Category: Africa

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Niger: New authorities must put an end to illegal administrative detentions and arbitrary arrests

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

Reacting to the arrests of President Mohamed Bazoum, Interior Minister Hama Amadou Souley and other political leaders, Habibatou Gologo, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said: 

Amnesty International is calling on the new authorities in Niger to release not only President Mohamed Bazoum and his family, but also the Minister of the Interior and all others who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained since 26 July.

“The Niger authorities must urgently protect and respect human rights. No one should be arrested and detained without a legal basis.

“The new arrest of the Oil Minister, Sani Mahamadou, the President of the Parti nigérien pour la démocratie et le socialisme, Foumakoye Gado, and his chief of staff, Karsani Bachirou, on 30 July, shows that arbitrary arrests are continuing. They must be released immediately.”

Background

On 26 July, Niger’s presidential guard, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, staged a coup and arrested President Mohamed Bazoum. In a message broadcast on national TV, Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane declared that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, suspended Niger’s Constitution and created the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).

Negotiations are underway between the coup plotters and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) envoy regarding the rehabilitation of President Bazoum, who is still being held by the presidential guard.

Amnesty International recalls that anyone arrested has the right to know the reasons for their arrest, to have access to a lawyer, to be brought before a judge within a reasonable time and to challenge the legality of their detention.

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United Arab Emirates (UAE) leaders congratulate President of Benin on National Day

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Patrice Talon of Benin on the occasion of his country’s National Day.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, also sent similar message to President Talon on the occasion.

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Heads of the Rome-based United Nations (UN) food and agriculture agencies call for greater investments in South Sudan to avoid a catastrophic food crisis

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

The cost of inaction in addressing South Sudan’s complex food, climate, and insecurity crises will be felt in the loss of lives, livelihoods and futures for millions of people across the young nation, the heads of three United Nations agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned today as they wrapped up a three-day visit to the country.

The Director-General of FAO Qu Dongyu, the President of IFAD Alvaro Lario, and the Executive Director of WFP Cindy McCain visited communities who are grappling with the effects of severe weather events, which, coupled with a lack of infrastructure, are worsening the country’s humanitarian crisis, threatening farms and agro-pastoral livelihoods, and displacing communities.

The visit comes after the joint UN report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023 found that 122 million more people are suffering chronic malnourishment since 2019 and follows just days after world leaders gathered in Rome for the UNFSS+2 summit to take stock of progress made to create more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. 

“South Sudan has the potential to be the breadbasket of east Africa, but the climate crisis, poor agriculture infrastructure, instability, and economic shocks continue to disrupt agricultural and livestock productivity and food availability. Investments and enabling policies that will improve on longer term food security, resilience and climate adaptation are urgently needed,” said FAO’s Qu.

“South Sudan is a young country, full of potential, but right now families are relying on subsistence agriculture. With only four percent of farmland being cultivated, and 80 percent of its young people living in rural areas, there is enormous opportunity to grow and develop agriculture and the food sector more generally. To do this we need to mobilize massive investments and implement best practices to combat food insecurity and adapt to climate change. This will also greatly improve rural employment. But we need to act now,” said IFAD’s Lario.

 “Conflict, climate change, and soaring costs in South Sudan are causing some of the highest levels of hunger in the world. But just handing out food isn’t the solution. We must break the cycle and empower communities to plant the seeds of hope, opportunity, and economic development. With peace and stability, the potential of South Sudan is incredible. However, WFP doesn’t even have the resources needed to feed those who are hungry today – we need the world to step up,” said WFP’s McCain.

The humanitarian emergency in South Sudan is caused by a combination of conflict, climate, and soaring food and fuel prices. The situation is compounded by fighting in Sudan which has led to more than 190,000 people fleeing across the border to South Sudan, further straining already scarce resources. At the same time, 7 out of 10 people in South Sudan are between ages 18 to 35 and youth unemployment rates are at 50 percent, exacerbated by low levels of education, limited skills, and a weak economy.

Collaboration among the three UN agencies and with the Government of South Sudan and other partners helped to stave off famine in recent years and enabled farmers to increase their food production and incomes. However, scaled-up and sustained action is needed to respond to the ongoing hunger crisis, avoid further setbacks, and mitigate future crises. 

FAO brings a wealth of technical expertise and best practice in producing food in drought-hit areas, while IFAD invests in small-scale farmers and boosting rural economies and WFP simultaneously provides emergency relief during crises and works with communities to strengthen their resilience to shocks and improve human capital.

Strengthening collaboration

During the visit, the leaders of the UN agencies travelled to Aweil, in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, where they met community members who have been impacted by climate events, including floods and prolonged dry spells, and who are participating in UN projects to strengthen resilience, mitigate the impacts of climate events, and boost food production. They also met with the President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, to discuss continued collaboration.

