🔅 'Western-Style Democracy Is Not For Us' & Sudan Rivals Duke It Out At the UN
Plus, Rhinoceroses Make a Comeback, Fish Farming Goes High-Tech & The Best Books from Africa
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Nigeria Welcomes Exxon's Boost in Oil Production (and Maybe a Little More): Nigerian President Bola Tinubu had a chat with Exxon's global upstream operations president, Liam Mallon, in New York. They discussed Exxon's pledge to increase oil production by 40,000 barrels per day in Nigeria, as well as Tinubu's efforts to attract global capital to the country. Nigeria's state oil firm already has partnerships with major oil companies, including Exxon, which produce 80% of the country's oil. But despite recent improvements in security, Nigeria still faces challenges in its oil industry, such as theft and sabotage. Tinubu promised to solve these issues and make it easier for large-scale investments to flow into Nigeria's energy sector. "Nigeria has never been more ready for business," Tinubu said.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five
Guinea's Military Leader Takes Aim at Western "Lecturers" and "Putschists"
Move over, democracy—there's a new model in town. According to Guinea's military leader, Mamady Doumbouya, the Western style of governance just doesn't work for Africa. He said this at the UN meet in New York last week. And he's got the coups to prove it—eight in West and Central Africa in the last three years, to be exact. But Doumbouya doesn't want to hear it from the UN or Western powers like the US and France, who have been scolding him and his fellow military leaders. He's calling their response "racist and condescending," and is demanding that Africans be allowed to design their own models of governance. Doumbouya also wants everyone to stop trying to force African countries to take sides in a Cold War-era ideological battle. Africans are "simply pro-African," he says, and placing them under the influence of one power or another is "an insult." He also complained of another type of "putschist" that's often overlooked—the leaders who change the constitution to stay in power forever. Sound familiar, Guinea's former president Alpha Conde?
Sudan's Rival Military Leaders Duke it Out at the UN
The heads of Sudan's rival military factions are in a bit of a competition—both gave addresses to the United Nations last week, one in person and one in a mysterious video from an undisclosed location. Army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who has been busy travelling abroad, wants the international community to label the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as terrorists. But RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, aka Hemedti, says his forces are ready for a ceasefire and political talks to end the conflict. Both sides are pointing fingers at each other for starting the war that has displaced over 5 million people and caused chaos in Sudan. Hemedti, who usually communicates through audio messages, made a rare appearance in military uniform in his video message. Meanwhile, Burhan said the RSF is backed by international players (but didn't name names). This war started over plans to integrate the RSF into the army as part of a political transition after the overthrow of former leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019. The army and RSF were once allies but have since turned against each other. International efforts to secure a ceasefire have stalled, with multiple initiatives in Africa and the Middle East trying to mediate.
Rhinoceroses: The Comeback Kids of the Animal Kingdom
Good news for rhino lovers: the global population of these majestic creatures has increased to 27,000 despite being poached for decades and losing their habitats. That's right, these horned beauties are making a comeback, with some species even rebounding for the first time in a decade. But don't get too excited; two species are still in danger of disappearing forever. The Javan and Sumatran rhinos are on the brink of extinction, with only about 80 Sumatran rhinos left and experts estimating there may be as few as 34. But let's focus on the positive—the southern white rhino population has increased for the first time since 2012, and black rhinos have also seen a 5% rise from 2021 to 2022. That's thanks to major conservation efforts and new populations being established. However, we can't get too comfortable, as poaching is still a major threat. In 2022, 551 rhinos were killed in Africa, a decrease from previous years but still a cause for concern.
Fish Farming Goes High-Tech in Africa
Fish farming has become a booming industry in Africa, with more and more people jumping on board to raise fish in cages. But like any business, it has its risks—just ask Allan Ochieng, who lost 120,000 tilapia when Lake Victoria experienced a deadly natural phenomenon. To prevent future disasters, fish farmers are turning to technology, collecting data on things like oxygen levels, water temperature, and algae growth to predict and prevent problems. One company has even developed a mobile incubation system to transport fish eggs safely. Meanwhile, smaller-scale farmers are struggling to keep up with the big guys and often lack the knowledge and resources to care for their fish properly. But with the help of innovative ideas and a little professionalization, the fish farming industry in Africa is on the rise: the number of cages has grown from 9 in 2006 to over 20,000 in 2019.
Africa's Best Books: According to Goodreads
WordFinderX has done some digging and figured out the highest-rated book by an author from each country. So, if you're looking to expand your bookshelf, check out some of these top picks from Africa, like Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue from Cameroon, The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna from Sierra Leone, and Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi from Ghana. And in case you're wondering, two books tied for the top spot with an average rating of 4.52: Dear Ijeawele by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The African Origin of Civilization by Senegalese historian Cheikh Anta Diop.
Food for Thought
“The skin of the leopard is beautiful, but not his heart.”
— Congolese Proverb.
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