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Malaria likely cause of mystery illness in Southwest Congo

Africa /

A mysterious flu-like illness that has claimed dozens of lives in southwest Congo in recent weeks may be malaria, according to initial laboratory tests of infected individuals, authorities reported Wednesday. Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Director-General of the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, said, “Of the 12 samples taken, nine tested positive for malaria, but the quality of the samples was not ideal. We are continuing our research to determine whether this constitutes an epidemic.” He added, “It is likely malaria, as most of the victims are children.” On Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also confirmed that most of the samples tested positive for malaria, but cautioned that other diseases could be involved. He noted that additional samples would be collected for further analysis. In recent weeks, there have been 416 reported cases and 31 deaths in hospitals, according to the WHO. Congo’s Health Minister, Roger Kamba, added that another 44 deaths were recorded in the community. The majority of cases and deaths have occurred in children under 14 in the remote Panzi health zone in Congo’s western Kwango province, the WHO reported. Ezekiel Kasongo, a Panzi resident, shared that his 9-year-old son was recently released from the hospital after falling ill two weeks ago. “He had a high fever, headache, and was very weak,” Kasongo said. “We were very worried because of the number of deaths, especially among children, but thank God, he is out.” Symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, cough, and anemia. Experts from the National Rapid Response Team and the WHO visited Panzi last week to collect samples and investigate. The Panzi health zone is difficult to reach, with experts taking two days to arrive. It is located about 435 miles (700 kilometers) from the capital, Kinshasa. Due to limited local testing capacity, samples had to be sent to Kikwit, more than 500 kilometers away, said Dieudonne Mwamba, head of the National Institute for Public Health. Mwamba also noted that Panzi had experienced a typhoid fever outbreak two years ago, and that there is currently a resurgence of seasonal flu across the country. High levels of malnutrition and low vaccination rates in the area make children particularly vulnerable to diseases like malaria, Tedros added.

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Ethiopia, Somalia reach agreement in Ankara

Africa, Turkey /

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced late Wednesday that Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement to solve the conflict between the two nations in Ankara-mediated peace talks. “We have taken the first step toward a new beginning based on peace, cooperation between Somalia, Ethiopia,” President Erdogan said at a joint news conference with his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Erdogan expressed his satisfaction with hosting his guests and their delegations in Türkiye. He noted that the Ankara Process, initiated approximately eight months ago due to the trust Somalia and Ethiopia placed in Türkiye, had reached a significant milestone. “Thus, by overcoming certain grievances and misunderstandings together, we have taken the first step towards a new beginning based on peace and cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia,” he said. “We carefully listened to the sensitivities, priorities and expectations of both parties throughout this process. With the valuable contributions of both countries, we have prepared the joint declaration text agreed upon today.” Erdogan emphasized that despite having faced numerous injustices and serious conflicts in the past, the region where Somalia and Ethiopia are located has also experienced bright periods in history and made significant contributions to humanity. “This joint declaration focuses not on the past, but on the future, recording the principles that these two friendly nations will build upon moving forward, which is of great importance to us,” he said. Ankara’s fundamental expectation is to establish peace and stability “in this distinguished corner” of Africa between Somalia and Ethiopia, he added. Türkiye believes the agreed-upon joint statement by Somalia and Ethiopia will establish a solid foundation for cooperation and prosperity based on mutual respect, he said. Erdogan said that Türkiye, Somalia and Ethiopia will plan future steps together and implement projects to boost regional peace and prosperity. He also praised Somalia’s president and Ethiopia’s prime minister for “reaching this historic reconciliation with great dedication” during the Ankara-mediated peace talks. The Turkish president also expressed his gratitude to Mohamud and Ahmed. He said he believes Mohamud will provide the necessary attention, care and support, particularly in line with Ethiopia’s requests for access to the sea. “This world is enough for all of us. Together, we will undoubtedly secure our place here, and we will take these steps together,” he said. Ahmed hailed Türkiye for its efforts in resolving the Somalia-Ethiopia conflict during the talks. Mohamud also hailed Türkiye’s efforts in resolving the perennial territorial and political conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia. Ties between Ethiopia and Somalia have worsened since Ethiopia struck a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland on Jan. 1 to use its Red Sea port of Berbera. Türkiye has been working to end tensions between the two countries. Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991. In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports. Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade.

