Zambia’s Catholic bishops raise concern over rights violations

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA — In Zambia, Catholic bishops raised the alarm this week about increased arrests and prolonged detentions of opposition leaders.

In a letter signed by all 11 of the country’s Catholic bishops, they lamented what they called significant restrictions on democratic freedom, illustrated by charges being brought against at least six opposition leaders, as well as journalists and civil society activists, for political activities.

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, the church’s national leadership body, released a pastoral letter Sunday. It said the church is alarmed by gross violations of human rights and undemocratic tendencies by the Zambian government.

The group’s president, Kasama Archbishop Ignatius Chama, said, “Even more alarming is the disturbing trend by the police of keeping suspects in detention for a period more than prescribed by the law.”

Hate speech penalties

Chama urged authorities to withdraw a penal code amendment bill being considered by parliament to allow for further consultations. According to the National Assembly website, the bill is aimed at increasing penalties for hate speech.

Introducing the bill in June, President Hakainde Hichilema said certain sections of society were promoting hate speech against some tribes, which he said could cause civil strife. He said the proposed law would help ensure that perpetrators were given stiffer punishments and deter others.

However, the bishops said the proposals would undermine fundamental freedoms needed to ensure democracy.

Jackson Silavwe, a spokesperson for the United Kwacha Alliance, a network of 10 opposition political parties, told VOA that the Catholic Church has shown commitment to being the voice of the voiceless in Zambia.

“We commend the ZCCB for its courageous and principled stance in addressing these critical issues, which resonate with the cries of many Zambians yearning for justice, equity and peace in our nation,” Silavwe said.

Government response

Zambia‘s chief government spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, told journalists Tuesday that the government is studying the contents of the letter.

“The church are all-weather partners of government, and where they raise issues of concern, we shall not be in a hurry to respond to them,” Mweetwa said. “We would like to internalize and be able to consult widely.”

University of Zambia lecturer and political scientist Boniface Cheembe emphasized the need for the church and government to strengthen dialogue and address issues of mutual interest.

In August 2024, senior United Nations human rights officials issued a report that concluded the restrictions and arrests of political opponents in Zambia has had a chilling effect on freedom of opinion, association and assembly in the country and has stunted the building of democratic institutions.

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Mozambique president wants talks to end weeks of post-election unrest

Maputo, Mozambique — In a state of the nation address late Tuesday, outgoing Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi invited the four presidential candidates for a dialogue as part of a bid to end post-election unrest that has left several people dead and dozens of others injured.

Protesters say the October 9 election won by ruling party candidate Daniel Chapo was rigged. The government denies that accusation. 

Nyusi said the demonstrations are having a negative impact on the economy, as they limit the activities of companies and ports and increase unemployment, among other issues. 

He said in his address that he will work to pacify Mozambique until the last day of his term, but he needs all Mozambicans to come together to solve the problems. He also hoped that, by meeting with the four candidates from the recent election, they could find a solution that benefits the country. 

At least 30 people are reported to have died during the post-election violence that flared after electoral officials said Chapo, of the ruling Frelimo party, won the presidential election with more than 60% of the vote.  

Venancio Mondlane, the independent candidate who came in second with 20%, challenged the result and called for nationwide protests. 

International observers say the election was marred by irregularities. 

Nyusi’s invitation to the dialogue comes a few days after the Attorney General’s Office filed cases against Venancio Mondlane and his PODEMOS party to compensate the state for property damage caused during protests. 

Human rights activist Adriano Nuvunga said the president is trying to prod Mondlane into dialogue while refusing to acknowledge the protesters’ grievances. The president has repeatedly called for protesters to wait until the Constitutional Council validates the election results.  

Nuvunga expressed skepticism over the dialogue, which he said is carried out with sticks through legal proceedings. He said the president’s call for a meeting did not seem genuine, adding Nyusi has been hiding behind the Constitutional Council for a long time, which has discredited the legitimacy of the results. 

Mondlane holds historical ruling Frelimo figures responsible for issues troubling the country, including widespread poverty and high rates of youth unemployment.

But Methodist Bishop Dinis Matsolo said dialogue is the best way to calm the country and move forward. 

In a telephone interview, Matsolo told VOA that Mozambique needs credible elections to achieve domestic peace.  

“What is happening now is the consequence of bad mismanagement of the electoral process, so it is very crucial that people should talk and put things right,” Matsolo said. “If we look at the whole thing, the whole electoral process is not well conducted in the country and that creates a lot of anxiety.”

So far, none of the four candidates have accepted the president’s offer to hold talks. Chapo is scheduled to be inaugurated in January.

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Facing unemployment and rockets, African migrants are trapped in Lebanon

Lebanon is home to an estimated 176,000 migrants, many of them African women working menial jobs. Since the conflict began, many of them have been displaced, facing uncertain futures. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ethel Bonet in Beirut.

