African Development | Page 2 of 5

Sudan Lifts State Of Emergency Imposed Since Coup

30May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Armed Forces, News, Security, Sudan

Sudan Lifts State Of Emergency Imposed Since Coup

Sudan's military government has lifted a state of emergency which it imposed after seizing power in a coup six months ago and recommended freedom for people detained under an emergency law. The decision by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, came hours after the Security and Defense Council, Sudan’s highest body that decides on security matters suggested. The news came the same day as the U.N. envoy for Sudan regretted the killing of 2 anti-coup protestors in Khartoum Saturday. The two were killed in during protests in Khartoum’s Kalakla neighborhood. One was shot dead by security forces and the other suffocated after inhaling tear gas, according to the Sudan Doctors Committee, which is part of the pro-democracy movement. "Calling...

26May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Justice, News

Zambia Moves To Abolish Death Penalty

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced he is making moves to abolish the death penalty in the country. He termed it a "big decision" by the government. “We will work with parliament to run this process as we transition away from the death penalty and focus on the preservation, and rehabilitation of life while still delivering justice for all,” he said on the eve of Wednesday’s Africa Freedom Day. “This is important. We believe in it. Africa Freedom Day is a symbol of our collective commitment to secure a better future for all.” Read Also: Court Sentences Ex-Burkina Faso President to Life Imprisonment To mark Africa Freedom Day the Zambian President has pardoned 2045 inmates, including 2012 ordinary inmates and 33 elderly inmates. He also commuted s...

Ronaldinho Visits Tunisia To Promote Tourism

22May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Economy, News, Tunisia

Ronaldinho Visits Tunisia To Promote Tourism

Former Brazilian football icon, Ronaldinho is currently in the North African country of Tunisia where he is promoting the country’s tourism. The former Barcelona midfield maestro who arrived the country on Thursday, is on a mission with the Tunisian Tourism office to promote the country’s rich attractions which was a main stay of its income accounting for 10% of the GDP before the Coronavirus pandemic. With the visit and promotions, the Brazilian football legend has become the new face of the Tunisian tourism campaign. The former player toured the streets of the town of Sidi Bou Said in the eastern part of the North African country. He was accompanied by local rapper Karim Gharbi who had invited him. Read Also: Buhari says Nigerian Health Workers Culpable for Medical Tou...

20 Million Farmers In Africa To Benefit From $1.5 billion Emergency Food Facility

21May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Africa, African Development, Agriculture, News

20 Million Farmers In Africa To Benefit From $1.5 billion Emergency Food Facility

The African Development Bank has approved a $1.5 billion emergency food production facility for 20 million farmers on the continent. This is aimed at reducing the looming food crisis driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the bank announced on Friday. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is further disrupting a global and liberalized food system that was already undermined by COVID and the unfolding climate crisis. Read Also: Kwara State to Partner AfDB on Infrastructure Devt., Women Empowerment The funding is meant to assist Africa overcome a shortage of at least 30 million metric tonnes of food due to the disruption of global food supplies caused by the conflict in Europe, especially for wheat, maize and soybeans imported from Russia and the Ukraine. The facility was designe...

White Student Filmed Urinating On Black Student’s Property In South Africa

17May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Human Rights, News, South Africa

White Student Filmed Urinating On Black Student’s Property In South Africa

A white student in South Africa has been suspended from university after he was accused of urinating on the property of a black student at Stellenbosch University, the institution confirmed. The university has said the incident will be investigated and further action including expulsion and criminal charges may be taken, depending on the outcome of the investigation. Scores of students protested at Stellenbosch University on Monday demanding swift action against the first-year student. The university – like many on social media who have seen the widely circulated video – has said the incident appears to have been racially motivated. Read Also: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Condemns Racism, Says No Community is Superior In a statement, Stellenbosch University spokesper...

