🔅 Africa’s “Forgotten War”
Plus: Africa’s passports ranked, The beginning of the end for Ethiopia’s civil war, Ghana expels students for badmouthing the president, And much more … ☕
Photo of the day: Clothes Store — Kigali, Rwanda
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Markets:
🔺 Nigerian SE: 52,512.48 (+2.46%)
🔺 Johannesburg SE: 79,333.72 (+8.60%)
🔻 Ghana SE: 2,438.74 (-0.21%)
🔻 Nairobi SE: 123.26 (-3.30%)
🔺 US S&P 500: 3,999.09 (+4.57%)
🔺 Shanghai Composite: 3,195.31 (+2.53%)
Argentina: If you thought inflation was a problem where you are, take a look at Argentina. The South American country’s annual inflation rate is the highest in over 30 years, with prices jumping by a whopping 94.8% in the 12 months to the end of December. With an official interest rate of 75%, it looks like the government’s throwing everything at this inflation problem—including an IMF bailout package of $44 billion. The monthly inflation rate was 5.1% in December, so while it’s still high, it’s below the peak of 7.4% in July.
Ghana: The government and trade unions recently agreed to increase all public servants’ salaries by 30%, effective Jan. 1, 2023, as the country works to reduce its debt and tackle inflation. Ghana secured a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a $3 billion support package in December but still needs to restructure its debt to access the funds. And, just to add to the pile of financial issues, MTN Ghana (the local subsidiary of South African mobile operator MTN Group) has been hit with a back taxes bill of around $773 million. MTN Ghana says it’s paid its bills and plans to fight the assessment.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
SECURITY
Africa’s “Forgotten War”
Amnesty International has condemned a recent video showing soldiers throwing a corpse onto a pile of burning rubble in Mozambique’s north.
The video, which is believed to date back to November, shows soldiers pouring liquid over the body as others, including one wearing a South African uniform, watch and take videos on their phones.
What was going on there?
The area in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province has been in a state of conflict since 2017, triggered by a series of attacks by radical Islamist groups. This coincided with the discovery of enormous gas deposits and various multinationals seeking to exploit these resources.
The escalation of the conflict in the natural gas-rich province has led to the death of more than 4,500 people and the displacement of nearly a million.
In mid-2021, thousands of African troops were deployed to help Mozambique’s embattled army. Since then, the government has regained control over much of the region.
What is Amnesty International’s take?
The events in the video “give a glimpse of what is going on away from the attention of international media in this forgotten war,” said Amnesty’s east and southern Africa director, Tigere Chagutah. He also warned that “security in Cabo Delgado must not come at the cost of human rights violations.”
The South African army has launched an investigation into the possible involvement of its members in the video. But without the attention of the international media — and the global public — what should we expect next?
OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇧🇯 Benin’s Parliamentary Election: No Major Surprises | In Benin’s parliamentary election, the Constitutional Court announced late last week that pro-government parties won the majority of seats in parliament. But the opposition isn’t too happy, claiming there was “flagrant” ballot box stuffing, rigging, and vote-buying by the two pro-government parties. The election was the first time the opposition got to participate since President Patrice Talon came to power in 2016, and the opposition party Les Democrates, led by former President Thomas Boni Yayi, gained 28 seats (out of 109). Talon has focused on development, but his critics say democracy has been eroded under his watch. The election was key for the opposition, who will need parliamentary support to be registered for the 2026 presidential election. It also hopes to push through an amnesty law to free jailed colleagues and allow the return of exiles.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia’s Civil War: The Beginning of the End? | Ethiopia’s military has announced that the Amhara region special forces are leaving the Tigray region two months after a peace agreement was reached in the conflict. This is a big deal, because the presence of Amhara and Eritrean forces — who fought alongside the federal ones — was a major obstacle to implementing the peace agreement. The Amhara forces are also accused of human rights violations and have controlled western Tigray since the conflict began.
🇹🇿 Tanzanian Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu is Coming Home | After the new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, lifted a ban last week on political rallies that had been in place for 6.5 years, Tundu Lissu made the following announcement on Twitter: “It’s time to return home and get back to work!” Lissu had been living in exile in Europe after he was shot 16 times in an attack by unknown gunmen in 2017. He had also challenged the previous president in a presidential election. Still, he received death threats after the election and had to flee to the residence of the German ambassador in Tanzania. Lissu and Hassan met during a visit to Brussels last year, and it looks like that meeting helped pave the way for Lissu’s return.
🇬🇭 Ghana’s Education Service Expels Eight Students for Badmouthing the President | The students were caught on video venting their frustrations over the country’s economic hardships, and they weren’t too kind to the president. The Education Service dismissed the students with a letter saying their conduct violated the “acceptable standards of conduct generally required of any student in Ghana’s educational system.” Since then, the students have apologised and been readmitted to school.
🛫 Where to Travel With an African Passport? | Henley & Partners released its annual ranking of the world’s most powerful passports this week. Asian countries predictably dominated the top spots, but some African nations were in the mix, too. Seychelles and Mauritius took the top two spots for the continent, with South Africa following in 53rd place. Namibia, Lesotho, and eSwatini rounded out the Southern African representation, while Malawi, Kenya, and Tanzania were the East African countries that made the list. So if you’re looking to jet-set around the world with your African passport, you’ll have a few places to choose from—just don’t forget to check the visa requirements first!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“Though the lion and the antelope happen to live in the same forest, the antelope still has time to grow up.”
— Ghanain Proverb.
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