Equatorial Guinea

President Kenyatta Urges African Leaders to Maximize Efforts to Eliminate Malaria

admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:30:01 +0000

President Kenyatta Urges African Leaders to Maximize Efforts to Eliminate Malaria

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admin Mon, 02/21/2022 - 14:30

Sunday, February 6, 2022

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President Kenyatta Urges African Leaders to Maximize Efforts to Eliminate Malar…

Addis Ababa February 6/2022/ENA/ The President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta urged African leaders to maximize their efforts to eliminate Malaria by 2030 in the continent.

President Kenyatta, who is also chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), made the remark today during the launch of the 2021 Malaria Progress Report on Africa in Addis Ababa on the margins of the ongoing 35th African Union Summit.

According the report malaria remains a significant threat to the health and socio-economic development of Africa.

The report stated that the burden of malaria in the continent is more significant than previously showing a 19 percent increase of deaths.

Some 2.1 million additional malaria deaths have been registered in Africa since 2000, it indicated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also been compounding the challenges of malaria in the continent, the report added noting that the pandemic alone contributed to 49, 000 additional malaria deaths in 2020 across the continent.

The report further stated that the continent is not on the right track to achieve its ambitious goal of eliminating malaria by 2030.

According to the report, only 15 member states of the African Union including Ethiopia achieved significant progress towards the 2030 targets.

Among AU Members Ethiopia, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Gambia and Ghana were able to reduce malaria incidence by at least 40 percent. While Estwatini, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Senegal and Togo reduced the incidence by 25 to 40 percent.

Two countries, Ethiopia and South Africa reduced malaria mortality by 40 percent; Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo also reduced the mortality by 25 to 40 percent.

While, Cape Verde and Sao Tome & Principe have been registered zero death of Malaria since 2018, the report revealed.

During the occasion President Kenyatta called African leaders to be the forefront globally and nationally to achieve goal of eliminating malaria by 2030, noting that ending malaria is attainable if the African Heads of State and Government take decisive actions.

Kenyatta further pointed out the need to advocate for the replenishment of the Global Fund in 2022 and mobilize new coalition of malaria champions at home and abroad.

Founded in 2009, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) is a ground-breaking coalition of African Heads of State and Government working across country and regional borders to achieve a malaria-free Africa by2030. All African Union countries are members of ALMA.

Africa

We’ll have new constitution before end of my term, Barrow assures Gambians

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 05:20:01 +0000

We’ll have new constitution before end of my term, Barrow assures Gambians

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admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 05:20

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

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ALSO READ: #GambiaDecides: Buhari felicitates Adama Barrow on re-election

After 22 years of dictatorship under Mr Jammeh, who is now in exile in Equatorial Guinea, Mr Jammeh is seen largely as a peace builder and prime custodian of the country’s democracy.

One of the key provisions of the 2020 draft constitution is section 5 which limits the president’s tenure to 10 years of two five-year terms.

It is currently not clear if the new draft constitution would count Mr Barrow’s past five years rule as his first term or start a fresh count from 2020.

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Barrow speaks on Jammeh, reveals plans for truth, reconciliation committee report implementation

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 05:20:01 +0000

Barrow speaks on Jammeh, reveals plans for truth, reconciliation committee report implementation

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admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 05:20

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

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ALSO READ: We’ll have new constitution before end of my term, Barrow assures Gambians

The commission for three years investigated and documented cases of human rights violation against citizens under the 22-year rule of dictator Jammeh.

Mr Jammeh, who lost the 2016 election to Mr Barrow had held on to power but had to flee the country for Equatorial Guinea after pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Under his rule, there were several reported and unreported cases of extra-judicial killings, rape, disappearances, imprisonments among other grave vices.

For instance, in 2000, it was widely reported that some 14 people were killed by the Gambian police at a students’ protest in Banjul.

This and many other atrocities have raised the hope of many Gambians for a prosecution of the former dictator. However, Mr Barrow did not state if his predecessor would be prosecuted or not.

“It’s not me per se,” he replied when a journalist asked if he would attempt to have Mr Jammeh extradited from exile and prosecute him. “It will depend on what is the recommendation and also, it will depend on my technical team”.

“We have to look at the report and the recommendation, with my cabinet and my minister of Justice. They’ll advise us and cabinet will sit around the table…we just want to assure the entire world and Gambians that there would be justice,” he said.