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Suicide bombing kills 12 Pakistan soldiers

ISLAMABAD — Authorities in northwestern Pakistan said Wednesday that militants overnight launched a gun and suicide bomb attack against a military outpost, killing at least 12 troops and injuring several others.

The deadly assault took place in the militancy-hit Bannu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.

The statement reported that Pakistani security forces in the ensuing gunfight killed six assailants and “effectively” blocked their attempt to enter the post, prompting a suicide bomber to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the facility.

The explosion caused the collapse of a portion of “the perimeter wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure,” resulting in fatalities, the military said.

“Sanitization operation is being conducted in the area, and the perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice,” the statement added. It did not share further details.

Local security sources have confirmed that at least six troops also sustained injuries, with two of them in “critical” condition.

The military statement attributed the attack to “Khwarij,” a term the government uses for militants linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The outlawed group frequently targets army and police forces in the province’s districts near or on the Afghan border.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant organization affiliated with the TTP, claimed responsibility for the Tuesday night raid in Bannu.

Pakistan says that TTP, which the United Nations lists as a global terrorist organization, is orchestrating the deadly violence from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Islamabad has persistently urged the Islamist Taliban government in Kabul, which is not recognized by any country, to prevent TTP and other anti-Pakistan groups from using Afghan soil for cross-border terrorism.

Taliban authorities in Afghanistan deny the allegations, saying no foreign militant groups are present in the country.

 

Pakistani security forces are also battling ethnic separatists in the country’s largest but sparsely populated province, Balochistan in the southwest.

Resurgent militant violence, mainly affecting the two provinces, has claimed the lives of more than 1,100 Pakistanis, many of them security forces, so far this year, according to the Islamabad-based independent Center for Research and Security Studies.

The surge in attacks in natural resources-rich Balochistan prompted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday to approve a new military offensive against separatists in the province, which borders Afghanistan and is home to China-funded major infrastructure development projects.

The official announcement did not say when the military offensive would be launched, nor did it share other details.    

 

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More rescued victims of insurgency handed over to Borno state government

Abuja, Nigeria — Stability is returning to northeastern Nigeria after decades of insurgency as the military and the Borno State government work to reduce terrorist activities and rescue abducted civilians.

Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s counter-insurgency operation in the northeast launched in 2021, has rescued of numerous civilians held captive by insurgents.

The deputy theater commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Kenneth Chigbu, praised the partnership with Borno State government.

“The Borno State government has always come to our aid and support in ensuring that the entire state is rid of the activities of terrorists,” Chigbu said.

Alice Loksha was working for UNICEF when she was abducted by the Islamic State West Africa Province insurgent group in a 2018 raid on a humanitarian camp in Borno.

After six years in captivity, she escaped and found refuge in a military camp.

Loksha credits her freedom to military efforts.

“We want to thank God for the military,” she said. “We pray that God will continue to strengthen them and give them victory over these terrorists”

The Borno State government is working closely with the military to support survivors like Loksha.

Zuwaira Gambo, the state’s commissioner for women’s affairs, said the partnership is key to the region’s stability.

“The synergy that exists between the military and the government, because without the enabling environment, Borno State won’t be enjoying the peace and stability we are witnessing today,” Gambo said. “It is that singular commitment and political will of the government that our sisters are able to escape, to be received by the military and officially being handed over today to the Bono state government.”

Chigbu has urged terrorists to surrender, promising amnesty to those who lay down their arms.

“Let me also use this opportunity on behalf of the theater commander to once again extend the olive branch to the so-called terrorists,” he said. “The fight is long enough. They should come out. Amnesty will be given, will be granted them, just as the lot of them who have surrendered.”

In July, Operation Hadin Kai successfully rescued 330 captives, including a schoolgirl abducted in the town of Chibok in 2014.

Most recently, Alice Loksha and another victim have been handed over to the Borno State government for rehabilitation.

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Islamic Council’s VPN decree raises concerns about privacy in Pakistan

WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful, igniting a debate on privacy rights and access to information amid a government crackdown on the internet.

Allama Raghib Naeemi, head of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), issued a decree saying it makes no difference whether a VPN is registered or unregistered.

“If attempts are made to access indecent or immoral sites, character assassination is done, statements are being made against national security, or if various incidents of religious blasphemy are being spread through it, then [using] it would completely be un-Islamic,” he said.

A VPN protects online privacy by creating a secure connection and is used to access blocked content, protect data from hackers and support remote work or secure transactions.

Several internet service providers in Pakistan expressed concerns Tuesday over the possible imposition of blanket restrictions on VPNs, warning that the move would anger users and impact online businesses.

Shahzad Arshad, chairman of the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, said in a statement, “It is essential to recognize that blanket restrictions or sweeping narratives around tools like VPNs risk alienating segments of society, particularly those who rely on these tools for entirely legitimate purposes, such as IT exports, financial transactions, and academic research.”

