Musings From Abroad

World Food Programme gets reports of famine-related deaths in Sudan as conflict continues

Published

10 months ago

February 2, 2024

The World Food Programme (WFP) stated on Friday that it was getting reports of famine-related deaths in Sudan and that the number of hungry people had doubled in the previous year due to the cutoff of civilian relief by the conflict.

The WFP requested immediate guarantees for the unhindered delivery of relief from Sudan’s warring factions, the Sudanese army, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

More than five million people in the places most severely damaged by the conflict are suffering from emergency levels of hunger, while about 18 million people in Sudan are suffering from acute hunger.

In a statement, WFP claimed that it could only provide assistance to one in ten residents in those regions, which include El Gezira state, where the RSF recently made progress, the western region of Darfur, and the capital city of Khartoum.

Only one in ten people in those regions—which include El Gezira state, where the RSF recently made progress—were eligible for aid, according to a statement from the World Food Programme.

“It is becoming nearly impossible for aid agencies to cross due to security threats, enforced roadblocks, and demands for fees and taxation,” the WFP statement said.

A power struggle between the army and the RSF over a plan to transition to civilian government sparked the start of the Sudanese war in April 2023. After Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019, the two sides shared power with civilians.

However, in 2021, they staged a coup together to thwart that transfer. There hasn’t been any progress in attempts to negotiate a cease-fire.

In order to resume operations in El Gezira, which served as a centre for aid that many people had evacuated from Khartoum, the WFP claimed that it was attempting to secure security guarantees.

Related Topics:Featured food crisis Sudan

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Musings From Abroad

France, Nigeria sign agriculture, infrastructure deals

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Two agreements to improve food security and infrastructure development have been struck between France and Nigeria, while Nigerian lenders, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Zenith Bank, have expanded their operations into France.

The agreements were signed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Paris, according to Nigeria’s presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who said on Friday that the agreements included a 300 million euro investment plan to support the development of human capital, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, and critical infrastructure throughout Nigeria.

A letter of intent was signed by French Economy Minister Antoine Armand and Nigerian Finance Minister Wale Edun to enable the investments. Onanuga added in a statement that both countries have promised to simplify trade and investment procedures.

“The two countries committed to forge a strategic relationship in project implementation and enhance mutual trade and cross border services by removing fiscal barriers while protecting labour rights,” a joint statement said.

Zenith Bank opened its doors in Paris in addition to the government-level accords, and UBA is expected to follow after reaching an agreement with French authorities to start business in Paris, according to Onanuga.

Nigeria is the fourth-largest trading partner of France in Africa, behind Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and the top trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigeria Exports to France was US$4.26 Billion during 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Musings From Abroad

Chad terminates defence cooperation with France

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

France’s influence in Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered a fresh setback as the government of Chad says that it has terminated its defence cooperation agreement with France, potentially leading to the withdrawal of French troops from the Central African nation.

After more than 60 years of independence, Chad, a crucial Western partner in the war against Islamic terrorists in the area, said in a statement that it wants to completely establish its sovereignty.

It stated that it would be allowed to reinterpret its strategic alliances as a result of the 2019 revision to the Defence Cooperation Agreement.

Although Chad has always worked closely with the military forces of Western countries, in recent years it has become more close to Russia.

After being forced to withdraw its soldiers from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso due to military coups, the decision represents yet another blow to France’s colonial and historic position in West and Central Africa.

Since then, the military juntas have looked to Russia, which has been developing stronger connections with Chad’s president Mahamat Deby and has mercenaries stationed throughout the Sahel area, a group of nations that stretches from the northwest to the northeast shores of Africa.

“Under the terms of the accord, Chad will respect the modalities of the termination including the necessary deadlines, and will collaborate with French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition,” the statement said.

The French foreign ministry is yet to officially comment on the development.

Although a French envoy to President Emmanuel Macron this week submitted a report with recommendations on how France could scale back its military presence in Chad, Gabon, and Ivory Coast, where it has stationed thousands of troops for decades, there were no signs that Paris had been informed in advance of the decision.

Approximately 1,000 French soldiers and combat aircraft are presently stationed in Chad.

In a further setback for France, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated Thursday in an interview with French state television that French troops should not be stationed in his nation.

He stated that Paris would be the first to know, but he did not specify whether or when French forces would be ordered to depart. There are about 350 French soldiers stationed in Senegal.

The decision to terminate the country’s defence relationship with France should not in any way jeopardise the two nations’ cordial ties, according to a statement from Chad’s foreign ministry.