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NewsBrief, 5-11 November 2012

 

West African leaders approve military plan for Mali

West African leaders have endorsed a plan for the deployment of a regional military force to Mali. The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held an extraordinary session on 11 November in Abuja. Representatives of the UN, the AU, the EU and Algeria also attended the one-day summit. In response to a UN request for a detailed strategy, ECOWAS leaders said the Africa-led international force would have a one-year mandate and include about 3 300 regional troops (mostly provided by ECOWAS member countries: Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal) to support 5 000 Malian soldiers seeking to retake northern regions occupied by Islamists and other militants. As regards a possible European participation, political leaders from five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain) will meet on 15 November in Paris to discuss the possible creation of a European mission in charge of providing military training; it would be composed of at least 200 soldiers but no official announcement has been made yet.  West African leaders said they remain committed to negotiations seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict that has split Mali into two. "However, regarding the security situation, recourse to force may be indispensable in order to dismantle terrorist and transnational criminal networks that pose a threat to international peace and security," the statement said. The regional military plan will be transmitted via the African Union Peace and Security Council to the UN Security Council in order to meet the 45-day deadline of the UN Resolution 2071 adopted on 12 October.   

Article in English: http://www.ghananewsagency.org/details/Politics/Dialogue-in-Mali-remains-the-preferred-option-ECOWAS-Heads/?ci=2&ai=52109

Article in French: http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/DEPAFP20121111192604/

 

 

Election season: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Sierra Leone prepare for polls

Politicians, voters and observers are campaigning, debating the issues and making preparations as the sub-region heads into a busy election period. Three countries will hold crucial polls over the next several weeks. Sierra Leone kicks off the election season with presidential, legislative and local council elections scheduled for 17 November. Burkina Faso holds parliamentary and municipal elections on 2 December, and Ghanaians will elect a new president and parliament on 7 December. The elections in Sierra Leone are the third since the country emerged from a brutal civil war ten years ago. Analysts view the polls as critical to cementing democracy and advancing development goals. Incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress (APC) party is in a tight contest against a former military ruler, retired Brigadier General Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP). Regional and international observers began arriving in the country ahead of the voting. In a pre-election statement, the US-based Carter Center praised the National Electoral Commission's (NEC) preparations and said the campaign period has been "generally peaceful, allowing political parties to assemble freely and to convey their message to potential voters."

Article in English: http://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00019923.html

Article in French: http://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2012/11/09/sierra-leone-le-defi-de-la-democratie-et-du-petrole_1788527_3210.html


ECOWAS formalises Guinea-Bissau mission

ECOWAS and Guinea-Bissau signed a Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA), formalising the presence of regional forces in the country. ECOWAS Commission President Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo and Guinea-Bissau's Foreign Minister, Faustino Fudut Imbali, signed the agreement during a ceremony on 7 November in Bissau. The ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB) was deployed shortly after the April 2012 military coup in Bissau. Its 600 troops are charged with supporting the country's transition back to democratic rule. The SOMA defines the mission's mandate, legal status and functions. The officials also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a defence and security sector reform programme (DSSRP) for Guinea-Bissau. The DSSRP seeks to accelerate the restructuring of a military that has repeatedly intervened in the country's politics. In a statement, the ECOWAS Commission said "The DSSRP and SOMA underscore the joint commitment of Guinea-Bissau and ECOWAS to co-operate with a view to promoting the development of democratic governance in the defence and security sector in the country and for strategic dialogue."

Article in English: http://news.ecowas.int/presseshow.php?nb=308&lang=en&annee=2012

Article in French: http://news.ecowas.int/presseshow.php?nb=298&lang=fr&annee=2012

 

 

The BCEAO commemorates its 50th anniversary

The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) marked its 50th anniversary with ceremony, reflection and the introduction of a new bank note. The Presidents of Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Togo joined regional and international finance leaders at a two-day symposium on "Monetary integration and mutations of the international financial system: challenges and prospects." Central Bank governor Tiémoko Myeliet Koné said the event was the start of a continuous process of reflection on how to consolidate the Bank's achievements and promote further progress. Addressing the meeting in Dakar, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé said the BCEAO demonstrates that African states can succeed by co-operating in the face of major challenges. Senegalese President Macky Sall expressed concern over high interest rates, particularly on agricultural credit, loans for social housing and to women and young people seeking a path out of poverty. The event also saw the launch of a new CFA franc 500 note that will begin circulating in the eight UEMOA countries from the end of November.

