Russian, Chinese inroads in Africa; French intelligence & Rwanda genocide; Africa is an opportunity for the world, and more

The ever-adaptive Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) insurgency (Paul Nantulya, Africa Center for Strategic Studies)
A surge in violent activity by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has demonstrated growing virulence in this mysterious group operating on the borders of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The number of violent events linked to ADF tripled in 2018, to 132 from 38 in 2017. Fatalities doubled to 415 over the same period. This includes the killing of peacekeepers from the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), as well as civilians along the DRC/Uganda border. In all, the deaths of 700 civilians have been attributed to the ADF since 2014.

Central African Republic armed groups reach peace deal (AP)
Last week, a peace deal was reached between the government of the Central African Republic and 14 armed groups as a result of talks that began January 24 in Sudan’s capital Khartoum. The agreement, which was mediated by the African Union, is the eighth since fighting began, but the first to emerge from direct dialogue that incorporated representatives of armed groups. Details of the agreement have yet to be released, as three parties to the peace deal have yet to sign.

Figure of the week: Fragile states are ripe for disasters (Nirav Patel, Brookings)
On January 11, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings released Foresight Africa: Top Priorities for the Continent in 2019. This annual publication delineates the year’s most pressing issues and offers guidance on resolving them. The report’s fourth chapter, “Fixing Fragility,” focuses on the role private sector and local institutions can play in addressing the challenges of fragile countries.

Morocco freezes involvement in Saudi-led coalition in Yemen (AP)
Government officials say Morocco has stopped taking part in military action with the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s war, and has recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Tensions have been mounting between Morocco and Saudi Arabia, amid international concerns about Saudi actions in the Yemen war and other issues. A Moroccan government official said Thursday that Morocco no longer takes part in military interventions or ministerial meetings in the Saudi-led coalition. The official didn’t elaborate. Morocco’s government has not divulged details of its military’s participation in the coalition, which has been at war in Yemen against Iran-aligned Houthi rebels since 2015. The war has killed thousands and displaced over 3 million people.

Sahel leaders seek UN help against Jihadist attacks (News24)
Five nations waging a battle against jihadi fighters in the Sahel asked the UN on Tuesday for money and other aid to help tackle a scourge which claimed more lives even as officials met. Leaders of the so-called G5 Sahel - Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger - gathered in the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou seeking to beef up the battle against jihadists who have killed hundreds of civilians and inflicted crippling economic damage. In the latest incident, five security personnel were killed on Tuesday in a what the army called a “terrorist” attack in northern Burkina Faso. “A military detachment from forces ensuring security in the north at Oursi, in the Sahel were attacked by terrorists,” the army said in a statement. “Five gendarmes were killed and three injured, including two seriously,” it said, shortly after another similar attack Monday left 14 civilians dead.

U.S. military intensifies airstrikes against Al Qaeda in Somalia (Bill Roggio, RCD)
The U.S military has stepped up its targeting of Shabaab, al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia and East Africa. Since the New Year, U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM) has hit Shabaab 14 times. AFRICOM acknowledges that the air campaign is not sufficient to defeat Shabaab, but can only support the Somali government’s efforts.

Nigerian scientists patented a sickle cell drug using a traditional herbal remedy—then it all fell apart (Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu, Quartz Africa)
The successful development of a drug for the treatment of a sickle cell anaemia using a traditional herbal remedy by Nigerian scientists was widely regarded as a very significant breakthrough in medicine in 1998. Before Niprisan there was only one approved sickle cell drug (Hydroxyurea) but it was bogged down with multiple concerns about its toxic and carcinogenic side effects on patients.

Sahel Islamist groups’ networking skills growing: Security report (Reuters)
A surge in violent attacks linked to Islamist groups in West Africa’s Sahel region reflects their growing capabilities and networking abilities, according to an international security conference report. Three-quarters of battles with state security forces during 2018 were initiated by the groups, it said, according to extracts from the report, prepared for the annual Munich Security Conference and seen by Reuters on Friday. It cited Africa Center for Strategic Studies data showing fatalities linked to Islamist militant activity more than doubled from 2017 to 1,082. There was also a growing “security traffic jam” of military forces in the area including a United Nations mission, France’s Operation Barkhane, four European Union military and police training missions, and the G5 regional partnership established in 2015.

