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Weekly anb09265.txt #8

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 26-09-2002      PART #5/8
* Côte d'Ivoire. Africa reacts to coup attempt - Many African countries have condemned the attempted coup d'etat. Benin's President Kerekou condemns the "ongoing confrontation in Côte d'Ivoire". Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure "deplores the violence and loss of life". The Government of Mauritius "strongly condemns the attempted coup against the democratically elected government of President Gbagbo". Niger condemns the coup attempt. Morocco expresses "relief" at the failed coup. Libya "roundly denounces" the attempted putsch. In other reactions, Ghana sends a four-member delegation to Côte d'Ivoire on a sub-regional mediation initiative to help calm down the upheaval in that country. Burkina Faso calls on its citizens living on the border with Côte d'Ivoire and truck drivers in the area to be "extra vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the appropriate authorities". On 24 September, Burkina Faso sealed its border with Côte d'Ivoire. The Angolan government formally denies media reports that its troops are in Abidjan in the wake of the military uprising in Côte d'Ivoire. Senegal's President Wade encourages French mediation in the crisis, saying: "France is better placed to mediate in the ongoing Ivorian crisis". A delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemns the upheaval in Côte d'Ivoire and reaffirms their opposition to any attempt of unconstitutional change of government in the subregion. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 26 September 2002)
* Côte d'Ivoire. Concerns about foreign nationals - France: France has reinforced its military presence in Côte d'Ivoire and its troops are ready to evacuate foreigners. France/Italy: MISNA reports (on 26 September) that the French and Italian embassies have warned their nationals to prepare for eventual evacuation. The Gambia: The Gambia Government has expressed concern over the fate of the country's national football team trapped in a hotel in Bouake, together with the Senegal and Sierra Leone teams. The teams, who were in Côte d'Ivoire to compete in the regional Wafu Cup have been unable to leave the hotel because of fears for their safety. President Yaya Jammeh of The Gambia has ordered his private jet to air lift the Gambian players as soon as the team reaches Abidjan. The Gambian President is in talks with government officials in Sierra Leone and Senegal to find a safe corridor for the players to reach Abidjan. India: On 25 September, Ghana announced it has permission to India to use the country to evacuate its nationals trapped in the Côte d'Ivoire fighting. United States: US troops have landed in Ghana to safeguard American schoolchildren caught up in the fighting in Bouake, Côte d'Ivoire. Heavy shooting has been reported close to a Christian school housing some 160, mainly American, children. The deployment came at the request of the US ambassador in Côte d'Ivoire. A US navy spokesman says "the troops will go to Bouake and assist in moving American citizens from the Christian Academy where they are, to a safe location, still within Côte d'Ivoire". In fact, French troops evacuate the children. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 26 September 2002)
* Djibouti. US troops in Djibouti - 19 September: As an American helicopter hovered overhead, several young men said they welcomed US forces in Djibouti a day after the Pentagon said it had sent 800 troops to the tiny but strategically important nation in the Horn of Africa. Acting Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali said several hundred American troops have been stationed at Le Monier barracks for about five months and that Djibouti has been cooperating in the US-led war against terrorism. The young men sitting in the shade chewing a semi-narcotic leaf known as khat said they've seen US forces in town since April, particularly at the small airport. "I'm happy they're here. There are no problems in Djibouti, the security is very good," said Abdurahman Moussa Soultan. "I don't like al-Qaida...they have no intelligence." Others said they hoped the US presence would mean jobs in this poor country which relies on port fees and foreign aid for survival. "For us it's good because we can make conversation with them and maybe have some jobs when more of them come," said Mohamed Said Ali. "We like to have Americans here." The foreign minister said the US troops have been training "in preparation for the next few months. The US presence is not new; we have been working with them since 11 September. We have been hearing (media reports) these days they are moving to attack Yemen. We have no information on that. We have helped them get the necessary facilities to carry out their manoeuvres". He said US forces have also been flying from Djibouti to a US ship in the Red Sea. Across the water is Yemen, where the United States is stepping up its hunt for al-Qaida operatives. (Editor's note: US diplomatic officials have denied that their forces are massing near the coast of Yemen in preparation for operations against al-Qaeda elements thought to be inside that country). (CNN, USA, 19 September 2002)