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Gambia’s Election Result Sends Out Caveat to Liberia’s Opposition ahead of 2023 Presidential Elections

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:20:01 +0000

Gambia’s Election Result Sends Out Caveat to Liberia’s Opposition ahead of 2023 Presidential Elections

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:20

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

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Politics – FrontPageAfrica

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Gambia’s Election Result Sends Out Caveat to Liberia’s Opposition ahead of 2023…

Monrovia – No one expected Adama Barrow to win – but the incumbent President of The Gambia easily won re-election, receiving 53% of the vote after last Saturday’s vote.

The Independent Electoral Commission said Barrow received 457,519 votes, about 53 percent of the total votes. His nearest rival, long-time politician, Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP) garnered 238,253, or about 28 percent. However, three opposition candidates have rejected the results. They are Darboe, Mamma Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), and independent candidate Essa Fall. Darboe told a news conference Sunday they were rejecting the results due to issues raised by their party agents and representatives at polling stations and the inordinate delay of results by the electoral commission.

The elections was undoubtedly, a landslide vote for Barrow – that never even entered a second round.

So, what went wrong?

After all, Barrow, in the weeks leading into Saturday’s vote, turned heads when he embraced the party of former dictator, Yahya Jammeh.

Although Jammeh who is currently in exile in Equatorial Guinea, had urged his supporters not to vote for Barrow, in spite of the support from his faction of his party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), voters had the last say.

The elections result, coming five years after Barrow defeated Jammeh in an historic elections, raised questions about Mr. Barrow’s sincerity regarding the truth and reconciliation process investigation atrocities committed by the former dictator Jammeh.

On the eve of the election, the names of the officials accused of bearing the greatest responsibility for gross human rights violations perpetrated during Jammeh’s 22-year rule were submitted to Barrow in hopes that they would face criminal trial.

Reminiscent of Liberia

Ahead of the elections, tension were high among victims and rights campaigners that Barrow could not be trusted to implement the TRRC’s recommendations due to his alliance with Jammeh’s party.

Mr. Barrow’s victory is reminiscent of unfolding developments in Liberia where candidates are already lining up to face the incumbent George Manneh Weah.

The opposition, perhaps hinging their hopes on the rapid deterioration in the rule of law, corruption, transparency and accountability issues, are putting all their chips on the table that Liberians will reject Weah in 2023, thus, their activities over the past few months have been marred by infighting and personal attacks amongst themselves, thereby providing an opening of a splinter opposition, the incumbent Weah is likely to capitalize on in his quest for a second.

The writings on the wall in Liberia, were similarly in the cards in The Gambia in the days leading into last Saturday’s vote.

Asked in a VOA Daybreak Africa interview after Saturday’s vote whether the five opposition candidates shot themselves by not coming together to rally behind a single candidate, Mr. Sait Matty Jaw, a National Investigator for Afro Barometer said: “There have been calls for the opposition to unite, but of course, given the liberalized political environment, most of them thought that they could have done it on their own. But if you look at the context, of course, there were some forms of coalitions that were formed, but you realize that Barrow had the biggest share. His coalition he refers to as the Grand Coalition. Of course, coalitions might have created a more balanced, or more close election, but this one was definitely decided by those that favor continuity and not those who wanted change”.

The victorious Barrow, in a post-victory speech called for unity between the country’s political factions: “I call on all Gambians, irrespective of your political divide, to put aside our political and other differences and come together as one people to work towards the development of our country,” he said.

Although the opposition Darboe and two other candidates – Mama Kandeh and Essa Mbye Faal – issued a joint statement before the final result was declared, questioning the figures, the figures are likely to stand.

The opposition expressed concerns over delays, and the fact that their party agents had raised a number of issues.

Crying Foul, the New Norm

The cry of foul play is nothing new to African politics.

At the end of the second round of the 2005 Presidential elections, Weah, then an opposition candidate claimed fraud, stating election officials stuffed ballot boxes in his main opponent, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s favor. However, most elections observers, including those from the United Nations, the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States declared that the election was clean and transparent. While the Carter observed “minor irregularities”, it reported no major problems. In fact, Johnson-Sirleaf, at the time, reminded the press that Weah had 72 hours to bring evidence of wrongdoing to her campaign according to Liberian law, calling the accusations “lies” and stating that Weah’s supporters “just don’t want a woman to be President in Africa.”