Arshad, in reference to CII’s declaration, said technology is neutral and that how it is used determines whether it is aligned with ethics.

Amnesty Tech, part of Amnesty International, said last week on X that imposing restrictions on VPNs would amount to “violating the right to privacy under international law, restricting people’s access to information, and suppressing free expression.”

Qibla Ayaz, former chairman of CII, told VOA Deewa it seems as if a government agency has reached out to the religious body seeking its stance on the VPN issue.

“Similar requests were sent by the government in 2023,” he said. 

The CII is a constitutional body in Pakistan that advises the legislature on whether a certain law is repugnant to Islam, namely to the Quran and Sunna.

According to activists and experts, CII’s declarations on technology use are unwarranted and will only strengthen the government’s digital suppression of social media users.

Haroon Baloch, a Pakistani digital rights activist, believes the proposed restrictions on VPNs are aimed at suppressing political dissent.

“First, the government had compliance challenges with X. And when the platform did not agree with the government’s requests, then it banned X. And when X was available with the help of VPN, the government is planning to ban the VPN now,” Haroon told VOA.

Pakistan banned X in February and installed firewalls to restrict access to certain online content. But consumers are using VPNs to access restricted networks and content and to hide their identities and locations. 

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir told a gathering at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute on November 16 that technology has played a pivotal role in the dissemination of information, but “the spread of misleading and incorrect information has become a significant challenge.”

In a speech to religious leaders in Islamabad earlier in August, Munir said, “Anarchy is spread through social media.”

A directive in October from the Interior Ministry asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to block “illegal” VPNs that had not registered by the end of November.

The Interior Ministry charged in a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which oversees the internet and mobile industry and has broad powers over online content and the licensing of service providers, that terrorists are increasingly using VPNs to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.

“Of late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” the letter said, adding that pornography sites are frequently accessed using VPNs.

“These trends … warrant the prohibition of unauthorized virtual private networks in order to address critical threats,” the letter said.

The 2024 “Freedom on the Net” report published by Freedom House says the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has historically implemented policies that undermine internet freedom, removed content without a transparent process and instituted wholesale bans on platforms.

This story originated in VOA’s Deewa Service.

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Wife of slain Pakistani journalist’s long and lonely fight for justice

WASHINGTON — The last time Javeria Siddique spoke with her husband, the renowned Pakistani news anchor Arshad Sharif, he was “happy and excited,” she said.

Sharif was in Kenya after leaving his home country because of threats and legal issues. On that video call on October 21, 2022, he talked to all the family members, Siddique said, even the pets.

“His dogs were so excited to see him on video call as they thought he had returned home,” Siddique told VOA.

But the journalist never returned home. Two days after that call, Sharif was shot dead at a roadblock in Kenya.

His death shocked Pakistan and led to competing theories about what happened. Was it, as Kenyan authorities claim, a case of mistaken identity, or had powerful interests that Sharif took on in his journalism found a way to silence him?

For Siddique, she is balancing grief over her husband of 12 years with fighting for answers about what led to his death, and who may be responsible.

But it is a lonely fight.

“It is so quiet in my house right now that you can hear the ticking of the wall clock. It seems like everything is getting out of hand,” Siddique told VOA during a video call.

Siddique, one of Sharif’s two widows, wants the government to re-open the case into her husband’s killing. “A special judicial commission should be formed,” she said, “so that an investigation can be conducted into the murder of Arshad Sharif and other journalists who have been killed in Pakistan this year.”

Siddique’s push for justice is a challenge shared by other families of journalists killed in apparent retaliation for their work.

Pakistan has legislation to ensure journalist safety at provincial and federal levels, said Iqbal Khattak, Pakistan representative for Reporters Without Borders, known as RSF.

But, “both the laws appear to be failing in protecting journalists and combating impunity, leaving journalists vulnerable, without any use of the legal framework protections,” said Khattak.

Part of the reason, he added, is because the safety commissions and systems required have not been fully established.

“Without robust and functioning safety mechanisms, these laws will remain ineffective, and the lives of media professionals will continue to be at greater risks.”

Pakistan has proved to be one of the deadliest countries for journalists this year, with at least six killings, according to media watchdogs.

But the Pakistani media watchdog Freedom Network, of which Khattak is executive director, has documented attempted killings this year as well.

In the group’s first report focused on journalist safety, it documented at least 57 violations, including threats, assaults, and legal harassment between November 2023 and August 2024.

Sharif had experienced threats and legal harassment before he finally left Pakistan in August 2022.

The one-time anchor of Pakistan’s ARY News channel had become a vocal critic of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office in April 2022.

“Arshad acted on his own will,” said Siddique. “And when you do that, the system starts to feel threatened by such people.”

