Please note: The following news items are presented here for informational purposes. The views expressed within them are those of the authors and/or individuals quoted, not those of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the National Defense University, or the Department of Defense.
Egypt election: Sisi secures crushing win
Airstrikes target Libyan Islamist militias in the east
Ansar al-Sharia issues Libya threat
Malawi election results blocked
A Map of All the Countries That Now Have Al-Qaeda Affiliated Terrorist Groups
New Mali Defense Minister Named After Kidal Fiasco
Kerry: U.S. alone in Nigeria girl search
No, Boko Haram Is Not ‘Al Qaeda In West Africa’
At least 30 killed in Muslim raid on Central African Republic church
Somali Army Chief Survives Bomb Attack
Female Soldiers Join the Army Ranks in Somalia
South Sudan leader Riek Machar in Kenya, to meet Uhuru for talks
Shock and ore: How Guinea took charge of its most valuable resource
Spain’s relations with Africa
US Ends Restrictions on Aid to Madagascar
Mozambique’s Renamo warns of bloodshed
Mining strikes shrink South Africa’s economy
U.S. Commerce Secretary Ends Africa Trade Mission with AGOA Focus
400 migrants break through border fence in Spain’s African enclave Melilla
Models of Development and Experiential Learning in the Niger Delta
U.S. Has Enduring Stake in African Stability, Officials Tell Executive Leaders
Obama lays out new postwar foreign policy, stresses nonmilitary options
###
Egypt election: Sisi secures crushing win
Former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has won an overwhelming victory in Egypt’s presidential election, according to provisional results. He gained more than 93% of the vote with ballots from most polling stations counted, state media say. Turnout is expected to be about 46% – far lower than Mr Sisi was hoping for as an endorsement. Islamist and some secular groups boycotted the vote. Mr Sisi deposed President Mohammed Morsi last July after mass protests. He has overseen a bloody crackdown on Mr Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement in which more than 1,400 people have been killed and 16,000 detained. BBC
Airstrikes target Libyan Islamist militias in the east
Libyan military jets bombed a militia camp Wednesday in the eastern city of Benghazi, part of a renegade general’s ongoing offensive against Islamists that has divided the country, a security official and witnesses said. Two airstrikes hit the February 17 militia compound, sending a column of black smoke into the air, they said. Panicked residents fled as the militia responded with anti-aircraft fire, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists. Though launched by government aircraft, the attack appears to be part of renegade Gen. Khalifa Hifter’s ongoing offensive, aimed at crushing Islamist militias and their alleged backers in parliament. Eastern air bases have pledged their support to Hifter, who launched the offensive May 16 in Benghazi. CBS News
Ansar al-Sharia issues Libya threat
Libyan jihadist group Ansar al-Sharia on Tuesday (May 27th) lashed out at opponents, threatening to turn the country into a new Syria. The terror group issued the ominous warning during a press conference called to denounce General Khalifa Haftar’s “Operation Dignity”. “We thank God that we were able to defeat Haftar and we challenge him to attempt entering Benghazi again. We warn him that if he continues this war against us, Muslims from across the world will come to fight, as is the case in Syria right now,” Libya Herald quoted Ansar al-Sharia leader Mohamed al-Zawahi as saying. Magharebia
Malawi election results blocked
An initial vote count in Malawi’s controversial presidential elections has been completed but the result will not be released until court challenges to the disputed ballot have been resolved, an official said on Wednesday The source, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the unofficial count showed that Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party was in the lead with 36 percent of the vote. Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party had polled second with 28 percent, while President Joyce Banda was in third place with 20 percent of the vote, he said. iOL
A Map of All the Countries That Now Have Al-Qaeda Affiliated Terrorist Groups
[...] The UN said in its statement that Boko Haram—whose name loosely translates to “Western education is a sin”—has “maintained a relationship with the Organization of Al-Qaida [sic] in the Islamic Maghreb for training and material support purposes.” Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has been referring to the group as a terrorist organization since last year and arresting members accordingly. But his country’s battles with Islamism have been launched onto the international stage since Boko Haram abducted hundreds of schoolgirls last month. This has put Nigeria on the map in a way Jonathan would have done best to avoid. It has also put Nigeria on this particular map of countries with recognized al-Qaeda affiliates. DefenseOne
