Musings From Abroad

UN chief Guterres calls for Ramadan truce in Sudan

Published

9 months ago

March 9, 2024

Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, has pleaded with the warring factions in Sudan to consent to an end to hostilities during the month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast.

Guterres told the 15-member Security Council that “this cessation of hostilities must lead to a definitive silencing of the guns across the country, and set out a firm path towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people.”

“There is now a serious risk that the conflict could ignite regional instability of dramatic proportions, from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.”

In addition to calling for a truce during Ramadan, which starts early next week, the Security Council is currently debating a resolution written by the British that would end the almost year-long conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army.

James Kariuki, the deputy ambassador of the United Kingdom, stated that they planned to vote on the draft text on Friday. For a resolution to be accepted, it must receive nine votes in favour and not be vetoed by the US, Russia, Britain, China, or France.

The RSF and its allies are accused by the US of committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, in addition to the fighting parties’ war crimes.

According to the U.N., half of Sudan’s population—nearly 25 million people—need aid, 8 million have fled their homes, and the number of hungry people is growing.

“Hunger is stalking Sudan. Some 18 million people are acutely food insecure. This is the highest number ever recorded during a harvest season, yet numbers are expected to surge even higher in the coming months,” Guterres said. “We are already receiving reports of children dying from malnutrition.”

“The human rights situation continues to spiral out of control throughout Sudan,” Guterres said.

The council has released three news releases denouncing the violence and expressing concern since the war began on April 15, 2023. It then used the same wording in a resolution passed in December in response to a request by Sudan’s acting foreign minister to close a U.N. political mission.

Nearly 25 million people, or half of Sudan’s population, require aid, the UN reports, and about 8 million people have abandoned their homes due to famine.

Related Topics:Antonio Guterre Featured Sudan United Nations

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Musings From Abroad

Nigeria, India to strengthen counterterrorism, maritime security cooperation

Published

2 days 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

3 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.