* Egypte. 36 islamistes arrêtés - Trente-six "islamistes membres d'un groupe interdit, qui appelaient à renverser le régime", ont été arrêtés au Caire, le 24 septembre, par la police égyptienne. Selon elle, des tracts invitaient "à renverser le régime, haïr le dirigeant et nouer des liens avec d'autres organisations extrémistes". - Le lendemain, le parquet de la sûreté de l'Etat a placé les 36 hommes en garde à vue pour quinze jours pour les besoins de l'enquête. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 26 septembre 2002)
* Egypt/Kenya. Business agreement signed - On 20 September, Kenya and Egypt signed a broad-based economic and business agreement aimed at smoothing and widening the sagging trade and economic relations between the two major states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The agreements are contained in a communique signed by Kenya's Minister of Trade and Industry, Nicholas Biwott, and his Egyptian counterpart, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, at the end of two days of talks in Nairobi. The two countries pledged to prevent further trade disputes by setting up "sustainable structures with in-built mechanisms to safeguard and deepen trade and investment links." Such mechanisms include the establishment of a joint Trade and Investment Committee within the framework of an economic agreement. The agreement also aims at fostering closer links between the two countries' business associations, through the setting up of a Joint Egypt-Kenya Business Council. (PANA, Senegal, 21 September 2002)
* Egypt. Mubarak seeks to concentrate minds on Israel - On 25 September, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt embarked a round of intensive diplomacy to calm tensions over Iraq and refocus attention on the Palestinian and Israeli question. As Arab states prepared to try to influence fresh resolutions in the United Nations on Iraq, Mr Mubarak travelled to Saudi Arabia at the head of a heavyweight delegation to meet Crown Prince Abdullah, the kingdom's de facto leader. Saudi Arabia said afterwards that the talks had covered developments in the Middle East, including "current fast-developing events that might lead to bad results". The president's lightning visit to Riyadh was made the day after he met Naji Sabri, the Iraqi foreign minister, in Cairo. Ahmed Maher, the Egyptian foreign minister, said Mr Sabri had reaffirmed to Mr Mubarak Iraq's commitment to allowing weapons inspectors to operate without conditions and told Mr Mubarak that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and no intention of developing such devices. Mr Mubarak told Mr Sabri that Baghdad must comply with UN resolutions and allow UN weapons inspectors to operate freely in Iraq. (Financial Times, UK, 26 September 2002)@
* Eritrea. Death of a Patriarch - 20 September: Since the early hours of this morning, Eritreans have gathered at the main orthodox church in Asmara to pay their final respects to Abuna Filipos. The first Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church died after a short illness on 18 September at the age of 101. Inside the church, his body lay in state, dressed in his official robes and a gold crown, as priests led the people in prayer and religious chants. Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki and other top government officials came to the ceremony. The Patriarch of the Egyptian Coptic church to which the Eritrean orthodox is affiliated was also in attendance. Outside women clad in white, stood alongside priests dressed in their bright robes as the prayers were broadcast on loud speakers. Roughly half of Eritrea's population is Christian, the vast majority belong to the orthodox church, which was established in Eritrea and Ethiopia by the end of the fourth century. The patriarch Filipos began life as Berhane Tewolde and entered into religious life in 1912, at the age of 11, when he moved to the monastery of Debre Bizen, perched atop a high mountain on which women and even female animals are forbidden to set foot. This is where he will be buried on 21 September, his body flown there by helicopter. Made a Bishop in 1927 he served in Ethiopia until 1991. (BBC News, UK, 20 september 2002)
