The Africa watchRussian, Chinese inroads in Africa; French intelligence & Rwanda genocide; Africa is an opportunity for the world, and more
· Security breakdown at this U.S. embassy echoes Benghazi
· US general warns of Russian, Chinese inroads in Africa
· Memo suggests French intelligence knew about attack on Rwandan president in lead up to genocide
· The ever-adaptive Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgency
· Central African Republic armed groups reach peace deal
· Figure of the week: Fragile states are ripe for disasters
· Morocco freezes involvement in Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
· Sahel leaders seek UN help against Jihadist attacks
· U.S. Military intensifies airstrikes against Al Qaeda in Somalia.
· Nigerian scientists patented a sickle cell drug using a traditional herbal remedy—then it all fell apart
· Sahel Islamist groups’ networking skills growing: Security report
· Details of Central African Republic rebel deal released
· French lawmakers defend airstrikes against Chadian rebels
· Pope to visit Moroccan Imam school to boost moderate Islam
· Poorest countries in Africa set to wipe out neglected diseases while richest fall behind
· Tens of thousands of Muslims attend anti-govt rally in Mali
· Nearly 70 killed in Cameroon as separatists stop youth week activities
· Africa’s free trade zone is ‘on course’
· US imposes visa sanctions on Ghana for refusing to take back deportees
· Africa is an opportunity for the world: Overlooked progress in governance and human development
Security breakdown at this U.S. embassy echoes Benghazi (Neil Gordon, Daily Beast)
Just as in Libya in 2012, the warning signs in Nairobi are there for all to see. There is a real threat of terrorism. There is no, ‘If there is another attack,’ it’s ‘when.’
US general warns of Russian, Chinese inroads in Africa (VOA)
Fears that Washington is increasingly losing influence across the globe are starting to come to fruition in Africa, where a top military official says Russia is playing on perceived U.S. weaknesses to gain leverage and resources. The most alarming inroads have come in African countries where leaders are seeking to consolidate power, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, told lawmakers Thursday, adding Russia seems to have its sights set on areas that could give them an edge over U.S. allies. “It’s, I think, clear that’s their strategy along the northern part of Africa, southern part of NATO, the Mediterranean, to have influence inside of Libya, for example,” Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he warned the Kremlin’s designs go even further, pointing to Russian inroads in the Central African Republic, where the Russian military firm Wagner has stationed about 175 mercenaries.
Memo suggests French intelligence knew about attack on Rwandan president in lead up to genocide (France24)
Radio France and the news site Mediapart published on Wednesday excerpts of a memo from the DGSE - the French equivalent of MI6 and the CIA - which seems to refute the idea that they knew nothing of the Rwandan genocide as it began to unfold. The two news organisations published a note from the French exterior intelligence agency in September 1994 saying that two “Hutu extremists” were the main sponsors of an attack that triggered the genocide that year in the eastern African country. They note that this memo was “declassified by the French defence minister in September 2015” at the request of judicial authorities in Paris. “This French intelligence document understands that two extremists - Colonel Théoniste Bagosora, an aide to the defence minister; and Laurent Serubuga, a former chief of staff of the Rwandan armed forces - were the main instigators of an April 1994 attack,” says the joint Radio France and Mediapart report. “Did the French secret services really know nothing?” it continued.