New Mali Defense Minister Named After Kidal Fiasco
A retired airforce colonel was appointed Wednesday as Mali’s defense minister after his predecessor resigned over last week’s deadly rebel takeover of the northern city of Kidal. The presidency announced that Ba N’Dao was replacing Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, a veteran politician who has also held the jobs of foreign minister and intelligence chief. “The Malian defense minister tendered his resignation and it was accepted,” a presidency spokesman had told AFP. The Soviet-trained Ba N’Dao was appointed on Wednesday, the presidency said. Armed groups including the Tuareg separatist National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) humiliated the army in a deadly offensive across the northern desert last week which saw them seize control of Kidal, 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) northeast of Bamako. Defense News
Kerry: U.S. alone in Nigeria girl search
The United States is alone in helping Nigeria locate more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamists, Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday, despite help on the ground from Britain, France and Israel. With 80 military personnel sent to neighboring Chad for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the United States is the biggest foreign participant in the effort against the militant group Boko Haram. Washington has also deployed surveillance drones, spy planes and about 30 civilian and military specialists to support Nigeria’s security forces. “Boko Haram, Nigeria, only the United States is there offering the assistance to help find those young women,” Kerry said during a dinner at the State Department. “Other countries, not only aren’t they invited, but they did not even offer.” Al Arabiya
No, Boko Haram Is Not ‘Al Qaeda In West Africa’
When Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan branded Boko Haram “al Qaeda in West Africa”, it was sure to turn up the alarm among Western policy-makers, if its kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls was not enough. Yet while Jonathan’s remarks, made at a meeting of regional leaders in Paris this month, hold some truth, analysts say Boko Haram is overall not an al Qaeda affiliate in West Africa – nor is it likely to become one. Boko Haram’s own aims remain thoroughly local and its behavior, especially killing Muslim civilians and kidnapping girls, runs against the al Qaeda leadership’s current thinking. The insurgents’ fight for an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria remains driven largely by domestic factors. It is fast making what is now Africa’s largest economy look like a failing state. The Huffington Post
At least 30 killed in Muslim raid on Central African Republic church
A priest in Central African Republic says at least 30 people have been killed after suspected Muslim rebels attacked a church where Christians were seeking refuge. The Rev. Paul Emile Nzale told The Associated Press that the gunfire and grenade attack took place Wednesday afternoon in a displacement camp at the Church of Fatima in Bangui, the capital. An Associated Press reporter counted at least 20 bodies taken to a hospital in the city because the morgue was not in service. Wednesday’s attack is the largest in Bangui blamed on Muslim rebels since their Seleka coalition left power in January. New York Daily News
Somali Army Chief Survives Bomb Attack
Somalia’s army chief has escaped an apparent bomb attack in the capital, Mogadishu. Security officials say the roadside bomb exploded Wednesday as an armored convoy carrying General Dahir Adan Elmi was passing by. The army commander told VOA that he is safe and that none of his bodyguards were wounded in the attack, which took place in the Hodan district, as the convoy traveled to the Defense Ministry. Police conducted a security operation after the blast and arrested nearly 30 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. VOA
Female Soldiers Join the Army Ranks in Somalia
With an AK47 automatic rifle slung over her shoulder, Naeemo Abdi frisks people coming into a Mogadishu police station. Four Killed in Kenya Car BombEXCLUSIVE: Edward Snowden Tells Brian Williams: ‘I’d Like to Go Home’ NBC NewsMen Charged With Toppling Ancient Rock Formation Avoid Jail Time Huffington PostComet Outlives Predictions Weather.comTraitor or Patriot? What You’re Saying About Edward Snowden NBC News When she holds back a man who tried to enter unchecked, he scowls at her and barks: “Woman and soldier?” She did not respond but directed the man to the security checkpoint. It’s unusual to see a female in the military in traditionally conservative Somali society where women’s duties are generally at home and limited to family chores. But Abdi and other determined women are breaking down those barriers. About 1,500 females are now in the military of 20,000, according to estimates. Time
