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☆ Three Dead in Senegal Protests Over Delayed Presidential Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Diadie Ba and Ngouda DioneDAKAR (Reuters) - The death toll amid protests in Senegal over the postponement of the presidential election until December has climbed to three, as concerns grow that one of the remaining democracies in coup-hit West Africa is under threat. The ministry has so far confirmed only one death, a student in the northern city of Saint-Louis on Friday. Reuters has not been able to independently confirm a reported second death: a 23-year-old merchant on the outskirts of Dakar, according to CFS. "We urge all parties to act in a peaceful and measured manner, and we continue to call on President Sall to restore the electoral calendar, restore confidence, and bring calm to the situation," it said. The postponement bill backed by parliament included the extension of his tenure until his successor is installed after the election now reset for Dec. 15.

Persons: Ba, Dione DAKAR, Macky Sall, Sall, Ndiame Diop, Louis, Guy Marius Sagna, Alessandra Prentice, Hugh Lawson Organizations: West African, ECOWAS, Cartogra Free, Reuters, Friday, U.S . Bureau, African Affairs Locations: Senegal, Africa, Dakar, Zinguinchor, Cartogra Free Senegal, Saint

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is hosting Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço in the Oval Office on Thursday as he seeks to reaffirm his commitment to Africa even as two wars consume much of his administration's foreign policy focus. The visit comes as Biden appears set to break his commitment to African leaders to visit the continent this year — though senior U.S. officials have made key trips to Africa throughout 2023. This is a fundamental shift in Angolan foreign policy,” lobbyist Robert Kapla wrote in April to Biden confidant Amos Hochstein, according to lobbyist disclosure records. It's part of a global infrastructure program championed by Biden that is meant as a counterweight to China's Belt and Road initiative. Much of Biden's recent foreign policy focus has been on Russia's war in Ukraine and the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Joe Biden, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Angola's, Biden, ”, John Kirby, Lourenço, Robert Kapla, Amos Hochstein, Kapla, Molly Phee, “ Organizations: WASHINGTON, Angolan, Security, Biden, U.S, Democratic Locations: Africa, United States, China, Russia, Angolan, Lobito, Kananga, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, It's, Ukraine, Israel, U.S

☆ China welcomes Arab, Muslim majority nations in Beijing for Israel-Hamas conflict talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —China welcomed officials from Arab and Muslim majority countries on Monday for talks on “de-escalating” the Israel-Hamas conflict as Beijing steps-up its efforts to play a role in establishing a ceasefire. Zhai’s itinerary thus far has not included stops in Israel, Palestinian-controlled territories, or Iran, per information released by China’s Foreign Ministry. It’s not clear if China has been in contact with Hamas officials during the latest conflict. Visiting officials in Beijing this week include Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki of the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority. In the talks, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they’d already held discussions with the Iranians on the topic, the senior official said.

Persons: “, Wang Yi, Washington –, Zhang Jun, Zhai Jun, Zhai, Wang, Eli Cohen, Riyad al, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Biden, Xi, they’d Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Palestinian National Authority, of Islamic Cooperation, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, Security Council, UN, Hamas, Foreign Ministry, China’s Foreign Ministry, Israeli, Palestinian, West Bank, Palestinian National Authority ., Ministry’s Locations: Hong Kong, China, Israel, Beijing, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, United States, Gulf, Qatar, Washington, Gaza, United, Palestine, UAE, Turkey, Bahrain, Singapore, Europe, Palestinian, Iran, Palestinian National Authority . China, Lebanon, California

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The extension of the U.S. program allowing sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets is expected to be high on the agenda of the U.S. Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade forum that will begin in South Africa on Thursday. AGOA is U.S. legislation that allows sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market provided they meet certain conditions, including adherence to the rule of law and the protection of human rights. In May, Biden threatened to remove Uganda from AGOA and impose sanctions following the passing of a controversial anti-gay law. They also called on the forum to be held in a different country to send a message to South Africa about the impact of its close ties to Moscow. An inquiry appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa has since cleared South Africa of supplying Russia with arms.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Joy Basu, Joe Biden, ”, John Stremlau, AGOA, Ebrahim Patel, Biden, Ofwono Opondo, Yoweri Museveni, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, ___ Rodney Muhumuza Organizations: U.S, U.S ., African, Congress, Republicans, Central African, Republican, Democratic Locations: JOHANNESBURG, U.S, U.S . Africa, South Africa, Johannesburg, Niger, Uganda, Central African Republic, Gabon, Africa, South, AGOA, U.S . South Africa, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Kampala

☆ African ambassador criticizes IMF, World Bank for not giving enough loans
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

John Wessels | Afp | Getty ImagesBEIJING — An ambassador of an African country to China has criticized the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for restrictive lending policies. "The problem is that the ratings we are making for the African [countries] should be different," Ibrahima Sory Sylla, ambassador for the West African country of Senegal, said Thursday at an event at Peking University. The research claimed every 1% increase in Chinese loans resulted in an increase of 0.176% in African economic growth. Allan Joseph Chintedza, ambassador of Malawi to China, said the report should look also at the repayment period for Chinese loans. The East African country needs to provide a "sustainability letter" from the Chinese government in order to borrow more from the IMF, Chintedza added.

