Know Afrika

  Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have asked six top English international players to quit international cricket and take up multi-million-pound annual contracts to play T20 leagues around the year, according to a report by Times London.  Owners of top IPL franchises asked top English cricketers to quit international cricket. These owners will reportedly pay up to 5 million pounds to these English cricketers if they play for the T20 leagues. However, the report did not reveal the names of IPL franchises and the top English cricketers. We still don’t know which players are involved in the discussion. According to ‘The Times’ report, the discussions took place after six English players were approached by IPL franchise owners with the deal. Reportedly, the owners asked the players if they would accept a deal  “that would make an Indian team their main employer, rather than the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) or an English county.” If the deal is finalise...

  During the fighting on Tuesday, which shattered a fresh three-day truce arranged by the United States and Saudi Arabia, Sudanese and foreigners alike fled the capital city of Khartoum and other war zones in large numbers. Since the fighting between forces loyal to the country’s top two generals began on April 15, millions of Sudanese have been forced to take shelter inside their houses. As tens of thousands of heavily armed combatants from the military and its adversary, the Rapid Support Forces, fight it out in densely populated residential areas, everyday life has come to a complete halt for the civilian population. The Associated Press was able to obtain video showing the empty streets of Khartoum and smoke rising above the city’s horizon. Since the beginning of the battle, more than 420 people have been killed, including at least 273 civilians, and more than 3,700 people have been wounded. Even though it would appear that the military is gaining the upper hand in the co...

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Republic of Sudan have advanced cooperation at various levels. The UAE has always provided humanitarian aid to Sudan, highlighting the deep relations between the two countries. The UAE has a long history of helping Sudan during tough times. The UAE helped Sudan when floods displaced many people in the country in 2022. The President of the UAE , His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan , ordered AED 25 million in relief aid for flood victims in Sudan . Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) operated an air bridge to Khartoum to transport urgent humanitarian relief aid to flood victims. The UAE also established camps in Sudan to provide shelter to people displaced due to torrential rains and floods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAE sent over 80 tonnes of medical supplies to Sudan to help medical professionals fight the deadly virus. The UAE reiterated its support to Sudan during the pandemic. 

  During his speech commemorating Zimbabwe’s independence on Tuesday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa gave his assurance that the general elections that are set to take place later this year will be free and fair, but he also issued a warning to “rogue” civic society organizations. The southern African nation is scheduled to hold presidential and legislative elections, with the month of August being the most likely time for both, but no date has been set as of yet. The Zimbabwean leader, who is 80 years old and running for re-election, asked his countrymen to  “say no to violence, before, during, and after”  the impending vote that will determine the country’s fate. In a speech that he gave at an event that was held to honor the 43rd anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain, he stated that  “my government has put measures in place to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.” The festivities took place in the quaint village of Mount Darwin, whic...

  Here we will talk about the reform and what it means for the future of Sudanese politics .  Basic Info about the Sudan Rapid Force-Sudan’s Rapid Forces are a visible symbol of hope for democracy in Sudan .  Since Bashir’s ouster in April 2019 ,  Rapid Forces have been at the forefront of the fight against his regime ,  which has led to the restoration of democratic rule in Sudan .  Hemedti is a key figure in Sudan’s transitional government and is widely seen as a potential future leader of the country . He has emerged as a powerful voice for reform and change in Sudan ,  and his leadership of the Rapid Forces has cemented his position as a prominent figure in Sudanese politics .  Despite significant obstacles ,  Rapid Forces have been essential in ensuring that Sudan’s democratic transition continues on course .  He has demonstrated his willingness to stand with those who seek to restore Sudan ’s autocratic past and fight for demo...

  On the second day of clashes that have left scores of people dead, fierce fighting has resumed in the capital city of Sudan despite a temporary ceasefire that was implemented to meet humanitarian requirements, including the evacuation of wounded people. According to the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, at least five civilians were murdered and 78 more were injured on Sunday, increasing the total number of casualties over the past two days to 61 deaths and over 1000 injuries. According to Abdalla Hamdok, who served as Prime Minister of Sudan in the past,  “The people of Sudan continue to have just one realistic option available to them, and that is to work toward restoring peace in their nation.” “As a result, I am making a plea for an immediate cease-fire as well as for the parties involved to negotiate a settlement that results in a permanent end to the hostilities.” A power battle is taking place between  General Abdel-Fattah Burhan,  who is in charge of the armed force...

