Africa News Digest
Franco-African Summit Joint Statement Against Iraq War
The 22nd Heads of State Conference of Africa and France, which began Feb. 20 in Paris, issued a policy statement the same day, opposing war on Iraq. The 52 African nations and France declared: "There is an alternative to war.... The use of force, which entails serious risks of destabilization of the region, for Africa and the world, should only be a last resort."
It said that the disarmament of Iraq is the shared goal of the international community, and the only legitimate framework for handling this issue is the UN, according to Xinhua news service. The signatories reaffirmed support for the chief UN arms inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammed El Baradei, and called for "substantial enhancement of their human and technical capacities, within the framework of UN Resolution 1441, whose possibilities have not yet been entirely exhausted."
The Franco-African summits, usually held behind closed doors, have rarely issued any declaration. There are 53 countries in Africa, and all 52 that participated, signed the statement. Only war-torn Somalia was absent. The current summit is the largest since the first one in 1973, with 43 delegations led by heads of state.
This includes Cameroon, Angola, and Guinea, which are non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. On March 1, majority-Muslim Guinea will chair the UNSC for a month.
Just before the meeting, aides to French President Jacques Chirac said that he "wants to once again make Africa one of France's priorities." Among the African leaders in Paris for the summit were Zimbabwean President Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, and Morocco's King Mohammed VI. Ivory Coast was represented by new Prime Minister Seydou Diarra.
South Africa Opposes War, Sends Disarmament Experts to Iraq
Amid strong calls by all of Africa's nations for a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis, the government of South African President Thabo Mbeki named a team of seven scientists to go to Iraq to share their country's expertise on disarmament.
These scientists had led South Africa's program to be rid of all weapons of mass destruction after the end of apartheid in 1994, and the mission had been discussed and agreed to in talks between South Africa and Iraq.
In a speech before his Parliament, President Mbeki said that, hopefully, the scientists can "facilitate the work of both the UN weapons inspectors and the government of Iraq" and "bring us back from the brink of war...," while helping to ensure Iraqi disarmament. Opponents of the Iraq war acknowledge that this is a political, rather than scientific, move. Warmongers in the Bush Administration tried to play off "good" South Africa against "bad" Iraq on the question of disarmament, saying real disarmament "looks like" what happened in South Africa. Now the South African experts will be participating in the process.
In further efforts to avert war, on Feb. 15 demonstrations which were part of the International Day of Action against the War, took place in Johannesburg and Cape Town (marches to the U.S. consulates,) Durban, and Bloemfontein. These were part of a month-long process of collecting massive numbers of signatures on a petition against the war. Fifty organizations were involved, including the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and three opposition partiesthe Azanian People's Organization (AZAPO), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and United Democratic Movement (UDM); the South Africa Communist Party; Congress of South African Trade Unions; and religious organizations, including the South Africa Council of Churches, Council of Muslim Theologians, Jamiatul Ulama, Muslim Alliance Against the War, and Jewish Voices. In Johannesburg Feb. 14, Christians and members of other faiths joined Muslims for Friday prayers at one of the largest mosques.
Every Country Is Threatened by 'Unilateral' Action, Says ANC Leader
South Africa could be the next victim of "unilateral" action by the U.S., African National Congress secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe warned on Feb. 19, as he addressed thousands of anti-war protesters outside the U.S. embassy in Pretoria. "The primary crime of Iraq is the fact that it floats on oil. Because we are endowed with several rich minerals, if we don't stop this unilateral action against Iraq today, tomorrow they will come for us," said Motlanthe. At the time of the last Zimbabwe election, Motlanthe had also noted that the international assault on Zimbabwe might well be launched next against South Africa.
Outside the embassy, Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa (former head of the trade union federation COSATU) told the crowd that peace was important for development across the globe. "Yes, we are concerned about weapons of mass destruction of Iraq. Yes, we want Iraq to disarm in terms of a UN resolution. But we must not only talk about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; we must talk about weapons of mass destruction wherever they are found." This, he added, included the U.S. and Britain.
'Sharp Word on Iraq from Outgoing Nigerian Ambassador'
Jibril Muhammad Aminu, Nigeria's outgoing ambassador to Washington, spoke frankly about Nigeria's viewand his ownof Washington's policy of war against Iraq, in an interview in Washington with AllAfrica.com, published Feb. 14. Some of his comments follow.
The events of Sept. 11, Ambassador Aminu said, "made people sympathize very much with the United States. But we don't understand how this has been translated into war against Iraq....
"Now they have advanced that you have to 'preempt' in order to stop terrorism from aligning itself to a rogue state with weapons, finding evidence of a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda. These things worry people!
"And also, whatever the UN people say, the inspectorsvery respected people who appear to be neutralwhatever they say or the Secretary-General says, are all just brushed aside as not being germane to the issue...."
"If you go to Nigeria, you will find many people admiring the United States.... You will not find sympathy for terrorists or for Osama bin Laden.... But you will also not find anybody sympathizing with the American position over Iraq."
Ambassador Aminu has served as Nigerian Minister of Education and Minister of Petroleum.
Britain Blocks EU-African Summit in Fit Over Mugabe
The EU-African summit meeting scheduled to take place in Portugal in April, has been postponed indefinitely over Zimbabwe because of opposition from the British Commonwealth. "Southern African countries had defended [President Robert] Mugabe's right to attend and threatened a boycott if he was not invited," reported the British Independent News on Feb. 15. "But Tony Blair and several EU leaders made clear that they would not share a platform with the Zimbabwe leader."
