Africa Center for Strategic Studies 

Media Review for July 13, 2011

Africom praises Mauritania in al-Qaeda fight
The head of United States African Command (Africom), General Carter Ham, on Tuesday congratulated Mauritania for its successes in the fight against al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim). "I congratulated him for the success of the Mauritanian army in its fight against Aqim, in collaboration with Mali and other countries in the region," Ham said after a meeting with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz in Nouakchott. News 24

 

U.S. official: CIA interrogating terror suspects in Somalia
CIA operatives have secretly traveled to Mogadishu, Somalia, to help interrogate terrorism suspects about operations in East Africa and Yemen, a senior U.S. official told CNN Tuesday. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, stressed any suspects were under the control of Somali forces and the CIA was present only in "support" of interrogations in recent months. He described the number of times the CIA was present as "very small," adding that he would only say it was "one or two times." CNN

 

Canada's next terror frontier: Mid-Africa
Canada is set to play a leading role in a new anti-terror organization to be launched by President Barack Obama in New York this fall - the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the city. [...] As part of the new effort, to be unveiled formally in late September, Canada will co-chair a working group seeking to prevent terrorism in the mid-African Sahel region, one of a number of such groups in the organization. National Post

 

US Warns of Travel Dangers to South Sudan
The United States is warning its citizens of the dangers of traveling to South Sudan, despite the celebration of the country's new independence. The U.S. embassy in South Sudan urged Americans Tuesday not to travel to border regions between Sudan and South Sudan, citing recent fighting between forces loyal to the two countries' armies as well as a buildup of troops on both sides of the border. VOA

 

Bashir delineates Sudan's "second republic", promises reforms
Sudan's president, Omer Hassan al-Bashir, has outlined the features of his country's "second republic," promising political reforms. In an address before the country's parliament on Tuesday, following his country's break-up after South Sudan declared independence on Saturday, Bashir reaffirmed commitment to establishing amicable ties with the new southern state. Sudan Tribune

 

Pride, and Sadness, as a Nation Is Born
It was a day long awaited, but Jane Kani Edward could not bring herself to fully embrace the moment. For Dr. Edward, like many of the few Sudanese immigrants living in the New York metropolitan area, July 9, the day that the Republic of South Sudan became an independent state, carried mixed emotions. She had lost her father and three brothers in the five-decade struggle for independence, in which millions died. NY Times

 

China's push to woo South Sudan
Wow, that was fast. Just days after South Sudan achieved independence, the Chinese government has already established a vocational training program for welders in Juba. Foreign Policy

 

South Sudan: A Hidden Tour Of Juba, The Newest World Capital
As South Sudan declares its independence, its capital city Juba is a complicated and fast- growing metropolis, teeming with prostitutes, adventurers, refugees and NGOs. Worldcrunch - Le Monde

 

Somalia: Al Shabaab Arrests Aid Workers in Southern Town
Fighters of Al shabaab movement have detained two personnel working for international relief organizations in Baidoa town of Bay region in southern Somalia. allAfrica

 

Somalis flee to Kenya in search for food (video)
Somali refugees have become the victims of the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in nearly sixty years. Faced with starvation and caught in conflict, thousands of Somalis are fleeing their country and heading for Kenya. They have traveled through harsh conditions with little food or water, and no humanitarian assistance. Aljazeera

 

Boko Haram Strikes Again in Nigeria
No fewer than five people lost their lives in the Borno state capital of Maiduguri when Militant group Boko Haram reportedly threw an explosive at a patrol vehicle of the Joint Military Task Force. allAfrica

 

Fear of Islamic Militant Attacks in Nigeria Spreads to Lagos
The fear of attacks by Islamic militants in Nigeria is spreading south to the commercial capital, Lagos, where city buses are being checked for bombs. A group that says it is fighting for a separate Islamic state is thought responsible for a series of attacks across the north. VOA

 

Libyan rebels accused of burning homes and looting
Libyan rebel forces have looted shops, homes and medical facilities in some of the towns they seized in the country's western mountains, Human Rights Watch has said. In several towns, the rebels torched homes believed to belong to supporters of Muammar Gaddafi, the New York-based group said on Wednesday. The Guardian

 

French contact with Libyans over Gaddafi
France's foreign minister says his country has had "contact" with emissaries from the Libyan leadership concerning the departure of Muammar Gaddafi. "There are contacts but it's not a negotiation proper at this stage," Alain Juppe told France Info radio station on Tuesday. Aljazeera

 

NATO Targets Gaddafi: A Rare AWACS Ride-Along
Taking off from Sicily, a reporter chronicles a night of airborne surveillance of movements on the ground in Libya, and coordination of strikes against Gaddafi-controlled targets. Worldcrunch - La Stampa

 

Struggling Tunisian Economy Gets Boost From Libyan Conflict
More than six months after its revolution, the North African country of Tunisia is struggling to get back on its feet. Tourism has plummeted. Tunisians have emigrated in droves. But from the industrial city of Sfax, the economy is getting a boost from an unexpected source - Libya. VOA

 

Ivory Coast says can't service external debt in 2011
Ivory Coast, which has been in default for more than six months, said on Tuesday it was unable to service on its external debt this year and would resume payments to bondholders next year after securing a new funding deal with the International Monetary Fund. Times Live

 

All in good time: Army refuses to relinquish control of Egypt
Egypt's ruling military council insisted on Tuesday that it would not cede control over the transition from ousted president Hosni Mubarak's regime amid mounting anger over its handling of it. Mail and Guardian

 

Africa struggles with a tug-of-war over natural resources
[...]It's not as if Africa doesn't enjoy economic growth. Angola, Nigeria, Ethopia, Chad, Mozambique and Rwanda are all among the fastest-expanding economies in the world, with annual growth rates of eight percent and higher.[...] But development has limped along far behind growth. So what could and should Western countries be doing to help ensure that increased economic prosperity actually betters people's lives on the world's poorest continent? Deutsche Welle

 

Seychelles to elect new parliament in 3 months
The Seychelles is to embrace election for a new National Assembly (parliament) within the next three months following the dissolution of the previous one on Tuesday by a motion passed by two thirds of its 34 members. Xinhua

 

Hissene Habre's elusive trial: an African 'legal soap opera'
For two decades, victims of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre's repression have attempted to bring him to justice. But the latest twist in the long-standing case has once again highlighted Africa's failure to try its former leaders. France 24

 

Luanda, capital of Angola, retains title of world's most expensive for expats
Luanda, the capital of oil-rich Angola, is the most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in while London is now cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Sydney, a survey has revealed. The Telegraph

 

Terrorists 'May Recruit On Social Networks'
Fast-moving developments in cyber-security are making life difficult for intelligence agencies tracking international terrorists, amid fears militant groups may soon try to convert users of social networking sites to their cause. [...]This has raised the threats from Yemen, Somalia and parts of North Africa. A younger generation of terrorists is now using "off-the-shelf secure communication technology" to stay in touch with one another. Sky News



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Please note: The following news items are presented here for informational purposes. The views expressed within them are those of the authors and/or individuals quoted, not those of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the National Defense University, or the Department of Defense.
 
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