A new five-year partnership agreement was also signed to renew inter-agency cooperation which will see the agencies deepen their collaboration and coordination at global, regional, and country levels to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger.

Together, the agencies cover a spectrum of work that spans from humanitarian responses to emergencies and shocks, to resilience and development activities. Under the agreement, the three Rome-based agencies will work on agrifood systems transformation, nutrition, gender equality and women’s empowerment, resilience-building, youth, and climate change.

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Perspectives économiques de l’Afrique de l’Ouest 2023 : la croissance économique de la région en baisse, mais les prévisions à moyen terme suggèrent un retour à un niveau supérieur à 4 %

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

L’Afrique de l’Ouest a connu un ralentissement de sa croissance économique au cours de l’année écoulée, à l’exception du Cabo Verde, de la Gambie, de la Guinée, du Mali et du Niger, selon le rapport 2023 des Perspectives économiques de l’Afrique de l’Ouest de la Banque africaine de développement (www.AfDB.org).

Lancé jeudi 27 juillet, le rapport évalue les performances économiques de 15 pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest, en l’occurrence le Bénin, le Burkina Faso, le Cabo Verde, la Côte d’Ivoire, la Gambie, le Ghana, la Guinée, la Guinée-Bissau, le Libéria, le Mali, le Niger, le Nigeria, le Sénégal, la Sierra Leone et le Togo.

Intitulé « Mobiliser le financement du secteur privé pour le climat et la croissance verte en Afrique de l’Ouest », le rapport présente les principales tendances économiques en 2022 ainsi que des prévisions économiques à moyen terme (2023-2024) pour la région. Il évalue également les stratégies visant à accélérer la mobilisation des financements du secteur privé pour le climat et la croissance verte en Afrique de l’Ouest.

Le rapport note que le produit intérieur brut moyen de l’Afrique de l’Ouest a ralenti, passant de 4,4 % en 2021 à 3,8 % en 2022, ce qui implique que la reprise de la croissance après le ralentissement de 2020 s’est ralentie.

Il attribue le ralentissement de la croissance, entre autres facteurs, à des chocs successifs tels que la résurgence du  Covid-19 en Chine, un partenaire commercial majeur des pays de la région. L’invasion de l’Ukraine par la Russie a également provoqué des pressions inflationnistes sur le coût des denrées alimentaires, des carburants et des engrais dans de nombreux pays de la région de l’Afrique de l’Ouest.

Le rapport révèle en outre que les économies avancées ont également resserré leur politique monétaire, ce qui a accru l’aversion au risque à l’échelle mondiale et augmenté les pressions sur les taux de change.

Il note néanmoins que les perspectives de croissance du PIB de la région sont positives et devraient augmenter légèrement pour atteindre 3,9 % en 2023 et 4,2 % en 2024.

La transition vers une croissance verte nécessitera davantage de ressources

Le rapport 2023 des Perspectives économiques de l’Afrique de l’Ouest note que l’adaptation aux changements climatiques et l’épuisement des ressources naturelles de la région offrent aux entreprises et aux gouvernements l’occasion de s’engager sur la voie d’une croissance durable et verte.

Selon le rapport, « l’Afrique de l’Ouest dispose d’un énorme potentiel pour parvenir à une croissance verte, l’industrialisation verte étant la voie la plus évidente ». Les raisons qui militent en faveur d’une croissance verte dans la région sont nombreuses : impacts et risques liés aux changements climatiques, épuisement du capital naturel, pauvreté et insécurité alimentaire, création d’emplois limitée et nombreuses enclaves à forte intensité de capital.

S’exprimant lors du lancement, Kevin C. Urama, économiste en chef et vice-président chargé de la Gouvernance économique et de la Gestion des connaissances de la Banque africaine de développement, a déclaré que de multiples défis avaient entraîné une hausse des taux d’intérêt et alourdi les paiements au titre du service de la dette pour les pays africains. Il a expliqué que ces défis comprenaient notamment les changements climatiques, l’inflation due à la hausse des prix de l’énergie et des matières premières, la perturbation des chaînes d’approvisionnement, ainsi que le resserrement de la politique monétaire aux États-Unis et en Europe.

M. Urama a ajouté qu’il faudra redoubler d’efforts en Afrique pour mobiliser les ressources intérieures et les financements du secteur privé afin d’aider les pays à opérer une transition vers l’adaptation au climat et vers la croissance verte.

