AFRICA DIPLOMATIC

Pontifex hopes for “dignified life” in Africa

Pope Francis made traditional address “Urbi et Orbi” – to the city and the world – from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to believers in the flower-bedecked square below where he earlier celebrated a Mass. "Hope and dignity": Pope Francis on Easter Sunday demands that the world work harder to achieve peace. https://t.co/KHDYb15N1A — AP…

Ethiopia: hundreds of jailed without trial

More than thousand people have been arrested in Ethiopia since the nation declared a state of emergency following the prime minister’s resignation last month, according to state media reports. Ethiopia's state of emergency allows Addis Ababa to suspend the constitution and hold people without trial https://t.co/m6pUFJD6PQ — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 31, 2018 “They…

EU to reinforce counter-terrorism efforts in Mali

From 26 to 28 March, European External Action Service Deputy Secretary General Pedro Serrano and EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove led a high-level visit Mali to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism issues, says the text of the EEAS statement. EU high-level mission travels to Mali for counter-terrorism consultations https://t.co/Z9NQsCnkgz — European External Action Service –…

Italy dismantels jihadist network

Italian police arrested five Maghrebins as part of a major operation against suspected supporters of Islamist terrorism in central and southern Italy. Previously a teacher, indoctrinating children with martyrdom ideology was also arrested in counter-terrorism operation. https://twitter.com/TerrorToday/status/979007345014530048 “A vast anti-terrorism operation” was being carried out by special investigation forces based in Rome and region, namely…

Kenya attempts to deport an opposition politician

Kenyan authorities have detained and are attempted to deport an opposition politician Miguna Miguna, who also holds Canadian nationality, in defiance of a court order letting him enter the country, his lawyer said on Tuesday (27.03.2018). A statement, the Immigration department issued on the occasion, said Miguna automatically lost his Kenyan citizenship when he received a…

El-Sisi expects endorsement for his ongoing mandate

Polling stations will be open for three days and Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, a former military commander, has urged Egyptians participate, hinting that he sees the election as a referendum on his four-year rule. Life is hard in President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's Egypt, but voters have little choice https://t.co/s8CEWnWn1w pic.twitter.com/ypw6grVtaS — CNN International (@cnni) March 26, 2018…

Grace Mugabe faces ivory smuggling charges

The former First lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe, is suspected of smuggling ivory worth millions of dollars. Mugabe's wife Grace under probe for ivory smuggling https://t.co/pjCHIeCXP9 pic.twitter.com/6RXCyUlE4I — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 25, 2018 Tinashe Farawo, speaking for Zimbabwe‘s Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said “we opened our investigations and realized that former first lady…

Tajani promotes Marshall plan for Africa

The president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani stressed the need for an EU strategy of migration management at the start of a European Council (22-23 March) summit. ”If we fail to come up with an EU strategy, we will continue to play into the hands of the populists” – Tajani said. President Tajani informed EU…

EU: 39 Nigerian women rescued from traffickers

The Spanish Guardia Civil in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) from Nigeria and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), dismantled a Nigerian organised crime group in one of the largest operations against Trafficking in Human Beings in Europe. This particular criminal network was active across multiple Member…

Africa’ $3 trillion free-trade zone

African leaders agreed to form a $3 trillion continental free-trade zone encompassing 1.2 billion people, but its two biggest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, declined to join. The African Union launched talks in 2015 to establish a 55-nation bloc that would be the biggest in the world by number of participating states, aiming to increase…