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Nigerian president Tinubu meets with German president Steinmeier

Africa /

Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday met with Nigerian leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the capital Abuja during a two-day visit aimed at enhancing the countries’ “energy partnership”. Steinmeier was joined by a delegation of German firms operating in the energy (Siemens, Enertrag, Off-Grid Europe, Neuman & Esser), finance (Exficon), distribution (C. Woermann) and technology (Dermalog, LiveEO) sectors. “We have one of the longest energy partnerships that Germany has ever had with Nigeria,” said Steinmeier, adding that the collaboration is not limited to oil and gas. The “energy partnership” between Europe’s largest economy and Africa’s most populous nation has gravitated “towards solar and wind power in recent years” but the next goal is “hydrogen production”, the German leader said. The Nigerian president after the talks said his goal was to “continue to give you assurance that our business doors are opened and our reforms are working very well”. “Our businessmen and policy makers are very anxious to do business with Germany,” Tinubu said. Since coming to power in May 2023, Tinubu has ended a costly fuel subsidy and freed up the naira currency in reforms that government officials and analysts say will revive the economy and attract investors. But in the short term, the moves have deepened one of its worst crises in decades with inflation at a nearly thirty-year high of more than 33 percent in October. “German companies are seeing an improvement in investment relations,” Steinmeier said of Tinubu’s reforms. Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s energy minister, said no fresh deal had been signed during the visit, but that both sides “discussed how we can accelerate the existing agreements”. The Union Bank of Nigeria and the German DWS Group in November 2023 pledged to invest $500 million in renewable energy.

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World economy to decelerate in 2025: Institute

Business /

World economic growth is expected to decelerate to 2.7% in 2025 from 2.9% in 2024, the International Institute of Finance (IIF) forecasted Wednesday. The IIF’s expectation for mature markets’ GDP rate for 2025 was at 1.3% on average, down from 1.5% in 2024. The expectation for the US was at 1.9%, 0.6% for the euro area, 3.8% for emerging markets (EMs), 1.7% for Russia, 2.5% for Türkiye and 4.2% for China. Capital flows to EMs are forecast to decline to $716 billion in 2025 from $944 billion in 2024, driven by weaker flows to China, said the institute. In 2024, China saw its first net foreign direct investment outflows in decades, with an equally disappointing forecast for 2025. Capital flows to non-China EMs will moderate to $781 billion in 2025 from $824 billion in 2024, the IIF said. Geopolitical tensions and US energy policies will add uncertainty to commodity prices, it noted.

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Nigeria launches Malaria vaccination campaign for young children

Africa /

Nigeria has begun implementing a malaria vaccination programme in an effort to ease the world’s highest burden of the mosquito-borne disease which last year killed some 200,000 people. The vaccination schedule targets young children, with the first dose administered at five months. One of the first areas where the programme is being rolled out is the southern state of Bayelsa, which has one of the country’s highest rates of malaria. Rebecca Godspower brought her six-month-old baby to a clinic for the vaccination after having twice treated him for malaria. “Now that there’s a vaccine for malaria, at least I’m happy, I am glad that stress won’t be there again,” she said. A view echoed by another mother, Esther Michael, who also visited the clinic. “I’m happy to bring my child to the health centre to take a vaccine because we hear that malaria is killing other children.”

