Wednesday, February 05, 2025

Turkey to Take Over Former French Military Base in Chad

By Al Mayadeen English

4 Feb 2025 21:26

Turkey reportedly supplied Chad with Bayraktar drones and stationed military advisors and Turkish company personnel at the Faya-Largeau base.

Following France's recent withdrawal from eastern Chad, Ankara is preparing to assume control of a military base in Abéché.

The base was previously used by French forces. The move marks Turkey's latest effort to expand its military footprint in Africa, filling the strategic void left by Paris.

According to Turkish and Chadian sources, cited by the Heart of Africa news outlet, Turkey has already stationed drones near the Faya-Largeau base, located near Chad's border with Libya. 

Turkish news outlet TRT Haber reported that Chadian authorities officially granted Turkey control over the Abéché base under an agreement finalized in mid-January. The deal followed negotiations between Turkey's ambassador in N'Djamena and Chadian officials.

Libyan news outlet Bawabat Al-Wasat reported that Turkey supplied Chad with Bayraktar drones and stationed military advisors and Turkish company personnel at the Faya-Largeau base.

Turkey's increased military engagement comes just days after France withdrew its last troops from Chad. The pullout marked the end of decades of French military presence in the country.

For years, Turkish media have criticized France's role in the region, blaming Paris for instability and economic struggles. Analysts suggest that Ankara has been positioning itself to take over Chad's military partnerships, anticipating France's exit.

A pro-government Turkish news outlet welcomed the military deal, promoting the view that the agreement with N'Djamena would bring "will bring peace and stability to the region, particularly in eastern Chad, which borders Sudan—a country currently experiencing turmoil due to the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)."

Deepening Turkish-Chadian Relations

Bilateral ties between Turkey and Chad have strengthened in recent years. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously expressed Ankara's "readiness to deepen military and defense cooperation with Chad," stressing the importance of joint security efforts in the Sahel region.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno also expressed good sentiments over the growing partnership, stating that "Ankara and N'Djamena support each other in international organizations" and share a common vision for strengthening bilateral ties.

South Africa Threatens to Withhold Minerals Amid US Aid Cut: FP

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Foreign Policy

5 Feb 2025 23:03

"They want to withhold funding, but they still want our minerals. … Let us withhold minerals. Africa must assert itself," Gwede Mantashe, South Africa's mineral and petroleum resources minister declared at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town on Monday.

Foreign Policy on Wednesday published an analysis examining the implications of US President Donald Trump's recent decision to halt financial assistance to South Africa. The move comes in response to South Africa's newly enacted land reform law, which permits land expropriation without compensation under conditions deemed "just and equitable" in the public interest.

The legislation, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in January 2025, is intended to address lingering inequalities in land ownership more than three decades after the end of apartheid.

The majority of farmland in South Africa remains concentrated in the hands of white South Africans, who make up less than 10 percent of the population. Trump's administration argues that the expropriation policy unfairly targets white landowners, prompting the US to suspend aid.

Trump further stated that his government would investigate what he described as possible human rights violations linked to the policy.

Aid Fallout

US assistance to South Africa has primarily supported health initiatives, including the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). With funding now halted, concerns are rising over access to essential treatment for millions of South Africans living with HIV.

PEPFAR-supported clinics have already been affected, though some limited exemptions were announced over the weekend. The financial strain has led to uncertainty in the country's healthcare system, with experts warning of dire consequences if alternative funding is not secured.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, has backed Trump's stance. Musk has been vocal in his criticism of the land reform law, accusing the South African government of policies that discriminate against white citizens.

His influence in the decision to cut aid has drawn both support and condemnation. In an attempt to address these concerns, President Ramaphosa reportedly reached out to Musk to clarify the objectives of the law and counter misinformation regarding its implementation. 

President Ramaphosa responded to the US decision by pointing out that Washington's financial contributions to South Africa are limited, saying, "There is no other significant funding that is provided by the United States in South Africa."

However, officials in his administration have expressed concerns about the broader consequences of losing American financial backing, particularly in the health sector. The South African rand has also experienced a decline following the announcement, indicating potential economic repercussions.

Resource Diplomacy

The controversy has also led to calls for economic retaliation. Gwede Mantashe, South Africa's mineral and petroleum resources minister and chairman of the ruling African National Congress, suggested that African nations should leverage their control over strategic resources.

"They want to withhold funding, but they still want our minerals. … Let us withhold minerals. Africa must assert itself," he declared at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town on Monday.

Beyond the dispute over land reform, South Africa has also taken a strong stance on international legal matters. On Friday, it joined eight other nations to establish the Hague Group, a coalition formed to uphold rulings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The alliance, which includes Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, and Senegal, has vowed to refuse arms sales to "Israel", citing violations of international law.

Rajoelina to Take Over SADC Chairmanship From Mnangagwa

5 February 2025

The Namibian (Windhoek)

Madagascar's president, Andry Rajoelina, will be the next chairperson of the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) regional bloc after the end of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure.

Mnangagwa took over the SADC leadership role on 17 August 2024 during the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government that was held in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Rajoelina made headlines during the Covid-19 pandemic for coming up with a healing tonic made from herbs in Madagascar, called Covid-organics.

From then on, he pushed for it to be adopted and used as a cure across the world before a vaccine was discovered.

It did very little to stop Covid-19 infections on his little island nation as cases quadrupled by August of 2020.

"The epidemic won't last. It's only passing through, and we will defeat it," he is on record as saying.

The Malagasy-French politician and businessman has ruled the island nation since 2019, after he had also served as leader of the provisional government from 2009 to 2014.

This was after Madagascar was hit by a military-backed coup.

His SADC chairmanship will come at a time when the region is contending with the Donald Trump administration, drought, climate change, and destabilising wars.

The SADC chairperson oversees the highest level of SADC governance structures, and has the overall mandate of providing policy direction and controlling the functions of SADC

The SADC chairperson also interacts with the SADC secretariat staff, provides guidance, and signs SADC legal instruments during their tenure.

Read the original article on Namibian.

South Africa's Civil Society Organizations Respond to U.S. President Trump's Threats

Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons, @GovernmentZA / X

Trump vows to cut aid to South Africa, accuses country of treating 'certain classes of people very badly'

5 February 2025

Corruption Watch (Johannesburg)

press release

We, South African civil society organisations, looking to protect and promote human rights and democracy in our country, are appalled not only at the threats issued by US President Trump against South Africa but by his dangerous lies.

South Africa’s government and executive are frequently deserving of fierce criticism. And we are proud of our record in doing so and of our unrelenting efforts to hold them to account. But the idea that South Africa is “confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly” is demonstrably untrue and would be absurd were this lie not now being propounded at the very highest levels of US government.

The recently promulgated Expropriation Act does not look to confiscate land but is an attempt to address the dispossession and removal from land that long characterised South Africa’s history and remains a festering sore in our country. It looks to secure a peaceful, prosperous future for all South Africans while respecting the rights of current property owners.

Moreover, our Constitution and our courts have long been praised globally for their championing and protection of human rights and civil liberties. Such flaws as there may be with the Expropriation Act will be fully scrutinised by our court system, and if found wanting, struck down.

How ironic that Trump in fighting off the various criminal charges he has recently faced should have compared himself to democratic South Africa’s first president, Nelson Mandela, when it was Mandela who pointedly observed that democracy in SA must mean addressing centuries of land dispossession and denial, “creating opportunity for the poor to provide for themselves, their families and their communities, and to contribute to the wealth of the country as a whole through productive agricultural enterprise.”

