Africa

Rwanda’s president reappoints economist as premier

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 Rwandan President Paul Kagame reappointed Edouard Ngirente as the East African country’s prime minister Tuesday, the president’s office announced. The appointment came days after Kagame was inaugurated for a new five-year term on Sunday. Ngirente, an economist, was first appointed to the position in August 2017. Prior to his first appointment as prime minister, Ngirente worked with the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C. as a senior advisor to the executive director in charge of African countries. Prior to joining the World Bank, he served in various positions in Rwanda’s Finance Ministry. Ngirente, 51, holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) in Belgium. He is expected to help the president form a new Cabinet in the coming days.

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Horses prove smarter than expected in complex game

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 A new study by scientists from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in England has revealed that horses are more cognitively advanced than previously thought, challenging long-held beliefs about equine intelligence. According to the discovery, these animals possess a surprising level of cognitive ability and are capable of complex problem-solving and strategic thinking. The research, published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal, involved a series of reward-based tasks that demonstrated 20 horses’ ability to think, plan and adapt strategies. Initially, horses were rewarded for touching a card with their nose. But when a light was introduced and treats were only given for touching the card when the light was off, the animals continued to touch the card regardless of the light’s status. The critical turning point came when researchers introduced a penalty for incorrect responses: a 10-second timeout. Surprisingly, the horses rapidly adapted their behavior, touching the card only when the light was off to avoid the penalty. The study’s lead researcher, Louise Evans, observed the surprising response when a penalty was introduced during the tasks. “We were expecting horses’ performance to improve when we introduced the time-out but were surprised by how immediate and significant the improvement was,” Evans said, according to the Independent. She added that this rapid adaptation suggests that the horses understood the rules all along, debunking the notion that they could only respond to immediate stimuli. The Independent added that Carrie Ijichi, a senior lecturer in equine science at NTU, emphasized the significance of the findings. “Horses are not natural geniuses; they are thought of as mediocre. But this study shows they’re not average and are, in fact, more cognitively advanced than we give them credit for,” she said. The research team believes these findings have significant implications for horse welfare and training, suggesting that horses may be capable of understanding and responding to more sophisticated training methods. “This teaches us that we shouldn’t make assumptions about animal intelligence or sentience based on whether they are ‘built’ just like us,” Ijichi added.

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Africa CDC declares mpox a public health emergency

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On Tuesday, the African Union’s health authority declared a public health emergency in response to a rising outbreak of mpox, which has been increasing since July. In an online briefing, Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), emphasized the need for urgent and robust measures to combat the outbreak. As of August 4, the Africa CDC reported 38,465 mpox cases and 1,456 deaths across the continent since January 2022. The outbreak has affected multiple African nations, with significant impacts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and cases have now been confirmed in nearly all East and Central African countries. Mpox is transmitted through close contact and can cause rashes, flu-like symptoms, and pus-filled lesions. While most cases are mild, there have been confirmed fatalities. Additionally, the World Health Organization will convene its emergency committee on Wednesday to consider whether to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

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Floods in Central and West Africa impact over 700,000 people

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The floods currently impacting Central and West Africa have already affected more than 700,000 individuals, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This severe situation follows torrential rains that have struck the region just two months into the rainy season. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, expressed concern during a press conference: “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is troubled by the flooding in the region, which has impacted over 700,000 people across the Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, and Togo.” In response to the disaster, the United Nations, in partnership with various organizations, has ramped up aid to the affected countries. This support includes food distribution, shelter, and water and sanitation services. Additionally, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated $10 million this year to Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Niger to help mitigate the impacts of climate-related shocks, including ongoing floods threatening millions across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Clan conflicts have displaced nearly 150,000 people in Somalia