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Guterres calls for climate justice in Africa during G20 visit

Africa /

UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited South Africa during its G20 Presidency, emphasizing the urgent need for climate justice. He stressed that Africa, with its young and growing population, rich cultural and natural diversity, and entrepreneurial spirit, continues to face the lingering injustices of its colonial past. “I am here at a critical time as South Africa assumes the G20 presidency. Africa’s potential is undeniable… but it needs climate justice. The continent is on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Despite contributing minimal emissions, climate change is wreaking havoc on your people and economies. Africa is warming faster than the global average. We must limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C to prevent this crisis from spiraling further,” Guterres said. The UN chief also expressed concern about the escalating chaos in the Middle East, particularly following the recent ousting of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, though he maintained a sense of cautious optimism about the region’s future.

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Commodity prices mixed, agriculture up last week

Business /

 Commodity prices followed a mixed trend last week due to political turmoil and geopolitical tensions, with the agricultural sector diverging positively. South Korea imposed martial law on Dec. 3, which was short-lived as it was unanimously lifted the same night. Additionally, North Korea’s defense agreement with Russia officially came into force. Meanwhile, the French government collapsed following a no-confidence vote, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier. However, Macron announced that he would not resign and would instead appoint a new prime minister soon. Analysts noted that the US dollar gained strength due to positive labor market data and expectations of interest rate cuts. The US Dollar Index climbed to 106.1, further supported by President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement of 100% tariffs on BRICS nations in response to their efforts to de-dollarize trade. The US labor market exhibited mixed signals, with non-farm payrolls increasing by 227,000 in November, surpassing expectations, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%. Analysts stated that this increase in employment alleviated concerns about weakening labor demand and reinforced expectations for gradual Federal Reserve rate cuts. The OPEC group maintained its global economic growth forecast at 3.4% for 2024. Concurrently, China’s economy is projected to grow by 4.9% in 2024 and 4.7% in 2025, according to recent data. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) also announced the resumption of gold purchases in November after a six-month hiatus, increasing its reserves from 72.80 million fine troy ounces to 72.96 million. JP Morgan projected that the average price of gold per ounce would reach $2,950 in 2025, potentially rising to $3,000, driven by a depreciating US dollar and inflationary economic policies. Silver and platinum are also expected to perform strongly in the coming years. Last week, gold fell 0.7% as the Indian rupee weakened and buyers sold physical gold at discounted prices. In contrast, silver gained 1.1%, while platinum and palladium declined by 1.7% and 2.2%, respectively. Nickel prices rose 1.7%, following Vale Base Metals’ $2.94 billion expansion of its Voisey’s Bay mine in northern Labrador. The project transitioned from open-pit to underground mining, boosting nickel concentrate production to 45,000 tons (40,823 metric tons) per year. Copper prices edged up 0.4%, driven by India’s copper demand, which increased 13% year-on-year in 2024, reaching 1,700 kilotons (1.87 million tons), according to the Indian International Copper Association. The US Treasury imposed sanctions on Russia’s Gazprombank, jeopardizing Uzbekistan’s $4.8 billion mine expansion project that aims to nearly double copper production. Zinc prices slipped 0.4% after the UK’s Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre added it to its critical minerals list. In the energy sector, OPEC+ announced a delay in planned production increases, extending current cuts of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of 2026. Total production by member countries is expected to remain at 39.7 million bpd for 2025 and 2026. Brent crude oil prices rose 1.9% last week, while natural gas prices fell 4.4% amid volatile weather conditions in the US and Europe. US commercial crude oil stocks increased by 1.2 million barrels last week, contrary to market expectations of a 2-million-barrel decline, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Oilfield services firm Baker Hughes also reported a rise in US oil drilling rigs, with the total reaching 482, up by 5 from the previous week. In the agricultural sector, wheat prices rose 1.7% after Sovecon revised its estimates for Russian grain and wheat exports for the 2024–2025 fiscal year downward, citing potential reductions in export quotas by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. Corn prices increased by 1.6%, while soybeans and rice dropped by 0.5% and 1%, respectively. Coffee prices experienced sharp declines last week after reaching multi-decade highs in previous weeks. Increased selling by traders in Vietnam and higher export supplies from Brazil contributed to the drop. However, coffee still ended the week with a 3.9% gain. Cocoa prices surged 4.9% per ton (0.91 metric tons) due to dry weather conditions in West Africa, which are expected to impact the early development of mid-year cocoa crops harvested in April. Seasonal Harmattan winds are forecasted to exacerbate the situation, according to Maxar Technologies. Meanwhile, sugar prices rose 0.6%, and cotton gained 1.4%.