Siddique said that suspicious people would stand outside their home, and on one occasion someone tried to enter their property. The journalist also received anonymous threatening calls.

But, she said, Sharif refused to back down. “I saw him becoming even more fearless. I saw him crossing the so-called ‘red lines.’ He started questioning various things that we normally cannot question in Pakistan.”

Sharif also came under legal threats, with sedition charges leveled against him when he finally left, traveling first to Dubai and then to Kenya.

Two months later, he was killed. Two years later, Sharif’s case remains unresolved.

Cross-border probe

The government of Pakistan sent an investigation team to Kenya and requested collaboration with Kenyan authorities, saying “an assassination cannot be ruled out.”

In December 2022, the chief justice of Pakistan’s supreme court ordered a five-member bench to look into Arshad’s death. The following year, that chief justice retired; since his departure, there has been no movement in the case.

Siddique says the Pakistan court proceedings have been marred with delays and hurdles.

There have been delays in Kenya, too. After a court there ruled that the journalist’s death was unlawful and arbitrary, law enforcement was ordered to pay compensation. But an appeal led to a stay on the case until January, one of the Kenyan lawyers who represents Siddique told VOA.

RSF’s Iqbal Khattak believes Pakistan should be taking the lead.

“Sharif’s murder story begins from Pakistan,” Khattak said. “If we do not find who killed him and why was he killed, then the conspiracy theories surrounding his death will stay the course and people will believe them.”

For Siddique, the two years since her husband’s death have been hard. She faced threats and harassment that she believes are intended to deter her from demanding a transparent investigation.

“In last two years, I had to relocate twice,” she said. “I have seen my ID card, home address, all plastered on the internet.”

She is also trying to keep the legal cases moving forward.

Siddique has demanded that the Pakistani state form a special judicial commission to investigate her husband’s death as well as the killings of other journalists in Pakistan this year.

“Now, I speak up for everyone. Because they all have the option to be reunited with their loved ones. I don’t have that option,” said Siddique.

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Pakistan’s Islamic Council calls for ban on use of VPNs

WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful, igniting a debate on privacy rights and access to information amid a government crackdown on the internet.

Allama Raghib Naeemi, head of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), issued a decree saying it makes no difference whether a VPN is registered or unregistered.

“If attempts are made to access indecent or immoral sites, character assassination is done, statements are being made against national security, or if various incidents of religious blasphemy are being spread through it, then [using] it would completely be un-Islamic,” he said.

A VPN protects online privacy by creating a secure connection and is used to access blocked content, protect data from hackers and support remote work or secure transactions.

Several internet service providers in Pakistan expressed concerns Tuesday over the possible imposition of blanket restrictions on VPNs, warning that the move would anger users and impact online businesses.

Shahzad Arshad, chairman of the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, said in a statement, “It is essential to recognize that blanket restrictions or sweeping narratives around tools like VPNs risk alienating segments of society, particularly those who rely on these tools for entirely legitimate purposes, such as IT exports, financial transactions, and academic research.”

Arshad, in reference to CII’s declaration, said technology is neutral and that how it is used determines whether it is aligned with ethics.

Amnesty Tech, part of Amnesty International, said last week on X that imposing restrictions on VPNs would amount to “violating the right to privacy under international law, restricting people’s access to information, and suppressing free expression.”

Qibla Ayaz, former chairman of CII, told VOA Deewa it seems as if a government agency has reached out to the religious body seeking its stance on the VPN issue.

“Similar requests were sent by the government in 2023,” he said. 

The CII is a constitutional body in Pakistan that advises the legislature on whether a certain law is repugnant to Islam, namely to the Quran and Sunna.

According to activists and experts, CII’s declarations on technology use are unwarranted and will only strengthen the government’s digital suppression of social media users.

Haroon Baloch, a Pakistani digital rights activist, believes the proposed restrictions on VPNs are aimed at suppressing political dissent.

“First, the government had compliance challenges with X. And when the platform did not agree with the government’s requests, then it banned X. And when X was available with the help of VPN, the government is planning to ban the VPN now,” Haroon told VOA.

Pakistan banned X in February and installed firewalls to restrict access to certain online content. But consumers are using VPNs to access restricted networks and content and to hide their identities and locations. 

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir told a gathering at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute on November 16 that technology has played a pivotal role in the dissemination of information, but “the spread of misleading and incorrect information has become a significant challenge.”

In a speech to religious leaders in Islamabad earlier in August, Munir said, “Anarchy is spread through social media.”

A directive in October from the Interior Ministry asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to block “illegal” VPNs that had not registered by the end of November.

The Interior Ministry charged in a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which oversees the internet and mobile industry and has broad powers over online content and the licensing of service providers, that terrorists are increasingly using VPNs to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.