In his threat, Trump leaves unstated exactly who the certain classes are who are being treated very badly. Thirty years after democracy, South Africa remains among the most unequal places on earth with that inequality largely tracking racial lines: the typical Black household in South Africa owns 5% of the wealth held by the typical White household. For far too many South Africans, democracy has yet to allow an escape from crippling poverty.

Another bleak irony of Trump’s threat is that the most significant funding contributed by the US to South Africa at present goes to healthcare-related initiatives. Those most directly impacted by any US funding cut are likely to be already among the most desperate, destitute South Africans. Trump’s actions will only make them more so and by potentially fueling tensions between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in South Africa may inadvertently threaten the interests of those “certain classes” for whom Trump ostensibly seeks to act.

As South African civil society we will remain engaged, as we have always been, in the search for a more perfect union in our country – in seeking to hold our government to account, protect democracy and human rights, and eradicate poverty and human misery.

We are unquestionably saddened that those we once took to be potential partners in this endeavour – to perfect our union as they looked to perfect theirs – should shamefully have abandoned that enterprise. But we are enraged that through thuggery and threat they would now look to deliberately endanger our endeavour.

Afesis

Alliance for Rural Democracy

Ahmed Kathrada Foundation

Campaign on Digital Ethics

Campaign for Free Expression

Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution

Corruption Watch

Defend Our Democracy

Foundation for Human Rights

Helen Suzman Foundation

Justice and Activism Hub

Land Access Movement of South Africa

Media Monitoring Africa

Open Secrets South Africa

Public Interest South Africa

Public Affairs Research Institute

Socio-Economic Rights Institute

South African Green Revolutionary Council

The Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation

Read the original article on Corruption Watch.

US Officials Advise Travelers to be Careful in Uganda Because of Ebola

A medical worker disinfects a tent used for suspected Ebola victims inside the Ebola isolation center of Madudu Health Center III, in the village of Madudu, in the Mubende district of Uganda Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda, File)

By MIKE STOBBE

5:33 PM EST, February 5, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Wednesday urged Americans traveling to Uganda to take precautions because of an Ebola outbreak — and said they are helping Ugandan health officials respond to the threat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel alert does not call on travelers to steer clear of Uganda, but it does urge enhanced precautions, such as avoiding people with symptoms and skipping visits to health care centers unless travelers have an urgent medical need.

Ugandan health officials last week reported that a nurse at a hospital in the capital, Kampala, died of Ebola. It was the first recorded fatality since the country’s last outbreak of the disease ended in early 2023.

World Health Organization officials this week noted the “extensive travel” of the infected person, who visited a number of medical facilities while symptomatic, “increasing the risk of widespread transmission.”

The CDC has worked in Uganda for decades, helping the country build up lab testing capabilities to detect threatening germs. The agency established an office in the east African nation 25 years ago and has 114 people there right now. The U.S. agency has offered to help Uganda’s health ministry with such tasks as contact tracing and infection control.

Working to stop overseas outbreaks before they reach America’s shores was complicated by an order last week that told CDC officials to stop working with the WHO.

On Wednesday, an agency spokesperson said CDC personnel have been cleared to speak one-on-one with their WHO counterparts related to response activities in Uganda and two other countries with different disease outbreaks — Tanzania and Congo.

Italy Says International Criminal Court Made an ‘Immense Mess’ Out of Libyan Warlord Arrest Warrant

By NICOLE WINFIELD

8:36 AM EST, February 5, 2025

ROME (AP) — Italy’s justice minister strongly defended the government’s decision to repatriate a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court, saying Wednesday that the court itself had made an “immense mess” of the case by issuing a contradictory and flawed arrest warrant.

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told the lower chamber of parliament that he was right to proceed carefully with the Jan. 18 warrant against Ossama Anjiem, also known as Ossama al-Masri, who is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

He said that The Hague-based court later “corrected, or rather completely overturned the previous warrant” by changing the timespan of al-Masri’s alleged crimes.

“The court itself detected them and tried to change them five days later, because it realized that an immense mess was made,” he told the Chamber of Deputies.

The Italian government has been under fire from the ICC, human rights groups and opposition lawmakers ever since it freed al-Masri from prison on Jan. 21 and sent him back to Libya aboard an Italian military aircraft. Al-Masri heads the Tripoli branch of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution, a notorious network of detention centers run by the government-backed Special Defense Force.

The ICC warrant available on the court’s website accuses al-Masri of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Mitiga prison in Libya starting in 2015 that are punishable with life in prison. The ICC said he was accused of murder, torture, rape and sexual violence.

Al-Masri was arrested in Turin on the ICC warrant on Jan. 19 at 9:30 a.m., the day after he arrived in the country from Germany to watch a soccer match. The Italian government has said Rome’s court of appeals ordered him released Jan. 21 because of a technical problem in the way that the ICC warrant was transmitted, having initially bypassed the Italian justice ministry.

Nordio repeated that argument Wednesday, saying that he only received an “informal email of a few lines” from Interpol three hours after al-Masri was arrested.

But he added that the text of the original Jan. 18 warrant itself was full of contradictions, specifically the timespan during which al-Masri allegedly committed his crimes. While the text of the warrant spoke of crimes allegedly occurring between 2015-2024, the conclusions referred to crimes allegedly committed from “2011 onwards.”

“An irreconcilable contradiction emerges regarding an essential element of the arrestee’s criminal conduct, regarding the time of the crime committed,” Nordio said.

When the court announced it was unsealing the warrant on Jan. 24, it said that it was issuing an updated warrant to “correct certain typographical and clerical errors.” The revised warrant speaks only of alleged crimes between 2015-2024.

Human rights groups have blasted Italy’s repatriation of al-Masri as a serious breach of its obligations as a founding member of the court. According to Article 89 of the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty that gave birth to the ICC, member states must “comply with requests for arrest and surrender.”

And opposition lawmakers have seized on the case to attack Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. They have demanded that Meloni herself brief parliament, and on Wednesday they held up signs saying “Meloni the patriot at large” in the chamber.

Italy has close ties to the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, on whom it relies to patrol its coasts and prevent migrants from leaving. Opposition politicians have accused the government of essentially caving to the threat that Libyan militias might have unleashed boatloads of migrants had al-Masri been handed over to the ICC.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who also briefed Parliament on Wednesday, denied al-Masri was ever an interlocutor with the government on the migration issue. And he denied that Italy had received any threats in connection with his arrest.

Opposition leader Elly Schlein of the Democratic Party blasted Nordio’s presentation, saying that his legalistic arguments about the ICC warrant were misplaced and that he had no role to evaluate an arrest warrant from the court.

“Minister Nordio, you didn’t speak to this chamber as a minister, but as the defense lawyer of a torturer,” Schlein said.

Nordio’s attack on the ICC warrant is in line with the government’s overall attempt to focus attention on the judiciary’s role in the al-Masri saga.

Last week, Rome’s chief prosecutor informed Meloni, Nordio, Piatendosi and another government official that they were being investigated for allegedly favoring irregular migration by repatriating al-Masri. Meloni has spent days complaining about Italy’s politicized judiciary, echoing a frequent line of attack taken by her onetime ally, the late former Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

But Meloni has also acknowledged that national security issues came into play in the al-Masri case: In an X post on Jan. 29, Meloni framed the issue as a matter of defending Italy.

“When the security of the national and the interests of Italians are in play, there is no room for backing down,” she wrote.

___

Molly Quell contributed to this report from The Hague, Netherlands.