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Congo’s Okapi wildlife reserve threatened by illegal gold mining

Africa /

A UN-protected wildlife reserve in Congo is facing growing threats from illegal gold mining, with a Chinese company accused of significantly damaging the environment. For eight years, Kimia Mining, a Chinese-owned firm, has expanded its operations inside the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Local communities and conservationists say the company’s activities are wreaking havoc on the area’s biodiversity. Established as a protected area in 1996, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve covers over 13,000 square kilometers (5,000 square miles) of rainforest and is home to unique species, including the okapi, a forest giraffe. The reserve holds about 15% of the world’s remaining okapi population, estimated at just 30,000 animals. It also plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, as part of the Congo Basin rainforest, a major carbon sink. However, over the years, the boundaries of the reserve have been gradually reduced under unclear circumstances, allowing mining companies like Kimia Mining to operate within its limits. Despite being a protected area, the reserve has long been a site for illegal mining, with authorities cracking down only after the arrival of the Chinese firm. Kimia Mining has allowed limited access for locals to mine leftover materials, but many cannot afford the fees. Muvunga Kakule, a 44-year-old former artisanal miner, says he has lost nearly all his income since the Chinese arrived. He no longer mines or sells produce, as the company refuses to buy from local farmers. “Our life has not been the same since the Chinese came and chased us out of the bush. We can no longer work or send our children to school,” he says. Conservation groups are working to protect the reserve, but they face difficulties in enforcement due to unclear legalities surrounding the boundaries. Kimia Mining has recently renewed its mining permits until 2048, according to government records. While the Congo government’s mining registry claims it is working with the ICCN (the body responsible for managing protected areas) to update the reserve’s boundaries, it is unclear when action will be taken. An internal government memo from August indicated that all mining operations in the reserve, including Kimia Mining, would eventually be shut down, but no timeline has been set. Aime Vusike Kiruzi, director of Epulu Radio, based inside the reserve, expressed concern over the loss of wildlife. “We are no longer seeing some species that used to be well protected here,” he said. “In our time, we saw okapi, elephants, antelopes, even monkeys. But it is no longer easy to see them.” Kiruzi called on Congolese authorities to protect the reserve for future generations, so they can witness the same wildlife he saw growing up.

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Thousands search for loved ones at Syria’s Saydnaya prison

Africa /

Thousands of Syrians gathered on Monday outside Saydnaya military prison, just north of Damascus, hoping to find their loved ones. Civil defense workers and teams from the White Helmets were seen digging inside the prison, searching for hidden cells or underground chambers. The notorious prison, known as the “human slaughterhouse,” has long been a symbol of fear and suffering for the Syrian people. Ghazwan Hussein, who came to search for relatives, said, “We have detainees who were taken since 2011, 2012, and 2013.” During the early days of the Syrian conflict, as insurgents made rapid advances across the country, they broke into prisons and security facilities to release political prisoners and many of those who had disappeared since the war began. On Sunday, reports emerged of women detainees, some with children, screaming as men forcibly broke the locks off their cell doors. Syria’s prisons have gained a horrific reputation for their brutal conditions. Human rights organizations, whistleblowers, and former detainees report systematic torture, while secret executions have been carried out at more than two dozen facilities controlled by Syrian intelligence. Amnesty International estimates that up to 13,000 people were secretly executed at Saydnaya between 2011 and 2016. In 2013, a Syrian military defector known as “Caesar” smuggled out over 53,000 photographs, which human rights groups say provide clear evidence of widespread torture, disease, and starvation within Syria’s prison system.

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