“Of late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” the letter said, adding that pornography sites are frequently accessed using VPNs.

“These trends … warrant the prohibition of unauthorized virtual private networks in order to address critical threats,” the letter said.

The 2024 “Freedom on the Net” report published by Freedom House says the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has historically implemented policies that undermine internet freedom, removed content without a transparent process and instituted wholesale bans on platforms.

This story originated in VOA’s Deewa Service.

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Anti-corruption protesters in Botswana demand action from new government

Gaborone, Botswana — Botswana’s new leader, President Duma Boko, has promised zero tolerance for graft in his administration. The pledge comes as scores of Botswana residents join in youth-led anti-corruption protests, urging the government to prosecute former officials accused of looting public coffers.

Activist Setlhomo Tshwanelang mobilized the protests over alleged corruption within state enterprises.

He said more demonstrations are on the way and the new government must prosecute anyone who stole public funds.

Montshwari Mogopane, an investigator for Botswana’s Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, said his office has seen an increase in the number of reported cases of corruption.

“Of course, we have a problem of corruption in the country. This is reflected by the number of cases we receive under investigations,” Mogopane said. “The reports show an increase in the number of cases that we are receiving. There is that need to actually sharpen our swords and fight corruption.”

President Boko said there will be an audit of the state coffers to see if any corruption occurred. His government has reported the country is broke.

Boko told new members of Cabinet on Monday that under his administration, there will be no room for graft.

“There will be no corruption, firstly because I expect that you will uphold the highest standard, and secondly, more clinically, we will put very robust institutions and practices that will ensure that there is no corruption because we have to do it, so that even as we police ourselves, we must always know there are institutions and structures that are exerting influence and providing oversight in ensuring that we all stay on the straight and narrow,” he said.

Boko took office on November 1, after his party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, defeated the Botswana Democratic Party, which had ruled the country since independence in 1966.

Boko’s predecessor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, maintains he has not been involved in any illegal activity and will avail himself for questioning in case of any investigation against his former administration.

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Zambia, Zimbabwe seek move to wind, solar to avert power shortages

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwe and Zambia are holding a summit this week in Victoria Falls to identify ways to attract investors for energy projects and development.

The talks come as the neighbors experience their worst recorded drought, which is drying up the Kariba Dam reservoir and causing hourslong power cuts.

Speaking at the inaugural Zimbabwe-Zambia Energy Projects Summit, officials from both countries said depending so heavily on hydropower leaves them vulnerable to lengthy lapses in electricity. Recently, power outages reached 20 hours.

They say they want to increase investment in wind and solar energy generation.

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said Zimbabwe and Zambia are well-positioned to benefit from solar and wind power.

“In particular, the potential for solar energy is highly promising,” Chiwenga said. “Both Zimbabwe and Zambia enjoy abundant sunlight throughout the year. This is the only asset on this Earth we do not pay for. So, let’s use it.”

With investments, he said, building large-scale solar farms could generate power not only for local consumption but also to export to neighboring countries.

“These initiatives will not only enhance our national energy security but also position both nations as key players in the regional energy market,” he said.

Zimbabwe and Zambia have started exploring floating solar projects on Lake Kariba. The hydroelectric dam there was built during the colonial era, but an El Nino-induced drought has left the dam with about 2% of its water, resulting in hourslong power cuts in both countries.

Zambian Energy Minister Makozo Chikote said that Zambia hopes to buoy its push into renewable energy with money from increased copper production. He announced a target of 3 million metric tons of copper to be produced annually in Zambia by 2035.

“We are at a critical juncture in our countries: energy and mining sectors,” he said. “The demand for electricity and resources continues to grow, and it is imperative that we adopt strategies to meet the challenges head on.”

Chikote referenced the current drought, which has left the reservoir at a historic low, saying, “Overdependence on hydro has exposed the vulnerability of the energy in … Zambia.”

The countries are looking to the West for potential investors.

Jobst von Kirchmann, European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe, said that investors want predictability in legislation and the courts, but especially in monetary policy.

“Zimbabwe is now running a monetary policy which is a multicurrency policy, but then if someone goes out and says, ‘We should abandon the dollar; we should go back to mono-currency,’ that’s a killer for investment,” he said.

Some elements in Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party have been calling for the abandonment of the dollar, which the country has been using since 2009, together with other currencies.

John Humphrey, British trade commissioner for Africa, echoed the call for stability.

“When we are in the renewable sector, it’s not just about five or 10 years,” he said. “Actually, you are looking at a much longer period. So, in order to be able to make those sorts of investments, you really have to feel like you are operating in a predictable and stable environment.

“Money is like water,” Humphrey said. “It goes where it is easy, and if you put something in its way, it just flows somewhere else.”

The meeting ends Wednesday.