What’s Ahead for a 50-year-old West African Bloc After 3 Junta-led Countries Left the Group?

By BABA AHMED and MARK BANCHEREAU

5:03 AM EST, February 5, 2025

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc known as ECOWAS is facing significant challenges after three junta-led countries formally quit the group, forming their own alliance and weakening the bloc’s standing and political authority.

The withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the bloc — now left with 12 member countries — was the culmination of a yearlong period of talks and diplomatic efforts aimed at trying to get them to reverse their decision, announced in January 2024.

The departures were the first of its kind in the bloc’s 50-year historys and analysts warn that a weaker ECOWAS could further undermine the increasingly fragile region.

What is ECOWAS and what does it do?

Widely seen as West Africa’s leading political and regional authority, the 15-nation bloc was formed in 1975 to “promote economic integration” among its member states. The bloc has also often collaborated with members to solve domestic challenges, from politics to economics and security.

The bloc guarantees its members visa-free travel and access to a more than $700 billion market for a population of around 400 million people.

However, in parts of West Africa, analysts say ECOWAS suffers from a legitimacy crisis, with citizens seeing it as representing only the interests of leaders and not theirs.

Why did the 3 junta-led countries leave?

Relations between ECOWAS and the coup-hit Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso began to deteriorate after the bloc imposed stringent sanctions on Niger to pressure its military to reverse the coup it had staged.

The bloc has long used sanctions as a key tool in trying to reverse coups but those imposed on Niger were the harshest yet. Neighbors shut borders with the country, cut off more than 70% of Niger’s electricity supply, suspended financial transactions and froze Niger’s assets held by the bloc.

The three countries called the sanctions “inhumane” and accused ECOWAS of “moving away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism.”

What changed after the three nations left?

After leaving ECOWAS, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso created their own alliance known as the Alliance of Sahel States, or AES, named after the vast southern fringe of the Sahara Desert region.

The three severed military ties with longstanding Western partners, including the United States and France, and turned to Russia for military support.

ECOWAS has attempted to ease tensions with the AES, reversing last February the sanctions that the bloc had imposed and trying to revamp talks, which the AES rebuffed.

What happens now?

Although ECOWAS has said it would leave the doors open for the three nations to continue to enjoy benefits as other bloc members do, the three junta-led countries are launching their own travel documents for their citizens.

The bloc has also said that trade would continue as usual. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are still members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union — meaning trade and free movement of goods should continue among its eight-nation members. The monetary union includes the three junta-led countries as well as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Togo and Benin.

Officially, a six-month extension for talks between ECOWAS and the three countries expires in July, said Babacar Ndiaye, a political analyst at the West Africa-focused Wathi think tank. But there is little expectation that the AES countries would “reconsider their withdrawal,” Ndiaye said.

There are concerns a weakened ECOWAS would be unable to handle security crises spreading from the conflict-battered Sahel to coastal West African nations.

ECOWAS is also unlikely to be in a position to try and reverse the military takeovers in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. There will also likely be fewer investments in the three countries, which are among the region’s poorest, said Charlie Robertson, chief economist at Renaissance Capital.

Paraguay’s Disappeared: A Dictator’s Shadow is a Roadblock for Justice, but a Few Keep Up the Fight

By MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ

1:38 AM EST, January 27, 2025

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — Despite being ousted in 1989 after a 35-year reign of terror, during which 20,000 people were tortured, executed or disappeared, some Paraguayans feel as if Gen. Alfredo Stroessner never truly left.

“This is probably the only country in which the political party that supported a dictator, once he is gone, remains in power,” said Alfredo Boccia, a researcher of Paraguay’s history. “That’s why scrutiny took so long, most disappeared were never found and there were barely trials.”

Disappearances are a known phenomena in Latin America. The numbers in Argentina and Chile might have gained the most visibility, but thousands more have vanished elsewhere under dictatorships and armed conflicts.

Paraguayans with missing loved ones face a unique struggle, though. While Stroessner has been long gone, his legacy remains a roadblock to their searching.

Pieces of a statue of dictator Gen. Alfredo Stroessner form part of a monument by late artist 

Rogelio Goiburu’s hair has turned white while looking for his father. His search has spanned 47 years, and he has no intention of giving up, perhaps thanks to his father’s teachings.

“Dad trained us on survival,” Goiburu said. “He prepared us to eternally fight Stroessner’s regime.”

Experts say Stroessner’s control was unchallenged by other military strongmen in the region.

He served as Paraguay’s president, leader of his conservative Colorado Party, commander of the armed forces and chief of police. Stroessner was not overthrown by enemies, but by his in-law, and the military members involved were affiliated with his party, which has ruled practically uninterrupted since.

Paraguayans’ lack of criticism toward the party for its role in the country’s dark past were as palpable as ever in 2018, when Mario Abdo was elected president. The Colorado candidate was son of Stroessner’s personal secretary and served as a pallbearer at the dictator’s funeral in Brazil, where he died in 2006 without being convicted of any crimes.

The Colorado Party’s dominance makes accountability elusive. Various streets in Asuncion are named after military leaders. Few of those responsible for crimes have faced trial, and public schools avoid mentioning the dictatorship during history lessons.

Santiago Peña, who won the 2023 presidential elections, was aide to cigarette tycoon and former President Horacio Cartes, leader of the party despite being accused of corruption by the United States. The Colorados got Peña more than 40% of the votes, won 15 of the 17 governorships up for election and Congress’ majority.

“Paraguayans now vote for the party freely,” Boccia said. “For those of us who fight for memory, that battle was lost.”

Each missing person counts

Goiburu was named director of historic memory at the Ministry of Justice, but has no budget at hand. By his own means or raising funds, he has filled in the blanks about the fate of his dad and other disappeared people, earning the trust of retired police officers and military commanders who confessed to him alone how bodies were disposed.

Unlike Argentina, where various efforts to find disappeared people are government-funded, Paraguay doesn’t have a genetic data bank, so Goiburu relies on Argentinian forensic anthropologists to analyze and safekeep the DNA samples he gathers.

And as opposed to Mexico, where mothers searching for their children regularly exhume remains, only one major excavation has been done in Paraguay. It was led by Goiburu, between 2009 and 2013, and out of the 15 bodies found, only four were identified.

Paraguayan search efforts have also proved challenging, as some belittle victims’ claims for justice. While 30,000 Argentinians disappeared in a less than a decade-long dictatorship, around 500 people vanished in Paraguay amid the 35-year regime. Regardless, relatives argue, does it take more than a missing person to shatter a family?

“Every disappearance attacks the right to mourn,” said Carlos Portillo, who interviewed thousands of victims for the Truth Commission. “There’s no culture which doesn’t have a ritual for mourning. A disappearance is the denying of this ritual, and that’s why it’s impossible to let go.”

Before Alzheimer’s hit, Goiburu’s mother reserved a plate and an empty chair at their Christmas table for her missing husband. And until her death in 2024, she never stopped looking for him.

“Having a disappeared doesn’t mean that a loved one simply left,” said Celsa Ramírez, a former militant of the Communist Party who was imprisoned between 1975 and 1978, and searches for her husband, Derlis Villagra. “It means he was detained, tortured, killed and disappeared. That should weigh heavily on society.”

“There’s no culture which doesn’t have a ritual for mourning. A disappearance is the denying of this ritual, and that’s why it’s impossible to let go.”

No communists allowed

Goiburu’s father, Agustín, was a doctor and leftist political leader. Before he fully engaged in politics, he lived with his wife and children in the countryside, often treating patients for free.