Il a déclaré : « L’Afrique est lésée en matière de financement climatique. Le continent aura besoin de 235 à 250 milliards de dollars par an jusqu’en 2030 pour réaliser les investissements prévus dans le cadre de ses contributions déterminées au niveau national. Pourtant, l’Afrique n’a reçu qu’environ 29,5 milliards de dollars de financement climatique entre 2019 et 2020. » 

Le financement du secteur privé pour soutenir l’adaptation aux changements climatiques et l’atténuation de leurs effets en Afrique est estimé à seulement 4,2 milliards de dollars pour la période 2019-2020, soit le montant le plus faible de toutes les régions du monde.

Selon les estimations, le déficit de financement climatique du secteur privé en Afrique devrait atteindre 213,4 milliards de dollars par an entre 2020 et 2030.

Citant le rapport, M. Urama a déclaré : « L’Afrique peut accélérer sa transition vers le développement vert en optimisant son capital naturel, estimé à environ 6 200 milliards de dollars en 2018. »

Il a noté que le continent ne tirait toutefois pas le meilleur parti de ses ressources naturelles en raison de leur mauvaise évaluation, de leur dégradation, des flux de capitaux illicites et des pertes subies en matière de redevances et d’impôts.

S’exprimant également lors du lancement du rapport, l’économiste en chef pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest de la Banque africaine de développement, Guy Blaise Nkamleu, a déclaré que quatre des quinze pays de la région — la Guinée-Bissau, le Mali, le Libéria et le Niger — sont classés parmi les dix pays les plus vulnérables aux changements climatiques et aux risques environnementaux dans le monde.

« Pour stimuler le financement du secteur privé pour le climat et la croissance verte, les gouvernements d’Afrique de l’Ouest doivent déployer des instruments et des mécanismes innovants pour attirer des financements du secteur privé », a ajouté M. Nkamleu.

Pour télécharger l’intégralité du rapport, cliquez ici (https://apo-opa.info/3DHT0AY).

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Perspectives économiques régionales de l’Afrique de l’Est 2023 : la croissance à moyen terme de la région devrait être la plus élevée du continent en 2023-2024

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

L’Afrique de l’Est enregistrera la performance économique régionale la plus élevée du continent en 2023 et 2024, avec des chiffres de croissance supérieurs à 5 %, selon le rapport Perspectives économiques de l’Afrique de l’Est 2023 de la Banque africaine de développement (www.AfDB.org) qui vient d’être publié.

Ce rapport, publié jeudi 27 juillet, prévoit une accélération de la croissance économique à moyen terme dans la région, qui devrait atteindre 5,1 % en 2023 et 5,8 % en 2024, dépassant ainsi toutes les autres régions africaines. Elle sera principalement tirée par la croissance du Rwanda, de l’Ouganda, de l’Éthiopie, du Kenya, de Djibouti et de la Tanzanie.

Selon le rapport, le PIB réel de l’Afrique de l’Est a été propulsé par son secteur des services, qui a contribué à près de la moitié de la croissance économique en 2022. Le secteur a contribué à hauteur de 2,0 points de pourcentage à la croissance du PIB, soit moins que les 2,5 points de pourcentage en moyenne sur la période 2015-2021. Les attractions naturelles et culturelles de la région attirent des touristes du monde entier, ce qui crée une demande pour des services tels que l’hébergement, la restauration et les divertissements.

La région de l’Afrique de l’Est est toutefois confrontée à plusieurs risques extérieurs et intérieurs susceptibles d’affecter les perspectives économiques positives. Il s’agit notamment d’un ralentissement économique mondial, de la hausse des prix des matières premières, de la poursuite de la guerre que mène la Russie en Ukraine, des politiques commerciales internationales, du resserrement des conditions financières mondiales, de la dépréciation des taux de change et de la résurgence du Covid-19.

« Les risques intérieurs comprennent les lacunes en matière d’infrastructures, les conflits internes et l’instabilité politique, les déséquilibres macroéconomiques et les effets néfastes des changements climatiques », indique le rapport.

Le rapport annuel phare sur l’économie africaine de la Banque africaine de développement présente une évaluation des performances macroéconomiques récentes de la région. Le rapport examine également les projections à moyen terme et les risques qui pèsent sur les perspectives de croissance de la région, fournissant une analyse approfondie des questions d’actualité auxquelles la région est confrontée.

Le thème du rapport 2023 est : « Mobiliser le financement du secteur privé pour le climat et la croissance verte ». Il examine les impératifs d’une transition verte pour l’Afrique et le rôle du financement du secteur privé. Il défend en outre l’idée que le capital naturel est une source essentielle de financement pour une croissance respectueuse du climat en Afrique de l’Est.