* Ethiopia. Decline in overseas investment - Ethiopia is still struggling to attract overseas investment compared to other African countries, according to the United Nations. The UN's Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that last year Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) amounted to just US $20 million -- the lowest level for almost a decade. The figure shows a marked decline on previous years where Ethiopia attracted over US $200 million per year. But the war with Eritrea sparked a massive downturn. Economists believe that the right economic policies and climate are in place but a world slowdown and the bitter two-year conflict with its neighbour had major implications for the economy. Other Horn of Africa countries have seen major increases in investment, like Sudan which last year attracted some US $574 million -- mainly for the oil business. According to UNCTADs World Investment Report for 2002, sub-Saharan African broke through the US $10 billion mark for the first time ever in attracting overseas investment. "Three countries -- Angola, Mozambique and Sudan -- together accounted for the lion's share of the total increase," UNCTAD said. The majority of the flows come from the United States, France and the United Kingdom, the report added. (IRIN, Kenya, 19 September 2002
* Guinée/Sierra Leone. Réouverture de la frontière - La frontière entre la Guinée et la Sierra Leone a été rouverte après un peu plus de deux années de fermeture, a rapporté le 24 septembre la radiotélévision guinéenne, citant un décret présidentiel. Cette frontière avait été fermée au lendemain des attaques des rebelles sierra-léonais du RUF en septembre 2000. La Guinée constitue un des principaux soutiens du régime du président sierra-léonais Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. En revanche, le gouvernement guinéen a décidé de fermer sa frontière avec la Côte d'Ivoire, en proie à une mutinerie. (PANA, Sénégal, 25 septembre 2002)
* Equatorial Guinea. Appeal over arrests - Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of jailed opposition member Fabian Nsue Nguema Obono. He is a lawyer and member of the opposition Popular Union and was arrested in Malabo in April for criticising the government. The organisation has also urged that human rights campaigners write letters to President Teodoro Obiang Nguema calling for investigations into allegations of the torture of Nguema Obono, and for the cancelling of a sentence against fellow party member Nsue Mibuy. (IRIN, Kenya, 23 September 2002)
* Kenya. Opposition unites to challenge Moi - Kenya's opposition has united to name a single candidate for this year's general election, creating the first realistic prospect of unseating President Daniel arap Moi's ruling party after four decades in power. Mwai Kibaki, Mr Moi's former deputy and closest challenger in the last polls in 1997, was elected unanimously by delegates of the National Alliance of Kenya (NAK), which groups 12 opposition parties. Mr Moi, who became Kenya's second president in 1978, won the 1992 and the 1997 elections with substantially less than 50 per cent of the vote. Undoubtedly aided by electoral fraud he was also helped by the opposition's failure to unite. In both polls he faced at least seven challengers. Between 1978 and 1992 he ruled as head of an often brutal dictatorship, when his organisation, Kanu, was the only legal party. NAK named Kijana Wamalwa, who came fourth in 1997, as Mr Kibaki's running mate, and Charity Ngilu, fifth last time round, as its candidate for prime minister. They represent the three main tribes. (The Telegraph, UK, 20 September 2002)
* Kenya. Projet de Constitution - Le 19 septembre, le projet de Constitution, présenté par la Commission de revue de la Constitution du Kenya, a provoqué des sentiments mitigés. Le projet préconise la création d'un poste de président avec moins de pouvoirs, une charge honorifique, et d'un poste de vice-président. Le bon fonctionnement du gouvernement serait assuré par un Premier ministre. Le document propose un Parlement bicaméral, comprenant l'actuelle Assemblée nationale composée de 210 membres élus par des circonscriptions électorales, et une nouvelle Chambre haute de 100 membres élus au niveau des sièges des districts et des provinces. En ce qui concerne le judiciaire, le projet préconise la création d'une Cour suprême et l'établissement d'un code de conduite pour les juges. Le projet sera adopté 30 jours après la Conférence constitutionnelle nationale, puis présenté au Parlement pour devenir une loi. Rappelons que la Constitution actuelle donne au président d'immenses pouvoirs. (D'après PANA, Sénégal, 20 septembre 2002) 

Weekly anb0926.txt - Part #5/8