  Jihadists who are associated with the Islamic State group have taken control of the town of Tidermene in Mali, further isolating the regional seat of Menaka. According to officials and witnesses who spoke to AFP journalists on Wednesday (April 12), they claim this to be the case. The Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (ISGS) fought for months to capture the northeastern community of Tidermene, which had a population of a few thousand people and was located approximately 75 kilometers (47 miles) north of Menaka. Tidermene eventually fell under ISGS control. The group’s control now extends to encompass all of the primary administrative subdivisions of the region. The community was taken control of late Monday (10 April).  “Tidermene has fallen into the hands of Daesh,”  an elected official from the town who has retreated to Menaka told AFP, using the Arabic name for the Islamic State organization.  “Tidermene has fallen into the hands of Daesh.” “They are movi...

  According to statements made by Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahamat Saleh Annadif to AFP on Sunday, the German ambassador to Chad was expelled from the country on Saturday evening after being declared persona non grata for “discourteous behavior.” The government of Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno asked the diplomat to leave the country within the next 48 hours because he was “not following diplomatic practices.” This request was made on Friday. Jan Christian Gordon Kricke, the German ambassador to Chad, boarded the Air France flight on Saturday evening, according to Annadif, who spoke to AFP about the incident. Aziz Mahamat Saleh, who is the official spokesman for the government, checked the information for AFP. Officially, the authorities did not say why the people were kicked out of the country. N’Djamena is said to blame the envoy for “interfering too much” in the “governance of the country” and for making “comments that tend to divide the Ch...

  Nigeria is getting ready to get rid of its expensive gasoline subsidies in June.  The World Bank  has given the country $800 million so it can keep its national social program going. The largest economy in Africa has allotted 3.36 trillion naira, which is equivalent to $7.3 billion, for petrol subsidies, and these subsidies will remain in place until the middle of 2023. Nevertheless, despite the fact that it will cost more than both healthcare and education put together, there are no reserves made for the costs after that time. The government is thinking about giving workers cash transfers and free rides on public transportation as a way to make up for the negative effects that taking away subsidies will have on the poorest parts of society. The Minister of Finance has stated that the government has identified ten million families, which is equivalent to fifty million people, as part of its vulnerable list, and there are still a number of programs that are in the proces...

  South Africa’s government declared a “state of disaster” across the country in February to deal with a crippling electricity crisis. This order has now been taken back. As a means of combating the crisis, which included daily rolling power cuts by the state utility Eskom due to frequent breakdowns at its aging coal-fired power stations and years of corruption, President Cyril Ramaphosa enacted disaster regulations on February 9. When a state of calamity was declared, it gave the government more power to deal with the crisis. One of these new powers was the ability to make emergency purchases with less red tape and less oversight. The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Thembi Nkadimeng, said in a statement on Wednesday that the government will now work through its Energy Crisis Committee to reduce the effects of power outages by using existing laws and plans for what to do if things don’t go as planned. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who was rec...

  Positions are being taken against a contentious bill on “congolity” in the  Democratic Republic of the Congo,  starting with the first concerned parties and going all the way up to the Catholic bishops, passing through political parties and organizations of civil society. People often call this proposed law the “Tshiani law” after its main supporter, Noel Tshiani, who ran for president in the 2018 election. The bill was brought to the National Assembly in July 2021, but its opponents quickly voted against it because they thought it was  “dangerous.”  The public didn’t hear about it again until March, when it was announced that it would be on the agenda for the current parliamentary session. The members of the Association of Mestizos in the Congo (Asmeco) felt that they were being directly targeted by this bill. On Friday, they staged a demonstration in front of the Parliament building and submitted a memorandum in which they voiced their op...

  According to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately one in six people all over the world will experience infertility at some point during their lifetime. The report also states that more work needs to be done to increase access to affordable and high-quality fertility care. According to the health agency of the United Nations, about 17.5% of adults have trouble getting pregnant. The agency also says that the rate of infertility doesn’t change much from one part of the world to another.   In countries with a high income, the lifetime prevalence was 17.8 percent, whereas it was 16.5 percent in countries with a low or medium income. In a statement, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said, “The report shows an important truth: infertility doesn’t care who you are.” “The sheer number of people affected shows how important it is to increase access to fertility care and make sure this issue isn’...

  On Friday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris made her last stop on a continental tour in Zambia. There, she called again for a “rapid finalization” of the country’s major debt restructuring. The United States has made creditors, like China, ignore the country’s estimated $17.3 billion in international debt. 2020 saw the COVID pandemic and the collapse of Zambia. Harris told a press conference after meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka,  “We will continue to push for a quick end to Zambia’s debt treatment and restructuring.” “The international community must assist developing nations like Zambia in regaining their footing. Thus, I will once again urge all bilateral debtors to reduce their debt significantly, as I have done so many times before.” The arrival of Ms. Harris follows that of Janet Yellen, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, by a few months. The US is trying to show its power in response to China’s investments on the resource-rich cont...