighting a distressing trend of legal mechanisms being used as […]

January 9, 2024

Africa

Africa: We Are Facing Extinction: Escalating Anti-LGBTI Sentiment, the Weaponization of Law and Their Human Rights Implications in Select African Countries

[ad_1] Across Africa, LGBTI persons find themselves contending with a disturbing regression of progress, facing relentless protests against their identities, and confronting formidable obstacles to their legal and social rights. The struggle for the realisation of rights of LGBTI people has been marked by significant challenges and a systematic denial of their basic human rights. This review documents the deteriorating state of human rights and a surge in fear and attacks among LGBTI persons, as well as increased oppression and […]

January 9, 2024

News

Nigeria: Tinubu Clears N12bn Backlog of Debts Owed Super Eagles, Others

[ad_1] About a week to the kick-off of the 2023 edition of Africa Nations Cup (AFCON) tournament in Côte d'Ivoire, and in an effort to ensure that Nigeria's football and other sporting activities are revived and developed, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has released the sum of N12 billion to the Ministry of Sports Development. The said amount would assist those in charge of the management of sports to clear backlog of arrears of salaries and other outstanding debts owed coaches […]

January 8, 2024

Africa

Africa: Young Africans Could Disrupt Authoritarian States but They Don’t – Here’s Why

[ad_1] Africa has the world's largest youth population. By 2030, 75% of the African population will be under the age of 35. The number of young Africans aged 15-24 is projected to reach 500 million in 2080. While population dynamics vary across the continent, most sub-Saharan countries have a median age below 19. Niger is the youngest country in the world with a median age of 14.5, while South Africa, Seychelles, Tunisia and Algeria have median ages above 27. These […]

January 8, 2024

Africa

Africa: Diplomatic Dip for France as African Nations Seek Out Stronger Partners

[ad_1] French diplomacy in Africa weakened considerably in 2023 as former allies steered their foreign policies elsewhere in the wake of military coups and general political upheaval. A new law making it harder for foreigners to immigrate to France has compounded matters. French interests in Africa face monumental challenges in 2024 - especially following the toppling of leaders in Niger and Burkina Faso - which, like Mali, are former French military strongholds in the restive Sahel region. A lengthy partnership […]

January 6, 2024

Africa

Africa: Sudan FA Ministry Summons Kenyan Ambassador, Hemedti Visits South Africa

[ad_1] Port Sudan / Nairobi / Pretoria — Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Ali El Sadig announced yesterday that Sudan summoned the Kenyan ambassador to Sudan to protest against the official reception for Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Commander Mohamed 'Hemedti' Dagalo, organised by the Kenyan government on Wednesday. Hemedti also met the sultan of the Fur tribe in Nairobi. Continuing his Africa tour, the RSF commander visited South Africa yesterday. The minister said in a statement to the Sudan News Agency […]

January 6, 2024

News

Angola: Okavango – Zambezi Project Registers Tourists Growth

[ad_1] Menongue — One hundred and seventy-five tourists of different nationalities visited, in 2023, the Okavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Project (KAZA), from the Cuando Cubango border posts, in the country's south-east. Compared to 2022, there is an increase of 49 tourists, motivated by Presidential Decree No. 189/2023 of September 19, exempting and simplifying the Tourist Visa. The "gateways" were the border posts of Katuitui, Cuangar, Calai, Mucusso (Dirico) and Rivungo, with the Republic of Namibia. In general, according to the annual […]

January 5, 2024

Governance