Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, leading to widespread hardship and anger. Some Nigerians are demanding a reversal of government policies one year after authorities embarked on bold but unpopular economic reforms. President Bola Tinubu has so far refused to change course, insisting his reforms will improve Nigeria’s ailing economy. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja.
Camera: Timothy Obiezu
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Month: May 2024
Partial count puts ruling ANC below 50% in South Africa election
JOHANNESBURG — Partial results in South Africa’s national election put the long-ruling African National Congress party at well below 50% of the vote as counting continued Thursday, and it could be on the brink of losing its majority for the first time since sweeping to power under Nelson Mandela at the end of apartheid in 1994.
That would be a momentous change for South Africa, where the ANC has been dominant for all 30 years of its young democracy and the only governing party many have known.
The ANC had the most votes and was well ahead in the early results, as expected. But if it fails to secure a majority, it may have to form a coalition to remain in the government — something that has not happened before in post-apartheid South Africa. Without a majority, the ANC would also need help from other parties to reelect President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term.
“I think we are seeing a massive change in South African politics,” Susan Booysen, a political analyst and professor emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said on national broadcaster SABC TV.
It was still only an early picture after Wednesday’s election. The final results were expected to take days, with the independent electoral commission saying they would be delivered by Sunday, although they could come earlier.
The ANC’s worst performance in a national election is the 57.5% it won in the last one in 2019. A projection from a government agency and SABC, based on early vote returns, estimated that the ANC would end up with about 42% this time, a drop of more than 15%, which would be a stunning result in the context of South Africa.
South Africa may be the continent’s most advanced country, but it has struggled to solve a profuse inequality that has kept millions in poverty decades after the segregation of apartheid ended. That inequality and widespread poverty disproportionately affects the Black majority that make up more than 80% of the country’s population. South Africa has one of the worst unemployment rates in the world at 32%.
Voters repeatedly referred to unemployment as well as other issues like ANC corruption scandals, problems with basic government services and high violent crime as their main grievances.
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Pakistan arrests 11 militants in deadly attack on Chinese engineers
Islamabad — Eleven militants accused of being involved in carrying out the deadly March suicide attack on Chinese engineers are in custody, according to Pakistani officials.
Following the arrests, Beijing urged Islamabad to continue the investigation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that China was attaching great importance to the progress made by Pakistan.
“China supports Pakistan in continuing to get to the full bottom of what happened and hunting down and bringing to justice all the perpetrators,” she said.
The suicide attack killed five Chinese engineers on March 26 along with their Pakistani driver. They were on their way to work at the largest dam at Dasu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistani officials said. A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into their convoy.
Pakistan blames Afghanistan as a launching pad for militants who attack Pakistan – an accusation the Taliban has repeatedly denied. Islamabad said the suicide bomber who targeted the Chinese engineers was an Afghan national.
“The attack on the Chinese engineers at Shangla (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) is not the only attack. There are several attacks that are carried out by Afghan nationals in Pakistan, their dead bodies were there, and they were identified as Afghans,” Abdullah Khan, an Islamabad-based researcher for the Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies, told VOA.
Mounting security threats have prompted Pakistani officials to introduce security protocols requiring residential addresses of Chinese nationals and information about their mobility in the country.
Baloch separatist groups and Islamist militants have been targeting Chinese interests and personnel in Pakistan’s resources-rich southwestern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Militants associated with the Baloch separatist groups have claimed past attacks on Chinese nationals and interests.
Earlier this month, the army said its troops were carrying out 100 intelligence-based operations daily, as part of its fight against terrorism.
Militants associated with radical Islamists groups claimed an attack in 2021 targeting a bus carrying workers to the same hydropower project. The attack killed 13 people, including at least nine Chinese nationals. The two Islamist militants accused of the crime were sentenced to death for that attack.
No group has accepted the responsibility for the latest suicide attack on the Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan announced on May 23 the government will pay $2.58 million to the victims of the March attack.
Pakistan is host to Chinese workers connected to Beijing’s mega projects under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an initiative with $62 billion in overall Chinese investments. Pakistani officials say the pace on the Chinese projects has slowed in recent years.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will be visiting Beijing the first week of June to persuade China to revive CPEC, according to media reports.
This story originated in VOA’s Deewa Service.
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Killings, disappearances, new law rock Pakistan’s media
washington — The shadow of five journalist killings since the start of the year is hanging over Pakistan’s media.
Karachi-based journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi says the violence has created a sense of numbness among the country’s reporters.
“I don’t know if it’s about fear as much as normalization,” she told VOA. “That kind of numbness, to me, is more worrying than an open expression of fear.”