Article in English: http://www.rnw.nl/africa/bulletin/senegal-president-denounces-high-interest-rates-africa

Article in French: http://news.abidjan.net/h/444193.html

 

 

Nigeria calls for regional counterterrorism strategy

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan called for a comprehensive regional strategy to combat terrorism. Vice President Namadi Sambo delivered Jonathan's remarks during West Africa's first regional conference devoted entirely to counter-terrorism. The conference, held from 5-7 November in Abuja, brought together delegates from West African countries, elsewhere in Africa, Europe and the United States. Jonathan expressed confidence that Nigeria will succeed in putting down Boko Haram, the militant group waging a campaign of violence in the country's north. Yet he said the cross-border nature of the terrorist threat requires countries to co-operate effectively. National Security Advisor Col. Sambo Dasuki expressed concern about increased co-operation between Boko Haram and terrorist groups operating in the Sahel. "There is also a fine line between these groups and well-known international terrorist networks", Dasuki said. "The need to tackle this menace in conjunction with other nations cannot be over emphasised."

Article in English: http://www.afriquejet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=994:security-first-regional-conference-on-counter-terrorism-begins-in-abuja&catid=2:news&Itemid=111

 

 

FAO announces slight drop in food prices in October

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said international food prices decreased slightly in October. The FAO Food Price Index fell 1% last month as cheaper cereals, oils and fats more than compensated for costlier dairy and sugar. For the first 10 months of the year, food prices were 8% lower than the average price during the same period in 2011. FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said the stable prices were the result of improved global governance of food markets and increased transparency due to G20 Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). The FAO also released its bi-annual "Food Outlook" survey of global food markets. The report finds that global costs for food imports are likely to fall in 2012, due to lower prices, lower transport costs and lower cereals purchases. The FAO predicts global expenditures for food imports will reach USD 1.14 trillion this year, a 10% decrease from the record level in 2011. The "Food Outlook" also predicts record rice production internationally and robust growth in cassava production in Africa.

Article in English: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/163996/icode/

Article in French: http://www.fao.org/news/story/fr/item/163996/icode/

 

 

ECOWAS pushes forward on regional electricity market

West African officials have adopted a multibillion-dollar plan to advance regional electricity market integration. The 7th Session of the General Assembly of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) brought together policymakers, experts and donors from 29 October to 2 November in Abuja. Delegates adopted a USD 4.1 billion business plan for 2012-2015. The plan includes allocations for the acquisition of equipment and implementation of a priority projects for a Regional Electricity Market. It also sets aside funds for a capacity-building programme and an operational budget for the WAPP Secretariat. Established in 2006, the WAPP seeks to address the deficiency in power supply in the sub-region by integrating member countries' national systems into a unified regional power grid. Priority projects include investments to increase power generation and transmission capacities and construction of cross-border infrastructure for power transmission.

Article in English: http://www.osundefender.org/?p=57275

Article in French: http://www.agenceecofin.com/electricite/0511-7410-un-marche-ouest-africain-de-l-energie-se-constitue

 

 

Experts tasks governments on infrastructure development

Experts and ministers in charge of infrastructure urged governments to step up action on infrastructural develop to boost economic activity. The message follows a Regional Experts Meeting on the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) held from 7-8 November in in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. Speaking at the opening ceremony, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure Ebrima Njie said inadequate infrastructure creates "major bottlenecks to the attainment of regional socio-economic development and integration." ECOWAS Commission Vice-President Toga Gayewea McIntosh urged member states to take advantage of existing infrastructure financing mechanisms such as the Special Telecommunications Fund and the Transport and Energy sector Development and Financing Fund. The meeting was a response to a directive from the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. During their 41st ordinary session in June 2012, the Heads of State called on the Commission to intensify efforts in infrastructural development.

