Musings From Abroad

Congo DR: US source says warring sides extend ceasefire by 2 weeks

Published

11 months ago

December 15, 2023

A senior official in the United States has revealed that warring parties in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to a two-week ceasefire extension.

According to the Biden administration official, who declined to be named, “There has been a two-week extension to the ceasefire in the Eastern DRC.” The first ceasefire was “broadly” observed until it expired. It was anticipated that the recently agreed-upon ceasefire, which the US assisted in arranging, would cover essentially the same regions and parties.

“Having an election when there is active conflict is not in anyone’s interest,” the US official said, adding that the United States expected elections to go ahead as planned next week.

Before this, the US White House declared that armed forces and non-state armed groups occupying specific important transit hubs in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo would be subject to a 72-hour ceasefire that would begin on Monday.

Neighbouring Rwanda has been accused by the Congo of providing support to the M23 rebel group, which staged a significant resurgence last year, but Rwanda disputes the claims.

Conflicts between militant groups over territory and natural resources, political violence, extrajudicial killings by security forces, and hostilities with neighbouring countries have all contributed to high rates of civilian casualties and displacement.

The eastern part of the country has become home to over 100 armed groups and local militias, according to the UN.

Congo DR is set for a presidential election next Wednesday, with incumbent Felix Tshisekedi likely to face fierce opposition from Katumbi as he seeks a second term. According to the electoral commission, CENI, about 43.9 million voters have been registered for the elections, compared to 40.4 million in the previous poll.

Musings From Abroad

Nigeria, India to strengthen counterterrorism, maritime security cooperation

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

During a state visit to Nigeria on Sunday, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra, Modi reached an agreement, on behalf of his country, to strengthen cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence, and maritime security.

President Bola Tinubu invited Modi to visit Nigeria, the first Indian prime minister to do so in 17 years.

Tinubu is looking for investments from some of the largest economies in the world.

In addition to discussing economic development, defence, healthcare, and food security, Modi and Tinubu met at the presidential mansion on Sunday after arriving in the capital, Abuja, on Saturday night, according to a joint statement.

The two nations decided to work together to protect maritime trade routes and fight piracy in response to the mounting risks in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea.

The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, is looking to attract more Indian investment and lower-cost credit lines in order to strengthen its economy and generate employment.

Nigeria announced last year that it had obtained about $14 billion in pledges from Indian businesses, including Jindal Steel and Power, which promised to spend $3 billion in Nigeria’s steel industry, during the G20 conference.

Over 200 Indian businesses are present in Nigeria.

Modi was scheduled to go to Brazil for this year’s G20 conference after Nigeria.

Nigeria and India have a long-standing and cordial bilateral relationship. Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people, and India, home to 1.3 billion people, are both sizable emerging nations with multilingual, multiethnic, and multireligious communities.

Musings From Abroad

Military advisors from Russia arrive Equatorial Guinea

Published

2 days ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Russian military advisors are in Equatorial Guinea training indigenous soldiers.

Anonymous sources cited by Reuters during the week claim that between 100 and 200 Russian instructors are training with elite guards in charge of guarding the President and the first family.

The males had been seen in Malabo, the country’s capital, and Bata, its second city. Reports of Russian forces stationed in the nation initially appeared in August.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has maintained close relations with Moscow.

Nguema travelled to Moscow in September to attend the Russian Energy Week International Forum.

Russia has strengthened military connections with African countries, sending advisors and combat soldiers to the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Faced with an Islamist terrorist insurrection, three Sahel countries have turned to Moscow for support, expelling French and American troops.