Similarly, during the second round of the 2011 presidential elections which secured Madam Sirleaf’s second term, Mr Weah’s party again claimed that the elections were fraudulent.

After the first round of voting in the 2011 elections, Sirleaf led the presidential field with 43.9% of the vote, followed by Winston Tubman of the Congress for Democratic Change with 32.7%. As no candidate received an absolute majority, Sirleaf and Tubman stood in a run-off election held on November 8, 2011. Tubman alleged that the first round had been rigged in Sirleaf’s favor and called on his supporters to boycott the run-off.

Africa

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Gambia starts counting marble votes in first post-Jammeh presidential election

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 01:10:01 +0000

Gambia starts counting marble votes in first post-Jammeh presidential election

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 01:10

Sunday, December 5, 2021

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Gambia starts counting marble votes in first post-Jammeh presidential election

Election officials started counting marble votes Saturday in Gambia after the polls closed in the country's first presidential election in decades that did not include former dictator Yahya Jammeh, a milestone seen as a test of democracy in the West African country.

Long lines of Gambians came to vote to exercise their democratic rights as demands for justice in the post-Jammeh era rise. Nearly 1 million registered voters were expected to drop marbles into one of six ballot bins, each adorned with the face and name of a candidate.

The candidates include incumbent President Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in 2016 as an opposition leader. Barrow's challengers are former mentor and head opposition leader Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party; Mama Kandeh of Gambia Democratic Congress; Halifa Sallah of the People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism; Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh of the National Unity Party; and Essa Mbye Faal, former lead counsel of Gambia's truth commission, who was running as an independent.

"We will never lose this election," Barrow said after voting in Banjul. "I am a leader who is focused on development, and that development will continue in this country. I know in the next 24 hours my people will be celebrating in the streets."

Barrow stressed the Independent Electoral Commission must remain impartial. Darboe voted in Fajara, a neighborhood in Bakau, near the capital, using a walker because of health problems. Flanked by a huge escort, including his wives, he added his voice to calls for peaceful elections.

"We all win if there is peaceful election," he said.

Independent Electoral Commission presiding officer Musa Mbye told The Associated Press that there were no major problems during the vote. IEC Chair Alieu Mommar Njie said election results would be announced by Monday.

After polls closed, several officials started the counts by laying the marbles on wooden boards to mark 100 to 200 votes per board. Political party representatives and polling station heads also sign off on the vote count. This year, it will also then be put into an app developed for Gambia's election tracking, aptly called Marble.

All the presidential candidates vowed to strengthen the country's tourism-dependent economy amid the coronavirus pandemic so fewer Gambians feel compelled to travel the dangerous migration route to Europe.

While the 2016 election that removed Jammeh from power after 22 years saw Gambians go from fear to elation, many are still not satisfied with the progress the nation has made.

"Since President Barrow came to power, the prices of food commodities kept rising. The average Gambian lives in poverty, so we want a candidate to be elected to address this problem," Kebba Gaye, 23, said in the town of Wellingara. "We youths want to elect a leader that will respect and value our votes. A leader that will create employment for us."

In a nearby neighborhood, Marietou Bojang, 24, agreed on the need for change, saying people don't have enough to eat.

"I am voting because myself and other women are suffering silently. A bag of rice has drastically gone up," she told the AP, adding that not enough has been done to fight corruption.

Many Gambians want certainty that the new leaders will bring the tiny West African nation of about 2.4 million toward peace and justice.

Jammeh, who seized power in 1994 in a bloodless coup, was voted out of office in 2016. After initially agreeing to step down, Jammeh resisted, and a six-week crisis saw neighboring West African countries prepare to send in troops to stage a military intervention. Jammeh was forced into exile and fled to Equatorial Guinea.

Jammeh's two-decade rule was marked by arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances and summary executions that were revealed through dramatic testimony during Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission hearings that lasted for years.

Last week, the commission handed its 17-volume report to Barrow, urging him to ensure that perpetrators of human rights violations are prosecuted. Barrow said he would do that.

Still, many Gambians feel betrayed after Barrow's National People's Party reached a deal with the top figures of the former ruling party, despite Jammeh's split with that party.

