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Surge in mpox cases among children in DRC and Burundi

Africa /

A new and more aggressive strain of the potentially deadly mpox virus is spreading rapidly among children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, with cases more than doubling since a public health emergency was declared in mid-August, according to Save the Children. The fast-moving clade 1b strain has disproportionately impacted children in the DRC, the epicenter of the outbreak, and in Burundi, where children face heightened health risks due to hunger, displacement, and limited access to healthcare. These two countries account for 92% of all mpox cases in Africa this year. As of November 3, suspected child cases in the DRC had increased by over 130%, from about 11,300 to 25,600, while in Burundi, confirmed child cases have surged from 89 to nearly 1,100 since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency on August 14. The overall risk remains critically high, especially for children, who are nearly four times more likely to die from the new strain of mpox than adults. Children in areas with poor sanitation, malnutrition, and limited healthcare are at an even greater risk due to their lack of access to testing and vaccines. Mpox symptoms include fever, rash, and lesions on the body, severe headaches, and fatigue. In some cases, children may develop respiratory issues, and in severe cases, mpox can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening infection response. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the total number of suspected and confirmed mpox cases across Africa has surpassed 46,000 this year, with over 1,000 fatalities. “Children are particularly vulnerable to mpox—they explore by touch and taste, don’t always understand health guidance, and have weaker immune systems than adults,” said Save the Children. “They need timely information to protect themselves, and parents must be supported to get them the care they need if they fall ill.” To combat the outbreak, Save the Children is working in the DRC to provide accurate information, counter misinformation, and support health centers with essential supplies. In eastern DRC, the organization is supplying medication, isolation tents, beds, personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, and training local leaders to identify and report suspected cases. In Burundi, Save the Children is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the Department of Emergency Response (COUSP) to strengthen the health system and manage the mpox outbreak. Efforts focus on preventing the spread, particularly among vulnerable refugee populations, and enhancing healthcare capacity to effectively respond to the crisis. Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit has deployed additional specialists to support clinical care, operations, and water and sanitation efforts, ensuring resources are in place to protect at-risk communities.

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Russia, African states to set up security dialogue mechanism

Africa /

Russia and African states have confirmed their readiness to set up a dialogue mechanism in a bid to coordinate efforts on multiple security-related issues following a forum held in the Russian resort city of Sochi on Nov. 10, according to a joint statement. “We reaffirm our readiness to set up a standing top-level Russia-Africa dialogue mechanism that will contribute towards peace, stability and security as well as coordinating efforts in combating terrorism and extremism, addressing environmental problems and food and information security issues,” the statement said following the first ministerial meeting of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. Expressing concern among the meeting’s participants over the growing activity of terrorist groups in different African regions, the joint statement said they confirmed the importance of conflict resolution based on the principle of “African Solutions to African Problems.” It further emphasized the need for collective efforts and comprehensive approaches to assess and bolster international peace and security architecture, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of intrastate and interstate conflicts “based on the inviolability of the principle of equal and indivisible security.” The statement also expressed all parties’ commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, believing that ensuring the treaty’s implementation as soon as possible is a priority for maintaining the international security system. The statement went on to convey the parties’ concern about the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the developments in Gaza and Lebanon, adding that they support Palestine’s membership to the UN.

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IFAD calls for climate finance goal for farmers at COP29

Business /

Ahead of the COP29 climate change summit, the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is urging world leaders to set an ambitious global finance goal for climate adaptation. One of the key topics for discussion at the summit in Azerbaijan will be the New Global Quantified Goal (NCQG), with a focus on supporting small-scale farmers in adapting to climate change. Although African countries have contributed little to global climate change, they are among the most severely impacted. African leaders have long advocated for increased funding for both mitigation and adaptation efforts to address the continent’s climate challenges. In Africa, agriculture is largely dependent on rainfall, making it highly vulnerable to the extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. Zimbabwe, for example, is currently facing its worst drought in over four decades. However, thanks to an IFAD-funded irrigation project, farmers have still been able to grow crops despite the drought. “This year, we couldn’t harvest anything because the rains didn’t come as expected. The seasons have changed,” said Tinomuounga Hove, chairperson of the Biri Irrigation Scheme. “Having an irrigation scheme helps us a lot. Even without rains this year, we were still able to grow crops.” IFAD is also supporting similar climate adaptation projects around the world to help smallholder farmers increase their food production in the face of climate challenges. The COP29 climate summit will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, bringing together climate negotiators, activists, and leaders from around the globe. “This is essentially a negotiation on how much wealthier countries should contribute to help developing nations cope with climate change,” said IFAD President Alvaro Lario. Lario emphasized the importance of a climate finance plan that includes a specific goal for adaptation, with a focus on the needs of small-scale farmers. “Small farms are the backbone of global food systems, but they are also the most vulnerable to climate change,” he said. “Investing in them is crucial if we are to ensure global food security.”