Persons: John Wessels, Sylla, Poor's, Senegal's Sylla, Fitch, Wu Peng, Jang Ping Thia, Thia, Vladimir Putin, Allan Joseph Chintedza, Chintedza Organizations: Afp, Getty, BEIJING —, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, West, Peking University, Fitch, IMF, Bank, United, Loans, Boston, Global, Policy Center, CNBC, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Initiative, Peking University's Institute, New Locations: Senegal's, Dakar, BEIJING, China, Senegal, West Africa, Africa, Beijing, Malawi

☆ Actor Viola Davis to join US African diaspora council
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] FiILE PHOTO: Viola Davis attends the world premiere of "AIR" at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Lauren Justice/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the first members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement, including actor Viola Davis, who will advise Washington on deepening ties with African communities. Washington has sought to stress the region's importance and counter challenges posed by China and Russia to the United States' interests in the increasingly important region. In addition to Viola Davis, members include: Patrick Gaspard, the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress think tank; C.D. Glin, president of the PepsiCo Foundation and global head of social impact for PepsiCo; and Almaz Negash, founder of the African Diaspora Network, among others.

Persons: Viola Davis, Lauren Justice, Joe Biden, Judd Devermont, Silvester Beaman, Patrick Gaspard, Glin, Davis, Tony, Wagner, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Regency Village Theatre, REUTERS, Rights, Tuesday, Africa, Summit, National Security, African Affairs, African Methodist Episcopal, Center for American Progress, PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo, African Diaspora Network, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, President’s, Washington, China, Russia, United States, States, Africa, Ukraine

REUTERS/Alet Pretorius Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 22 (Reuters) - African countries want China to shift its focus from building infrastructure on the continent to local industrialisation, China's top Africa diplomat said on Tuesday at a briefing on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa. "African integration is already escalating and many African countries (have) asked China to consider (a) shift (of) our focus," Wu Peng, director-general of China's department of African affairs at its foreign ministry, said. China will talk through its plans for African industrialisation with African leaders on Thursday at a special roundtable on the sidelines of the Aug. 22-24 meeting of the BRICS bloc - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Between 2000 and 2020, Chinese lenders - mostly state-owned banks - agreed to lend $160 billion to African countries, according to Boston University. He also said that investments by Chinese companies in Africa, especially from small and medium-sized companies, would increase.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Alet Pretorius, Wu Peng, Wu, Xi, Carien du Plessis, Tannur Anders, Emelia Sithole Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Africa Continental Free Trade, Boston University, for, Africa Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Pretoria, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, China, China's, Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, for China

☆ Niger response: 'Washington has to thread a very difficult needle'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The United States and its Western allies are faced with a difficult conundrum as they navigate potential responses to the military takeover in Niger if democratic rule is not restored. Experts told CNN that punitive measures could push Niger toward Russian mercenary groups like Wagner and away from its partners in the West. US officials have said there are no indications that the organization was involved in the military takeover. We don’t really know who this new general is” who has seized power, she told CNN. Felbab-Brown told CNN that Prigozhin is trying to “personally” take advantage, given his “precarious” place following his failed revolt.

Persons: Biden, Vedant Patel, John Kirby, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Cameron Hudson, ‘, Antony Blinken, Vanda Felbab, Brown, Bob Menendez, Jim Risch, Kirby, Mohamed Bazoum, Gen, Abdourahamane Tiani, Bazoum, “, ” Hudson, Kamissa Camara, Camara, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, We’re, ” Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, “ It’s, Prigozhin, Putin, shouldn’t, ” Kirby, Blinken, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Kamala Harris, Bola Tinubu, African Affairs Molly Phee, Hassoumi Massoudou, Mahamadou Issoufou “, Patel Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Nigerien, State Department, National Security Council, Experts, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Central African, West, Brookings, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, US Institute of Peace, Russian Foreign Ministry, African Union, Economic, West African States, United Nations, African Affairs, Nigerien Foreign, ” State Department Locations: United States, Niger, Russian, Africa, “ Washington, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Niamey, “, Hudson, Russia, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Sudan, New Zealand, Nigeria

WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. assistant secretary of State for African affairs, Molly Phee, will travel to Addis Ababa on Monday and Tuesday to meet with African leaders and Sudanese civilians on how to end the conflict in Sudan, the State Department said on Sunday. Diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have so far proved ineffective, with competing initiatives creating confusion over how the warring parties might be brought to negotiate. During her travel, Phee will meet with Sudanese civilians and with senior representatives of governments in the region, the East African bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union Commission, according to the State Department. Egypt said on Sunday it would host a summit of Sudan's neighbors on July 13 to discuss ways to end the conflict between the rival Sudanese military factions. Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Molly Phee, Phee, Kanishka Singh, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S, State Department, Rapid Support Forces, Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, East, Authority, Development, African Union Commission, Thomson Locations: Addis Ababa, Sudan, Khartoum, Sudan's, El Obeid, Egypt, Jeddah, United States, Saudi Arabia, East, Kenya, Washington

In the video, a Central African Republic rebel fighter says "the French want to drive Wagner out of Africa". Russia and Wagner have a track record of media manipulation and disinformation, which Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has admitted to. The European Union sanctioned Wagner in February for alleged rights abuses and spreading disinformation, including in Africa. The foreign ministry unit doesn’t promote or generate fake news, the two diplomats said. However, the foreign ministry unit, and the broader strategy, will face an uphill battle to convince people in Africa that France has changed, seven analysts and diplomats said.

Persons: Ibrahim Traore, Vincent Bado, Wagner, Catherine Colonna, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Maria Zakharova, Meta, Anne, Sophie Ave, Lakhta, Prigozhin, Viginum, Faustin, Archange Touadera, “, Michael Shurkin, I'm, Jean Gaspard Ntoutoume Ayi, John Irish, Elizabeth Pineau, Bate Felix, Michel Rose, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, Central, Facebook, Kremlin, Reuters, Quai D'Orsay, Vigilance, Protection, European Union, West, Central African, Twitter, Democratic, Internet Research Agency, Meta, Global, National Union, Gabonese, Thomson Locations: Burkina, French, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Russia, PARIS, DAKAR, Central African Republic, France, Russian, Africa, Paris, France's, Ukraine, Moscow, Central, West Africa, Quai, Kinshasa, Mali, Sahel, Europe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, U.S, Togo, Libreville, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Dakar

☆ Sudan factions agree day's truce designed to 'break cycle of violence'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The conflict has displaced more than 1.9 million people, some 400,000 of whom have crossed into neighbouring countries. "There are heavy strikes near us and bullets from every direction in Al-Thawra neighbourhood in Omdurman," said Sanaa Ahmed, a 24-year-old resident. The army confirmed in a statement that it had agreed to the 24-hour ceasefire while asserting "its right to respond to any violations". The conflict in Sudan derailed the launch of a transition towards civilian rule four years after a popular uprising ousted strongman President Omar al-Bashir. Sudan's army and the RSF fell out over the chain of command and military restructuring plans under the transition.

Persons: Sanaa Ahmed, Omar al, Bashir, Sudan's, Khalid Abdelaziz Ahmed Elimam, Jana Choukeir, Adam Makary, Aidan Lewis, Jon Boyle, Nick Zieminski, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Artillery, Rapid Support Forces, Medical, MSF, U.S, U.S . State Department's Bureau, African Affairs, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Food, El Obeid, DUBAI, Saudi, Sudan's, Khartoum, Darfur, Omdurman, Bahri, Al, Thawra, El, North Kordofan State, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Jeddah ., Jeddah, Sudan, U.S ., Dubai, Cairo

WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - All U.S. government personnel were evacuated from Washington's embassy in Khartoum, as well as a small number of diplomatic personnel from other countries, U.S. officials said on Saturday, as fighting rocks Sudan. The operation evacuated fewer than 100 people, the officials told reporters. "We evacuated all of the U.S. personnel and dependents assigned to Embassy Khartoum," said Under Secretary of State for Management John Bass. A substantial number of local staff remain in Khartoum supporting the embassy, where Washington decided to suspend operations on Saturday due to the security risks, Bass said. U.S. forces spent just an hour on the ground in Sudan before taking off again, entering and exiting Sudan without being fired upon by the warring factions on the ground, the military said.

☆ Special forces swiftly evacuate US embassy staff from Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Smoke rises during clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Sudan on April 19, 2023. U.S. special operations forces carried out a precarious evacuation of the American embassy in warring Sudan on Sunday, sweeping in and out of the capital, Khartoum, with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. However, John Bass, a U.S. undersecretary of state, denied claims by one faction, Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, that it assisted in the U.S. evacuation. Biden had ordered American troops to evacuate embassy personnel after receiving a recommendation from his national security team, with no end in sight to the fighting. The U.S. evacuation planning for American employees of the embassy got underway in earnest on Monday after the embassy convoy was attacked in Khartoum.