Links to Jammeh are not only an issue for the current president. Opposition candidate Kandeh has been supported by a breakaway political faction that Jammeh formed during his exile in Equatorial Guinea. While Kandeh has kept silent about Jammeh's possible return to Gambia, his allies are unequivocally saying that Jammeh would come back if they emerged victorious from the election.

Of the other candidates, Sallah and Darboe are established politicians, but they faced challenges from newcomers Faal and Ebrima Jammeh, who are making waves in urban areas.

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Gambia incumbent president comfortably wins election

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 01:10:01 +0000

Gambia incumbent president comfortably wins election

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admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 01:10

Monday, December 6, 2021

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Gambia incumbent president comfortably wins election

Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has secured his reelection with a comfortable margin over his opposition in a vote that set the bar for a new chapter in the small West African nation’s democracy.

Barrow won about 53% of the vote in Saturday's election, according to results from the Independent Election Commission announced Sunday. He easily beat out his main contender Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party who received about 28% of the vote.

This was the country’s first presidential election in decades that did not include former dictator Yahya Jammeh, who now lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea after losing the 2016 election and refusing to accept defeat. The chairman of the IEC, Alieu Mommar Njie, announced the results and prayed for peace to prevail in the nation of about 2.4 million people.

“I hereby declare Adama Barrow duly elected to serve as President of the Republic of The Gambia,” he said, after indicating that the National People’s Party (NPP) emerged victorious with 457,519 of the votes cast.

UDP’s Darboe was credited with 238,233 votes, and Mama Kandeh of the Gambia Moral Congress party came in third with 105,902 votes, according to results announced by the IEC. Demba Sabally, who represented the NPP at Election House, said the presidential election was transparent and fair.

“Gambia is the winner of this election,” he added.

The results, however, have already been contested by four opposition leaders, including Darboe and Kandeh, who on Sunday held a press briefing to challenge the credibility of the vote. According to a statement from the parties, they were concerned about an “inordinate delay” in the announcement of results.

Campaigner Banka Manneh told The Associated Press that he would not deny the opposition leaders their rights to protest. But, he added, “They need provide the evidence of their claims. The courts are here to settle dispute.”

Thousands of people stormed Westfield Youth Monument, located in the heart of Serrekunda, to celebrate Barrow’s reelection.

“President Barrow is a man of peace. We have to give him a chance to continue his development projects,” Modou Ceesay, 36, a resident of New Jeshwang told AP.

Fatou Faal of Kanifing told the AP that Gambians did the “right thing in giving Barrow a chance to complete the development projects he initiated.”

Nearly 860,000 Gambians came to vote on Saturday, a high number that shows a determination for many to exercise their democratic rights as demands for justice in the post-Jammeh era rise.

Barrow emerged victorious in 2016 as the candidate for an opposition coalition that tested the 22-year rule of Jammeh. After initially agreeing to step down, Jammeh resisted, and a six-week crisis saw neighboring West African countries prepare to send in troops to stage a military intervention. Jammeh was forced into exile.

Jammeh’s two-decade rule was marked by arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and summary executions that were revealed through dramatic testimony during Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission hearings that lasted for years.

The other week, the commission handed its 17-volume report to President Barrow, urging him to ensure that perpetrators of human rights violations are prosecuted. Barrow has vowed to fight for justice for the victims.

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Gambia delays report on ex-dictator Jammeh

admin — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 10:50:01 +0000

Gambia delays report on ex-dictator Jammeh

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admin Sat, 10/09/2021 - 10:50

Thursday, September 30, 2021

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Africa – Capital News

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Gambia delays report on ex-dictator Jammeh

Banjul, Gambia, Sep 30 – The long-awaited findings of a probe into crimes committed under Gambia’s former dictator Yahya Jammeh, which were to be released on Thursday, have been delayed, investigators said.

A panel called the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) had been scheduled to ceremonially hand over its findings to President Adama Barrow.

But the final report will now be released at a later date, a member of the TRRC told AFP, saying, “We are not yet ready.”

The TRRC was set up in 2017 following Jammeh’s defeat to Barrow in elections in December 2016.

After a six-week standoff that ended in military intervention by neighbouring countries, Jammeh flew to Equatorial Guinea.

Styled on the lines of South Africa’s post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the TRRC heard testimony from nearly 400 people from January 2019 to May 2021 on Jammeh’s 22-year dictatorship.

