Musings From Abroad

One year after truce, war crimes continue in Ethiopia’s Tigray— UN Expert

Published

2 weeks ago

September 18, 2023

A United Nations expert, Mohamed Chande Othman has confirmed that war crimes have continued in Ethiopia’s Tigray region despite a peace truce between warring parties.

Othman, who is the chair of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, on Monday, said in a statement that “While the signing of the agreement may have mostly silenced the guns, it has not resolved the conflict in the north of the country, in particular in Tigray, nor has it brought about any comprehensive peace.”

According to the Commission’s report, there have been attacks by the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF) against civilians in Tigray that are “grave and ongoing.”

Another member of the commission, Radhika Coomaraswamy called the sexual abuse occurring during the conflict “as nasty as it gets.”

“I must admit the worst of this was that perpetrated by Eritrean forces in Tigray. Though, of course, Ethiopian forces were also responsible,” she said, adding that Tigrayan forces had also perpetrated sexual violence in Amhara.

The Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in the northern region Tuesday agreed to a permanent truce to cease hostilities following the conclusion of a peace deal brokered by the African Union in South Africa.

The Tigray Region is the northernmost regional state of Ethiopia. The region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob, and Kunama people.

According to the Commission’s assessment, the federal government “has tolerated” infractions, failing in its responsibility to protect the public. It also found that a “widespread and systematic offensive” against civilian populations by the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, Eritrean Defense Forces, and allied regional special forces included murder, torture, rape, and other wrongdoings.

Meanwhile, in addition to pledging to look into reports of specific atrocities, Ethiopia’s government and armed forces have consistently denied that their members engaged in widespread criminal activity either alone or in concert with Eritrean forces. Authorities from the Ethiopian region of Amhara have also denied that their forces committed atrocities in neighbouring Tigray.

Musings From Abroad

Germany to support ECOWAS with $86 million

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will receive 81 million euros ($85.9 million) in support from Germany’s Development Ministry for peacekeeping and economic growth.

“The crises in West Africa require regional solutions. In addition to actively mediating in crises, ECOWAS also actively works to prevent crises, according to Development Minister, Svenja Schulze, who met with an ECOWAS delegation on Friday in Berlin.

Germany enjoys a positive reputation in many African countries thanks to its long-standing alliance with nations like Niger and Nigeria, although it has fallen out with the Malian government, which is notorious for its counter-posture to the West. Hundreds of German soldiers are also on missions across the West African sub-region, which has now become a breeding ground for terrorists.

But the case is different when it comes to economic relations. In 2021, German companies invested around $1.6 billion (€1.68 billion) in Africa, which was “encouraging but still far from enough.” In terms of Germany’s total direct foreign investment around the globe, only around 1% ends up in Africa.

China has led the chart for investment into the continent in recent years. While Chinese investment shows the fastest growth, and expanding, the significance of German enterprises for African economies is shrinking.

Musings From Abroad

UN Security Council approves funding of regional force, EACRF

Published

4 days ago

September 28, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

A proposal to fund the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received official approval from the UN Security Council.

The EAC Secretary General, Dr Peter Mathuki, while speaking after a meeting with the Security Council during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, said the deal would be finalized soon after Monusco finally withdrew from the DRC by December this year.

“What has happened is that the UN Security Council is very keen and appreciative of the role of the EAC in supporting the security of the eastern DRC,” said Dr Mathuki.

“They have agreed to work a mechanism that will support our troops in DRC, and they said as Monusco closes down, and reduces their numbers in DRC, they will wish to strengthen the EACRF.”

Dr. Mathuki stated that he had asked the Security Council to assist in funding the EACRF, which at the moment has more than 4,000 soldiers from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan, as they prepare to scale down Monusco.

“We have proposed funding the EACRF, and the UN Security Council said they are meeting in December which we will be able to determine how much they can draw down from Monusco and how much they will be able to get to fund the EACRF,” Dr Mathuki said.

Last week, DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi, in his address at the UN General Assembly, argued that Monusco’s withdrawal was crucial to ending the conflict between the Congolese people and the mission.

“The acceleration of the withdrawal of the Monusco becomes an imperative necessity to ease tensions between the latter and our fellow citizens,” he said.

Meanwhile, there seems to be a rising tide of anti-UN peacekeeping forces in some African nations. Mail had earlier requested that the UN end its mission in the country and withdraw, and the UN complied, ending the MINUSMA mission there.