The rise and rise of Libya’s rogue general
On Monday, Libya’s House of Representatives, whose legitimacy has been questioned since the day it was elected by a mere 15 percent of the country’s eligible voters, decided to add more gasoline to the already raging fire that is the four-year civil war in the country. Despite the fact that it is missing about half of its members, the House appointed the controversial and divisive General Khalifa Haftar as Commander in Chief of what is left of the Libyan armed forces. General Haftar, as most know by now, is a former member of Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle, and was captured during Gaddafi’s war in Chad in the 1980s. Haftar then accepted a deal to defect to the United States, which was at that time planning to train a small guerrilla force to help topple Gaddafi. Those plans went nowhere, and although the CIA abandoned its alliance with Haftar in the late 1980s, they allowed him to remain in the US as an American citizen. Al Jazeera
Libya asks U.N. for arms, jets, tanks to battle Islamic State: letter
Libya has sought permission from the United Nations to import 150 tanks, two dozen fighter jets, seven attack helicopters, tens of thousands of assault rifles and grenade launchers and millions of rounds of ammunition from Ukraine, Serbia and Czech Republic. In the written request to the U.N. Security Council committee overseeing an arms embargo imposed upon the North African state, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters on Wednesday, Libya said it needs the massive shipment of weapons and military equipment to take on Islamic State militants and other extremists and to control its borders. If there are no objections by any of the 15-member committee, the request will be approved at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) on Monday. Two rival governments and their respective armed forces are battling for control of Libya four years after the civil war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi. The chaos has allowed radical Islamist militants to bolster their foothold in the oil-producing OPEC member. Reuters
Libya declares force majeure at 11 oil fields after attacks
Libya’s National Oil Co declared force majeure Wednesday at 11 oil fields after attacks by Islamists, a legal step protecting it from liability if it cannot fullfil contracts for reasons beyond its control. Islamist militants seized Al-Bahi and Al-Mabrouk fields on Tuesday and were heading for a third one, at Al-Dahra, said a spokesman for the Libyan oil industry’s security service. Violence and a slowdown at export terminals have already forced a shutdown at Al-Bahi and Al-Mabrouk, about 310 miles (500 kilometres) east of Tripoli, for the past several weeks. An attack on the sites in February killed 11 people and all staff were evacuated. AFP on Yahoo News
After Six Years, Little Change for Niger Delta’s Former Militants
Goddy Kaduna used to lead armed men, but those days are behind him. He and his followers now get cash from the Nigerian government to keep them from bombing oil installations and kidnapping workers in the Niger Delta, which, despite being the center of Nigeria’s lucrative crude oil industry, is still desperately poor. Launched in 2009, the amnesty program, which gives 30,000 militants cash stipends of about $325 per month and puts some of them in training programs, has succeeded in reducing violence throughout the region. But with March 28 elections on the horizon, many ex-militants are worried the program will end – possibly if incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected, and definitely if his challenger Muhammadu Buhari, who is seen as less friendly to the Delta, wins. VOA
Lesotho has new leader
Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane has effectively been booted out of power after opposition parties formed a coalition. The move means Democratic Congress party leader and former prime minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, will take office. The coalition has been formed by the Democratic Congress as well as Lesotho Congress for Democracy. The latter is led by Mothetjoa Metsing, who will become deputy prime minister of the new government. Four other parties will form part of the coalition. The move comes four days after the country went to the polls early. The early election was negotiated by South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa after a failed coup attempt in Lesotho. Times Live
Ramaphosa back in Lesotho
Deputy President and SADC facilitator Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Lesotho on Wednesday following general elections that were held in the country. “The deputy president is on a working visit in Lesotho today and tomorrow,” said spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa on Wednesday night. “He is expected to pay a courtesy call to King Letsie III and also meet with political role players before returning to South Africa.” Lesotho held its general elections on 28 February. The elections were described as credible, free and fair by the Commonwealth, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa observer missions, Mamoepa said. News 24
Strategic Options for the Future of African Peace Operations (2015 – 2025)