Article in English: http://www.afriquejet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1235:ecowas-nudges-member-states-on-regional-infrastructure-development&catid=2:news&Itemid=111

Article in French: http://www.afriquejet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1045:cedeao-reunion-sur-les-infrastructures-en-cote-d-ivoire&catid=40:cote-d-ivoire&Itemid=144

 

 

Women leaders seek greater role in regional security

Women leaders called for concrete action to increase the role women play in ensuring peace and security in the sub-region. About 70 women leaders attended a two-day workshop organised by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in Monrovia. The head of UNMIL, Karin Landgren, challenged participants to make an honest assessment of their capacities and increase interaction with one another. The final communiqué included recommendations for concrete actions governments, regional organisations and other stakeholders can take to promote women's participation. The recommended actions include the implementation of mentoring and knowledge-sharing programmes targeting young women, increased recruitment of women in the security sector and including more women mediators in peace mission. The participants also urged authorities to take immediate steps to highlight the special circumstance women and girls face in the current crisis in Guinea-Bissau and Mali.

Article in English: http://allafrica.com/stories/201211091235.html

Article in French: http://www.sunuafrik.com/afrique/afrique-de-louest-une-conference-de-lonu-met-laccent-sur-le-role-des-femmes-pour-assurer-la-paix-et-la-securite.html

Ivoirian cocoa producers welcome fixed prices

Cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire expressed satisfaction at the introduction of fixed prices for the key crop. Thirteen years after liberalising the cocoa sector, the Ivorian government instituted new regulations earlier this year aimed at reducing price volatility and increasing farmers' economic security. Starting in October, the Ivorian government now guarantees a price of USD 1.41 per kilogram of cocoa, about 60% of the export price. That's a 9% increase on the average price producers earned in the 2011-2012 season. Cocoa growers told the IRIN news agency that the price guarantee will encourage farmers to expand production or increase investments in existing plots to improve quantity and quality. Côte d'Ivoire produces about one-third of the world's cocoa beans. The industry employs 900 000 farmers and supports about 3.5 million people.

Article in English: http://www.irinnews.org/Report/96731/COTE-D-IVOIRE-Cocoa-farmers-welcome-state-imposed-prices

Article in French: http://www.irinnews.org/fr/Report/96735/CÔTE-D-IVOIRE-La-fixation-du-prix-du-cacao-bien-accueillie-par-les-planteurs

 

 

Publications

The impact of the Libyan crisis on the security situation in northern Mali

The fall of former Libyan leader Moammar Kadhafi has had grave consequences for security in Mali. Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga, Mali's former foreign minister under deposed President Amadou Toumani Touré, takes up the issue in paper appearing in "The hidden face of the Arab Revolutions," a new book published by the French Centre for Research and Intelligence (CF2R). Maïga writes that the international communities turned a deaf ear to Mali's warnings that the Libyan revolution would come with a cost for Mali's national security and for its vulnerable populations. As a result, the country was confronted with the sudden influx of destitute refugees, exacerbating the widespread poverty the country already faced. This was followed by a wave of well-resourced militants armed with sophisticated weaponry. While acknowledging that pre-existing political and social conditions certainly factored in - the people of the north, including the Touareg, have long complained of marginalisation - Maïga argues that the fall of Kadhafi hastened the disintegration of Mali's national and territorial unity.

Report in French: http://www.calameo.com/read/0003668460f5894f07953

Youth and skills: Putting education to work

 

UNESCO's 2012 Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report focuses on the need to improve skills training to give young people access to decent jobs. The report includes analysis from research conducted more than 200 countries and territories. Noting the large and growing youth population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the report emphasises the need for increased investment and innovation to create employment. Yet job creation is only one side of the equation, and the report highlights the need to address the skills deficit that often relegates young people to unemployment or subsistence work. In 23 of the 30 Sub-Saharan African countries surveyed, more than half of 15- to19-year-olds lacked "foundation skills" normally acquired through primary and lower secondary school. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger the report found that 60% of youths in this age category had no formal education. For such youths, alternative approaches are needed to impart the literacy, numeracy and other skills needed to access decent employment. One popular and potentially effective tool is the traditional apprenticeship, but policymakers must ensure the quality of the apprenticeships as well as equitable access to these opportunities.

Report in English: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002180/218003e.pdf

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