Musings From Abroad

Despite court ruling, Kenya’s Ruto insists Haiti mission will continue

Published

11 months ago

January 30, 2024

The Kenyan government plans to continue with plans to lead a United Nations-approved security mission to Haiti, despite a court in Nairobi last week blocking the deployment.

President William Ruto made the position known while speaking to journalists on Tuesday and stressed that Haiti had asked for help months ago, and he expected a request would come shortly that would satisfy the demands of the court.

Ruto, while speaking at the sidelines of the ongoing Italian-Africa summit in Rome, said, “So that mission can go ahead as soon as next week if all the paperwork is done between Kenya and Haiti on the bilateral route that has been suggested by the court.”

The international force, which is expected to be first funded by the United States, is intended to combat the widespread gang violence on the Caribbean island, which claimed almost 5,000 lives last year.

A Kenyan court determined that it would be unlawful to send police abroad unless a “reciprocal arrangement” was in place with the host government, casting doubt on the mission.

When asked if talks were taking on with Haiti to obtain the required request, Ruto said, “Absolutely. Haiti have actually written formally, not today, but several months ago.”

As gang violence increased in 2022, Haiti initially turned to outside assistance, but it was unable to identify a leader prepared to step up, and many foreign governments were reluctant to back the unelected government in the impoverished nation.

With a long history of participating in international peacekeeping missions, Kenya said in July that it was sending 1,000 police personnel, citing its support for a fellow country as justification.

Following the United States’ $200 million pledge to launch the deployment, the Bahamas, Antigua & Barbuda, and Jamaica declared their willingness to assist.

“The mission is on course. The mission is a bigger calling to humanity,” Ruto said, stressing that it was a police rather than a military operation.

Musings From Abroad

Swiss company Mercuria partners Zambia’s IDC in new metals trading firm

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by Swiss commodities trader, Mercuria, on Thursday, it has established a metals trading arm with Zambia, the second-largest producer of copper in Africa.

The trading unit is jointly owned by Mercuria and an arm of Zambia’s Industrial Development Company (IDC), and its purpose is to allow Zambia to engage directly in the minerals trading market.

The joint venture “envisages the establishment of a vehicle to market and trade Zambian copper by mutual leverage,” according to a statement from Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of IDC.

The southern African nation wants to increase copper output to roughly 3 million metric tonnes within the next ten years, and in 2023, it produced roughly 698,000 tonnes of copper, down from 763,000 metric tonnes the year before.

In June, the Zambian government announced that it would establish a minerals trading unit.

Investors including First Quantum Minerals and Barrick Gold are ramping up production, with output set to receive a further boost once Vedanta Resources’ Konkola Copper Mines restart activity.

“Our joint venture with IDC marks a significant milestone for Zambia as it positions itself more strategically in the global minerals market,” Kostas Bintas, Mercuria’s global head of metals and minerals, said in the statement.

Musings From Abroad

Blinken to reveal UN Sudan funding additions

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Additional financing for humanitarian aid to Sudan and initiatives to strengthen civil society in the nation, where a conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, will be announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations on Thursday.

Blinken will make many announcements when he leads a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan on Thursday, which will centre on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Ned Price told reporters on Wednesday.

According to Price, the announcements would include more money for humanitarian help, initiatives to strengthen civil society, and the return of democracy.

“Sudan, unfortunately, has risked becoming a forgotten conflict,” Price said.

“So part of the reason the secretary … opted to convene a signature event on this very topic is to make sure it remains in the spotlight,” Price said.

For almost 18 months, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s army have been engaged in combat, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis that has forced over 12 million people from their homes and made it difficult for U.N. organisations to provide aid.

A power struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces preceded a planned shift to civilian administration, which sparked the conflict in April 2023.

Although the army declined to join this year’s U.S.-mediated peace negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties did pledge to increase assistance access, which prevented any movement towards a ceasefire.

Price stated that before President Joe Biden’s term ends next month, the United States would keep collaborating with allies to enhance humanitarian access in Sudan and eventually end hostilities.

“We are going to leave nothing on the field in our efforts to work with allies, with partners, with the Sudanese stakeholders themselves, on the issues that matter most – humanitarian access, the provision of humanitarian assistance, ultimately, the process by which we can work to get to a cessation of hostilities, which is most urgently needed,” he said.