This report reviews the African Model for peace operations that has emerged over the past decade, primarily because of the experiences of the African Union and sub-regional organizations on the continent. More specifically, the report examines how the model strays from the original design of the African Standby Force (ASF) and concludes that the ASF should remain the dominant framework for African peace operations, although with necessary adjustments being made to its subsidiarity principle, mission planning processes and more. Norwegian Institute of International Affairs on ISN
Countdown to being declared Ebola free begins in Liberia with release of last patient
Authorities in Liberia are preparing Thursday to discharge the last Ebola patient in the West African country. The head of the Incidence Management System, Tolbert Nyenswah, said the recovered patient will be released from a Chinese-built Ebola treatment unit in Monrovia, the capital. There were no other confirmed cases of Ebola in the country and as such, Liberia can then begin to count up to 42 days to be declared Ebola free in keeping with World Health Organization protocols and standards, Nyenswah said Wednesday. He challenged all Liberians to commit themselves to achieving “zero Ebola infections” by rigidly abiding by the anti-Ebola regulations. Liberia, which has had the highest number of deaths, has also reopened schools. AP on US News and World Report
Ebola ‘leaves 12,000 orphans in Sierra Leone’
The devastating impact of the Ebola crisis was laid bare this week with a report showing more than 12,000 children have been orphaned by the disease in Sierra Leone. They have been identified in the first national survey of orphans, which was conducted by the British charity Street Child. It says the future for these children is dire. Many are living in fear without the support and security of parents, but the charity says there is light at the end of the tunnel “if the international aid community works together”. The charity found that some children, rejected by their friends because of the stigma of Ebola, have tried to take their own lives, while girls are being forced into commercial sex work to earn money for food their parents would have previously provided. Its case studies expose the vulnerability of those left behind without an adult for support. The Guardian
Back to School, Though Not Back to Normal, in a Liberia Still Fearful of Ebola
A couple of dozen students sat quietly inside the C.D.B. King Elementary School’s dim and dusty auditorium on their first morning back. Despite the stuffy heat, many of the children wore long sleeves and trousers that covered as much skin as possible. A second grader wore pink knit mittens that muffled the sound of his clapping when the teachers introduced themselves. As everyone rose to sing Liberia’s national anthem, he saluted with his left hand, still sheathed in the mitten. “Ebola destroyed and devastated our land,” Venoria Crayton, the vice principal, told her pupils. “It brought us sadness, it brought us pain. Some of your neighbors died, right? Some of your neighbors’ children died, right? But you are here.” The New York Times
Kenyan officials charged over Anglo Leasing scandal
Seven ex-government officials in Kenya have been charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar corruption scam. The accused, including an ex-finance minister, all denied charges of abuse of office and conspiracy to commit economic crimes and were freed on bail. The Anglo Leasing affair, which involved contracts being awarded to phantom firms, shocked Kenyans when it was revealed in 2004. A previous legal case fell apart in 2005 because of a lack of evidence. Anglo Leasing Finance was paid about 30m euros ($33m; £21m) to supply the Kenyan government with a system to print new high-technology passports; other fictitious companies involved in the scam were given money to supply naval ships and forensic laboratories. BBC
Kenya looks to Algeria for answers to insecurity
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta last week made his maiden trip to North Africa, meeting with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister Abdel Malek Sellal and other senior officials. Since taking office nearly two years ago, President Kenyatta has concentrated on cultivating strong ties with the Gulf states. The President has already made official visits to Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey and Qatar where he signed multi-billion dollar deals in oil and gas, infrastructure and energy projects. During the visit, President Kenyatta officiated the opening of Kenya’s first embassy in Algiers and announced plans for both countries to lift visa restrictions for the holders of diplomatic passports. The two countries also signed cooperation agreements in oil, gas and energy, including onshore and offshore exploration and production of hydrocarbons. Africa Review
Kenya’s Harsh Counterterrorism Tactics Risk Stoking Extremism