Witnesses gave chilling evidence about state-sanctioned torture, death squads, rape and witch hunts, often at the hands of the “Junglers,” who acted as Jammeh’s death squads.

– ‘Frustration of victims’ –

Reed Brody, an American lawyer calling for Jammeh to be prosecuted, said the postponement was announced “to the frustration of victims.”

The findings, spanning 16 volumes, had initially been due for release in July.

In April 2020 the TRRC published an interim report describing rights violations under Jammeh as “massive, appalling and diverse” including torture, extrajudicial killings, rape, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention.

The Gambia © AFP / afp

The TRRC has not been empowered to prosecute those responsible for crimes.

In its final report, it may recommend prosecution for perpetrators or propose an amnesty for those who have testified about their crimes and expressed remorse, except in the case of crimes against humanity.

Jammeh gained power through a bloodless coup in 1994 and was repeatedly re-elected, in votes often condemned as bogus, until his defeat to Barrow.

Jammeh supporters want the 56-year-old ex-dictator to return from exile.

But many in the poor nation of two million people have also called for him to be returned home for prosecution.

Barrow has long said he will await its report before seeking any further action against his predecessor.

After receiving the report, the government has six months in which to respond to its recommendations.

The postponement comes at a time when the tiny West Africa state is gearing for presidential elections on December 4 in which Barrow intends to run.

In early September, Jammeh’s political party announced an alliance with the ruling party, a move that was condemned by watchdogs.

The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations said the teamup was a “threat to the government’s implementation of the TRRC’s recommendations,” accusing Barrow of “abandoning grieving Gambian citizens to return to the arms of this murdering and raping tyrant.”

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FTJ Asks Gambians to Remind Themselves of Yahya Jammeh’s Legacy

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 11:30:01 +0000

FTJ Asks Gambians to Remind Themselves of Yahya Jammeh’s Legacy

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admin Mon, 03/01/2021 - 11:30

Sunday, February 21, 2021

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Politics – Foroyaa Newspaper

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FTJ Asks Gambians to Remind Themselves of Yahya Jammeh’s Legacy

By Yankuba Jallow and Nelson Manneh

Former Law Maker and Secretary General of Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, has called on Gambians to remind themselves of their former leaders’ legacy.

Fabakary Tombong Jatta said: “Let’s remind ourselves of Jammeh’s legacy of selfless service to his people and endeavour to emulate him for the unity and revival of our party and country.”

He made this statement during the APRC Congress held on Saturday.

The theme of the congress was “Remember Jammeh for Unity, Renewal and Radical Socio-economic transformation”.

APRC was founded by former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and they ruled for twenty years before losing to Adama Barrow during the 2016 Presidential election.

The former lawmaker called on members and sympathizers of the party to continue to mobilise more people to join them by marketing their programmes and manifesto which are anchored on shared values and vision of rule of law and respect for the constitution, democracy and human rights, inclusive and participatory governance, non-racial and non-tribal society, intercultural and community cooperation, unity in diversity and respect for culture, and national consciousness, identity and patriotism.

“These principles among many underpin our strategic programmes in governance. An APRC government will promote social cohesion, patriotism and will jealously protect and defend our independence and sovereignty,” Jatta said.

The resident of Tallinding said APRC has since its inception upheld patriotism and waged an epic struggle for the unity and rejuvenation of the country.

The former majority leader of the National Assembly said the former President brought about and ensured that the people became masters of their own destiny, which translated into positive change in the lives and livelihoods of Gambians.

Jatta acknowledged, appreciated and applauded former President Jammeh for the unparalleled leadership he demonstrated in socio-economic development in all sectors, quoting the former leader saying “I sacrificed my life and commit to being lifelong militant in the struggle to create a better life for all.”

He said the Congress, which is their party’s most authoritative body, convened to review the party’s reports on its progress since the last congress and scrutinise and approve its programme for the next two years.

He said since their 2018 Congress in Bwiam, they have been more committed and united to ensuring a prosperous, non-tribal and an all-inclusive democratic party well poised to protect and defend the independence of the country and the sovereignty of the people.

He said they are committed to ensuring accessible and affordable quality health care, quality free education at all levels, protection of life and property and a more productive and rewarding agricultural sector.