Of the killings so far this year, four took place this month, including a bombing in Balochistan province that killed journalist Muhammad Siddique Mengal. The deaths make May the deadliest month on record for journalists in Pakistan, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ.
The killings come amid increased risks for Pakistan’s already beleaguered media.
Also in May, watchdogs reported on two cases of reporters being disappeared; a press club raid in the city of Quetta; the detention of two reporters for objecting to the raid; and the passing by Punjab’s provincial government of a defamation law that critics warn could be used to stifle the media.
‘Dissent is being criminalized’
“The space for freedom of expression is shrinking, and dissent is being criminalized,” Iqbal Khattak, the Pakistan representative for Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, told VOA from the capital, Islamabad.
Pakistan’s journalists already work under significant pressure. Despite a historically vibrant media landscape, watchdogs say that reporters are forced to walk a fine line because of the limited space for criticism of the country’s powerful military and intelligence agencies.
The Inter-Services Intelligence agency in particular has for years been accused by rights groups of forcibly disappearing or even killing critical reporters.
Pakistan’s Washington embassy and Foreign Ministry did not reply to VOA’s emails requesting comment.
Some analysts say the recent surge in attacks may be a byproduct of the political turmoil that has gripped Pakistan since former Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted two years ago.
“With political insecurity comes greater pressure on the media,” Khattak said.
Up until March of this year, no journalists had been killed in Pakistan since 2021. But the CPJ has recorded dozens of cases of journalists singled out for attack or killed on risky assignments since it started keeping track in 1992.
A lack of justice — or impunity — in targeted cases exacerbates the problem, experts say. Of the 37 cases where CPJ confirmed the journalists were directly slain for their work, 34 cases remain unresolved.
In Pakistan, impunity reigns when it comes to journalist killings because the government doesn’t care about holding the perpetrators accountable, according to Saroop Ijaz, who works on Pakistan at Human Rights Watch.
“Journalists are viewed as adversaries, as opponents,” Ijaz told VOA from Lahore.
Reporters and news outlets are also facing heightened pressure of legal threats.
Analysts are concerned by a defamation law that Punjab’s provincial government adopted earlier this month.
The law’s supporters say it will help combat the spread of disinformation.
But critics are concerned about the harsh penalties, including fines and the threat of entire outlets being shut down. They also warn of potential for abuse, with a coalition of Pakistani media organizations calling it a “black law” for press freedom.
On the surface, the law sounds like a good thing because it ostensibly aims to reduce the spread of fake news, according to Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington. But in practice, the law will likely be used to target opposition voices, he said.
“Who makes the decision about what is fake news?” Kugelman said. “I fear that it can be used as a pretext to essentially go after anyone who happens to say or write or broadcast anything that happens to be inconvenient or critical.”
Under the law, court proceedings would also be kept secret, which journalist Munizae Jahangir said she finds concerning.
“Are these kangaroo courts? Are we going back to the times of martial law?” she told VOA from Islamabad.
Jahangir, who hosts the current affairs program “Spot Light” for the Pakistani news channel Aaj TV, serves as co-chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Chilling effect
The law may also compound self-censorship. Some red lines shift based on the political tides of the moment, according to Pakistani journalists and experts, but criticism of the country’s military and intelligence agencies, and of Islam, are understood to be off limits.
“Pakistan is really like a minefield,” Jahangir said. “You do not know what the no-go areas are. You do not know once you put your foot somewhere what’s going to explode, what’s going to happen to you next. You just have to figure it out.”
Shamsi, who has worked for outlets including the BBC World Service and Dawn, said she worries about the next generation of journalists in Pakistan. “They haven’t known anything else,” she said, referring to the poor press freedom landscape.
But she finds optimism in the robust history of resistance among Pakistani media in the face of severe safety threats.
Jahangir agreed. “We have to tell the truth no matter how high the price may be,” she said. “Journalists in Pakistan have always pushed the envelope.”
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Namibian environmentalists oppose green hydrogen production in national park
Windhoek, Namibia — An umbrella body representing 77 environmental protection groups in Namibia is voicing opposition to proposed green hydrogen production in the Tsau Khaeb National Park by a German company because of the harm they say it poses to animals and plant life in that area.
The Tsau Khaeb National Park in southern Namibia is one of 36 recognized globally recognized hotspots for biodiversity. It is renowned for succulent plants as well as wildlife that includes antelopes, leopards and brown hyenas.
However, this biodiversity will be harmed if green hydrogen is to be produced in that pristine wilderness, said Chris Brown, the head of the environmental coalition known as Namibia’s Chamber of Environment.
