AFRICAN BUZZ
WEST AFRICA:
SURGE IN TERRORISM A
CONCERN
The top United Nations (UN) official in West Africa, Mohamed
Ibn Chambas, described the rise in violent attacks in the region
as “unprecedented”. Chambas, UN special representative and
head of the UN office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
updated the UN security council about the situation in West
Africa earlier this year.
“The humanitarian consequences are alarming,” he spelled out.
In the update, Chambas painted a picture of relentless attacks
on civilian and military targets that he said, have “shaken public
confidence”.
The UNOWAS chief elaborated on terrorist-attack casualties in
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have leapt five-fold since
2016, with more than 4 000 deaths reported in 2019 alone as
compared to some 770 three years earlier.
“Most significantly,” he said, “the geographic focus of terrorist
attacks has shifted eastwards from Mali to Burkina Faso and is
increasingly threatening West African coastal states.”
He also flagged that the number of deaths in Burkina
Faso jumped from about 80 in 2016 to over 1 800 in 2019,
displacement has grown ten-fold to about half a million, and
more than 25 000 people have sought refuge in other countries.
Chambas said that “terrorist attacks are often deliberate efforts
by violent extremists” to engage in illicit activities that include
capturing weapons and illegal artisanal mining.
Terrorism, organised crime and intercommunal violence are
often intertwined, especially in peripheral areas where the
state’s presence is weak.
“In those places, extremists provide safety and protection to
populations, as well as social services in exchange for loyalty”, he
informed the council, echoing the Secretary-General in saying
that for these reasons, “counter-terrorism responses must focus
on gaining the trust and support of local populations”.
Chambas says that governments, local actors, regional
organisations and the international community are mobilising
across the region to respond to these challenges.
On 21 December 2019, the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) summit adopted a 2020-2024 action
plan to eradicate terrorism in the sub-region. Calling “now” the
time for action, Chambas drew attention to the importance of
supporting regional governments by prioritising “a cross-pillar
approach at all levels and across all sectors”.
Chambas noted that Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana,
Guinea and Niger would be electing their leaders in 2020 and
maintained that “all-too-worrying” security trends must not
distract from political developments.
“Unresolved grievance, incomplete national reconciliation
processes and sentiments of manipulation of institutions and
processes carry risks of tensions and manifestations of political
violence”, he said.
In the months ahead, he stressed that UNOWAS would continue
to work with partners on the national and regional levels to
promote consensus and inclusiveness in the elections.
LIBYA:
TURKEY STRENGTHENS
COALITION
The Turkish parliament announced that it will deploy troops
to Libya in support of the coalition government currently
controlling the capital city of Tripoli. Russia and the Arab nations
are shoring up the militias fighting against the internationally
recognised Government of National Accord, of which the most
significant is the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) under
the leadership of General Khalifa Haftar.
Turkey’s decision to join the battle marks and increasing
escalation of foreign intervention in Libya, and further
undermines any hopes of a quick ceasefire.
The conflict has seen more than 2 000 combat related deaths
in the past twelve months. Both sides have been continuously
supported by outside actors. Especially Haftar has received
increasingly overt military aid by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Russia and
the United Arab Emirates, ranging from weapons and munitions
to air support and military advisors.
GHANA:
RUSSIA SUPPORTS STUDENTS
Three key Ghanaian universities and the Russian institution
Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) will start working
together to help upcoming engineers, physicists, doctors and
researchers from Ghana to receive Master’s and postgraduate
education in nuclear subjects in Russia. The tuition fees for
the full duration of education will be funded by the Russian
Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
Security in a number of villages in West Africa needs to be beefed up
after an increase in terrorist attacks in the region.
8
African Mining February 2020
The nuclear education programmes are supported by
Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom. “About
300 students from more than 15 African countries are
already studying nuclear specialties in Russia. We also
contribute to the development of higher education in the
field, strengthening cooperation between higher education
www. africanmining.co.za