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500 rebels surrender weapons in Central African Republic

Africa /

In the Central African Republic, 478 members of the rebel group Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) surrendered their weapons. According to military sources cited in national media, the 478 rebels voluntarily joined the National Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, and Repatriation (DDRR) program. As they surrendered, the rebels handed over 1,788 pieces of military ammunition, 30 AK-47 assault rifles, and 8 rocket launchers to DDRR authorities. In the past two weeks, around 150 rebels had already surrendered their weapons in the country. Armed groups such as Seleka, Anti-Balaka, 3R (Return, Reclamation, Reinforcement), the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), the Patriotic Movement of Central Africa (MPC), and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are fighting for control of resource-rich areas, particularly in the country’s mining regions. The CPC rebel groups had launched an offensive in December 2020 to capture the capital, Bangui, but were unsuccessful. Since 2013, ongoing violence in the country has resulted in the deaths of thousands, mostly Muslims, and displaced over one million people.

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Dutch police arrest 3 suspects over unrest in western Amsterdam

World /

Dutch police arrested three people suspected of causing unrest in Amsterdam following last week’s clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian demonstrators ahead of a soccer match. Police officers pursued groups of people who lobbed stones at them, the daily Het Parool reported late on Monday. Several parked cars were damaged in the unrest, while some groups launched fireworks, erected barricades, and set fire to an empty tram in the city’s western part. The three suspects were arrested in those areas, Het Parool reported. A wave of violence erupted before and after Maccabi Tel Aviv’s match against Ajax late last Thursday, causing widespread outrage, with reports of Israeli fans fighting bystanders, vandalizing property, and setting a Palestinian flag alight. Videos shared widely on social media depict Maccabi fans not only vandalizing private property but also attacking a local taxi driver and even confronting law enforcement officials. Amsterdam authorities imposed a three-day ban on demonstrations last Friday, with over 60 arrests made.

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13 Killed in mine collapse in Nigeria

Africa /

At least 13 people were killed when a mining site collapsed in the Plateau State, northcentral Nigeria. Joshua Riti, a government official in the state, told Anadolu on Tuesday that the victims were aged between 18 and 30 and belonged to the Bassa Local Government Area. The collapse occurred on Saturday at the borders of Bassa, Jos South, and Jos North Local Government Areas, where these young individuals sought to earn a living in the mining pit, he added. Recently, 22 miners died when a mining pit collapsed at an illegal site located within a national game reserve that spans the Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and the Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State.

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Haiti’s new prime minister sworn in amid surge in violence

Africa /

Haiti’s newly appointed interim Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, was sworn in on Monday as violence surged in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Shortly after his inauguration, gunfire erupted at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, where armed gangs targeted a Spirit Airlines flight arriving from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shots fired at the plane struck a flight attendant, who suffered minor injuries, according to reports from Spirit Airlines and the U.S. Embassy. The flight, originally scheduled to land in Port-au-Prince, was diverted to the Dominican Republic and landed safely. In response to the escalating violence, some airlines have temporarily suspended flights to Haiti due to security concerns. During his inauguration, Fils-Aimé emphasized the urgent need for security, stating, “The first essential task that will determine the success of the transition is to re-establish the security of people, property and infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement throughout the country.” Fils-Aimé, a prominent businessman and former president of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, assumes office at a particularly turbulent time for the country. The transitional council overseeing the restoration of democratic rule has recently faced allegations of corruption against three of its members, further hindering efforts to stabilize the government. Fils-Aimé’s appointment follows his 2015 Senate campaign and studies at Boston University. He was previously considered a private sector candidate for interim prime minister before the role was held by Garry Conille.