“When Germany and to a certain extent other countries in the European Union are offsetting the costs of green hydrogen, offshoring it, and we are carrying the burden of those costs and we are carrying the long-term, permanently long-term cost of losing a national park with all its future developments, to provide relatively short-term cover for Germany’s energy, that is a major problem,” Brown told VOA at his offices in Windhoek. “It’s a moral problem as well as a long-term economic problem and a welfare problem for Namibia.”
Green hydrogen is produced using wind, water and solar power to produce ammonia, which is then converted to hydrogen, which can be used for steel production and as a fuel for ships and vehicles.
In a rush to decarbonize, European member states like Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have allocated millions of euros to pilot projects along Namibia’s sunny and windy coastline for green hydrogen production.
Ambassador Ana Beatriz Martins heads the EU delegation to Namibia. She held a public lecture on green hydrogen at Namibia’s University of Science and technology on Wednesday.
“Private European companies are already invested in some of the nine projects of green hydrogen, with the pipeline of investments of 401 billion Namibian dollars on our side,” Martins said. “We have grants and loans – you can see here, I don’t need to mention that. We also have public money.”
However, environmental law expert Hans-Christian Mahnke questions the legality of allowing green hydrogen production to take place in the 2 million-hectare Tsau Khaeb National Park.
“That’s another legal aspect,” he said. “There is the Park Management Plan, which is a contract between the government and the people. Now, certain NGOs and communities … have concessions in the park. The park plan is a contract – it’s not a policy or whatever. They agreed [to] something [in] which [the] government said that this is how it’s gonna go. But the moment green hydrogen comes in, then they have to throw that Park Management Plan out of the window, which they haven’t done yet.”
In its quest to become carbon neutral, Europe wants to cut carbon emissions by 57 percent by 2030, and this means producing 10 million tons of green hydrogen in Europe and importing the same amount from countries like Namibia.
The Chamber of Environment coalition says that it does not oppose green hydrogen production itself, but that it should not be done at the expense of Namibia’s environment.
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South Africa early election results show ruling ANC losing its majority
Pakistan shares probe findings with Afghan Taliban on attack against Chinese nationals
ISLAMABAD — A high-level Pakistani delegation met with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Thursday and urged “decisive action” against militants who allegedly used Afghan soil to orchestrate cross-border attacks, including a recent suicide car bombing that killed five Chinese engineers.
Kabul hosted the meeting several days after Islamabad revealed it had apprehended about a dozen suspects in connection with the deadly assault on Chinese civilians in March, saying an Afghan national carried out the bombing with the support of his handlers sheltering in Afghanistan. The victims were working on a China-funded hydropower project in northwestern Pakistan.
Officials said Deputy Taliban Interior Minister Muhammad Nabi Omari and his Pakistani counterpart, Muhammad Khurram Agha, led their respective delegations at Thursday’s meeting in the Afghan capital.
A post-visit Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said discussions focused on the March 26 “terrorist attack” against Chinese nationals. It added that the Pakistani side shared the findings of their investigation into the bombing with Taliban officials and “sought Afghanistan’s assistance in apprehending the perpetrators.”
The Afghan side “agreed to examine the findings of the investigation and expressed the resolve to work with the Pakistan side to take the investigation to its logical conclusion,” the statement added.
Officials privy to the talks told VOA that the Pakistani side highlighted the involvement of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in the attack on Chinese workers and other acts of terrorism being committed against Pakistan.
“Mr. Khurram Agha talked about the attack on the 26th of March this year … and hoped for the Afghan government’s help in the security sector,” Abdul Mateen Qani, Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman, said while sharing details of Thursday’s meeting between the two countries.
He quoted Omari as describing the “terrorist attack” on Chinese nationals “as a tragic incident.” The minister stated, “Our intentions and actions are to promote peace in the region for the benefit of ourselves and everyone.”
Omari renewed Afghanistan’s commitment “to not allowing others to use its territory against anyone, and we wish the same from others.”
TTP, a globally designated terrorist organization, has for years waged deadly attacks in Pakistan, targeting security forces and civilians.
Officials in Islamabad maintain that fugitive TTP leaders and combatants relocated to sanctuaries in Afghanistan after the Taliban retook control of the country nearly three years ago and have since intensified cross-border attacks with “greater operational freedom.”
Taliban authorities reject the charges, saying neither TTP nor any other militant group is based on Afghan soil.
“The two sides agreed to remain engaged to confront the threat posed by terrorism to regional countries and to address the concerns raised by Pakistan,” said the Pakistani statement Thursday.
The Pakistani military said Thursday that a meeting of its leadership reviewed the security situation and the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.
