– NEWS –
Trump sends letter to African leaders: US President Donald Trump has said he deeply respects the people of Africa in a letter to 55 continental leaders, in the wake of his reported “shithole countries” comments. US diplomats have scrambled for weeks to address the fallout from Trump’s remarks, allegedly made during an immigration meeting earlier this month. Trump has denied using the phrase, but admitted the meeting was “tough”. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will make an extended visit to Africa in March, Trump added in his letter. African leaders are gathering for an African Union (AU) summit this weekend in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
independent.co.uk
Survivors implicate Mnangagwa in massacres: Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the man known as „the crocodile“ because of his political cunning, has finally achieved a long-held ambition to succeed Robert Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s president. He became the country’s spymaster during the 1980s civil conflict, in which thousands of civilians were killed, but has denied any role in the massacres, blaming the army. Now, though, the end of Mugabe’s iron-fisted rule has revived calls for justice — and renewed accusations that the new president Mnangagwa played a key role in the bloodshed.
bbc.com
Sissi faces surprise challenger: Nominations for Egypt’s presidential election closed on Monday, with Moussa Mustafa Moussa, the little-known head of the Ghad party, submitting his surprise candidacy at the last minute. Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi is still expected to romp to victory and secure a second four-year term, however. Any candidate representing genuine opposition to Sisi has either been arrested or intimidated into dropping out. Egyptian ex-general Sami Annan was detained by the nation’s military only days after announcing he would run for president.
dw.com, theguardian.com
Pressure grows on Germany in legal battle over colonial-era genocide: A US court is set to hear a lawsuit against the German government over demands for reparations for a colonial-era genocide in former German South West Africa. Herero and Nama representatives lodged their lawsuit against the German government a little over a year ago, demanding reparations and inclusion in ongoing negotiations between Germany and Namibia over recognition of the colonial-era genocide. South West Africa was officially renamed Namibia by the UN General Assembly in 1968. Namibia became independent in 1990.
dw.com
Videos show torture of migrants in Libya: Disturbing video clips shared on social media by their desperate families have revealed the ordeal of Sudanese migrants kidnapped and tortured for ransom in Libya. The men’s relatives say they disseminated these videos on social media in a bid to raise awareness — and within a matter of days Libyan special forces had traced where the men were held, according to Libya’s UN-backed unity government.
cnn.com
Opel expands to North Africa n-tv.de
ICC prosecutor renews call for Libyan commander’s arrest washingtonpost.com
– BACKGROUND –
African Union launches initiative to open skies: Flying in Africa is expensive and cumbersome. Passengers are often forced to make a stopover in Dubai, Istanbul or an airport in Europe to get from point A to point B. The Single African Air Transport Market initiative seeks to connect African countries and streamline transportation and trade on the continent. Raphael Kuuchi, vice president for Africa of the International Air Transport Association, said that a survey conducted showed significant impacts on economies.
derwesten.de
Musician Pilato flees Zambia: Zambian authorities must immediately take steps to guarantee right to freedom of expression for artists, Amnesty International said after a crackdown on dissent forced a well-known musician to flee the country. Musician and activist Fumba Chama, also known as Pilato – left Zambia on 5 January after receiving threats over his new song Koswe Mumpoto (rat in the pot), which has been interpreted as criticizing President Edgar Lungu and his ruling Patriotic Front (PF) ministers. In it, he sings that the ruling elite are behaving like rats that steal food and eat, including things that they do not need.
amnesty.org
– NUMBER –
Africa’s economies lose 120 billion euros each year to corruption.
faz.net
– QUOTE –
„I love Trump. I love Trump because he talks to Africans frankly.“
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni says Donald Trump is one of America’s best presidents.
cnn.com
„No one I met in Africa wants to come to Europe.“
Africa expert Roland Brockmann is tired of the distorted image Europeans have of Africa. His illustrated book „Real People of East Africa“ shows the real life in Africa.
stern.de
– AT LAST –
African athletes to make history in Pyeongchang: Nigeria’s women’s bobsleigh team will make history in Pyeongchang as the first African sled to compete at the Winter Olympics. Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere, and Akuoma Omeoga were once track and field athletes before switching to winter sports, with Adigun competing in the 100m hurdles at the London 2012 Olympics. Akwasi Frimpong has been confirmed as Ghana’s first Olympic skeleton athlete. Africa was first represented at the Winter Olympics at Sarajevo 1984 by Senegalese alpine skier Lamine Gueye.
bbc.com