Africa Center for Strategic Studies 

Media Review for July 19, 2011

Guinea president's residence 'attacked'
An attack on the residence of Guinean President Alpha Conde has left at least one person dead, but the president managed to escape without injury, officials said. Quoting a presidential source and eyewitnesses, the Reuters news agency said heavily armed assailants attacked Conde's residence at around 1.30am local time on Tuesday. Al Jazeera

 

Guinea: President addresses nation after attack on residence
President Alpha Conde delivered an address on state radio Tuesday and confirmed earlier reports that his private residence had been attacked by armed assailants. A minister reported that one of the presidential guards was killed during the raid. France 24

 

Kenya: Gen Karangi appointed Chief of General Staff
President Mwai Kibaki has appointed Lt. Gen Julius Karangi as the new Chief of the General Staff replacing General Jeremiah Kianga whose term expires 31st August. The appointment of Karangi who was the Vice Chief of the General Staff takes effect from September 1st. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation

 

'Famine' to be officially declared in southern Somalia
Regions of Somalia worst-hit by drought are now officially in famine conditions, two senior UN sources said, forcing an escalation in food deliveries into areas controlled by Islamists linked to al-Qaeda. The telegraph

 

Secrets of Somali pirates revealed
A new, first-of-its-kind book is giving an inside look at the lives of Somali pirates. Author Jay Bahadur lived among pirates in Somalia to write his first book, The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World. It's being released in the US on Tuesday. News 24

 

Closer ties between Somali and Yemeni jihadists threatens oil through Aden Gulf
Affiliates of Al Qaeda operating on opposite shores of key oil-export routes through the Gulf of Aden have forged closer ties in what could emerge as a substantial threat by a group that has been dealt severe body blows by the Arab revolt sweeping the Middle East and North Africa and the killing in May of Osama Bin Laden by US Navy Seals. Al Arabiya

 

Mali arrests alleged al-Qaeda informants
Two Malian men are charged with passing information to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) about the movements of Mauritanian troops. The two suspects arrested by Malian security forces on Thursday (July 14th) also allegedly helped al-Qaeda terrorists purchase weapons and food, AFP reported. The arrests come just weeks after a joint Mauritania-Mali security operation in the Wagadou Forest that destroyed an AQIM camp and a subsequent battle in eastern Mauritania that left 15 terrorists dead. Magharebia

 

State and WH officials met with Qaddafi reps in Tunisia
Only one day after extending diplomatic recognition to the Libyan rebels, three top Obama administration officials met with representatives of the Qaddafi regime in Tunisia, a State Department official confirmed. Foreign Policy

 

Libyan rebels push towards Brega backed by Nato air strikes
Libyan rebels backed by powerful Nato air strikes fought their way into parts of the government-held oil town of Brega on Monday in one of their most ambitious offensives of the war so far. The Guardian

 

Uganda: Besigye calls for more civil disobedience
Uganda's opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, renewed his call for more civil disobedience on Saturday in an effort to force President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni out of power. Radio Netherland

 

Contractors rush for South Sudan contracts
Several road construction companies are angling for emerging opportunities in South Sudan as the new country begins reconstruction. The landlocked country is set to build roads linking its various states and the neighbouring countries. Transport and Roads Minister Anthony Lino Makana said the government has embarked on one of the biggest road construction and infrastructure development in the region, with a target of 7,000 km of road per year. The East African

 

Leaked report hints at Sudan war crimes
A leaked UN report says war crimes may have been committed in the Sudanese region of South Kordofan. The report accuses both sides of targeting civilians but it states that the government in Khartoum has been "egregious". The oil-producing region borders the newly created nation of South Sudan. It has seen intense fighting in recent months between the Sudanese army and local rebels. The conflict has displaced some 70,000 people. Al jazeera

 

Sudan Rejects Dual Citizenship for South Sudanese
Sudan's ruling party has affirmed the government will not grant dual citizenship to people of South Sudan, after the new country said it will allow dual nationality. Citizenship is a key unresolved issue between the neighboring countries, which separated when South Sudan declared independence on July 9. VOA

 

Apartheid defence minister Magnus Malan dies
Former defence minister Magnus Malan has died peacefully at his home in Durbanville, Cape Town. Malan served as minister of defence from 1980 to 1991, an appointment that followed a long military career - stretching back to the 1950s - in the SA Defence Force. He rose through the ranks and was appointed chief of the defence force in 1976. The ANC said his death marked the end of an era in South Africa's history of transition from the tyranny of apartheid to constitutional democracy. Times Live

 

Seychelles court overrules parliament dissolution
The Seychelles National Assembly (parliament), which dissolved itself last week, will reconvene on Tuesday after the Indian Ocean island country's Constitutional Court overruled that decision. The main opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP) brought the matter to the Constitutional Court along with the decision of Speaker Patrick Herminie, not to entertain its demand to replace two proportionally-elected Members of the National Assembly (MNA). Xinhua

 

Congo conflict minerals bill hurts the miners it hopes to help
The highest price is being paid in central Africa, where millions of people, and 16% of the Congo's population, are dependent on small-time digging. By all accounts most of the money from central African mining goes to these artisanal miners. Soldiers and rebels do pocket some of the proceeds, and that's a depressing reality. But mineral operations also provide the local population with centers of commerce, with cash to pay for supplies and workers and easily traded goods. As money from the mines becomes increasingly scarce, Congo's warlords have moved on to targeting the banana trade. Perhaps conflict-free bananas will be the next object of activist enthusiasm. CS Monitor

 

Crossing the Red Sea: Egypt Approves Massive Bridge to Saudi Arabia
Egypt has given the nod to plans for a gigantic bridge across the Red Sea. It would provide the first direct road link between Arab North Africa and the Middle East - but the project could upset Israel and Jordan. Spiegel

 

African mobile money regulation impact
With an estimated 300 million mobile phone subscribers in Africa, USA and UK development agencies have noted that of the new technologies offering improvements to remittance services and reductions in transaction costs, mobile phones hold the greatest promise for Africa. [...] These remittances also fall outside of the regulatory monitoring scope, more particularly money laundering and exchange control monitoring. IT News Africa

 

Nigeria's 'Nollywood' - Where African Celluloid Dreams Roll Out Fast And Furious
After India's Bollywood, Nigeria produces the most movies on the planet per year. However, producers have big business drama: only one in ten DVDs is sold legally as piracy runs rampant. Worldcrunch - Die Welt

 

 Find us on Facebook         Follow us on Twitter          View our photos on flickr
 Disclaimer
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.
 
The Africa Center is the pre-eminent Department of Defense institution for strategic security studies, research, and outreach in Africa. The Africa Center engages African partner states and institutions through rigorous academic and outreach programs that build strategic capacity and foster long-term, collaborative relationships.