Bien qu’ils contribuent pour moins de 4 % aux émissions mondiales totales de carbone, les pays africains sont confrontés à d’importants défis en matière de financement climatique pour répondre aux mesures d’atténuation et d’adaptation nécessaires pour lutter contre les effets des changements climatiques.

Le rapport souligne quatre défis communs auxquels sont confrontées les économies de la région, qui motivent la mise en place d’un programme de croissance verte fort et inclusif. Il s’agit notamment de la dépendance à l’égard de l’agriculture pour les moyens de subsistance, de la dépendance à l’égard des ressources naturelles, de la pénurie en énergie et en eau. Le rapport exhorte les pays d’Afrique de l’Est à adapter les trajectoires de croissance verte en exploitant des secteurs clés tels que les énergies renouvelables, l’agriculture et les infrastructures durables, ainsi que la sylviculture.

« En 2020, l’Afrique de l’Est n’a pu couvrir que 11 % de ses besoins annuels de financement climatique, estimés à 67,2 milliards de dollars, ce qui met en évidence l’importance du défi que représente le déficit de financement pour le climat et la croissance verte dans la région », a déclaré Nnenna Nwabufo, directrice générale pour l’Afrique de l’Est de la Banque africaine de développement, lors de l’événement de lancement en ligne, ajoutant : « Il est évident qu’au moins 50 % du financement climatique devra provenir du secteur privé. »

Mme Nwabufo a ajouté que la stimulation du financement du secteur privé pour le climat et la croissance verte en Afrique de l’Est nécessitera également une combinaison d’interventions politiques bien structurées. « À court et à moyen terme, il est nécessaire d’amplifier la participation du secteur privé aux initiatives de lutte contre les changements climatiques par le dialogue, afin de stimuler la mobilisation des ressources, entre autres interventions », a-t-elle indiqué.

L’économiste en chef et vice-président de la Banque, Kevin Chika Urama, a appelé à la mise en place de réglementations, d’incitations et de soutiens à la préparation de projets appropriés, ainsi qu’au développement de marchés de capitaux solides qui pourraient faciliter l’entrée et la sortie d’investisseurs nationaux et internationaux.

« Il faudra recourir davantage au financement mixte, déployer des mécanismes de réduction des risques à grande échelle et développer des plateformes permettant au secteur privé d’investir dans un portefeuille de projets verts plutôt que dans des projets individuels, afin de diversifier et de gérer les risques », a déclaré M. Urama.

Le secrétaire d’État kényan au Trésor national et à la planification économique, Njuguna Ndung’u, qui a prononcé l’allocution principale lors du lancement du rapport, a appelé les gouvernements régionaux à travailler avec les partenaires au développement et à respecter leurs engagements afin d’accélérer le rythme de la transformation dans une région criblée de dettes. « Le fardeau croissant de la dette freine le potentiel de croissance de nos pays, augmentant ainsi les taux de pauvreté et les inégalités », a-t-il déclaré.

Marcellin Ndong Ntah, économiste en chef du Bureau régional pour l’Afrique de l’Est, a noté que la région continuera d’afficher les taux d’inflation les plus élevés d’Afrique à moyen terme, en raison de la situation de la dette, des chocs mondiaux et des conflits internes, ajoutant néanmoins que la pression inflationniste s’atténue lentement.

« Les vulnérabilités liées à la dette resteront également élevées en Afrique de l’Est, la dépréciation du taux de change et les déficits primaires élevés exacerbant les risques pour la viabilité », a déclaré M. Ndong Ntah, citant le Burundi, les Comores, Djibouti, l’Éthiopie, le Kenya et le Soudan du Sud comme pays présentant un risque élevé d’endettement.

Edward Sennoga, un autre économiste en chef du Bureau régional de l’Afrique de l’Est, a déclaré que la région est dotée d’un capital naturel qui n’a pas encore été exploité. « La région est bien placée pour poursuivre ses ambitions en matière de climat et de croissance verte, compte tenu de la taille de son marché, de la jeunesse de sa population qui pourrait doubler d’ici 2050, de son potentiel en matière de technologies vertes et de ses importantes ressources naturelles ».

« La région est bien placée pour poursuivre ses ambitions en matière de climat et de croissance verte.

La région peut tirer parti de nombreux atouts. elle offre d’importantes opportunités dans les secteurs de la croissance verte, notamment l’agriculture, l’énergie, les TIC, les transports et l’économie bleue.

Ce sont des opportunités d’investissement qui peuvent contribuer à combler les déficits de financement pour le climat et la croissance verte », a déclaré M. Sennoga.

Parmi les autres intervenants ayant participé à la présentation du rapport figurait le ministre éthiopien de la Planification et du Développement, Sandokan Debebe, qui a également réitéré l’importance de placer le secteur privé à l’avant-garde du financement de la lutte contre les changements climatiques, conformément aux recommandations politiques des Perspectives économiques de l’Afrique de l’Est 2023.