The EU "agreed to renew for another year the visa ban, asset freeze and arms embargo against more than 70 members of the Zimbabwe government and their associates," reports Independent News. But an intervention by French President Jacques Chirac against the Commonwealth sanctions against Zimbabwe, is in the offing, after Mugabe attended the Franco-African summit in Paris at the invitation of the French government. In addition, Nigeria and South Africa, two members of the three members of the Commonwealth troika (the third is Australia) dealing with Zimbabwe, want sanctions ended.
Chinese Cooperation Hailed by Zimbabwe Press, Government
In major developments reported by the Harare Herald last week, China is making a significant intervention into the improvement of Zimbabwean infrastructure.
Zimbabwe's Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo announced "that the China International Water and Electric Corporation won an open tender to clear, open and plough virgin land at the Nuanetsi Ranch," reported the Herald on Feb. 14. This involves 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) to be used for maize and sorghum, where the actual farming "would be done by Zimbabweans." The company will build the necessary roads and other infrastructure. Moyo added that "indigenous technological systems" will be used for flood irrigation. The Chinese would be paid in local currency. The same Chinese company has already completed the construction of several dams in Zimbabwe. The projected yield is 2.1 million tons of maize annually, assuming three crops per year.
Reports in the Zimbabwe press "hailed" the Chinese cooperation, as a high-level Chinese delegation, including Wan Guoquan, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Xiao Jie, Deputy Finance Minister; Wang Longde, Deputy Minister of Health; and six others, held meetings.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Speaker of Parliament, told the delegation "that President Mugabe had instructed government ministers to consolidate the relationship between Zimbabwe and China at every level of interaction," reported the Herald Feb. 19.
China has announced a grant of $275 million for development of Zimbabwe's health system (including AIDS assistance), agriculture, and industry. It is also considering scholarships to train Zimbabwean health personnel and specialists. China has been sending its own medical personnel and specialists to Zimbabwe since 1985, and will consider increasing the numbers. A loan facility was also discussed.
Ivorian Army Okays Rebels in Government for the First Time
On Feb. 19, the army of Ivory Coast for the first timereportedlyagreed to allow representatives of the rebel forces to take government posts, which had been negotiated in the lengthy and shifting talks in Paris. The spokesman for the Ivorian army, Lt. Jules Yao Yao, said that the army would allow rebels into the government, if "it is the price to pay for peace." But rebels will not be allowed to have the portfolios of defense and security, which had been previously discussed. Quoting an interview that Lt. Yao Yao had given to government media, Voice of America News (VOA) reported that he said that these two portfolios would have to go to "neutral people."
From Paris, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who has been involved in mediation, said "he believed the rebels had accepted a proposal under which they would get two other ministries of equal importance. [Newly appointed Prime Minister Seydou] Diarra would head a neutral security council including the rebels and charged with reforming the army." However, after some initial positive statements, rebel leaders are still demanding that they have the defense and security posts.
In addition, tensions were high in the area around Abidjan, reported Reuters on Feb. 21, after the killing of four Muslims, including a Muslim cleric. "The Muslim community lives in fear. No Muslim sleeps well. Muslims have been the victims since last September," said Idriss Koudouss Kone, head of the National Islamic Council.
World Food Program Warns that Africa Will Suffer Under Iraq War
War against Iraq will aggravate the humanitarian crisis of Ivory Coast and its neighbors, says the UN'S World Food Program (WFP). "At the end of October, WFP launched an appeal for $6.6 million from donors and we have only received 30% of this amount. Luxemburg, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy have given," said Ramin Rafirasme, WFP regional spokesman in Abidjan, reported Agence France Presse Feb. 16. "If war is unleashed in Iraq, the attention of the international community will be completely diverted from Ivory Coast and its neighbors, and there is a danger that aid will become nonexistent," he added. According to Rafirasme, the WFP operating budget for his region is 15% of what is necessary. AFP says that the U.S., the principal contributor to WFP, has still not made an offer of aid in response to the October appeal.
The war in Ivory Coast has led to a million people fleeing their homes. WFP estimates 100,000 of them need food, while the rest are relying on the traditional solidarity of their extended families. But WFP expects the number to grow if the war drags on, because it will lead to the further impoverishment of the population. It takes four to six months for a donation to be realized. Existing donations will only last until March, and only if the number of those in need does not increase.
AIDS-Related Deaths Skyrocket in South African Prisons
The number of AIDS-related deaths inside the prisons in South Africa is estimated to have grown by 750% since 1995, an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) research consultant said on Feb 19. Six times more prisoners died of natural causes last year than in 1995, and 90-95% of the deaths were believed to have been AIDS-related, K.C. Goyer told an ISS seminar in Pretoria. She estimated that 41.4% of the prison population was HIV-positive as of last year. Goyer is quoted: "The socioeconomic indicators for crime and incarceration are similar to those for HIV/Aids." These include poverty and unemployment. Most prisoners are between 18 and 35 years old. Goyer added that "the conditions inside prison contribute to the progression of HIV and the onset of AIDS and death."
Another spokesman was Maria Mabena, acting director of health at the Department of Correctional Services. Mabena noted that South Africa presently has about 182,000 prisoners, but the capacity to handle only 90,000 in its prison system. Lack of ventilation increases the likelihood of the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis, one of the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. Other risk factors include stress and inadequate nutrition. Mabena said her Department was unable to recruit and retain nurses, who left because they could not cope any longer. She added that the Department did not have its own doctors on the payroll either.
One of the principles of the Department's new HIV/AIDS policy, approved last October, was the early release of terminally ill patients. But Mabena noted that the process of doing this was still very long and cumbersome.
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