Connect with us

Politics

Regional bloc leaders, wants ceasefire amidst diplomatic tension between Congo DR, Rwanda

Published

on

There is a regional call by Eastern heads of state for an immediate ceasefire by all parties in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Secretary General of the regional bloc, the East Africa Community, Peter Mathuki, said: “There must be immediate ceasefire by all political parties.

He added: “The withdraw including all foreign armed groups and directed the chief of defence forces of all the partners’ states of East African Community to meet urgently within the next one week and set new timelines for the withdrawal and the commend appropriate deployment matrix in different parts of eastern DRC.”

Mathuki said: “The heads of state called upon parties to respect and implement all the summits decisions and agreed upon themselves that any again violation should be reported immediately and the summit now will take the charge of this process.”

The diplomatic tension between East African neighbours, hit another height last month after Rwandan president Paul Kagame said the country can no longer accept refugees from the DRC.

Also last month, Rwandan forces fired at a fighter jet from the DRC, with the claim that it violated its airspace. The Rwandan government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, said in a statement said his country had to take the measure after the military jet violated its airspace.

The DRC has consistently accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 armed group – whose origins lie in the region’s ethnic fighting – and powerful voices in the West have openly agreed. But Rwanda has denied backing the M23.

Politics

South Sudan’s finance minister Bak Barnaba Chol fired

Published

on

President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has dismissed Bak Barnaba Chol, the Minister of Finance and Planning, and appointed engineer Daniel Daniel Chuong in his place.

 

Kiir removed the Finance Minister without providing a reason in a presidential decree that was published in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.

 

Before his appointment, the new finance minister was the petroleum ministry’s technical adviser and the previous minister of petroleum.

 

The country’s local currency, the South Sudanese pound (SSP), was depreciating at the same time as the changes were implemented, causing hyperinflation.

 

Three months ago, the SSP was worth 1,100 units against the US dollar; three months later, it was worth a record low of 1,800 units.

 

To secure hard currency and stabilize the economy, the nation is currently struggling to raise daily oil production from the current 150,000 barrels per day to 175,000 barrels per day.

 

South Sudan is currently in a dangerous situation. UN reports state that local violence between different armed groups and factions is on the rise.

Continue Reading

Politics

Senegal: opposition figure Sonko promises new national currency if party wins election

Published

on

Controversial Senegalese opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, said the country would consider the implementation of
reform of the West Africa region’s CFA franc currency at a regional level first, and if that failed, would consider creating a national currency, if his preferred candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, wins the next presidential election.

Faye is one of the main candidates in Senegal’s March 24 presidential election. He is backed by the popular firebrand Sonko, who was disqualified from the race over a defamation conviction.

Sonko made the promise while speaking at a joint press conference with Faye, shortly after both politicians were released from jail.

It appeared the comment was aimed at easing concerns after their election campaign, which promised to introduce the new currency if Faye won.

“We will try to implement a monetary reform at the sub-regional level first,” Sonko said. “If that fails, we will decide as a nation.”

Sonko alleged that the CFA franc currency, which is pegged to the euro and used by eight countries of the West Africa Monetary Union, affects economic development in the region, and the time is right to explore more options.

“There’s no sovereignty if there is no monetary sovereignty,” said Faye, speaking at the same press conference.

To be declared the winner in a presidential poll, a candidate must secure the signatures of 0.8% to 1% of the voting public. At least 2,000 sponsors must be secured for each of Senegal’s fourteen regions, where a minimum of seven signatures are required.

Continue Reading

EDITOR’S PICK

Metro58 mins ago

Nigerian Army reveals names of soldiers killed by youths in horrific attacks

The Nigerian Army Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Monday night, revealed the identities of the 16 soldiers who were killed by...

Metro15 hours ago

Zimbabwe in food shortage as El Nino drought strikes harder

Residents of the Zimbabwean community of Buhera are waiting in groups outside a primary school, hoping to be called by...

VenturesNow16 hours ago

World Bank consortium to give Egypt $6 billion over a 3-year period

The World Bank Group on Monday announced that it planned to give Egypt, which has been suffering from a foreign...

Musings From Abroad16 hours ago

Explain dire consequences of Rafah operation to Israel, Egypt urges UN, US

Following Washington’s objection to a military incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah on its border with Egypt, Egypt’s...

Sports17 hours ago

Controversy as US-based former Kenyan football star Joseph Asuza commits suicide

A US-based former Kenyan football star, Joseph Asuza, has reportedly committed suicide in what has been described as tragic circumstances,...

Tech18 hours ago

ADB signs $15m transaction guarantee facility with Zimbabwe’s NMB Bank

The African Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $15 million Trade Finance Transaction Guarantee Facility with Zimbabwe’s NMB Bank aimed...

Culture18 hours ago

Kenyans mourn passing of prominent TV star, Rita Tinina

Kenyans, especially those within the country’s media space, have been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of veteran television...

Metro20 hours ago

Zambia receives $100m World Bank grant to support energy sector

The Zambian government has announced receiving a $100 million grant from the World Bank Group to support its energy sector....

VenturesNow23 hours ago

Nigeria targets fresh $1 billion loan from World Bank 

In order to address the issues facing internally displaced persons and their host communities, as well as to support rural...

Tech24 hours ago

Ghana’s communications regulator predicts subsea cable repairs could take five weeks

According to Ghana’s communications regulator, it will likely take at least five weeks to fully restore service relying on the...

Trending