🔅 E.U. Fails to Secure 'Bullying' Rights in Indian Ocean
Plus: Pope Francis makes final plea for peace in South Sudan, Facebook can be sued in Kenya, Cameroon businessman denies murdering journalist, And much more... ☕
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FISHING
E.U. Fails to Secure 'Bullying' Rights in Indian Ocean
The E.U. got a big comeuppance in Indian Ocean fisheries negotiations this week. Coastal states pushed through a resolution aimed at curbing “destructive” fishing methods by European nations.
What was the resolution?
The 30-member Indian Ocean Tuna Commission is introducing a temporary halt on the use of industrial fishing gear, which is causing tuna stocks to deplete drastically. This decision was a win for countries that rely on smaller-scale fishing methods and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
What were the terms of the resolution?
The resolution will give room for yellowfin and bigeye populations to rebuild. It was led by the Indonesian delegation, who said that the resolution “may finally give room to yellowfin and bigeye populations to rebuild.”
Maldivian fisheries expert Hussain Sinan said the new rules introduced by coastal states are “monumental” and will redefine local marine management in the region.
The resolution was nearly thwarted at the last moment, when Kenya's fisheries minister pulled support for the proposal. Some claim the change of heart was down to E.U. pressure.
What's the E.U.'s role in this?
The E.U. has previously been accused of “colonial tendencies” in the Indian Ocean and subsidizing their fishing industry through unfair quotas and opaque fisheries. More than 200,000 metric tons of fish are caught annually in the Indian Ocean by its member states.
French ocean conservation group Bloom's Scientific Director, Frédéric Le Manach, said that the E.U. has been “bullying” coastal nations, but that “what happened over the past three days sends a very strong signal: the bullying days of the E.U. may be over.”
The E.U. has yet to issue a statement but has 120 days to object to the resolution under U.N. rules.
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OTHER HEADLINES
Across the Continent
🇸🇸 Pope Pleads for Peace in S. Sudan | On his African pilgrimage, Pope Francis made a final plea for peace in South Sudan. With a reported 100,000 people in attendance, the Pope begged South Sudanese people to forgive each other and lay down their weapons. He was joined by Archbishop Justin Welby and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, to push the country’s political leaders to recommit to the 2018 peace agreement. South Sudan is oil-rich, yet one of the world’s poorest countries with rampant sexual violence, child brides, and the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Francis, Welby, and Greenshields hoped to bring attention to the plight of the vulnerable, particularly women, and make a lasting change.
🇰🇪 Facebook to Face the Music in Kenya | On Monday, a court in the East African country ruled that the social media giant can be sued in the country after a former content moderator filed a lawsuit alleging poor working conditions. The case was filed was also filed against Meta’s local outsourcing company Sama, and seeks financial compensation, equal pay, and unionization rights. Facebook had argued that the Kenyan court had no jurisdiction since they’re based in the U.S. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the company recently forked over $85 million to more than 10,000 content moderators who accused the company of not protecting them from the psychological effects of their job. And in December, two Ethiopian researchers and a Kenyan rights group sued Facebook, accusing it of letting violent and hateful posts from Ethiopia fester on the platform, making the civil war worse.
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso Denies Paying Mercenaries Through Mines | Burkina Faso has denied giving a mining permit to Nordgold, a Russian company, simply because it is Russian. The West African country’s mines minister clarified that permits are only granted to companies that pay taxes and respect local laws. Nordgold applied for a license to the Yimiougou mine in 2017, and the country says its nationality has nothing to do with the decision. The Ghanaian president, Nana Akufo-Addo, made a controversial statement in December, claiming Burkina Faso had hired mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group to fight militants, and it would be paying them through a mine. The government has denied paying mercenaries through a mine but hasn’t confirmed or denied the allegation that it has made an agreement with Wagner. Meanwhile, the security situation in Burkina’s north has caused several mines to shut down, and the country is looking to build a gold refinery to increase the value it gets from its mineral resources. With this, the government is receiving interest from investors, but hasn’t decided whether the refinery will process gold from industrial mines or the artisanal mine sector.
🇨🇲 Cameroon Arrest Prominent Businessman | After the mysterious abduction and murder of a prominent journalist in Cameroon, the government has arrested a Cameroonian businessperson in connection with the case. The businessman, Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga, owns several businesses, including a private television station. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has alleged that the journalist, Martinez Zogo, was taken to a construction site owned by Belinga, but the businessman’s lawyer has declined to comment on the accusation. Zogo had recently reported on air about a case of alleged embezzlement involving Belinga’s media outlet with government connections. The arrest is the latest development in a string of attacks against journalists in Cameroon, where President Paul Biya has a long history of repressing opposition.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“A quarrelsome chief does not hold a village together.”
— Malawian Proverb.