“As the Green Party is known, we will ensure the socio-economic development of our people and the empowerment of youths and women,” he said.

Jatta reminded his party militants and sympathizers of the challenges and hurdles they surmounted during the last four years. He however thanked the members for showing love for the party and the development they have brought the country.

He cited some of the problems they have faced in the past four years.

“There were incessant smear campaigns against the former President, our people were shot dead, massive arrests and detention followed, our accounts were frozen, our vehicles were seized and sold by a commission, and TRRC setup, there is refusal to acknowledge and implement the joint communiqué signed by President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, ECOWAS, AU and UN that led to the former President’s departure to Equatorial Guinea, thus enabling a peaceful transfer of power,” he outlined.

He said the former President will come back to the country despite the alleged crimes he might have committed.

“Former President Jammeh’s return depends entirely on himself. He can come back next week, next month or anytime of his choice. What is clear is that, he will surely come back,” he said.

He called on the delegates to reach out to more people to share with them the party’s values.

Ousman Rambo Jatta, the first deputy leader of the APRC, said they have a positive vision for the future based on the conviction that the gap between the promised and the reality of the country can one day be finally closed under the stewardship of their party.

He said they believe in the parity for all and privileges for none.

“We believe that the people are the source of all government power; and that the authority of the people should be comprehensive, not privileged as the power of the people is bigger than the people in power,” Rambo said.

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Politics

Aston Villa flop Samatta to face Kenya

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 07:50:01 +0000

Aston Villa flop Samatta to face Kenya

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admin Sat, 02/27/2021 - 07:50

Saturday, February 27, 2021

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Nairobi News

Original Article

Aston Villa flop Samatta to face Kenya

Aston Villa flop Mbwana Samatta and fellow-big name striker John Bocco headline a star-studded squad named by new Tanzania coach Kim Poulsen for two friendly matches against Kenya in March. Poulsen who replaced Burundian Etienne Ndayiragije this month has also summoned Simba goalkeeper Aishi Manula and attacker Thomas Ulimwengu for this contest in Nairobi aimed at fine-tuning the Taifa Stars squad ahead of the remaining 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Equatorial Guinea and Libya. Also making the cut ahead of this derby are Simba SC players Erasto Nyoni, Jonas Mkude, and Mohamed Hussein, alongside Yanga duo Bakari Mwamnyeto and Metacha Mnata. Samatta is Tanzania's poster boy. He scored and set up another goal when Tanzania lost 3-2 to Kenya at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. He is also remembered in local circles for both winning the Caf Champions League during his stint at Congolese club TP Mazembe, being named best Africa-based player, and topping the scoring charts in Belgium before struggling to make an impact following a high-profile transfer to England. He is currently on loan in Turkey, at Fenerbeche, where he plays alongside German midfielder Mesut Ozil. On the other hand, Kenya coach Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee is yet to name his foreign-based squad for this game, but the locally based group has the likes of AFC Leopards forward Elvis Rupia and Gor Mahia's Benson Omala. Harambee Stars are virtually out of the running to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon following a below-par performance against Comoros in November, but still have matches at home to Egypt and away to Togo lined up.

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China to aid 19 more African nations with COVID-19 vaccines: foreign ministry

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 19:30:02 +0000

China to aid 19 more African nations with COVID-19 vaccines: foreign ministry

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admin Mon, 02/22/2021 - 19:30

Monday, February 22, 2021

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Africa – Capital News

Original Article

China to aid 19 more African nations with COVID-19 vaccines: foreign ministry

BEIJING, China, Feb 22 – China has provided COVID-19 vaccine aid to Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe and will aid 19 more African countries as part of its commitment to make vaccines global public goods, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Monday.

China will also support enterprises to export COVID-19 vaccines to African nations that urgently need, recognize and have authorized the emergency use of Chinese vaccines, Wang said.

The aid is a clear manifestation of the China-Africa traditional friendship, he said, adding that China will continue to provide support and assistance within its capacity and in accordance with the needs of Africa.

Meanwhile, China welcomes and supports France and other European and American nations in providing vaccines to help Africa fight the pandemic, Wand told a press briefing.

He made the remarks when asked to comment on French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks at the Munich Security Conference that Europe and the United States should immediately provide enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa, otherwise African countries may choose to purchase vaccines from China and Russia, with that “the strength of the West will be a concept, and not a reality.”

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