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China, Pakistan to hold first anti-terror drills in 5 years amid rising attacks

Islamabad — China said Tuesday it will send troops to Pakistan later this month for the countries first joint counterterrorism military exercise in five years to enhance security cooperation with its South Asian neighbor and close ally.

The announcement follows reports that Beijing is pushing Islamabad to permit its security personnel to safeguard thousands of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan from deadly terrorist attacks. It also comes amid a spike in terrorist attacks against Pakistani security forces attributed to or claimed by the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, commonly known as TTP. 

On Tuesday, China’s Defense Ministry said that the Pakistan-hosted “Warrior-VIII exercise is set to begin in late November and will run until mid-December “with the aim … to enhance the capability for conducting joint counterterrorism operations,” according to Chinese state media. 

The ministry said the exercise will involve troops from the Western Theater Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army.

“The two sides will engage in multi-level and mixed training across various specialties and organize live troop drills in accordance with the actual combat process,” according to the state media report. 

China and Pakistan last conducted joint counterterrorism military drills in 2019. 

String of attacks 

 

Last month, a suicide car bombing just outside the airport in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi killed two Chinese engineers. The victims were returning to work after a holiday in Thailand on a project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a multibillion-dollar extension of President Xi Jinping’s global Belt and Road Initiative. 

In March, a suicide car bomb attack in northern Pakistan killed five Chinese workers and their local driver. 

The repeated targeting of its nationals reportedly angered China, prompting it to urge Pakistan to negotiate a joint security management system to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in the country.

The Pakistani government has dismissed the alleged Chinese diplomatic pressure, however, as “media speculation” and an attempt “to create confusion” regarding Islamabad’s relationship with Beijing. 

“Pakistan and China have a robust dialogue and cooperation on a range of issues, including counterterrorism and security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch told reporters last Thursday at her weekly news conference. 

“We will continue to work with our Chinese brothers for the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan,” she stated.

Shaking ties 

Baloch added that attempts to undermine the mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries will not succeed, nor will the two countries “allow any efforts or stories to derail the Pakistan-China strategic partnership.” 

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad just days after the Karachi car bomb attack, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong publicly questioned the host government’s safety measures to deter threats to Chinese nationals. 

“It is unacceptable for us to be attacked twice in only six months,” Jiang stated. He urged Islamabad to take “effective remedial measures to prevent the recurrence of such terror acts and ensure that perpetrators are identified, caught, and punished.”

Pakistan dismissed the Chinese envoy’s remarks as “perplexing” and contrary to established diplomatic traditions between the neighbors.

The Pakistani response was unprecedented, and Jiang’s public admonishment of Islamabad highlighted the strains arising from attacks on Chinese nationals that have resulted in the loss of at least 21 lives over the past five years. 

‘Afghan terror sanctuaries’ 

The joint drills between Pakistani and Chinese troops come amid a dramatic surge in deadly militant attacks on security forces and civilians in Pakistan, which authorities say are being orchestrated from “TTP sanctuaries” in neighboring Afghanistan. The country’s Islamist Taliban leaders reject the allegations.

Yue Xiaoyong, China’s special envoy for Afghan affairs, visited Islamabad this week, where Pakistani officials reportedly shared with him evidence regarding TTP’s presence in Afghanistan and the threat it poses to regional stability.

Neither Islamabad nor Beijing has commented on the media reports. A brief post-meeting Pakistani statement said the discussion centered on the Afghan situation, with both sides reaffirming “the vital role of neighboring countries for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.” 

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Opposition leader wins Somaliland presidential contest

The Somaliland electoral commission announced Tuesday that opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” defeated incumbent Muse Bihi Abdi for the presidency of the breakaway region located on the Horn of Africa.

Independent observers described the election as peaceful. Irro, candidate for the Waddani (National) party captured 63.92% of the vote, compared with Bihi’s 34.81%. A third candidate, Faysal Ali Warabe, received 0.74% of the votes.

The election was originally scheduled to take place in 2022 but was delayed due to political differences.

Bihi, who defeated Irro in the last election in 2017, promised during the campaign that he would respect the results of the election.

Irro ran on a platform of change, promising to create a brighter future for the people of Somaliland, including more work and job opportunities for women.

Somaliland in 1991 declared its independence from Somalia, which views it as a northern breakaway region, not a separate nation.

Its location near Djibouti puts it close to the only permanent U.S. military base in Africa and the first overseas base for China.

Both Bihi and Irro said they hope the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will review policy toward Somaliland. The U.S. and Somaliland do not have diplomatic relations. The U.S. recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia within its 1960 borders.

Irro recently posted messages of congratulations to Trump after his victory. 

“We Somalilanders are thrilled with your bold policies towards Somaliland and look forward to strengthening the #Somaliland-US Partnership, as the President Aspirant, I look forward to promoting and contributing to a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous East Africa and the Red Sea,” Irro said.

