by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 19, 2019 | Okategoriserade
Sudan’s military and protesters sign power-sharing deal, first step toward civilian rule Source: AP, Thursday July 18, 2019 Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, right, and Sudan’s pro-democracy movement leader Ahmad al-Rabiah shake hands after signing a power sharing document in Khartoum, Sudan, Wednesday, July 17, 2019. The two sides are still at work on a more contentious constitutional agreement that would specify the division of powers. Sudan’s pro-democracy movement and the ruling military council signed a document early Wednesday that outlines a power-sharing deal, but the two sides are still at work on a more contentious constitutional agreement that would specify the division of powers.The signing ceremony held in the capital, Khartoum, after marathon overnight talks, marks an important step in the transition to civilian rule following the military overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir amid mass protests in April. But the military appears to have the upper hand, following weeks of negotiations and a deadly crackdown last month in which security forces violently dispersed the protesters’ main sit-in. The document signed Wednesday would establish a joint civilian-military sovereign council that would rule Sudan for a little over three years while elections are organized. A military leader will head the 11-member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18. It marks a significant concession by the protesters, who had demanded an immediate transition to civilian rule. The pro-democracy movement would appoint a Cabinet, and the two sides would agree on a legislative body within three months of the start of the transition. But negotiators have yet to agree on a division of powers...
by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 19, 2019 | Okategoriserade
Ethiopia in turmoil as ethnic group seeks breakaway region Source: AFP, Friday July 19, 2019 ADDIS ABABA: Protesters set tyres alight and lobbed stones at security forces on Thursday in the Ethiopian city of Hawassa, where residents are demanding the creation of their own federal state.The Sidama ethnic group, the largest in the southern region, has been agitating for their own semi-autonomous state, and expectations were high they would declare their own region unilaterally on Thursday. While one prominent party earlier said it had agreed to delay the formation of the state, not everyone appeared happy with this decision. An activist for the cause, Mate Mengesha, said security forces had blocked a planned meeting of Sidama elders and youth activists in the morning, where it was hoped officials would declare the formation of the new region. However the officials never showed up, and the activists threw stones at security forces blocking them from the site. “The expectation was today is July 18 and on July 18 they want to have a declaration,” he said. “The meeting didn’t happen.” Elsewhere protesters set tyres on fire, and blocked off roads, while several residents reported that mobile internet was down in the city. “There are some fires around the outskirts of the city. Tyre fires in the road and so on. Most of them are on the outskirts,” said Dr Abel Gedefaw, director of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Hawassa University. “Everybody is not allowed to go out. There are a lot of security forces and nobody is allowed to move.” He said the university’s medical facilities had not...
by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 15, 2019 | Okategoriserade
Resumption of Talks between Somalia and Somaliland? Source: The International Crisis Group (ICG) published on 12 July 2019 The International Crisis Group (ICG) published on 12 July 2019 a report titled “Somalia-Somaliland: The Perils of Delaying New Talks.” The ICG urges Somalia and Somaliland to meet for technical talks, focusing on security and economic matters of mutual concern, and avoiding for now the polarizing issue of Somaliland’s political status. 0 comments Labels: AMISOM, AU, China, Ethiopia, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, Muse Bihi Abdi, Puntland, Qatar, Saudi...
by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 15, 2019 | Okategoriserade
Africa and the world Happiness Report 2019 Source: The Sustainable Development Solutions Network published in March 2019 the 2019 The Sustainable Development Solutions Network published in March 2019 the 2019 edition of the “World Happiness Report” edited by John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard and Jeffrey D. Sachs. Factors considered in the rankings are GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perception of corruption. The 2019 report ranked 156 countries, 45 in Africa. The best ranked African countries were Mauritius (57), Libya (72), Nigeria (85), Algeria (88), and Morocco (89). The poorest ranked African countries were South Sudan (156), Central African Republic (155), Tanzania (153), Rwanda (152), and Malawi (150). Some of the rankings are counter intuitive. Who would have thought Libya is the second best rated African country or that Tanzania and Rwanda are near the bottom. It is important, however, to consider the factors used to construct the index. 0 comments Labels: Africa, CAR, corruption, elections, GDP, generosity, governance,information technology, Libya, life expectancy, Mauritius, South Sudan, World Happiness...
by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 15, 2019 | Okategoriserade
Global Corruption Barometer Africa 2019 Source: Transparency International The Global Corruption Barometer Africa is published by Transparency International in partnership with Afrobarometer. It provides public opinion data on citizen’s views on corruption and direct experience of bribery in Africa based on fieldwork in 34 countries between 2016 and 2018. The report concludes that corruption is on the rise, many governments are failing to do enough, concerns about the integrity of public officials remain high, bribery demands are a regular occurrence for many, people’s experience with bribery varies, and despite fears of retaliation, citizens can make a difference. The percentage of Africans who thought corruption increased the most in the past 12 months live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Gabon, Namibia and Madagascar. The countries where citizens thought it had increased the least in the last 12 months were Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana and Benin. 0 comments Labels: Africa, Afrobarometer, bribery, corruption, Transparency International China’s Impact on Facial Recognition Programs in...
by Jama Abdillahi | Jul 15, 2019 | Okategoriserade
5.0-magnitude quake hits 171 km NNW of Bereeda, Somalia: USGS Source: XINHUANET,unday July 14, 2019 NEW YORK, July 14 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted 171 km north-northwest of Bereeda, Somalia at 19:12:24 GMT Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 13.3039 degrees north latitude and 50.449 degrees east...