In recent months, Kenya has increased its crackdown on Islamic extremism, including mosque raids and alleged extrajudicial killings. In an email interview, Jeremy Prestholdt, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, discussed Kenya’s counterterrorism policies. WPR: What is Kenya’s current approach to counterterrorism, and how effective has it been at tackling terrorism threats? […] The Kenyan government’s response has been multifaceted, but it has privileged the use of force over more subtle means. Counterterrorism in Kenya relies on both civil authorities and the military. Counterterrorism praxis includes profiling, detention, prosecution and military operations. Human rights investigators also assert that Kenyan authorities rely on extrajudicial actions. Despite some success in apprehending suspects, counterterrorism efforts have been hampered by minimal coordination among agencies, the use of heavy-handed tactics and a culture of impunity. World Politics Review
Kikwete hints at possible terrorist operations in Tanzania
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has suggested possible terror links to last month’s attack on police stations and exchange of gunfire between security officers and armed men in the port city of Tanga. This comes after the police had down-played the incident which left one military officer dead and five others seriously injured in what was believed to be an organised terrorist operation. Tanga regional police chief, Fresser Kashai, said the incident was an ordinary banditry. The East African
Five African elections to watch in 2015
Voters will cast their ballots in 15 sub-Saharan African states in 2015. In addition to presidential polls held in Zambia in January and Lesotho in February, voters are to cast their ballots in Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Mauritius, Sudan, Tanzania and Togo. South Sudan’s first election since it gained independence in 2011, originally scheduled for June, has been pushed back to 2017 as a result of violence. Though these elections offer an opportunity for the consolidation of democratic governance on the continent, a number are taking place in countries embroiled in conflict or that have seen political instability in the year leading up to elections. Mail and Guardian
Albinos ‘hunted like animals’ for body parts in Malawi
A lucrative black market exists for the body parts of albinos, who are believed by some to possess magical powers that can bring good luck. But as police in Tanzania crack down on the grisly trade, activists in neighbouring Malawi say attacks have spiked. Albinos are living in fear of being killed in Malawi, where their body parts are increasingly being sold for use in traditional rituals that promise to deliver wealth and power. Three albinos – people born without pigmentation – have been killed and mutilated in the southern African country in the first two months of the year, the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) reported. There were two albino killings in all of 2014 and one in 2013. Times Live
Hezbollah’s operations in west Africa
Last Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three Lebanese individuals – Mustapha Fawaz, Fouzi Fawaz and Abdallah Tahini -accusing them of running a significant Hezbollah supply network in west Africa. The trio, all Lebanese-born but now residing in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, have a history of alleged links to Hezbollah. According to the Treasury Department, Mustapha Fawaz has had ties with the group since the 1990s, organizing a network of hidden cameras to monitor the movement of Israelis. Fawaz is also rumored to have provided Hezbollah with a report of his visit to the US Embassy in Abuja. In May 2013, the Nigerian authorities detained him, whereupon he gave up crucial intelligence on Hezbollah’s activities throughout the country. Fawaz’s confession led the Nigerian security services to an unremarkable property in the Nigerian city of Kano, where they uncovered a veritable armory housing weapons to be used against Israeli targets across West Africa. The Jerusalem Post
Enough project calls for targeted U.S. sanctions on Sudan gold exports
The United States should swiftly move to sanction Sudanese gold produced in Sudan conflict zones, a think-tank group said. “After studying this regime for 25 years, it is my conclusion that the Khartoum government is most vulnerable to targeted, focused, relentless economic and financial pressure. Therein lies the greatest opportunity for American leverage to be deployed in support of peace and human rights in Sudan,” John Prendergast, the co-founder of the Enough Project said in prepared remarks before U.S. Congress on Wednesday. Sudan Tribune
Abandoned oilfield a toxic wasteland in South Sudan
he Thar Jath oilfield in South Sudan’s war-torn Unity state has been abandoned. The unmaintained facility, which lies inside rebel-held territory, is slowly rotting and leaking toxic oil into the earth. According to rebel soldiers stationed in the area, international employees deserted the oilfield in August 2013, four months before civil war broke out in South Sudan. Researchers from German aid group Sign of Hope and water drilling experts African Water Ltd have released the results of an extensive investigation showing that drinking water sources for at least 180,000 people in Unity state have been contaminated by oil exploration and production here. Wells dug for communities contain water with salt levels so high that it is undrinkable. Abnormal heavy metal deposits such as lead and zinc were also found in the water supply. Al Jazeera
Marines Considering New Platforms to Extend Africa Reach, Including the Gulf of Guinea