“People paid him with eggs, a banana, a couple of hens,” said Goiburu, who became a doctor like him but gave up on medicine to search for his remains.

His dad once was among the Colorado Youth. When Stroessner took power in 1954, dozens had hope, guessing a firm hand would stabilize the country after a war against Bolivia. But a brutal repression emerged.

Amid the Cold War, and supported by the U.S., Stroessner made communism into Paraguay’s No. 1 enemy. He decreed communist activities as “punishable” and eventually targeted all opponents as leftists.

“They used to call me ‘the bishop of the red cassock,’ meaning I was a communist,” said bishop Melanio Medina, who presided over the Truth Commission. “Only those who didn’t speak out were welcomed.”

Goiburu’s father became a target for refusing to cooperate with the dictatorship. The military often transferred executed or tortured prisoners in hospitals, forcing personnel to issue false death certificates to cover up their crimes. In other cases, doctors oversaw torture sessions at detainment centers and advised torturers on the level of harm they could inflict.

Few like Goiburu’s father openly challenged military orders, but other subtle endeavors rose.

Resembling Chile’s Vicariate of Solidarity, a handful of religious leaders created a multifaith group called the Churches Committee in 1976.

“A lot of people disappeared, but we didn’t have any details,” said Spanish Catholic priest José María Blanch, who headed the committee. “Therefore, religious organizations began visiting prisons.”

Aside from food and clothing, the group provided legal advice for prisoners, financial support for those freed and information for families with loved ones detained.

Rosa María Ortiz, who joined the committee in 1977, said that she used to visit Asuncion’s main detention center and lie to the chief officer, arguing that the bishop sent her to check on prisoners so she could find out what became of them.

As the repression worsened, under the pretext of providing vaccines or books for inmates, personnel drew lists of the prisoners and updated those registers as possible.

“We didn’t even though about providing spiritual accompaniment,” Blanch said. “These were matters of life and death.”

More than a father

Federico Tatter is a friend of Goiburu who shares his ails.

Their fathers had opposite backgrounds — Tatter’s was a member of the military who rebelled against the dictatorship — but shared a common destiny: Both disappeared after being detained in Argentina, where several opponents of Stroessner fled to protect their families and continue their militance.

According to the Truth Commission, most cases of Paraguayan disappearances during the 1970s happened in Argentina, presumably amid Operation Condor, a coordinated effort among South American dictators to hunt down and eliminate opponents across borders.

In October 1976, Tatter was on his way back home in Buenos Aires when he noticed soldiers raiding his house. He met his father’s eyes while soldiers escorted him out. “I’m the last family member who saw him,” Tatter said. He’s uncertain of what happened next.

Goiburu learned about his dad’s disappearance through a neighbor. He was detained in a street in Parana in February 1977 and transferred to Asuncion. Afterwards, the trail goes cold.

“Most Paraguayans don’t realize that many of the things we can do nowadays are thanks of our parents’ battles,” said Ricardo Flecha, a singer and human rights activist. “Those fights are what allow us to have at least a modest space where we can now speak out.”

Paraguay’s opposition did hold power once — from 2008 to 2012 — but some old fears remain.

“I found two skeletons that are currently at the morgue under judicial protection,” Goiburu said. “I’m certain about their identities, but relatives won’t give me a blood sample to verify because they don’t want anyone to know they were communists.”

Goiburu himself leads a cautious way of life, scarcely keeping written records of his findings, though there’s a writing project he would love to undertake: a book about his dad.

“I dream of him every week,” he said. “More than my old man, he was my friend. I need him as a friend.”

Foreign Aid Freeze Results in Mass Layoffs That Could ‘Crash’ the Industry

Thousands of U.S. workers in the foreign development field are being furloughed or laid off, as the industry coffers run dry.

People protest against a funding freeze of federal grants and loans following a push from President Donald Trump to pause federal funding.

“I can’t even begin to describe how cataclysmic it is, everyone is furloughing or laying off staff,” said one person. “It’s almost 5,000 people, and it’s just starting.” | Ben Curtis/AP

By Maggie Miller and Carmen Paun

02/04/2025 01:59 PM EST

The Trump administration’s halt on foreign aid is starting to hollow out international development groups and private federal contractors that carry out aid missions abroad — and threatens to cause long-lasting damage to U.S. engagement around the world.

Last month, the State Department ordered an immediate pause on U.S. foreign aid for 90 days and issued “stop-work orders” on nearly all existing foreign assistance awards. This swift decision has effectively left many government contractors and global aid providers — including groups that supply HIV/AIDS care, provide child health services, set up education programs, fight food insecurity and counter disinformation in developing nations — struggling to operate or pay their workers.

Eight U.S.-based individuals who work in the foreign aid sector, all granted anonymity due to concerns about retaliation from the administration, told POLITICO that the foreign aid freeze had undermined their ability to carry out global aid efforts. Some predict that thousands of foreign aid professionals across the industry may soon be out of work.

“I can’t even begin to describe how cataclysmic it is, everyone is furloughing or laying off staff,” said one person. “It’s almost 5,000 people, and it’s just starting.”

The U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance globally, deploying billions of dollars through multiple agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development. The majority of USAID’s funds are awarded competitively through contracts, grants or cooperative agreements with international development groups and private federal contractors.

These organizations often pay out of pocket to support their missions abroad and are reimbursed by the federal government. But a break in federal funding for these critical programs has left many organizations in crisis mode.

It may take months or years for some of these federal contractors and NGOs to recover, while others do not have enough funding to survive the 90-day freeze.

“We’re currently looking at the possibility of many hundreds of seasoned professionals in the humanitarian and development and human rights field going completely out of business,” said a senior executive for an aid group.

One person who spoke to POLITICO said their group had not received federal funding for more than a month. Another individual said they expected multiple non-governmental organizations to declare bankruptcy this week. A third blamed what they said was the “30-day world” of development, where the organizations are paid out by the federal government month to month. If that lapses, funds run out fast, making the situation urgent.

“Every company has lost so much now as a result of offering these furloughs,” one person who works in the industry said. “Even if they start back up say two months from now, there’s likely going to be very few implementations … they will have no more staff.”

Another person who works for a USAID contractor said that looking at their projects and budgets, there was no way to sustain themselves for “even a fraction” of the 90-day pause period. “It’s not a pause if there are no pieces to be picked up when you want to resume. It would be like pausing feeding your dog for 90 days.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a waiver allowing “life-saving humanitarian assistance” to continue, though the definition of that assistance remains vague. One person who spoke with POLITICO said the funds from that waiver program had not yet begun to flow, and the stop work order was still in place.

A State Department spokesperson said via email that some salaries and administrative expenses, including travel for U.S. direct-hire staff conducting ongoing programs, will be allowed to continue under waivers. “Staff have been given a template for waiver requests,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson underlined the purpose of the aid freeze was to ensure it’s aligned with the America First foreign policy agenda. “For far too long, the United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy have not been aligned with American interests, and in many cases, antithetical to American values,” the spokesperson wrote. “They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.”

USAID did not respond to a request for comment.

A State Department official clarified in a memo Saturday which parts of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — which delivers HIV treatment for millions of people, mostly in Africa — were covered. But Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, wrote Monday on the social platform X that he was told “drugs are still being held at clinics in Africa.” Cassidy asked for that to be reversed.

This crisis is likely to intensify as the Trump administration makes moves to fold USAID into the State Department, which could further complicate how funding for these groups is decided and distributed.

Some influential Republicans support the idea of folding USAID into the State Department and welcome a mass restructuring across the industry. Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday that he wasn’t concerned about the layoffs “because of the grift that has been working on to the American taxpayer, the American worker.”

