EU sanctions Russian mercenary Wagner group, now also very active in Africa

The European Union on Saturday announced additional sanctions against Russia's Wagner Group mercenary and economic organization for "human rights abuses" committed in the Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan and Ukraine. 

In total the bloc targeted 11 individuals and seven entities it said was linked to the once-secretive private military and economic arm of Russian foreign policy controlled by a historically close ally of Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin. They would face asset freezes and a travel ban. 

Read more at:https://www.dw.com

France: Macron calls Russia a 'colonial power' during visit to ex-French colony

Macron poses with young women in traditional costumes as they celebrate the Abomey Treasures, during his visit to the French College in Benin, 27 July 2022.

- The French president vilified Russia as a "colonial imperial power" during a visit to Benin, which France ruled for more than 150 years.

Read more at: Macron calls Russia a 'colonial power' during visit to ex-French colony | Euronews

Ukraine Russian Invasion: Chad declares food emergency as grain supplies fall

Last week, Chad declared a food emergency due to a lack of grain supplies. The landlocked African nation on Thursday urged the international community to help its population cope with rising food insecurity.

Cereal prices across Africa surged because of the slump in exports from Ukraine — a consequence of the war in Ukraine and a raft of international sanctions on Russia which have disrupted supplies of fertilizer, wheat and other commodities from both Russia and Ukraine.

Read more at: Chad declares food emergency as grain supplies fall | Africa | DW | 06.06.2022

Africa- Guinea Soldiers detain Guinea's president, dissolve government

Mutinous soldiers in the West African nation of Guinea detained President Alpha Condé on Sunday after hours of heavy gunfire rang out near the presidential palace in the capital, then announced on state television that the government had been dissolved in an apparent coup d'etat.

Read more at: Soldiers detain Guinea's president, dissolve government | CBC News

Germany officially recognises colonial-era Namibia genocide

Germany has officially acknowledged committing genocide during its colonial occupation of Namibia, and announced financial aid worth more than €1.1bn (£940m; $1.34bn).

Read more at: Germany officially recognises colonial-era Namibia genocide - BBC News

Botswana: Diamonds are forever: 1,098-carat diamond pulled from mine in Botswana

A 1,098-carat diamond believed to be the third-largest gem-quality stone ever to be mined has been discovered in Botswana, according to a joint venture between Anglo American's De Beers and the government.

Read more at: The stone was presented to President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday by Debswana Diamond Company's acting managing director, Lynette Armstrong. It is the third-largest in the world, behind the 3,106-carat Cullinan stone recovered in South Africa in 1905 and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona unearthed by Lucara Diamonds in Botswana in 2015.

Read more at: 1,098-carat diamond pulled from mine in Botswana | CBC News

Afrlca-EU Relations: Africa envoy: Europe needs to look beyond migration

Europe risks losing out on the potential of Africa given its fixation on migration, says Ranier Sabatucci, the EU's ambassador to the African Union.

"For me the message is that by not looking at Africa for what it is and for what it is becoming, we risk fixing our gaze at a very narrow thing, this migration debate," Ranier Sabatucci told EUobserver on Wednesday (20 November).

Read more at: EU Africa envoy: Europe needs to look beyond migration

Africa: Cyclone: disaster strikes Mozambique and Zimbabwe

Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47624156

Spain: Trump suggested Spain build Sahara wall to stem migrants

Spain's foreign minister revealed that US President Donald Trump suggested building a wall along the Sahara desert to stem the arrival of migrants, as he plans to do on the Mexican border.

"Closing ports is not a solution, and neither is building a wall along the Sahara like President Trump suggested to me recently," Josep Borrell told a lunchtime gathering this week, according to a video released by Spanish media.
 
"'Just build a wall that borders the Sahara'," he quoted Trump as telling him.

"'But do you know how big the Sahara is?'," the minister responded.

The reported comments come as EU leaders are locked in talks in Salzburg over how to deal with the number of migrants arriving in Europe.
 
Spain is at the frontline of this issue, having overtaken Italy to become the number one point of entry for migrants coming to Europe by sea or by land from Africa.

Many of these cross the Sahara to Morocco and on to Spain across the Mediterranean or over two high fences into the Spanish overseas territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

Trump's proposed wall along the US-Mexico border, which spans 3,200 kilometres (2,000 miles), could cost up to $20 billion (17 billion euros) according to some estimates.

The Sahara desert, meanwhile, spans all of northern Africa from the Red Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, or close to 5,000 kilometres.
 