Slavery Still Exists In Mauritania – UN Envoy

15May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Child Abuse, Human Rights, News, Violence

Slavery Still Exists In Mauritania – UN Envoy

A UN human rights expert has called on the authorities in Mauritania to take urgent measures to implement an anti-slavery law which was passed in 2015. Following a visit to the West African country, Tomoya Obokata - the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery - said some progress had been made in abolishing the practice but warned much more needed to be done. He said people were still being born into slavery and people affected by the practice needed help to seek justice and achieve equality. Read Also: UN Watchdog Reports Continued Human Rights Abuses in Burundi Mr Obokata said people were now more willing to discuss the issue openly. But he said caste-based slavery and chattel slavery – where one person owns another – were still happening. He warned tha...

Thousands Protest Against Military Rule In Sudan

13May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Armed Forces, News, Sudan

Thousands Protest Against Military Rule In Sudan

Thousands Protest Against Military Rule In Sudan Sudanese demonstrators are back on the streets to protest against the military in power and ask for the implementation of a civil government. Large crowds could be seen around the presidential palace in Khartoum responding to calls from several dissident groups on May 12. This is the most important turnout since the holy month of Ramadan. "All we are asking now is for the military council to step down and hand the state over to a civilian government in order to save the state, because Sudan is now collapsing, there is no justice, there is no freedom, and there is no peace.", says Abd El-malik Ibrahim a protester in Khartoum. Read Also: Guinea To Move To Civilian Rule In Three Years Activists have often...

Guinea To Move To Civilian Rule In Three Years

1May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Armed Forces, Elections, Guinea, News

Guinea To Move To Civilian Rule In Three Years

The military leader of Guinea, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, announced a 39 month transition period before the country returns to civilian rule. Speaking on television, Col Mamady Doumbouya, said the proposal would now be put to Guinea's parliament. His army ousted the elected president in a coup last year - a move many Guineans initially welcomed. But there has been growing discontent as the military junta failed to hand over power to civilian rule. The announcement came after the regional bloc of West African nations, ECOWAS, set last Monday as a deadline for the army to give its timeline - or face immediate sanctions. The deadline was missed but the junta asked for more time and said it was considering a transition period of between 18 and 52 months. On Saturday, Col Doum...

Chinese Businessman Jailed 20 years in Rwanda For Torturing Local Mineworkers

22Apr

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Human Rights, Justice, News, Rwanda, Violence

Chinese Businessman Jailed 20 years in Rwanda For Torturing Local Mineworkers

A court in Rwanda has jailed a Chinese national for 20 years for torturing local mineworkers after a video showing him whipping a man tied to a post went viral on social media. Sun Shujun, the manager of a mine in the west of the country, was convicted on Tuesday along with an accomplice following his arrest last September. “It is clear that (Sun) tortured the victims and issued corporal punishment with malicious intent, and this is a grave crime,” Judge Jacques Kanyarukiga ruled, ordering him to serve a 20-year term in prison. Sun, who was in court for the verdict, acknowledged assaulting two workers, saying he beat them because he was “frustrated and fed up of them constantly stealing minerals”. The 43-year-old had argued for his release, saying he compensated the two by pay...

‘Sole Legal Tender is Cedi’ Ghana Bans Spending in Foreign Currencies

11Apr

By Guest ContributorNo Comments

African Development, Economy, Ghana, News, Trade

‘Sole Legal Tender is Cedi’ Ghana Bans Spending in Foreign Currencies

The Ghanaian government has banned spending and transaction of businesses in foreign currencies in the country. The Central Bank of Ghana, which disclosed this in a statement Thursday, warned citizens and companies to stop transacting business, pricing goods and services and advertising in foreign currencies. According to the country’s apex bank, it is illegal for individuals, companies, institutions, and others to engage in foreign exchange business without an appropriate licence from the regulator. Dr. Ernest Addison Governor Bank of Ghana “Engaging in foreign exchange business without a licence issued by Bank of Ghana; or pricing, advertising, receipting or making payments for goods and services in foreign currency in Ghana, without written authorisation from Bank of G...