Mast said only between 10 to 30 percent of the money USAID handled was ultimately going to aid and that he’s working with Rubio “to make sure there’s the appropriate command-and-control of these agencies.” Researchers dispute the claim that such a low percentage of USAID funding reaches its intended beneficiaries.

Some of these anticipated layoffs have already begun. According to an email obtained by POLITICO, early last week development group Credence Management Solutions sent formal emails to contractors in its global health bureau laying off around 400 employees.

The CEO of DT Global, one of the world’s leading development contractors, reportedly told employees last week that 2,000 to 3,000 positions would likely be eliminated in the sector the first week of February. Both Credence Management Solutions and DT Global did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A director at a leading USAID contractor who spoke with POLITICO said that more than two-thirds of their company would be furloughed by the end of the week, describing the future of the sector as “bleak at best.”

“This is starting to look like an industry crash,” a different person in the aid sector said.

In addition to companies facing crisis, individuals who work in foreign aid in Washington say the job market is about to be oversaturated with thousands of newly unemployed people with no clear path forward. One person who spoke with POLITICO had been due to begin a job in the foreign aid space but had their offer rescinded because the job no longer exists.

“We’re all flooding the next-door neighbor sectors, which cannot possibly absorb all of us,” the person said. “Even though we know we’re each other’s competitors, there is still a community that I hope we’ll maintain.”

In an interview for “The Megyn Kelly Show” last week, Rubio said that the aid pause was meant to provide the federal government with time to review existing contracts. He noted that the funds should “be a tool that we use to advance the national interest,” and asserted that the U.S. government “is not a charity.”

One individual who had worked in the foreign aid space through multiple administrations stressed that while it was typical for there to be a review of contracts at the start of a new administration, the blunt approach the Trump administration is taking goes well beyond what has been done in previous years.

“Each administration has their own priorities, they take a pause, they reflect, they review, they adjust,” the person said. “What is damaging is the fact that it was so abrupt and unequivocal.”

“It’s very challenging to have a reform conversation when you’re in the middle of shutting everything down,” another person added.

The groups affected are those across the spectrum, including the International Republican Institute, which counts Republican senators on its board and carries out pro-democracy work abroad. IRI President Daniel Twining said in a statement to POLITICO that he believes a review of foreign aid funding is “quite in order,” but that “we can only hope that the review happens expeditiously, because our adversaries aren’t pausing, and they would relish in seeing [foreign assistance] go away.”

As the U.S. waffles on foreign assistance, other nations may be waiting to fill the voids created. Specifically, the Chinese government has pursued its “Belt and Road Initiative” for the past decade to build infrastructure in developing nations around the world — particularly in Latin America and Africa — and exert political influence.

Some lawmakers are also particularly worried about this prospect. The top Democrats on the House and Senate committees with oversight of the State Department and of USAID on Friday sent a letter to the agency making clear their strong concerns around the funding pause.

“Not only will lives be lost, but we are also ceding ground to China, damaging our standing in the world at a time of heightened geopolitical competition,” the lawmakers wrote.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tweeted Saturday that “China will fill the void” in developing nations, which will “ONLY be able to rely on China for help.”

Beyond giving Beijing and other adversarial nations an opening, the funding freeze also risks undermining the U.S.’ standing around the world as a reliable development partner. The withdrawal of U.S. funding, often a key way that the nation builds trust and relationships abroad, could knock the nation’s public diplomacy efforts.

In some cases, this involves direct assistance to other governments, helping to secure the U.S. by maintaining allies in times of peace. That method looks set to disappear.

“We have spent more than 50 years building up goodwill around the world, because it’s the right thing to do, and it protects our national security,” a person in the foreign aid sector said. “It costs a whole lot less to feed someone than it does to kill someone.”

Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.

Congo-Kinshasa: Bishop of Goma - 'The Ceasefire Is Holding, but People Are Afraid. Hospitals and Refugees Are the Most Worrying Situations'

4 February 2025

Fides News Agency (Vatican)

Kinshasa — "The city is calm, but people are still afraid to leave their homes because security is not fully guaranteed," reports Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, Bishop of Goma, speaking to Fides from the capital of the Congolese province of North Kivu, which was taken over by the rebel movement M23 on January 27 (see Fides, 27/1/2025).

"Schools are still largely closed, also because many school buildings were damaged or destroyed in the fighting," reports Msgr. Ngengele. "The worst situation is in the hospitals, which are receiving a large number of wounded and are in difficulty due to the lack of medicines and equipment." "Internet connections are still difficult, people have to make do with makeshift solutions to stay connected with the outside world," continues the bishop. About a million internally displaced people from rural areas in North Kivu province, which were first affected by the fighting, live in Goma. Their situation is currently uncertain because, as Bishop Ngengele reports, "the refugee camps have been closed and those among the displaced who still have a home are returning to their home village. Those who cannot remain in precarious conditions in Goma."

Yesterday, February 3, the M23 declared a ceasefire "for humanitarian reasons" which came into force today. "For the moment, the ceasefire is holding, but people are still afraid to venture out because they do not feel completely safe," says the bishop. In an effort to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, a delegation from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Congo (CENCO) was received yesterday in Kinshasa by President Félix Tshisekedi.

During the talks, the Head of State was presented with a reconciliation plan drawn up by CENCO together with the "Église du Christ au Congo" (ECC).

"The two churches have taken the initiative to develop this project to get out of the crisis. We presented it today to the Head of State, who received it with great attention; he appreciated it very much and encouraged us. It is a praiseworthy project," said Msgr. Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, at the end of the audience that lasted more than an hour.

Read the original article on Agenzia Fides.

Officials Say a Rebel Attack in Central African Republic Has Killed Several Soldiers

By JEAN FERNAND KOENA

5:08 PM EST, February 3, 2025

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — A rebel group killed at least five soldiers in Central African Republic, an army official and city councilor said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about it.

Rebels with the Coalition of Patriots for Change, an anti-government armed group, attacked a military outpost early Monday in the village of Kouki in the northwestern prefecture of Ouham, the prefect, Barthelemy Wilikon, told The Associated Press. Several soldiers were severely injured, he added.

Central African Republic has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then-president François Bozizé from office. A 2019 peace deal only lessened the fighting, and six of the 14 armed groups that signed later left the agreement.

The Coalition of Patriots for Change was founded in 2020 in the aftermath of the agreement.

On Monday evening, many Kouki residents were in shock from the attack.

“The army ensures the security of the village but despite their presence, the rebels were able to attack it and kill several soldiers,” said shop owner Robert Kpawirena. He said it would be difficult to reopen businesses: “Even if we are not directly affected, we fear being caught in the crossfire.”

Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest countries despite its vast mineral wealth including gold and diamonds. Rebel groups have often operated with impunity over the past decade, thwarting mining exploration by foreign companies.

The country is one of the first in which Russia-backed Wagner mercenaries established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace. But the forces have been accused of human rights violations and defending the military government of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, in power since 2016.

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

What USAID Does, and Why Trump and Musk Want to Get Rid of It

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and MEG KINNARD

10:40 AM EST, February 4, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of senior officials put on leave. Thousands of contractors laid off. A freeze put on billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to other countries.

Over the last two weeks, President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant changes to the U.S. agency charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas that has left aid organizations agonizing over whether they can continue with programs such as nutritional assistance for malnourished infants and children.

Then-President John F. Kennedy established the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, during the Cold War. In the decades since, Republicans and Democrats have fought over the agency and its funding.