Read more: Trump suggested Spain build Sahara wall to stem migrants - The Local

Africa: China is replacing the Boers economic grip on South Africa

Read more at:

http://voxday.blogspot.com/2018/09/boers-out-chinese-in.html?m=1

EU's Migrant Dilemma: Spain takes more African migrants despite signs of tension - by Barry Hatton and Valerio Nicolosi

A rescue boat carrying 87 African migrants who were saved in the Mediterranean Sea docked Thursday at the southern Spanish port of Algeciras, but without the welcome offered to previous groups as the political mood in Spain began showing signs of tension about a spike in migrant arrivals.

The boat operated by Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms brought what it said were mostly Sudanese war refugees, including 12 minors, picked up off the Libyan coast on Aug. 2.

Spain allowed the boat to come after other, geographically closer, European Union countries refused to let it dock amid continuing tension among EU governments about how best to respond to the wave of migrants crossing from Africa.

Spain's new center-left Socialist government made fair treatment for migrants one of its headline policies after coming to power two months ago.

In June, it announced measures to "put people's rights first" in the country's migration policies. Among other things, it took the first steps toward extending public health care to foreigners without residence permits.

That same month, it accepted the Aquarius rescue ship with 630 migrants on board after Malta and Italy turned it away.

Authorities gave those migrants who arrived in Valencia a special entry permit into Spain of 45 days for humanitarian reasons. A further 60 who arrived on a rescue ship in Barcelona last month were given a 30-day permit while they decided what to do. Their paperwork was also fast-tracked.

But those who arrived in Algeciras on Thursday will get no such special treatment.

They will be processed, the government said, like any other migrants rescued at sea: held by police for 72 hours at a migrant camp, given a medical check-up, identified and detained while they await asylum or are given an expulsion order.

Note EU-Digest: The European Migrant crises is another top priority the EU Commission must tackle. In this particular case, as in most others, this above mentioned group of young African men, came to Europe basically for no other reason but economics. The EU must either return them from where they came, or better still, increase development aid to the nations they came from, under very strict rules, to avoid development money going into the pockets of corrupt politicians in these countries. Right now the EU Migrant policy is totally dysfunctional, and causing  major tensions within the EU. 

Read more: Spain takes more African migrants despite signs of tension - ABC News

Slavery: Are there more people in slavery now than during the transatlantic slave trade? - Yes indeed - by Emma Beswick

Panellists at 2018's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos present a new global fund that they hope will reduce modern slavery in identified areas by 50 per cent.

With estimates stating 40.3 million people are currently in slavery worldwide, Gary Haugen, CEO of the International Justice Mission said there are more people in slavery today than were extracted from Africa over 400 years of the transatlantic slave trade.

Haugen was one of the panellists at the World Economic Forum in Davos, presenting and discussing a new fund, led by the US and UK, whose goal is to raise $1.5 billion (€1.2 billion) combat slavery.

"The modern slavery problem is massive ... but it's more stoppable than it's ever been," added United States Senator Robert Corker, chairman of Committee on Foreign Relations.

Indeed, slavery is now illegal in all countries, yet the modern slave trade has nearly doubled in the last years, mainly in 15 countries.

Note EU-Digest: What is interesting is that the many activist who  today still loudly condemn slave trade  by European Colonial Powers of the past are remarkably silent to when it concerns today's slave trade and practices which are even more wide=spread than those of the past.  

Read more: Are there more people in slavery now than during the transatlantic slave trade? | Euronews

USA: One year anniversary of Trump Presidency - a disaster for the US and the world

The US is "celebrating" Trump's one year in office today, as the President of the US, with a shutdown of the Government and demonstrations going on Nation-Wide

Trump's popularity at home and abroad are the lowest of any US President. In addition official records also show he did not tell the truth during interviews and speeches 2015 times during the first year of his presidency.

On the international scene the results are just as grim. The US relationship with Mexico and many other :Latin and Caribbean states are on a downward slope. His vulgar off the cuff  statements about Haiti and African states made him and the US enemies in both areas.

The Iran Nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement are now both on shaky grounds,

Turkey's President Erdogan, whose nation is a member of the NATO, recently said he does not believe previous statements about keeping the Kurds at bay, made byTrump to him anymore, and today attacked the US Kurdish allies in Syria,

As Mr trump starts his second year in office, hopefully there still is a silver lining of hope above the dark clouds which seem to have covered the US. A nation which always was the shining light of democracy around the world.

