🔅 Ethiopia Divides the U.N. Human Rights Council
Plus: Nigeria's 3rd place candidate refuses to go quietly, What's Macron doing in this part of Africa?, Mali and Burkina Faso's struggle to keep artifacts safe, And much more... ☕
Photo of the day: Kaloum, Guinea
Markets
🔺 Nigerian SE: 55,670.24 (+0.29%)
🔻 Johannesburg SE: 77,547.01 (-1.38%)
🔺 Ghana SE: 2,399.22 (+0.46%)
🔺 Nairobi SE: 126.21 (+0.26%)
🔻 US S&P 500: 3,946.54 (-0.12%)
🔻 Shanghai Composite: 3,310.65 (-0.05%)
Ghana's Chinese Debt: In the never-ending saga of countries owing China money, Ghana is the latest nation to be feeling the pinch. The West African nation is asking China to restructure its $1.9 billion debt, and a Chinese delegation recently visited Accra to discuss the situation. In case you’re wondering, China’s official bilateral loans involving Ghana account for less than 5% of the country’s total debt. The country is struggling with its worst economic crisis in a generation and has an overall debt of $46.06 billion.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
POLITICS
Ethiopia Divides the U.N. Human Rights Council
Ethiopia is trying to pull off a political coup.
They've circulated a draft resolution to the U.N.-mandated inquiry of atrocities in the Tigray War, calling for it to be cut short and for the publication of findings and debate to be blocked.
What's the Tigray War?
The Tigray War is a two-year conflict between the Ethiopian government and forces in the northern Tigray region.
Both sides blamed each other for massacres, rape and detentions without trial, which resulted in thousands dead and millions uprooted. The war ended in November 2022.
The U.N. Human Rights Council has been conducting an inquiry into the conflict, but Ethiopia wants it shut down.
What's the problem?
Ethiopia claims that the inquiry is politically motivated. It has opposed the investigation from the outset and has tried to block its funding.
Fellow African countries have been swayed by Ethiopia's petition, but the West, including the European Union and the U.S., back the inquiry and are working to dissuade Ethiopia from ending it early.
Ethiopia would set a dangerous precedent to end the inquiry early, with the fear being that other countries would be emboldened to shut down investigations into their own conflicts.
What happens next?
The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council is meeting until April 4th to discuss the inquiry. It is expected to be a tight vote, and it remains to be seen which way the Council will go.
If you’re a regular here, hit that share button. Tell your friends and colleagues about how Baobab will get them smarter on African business, money and current affairs in less than 5 minutes a day, for free!
OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇳🇬 Nigeria: 3rd Place Candidate Refuses to Go Quietly | The Nigerian presidential election was declared in favour of ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu on Wednesday. But, third-place candidate Peter Obi isn't ready to accept the result. Obi, 61, has vowed to “explore all legal and peaceful options to reclaim our mandate,” and is accusing Tinubu of fraud. The opposition parties had already said the vote was rigged due to technical issues, and Obi is questioning the low voter turnout when the number of registered voters was at a record high. INEC said the total votes cast were just under 25 million out of 87 million people with voter identity cards. In the meantime, Tinubu has been receiving congratulations from foreign leaders, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain. Obi had gained a devoted following among young voters during his campaign, which was backed by a slick social media presence and promises of change. Now, Obi is asking Nigerians to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and responsible as he continues to challenge the election result.
🇲🇱🇧🇫 Mali and Burkina Faso's Struggle to Keep Artifacts Safe | Mali and Burkina Faso are two of the world’s least developed countries, and they’re in the middle of a crisis—both face civil war, coups, and Islamic terrorism. The situation has caused a surge in heritage looting and destruction, so much so that the International Criminal Court classified heritage destruction as a war crime. Enter the International Council of Museums and the Aliph heritage protection foundation, who have launched a pilot programme to combat the trafficking of cultural artefacts in the two countries. The initiative is the first of its kind and provides training for museum staff in emergency planning, security, and anti-illicit trafficking processes. It’s an effort that's essential for Mali and Burkina Faso to keep their cultural artefacts safe.
🇸🇸🇸🇩 Sudan vs South Sudan | The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the contested region of Abyei has warned that South Sudan’s deployment of troops in the area will cause “untold suffering and humanitarian concerns” for civilians. The deployment followed renewed fighting between the Nuer and Dinka Ngok tribes, which was sparked by cattle rustling. U.N.'s mission, UNISFA, has urged both parties to stop fighting and allow the political process to resolve the crisis. The dispute between the two countries began when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of civil war. UNISFA has been deployed in the region since then, and has now reinforced peacekeepers to closely monitor the situation.
🇬🇦 What's Macron up to in This Part of Africa? | Emmanuel Macron has landed in Gabon, kicking off a four-country tour of Africa. Macron is looking to turn over a new leaf with the continent, away from France’s former colonies in the Sahel region, where anti-French sentiment has been rising. The French President has proposed a fresh approach, including a reduction of French troops on the ground and joint military bases with host nations. Macron’s agenda is more focused on the environment, culture, and scientific research than politics. But some in Gabon are sceptical of his motives, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, protesters gathered outside the French embassy to denounce France’s alleged support for Rwanda. Looks like Macron’s Africa tour will be as much about politics as it is about the environment.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“The most beautiful fig may contain a worm.”
— Zulu Proverb.