Rose Ngugi, directrice exécutive de l’Institut kényan pour la recherche et l’analyse des politiques publiques, et Mary Ngelela Maganga, secrétaire permanente du Bureau du vice-président du gouvernement tanzanien, ont également participé au lancement.

Pour plus d’information, consulter le rapport : cliquez ici : https://apo-opa.info/3Kp97Hv

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2023 West Africa Economic Outlook: region’s economic growth falls but medium-term forecast suggests return to level above 4%

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, August 1, 2023/APO Group/ —

West Africa experienced slower economic growth over the past year except for Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, according to the African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) 2023 West Africa Economic Outlook report.

Launched on Thursday 27 July, the report assessed the economic performance of 15 West African countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Titled Mobilising Private Sector Financing for Climate and Green Growth in West Africa, the report provides key economic trends in 2022 as well as medium-term (2023-2024) economic forecasts for the region. It also evaluates strategies to accelerate the mobilisation of private sector financing for climate and green growth in West Africa.

The report notes that West Africa’s average gross domestic product decelerated to 3.8% in 2022 from 4.4% in 2021, implying that the growth recovery from the 2020 downturn had slowed.

The report attributes decelerating growth to, among other factors, such successive shocks as the resurgence of Covid-19 in China, a major trade partner for the region’s countries. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also spurred inflationary pressures on the cost of food, fuel and fertiliser in many West Africa region countries.

The report further reveals that advanced economies have also tightened monetary policy, which has heightened aversion to risk globally and increased exchange rate pressures.

Still, it notes, the region’s GDP growth outlook is positive, and projected to pick up slightly, hitting 3.9% in 2023 and 4.2% in 2024.

Transition to green growth will require greater resources

The 2023 West Africa Economic Outlook report notes that adapting to climate change and the depletion of the region’s natural resources present an opening for businesses and governments to embrace sustainable and green growth.

According to the report, “West Africa has enormous potential to achieve green growth, green industrialisation being the most obvious pathway. The rationale for green growth across the region is quite comprehensive: climate change impacts and risks, natural capital depletion, poverty, and food insecurity, as well as limited employment creation and many capital-intensive enclaves.”

Speaking during the launch, African Development Bank Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management Professor Kevin Urama said multiple challenges had led to rising interest rates and were compounding debt service payments to African countries.

He explained that these included climate change, inflation driven by higher prices of energy, commodities, and disruption of supply chains, as well as the tightening of monetary policy in the United States and Europe.

Urama added that greater effort will be needed in Africa to mobilise domestic resources and private sector financing to help countries achieve climate and green growth transitions.

“Africa is being short-changed [in] climate financing. The continent will need between $235 billion and $250 billion annually through 2030 to meet investments under its nationally determined contributions. Yet, Africa received only about $29.5 billion in climate financing between 2019 and 2020,” Professor Urama said. 

Private sector financing to support climate adaptation and mitigation in Africa is estimated at just $4.2 billion from 2019-2020, the lowest of any region of the world.

Africa’s private-sector climate financing gap is estimated to reach $213.4 billion annually between 2020 and 2030.

Quoting from the report, Urama said: “Africa can accelerate its green development transitions by optimising its natural capital, estimated at about $6.2 trillion in 2018.”

He noted that the continent, however, was not getting the best out of its natural resources because of poor valuation, degradation, illicit capital flows and losses from royalties and taxes.

Also speaking at the report launch, African Development Bank lead economist Guy Blaise Nkamleu said four of the region’s fifteen countries— Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Liberia, and Niger— were ranked among the ten most vulnerable countries to climate change and environmental hazards worldwide.

“To boost private sector financing for climate change and green growth, innovative instruments and mechanisms need to be deployed by West African governments to attract private sector financing,” Nkamleu said.

The entire report can be downloaded here (https://apo-opa.info/3Qlu6yU).

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South Africa’s ANC controls eight of nine provinces – why the Western Cape will remain elusive in the 2024 elections

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Keith Gottschalk, Political Scientist, University of the Western Cape

The African National Congress (ANC), which governs South Africa, finally held its postponed Western Cape provincial elective congress in June. This was after painstaking years of electing branch and regional executives. The new executive is the first elected ANC Western Cape provincial executive in six years.

These are among the first essential steps the ANC needed to take to be on a better footing to make gains in this province – the only one of nine it doesn’t control.

But, the odds are stacked against the party making serious inroads in the province, let alone winning it.

