Mintz - ML Strategies (JD Supra South Africa)

Leading the News - Libya - On March 28th, Libya’s United Nations (U.N.)-backed unity government accused authorities in Tripoli of closing down the capital’s airspace to prevent it from travelling to Libya from Tunisia to start work. According to a statement released by the Presidential Council, a minority of the Tripoli-based government was terrorizing the safe population of Tripoli...

Leading the News - Republic of Congo - On March 20th, the Republic of Congo (ROC) held voting in a presidential election that was predicted to see President Denis Sassou Nguesso extend his three-decade rule. Leading up to the opening of the polls, the Congolese Government order mobile phone and internet services to be blocked on election day and banned motor vehicle use across the...

Leading the News - Cote d’Ivoire - On March 13th, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the beach hotels in Grand-Bassam, a region population with Ivoirian and Western tourists. According to initial statements by Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko, 15 civilians and three members of the special forces were killed and three others were wounded. The...

Leading the News - Somalia - On March 5th, the U.S. military, in self-defense and in defense of African Union (AU) Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) partners, conducted an airstrike against Raso Camp, a training facility of Al Shabaab. The strike was conducted using manned and unmanned aircraft. According to the Pentagon, the fighters who were scheduled to depart the camp posed an immediate...

Leading the News - Burundi - On February 5th, newly elected African Union (AU) Assembly Chairman and President of Chad Idriss Deby appointed a high-level delegation of five African heads of state to negotiate with factions in Burundi over the possible deployment of a peacekeeping mission to the country. The delegation includes Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, South African

Leading the News - Burundi - On January 29th, Burundian authorities released a British and a French journalist who were arrested during a sweep for rebels in flashpoint districts in Bujumbura. The U.S. and European nations have criticized the government's clampdown on media, including the shuttering of private radio stations and expelling foreign journalists. On January 29th,...

Leading the News - Burundi - On January 22nd, during a visit to Bujumbura, the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council met with Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to advocate for peace talks and the deployment of an international force to promote stability in the wake of ongoing political violence. According to U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, little was achieved during the

Leading the News - Burkina Faso - On January 15th, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for a string of attacks in Burkina Faso that took the lives of 29 civilians from at least seven countries. Islamist fighters attacked the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou, in addition to Cappuccino, a popular cafe across the street known for its European menu and free Wi-Fi....

Leading the News: Burundi - On December 30th, the African Union (AU) threatened to sanction rival factions in Burundi if they fail to attend the peace talks scheduled to take place in January. AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma warned all those whose action could jeopardize the inter-Burundian dialogue, including attacks by armed groups against government facilities and...

Leading the News - Libya: On December 11th, the new United Nations (U.N.) Special Representative for Libya Martin Kobler announced the parties to the country’s political dialogue process reached an agreement to set December 16th as the target date to sign the U.N.-facilitated agreement on forming a national unity government and to bring to an end the crisis that has left 2.4 million

Leading the News - Libya - On December 4th, international media reported that French military aircraft have flown reconnaissance and intelligence missions over Libya, including areas controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). According to a document leaked to the press, additional French flights over Libya are planned. On December 6th, at peace talks held in...

Leading the News - Nigeria: On December 1st, the United Nations (U.N.) reported nearly 450 schools have reopened in Borno state, Nigeria since October after being closed for more than 18 months following the Boko Haram attack on a boarding school in Yobe state that left 59 students dead. Despite continuing fears of attacks, the U.N. said some schools in Adamawa and Borno states have...

Leading the News - Tanzania: On October 25th, voters in Tanzania went to the polls to vote for a candidate to replace outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, who was unable to run for a third term under the country’s constitution. The presidential contest saw John Magufuli of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party up against former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa who recently defected from

On October 17th, members of the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council urged all Libyan parties to endorse and sign the recently finalized political agreement for the creation of a Government of National Accord. The Security Council reiterated the agreement offers a real prospect for resolving Libya’s political, security, and institutional challenges. It also noted the Libya Sanctions Committee...

Leading the News - Burkina Faso: On September 25th, the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council issued a statement welcoming the reinstatement of President Michel Kafando and the transitional authorities of Burkina Faso following the recent coup. In addition to commending the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) for their efforts to end the crisis

Leading the News - Burkina Faso: On September 17th, U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice condemned the unconstitutional seizure of power by elements of the Presidential Security Regiment in Burkina Faso and called on the responsible parties to immediately release those being detained, order aligned forces to stand down, respect the rights of civilians to peacefully assembly, and...

Leading the News: South Sudan - On September 9th, the United Nations (U.N.) Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) announced ramped up efforts to reverse dire malnutrition in South Sudan. The programs have launched a joint enhanced nutrition response plan covering all states in South Sudan. The initiative is anticipated to reach more than two million people with...

Leading the News: South Sudan - On August 27th, emergency relief teams from the United Nations (U.N.) Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) reached more than 27,000 people in the town of Wau Shilluk, South Sudan who have been cut off from receiving humanitarian supplies since March. For the past several months, access problems and concerns for staff safety have...

Leading the News - Libya: On August 13th, the latest round of the United Nations (U.N.)-facilitated Libyan political dialogue concluded in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the parties reiterated their conviction that there can be no alternative to peace in Libya outside the U.N. dialogue process. In addition, UNSMIL reported participants...

Leading the News - Burundi: On July 19th, representatives of the Burundian Government failed to appear for talks backed by the East African Community (EAC) aimed at ending the unrest caused by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial bid for a third term. Ugandan Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga, who was acting as mediator, reported the Government’s failure to participate forced the...

Leading the News - Burundi: On July 9th, United Nations (U.N.) Assistant-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Taye-Brook Zerihoun and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein briefed the U.N. Security Council on the situation in Burundi. Both officials warned the situation prevailing in Burundi is once again at risk of sliding into violence. Assistant-Secretary-Ge

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Tunisia: On June 26th, a gunman killed at least 27 people at the Imperial Marhaba hotel, a popular Tunisian seaside resort in the city of...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi - On June 19th, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence Pablo de Grieff presented to the

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi: On June 15th, Africa leaders convened in Johannesburg, South Africa for a summit on the political tensions in Burundi. After assessing the weeks of...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - West Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi - On May 29th, United Nations (U.N.) Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Spokesman Christophe Boulierac reported children are increasingly put at risk due to the violent clashes and...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub - Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi: On May 14th, United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for calm and restraint in Burundi and condemned all...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub - Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi - On May 8th, the Office of the United Nations (U.N.) High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the eruption of pre-election...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub - Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi - On April 30th, as a fourth day of protests ensued following the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub - Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Burundi - On April 24th, United Nations (U.N.) officials reported nearly 15,000 Burundians have fled into Rwanda and the Democratic...

In This Issue: - Leading the News - United States – Africa Relations - North Africa - East Africa - West Africa - Sub - Saharan Africa - General Africa News - Excerpt from Leading the News: Libya - On April 17th, the French Defense Audio-Visual Communication and Production Unit released radar images of a recent operation during