Africa Confidential

Feted for its commitment to democracy and rule of law, Wavel Ramkalawan's government is struggling to hold its predecessor to account

A report just published by the United States Institute of Peace has given President Joe Biden 's government a jolt.'U.S. economic and national security depend on securing a reliable supply of critical minerals, including from Africa,' it argues. The United States is 'simply not on, or even near, par in competing with China for critical minerals investment and diplomacy in Africa,'the think-tank says.

President Faure Gnassingbé is seeking to strengthen his government's ties to the United States and secure US investment under two recent laws. This coincides with a contentious bid by Faure to change the presidential constitution to a parliamentary one, creating an executive prime minister position. Oppositionists believe Gnassingbé wants to take that post, as the term limits on his presidency would expire after next year's elections. They are calling for mass protests in the week ending 13 April after Gnassingbé's party votes to postpone legislative elections due on 20 April.

Prepared for Free Article on 16/04/2024 at 15:28. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact [email protected].

The new political leaders in Dakar are promising jobs, growth and radical reform for the region's monetary system

Prepared for Free Article on 23/04/2024 at 14:44. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact [email protected].

The alarming volume of human rights abuses and the impunity enjoyed by many governments and their armed forces was underscored in the latest Amnesty International global report. The Sudan Armed Forces and its rival, the Rapid Support Forces, have repeatedly flouted international humanitarian law, killing and starving civilians while they and their sponsors such as Egypt, Turkey, Iran and the United Arab Emirates face no accountability for war crimes.

The world's newest state still awaits its first post-independence elections – now scheduled for December – which are supposed to end almost a decade of civil war. But prerequisites for a credible poll, as stipulated by the 2018 South Sudan peace deal, have yet to be fully implemented. These include holding the first credible census since 1983, agreement on a permanent constitution, settling refugees and internally displaced people, addressing transitional justice, and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces to replace both government and opposition armies. This has resulted in international scepticism and refusal to participate by opposition leader and First Vice-President Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon and other key players.

Prepared for Free Article on 30/04/2024 at 17:52. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact [email protected].

New details about President Kaka's break with the US have emerged as the election exposes some of the political manoeuvring within the elite