By history and demography, the ANC in the Western Cape faces tougher challenges than anywhere else in the country. In all other provinces, black Africans constitute the majority of voters. But in the Western Cape the majority are coloured voters. “Coloured” in South African history means people who are of biracial or multiracial descent, or whose ancestors were Khoisan, not Bantu-speaking Africans. The country’s other population categories are white and Indian.

The mass support in the Western Cape for the United Democratic Front, a loose coalition of anti-apartheid organisations allied to the then-banned ANC, between 1983 and 1990, misleadingly suggested support for the unbanned ANC after 1990. In fact, the ANC in that province faced devastating defeats in all the elections from 1994 onwards.

The ANC started by winning only 33% (rounded off) of the votes in the first democratic 1994 election, rising to 42% in 1999 and peaking at 45% in 2004. After that it declined to 32% of the votes in 2009 and 2014, dropping further to 29% in 2019. It attracted still fewer votes in local government elections, getting for example only 21% of the votes in 2021. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has run the province with an absolute majority for over a decade.

The effect of the ANC’s governance and poor performance in the eight provinces and most municipalities it runs is the main factor in the ANC’s nationally declining vote in the four general elections held since 1994. In media, commentariat, and auditor-general reports, the DA is judged to do a much better job of running the Western Cape province and Cape Town metro.

One factor for its declining vote is demography. Though all major South African parties commit to a vision of a non-racial society, it is estimated that less than 2% of white voters vote for the ANC, and less than 6% of African voters vote for the Democratic Alliance. A majority of coloured voters vote against the ANC, and in the Western Cape coloured voters constitute a majority of the electorate.

This is in spite of the fact that the ANC over the years chose several coloured and Indian leaders for the province, such as Allan Boesak, Chris Nissen, Dullah Omar, Ebrahim Rasool, and Marius Fransman. This showed that the ANC was no longer limited to Africans, but sought to represent a “rainbow nation”, in Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s phrase.

But the old joke that in Africa election results are an ethnic census is too simplistic. The coloured majority of the Western Cape electorate has ensured that the ANC has never won an absolute majority in that province. But coloured voters are almost a majority of Northern Cape province voters, where the ANC comfortably wins every election. It is clear that many coloured voters in that province do vote for the ANC.

Also, there is a striking difference between Cape Town and the rest of the Western Cape. In the city, the DA scores sensational majorities from 92% in white voting districts to 80% in coloured townships. Elsewhere in the province, the DA seesaws between 45% and 55% of the local votes.

Challenges and own goals

What can explain such a spectacular divide? As a political scientist and historian, I suggest that one factor is that in Cape Town, the DA of 2023 is based upon the old network of its historical predecessor the Progressive Party (Prog) branches, and the current DA politicians were mentored into politics by Helen Zille, the party’s federal chair, and other old Prog leaders. These were liberal activists and veterans committed to nonracialism.

But in the rural Western Cape, today’s DA branches are based upon the renamed National Party branches of the 20th century. National Party politicians, responsible for driving the apartheid programme, were late converts to non-racialism, and often tone deaf to what black voters will take as priority issues, or insults. The DA is made up of the former Progs and National Party adherents.

Another factor in the ANC’s declining vote is the declining moral standards of ANC leadership. The first ANC Western Cape chair after 1994 was the respected Chris Nissen, a trilingual clergyman (speaking isiXhosa, English and Afrikaans) from the Presbyterian church. This enabled him to speak to all voters in their mother tongue.

By 2016 the chair was Marius Fransman, a career politician, who had to step down from all posts after complaints of being a sex pest were lodged against him. The ANC judged that these complaints also merited suspending his membership for five years.

After that, the ANC Western Cape was unable to elect anyone at all as its chair for six years, due to factionalism and branches, zonal, and regional structures becoming defunct. Simultaneously, nationwide, the ANC Youth League was disbanded, and the ANC Women’s League very little in evidence. The plight of the ANC in this province was evident to all.

Bottoming out?

The new popular leader, Vuyisa JJ Tyhalisisu, was elected chair by 311-282 votes. Its leader in the Western Cape provincial parliament, Cameron Dugmore, is a veteran of four decades of service to the ANC, and nationally the only white person in such an ANC position.

The newly elected Western Cape provincial executive committee balances Africans such as Tyhalisisu and Ayanda Bam with coloureds such as Neville Delport, Sharon Davids and Derek Appel.

A significant number of ANC branches have been revived. This coincides with a start in reviving the ANC Youth League and the Women’s League. Next year’s general elections will show how far these measures have changed ANC fortunes in the Western Cape.