South Sudan leader Riek Machar in Kenya, to meet Uhuru for talks
South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar is in Kenya and is expected to meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta during his stay. The former Vice President was engaged in a series of meetings in Nairobi Wednesday among them being with a top official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kenyan envoy to South Sudan Dalmas Otieno. President Kenyatta spent the day in Eldoret on official business. The Nation has learnt that President Salva Kiir is expected in the country by Friday in what may seem to be follow-up talks to the Cessation of Hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa earlier this month. His visit comes a week after at least ten civilians were been killed and several others wounded in a rebel assault in South Sudan’s oil-rich Upper Nile State. Rebels linked to Dr Machar were accused of being behind the attack in Barliet County, southeast of the state capital Malakal South Sudan military spokesman Col Philip Aguer said last Wednesday. The East African
Shock and ore: How Guinea took charge of its most valuable resource
The multi-billion dollar iron ore deal signed by Guinea’s President Alpha Conde this week is more than just the beginning of a resource boom in the poor West African country. In ripping up the dodgy deal which came before, Conde showed that African countries don’t have to put up with one-sided contracts that benefit no one but foreign shareholders, especially when they’ve been concluded in bad faith. Daily Maverick
Spain’s relations with Africa
[...] Spain well understands the magnitude of the challenge, and for this reason, we are ready to act, viewing Africa as a strategic partner on equal terms, who will help us identify problems and provide solutions. Spain has diplomatic representation in 31 African countries, and economic and trade offices in eleven. Africa is the main destination of our development cooperation. In the last ten years, we have contributed over 6.3 billion Euros to sub-Saharan Africa and over 1.6 billion Euros to North Africa. In 2013, our exports doubled those of 2007 and today our companies export more to Africa than to Latin America. We encourage Spanish companies to invest in Africa and to work with African partners. Spanish companies are world leaders in some sectors that are crucial to Africa’s economic prosperity and have extensive experience in the management of EU funds. These elements form a perfect combination that can be used to the benefit of many African countries. The Sun Online
US Ends Restrictions on Aid to Madagascar
The United States has lifted all remaining restrictions on direct assistance to Madagascar. The U.S. State Department says the move was made in light of the country’s successful 2013 elections and installation of a new government earlier this year. The elections ended four years of political turmoil that followed a 2009 coup. The African Union refused to recognize the new leader Andry Rajoelina, and the United States and other donors cut aid to the island nation, hurting its economy. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the U.S. has invited the new president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, to the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington this August. VOA
Mozambique’s Renamo warns of bloodshed
Mozambican opposition party Renamo warned on Wednesday that the country risked even greater military conflict if government troops advanced any closer to the mountain hideout of its leader, Afonso Dhlakama. Renamo, which claims the government has moved more troops to the central Gorongosa mountains for an assault on Dhlakama’s position, says it wants them moved back. “Military conflicts of greater magnitude and with disastrous, unpredictable consequences,” would result from any attempt by government to carry out what it claims is a plan to “eliminate or assassinate” Dhlakama, the party said through its spokesperson, Antonio Muchanga. News 24
Mining strikes shrink South Africa’s economy
Months of mining strikes in South Africa pushed its economy into contraction in the first quarter of this year, and with no resolution in sight, the outlook remains bleak. South Africa’s real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 0.6 percent in the first three months of the year, with growth in the mining and quarrying industry down 24.7 percent. The decline in mining and quarrying pulled down overall GDP by 1.3 percentage points, according to the country’s official statistical agency. The drop in mining growth was “due to lower production in the mining of gold, the mining of other metal ores (including platinum) and ‘other’ mining and quarrying (including diamonds)” the agency wrote in its first quarter GDP report. CNBC
