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Rwanda pledges counter-terror support for Benin Republic

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East African country, Rwanda has expressed commitment to help the Republic of Benin in tackling spillover from jihadist conflict across its northern border with Burkina Faso.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda made the promise while meeting with his Benin counterpart, Patrice Talon on Saturday.

Kagame said at a press conference with Talon in Cotonou, “We are ready to work with Benin to prevent anything that may happen around its borders.

“There will be no limit” in what “will be accomplished together for security challenges”.

President Talon revealed that the defense tie could include “supervision, coaching, training, joint deployment”. No further details were given about the relations.

Benin’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Talon and Kagame had a one-on-one meeting to discuss relations between the two countries and “the search for  strategic partnership” in several areas including security.

They discussed “the terrorist threat and its spread” as well as the means of strengthening cooperation to deal with it, the statement said.

As Burkina Faso battles to manage an Islamist militant insurgency that is gaining a foothold just beyond their northern borders, coastal nations in West Africa, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast are prepared for a potential spillover.

The likely spread of terrorism in the Sahel has also drawn reactions outside the continent. Last week, the United States deputy assistant secretary of state in charge of West Africa, Michael Heath described the situation in the region as “a significant and burgeoning threat”, particularly as countries like Mali, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea have suffered continuous terror attacks for over a decade.

Politics

Ghana’s Supreme Court reinstates ruling party’s majority

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The ruling New Patriotic Party regained its majority in the legislature ahead of the Dec. 7 election after Ghana’s Supreme Court declared on Tuesday that the speaker of parliament’s declaration of four seats as vacant was illegal.

 

Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the leader of the NPP caucus, petitioned the supreme court of the West African nation to reverse Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision.

 

Bagbin had said that one member of the National Democratic Congress and two members of the NPP had resigned their seats when they registered to run as independents.

 

Another lawmaker with an NPP leaning filed as an NPP candidate to run for office.

 

Due to Bagbin’s decision, the NDC now holds 136 members in parliament, compared to the 135 held by the NPP, the party of outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo.

 

The approval of Supreme Court nominees, loans, and bill enactments, as well as the presentation of a provisional budget for the first quarter of 2025, were all delayed by the indefinite postponement of two further parliamentary sessions.

 

In a televised decision, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo declared that Afenyo-Markin’s appeal was successful by a majority vote of 5:2. She noted that the court will later submit the rationale for its ruling.

 

According to Afenyo-Markin, the decision permitted the parliament to return to its regular activities. Among other things, it is anticipated to approve a $250 million World Bank loan intended to support the financial industry and give corporations tax breaks.

 

 

A request for comment from Bagbin’s representative was not answered.

 

Although some observers predict a hotly contested election, opinion surveys suggest that primary opposition leader John Dramani Mahama will likely defeat NPP contender and incumbent Vice President Muhamudu Bawumia in next month’s election.

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Senegal: PM Sonko urges followers to avenge campaign violence

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Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, has advised Pastef party followers to exact retribution for claimed violence against them during the Sunday parliamentary election campaign.

 

Before a presidential election in March in some of the greatest disturbances in Senegal’s history, supporters of the prime minister, also president of Pastef, battled with police. Since Sonko’s ally, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, won the vote, the nation has remained peaceful. He defeated then-president Macky Sall handily.

 

 

However, reports of periodic conflicts between various party supporters have surfaced recently as the nation gets ready for a legislative contest that will finally determine how much Faye and Sonko will be able to carry out their agenda.

 

Sonko claimed in a social media post attacks against Pastef supporters in the capital Dakar and other towns since campaigning began.

 

 

“May each patriot they have attacked and injured, be proportionally avenged. We will exercise our legitimate right to respond,” he wrote.

The text accompanied a photo of a young man showing a gashing wound on his forearm.

 

The first week of campaigning saw an increase in violence reported by a local civil society group involving conflicts between supporters in central Senegal and the burning of an opposition party headquarters in Dakar.

 

Calling for calm, the interior ministry said on Monday it had been notified of acts of violence and sabotage against party caravans and other campaign activity.

 

In order to stop damage, rights defender Alioune Tine asked politicians to exhibit “moderation and wisdom” in their speech and requested the interior ministry to invite various party representatives to meet.

 

 

“The verbal escalation has reached a critical threshold, we have the impression of going to war,” Tine posted on X.

 

 

Pastef is up against former ruling parties that have united ex-presidents Sall and Abdoulaye Wade into a coalition.

 

Dissolving the opposition-led national assembly in September, Faye accused legislators of not participating in substantive budget and other proposal debates.

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