– South Africa’s ANC controls eight of nine provinces – why the Western Cape will remain elusive in the 2024 elections
– https://theconversation.com/south-africas-anc-controls-eight-of-nine-provinces-why-the-western-cape-will-remain-elusive-in-the-2024-elections-210013

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East Africa Regional Economic Outlook 2023: Mid-term growth for East Africa region projected highest on the continent for 2023-24

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 1, 2023/APO Group/ —

East Africa will register the highest regional economic performance on the continent in 2023 and 2024, with growth figures at over 5%, according to the newly published African Development Bank  (www.AfDB.org) 2023 East Africa Economic Outlook.

The report, launched on Thursday 27 July, projects mid-term economic growth in the region to accelerate to 5.1% in 2023 and 5.8% in 2024, outpacing all the other African regions. This will be largely driven by growth in Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Tanzania. 

According to the report, East Africa’s real GDP has been propelled by its services sector, contributing almost half of the economic growth in 2022. The sector contributed 2.0 percentage points to GDP growth, lower than 2.5 percentage points on average for the period 2015-21. The region’s natural and cultural attractions draw tourists from around the world, creating a demand for services like accommodation, food, and entertainment.

The East Africa region, however, faces several external and domestic downside risks that could affect the positive economic outlook. These include a global economic slowdown, rising commodity prices, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, international trade policies, tightening of global financial conditions, exchange rate depreciation, and a resurgence of Covid-19. 

“The domestic risks include gaps in infrastructure, domestic conflicts and political instability, macroeconomic imbalances, and adverse impacts of climate change,” the report states.

The annual flagship Africa Economic Report of the African Development Bank offers an assessment of the region’s recent macroeconomic performance. The report also examines medium-term projections and the risks to the region’s growth outlook, providing in-depth analysis of topical issues that the region is grappling with. 

The theme of the 2023 report is “Mobilizing Private Sector Financing for Climate Change and Green Growth”. It delves into the imperatives for a green transition for Africa and the role of private sector financing. It further presents a case for natural capital as a key source of financing for climate-compatible growth in East Africa. 

Despite contributing less than 4% to total global carbon emissions, African countries face significant climate financing challenges to respond to mitigation and adaptation measures required to tackle climate change effects. 

The report outlines four common challenges faced by the region’s economies, which justify a strong, inclusive green growth agenda. They include reliance on agriculture for livelihoods, natural resource dependence, energy, and water scarcity. It urges East African countries to adapt green growth pathways by tapping into key sectors like renewable energy; sustainable agriculture and infrastructure; and forestry.

“In 2020, East Africa could only cover 11% of its estimated annual climate financing needs of $67.2 billion, highlighting the significant financing gap challenges for climate change and green growth in the region,” African Development Bank Director General for East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo said during the virtual launch event, adding: “It is obvious that at least 50% of climate financing will have to be sourced from the private sector.”

Nwabufo said boosting private sector financing for climate change and green growth in East Africa will also require a mix of well-sequenced policy interventions. “In the short to medium term, there is a need to amplify private sector participation in climate change initiatives through dialogue, to boost resource mobilisation, among other interventions,” she said.

The Bank’s chief economist and vice president Prof Kevin Chika Urama, called for appropriate regulations, incentives and support for project preparation, as well as the development of strong capital markets that could ease entry and exits by domestic and global investors.

“It will require greater use of blended finance, deployment of de-risking facilities at scale, and the development of platforms that can allow the private sector to invest in a portfolio of green projects as opposed to individual projects to diversify and manage risks,” Urama said.

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, Prof Njuguna Ndung’u, keynote speaker at the report launch, called on regional governments to work with development partners and meet their end of the bargain to accelerate the pace of transformation in a region that is riddled with debt. “The growing debt burden is holding back the growth potential of our countries, thereby elevating poverty rates and inequality,” he said.

East Africa Regional Office Lead Economist, Dr Marcellin Ndong Ntah, noted that the region will continue to post the highest inflation rates in Africa in the medium term, due to the debt situation, global shocks and internal conflicts, adding nonetheless, that the inflation pressure is slowly easing.

“Debt vulnerabilities will also remain elevated in East Africa, with exchange rate depreciation and high primary deficits exacerbating sustainability risks,” Ndong Ntah said, citing Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, as countries with high debt risk.

Dr Edward Sennoga, a second lead economist with the East Africa regional office said the region is endowed with natural capital that is yet to be harnessed. “The region is well placed to advance its pursuit of climate and green growth ambitions, given its market size; youthful population that could double by 2050; green technology potential; and significant natural resource endowments.”

“The region is well placed to advance its pursuit of climate and green growth ambitions. There is a lot the region can leverage on. The region has significant opportunities in green growth sectors notably agriculture, energy, ICT, transport, and the blue economy. These are investment opportunities that can contribute to addressing financing gap challenges for climate change and green growth,” Sennoga said.