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Nearly 150,000 people have been displaced in various parts of Somalia in clan conflicts since January, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Monday. This includes around 42,000 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, who were displaced by violence in the town of Luuq in the Gedo region in early July, including 12,000 who fled to hard-to-reach locations outside the town, it said. The violence is believed to have been triggered by a dispute over land ownership that also resulted in the burning of the biggest market in the town. Clan conflicts in the Mudug region from June 26 to July 2 forced over 26,000 people to abandon their homes in the remote areas of Galdogob and Jariiban districts, according to a statement by OCHA. Conflicts in Galmudug killed more than 55 people and wounded more than 60 others. The conflict paralyzed humanitarian service delivery, including the health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions in the area, according to the UN. “Those displaced are particularly vulnerable, with women, children and the elderly making up the majority. An estimated 30% of the displaced people are livestock herders who managed to flee with their livestock,” OCHA said in the statement. Khalid Abdullahi, a humanitarian expert in the capital Mogadishu, told Anadolu the internal fighting among communities in Somalia is not new, but it seems that the clashes between rival clans have been increasing this year. He said the federal government should work with the federal member states to scale up efforts to resolve repeated clan conflicts “that hinder peace in the brotherly communities in the country.” Humanitarian needs will remain high in Somalia in 2024 due to recurrent shocks, including climatic events such as drought and floods, conflict and insecurity, widespread poverty and disease outbreaks. 6.9 million people in Somalia need humanitarian assistance in 2024 OCHA said $1.6 billion in funding is required for the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HNRP) in Somalia but only $507 million had been received as of Aug. 2.

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Tunisia, US discuss Libya’s political future

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Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar expressed support Monday for all efforts to ensure security in Libya. Ammar received US Ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood and US special envoy for Libya Ambassador Richard Norland to discuss strengthening ties between Tunisia and the US and also Libya’s political future. Regarding the political process in Libya, Ammar said the political solution for the country must be Libyan-Libyan in a framework of consensus and a Libyan leadership under the auspices of the UN, according to the Tunisian Foreign Ministry. He also reiterated Tunisia’s support for all efforts aimed at reaching a “comprehensive and lasting” settlement that would guarantee Libya’s security, stability, unity and sovereignty, the ministry said. Norland paid tribute to Tunisia’s “positive and constructive “role in bridging the gap between the Libyan interlocutors. He reiterated the US’s refusal to impose solutions by force from any party and expressed his country’s willingness to coordinate with Tunisia to move towards a political settlement based on dialogue and negotiation. Libya has been plagued by sporadic security issues amid ongoing political division since 2022. The country is currently governed by two rival administrations: the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh based in Tripoli, which controls the western part of the country, and the government of Osama Hammad, appointed by the House of Representatives, which operates out of Benghazi and governs the eastern region and parts of the south. Efforts led by the UN to hold parliamentary and presidential elections have repeatedly stalled, prolonging the country’s political deadlock and exacerbating the security situation in the oil-rich nation.

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Ousmane Sonko visits Mali to push for ECOWAS reintegration

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Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made his first visit to Mali since taking office in March 2024. This visit is part of Senegal’s diplomatic push to reintegrate Mali, along with Niger and Burkina Faso, into the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after the countries left the regional bloc following military takeovers. Sonko’s meeting with Mali’s interim president, Colonel Assimi Goita, emphasized the need for West African nations to overcome their differences and rebuild a united regional entity. Sonko envisioned a “Malian empire” connecting Mali with Senegal, Ghana, and beyond. In January, the juntas of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso criticized ECOWAS for imposing what they called “illegitimate, inhumane, and irresponsible” sanctions instead of supporting their fight against security threats. ECOWAS has been applying pressure through sanctions and rejecting extended transition periods to restore civilian rule. This situation marks the first time in nearly 50 years that ECOWAS members have withdrawn in such a manner. The three nations have since formed their own alliance, The Alliance of Sahel States. Senegalese President Basirou Diomaye Faye, who also visited Mali in May, faces the challenge of reuniting the fractured regional bloc.

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World elephant day highlights urgent need for conservation ffforts

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Communities around the world observed World Elephant Day on Monday, focusing on raising awareness about protecting elephants from various threats. At the Adventures with Elephants reserve in Bela Bela, South Africa, the annual event featured a herd of rescued elephants grazing and cooling off by the water in the heat. Managing Director Sean Hensman highlighted the significant pressures on elephant habitats, noting, “It’s a day to celebrate elephants and consider their broader conservation needs. Elephants face immense pressure due to shrinking land as human populations surge. Africa’s population is expected to reach 3 to 4 billion by 2050, reducing land available for elephants.” Elephant handler David Mupupu pointed out the drastic decline in African elephant numbers since 1920, from 4 million to just 400,000 today, representing a 90 percent decrease. “We must take care of our elephants,” he emphasized. The World Elephant Day Society reports that both African and Asian elephants are increasingly endangered by poaching and habitat destruction. The organization plans to work with conservation groups to develop effective policies to combat poaching and protect elephant habitats. World Elephant Day, established in 2012, is observed annually on August 12.

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