EU-Digest

EU-Africa agree on repatriating migrants, but not on the bill – by Cécile Barbière

African and European countries have adopted a special joint declaration on Libya and said they want to repatriate migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. But the question of who should pay for it has been carefully avoided.

This is perhaps the only concrete action taken at the EU-Africa Summit, which ended on Thursday (30 November) in Abidjan. Some 3,800 African migrants stranded in Libya in inhumane conditions will be repatriated urgently to their country of origin.

These migrants detained in Tripoli recently received a visit from the African Union commissionner for social affairs, Amira El Fadil, who was able to witness firsthand the catastrophic conditions in detention centres.

These thousands of people will be returned by flights made available by the Moroccan and European authorities. “But this is only one detention camp, while the Libyan government has counted 42, and there may be more,” said the President of the Commission of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat.

The number of African migrants stranded in Libya is estimated at between 400,000 and 700,000, according to the Mahamat.

The announcement concluded a summit focused on the plight of migrants stranded in Libya, while the announced agenda was dedicated to youth, investment, good governance, migration and security.

EU-Africa agree on repatriating migrants, but not on the bill – EURACTIV.com

Zimbabwe: Military takeover - Mugabe dynasty which has been ruling the former Rhodesia since its independence comes to an end - by Jason Burke

Robert Mugabe and his family remain under detention in Zimbabwe twelve hours after the military declared on national television that it had temporarily taken control of the country to “target criminals” around the head of state.

The move by the armed forces appears to have resolved a bitter battle to succeed the 93-year-old president, which had pitted his former vice-president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, against his wife, 52-year-old Grace Mugabe.

Mnangagwa was reported to have returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday morning from South Africa, where he fled after being stripped of his office by Mugabe last week in an apparent attempt to clear Grace’s path to power.

The military takeover comes two days after the army chief – flanked by other senior officers – warned that he was prepared to “step in” to end turmoil in the ruling Zanu-PF party.

It is likely to signal the departure from power of the world’s oldest leader within days, weeks or at most months.

Soldiers have sealed access to parliament, government offices and courts in the capital, residents said. Access to the president’s official residence was also blocked by troops. But Harare appeared calm.

There was no sign of any resistance to the takeover or to the arrest of a series of senior officials associated with Grace Mugabe and her G40 faction. The youth wing of the ruling Zanu-PF, which had made defiant statements directed at the military earlier in the week, appeared to condone the military action.

Mnangagwa, a former spy chief, has strong support among many in Zimbabwe’s armed forces, and it is unclear who might oppose him in coming days.

In contrast, Grace Mugabe is deeply unpopular and has few allies internally or, crucially, regionally.

Read more: Mugabe family in detention after military takes control of Zimbabwe | World news | The Guardian

EU leaders approve plan to curb migration from Libya, Africa – by Daniela Vincenti

EU leaders rubber stamped a plan to curb migration from Libya at an informal summit in Malta today (3 February), offering Tripoli €200 million to better control its borders.

“We managed to achieve progress and unity,” said Joseph Muscat, prime minister of Malta, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

The deadly route across the Central Mediterranean is now the main gateway to Europe, with some 181,000 arrivals in 2016. It is run by smugglers who operate with impunity in Libya, which slid into chaos after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

EU leaders agreed on immediate operational measures that should help reduce the number of irregular migrants and save lives of those who attempt to risk the journey through the Central Mediterranean route.

Since the start of the decade, over 13,000 irregular migrants have lost their lives trying to cross through that route.

The plan agreed in Malta is supposed to train, equip and support Libyan coastguards to stop people smugglers and increase search and rescue operations, which in the last two years has saved over 400,000 lives.

“We will deliver economic assistance to local communities in Libya to improve their situation, and help them shelter stranded migrants,” said European Council President Donald Tusk, speaking to journalists after the meeting.

The EU will work in close cooperation with the International Organisation for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency to step up voluntary returns from Libya to countries of origin.

Read more: EU leaders approve plan to curb migration from Libya, Africa – EurActiv.com

Africa - EU-Trade: EAC-EU trade deal signing called off - by James Karuhanga

In a sudden twist, comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) will not be signed as earlier planned.

Officials who spoke to The New Times over the weekend were non-committal on divulging details pertaining to the sudden change of heart that comes after Tanzania recently decided to halt signing, citing the “turmoil” that the EU is experiencing following Britain’s exit.

The agreement was due to be signed at a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya today.

The East African Business Council (EABC) has been advising partner states to sign the deal earlier than previously agreed as further delay, it argued, would hamper EAC exports to the EU.