Here’s a look at USAID, its history and the changes made since Trump took office.

What is USAID?

Kennedy created USAID at the height of the United States’ Cold War struggle with the Soviet Union. He wanted a more efficient way to counter Soviet influence abroad through foreign assistance and saw the State Department as frustratingly bureaucratic at doing that.

Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act and Kennedy set up USAID as an independent agency in 1961.

USAID has outlived the Soviet Union, which fell in 1991. Today, supporters of USAID argue that U.S. assistance in countries counters Russian and Chinese influence. China has its own “belt and road” foreign aid program worldwide operating in many countries that the U.S. also wants as partners.

Critics say the programs are wasteful and promote a liberal agenda.

What’s going on with USAID?

On his first day in office Jan. 20, Trump implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance. Four days later, Peter Marocco — a returning political appointee from Trump’s first term — drafted a tougher than expected interpretation of that order, a move that shut down thousands of programs around the world and forced furloughs and layoffs.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since moved to keep more kinds of strictly life-saving emergency programs going during the freeze. But confusion over what programs are exempted from the Trump administration’s stop-work orders — and fear of losing U.S. aid permanently — is still freezing aid and development work globally.

Dozens of senior officials have been put on leave, thousands of contractors laid off, and employees were told Monday not to enter its Washington headquarters. And USAID’s website and its account on the X platform have been taken down.

It’s part of a Trump administration crackdown that’s hitting across the federal government and its programs. But USAID and foreign aid are among those hit the hardest.

Rubio said the administration’s aim was a program-by-program review of which projects make “America safer, stronger or more prosperous.”

The decision to shut down U.S.-funded programs during the 90-day review meant the U.S. was “getting a lot more cooperation” from recipients of humanitarian, development and security assistance, Rubio said.

What do critics of USAID say?

Republicans typically push to give the State Department — which provides overall foreign policy guidance to USAID — more control of its policy and funds. Democrats typically promote USAID autonomy and authority.

Funding for United Nations agencies, including peacekeeping, human rights and refugee agencies, have been traditional targets for Republican administrations to cut. The first Trump administration moved to reduce foreign aid spending, suspending payments to various U.N. agencies, including the U.N. Population Fund and funding to the Palestinian Authority.

In Trump’s first term, the U.S. pulled out of the U.N. Human Rights Council and its financial obligations to that body. The U.S. is also barred from funding the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, under a bill signed by then-President Joe Biden last March.

As a Florida senator, Rubio often called for more transparency on foreign assistance spending, but was generally supportive. In a 2017 social media post, Rubio said foreign assistance was “not charity,” that the U.S. “must make sure it is well spent” and called foreign aid “critical to our national security.

In 2023, Rubio sponsored a bill that would have required U.S. foreign assistance agencies to include more information on what organizations were implementing.

Why is Elon Musk going after USAID?

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has launched a sweeping effort empowered by Trump to fire government workers and cut trillions in government spending. USAID is one of his prime targets. Musk alleges USAID funding been used to launch deadly programs and called it a “criminal organization.”

What is being affected by the USAID freeze?

Sub-Saharan Africa could suffer more than any other region during the aid pause. The U.S. gave the region more than $6.5 billion in humanitarian assistance last year. HIV patients in Africa arriving at clinics funded by an acclaimed U.S. program that helped rein in the global AIDS epidemic of the 1980s found locked doors.

There are also already ramifications in Latin America. In Mexico, a busy shelter for migrants in southern Mexico has been left without a doctor. A program to provide mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth fleeing Venezuela was disbanded.

In Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Guatemala, so-called “Safe Mobility Offices” where migrants can apply to enter the U.S. legally have shuttered.

The aid community is struggling to get the full picture—how many thousands of programs have shut down and how many thousands of workers were furloughed and laid off under the freeze?

How much does the U.S. spend on foreign aid?

In all, the U.S. spent about roughly $40 billion in foreign aid in the 2023 fiscal year, according to a report published last month by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

The U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance globally, although some other countries spend a bigger share of their budget on it. Foreign assistance overall amounts to less than 1% of the U.S. budget.

What do Americans think of foreign aid?

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was spending “too much” overall on foreign aid, according to a March 2023 AP-NORC poll. Asked about specific costs, roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was putting too much money toward assistance to other countries. About 9 in 10 Republicans and 55% of Democrats agreed that the country was overspending on foreign aid. At the time, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the government was spending “too little” on domestic issues that included education, health care, infrastructure, Social Security and Medicare.

Polling has shown that U.S. adults tend to overestimate the share of the federal budget that is spent on foreign aid. Surveys from KFF have found that on average, Americans say spending on foreign aid makes up 31% of the federal budget rather than closer to 1% or less.

Could Trump dissolve USAID on his own?

Democrats say presidents lack the constitutional authority to eliminate USAID. But it’s not clear what would stop him from trying.

A mini-version of that legal battle played out in Trump’s first term, when he tried to cut the budget for foreign operations by a third.

When Congress refused, the Trump administration used freezes and other tactics to cut the flow of funds already appropriated by Congress for the foreign programs. The Government Accountability Office later ruled that violated a law known as the Impoundment Control Act.

It’s a law we may be hearing more of.

“Live by executive order, die by executive order,” Musk said on X Saturday in reference to USAID.

Zimbabwe: Zacc Calls Scientists, Researchers to Action

3 February 2025

The Herald (Harare)

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has urged the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC) to develop and implement cutting-edge forensic tools to fight crime as technology is leveraged to prevent, detect and successfully prosecute corruption.

ZACC chairperson Mr Michael Reza made the call while presiding over the signing of corporate and individual integrity pledges by SIRDC board members and management.

This collaborative effort, Mr Reza said, sought to bolster the fight against corruption by leveraging innovation and technology to prevent, detect, and prosecute corrupt activities.

"Your expertise in data analytics, process optimisation, and technological innovation can revolutionise how we detect, prevent, and combat corruption. We envision collaboration in developing advanced forensic tools, creating corruption risk assessment models, and establishing technology-driven transparency mechanisms.

"The importance of integrity in scientific research cannot be overstated. False data, manipulated results, or compromised methodologies not only undermine scientific progress but can lead to catastrophic policy decisions.

"The commission is available to work with you in establishing specific integrity action plans and conducting regular integrity action plan implementation audits."

The two institutions could create a model that other institutions can aspire to emulate.

"The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission also proposes collaboration in several key areas such as joint training programmes on development of anti-corruption compliance frameworks tailor-made for research institutions, and the establishment of a centre of excellence for integrity in scientific research."

SIRDC chairman Mr Misheck Kachere said: "I am delighted to be here to reaffirm our commitment in upholding the highest standards of integrity through the signing of this corporate pledge. Today marks an important milestone in SIRDC's journey towards fostering a culture of transparency, accountability and ethical standards.

"In signing this integrity pledge, we are making a solemn promise to ourselves and our stakeholders that we will uphold the principles of honesty, fairness, and responsibility in all our activities. This pledge serves as a reminder that we are accountable for our actions. We must always act with integrity."

To date, over 140 institutions, including Government departments, parastatals and private entities, have established integrity committees to combat corruption in the country.

At least 12 000 individuals from these institutions have signed personal integrity pledges, committing to uphold ethical standards.

An integrity pledge is a key component of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, designed to foster transparency, honesty and adherence to ethical principles across all sectors.

Read the original article on The Herald.