PinnedThe United States military airlifted embassy officials out of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, amid continuing violence as rival military leaders battled for control of Africa’s third-largest country, President Biden said late on Saturday. (Mr. Godfrey — the first U.S. ambassador to Sudan in a quarter-century — arrived in the country about eight months ago.) They had lived in the same apartment buildings as some American diplomatic staff and arrived together at the embassy, he said. “I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of our embassy staff, who performed their duties with courage and professionalism and embodied America’s friendship and connection with the people of Sudan,” Mr. Biden said. Credit... Ebrahim Hamid/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesU.S. officials have said that about 16,000 American citizens were living in Sudan, many of them dual nationals.

Hundreds have died so far and a nation reliant on food aid has been tipped into what the United Nations calls a humanitarian catastrophe. Washington has said that private American citizens in Sudan should have no expectation of a U.S. government-coordinated evacuation from the country. UN WORKS TO EXTRACT STAFFOther countries and the United Nations are also looking at how they can evacuate citizens and employees. The U.N. has about 4,000 staff in Sudan, of which 800 are international staff. Switzerland said on Friday it was examining ways to evacuate nationals from Sudan, and Sweden said it will evacuate embassy staff and families as soon as possible.

☆ Sudan: People scramble to leave Khartoum after attempted ceasefires fail to stop violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Eyewitnesses said Thursday that reinforcements for the paramilitary RSF were on their way to Khartoum when army forces confronted them with warplanes and ground forces. There was an increase in the number of people at bus stops, trying to leave Khartoum and escape the fighting, according to witnesses. A water and electricity crisis has continued in Khartoum, with food shortages in shops and pharmacies closed, eyewitnesses say. The union also said that five ambulances had been attacked by military forces, and others were prevented from transporting patients for treatment and delivering aid. A latest attempt to strike a ceasefire for 24 hours was quickly upended late on Wednesday, when clashes erupted north of Khartoum.

CNN —The situation on the ground in Sudan on Wednesday remained too volatile to get diplomatic staff from the US Embassy in Khartoum out of the country, a top State Department official told congressional staffers. Another US official told CNN that State Department officials are in contact with Pentagon officials in Djibouti where the US has military assets to determine the best evacuation operation. Officials told staffers Wednesday that there are an estimated 16,000 American citizens in Sudan, most of whom are dual nationals, and roughly 500 had contacted the US Embassy since the outbreak of fighting. “Within Sudan, the Department of Defense’s mission is primarily focused on providing security at the US Embassy. While operational security prevents us from going into detail, the Department of Defense, through the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, provides ongoing security for diplomatic facilities worldwide,” he said.

☆ Blinken meets Ethiopian leader to repair ties damaged by war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/11] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 15, 2023. "We have agreed to strengthen the long standing bilateral relations between our countries with a commitment to partnership," the Ethiopian leader said. While the peace deal has allowed humanitarian aid to flow into Tigray, needs remain immense after the conflict left hundreds of thousands facing starvation. Eritrean troops remain in several border areas while militia from the Amhara region, which neighbours Tigray, occupy large areas of territory in contested parts of western and southern Tigray, humanitarian workers said. A spokesperson for the Amhara regional government said it and the people of Amhara were "always ready to co-operate with peace deal process and activities".

☆ 'Unpredictable' election in Africa's largest economy is set to resonate around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

After 24 years of uninterrupted democracy since ending military dictatorship in 1999, Africa's most populous nation and largest economy is conducting its seventh election. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's president, speaks during the U.S.-Africa Business Forum in New York. Leena Koni Hoffmann, associate fellow of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, told CNBC on Monday that the presidential election will be the "most unpredictable" since the transition to civilian rule. Alongside the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, Koni Hoffmann noted "missed opportunities" and "self-inflicted crises" under Buhari's regime. Economists panned the decision, which Koni Hoffmann suggested rendered Nigeria and its neighbors more vulnerable to the damage of the pandemic.

☆ Biden says he’ll travel to Africa soon as he announces billions in new commitments
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“I’m eager to visit your continent,” Biden said to the nearly 50 leaders attending the conference. “The United States is all in on Africa and all in with Africa,” Biden said Thursday. He said “African voices, African leadership, African innovation” were all necessary to addressing a host of global challenges. It’s not the first time African leaders have heard a similar message from an American president. China has worked to grow trade relations with African nations and has developed major infrastructure projects there.

☆ U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit kicks off under China's long shadow
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Trade between Africa and China last year surged to $254 billion last year, up about 35% as Chinese exports increased on the continent. “We are not interested in the views of any other countries on China’s role in Africa,” Qin said at the Semafor forum. Asked whether Biden administration officials would directly approach U.S. concerns about Chinese involvement in Africa during this week’s meetings, officials bristled. Those include Africa, South America and the Middle East, where China is eyeing military and economic expansion. U.S. officials have also expressed concerns that China is looking to establish a military base on the western coast of Africa.

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