The Marines are looking to employ new types of ships to extend the reach of special crisis response units into Africa, senior service leaders have told USNI News. Shortly after becoming commandant late last year, Gen. Joseph Dunford directed his staff to study putting forward deployed Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response (SPMAGTF-CR) forces – currently land based – on platforms other than the traditional amphibious warships that comprise the Navy and the Marine Corps Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Units (ARG/MEU). In comments to USNI News on Feb. 12, Dunford singled out Military Sealift Command’s Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) variants of the Mobile Platform (MLP) as one option to expand the reach of the SPMAGTF-CR beyond their ground bases Moron, Spain, and Sigonella, Italy. US Naval Institute
Italy rescues 1000 refugees from Mediterranean over two days
More than 1000 refugees have been saved in the Mediterranean north of Libya in the past two days but 10 people died at sea, Italian officials have said. A flotilla of rescue vessels, including from Italy’s coastguard and navy, and three cargo ships saved 941 people in seven separate operations on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the coastguard and two cargo ships rescued 94 migrants whose motorised dinghy was in distress 40 miles (65 km) north of Libya. Survivors were ferried to southern Italian ports. The migrants rescued on Tuesday had been aboard five motorised dinghies and two larger vessels. One of the larger boats capsized and 10 people were later found dead. For months now, hundreds – sometimes thousands – of migrants fleeing conflicts or poverty have been reaching Italy every week on smugglers’ boats from Libya. The Guardian
Huge surge in migrants entered EU in 2014: Frontex
Nearly triple the number of migrants entered the European Union in 2014 compared to the previous year, mainly due to refugees fleeing war in Syria, the bloc’s border agency said Wednesday. “Around 280,000 migrants entered the EU in 2014 compared to just over 100,000 in the previous year. It’s a huge increase,” Frontex spokeswoman Ewa Moncure told AFP. “Last year Syrian nationals were the most numerous at the borders, and we know what they are fleeing,” Moncure said, referring to the four-year civil war that has ravaged the country. Hundreds of people have died in recent months as waves of migrants from North Africa and Middle East conflict zones try to reach Europe, fuelling criticism of rescue efforts. AFP on Yahoo News
The Little-Known $15 Billion Empire Of Africa’s Richest Man
Aliko Dangote lives as you might as expect, given he’s the richest person in Africa and resides in the same country being bullied by the insidious Boko Haram terrorist group, which finds something noble in kidnapping village girls. Located on Victoria Island, a wealthy Lagos enclave that has a moat in the form of a lagoon and the far eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, his mansion comes with all the trimmings: massive black gate, bulletproof windows, Big Brother video surveillance, guards and a secret entryway. After I enter, a butler motions to a sitting room overlooking a patio and a blue-tiled pool. The three-story fortress is shielded from the 90-degree heat by powerful air-conditioners (themselves presumably shielded from Nigeria’s notoriously unreliable electric grid by diesel generators). Dangote, round-faced with a trimmed graying mustache, appears from upstairs dressed in khakis and a casual blue button-down. The 57-year-old can seem miscast in the role of industrial titan, often speaking so softly that he mumbles. Forbes
‘First human’ discovered in Ethiopia
Scientists have unearthed the jawbone of what they claim is one of the very first humans. The 2.8 million-year-old specimen is 400,000 years older than researchers thought that our kind first emerged. The discovery in Ethiopia suggests climate change spurred the transition from tree dweller to upright walker. The head of the research team told BBC News that the find gives the first insight into “the most important transitions in human evolution”. Prof Brian Villmoare of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas said the discovery makes a clear link between an iconic 3.2 million-year-old hominin (human-like primate) discovered in the same area in 1974, called “Lucy”. Could Lucy’s kind – which belonged to the species Australopithecus afarensis – have evolved into the very first primitive humans? BBC
Delivering Unwelcome Species to the Mediterranean
[…] Last year, Egypt announced plans to quickly build 45 more miles of waterway – a parallel canal, in part – so that ships can pass through more quickly than they do now. With the existing canal, they often must wait because the channel is narrow – about 1,000 feet wide at its slimmest point. Because of the Suez and its expansion, the Mediterranean Sea’s problem with invasive species is becoming “worse than anywhere else on earth,” said Bella Galil, a senior scientist with Israel’s National Institute of Oceanography. Among the unpopular arrivals are venomous jellyfish, which have unnerved tourists and sometimes obstructed water intakes belonging to electric-power or desalination plants, in addition to harming the natural ecology. Another worrisome invader is the puffer fish, sometimes known as the silver-cheeked toadfish, which releases a neurotoxin that can harm other fish and humans who consume it. The New York Times