🔅 Somalia's Treasured Cassette Tapes: A Blast from the Past
Plus: Africa's COP28 Delegations Draw Scrutiny, Guinea-Bissau's Coup Attempt, East Africa Floods, Burkina Faso and Niger Withdraw from Anti-Terrorism Force
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*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five
Camel Meat and Cassette Tapes: A Somali Blast from the Past
Before cell phones, Somalis in the diaspora would stay connected to their families back home through letter tapes. Fast forward to today, and artists Aissata Sall and Ayan Cilmi are celebrating the legacy of these tapes through their project, Camel Meat and Cassette Tapes. The project started with workshops bringing together Somali elders and British-born Somalis to discuss letter tapes' cultural and personal significance. And let's just say some families got pretty real with each other during these conversations. These tapes were a means to exchange family and community/political news and a tool to preserve music and poetry. In fact, during the civil war, tapes became a lifeline for Somalis displaced by violence and seeking refuge. The recordings didn't only focus on the negatives—a lot of humour, joy, and creativity were shared through them too.
African Delegations Defend Sending Large Teams to COP28
The UN's attendance list for the COP28 climate conference in Dubai raised eyebrows with its long list of delegates from African countries. Nigeria topped the list with 1,411 people, followed by Morocco with 823 and Kenya with 765. But fear not, my environmentally-conscious friends, as these countries are quick to defend their numbers. Nigeria argues that as the biggest country in Africa with a booming economy and a stake in climate action, it only makes sense to send more delegates. And Kenya claims that the list includes people who registered but didn't actually attend the event in person. Plus, a majority of Tanzania's delegates were sponsored by the private sector. While the large number of delegates from African nations has sparked debate, it could also highlight the increasing engagement of these countries in global climate discussions. COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is an annual summit where world leaders, negotiators, and stakeholders convene to advance global efforts in addressing climate change.
Guinea-Bissau's Failed Coup Attempt Last Friday
When you play the game of coups, you either win or you get fired. That’s what happened to Victor Tchongo, head of the National Guard in Guinea-Bissau, who tried to overthrow President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. But his plan went down in flames when the Presidential Palace Battalion got involved in a shootout, leading to Tchongo’s dismissal and some stern words from the president. This is just the latest in a string of attempted coups in West Africa, which has witnessed eight military takeovers since 2020. But unlike other coups driven by a desire for better governance, this one was apparently sparked by the attempted rearrest of two government officials (ministers of economy and finance) over alleged corruption. Embalo says that Tchongo would not have acted alone, suggesting that there may be more to this story and that there will be "serious consequences" for those involved. Guinea-Bissau's political landscape has been historically marred by instability and military interventions, with no president serving a full term since 1974. This latest coup attempt reflects ongoing tensions within the country's fragile political institutions, exacerbated by issues of corruption and governance. As President Embalo pledges to uncover deeper conspiracies, the international community and regional bodies like ECOWAS remain vigilant, emphasizing the need for democratic stability in a region increasingly prone to military takeovers.
Floods and Landslides in East Africa Worsen
Mother Nature is not playing around in East Africa. The El Nino and Indian Ocean dipole weather phenomena have teamed up to create severe flooding in Kenya, Somalia, and now Tanzania. In Manyara, 47 people have been killed and 85 injured this weekend due to torrential rain and landslides. Climate change is only making these extreme weather events more frequent and intense, and El Niño is a climate pattern where warmer Pacific Ocean waters cause shifts in weather globally, often leading to extreme events like heavy rainfall, which has triggered floods and landslides in regions like East Africa.
Sahel Shake-Up: Burkina Faso and Niger Withdraw from Anti-Terrorism Force
Burkina Faso and Niger have followed Mali’s lead and pulled out of the G5 international force, which was meant to fight against Islamist militants in the area. The two countries are now focusing on their own defence pact, which they say gives them more “independence and dignity” and isn’t just serving foreign interests (cough, France, cough). The new pact is called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Chad and Mauritania are still part of the G5, though. The big question now is whether this shake-up will have any impact on the growing threat of al-Qaeda and IS-linked fighters in the region. There are concerns about the effectiveness of the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in filling the gap left by the G5 force, especially given the complex and transnational nature of terrorist threats in the Sahel.
Food for Thought
“By the time a fool has learned the game, the players have dispersed."
— Kenyan Proverb