Other discussants during the report’s presentation included Ethiopia’s State Minister for Planning and Development, Sandokan Debebe, who also reiterated the importance of putting the private sector at the forefront of climate financing, in line with policy recommendations of the 2023 East Africa Economic Outlook.

Dr Rose Ngugi, Executive Director, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis and Mary Ngelela Maganga, Permanent Secretary, Vice President’s Office, Government of Tanzania, also participated in the launch.

To read the report and to learn more, click here (https://apo-opa.info/3Kp97Hv).

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Kenya: We must Protect Public Resources

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

President William Ruto has said he will protect public resources with zeal.

He noted that it will not be business as usual to public servants with affinity to abuse public resources.

The Head of State regretted that it has become fashionable for some people to work in public offices to steal.

The President insisted that corruption must be tamed, especially in the procurement space.

“We will not wait until when money is lost. We will deal with it from the level when we notice its signs.”

He maintained that there will be no money to steal but to deliver Government programmes.

The Head of State asked public servants to be servants rather than masters of the people.

He added that incompetence will not be tolerated.

“We must work harder and better to deliver on our promises. We have an opportunity to change our country.”

The President was speaking during the signing of the 2023/2024 Ministerial Performance Contracts at State House, Nairobi.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Governors, UN Resident Co-ordinator Stephen Jackson, among others, were present.

President Ruto explained that the Government had resolved to enhance its performance by incorporating the actualisation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda into the performance contracting.

“Our objective is to achieve the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of public services.”

He said this will be done through accountable, responsible and transparent use of public resources.

Mr Gachagua asked public servants to be service-driven.

He said there is no time to waste.

“Our friendship will only be based on performance. Let us work and do what we have to do for Kenyans,” he argued.

On his part, Mr Mudavadi said there is need to streamline performance management in the public sector.

This, he noted, will help in planning, budgeting and performance.

“Public sector reforms must be pursued to transform the public sector and create an environment that will boost performance,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Jackson lauded the Government for giving prominence to performance contracts.

He said it was essential for guaranteed provision of basic services to the people.

“Kenyans deserve a 21st century service. Public service reforms remain our central focus in supporting Kenya,” he noted.

Efficient service delivery, he added, should go beyond the national level to the grassroots.

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World Health Organization (WHO) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) handed over medical equipment to improve service delivery in the Busoga sub-region of Uganda

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English

The Ugandan Ministry of Health today received from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) a package of medical equipment designed to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) service delivery in five districts of the Busoga sub-region.

With funding from KOICA through WHO, the medical equipment worth 1.5 million United States Dollars is intended to equip 30 health facilities in the targeted districts of Bugiri, Buyende, Kamuli, Iganga, and Mayuge. The equipment includes 30 solar lighting systems, 30 solar vaccine refrigerators and water pack freezers, 90 stove top sterilizers, 90 resuscitators for adult, child, and neonatal sets, 90 normal delivery sets, 90 digital baby scales, 90 infant weighing scales, 90 Delivery Beds, 90 Wheelchairs, 90 Examination Beds and 90 Oxygen Concentrators.

“I welcome the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea and the people of Korea, KOICA, and WHO in procuring this essential medical equipment, as they will strengthen our effort to end preventable maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent deaths in the country,” said Hon. Margaret Muhanga, the Uganda’s Minister of State for Health in charge of Primary Health Care.

Echoing the same appreciation, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the WHO Representative to Uganda said that “the provision of these medical supplies is in line with our vision to improve the country’s health system to meet the need of its population.” He expressed gratitude for the partnership with the Republic of Korea, KOICA, and the Ugandan government as he underlined WHO’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s health system. 

His Excellency, Park Sung-Soo, the Korean Ambassador in Uganda, reiterated his government’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s health sector noting that “through KOICA, the Government of Korea is committed to contributing to the achievement of the Ministry of Health’s vision of ending preventable maternal new-born, child, and adolescent deaths by improving the health infrastructure, supporting capacity building of health workers and enhancing school health.”

The consignment of medical equipment being handed over today has been procured under the project – Health System Strengthening for Improving RMNCAH service delivery. The project has been implemented since 2020 in five districts of the Busoga sub-region including Bugiri, Buyende, Iganga, Kamuli, and Mayuge.

Under this project, WHO and KOICA procured seven ambulances that have improved the referrals of patients. Working with the Ministry of Health, they have also built the capacities of over 1500 health workers to provide quality reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health services.

Moving forward, the Government of Korea through KOICA and WHO will embark on the refurbishment of 30 health facilities by renovating some sections, improving water harvesting systems, and installing motorized boreholes.