“The forum expressed serious concerns over continued cross-border violations from Afghanistan and terrorism being orchestrated using Afghan soil, noting that Pakistan’s adversaries were using Afghanistan to target security forces and innocent civilians inside Pakistan,” said a post-meeting military statement.
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Stockholm says Iran uses gangs to target Israeli, Jewish interests in Sweden
Young Rohingya men abducted, forced into ‘human shield’ roles by Myanmar military
UN conference looks at possibilities, dangers of AI
US sanctions two Central African Republic companies linked to Russian Wagner Group
Pakistan, India to face off in US in T20 Cricket World Cup
In June, the United States and the West Indies are co-hosting the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup. Despite its overseas popularity, cricket remains largely unknown in America. VOA’s Muhammad Atif has more.
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UN warns of nutrition crisis for women, children in Sudan
Far right expected to score strongly in EU legislative vote
Right wing, populist parties are expected to surge in three-day elections starting June 6th across the European Union for the bloc’s parliament — capitalizing on voter anger and distrust of mainstream parties. Analysts predict the fallout could influence EU-wide policies like the environment, the economy, immigration and foreign affairs, including potentially waning support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Paris correspondent Lisa Bryant reports.
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Alleged Russian links taint Catalan separatist leader’s possible return to Spain
After six years on the run, the former president of Spain’s Catalonia region may come home to govern after his party won a close second in regional elections. But an investigation into his alleged ties to the Kremlin may prevent his return. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in Barcelona. Alfonso Beato contributed.
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Early results in South Africa’s election show ANC losing majority
MIDRAND — The African National Congress appeared on course to lose the parliamentary majority it has held for 30 years, partial results from South Africa’s national election showed, in what would be the most dramatic political shift since the end of apartheid.
With results in from 16% of polling stations, the ANC’s share of the vote in Wednesday’s election stood at 42.6%, with the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) on 25.8% and the Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on 8.5%, data from the electoral commission showed.
If the final results were to resemble the early picture, the ANC would be forced to make a deal with one or more other parties to govern – a situation that could lead to unprecedented political volatility in the coming weeks or months.
“There will be checks and balances on the ANC power, but the ultimate risk is that the infighting could make governance ineffective,” said Simon Harvey, head of foreign exchange analysis at Monex Europe.
He added that the speed at which a coalition could be formed would be an indication of what was to come.
“If it is protracted, you may start to worry about a political gridlock going forward,” he said.
The uncertainty weighed on South African markets.
The rand slipped more than 1% against the U.S. dollar to hit its weakest level in four weeks while the wider equity index dropped more than 2% in its worst day in six weeks and the country’s international bonds lost as much as 1 cent in the dollar.
The ANC has won national elections held every five years since the landmark 1994 election, which marked the end of apartheid and the ascent of Nelson Mandela as president.
But since those heady days the ANC’s support has declined because of disillusionment over issues such as high unemployment and crime, frequent power blackouts and corruption.
Based on the early results, the ANC is projected to have roughly 42% of the vote when the count is over, according to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research which was providing projections to the state broadcaster SABC.
In the previous election in 2019, the ANC won 57.5% of the vote, with 20.8% for the DA and 10.8% for the EFF, on a turnout of 66% of registered voters, which the commission has already said is likely to be higher this time.
The Zuma factor
Under South Africa’s constitution, the newly elected National Assembly will elect the next president.
With the ANC still on course to be the largest party, its leader Cyril Ramaphosa is likely to remain as the country’s president, although a poor showing could make him vulnerable to a leadership challenge from within party ranks.
The early results showed the ANC on 38%, the DA on 27.8%% and the EFF on 10.9% in the key province of Gauteng, which includes the country’s business capital Johannesburg and the sprawling townships of Soweto and Alexandra.
In KwaZulu-Natal, a populous eastern province where the major city of Durban is located, a new party led by former president Jacob Zuma, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), was performing strongly, with 42.7% of the vote versus 21.4% for the ANC.
Zuma was forced to quit as president in 2018 after a string of scandals and has since fallen out with the ANC leadership, leading him to throw his weight behind MK. The party, named after the ANC’s armed wing from the apartheid era, appeared to be costing both the ANC and the EFF votes, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
By law, the electoral commission has seven days to declare full results, but in practice it is usually faster than that. In the last election, in 2019, voting took place on a Wednesday like this year and final results came on the Saturday. The new parliament must convene within 14 days of final results being declared and its first act must be to elect the nation’s president.
This means that if the ANC is confirmed to have lost its majority there could be two weeks of intense and complex negotiations to agree on how to form a new government.
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