Details of Central African Republic rebel deal released (AP)
An agreement signed by Central African Republic and 14 rebel groups earlier this week will see the dissolution of armed groups, the formation of an inclusive government and the creation of a fund for victims who have suffered in years of conflict, according to the accord seen Friday. The deal signed Wednesday is the eighth since the fighting began in 2013 but the first to emerge from direct dialogue. The 30-page peace pact, negotiated in Sudan and titled the Political Accord for Peace and Reconciliation, evokes four main points: victims, justice, peace and national reconciliation. The agreement says that armed groups will undertake to respect the legitimacy of the country’s institutions, and to renounce the use of arms and violence against the defense and security forces, U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers.

French lawmakers defend airstrikes against Chadian rebels (RFI)
French politicians have defended a series of airstrikes in Chad targeting a rebel convoy this week, saying it respected international law and supported a legitimate government. Chad’s President Idriss Deby said the convoy of “mercenaries” had been completely destroyed with no loss of life or damage to equipment for the government. “France never intervenes - even if a country’s authorities ask - just to target people who are against the government,” said Thomas Gassilloud, an MP with the ruling LREM party and member of the commission for national defence and armed forces. “We decided on our intervention on the basis of a formal request by the Chadian authorities with strict respect for international law,” Gassilloud told RFI’s service Afrique.

Pope to visit Moroccan Imam school to boost moderate Islam (AP)
Pope Francis will meet with migrants in Morocco and visit a training institute for imams that seeks to be a bulwark against Islamic extremism during his March 30-31 visit to the North African nation. The Vatican on Saturday released the schedule for the pope’s trip to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. It comes on the heels of Francis’ recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he signed a landmark “fraternity” document with a leading Sunni imam and sought to encourage moderate Islam and interfaith ties. During his visit, Francis will meet with King Mohammed VI as well as the country’s priests and religious sisters and celebrate Mass for the Catholic community. His meeting with migrants will take place at the Vatican’s Caritas charity. Francis is also planning a visit to a social center outside Rabat.

Poorest countries in Africa set to wipe out neglected diseases while richest fall behind (Anne Gulland, Telegraph)
Some of the poorest countries in Africa are set to wipe out the most common diseases of poverty within the next few years. A review of 49 African countries’ progress in fighting neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) shows that some of the continent’s poorest countries, such as eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Malawi and Mali are outperforming some richer countries such as Botswana and South Africa. The analysis, by the organisation United to Combat NTDs, looked at the five most common NTDs in Africa: blinding trachoma, the leading cause of infectious blindness; intestinal worms that can stunt the growth of children; mosquito-borne elephantiasis; snail-borne bilharzia and river blindness. All of the diseases can be prevented or treated with medicines that are donated for free by pharmaceutical companies.

Tens of thousands of Muslims attend anti-govt rally in Mali (AFP)
Tens of thousands of Malians gathered on Sunday in Bamako for a rally called by the country’s chief Muslim leaders, who accuse the government of failing to bring stability back to the nation plagued by jihadist attacks. Huge crowds packed out the capital’s 60 000-seat stadium, with many veiled women sitting in stands separated from the male attendees, according to an AFP reporter. “It’s a rally to challenge the government and a mass prayer for my country,” influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, who presides over the Islamic High Council (IHC), told AFP ahead of the gathering. “Our country is faced with a governance problem. This rally wants to draw attention to that. People need to talk to each other,” said Dicko who organized Sunday’s event with Bouye Haidara, another major Muslim leader.

Nearly 70 killed in Cameroon as separatists stop youth week activities (VOA)
Renewed fighting has killed 69 people in English-speaking regions of Cameroon, where armed separatists have ordered people to stay inside their homes as the country prepares to celebrate its national youth day.
February 11 coincides with the 1961 plebiscite, which separatists identify as the day their English-speaking territory was handed to the French-speaking majority.

Africa’s free trade zone is ‘on course’ (DW)
Africa is trading - just not within the continent. The African Union wants to change this and launch the world’s largest free trade area. The plan has potential, but some member states are keeping the AU in suspense.

US imposes visa sanctions on Ghana for refusing to take back deportees (CNN)
The United States has imposed visa restrictions on Ghana following the government’s refusal to accept Ghanaian nationals deported from the US back into the country.
“Ghana has failed to live up to its obligations under international law to accept the return of its nationals ordered removed from the United States,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in the statement on Thursday.

Africa is an opportunity for the world: Overlooked progress in governance and human development (Landry Signé and Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Brookings)
While narratives over the past few decades have painted a wide range of views of Africa—as a child in need of development, a rising economic power, an imminent threat, a tinderbox of terrorism, poverty, forced migration, and disease—the truth is, as always, more nuanced. One thing is certain: the transformation that Africa has undergone in recent decades has been remarkable. Africa is shaping its own destiny and should be referred to as the “African opportunity” instead of the “African threat.”