Zimbabwe Rural Digitisation a Catalyst for Vision 2030

3 February 2025

The Herald (Harare)

By Kundai Marunya, Correspondent

Zimbabwe is steadily marching towards its Vision 2030 goal of becoming an upper-middle income economy.

Central to this vision is ensuring that every Zimbabwean has access to the tools and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

In this regard, rural digitisation is not just a dream, but a necessity.

Government, through its various initiatives, has laid the groundwork for transforming rural communities by distributing digital gadgets and improving access to technology.

Recognising the role of agriculture as the backbone of Zimbabwe's economy, Government through the agriculture ministry began the year by distributing part of the 6 000 tablets sourced to Agritex and veterinary services officers.

These are meant to provide Agritex officers with access to real-time data, best practices, weather forecasts, pest identification and market prices.

The initiative aims to enhance efficiency in reporting and providing accurate agricultural data, ultimately empowering frontline workers.

This supports the modernisation of agriculture, bridging the gap between education, extension and research.

These officers play a critical role in providing farmers with information on market trends, weather patterns and advanced farming techniques. With access to digital tools, they can now deliver this information faster and more effectively.

Recently, the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services donated computers to Rural District Councils (RDCs).

"As a ministry, we are happy that this donation of computers will essentially accelerate our modernisation and digitisation agenda as we pursue Vision 2030 compliant service delivery by local authorities as outlined in the Call to Action Blueprint," said Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works Engineer Benjamin Kabikira.

However, while the distribution of tools is an essential first step, the real measure of success lies in how these resources are utilised to enhance livelihoods, create opportunities and bridge the digital divide.

Government has been spearheading rural digitisation efforts. Through programmes like the Presidential e-Learning Initiative, schools in remote areas are benefiting from computers, tablets and internet connectivity.

These efforts are aimed at ensuring students in rural areas receive the same quality of education as their urban counterparts.

Moreover, the establishment of community information centres by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has brought internet access to the doorstep of rural communities.

These centres are designed to provide conducive space where people can learn, connect and access vital information, helping to integrate remote areas into the digital economy.

In addition to schools and community centres, Government has also targeted key sectors such as agriculture.

While these efforts are commendable, there is need to close the gap between the provision of digital tools and their effective use.

Some of the recipients of these gadgets, particularly in rural areas, need training to fully utilise them.

Without adequate training, the potential of these tools remains largely untapped, limiting their impact on improving productivity and livelihoods.

Addressing this gap requires a multifaceted approach. Training programmes must be prioritised to ensure that recipients of these digital gadgets can use them effectively.

For example, Agritex officers should receive hands-on training on how to use digital tools to access and disseminate agricultural data, communicate with farmers and monitor crop performance.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri recently said training programmes and support services will be rolled out to ensure that the extension officers are at home when it comes navigating the technologies.

Similarly, teachers in rural schools should be equipped with the skills to integrate technology into their teaching methods, ensuring that students are not just passive users of technology but active participants in a digitised world.

Beyond training, Government has also focused on infrastructure development to support rural digitisation. Thus, in collaboration with telecoms companies, efforts have been made to expand network coverage to remote areas.

The ongoing rollout of 5G technology and the construction of base stations in underserved regions are steps in the right direction.

These developments are crucial for ensuring that rural communities can access the internet reliably, enabling them to benefit from e-learning platforms, telemedicine services and e-commerce.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain.

Internet connectivity in rural areas is often intermittent and expensive, making it difficult for communities to fully embrace digital tools.

Addressing this requires continued investment in infrastructure and policies that make internet access affordable for all.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can play a pivotal role in this regard, with telecoms companies working alongside Government to subsidise internet costs for rural users.

Another critical area of focus is the integration of digitisation into everyday rural life.

In this respect, technology should not be seen as an external tool but as an enabler of existing practices.

For instance, platforms can be developed to digitise Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), preserving traditional farming methods, crafts and cultural practices while sharing them with a wider audience.

Digital marketplaces can also connect rural entrepreneurs with buyers, expanding their reach and boosting incomes.

Government is promoting rural digitisation as part of a broader strategy to ensure no-one is left behind in Zimbabwe's development trajectory.

By prioritising rural areas, Government is addressing historical inequalities and empowering communities to contribute to the country's economic growth.

However, the success of these initiatives depends on the active participation of all stakeholders.

Local authorities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private sector players must all come on board to provide the training, infrastructure and support needed to make rural digitisation a reality.

The impact of rural digitisation extends beyond individual communities.

By bringing remote areas into the digital world, Zimbabwe can unlock the full potential of its human capital, driving innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Students in rural schools can access the same educational resources as their urban counterparts, bridging the gap in educational outcomes.

Farmers can access real-time data on weather and markets, improving their productivity and incomes. Health workers can use telemedicine to provide better care, reducing the burden of distance on rural patients.

However, achieving this vision requires a sustained commitment to ensuring that digital tools are not only available but are also used effectively.

Training programmes should not be once-off events, but ongoing efforts that evolve with changing technology.

As Zimbabwe approaches 2030, the importance of rural digitisation cannot be overstated.

Government's efforts to distribute digital gadgets and improve infrastructure have laid a strong foundation.

Now, the focus must shift to maximising the impact of these tools, ensuring that they contribute to meaningful change in the lives of rural communities.

By so doing, Zimbabwe can achieve not just a digitally inclusive society but a truly empowered one, where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive in this digital age.

The journey towards rural digitalisation is not without its challenges, but the rewards far outweigh the obstacles.

With the right strategies and a collective commitment from all stakeholders, rural Zimbabwe can become a vibrant part of the country's digital landscape, contributing to the realisation of Vision 2030 and beyond. - The Patriot.

Read the original article on The Herald.

Congo-Kinshasa: Joint Regional Initiative Must End Violence in DRC

3 February 2025

The Herald (Harare)

SADC at it's Extraordinary Summit in Harare on Friday made it clear that it would not abandon the Democratic Republic of Congo, in fact wishing to strengthen support for that country which is facing a rebel onslaught in its two eastern Kivu provinces.

The diplomatic initiative required to remove many of the underlying pressures that prolong the rebel violence, is two fold, a joint Summit of SADC and the East African Community (EAC) and the commissioning of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation to engage all state and non-state actors involved in the conflict to negotiate a ceasefire, protect civilian lives and facilitate the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.

The other set of decisions at the Friday Summit called by SADC Chairperson President Mnangagwa involve the immediate dispatch to the DRC of SADC Defence Ministers and their professional military advisors, the defence forces chiefs, to the DRC to assess the security situation and ensure the safety of the continuing SADC Mission in the DRC, SAMIDRC.

The joint SADC-EAC Summit of 22 countries, with DRC and Tanzania belonging to both groups, has already been agreed by both, the EAC in its extraordinary Summit on Wednesday and SADC on Friday. President Mnangagwa and EAC Chairperson Kenyan President William Ruto now simply have to work out the logistics, the date and venue, and thus it is likely the meeting will be very soon.

The SADC Troika is chaired by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, particularly well suited for engaging all state and non-state actors since Tanzania borders DRC and Rwanda, the main state actors, and even borders South Kivu and is only a short hop from North Kivu.

The visit by the Defence Ministers and defence chiefs can obviously make the political and professional security assessments, which are likely to include the requirements of the DRC military, which has had to absorb a number of former rebel movements in recent years and quite possibly needs assistance in its present process of conversion to a more professional and unified force.

Behind all these efforts, it is important to see who are the most important people involved: the people of the DRC in general and the people of the eastern provinces in particular, as they have had to cope with rebel movements and frequent violence for far too many years. They need the peace and security of an end to violence, full integration into the DRC government services and full participation in the now flourishing DRC democracy and growing DRC economy.