The International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) to Somaliland’s presidential elections said the elections took place in a “mostly calm and peaceful environment where registered voters were able to exercise their right to vote during the day.”

IEOM said it did not observe any serious irregularities or electoral malpractice, although observers noticed procedural and administrative inconsistencies that could be addressed by better training.

The mission said it “identified a number of issues that electoral authorities could address including making sure that the secrecy of the vote is upheld in future elections and that the voter register is updated more regularly and closer to the holding of elections to ensure it is up-to-date.”

“In addition, voters need to be better informed about voting procedures,” the mission added in an assessment of the election.

Who is the new president?

Abdirahman Irro, as he is commonly referred to, was born on April 29, 1955, in Hargeisa, Somalia. After completing his secondary school education at Sheikh high school near Burao town, he moved to Mogadishu for higher education.

He has a diploma from the Somali Institute of Development Administration and Management, and SIDAM/California State University and he earned an MBA from SIDAM/New York State University, according to the Waddani party’s website.

He speaks Somali, English, Arabic, Russian and Finnish, the party said.

In 1981 he was employed by Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a diplomat. During his time there, he worked at the Somali embassy in Moscow, before moving to Finland to live with his family.

He started leading Somaliland community organizations in Finland before he returned to Somaliland in 1999 to join politics. He was elected to the Somaliland Parliament in 2005, and became the speaker for the first democratically elected Parliament, a position he held for 12 years.

In 2012, he co-founded the Waddani political party and was chosen as its first chairman as well as the presidential candidate for the 2017 election.

Following parliamentary elections in 2021, Waddani become the majority party in parliament.

According to human rights lawyer and analyst Guleid Ahmed Jama, the election shows the strength of Somaliland’s democracy.

“After two years of political controversy and election delays that resulted in political violence, the successful completion of the electoral process is good news,” he said.

“However, it does not solve the many problems Somaliland is facing. There are big tasks ahead of the president-elect. I believe a government of national unity can salvage Somaliland and unite the divided and polarized people. The president-elect should not treat this as a win-lose scenario. He should come up with a plan to unite the people.”

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AI in action at Africa Tech Festival

Artificial intelligence was much discussed and demonstrated at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this month. The conference highlighted how technology is changing industries on the continent. Vicky Stark filed this report.

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Urban mosquito sparks malaria surge in East Africa

NAIROBI, KENYA — The spread of a mosquito in East Africa that thrives in urban areas and is immune to insecticide is fueling a surge in malaria that could reverse decades of progress against the disease, experts say.

Africa accounted for about 95% of the 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 deaths worldwide in 2022, according to the most recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which said children under 5 accounted for 80% of deaths in the region.

But the emergence of an invasive species of mosquito on the continent could massively increase those numbers. 

Anopheles stephensi is native to parts of South Asia and the Middle East but was spotted for the first time in the tiny Horn of Africa state of Djibouti in 2012.

Djibouti had all but eradicated malaria only to see it make a slow but steady return over the following years, hitting more than 70,000 cases in 2020. 

Then stephensi arrived in neighboring Ethiopia and WHO says it is key to an “unprecedented surge,” from 4.1 million malaria cases and 527 deaths last year to 7.3 million cases and 1,157 deaths between January 1 and October 20, 2024.

Unlike other species which are seasonal and prefer rural areas, stephensi thrives year-round in urban settings, breeding in man-made water storage tanks, roof gutters or even air conditioning units.

It appears to be highly resistant to insecticides, and bites earlier in the evening than other carriers. That means bed nets — up to now the prime weapon against malaria — may be much less effective.

“The invasion and spread of Anopheles stephensi has the potential to change the malaria landscape in Africa and reverse decades of progress we’ve made towards malaria control,” Meera Venkatesan, malaria division chief for USAID, told AFP.

More research is needed

The fear is that stephensi will infest dense cities like Mombasa on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast and Sudan’s capital Khartoum, with one 2020 study warning it could eventually reach 126 million city-dwellers across Africa.

Only last month, Egypt was declared malaria-free by WHO after a century-long battle against the disease — a status that could be threatened by stephensi’s arrival.

Much remains unknown, however.

Stephensi was confirmed as present in Kenya in late 2022, but has so far stayed in hotter, dryer areas without reaching the high-altitude capital, Nairobi. 

“We don’t yet fully understand the biology and behavior of this mosquito,” Charles Mbogo, president of the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association, told AFP.

“Possibly it is climate-driven and requires high temperatures, but much more research is needed.”

He called for increased funding for capturing and testing mosquitos, and for educating the public on prevention measures such as covering water receptacles.

Multiplying threats

The spread of stephensi could dovetail with other worrying trends, including increased evidence of drug resistant malaria recorded in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Eritrea.

“The arrival of resistance is imminent,” said Dorothy Achu, WHO’s head of tropical and vector-borne diseases in Africa. 