“The signing has been called off so whatever issues are contentious should be brought to the table for renegotiation,” EABC chief executive Lilian Awinja said.

Emmanuel Hategeka, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, confirmed that both parties agreed to call off the signing.

The five partner states previously proposed that the signing ceremony be held in the first week of August.

Last month, however, the EABC recommended July 18 (today), as the date of signing to coincide with the visit of the EU Commissioner for Trade, who is expected in Nairobi for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Hategeka said: “Signing on July 18 on the margins of UNCTAD 14, has been called off by agreement between both parties. In my view, this will allow more time for consultations.”

The EABC expectations were that all EAC partner states’ ministers for trade would attend the conference and, therefore, sign the agreement on the same date to project the region as a functional Customs Union.

It was thought that the recommended July 18 signing would give partner states ample time to ratify the agreement before October 1, the deadline earlier set by the EU.

Failure to meet the EU deadline on ratification, it was noted, could see EAC exports to EU attract import duty, especially for Kenya, the region’s largest economy.

Read more: EAC-EU trade deal signing called off - The New Times | Rwanda

Uganda: Muslim husband murders wife for leaving Islam for Christianity - by Chiqui Guyjoco

A Muslim husband in eastern Uganda killed his wife in the early morning of May 8 after she refused to join him in morning Islamic prayers, confirming his suspicion that she had become a Christian.

Family members and relatives of the deceased as well as neighbors in Mbaale village, Imanyiro Sub-County, Mayuge District, narrated the tragic incident to Morning Star News.

The 34-year-old Awali Kakaire had already been suspecting 30-year-old Mariam Nakirya for leaving Islam ever since the local imam asked why his wife and children were no longer seen in mosque prayers or in madrassa (Islamic school).

"Our father questioned us why we have stopped attending the madrassa, but we told him that we were busy with school work as our mother had instructed us," the son, whose identity is hidden for security purposes, told the publication. "Our mother told our father that she has been busy instructing us on school homework.

This made my father to cool down his tempers."

Kakaire strangled Nakirya to death at 6 a.m., shortly after he awoke, because of her refusal to join him in morning Islamic prayers.

The son also narrated how his father forced him and his four other siblings into a hole their father dug in a nearby garden, two hours after their mother was killed. The children, ages five to 12, resisted and began screaming which caught the neighbors' attention.

Michael Kirunda, Kakaire's brother, said that his brother tried to escape as the neighbors started questioning him and only cried out, "My family has no respect for Islam."

Kakaire escaped, believed to have the backing of Muslims. The children are now distributed between Kirunda and their 80-year-old grandmother who said that the children are traumatized and crying for their mother.

An unnamed Christian evangelist, who made a series of house-to-house visits while Kakaire was away for lengthy business trips, revealed that Nakirya became a Christian in August 2015.

"If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment, Islam wouldn't exist today," Jihad Watch quoted the world's most renowned and prominent Muslim cleric, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

The publication, reporting that the death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law, also featured a hadith taken from Bukhari 9.84.57 depicting Prophet Muhammad's order, "Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him."

EU-Digest

Political Mismanagement : 10 Economic, Political and Social Global Forecasts Indicate Troubled Times Ahead In 2016 - by RM

The legacy of a totally failed Middle East Policy

As a wise man once said "Without Freedom Of Speech There Are Only Official Lies"

Below links to 10 reports which indicate that the overall state of our globe in 2016 does not look very rosy.  Click on the headline to get the report.

 

European economies face harsh headwinds from China

Is the EU imploding?The Europe Question In 2016

Toward Global Disaster: Chaos and Intervention in the Middle East

Global Economy: Soros: It's the 2008 crisis all over again

Middle East: Where Will this War Frenzy Lead?

EU Presidency: ′Turbulent times′ as Netherlands takes over EU presidency

USA: To understand Donald Trump, look to Europe

Global Economy Catching China's Cold

China: Don't blame the economy for China's latest market meltdown

US Economy: Could the American economy tank in 2016?

Change however lies in the hands of the people, and if politicians have made life worse rather than better for you - get rid of them. Don't sit on the sidelines staring at your navel or pointing your finger at others.   

After all : "The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by its private citizens" - Alexis de Tocqueville

EU-Digest

Africa - Libya’s rival factions sign UN-brokered unity government deal

Delegates from Libya's warring factions signed a U.N.-brokered agreement to form a national government on Thursday, a deal that Western powers hope will bring stability and help fight a growing Islamic State presence.

Read more: Africa - Libya’s rival factions sign UN-brokered unity government deal - France 24