There are hundreds of thousands of displaced people, and the occupation of the large city of Goma by the M23 rebel movement has seriously disrupted the major humanitarian efforts needed to look after them, since Goma was the base, as well as creating more displacements and placing far more people at serious risk of starvation and disease.

The Kivu provinces are even by the high standards of the DRC, one of Africa's most resource rich countries, potentially exceptionally wealthy. It has been fairly well established that some mineral wealth has been smuggled out of areas under rebel control or at least open to rebel raids, and among other measures this use of "conflict minerals" needs to be ended.

Once the priority of those affected by the violence has been accepted, the concerns of others can be addressed and proper and lasting solutions found.

The DRC itself simply wants normal control over its own territory. It has, since the end of the military autocracy of Mobuto Sese Seko, prolonged because of his manoeuvring in the Cold War, been dealing with assorted rebel movements, usually through negotiation and absorbing them into the general body politic and the numerous fighting forces into its military.

The Kivu rebel movements have been more resistant to this process, and many of them and especially M23, bring in tribalism, self-identifying as Tutsi. That is a relic of the Belgian colonialism of DRC, Rwanda and Burundi which insisted on tribal classifications of what were by late pre-colonial times far more an economic classification of people who spoke the common indigenous language of what is now Rwanda, Burundi and some neighbouring communities in eastern DRC. Cattle-owning Tutsi were considered less inferior than crop farmers in this weird colonial set up.

The other major state player in the dispute is Rwanda, which has made it clear that it has security concerns after a large number of those directly involved in the Rwandan genocide of 1994 crossed into the then eastern Zaire with its then exceptionally poor administration. Rwanda has interfered in eastern DRC to ensure that these criminal elements and refugees were neutralised.

There is a lot of sympathy for Rwanda as it moved out of the genocide era, and has within its own borders done a lot to unify the population, starting with the destruction of those evil Belgian-era ID cards that recorded tribal affiliation and replaced them with cards that record citizens.

But it is important for Rwanda not only to cease whatever support it is giving to opposition movements next door, and Rwanda and DRC differ on just how much is given, but to also actively assist the peace process by ensuring normal relations with the DRC and preventing any movement of arms into DRC and any smuggling of conflict minerals out of DRC, regardless of the sources of arms and minerals.

It is fairly clear that a permanent solution to the crisis in the DRC must involve a secure border, to satisfy security concerns of both countries, and that might mean external neutral monitors. With that in place then the standard conversion of rebel movements into political parties can be pushed forward with confidence that this is the only path.

Displaced people can then be helped to return home and the DRC citizens who live in the eastern provinces can get on with their lives, their mineral and other resources being developed to give them a decent living.

Read the original article on The Herald.

Belarus’ Election Commission Confirms Lukashenko’s Victory in Presidential Election

"No complaints about violations of electoral laws capable of impacting the outcome of the election were received either from citizens or observers during the voting and vote counting," CEC chairman Igor Karpenko said

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

MINSK, February 3. /TASS/. Central Election Commission (CEC) has officially endorsed the final results of the January 26 presidential election and confirmed Alexander Lukashenko as the victor.

According to the CEC’s final data, Lukashenko won 86.82% of votes. He was followed by Sergey Syrankov with 3.21%. Next were Oleg Gaidukevich (2.02%), Anna Kanopatskaya (1.86%), and Alexander Khizhnyak (1.74%). Some did not cast their ballot for any of these candidates, a total of 3.60% of voters. Out of around 6.9 million eligible voters, 85.69% of citizens came to the polls.

"No complaints about violations of electoral laws capable of impacting the outcome of the election were received either from citizens or observers during the voting and vote counting," CEC chairman Igor Karpenko said.

During his election campaign, Lukashenko emphasized the need to protect Belarus in the face of modern challenges, highlighting security as a top priority. He argued that strong governance and a robust state are essential to maintaining stability. While asserting that Belarus poses no threat to any nation and maintains a defensive military policy, he stressed the country's readiness to defend itself if attacked. To this end, he called for continued modernization of the armed forces, the development of domestic advanced weaponry, and close military cooperation with Russia under existing international agreements to ensure national security.

As for the country’s foreign policy, the head of state stated his intention to continue building on strategic partnerships with Russia and China, make efforts to resume dialogue with the West and normalize relations with the Belarus' neighbors. Lukashenko also aims to find new partners to work with, expand the country’s presence in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and explore new opportunities within BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The Belarusian leader also promised to build a sustainable and efficient socio-economic system in the country. In his words, the country needs new technologies, to grow its manufacturing industry, and end corruption. He emphasized the importance of integrating digital economy principles and intelligent production management systems using domestic software solutions. Furthermore, he underscored the need for unity within Belarusian society, while expressing a commitment to fostering mutual understanding with those holding different views.

Russian Aerospace Forces Down Ukrainian Su-27 Fighter Jet

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 300 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made armored vehicle and five enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported

© AP Photo/ Efrem Lukatsky

MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force 27 plane," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces hammer Ukrainian military airfields, UAV assembly workshops in past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) assembly workshops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck an energy facility supporting the Ukrainian army’s operations, the infrastructure of military airfields, production workshops, storage sites and places of preparing unmanned aerial vehicles for launch, and also amassed enemy manpower and equipment in 146 areas," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 35 casualties on Ukrainian army in Kharkov area

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 35 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility in the Kharkov Region over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Russia’s Battlegroup North operating in the Kharkov direction inflicted casualties on formations of two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Udy and Okhrimovka in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 35 personnel and three field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts 300 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 300 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made armored vehicle and five enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on a tank brigade, three mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade, an assault brigade and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Borovaya, Kupyansk, Zagoruikovka and Zelyony Gai in the Kharkov Region, Novoyegorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Yampol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 300 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, seven pickup trucks and five field artillery guns, including two Western-made weapons in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an Anklav electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts 220 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted roughly 220 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted casualties on formations of four mechanized and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlement of Dronovka, Verkhnekamenskoye, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Predtechino, Chasov Yar, Dachnoye and Ulakly in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 220 personnel, an armored combat vehicle and four motor vehicles, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 520 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 520 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed five enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units continued active offensive operations. They inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of six mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade and a jaeger brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, two National Guard brigades and the Lyut assault brigade of Ukraine’s national police near the settlements of Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Kotlino, Dimitrov, Uspenovka, Yasenovoye and Andreyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 520 personnel, five armored combat vehicles, including a Swedish-made Viking armored personnel carrier, three motor vehicles and two artillery guns, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 150 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 150 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a French-made artillery system in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted casualties on formations of a tank brigade and two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army and three territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Razdolnoye, Burlatskoye, Novosyolka, Vesyoloye, Novopol and Dneproenergiya in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours totaled more than 150 personnel, three armored combat vehicles and four field artillery guns, including a French-made 155mm Caesar self-propelled artillery system, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 70 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 70 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, an infantry brigade and three territorial defense brigades of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements Maliye Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, Dneprovskoye and Otradokamenka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 70 personnel, eight motor vehicles and two field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russian air defenses destroy 199 Ukrainian UAVs, seven HIMARS rockets over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 199 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and seven HIMARS rockets over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, seven rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 199 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, including 124 UAVs outside the area of the special military operation," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 653 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 42,338 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 surface-to-air missile systems, 21,007 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,513 multiple rocket launchers, 21,190 field artillery guns and mortars and 31,149 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.