WHO is working with countries to diversify treatment programmes to delay resistance, she said. 

A new malaria variant is also evading tests used to diagnose the disease. 

“The increased transmission that stephensi is driving could potentially help accelerate the spread of other threats, such as drug resistance or another mutation in the parasite that leads it to be less detectable by our most widely-used diagnostics,” said Venkatesan at USAID.

Another added challenge is the lack of coordination between African governments. 

Achu said WHO is working on “a more continental approach”. 

But Mbogo in Kenya said “more political will” was needed. 

“We share information as scientists with colleagues in neighbouring countries,” he said. “But we need to reach the higher level. We need cross-border collaborations, data-sharing.”

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Central African Republic applauds extension of peacekeepers’ mandate

Yaounde, Cameroon — Political parties and civil society groups in the Central African Republic are welcoming the U.N. Security Council’s decision to extend the mandate of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission, or MINUSCA.

Civil society groups say the U.N. peacekeeping troops will protect civilians from rebels during parliamentary and local elections that have now been rescheduled for April 6.

Blandine Ikom, a member of the C.A.R’s Coalition of Civil Society Groups, said she expected U.N. troops to help the nation make sure that local and parliamentary elections in 2025 and a presidential election expected in 2026 are held in peace to end more than a decade of chaos and political tensions. She said a return to democracy and local governance would restore peace and stability in the troubled state.

The success of the polls is not assured. Officials first scheduled the polls for October, postponed them to December, then changed the date again to April 6.  

The government said rebel groups and opposition political parties were planning to disrupt the elections unless electoral laws and the 2023 constitution were revised.  The opposition said the laws favor the party of President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

Last week, the U.N. Security Council extended the MINUSCA mandate through November 15, 2025. The council said MINUSCA would protect civilians, support C.A.R government officials, deploy forces for the preservation of territorial integrity and support an ongoing peace process. 

Florence Marchal, MINUSCA spokesperson, said the force was also tasked with making sure all qualified C.A.R. civilians are registered on voter lists.  

“The first step is to update the voter registration lists, and we are very keen on supporting this step because the same voter lists will be used for local elections, presidential elections and legislative elections,” Marchal told VOA by phone from Bangui, the C.A.R. capital. “Especially, we need to have more women on the voter lists. We have launched a specific project to support the registration of women on voter lists.”

Marchal said MINUSCA aims to have at least 50 percent of C.A.R. women registered to vote. The mission is assisting civilians who do not have a required birth certificate to obtain the document, Marchal said.

MINUSCA said it had developed what it called an integrated security plan with C.A.R military and police to ensure the safety of election officials, civilians and material during the April 6 polls and to lay the groundwork for presidential elections the next year.

Army General Zephirin Mamadou, the C.A.R.’s military chief of staff, said Monday on state TV that the extension of the U.N. peacekeepers’ mandate was another diplomatic victory for Touadera, who wants all civilians to live in peace and to have their goods protected from rebels who want to destabilize the C.A.R. Mamadou said the government troops he commands were galvanized by the extension and looked forward to collaborating with U.N. troops. 

MINUSCA was created in 2014 to address the Central African Republic’s long-running security, humanitarian and political crisis. It is today made up of 14,400 troops, over 3,000 police and 108 corrections officers.

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Russia vetoes UN cease-fire resolution for Sudan

Russia vetoed a United Nation resolution Monday calling for an immediate cease-fire between Sudan’s warring parties and the delivery of humanitarian aid to millions of Sudanese.

Russia was the only Security Council member that voted against the cease-fire resolution.

China, Russia’s ally, supported the resolution, drafted by the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone.

Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told the council that Moscow vetoed the resolution because Sudan’s government should be “solely” responsible for what happens in Sudan.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “It is shocking that Russia has vetoed an effort to save lives, though perhaps it shouldn’t be.”

She added, “For months, Russia has obstructed and obfuscated, standing in the way of council action to address the catastrophic situation in Sudan and playing … both sides of the conflict, to advance its own political objectives at the expense of Sudanese lives.”

British Foreign Minister David Lammy said, “One country stood in the way of the council speaking with one voice. One country is the blocker. One country is the enemy of peace. This Russian veto is a disgrace, and it shows to the world yet again, Russia’s true colors.”

Polyanskiy accused the Security Council of operating under a double standard, pointing to the council’s failure to rein in Israel with what he said are violations of humanitarian law in Gaza.

War broke out between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, in the capital, Khartoum, just before the country was set to transition to civilian rule. The violence has spread to other regions around the country.

Eleven million people in Sudan have been displaced and half of the country’s population, an estimated 25 million people, are struggling with crisis-level food insecurity, according to the United Nations. Famine was confirmed in August in the northern part of Sudan’s Darfur region.

Some information in this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters.

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