🔅 Nigeria Takes the Art World By Storm, Standoff Between Coup Leaders & ECOWAS
Plus, When Rescuers Need To Be Rescued & Liberia's Big Carbon Credit Handoff
Photo of the day: Malakal, South Sudan
Markets:
🟢 Nigerian SE: 65,336.80 (+0.21%)
🟢 Johannesburg SE: 77,013.74 (+0.07%)
🔴 Ghana SE: 3,115.25 (-0.39%)
🔴 Nairobi SE: 106.15 (-0.02%)
🟢 US S&P 500: 4,518.44 (+0.90%)
🔴 Shanghai Composite: 3,268.83 (-0.59%)
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five Highlights
Nigeria's Venice Biennale: A Homecoming of the Imaginary
Nigeria is ready to take the international art world by storm. For the country's second appearance at the Venice Biennale, they’ve put together a pavilion titled “Nigerian Imaginary”, featuring a mix of Nigerian and diasporic artists. The Nigerian-British curator Aindrea Emelife, who splits her time between Lagos and London, will be the curator of the pavilion. She said of the project: “It is complete serendipity that Adriano Pedrosa’s theme for the Biennale is Foreigners Everywhere. It speaks to me as a phrase about movement and evolution, finding one’s home, and exploring one’s attachment to nationhood”. The full list of artists includes the legendary Yinka Shonibare, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ndidi Dike, Onyeka Igwe, Abraham Oghobase, Precious Okoyomon, and Fatimah Tuggar. The pavilion is being commissioned by Governor Obaseki of Edo State in Nigeria, so you know it's gonna be a grand affair.
Eritrea Festival Turns Violent
What started as a cultural festival in a Stockholm suburb quickly turned into a chaotic scene of violence and destruction. A crowd of around a thousand protesters descended on the event, reportedly fueled by criticism of the African nation’s government. The protestors set fire to booths and vehicles and clashed with police, leaving 52 people injured. Swedish police have since detained between 100 and 200 people. Sweden is home to tens of thousands of people with Eritrean roots, and the festival has been held annually since the 1990s. One protester claimed that the festival saw children being taught hate speech.
Liberia's Big Carbon Credit Handoff
Liberia is about to hand over a huge chunk of its land to an Emirati company that plans to market the carbon credits from conservation and reforestation projects. In a deal set to last for 30 years, the private company, Blue Carbon LLC, will get exclusive rights to over 1 million hectares of forest - that's about 10% of the country's land area! The UAE, which is set to host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) at the end of November, is trying to convince the world that it's really serious about investing in energy transition. The problem? Climate Action Tracker, a study published this week, says that the UAE's commitments to date are anything but convincing.
Niger: Standoff Between Coup Leaders and ECOWAS
A coup in Niger left President Mohamed Bazoum out of power and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS giving the junta a deadline to reinstate him or face military intervention. The junta’s refusal to step down by Sunday has left the international community in a stand-off. ECOWAS is now deciding on its next steps, but the junta’s allies in Mali and Burkina Faso have promised to come to its defence if needed. Niger has closed its airspace until further notice, saying it was taking precautionary mesaures in preparation for a potential intervention. Meanwhile, the US, Europe, China, and Russia have all expressed concern over the situation and the need for a peaceful resolution.
Uganda: When the Rescuers Need to Be Rescued
In Uganda, a team of marine officers was sent out to rescue the victims of a Lake Victoria boat accident. But in a dramatic twist of fate, their rescue boat capsized, and the officers had to be rescued themselves. The incident underscores the “unpredictable nature of the lake and the challenging conditions” that Uganda’s marine officers face. It’s a problem that’s all too common in the East African nation—boat accidents are unfortunately a regular occurrence in Uganda. Sadly, only nine people were rescued from the initial accident, with five bodies recovered so far.
Food for Thought
“When the rhythm of the drumbeat changes, the dance steps must adapt.”
— Namibian Proverb.
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