Metro

Again, ECOWAS leaders gather in Ghana over coup-hit countries. But how much can they achieve?

Published

2 years ago

July 3, 2022

Leaders of West African regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), once again gathered in Accra, Ghana, with the main agenda of the summit being the ongoing efforts to resolve political crises in the coup-hit countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

The meeting, which was yet another in a series of summits by leaders of the bloc have failed to produce positive results with the bloc at a cross roads on how to resolve the impasse and return the nations to democratic rules despite various sanctions placed on them.

A similar summit last month had put on hold further economic and financial sanctions on the three nations though they were suspended following the military coups that truncated civilian rules while the junta leaders have also been non committal in charting a path for a quick return to civil regimes.

So far, only the Malian junta has announced a transition roadmap which includes a scheduled presidential election for February 2024 and a March 2023 constitutional referendum, but ECOWAS has kicked against the transition period and it remains to be seen whether the leaders in Accra will accept the proposal.

The Guinean and Burkina Faso juntas also proposed three-year transition periods which ECOWAS rejected outright, arguing that the time frame for an elections was too long.

ECOWAS had earlier in January sanctioned Mali by shutting down the country’s land and air borders which dealt a huge blow on commercial activities in the impoverished country and almost crippled its economy.

The spiralling wave of military coups in the West African region started in August 2020 in Mali when Col. Assimi Goita, led other mutinous to overthrow President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

Nine months later, Goita staged a second coup where he sacked the country’s civilian transitional leader, Bah Ndaw and assumed the presidency himself.

Seemingly inspired by Malian coup, the head of the Guinean Special Forces, Col Mamady Doumbouya, struck in September 2021 and overthrew President Alpha Condé, and made himself the head of the interim government.

It was the turn of Burkina Faso when in January 2022, Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba led other soldiers to overthrow the democratically elected President Roch Marc Christian Kabore whom he arrested and placed under house arrest for many months.

But how far will the ECOWAS summit go with resolving the political deadlock in the three nations remains to be seen.

Related Topics:#COUP ECOWAS Featured Sanctions Summit

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Metro

Chinese mining giant CNMC set for $1.6 billion investment in Zambia

Published

22 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Chinese mining giant, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), has announced the investment of over $1.6 billion in Zambia, following successful discussions with President Hakainde Hichilema at the State House on Tuesday.

CNMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wen Gang, who held the discussions with Hichilema along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, confirmed the company’s commitment to furthering Zambia’s economic development.

“We are actively investing in critical sectors of Zambia’s economy,” Gang said after the meeting.

He noted that CNMC was currently pumping water from Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine, where 29.9 million cubic liters have been cleared as part of intensified dewatering efforts, adding that the company plans to inject an additional $200 million to develop a greenfield mine on the Copperbelt.

President Hichilema who welcomed CNMC’s commitment, highlighted the potential economic impact of the firm’s investment which will include job opportunities for Zambians.

“This $1.6billion investment, alongside advanced technology and expansion, will extend operations and create more jobs and opportunities for Zambians, especially in mining contracting and supply,” the President said.

He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their shared commitment to fostering growth and cooperation between the two countries.

Metro

Mpox immunisation scarcity slows Kinshasa’s epidemic fight

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A lack of mpox vaccine doses has prevented the Democratic Republic of the Congo from starting a campaign in the capital, Kinshasa, the response commander has confirmed. However, the number of cases nationwide is still rising, particularly among youngsters.

In mid-August, a new strain of pox started to spread from the Congo to neighbouring countries, prompting the WHO to declare a global health emergency. However, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, donors have been hesitant to turn their pledges into cash and vaccines.

The head of operations for Congo’s mpox control program, Cris Kacita, stated on Tuesday that the country needed more than 162,000 doses of vaccine to start a vaccination campaign in the capital, but that 53,921 doses were still available for use in prisons, where inmates are at greater risk because of unsanitary conditions.

The capital, which is home to about 20 million people, has so far been less impacted than other parts of the nation. In six other provinces, vaccination campaigns are now underway.

Along with additional shipments from Germany and the African Union, France has committed to providing 100,000 doses.

He added the arrival of vaccines was also delayed by the administrative process, which includes sending an official request, manufacturing, creating documentation and gaining import authorisations.

“As long as we don’t have the necessary quantity, it’s going to be complicated to launch (vaccination) in the 14 health zones,” Kacita told Reuters, referring to areas of Kinshasa.

According to a health ministry study, from October 28 to November 2, 1,017 new suspected cases were registered nationwide in Congo, including 45 confirmed cases and 16 fatalities.

Since children are almost four times more likely than adults to die from the new strain of mpox, the charity Save the Children warned on Wednesday that targeted vaccines were necessary to halt the virus from spreading quickly among children.

“Children are especially vulnerable to mpox – they explore by touch and taste, don’t always understand health guidance, and have weaker immune systems than adults,” Katia Vieira de Moraes LaCasse from Save the Children said.

According to Africa CDC data, there have been over 42,000 suspected cases of Mpox in the continent, with 1,100 deaths reported so far this year.

The Mpox virus can spread from person to person via intimate contact and also from place to person through objects and surfaces that a person infected with Mpox has touched.