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15 Chadian soldiers killed in clashes with Boko Haram

Africa /

At least 15 Chadian soldiers were killed and 32 injured in weekend clashes between government forces and the Boko Haram terrorist group in the country’s Lake Chad region, the military said Sunday. In a statement, the military said 96 terrorists were neutralized and 11 injured in clashes on Saturday. The military recovered more than 100 weapons while six boats were destroyed, it added. Boko Haram is in disarray and defense and security forces involved in the operation continue to hunt down the group’s remnants, the military said. The injured soldiers were rushed for treatment to the capital N’Djamena. The incident came weeks after President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno launched an operation against the terrorist group following an attack last month on a military base in Lac province that killed 40 soldiers. Earlier on Sunday, Deby expressed his “sincere condolences to the families of the martyrs who died defending the homeland during the clashes” and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. “Following clashes between Chad’s security forces and a group of terrorists from the Boko Haram sect, I would like to salute the bravery of our valiant soldiers who fought a heroic battle that annihilated the group that ventured into our territory,” the president said in a message. Last month’s attack targeted a defense and security forces base in the Barkaram area in Lac near Ngouboua, a town located around 480 kilometers (298 miles) northwest of N’Djamena. Following the attack, Deby led an operation dubbed Haskanite to track down the assailants. He withdrew from the frontline on Saturday, according to the President’s Office. Deby reaffirmed that Operation Haskanite via “air, sea and land continues to track down the last elements of this evil sect.” Chad has been battling an insurgency in the Lake Chad region, where government forces regularly clash with terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.

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Somali cabinet fires army chief, reappoints predecessor

Africa /

Somalia’s cabinet ministers on Saturday dismissed armed forces chief Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, appointing Maj. Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Rageh in his place. The cabinet made the change during an emergency meeting in Mogadishu amid rising political tensions in the Horn of Africa nation. Rageh, who previously served as army chief from 2020 to 2023, led operations against al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s “all-out war” on the group.  According to the Prime Minister’s office, Rageh’s reappointment aims to “speed up the defense of the country and eliminate the Khawarij groups,” a term the Somali government uses to refer to al-Shabaab terrorists who had been fighting the government and AU peacekeepers since 2007. The reshuffle comes as tensions between Somalia’s federal government and several regional states escalate over an election timetable dispute.  This week, Jubaland announced it had severed ties with the federal government, becoming the second state to do so, following Puntland’s decision in August. Despite opposition from two regional states and former presidents, the Somali presidency recently announced an agreement to hold direct elections in 2025, the first in 56 years, with votes for parliament members and state presidents planned for September of that year.

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Three Australian mining executives arrested in Mali

Africa /

Three executives from an Australian gold miner have been taken in police custody in Bamako, Mali to be questioned in a case of alleged forgery and damage to public property, people familiar with the matter confirmed. Terry Holohan, managing director of Resolute Mining Ltd., was detained by the Malian junta, a source at the Justice Ministry told Anadolu. Holohan and two other company executives were arrested on Friday, said the same source, requesting anonymity. Two officials from the Mines Ministry did not wish to communicate on the situation when contacted by telephone. The executives of Resolute, which owns 80% of the shares in the Syama gold mine in the country’s southwest, are being questioned as part of an investigation into alleged forgery and damage to public property. Accusations were firmly refuted by a company official, who also requested anonymity. Foreign companies that dominate the mining sector have recently borne the brunt of increased efforts to control the sector by the military regime. Four employees of the Canadian company Barrick Gold were detained for several days in September. Barrick Gold had reached an agreement with the state and had paid 50 billion CFA francs ($81 million) in October. But the transitional government said the gold producer had not kept its commitments. The increased pressure exerted on foreign companies coincides with the strategic pivot made by the junta towards Russia, ending defense agreements with former colonial ruler France. Since seizing power in 2020, Mali’s military leaders have vowed to ensure a more equitable distribution of mining revenues. In May, Australian group Firefinch said it would transfer all its shares in the Morila gold mine, as well as its mining rights in the West African country to Sorem, a state-funded company founded in 2022, for a symbolic one dollar. Despite being one of the leading gold producers in Africa, the Sahel nation is also one of the poorest countries in the world.

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