U.S. Commerce Secretary Ends Africa Trade Mission with AGOA Focus
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker wrapped up her trade mission to Africa with a stop in Ethiopia that focused on AGOA renewal. AGOA, the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act, “is one critical tool to continue deepening trade and investment ties between the U.S. and Africa,” the Commerce Department said in a May 27 news release. In Ethiopia, Pritzker met with President Mulatu Teshome and private-sector leaders to discuss ways to increase trade and investment between Ethiopia and the United States. She was joined by Congresswoman Karen Bass of California, who sits on the House of Representatives’ Foreign Relations Committee. State.gov
400 migrants break through border fence in Spain’s African enclave Melilla
More than 1,000 sub-Saharan migrants rushed the six-metre razor-wire fence that marks the border of Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla early on Wednesday morning, with some 400 managing to make it over the towering fence, yelling with joy as they touched Spanish soil. “There were waves [of people], they were quite difficult to stop,” Juan José Imbroda, the mayor of Melilla, said in a radio interview. Despite efforts by Moroccan and Spanish police to push back the migrants, he said the pressure was so great that “a chunk of the exterior fence gave way”. On entering Melilla, the jubilant migrants kissed the ground and congratulated each other on making it to Europe. Many of them had spent years travelling across north and sub-Saharan Africa followed by months of living in rough, makeshift campgrounds on the Moroccan side of the border, waiting for an opportune moment to rush the frontier. The Guardian
Models of Development and Experiential Learning in the Niger Delta
The Niger Delta region of Nigeria provides a unique context for development practitioners. The juxtaposition of significant natural resources and immense wealth alongside abject poverty generates such competition for benefits in the region that it experiences regular cycles of violence and conflict. Billions of dollars have been invested in development projects and initiatives in the region, but many of these investments have yielded little in the way of truly sustainable development impacts. Donors and practitioners constantly look for more effective development models to achieve better results. Recognizing this, the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative (NDPI), the Brookings Institution’s Africa Growth Initiative (AGI), the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) created a partnership to understand and assess some models of development that are seen as generating useful impacts where so many other efforts have failed. Brookings
U.S. Has Enduring Stake in African Stability, Officials Tell Executive Leaders
Senior African security-sector leaders met with their U.S. counterparts for the annual African Executive Dialogue (AED), organized by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), and the U.S. Department of State. The three days of talks opened May 28, 2014, in the Virginia suburbs outside Washington. This high-level meeting, the third of its kind since 2012, brought together a select group of high-ranking African leaders (including current or recently retired government officials and representatives from the African Union and Regional Economic Communities), joined by officials from the U.S. government and the United Nations. Participants at the talks are ministers, heads of mission, chiefs of defense staff, and other senior executives. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Obama lays out new postwar foreign policy, stresses nonmilitary options
President Obama laid out his vision Wednesday for a comprehensive post-9/11 foreign policy after more than a decade of war overseas, arguing for a new form of American leadership that strikes a balance between interventionism and “foreign entanglements.” Speaking in front of 1,000 cadets here at the U.S. Military Academy commencement ceremony, Obama articulated an approach that he said would employ targeted force in a responsible fashion, including a new initiative aimed at responding to terrorist threats. [...] Obama stressed the importance of nonmilitary options in addressing the world’s challenges, as well as collective international action. Coming more than six years into a presidency devoted to winding down the wars, the speech featured a firm defense of his administration’s handling of foreign crises — including those in Nigeria, Syria and Ukraine — and a suggestion that many critics are out of step with a nation tired from 13 years of war. The Washington Post