Musings From Abroad

Pope Francis cancels African trip to Congo, South Sudan, due to knee problem

Published

3 years ago

June 11, 2022

The planned visit of Pope Francis to Africa which was scheduled forJuly has been cancelled on doctors’ orders because troublesome knee problems, the Vatican said in a statement on Friday.

The cancellation of the trip has dashed the hopes of Catholic faithful in Congo and South Sudan who had looked forward to the historic visit of the 85-year-old pontiff, and has also raised questions about his health.

The statement quoted the Vatican as saying the July 2-7 visit which was meant to promote peace in the two African countries which have been grappling with with deadly violence, would be rescheduled “to a later date to be determined.”

“At the request of his doctors, and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan,” the Vatican statement said.

Pope Francis had been due to visit South Sudan with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the head of the Church of Scotland to “make a joint ecumenical appeal for peace” with the trip discussed as early as 2017, when South Sudan was still in the verge of a civil war, but security concerns kept postponing it.

An official with the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Rev. John Gbemyoro, who spoke on the postponed visit, said the news has dashed the expectations of Christians in the two troubled countries.

“We don’t love to hear it. But we are asking God to heal him quickly because we still need him to come to South Sudan,” Gbemyoro said.

On his part, the Archbishop of Juba, Stephen Ameyu Martin, told reporters that South Sudan President Salva Kiir was “a bit sad” but understood the reason for the postponement of the visit.

“What can we do? It’s a health problem,” the Archbishop said, reminding disappointed South Sudanese that it could happen to anyone.

Fears over the African visit were raised last week after the Pope who has been using a wheelchair for a month due to strained ligaments in his right knee which that have made walking and standing difficult and painful, cancelled many of his regular functions.

He has also refused to get surgery, and has instead received injections, kept the knee as immobile as possible and walked with a cane or the help of an aide.

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Musings From Abroad

Swiss company Mercuria partners Zambia’s IDC in new metals trading firm

Published

20 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by Swiss commodities trader, Mercuria, on Thursday, it has established a metals trading arm with Zambia, the second-largest producer of copper in Africa.

The trading unit is jointly owned by Mercuria and an arm of Zambia’s Industrial Development Company (IDC), and its purpose is to allow Zambia to engage directly in the minerals trading market.

The joint venture “envisages the establishment of a vehicle to market and trade Zambian copper by mutual leverage,” according to a statement from Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of IDC.

The southern African nation wants to increase copper output to roughly 3 million metric tonnes within the next ten years, and in 2023, it produced roughly 698,000 tonnes of copper, down from 763,000 metric tonnes the year before.

In June, the Zambian government announced that it would establish a minerals trading unit.

Investors including First Quantum Minerals and Barrick Gold are ramping up production, with output set to receive a further boost once Vedanta Resources’ Konkola Copper Mines restart activity.

“Our joint venture with IDC marks a significant milestone for Zambia as it positions itself more strategically in the global minerals market,” Kostas Bintas, Mercuria’s global head of metals and minerals, said in the statement.

Musings From Abroad

Blinken to reveal UN Sudan funding additions

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Additional financing for humanitarian aid to Sudan and initiatives to strengthen civil society in the nation, where a conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, will be announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations on Thursday.

Blinken will make many announcements when he leads a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan on Thursday, which will centre on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

According to Price, the announcements would include more money for humanitarian help, initiatives to strengthen civil society, and the return of democracy.

“Sudan, unfortunately, has risked becoming a forgotten conflict,” Price said.

“So part of the reason the secretary … opted to convene a signature event on this very topic is to make sure it remains in the spotlight,” Price said.

For almost 18 months, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s army have been engaged in combat, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis that has forced over 12 million people from their homes and made it difficult for U.N. organisations to provide aid.

A power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces preceded a planned shift to civilian administration, which sparked the conflict in April 2023.

Although the army declined to join this year’s U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties did pledge to increase assistance access, which prevented any movement towards a ceasefire.

Price stated that before President Joe Biden’s term ends next month, the United States would keep collaborating with allies to enhance humanitarian access in Sudan and eventually end hostilities.

“We are going to leave nothing on the field in our efforts to work with allies, with partners, with the Sudanese stakeholders themselves, on the issues that matter most – humanitarian access, the provision of humanitarian assistance, ultimately, the process by which we can work to get to a cessation of hostilities, which is most urgently needed,” he said.