Africa
Sudan’s army repels major assault on el-Fasher; kills RSF commander
Sudan’s army repels major assault on el-Fasher; kills RSF commander
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a major attack on el-Fasher in North Darfur a day after the UN Security Council demanded the militia halt its weeks-long siege of the city.
Sudan’s Armed Forces “aborted the attack and inflicted huge losses” with “hundreds” of dead and wounded in the failed RSF assault, it said in a statement.
Among those killed was a senior RSF commander, Ali Yagoub Gibril, and the attackers “fled from the battlefield”, it added.
No response from RSF was immediately available.
The conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, which is loyal to General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo.
The violence has killed at least 14,000 people and displaced more than 10 million others, according to UN estimates. The UN and human rights groups have said they fear ethnic cleansing if RSF captures el-Fasher, a city of 1.8 million people and the last army stronghold in the Darfur region.
The war has created the worst humanitarian situation in the world, with an estimated 756,000 people in Sudan facing “catastrophic food shortages” by September.
‘Rape of our sisters and mothers’
Many Sudanese have joined the armed forces to fight back against the rampaging RSF.
Musa Adam was displaced from his city of Nyala in South Darfur. He told Al Jazeera the horrors committed by RSF soldiers made him join the SAF effort against the militia.
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“The displacement, the looting of civilians, the rape of our sisters and mothers is what made me join. The RSF took over Nyala and staying there became too dangerous. So I came here but joined to return to Darfur and fight the RSF.”
In North Darfur, RSF launched repeated attacks that led to the displacement of more than 130,000 people in the past month. Several mass graves have been reported in the state. Dozens of villages have been burned to the ground, mostly of ethnic Zaghawas.
Abu-Alqassim Mohammed, a former RSF officer, also joined the Sudanese Armed Forces.
“I reported to the army on the first day of the conflict against the RSF because it rebelled against the government. They stood against the army and against the country from day one. They killed civilians and forced them from their homes,” he said.
El-Fasher has become a focal point of the nearly yearlong war. The battle for the city – seen as crucial for humanitarian aid in a region on the brink of famine – has raged for more than a month.
The charity Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, said on Friday fighting in el-Fasher has killed at least 226 people and wounded 1,418. The overall death toll is believed to be far higher with the wounded unable to get treatment amid continuing air raids, shelling and ground combat.
“The situation in el-Fasher is chaotic,” said Michel-Olivier Lacharite, head of MSF’s emergency programme.
‘Need the world to wake up’
The UN Security Council’s latest resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and compliance with an arms embargo on Sudan, following a previous unsuccessful ceasefire call in March coinciding with Ramadan.
The United States on Friday announced $315m in emergency aid for Sudan warning a famine of historic proportions could be unfolding.
“We need the world to wake up to the catastrophe happening before our very eyes,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters.
“We’ve seen mortality projections estimating that in excess of 2.5 million people – about 15 percent of the population – in Darfur and Kordofan, the hardest-hit regions, could die by the end of September,” she said.
“This is the largest humanitarian crisis on the face of the planet, and yet somehow it threatens to get worse as the rainy season approaches.”
Sudan’s army repels major assault on el-Fasher; kills RSF commander
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
Africa
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the ECOWAS region, under the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC), have called for the establishment of a railway corridor linking all member countries, alongside the existing road network.
The proposal was made at the end of their inaugural exhibition and workshop, which took place from November 21 to November 23 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the event, organized by the ESBC in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission and Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, brought together small business operators from across the region.
The coalition highlighted the challenges faced by SMEs in transporting goods and services within the ECOWAS subregion.
They emphasized the need for better communication and a clearer understanding of cross-border trade obligations, as well as improvements in the movement of goods and people.
While ECOWAS has confirmed the free movement of goods and people under existing protocols, it clarified that such movements still require compliance with formalities and customs duties.
Addressing transportation and trade barriers
NAN reports that during the workshop, members of the ESBC presented a range of proposals to address transportation challenges.
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They called for an end to cross-border harassment and corruption, which they attributed to the imposition of unnecessary taxes.
They also suggested that local Small Business Coalitions (SBCs) should be empowered to issue certificates of origin to entrepreneurs to streamline trade processes.
Additionally, the coalition proposed the establishment of online training platforms for SBCs to enhance their capacity to support SMEs.
Proposals for improving access to information and financing
- The coalition also noted the importance of access to information for the success of SMEs and urged them to take advantage of policies such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ECOWAS frameworks.
- They called for greater awareness of these initiatives to help SMEs navigate trade barriers.
- Furthermore, reports inform that the coalition underscored the need for the harmonization of fiscal policies across the ECOWAS region and advised SMEs to choose suitable business models and consult advisory firms for better guidance.
Innovation and sustainable development for SMEs
- The coalition also discussed the need for greater innovation and sustainability in the region’s SMEs to enhance their competitiveness.
- They proposed training programs focused on certification, efficient technology transfer, and increased research to help businesses expand across borders.
- Despite the availability of financing mechanisms for SMEs, the coalition pointed out that many small businesses struggle to access these funds due to inadequate resources and poor absorption capacity.
- In response, they suggested focusing on promoting new business models suited to African realities and learning from the BRICS nations’ approach to economic development.
Future initiatives for strengthening SMEs
- ESBC proposed several initiatives to further support SMEs in the region.
- These included the creation of an ESBC television network to raise awareness, the establishment of a dedicated bank for SME financing, and the development of strategies to encourage a common currency within ECOWAS.
- They also called for the removal of customs and monetary barriers and the establishment of international shipping lines to improve logistics. To address the needs of landlocked countries, the coalition proposed facilitating better access to ports for these nations.
- The ESBC concluded that substantial work remains to be done to enhance the competitiveness and growth of SMEs in the ECOWAS region, particularly in the areas of innovation, financing, and cross-border trade facilitation.
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
Africa
Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested
Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested
Africa
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
Cristel Nchama, one of the women appearing in viral explicit videos allegedly involving Baltasar Engonga, the former director-general of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), has filed a formal complaint with the National Gendarmerie in Malabo.
Engonga has been the focus of intense public scrutiny after investigators, probing allegations of fraud, searched his home and office and reportedly uncovered approximately 400 explicit videos featuring him with multiple women.
The tapes allegedly show Baltasar Engonga with his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the country’s president, the wife of the director-general of police, and around 20 wives of ministers, among others.
The recordings, which have since gone viral, are said to have taken place in Engonga’s office, hotels, and bathrooms, purportedly with the consent of those involved.
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In her complaint, Nchama disclosed that she had been in a four-year relationship with Engonga and expressed profound distress over the public leak of the videos, which she says has harmed her reputation.
Nchama claimed that Engonga “misled” her into trusting him and that she had initially resisted being filmed, under the impression that any recordings would be deleted.
She also claimed to have been “betrayed” by Bello for publishing the videos.
“I am humiliated,” she stated. “It is my reputation, my honour. I want to know where these images came from and why he kept the images.”
In addition to filing her complaint, Nchama has demanded reparations from Engonga for the damage caused to her reputation and personal dignity.
Following the scandal, the government dismissed Engonga from his position at ANIF on Thursday.
Officials also announced the suspension of various public officials allegedly involved in sexual activities within government offices.
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
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