IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL'S FAIRYTALE

It goes down as one of the most amazing triumphs in football. Ivory Coast coming back from the brink of elimination to lift the AFCON noscript for a third time. The 2-1 win over Nigeria in the final will live long in the memory, but so will the story of how they got there.

Their goal hero is a guy who was battling cancer 18 months ago. Their manager is a guy who took over after the other one was sacked following a disastrous group stage. Nobody gave the Elephants a whiff of a chance. And yet they’ve ended up stampeding to victory against all odds.

Their fans have gone through every emotion. But as the African proverb says: 'Who follows the elephant will have no problems.' That’s true enough, you just have to keep your nerve and believe)))

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MOROCCANS DEMAND RABAT CUTS ISRAEL TIES

Thousands of Moroccans came out in force again this Sunday to urge their government to break ties with Israel - over its war in Gaza. They want Rabat to tear up the so-called Abraham Accords, which normalised relations with Tel Aviv.

What do you think? Is it better to keep communication lines open, or is the symbolism more important?

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FANS REACT TO IVORY COAST'S AFCON FINAL WIN

Ivory Coast fans are probably still partying! Here are some we caught up with after the AFCON hosts crowned champions after downing Nigeria 2-1 in the final. It sparked wild scenes not least because just days ago everyone thought they were dead and buried! Gotta love football. Congratulations.

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EDUCATOR: AFRICANS ACCEPT CRUMBS

Much of the commentary from decades ago is just as relevant today, showing that the source of the pain our people endure has not been addressed. In this video, Barbara Sizemore points to exactly that. The educator’s message is Black people in the United States have been hoodwinked into accepting concessions, without structural reforms that address the root of our problems.

Take affirmative action. Before, it favoured the white population. But, once Africans could benefit, it was suddenly problematic, without a mention of reparations for the inequality endured. Meanwhile, descendants of alumni and donors are four times more likely to be admitted into the highest-ranked US universities than their counterparts with similar academic credentials. As Sizemore put it many years ago, it’s everyone’s turn until it’s the Africans,’ and some of us, unfortunately, still don’t get that.

What do you think of her argument? Let us know below.

Our African proverb of the week comes from the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt. A reminder that when you perform good deeds, you shouldn’t expect anything in return.

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KENYA TO STEER SOUTH SUDAN PEACE TALKS

Kenya’s President Ruto is taking over as chair of South Sudan’s peace process - at the personal request of South Sudanese president Salva Kiir. Although a peace deal was struck in 2018, a number of armed holdout groups refused to sign. The aim is to get them on board so that elections can be held in December 2024.

Ruto’s agreement to lead the process may surprise some, as he was rejected as a mediator in the civil war raging in South Sudan’s northern neighbour Sudan.

South Sudan became independent in 2011 in a referendum held after a bloody civil war to break away from Sudan. But conflict broke out in the new country in 2013 after an internal political spat in the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

What do you think Ruto can bring to the table?

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IVORIANS CELEBRATE AFCON CROWN

More pictures of jubilant footy fans form Ivory Coast, after their AFCON triumph. That 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final will probably go down in football folklore. Here's a taste of what it meant to a country whose team went through the proverbial mill before coming out the other side crowned champions.

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AFRICANS’ HEARTFELT CONGO MESSAGE

DR Congo bowed out of AFCON with their heads held high. They made the semis and just lost to South Africa on penalties in their third-place match. But it wasn’t only the football that won the Leopards praise. Their players’ determination to highlight the horrific violence sweeping their country, also earned respect.

Just have a listen to fans we spoke to at AFCON. Many stand in solidarity with the Congolese people. Millions are bearing the brunt of an imperialist-fuelled conflict as armed groups fight for resource-rich land in the east of the country.

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U.S. THREATENS SOUTH AFRICA OVER ICJ CASE

South Africa could face US sanctions over its genocide lawsuit against Israel.

Barely two weeks ago, President Ramaphosa warned Washington would strike back after its Middle East ally was hauled before the UN’s top court. Well, we haven’t had to wait long. Two US lawmakers have now tabled a bill claiming Pretoria’s actions are politically motivated and anti-Semitic. And it’s pressing to exclude South Africa from lucrative US trade deals.

It comes after the International Court of Justice ruled Israel must prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in its ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. So far, Israel has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians since the October 7th Hamas attacks, which killed around 1,400 Israelis.

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Moroccan drug dealers are inflicting huge losses on their Israeli counterparts - by refusing to do business with them. That’s according to Israeli publication Mako, which says Moroccan hashish sellers are boycotting Israel over its war in Gaza. One dealer interviewed asked how trade was thinkable while “our Palestinian brothers are suffering from hunger and living in inhumane conditions?”

According to the UN, Morocco is the biggest exporter of cannabis resin in the world. Demand is high as it’s widely regarded as the best available. A single kilogram of Moroccan hashish can reportedly sell for as much as ₪300,000 in Israel - or $82,000.

Continued….The industry boycott flies in the face of official Moroccan relations with Israel, which were normalised under a Trump administration-brokered deal in 2020. In exchange, the US recognised Rabat’s claim to the Western Sahara, which Morocco has been occupying since 1975. In 2021, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Israel and Morocco regarding security, intelligence and arms sales.

In contrast, thousands of Moroccans have regularly protested the war in Gaza and have called for ties to be cut.

Whatever your thoughts about drugs, what do you think of the Moroccan dealers’ protest action? (Must be hurting their own pockets a bit too, so definitely some sacrifice involved!)

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WILL JAMAICANS DITCH UK MONARCHY? (DON’T ASK SKY NEWS!)

We’re well into 2024, and that’s the year Jamaica’s government said it would hold a referendum on whether to cut ties with the British monarchy. Fingers crossed that’s still on.

The revelation came during Charles’ accession to the throne in May last year - surely no coincidence. It was made on Sky News, and what’s interesting is how they chose to cover it. Basically, their package was crammed with Jamaicans saying they were against ditching the king - hmmm… surely also no coincidence!

In fact, a survey conducted by Lord Ashcroft Polls in August-September 2023 found that almost half of Jamaicans are in favour of becoming a republic - and only 11% against. (The rest said either they didn’t know or that they wouldn’t vote.)

Here’s a snippet from that Sky coverage last year - let us know if you agree it’s a bit misleading. We’ll keep you posted on how this Jamaican referendum thing plays out (if it does!).

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LONDON’S FREE CONGO MARCH: WHY SO SMALL?

It was great to see a rally in support of a free Congo in London over the weekend. Hats off to all the participants for trying to bring attention to this emergency. That said, the turnout was small - certainly when compared with the huge rallies seen in support of Palestinians or Ukrainians in the British capital. It’s a similar story in other major cities around the world. And yet, the scale of the tragedy in DRC is equally enormous. Please share your thoughts on why it’s so hard to get people to care about Congo’s unending crisis and humanitarian disaster and on what can be done about it.

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FORGOTTEN: DRC’S DISPLACED MILLIONS

African Stream visited an internal refugee camp in DRC - to hear the stories of the people inside. The world has turned a blind eye to their plight. An astonishing 7-million Congolese are internally displaced amid genocidal violence in the country’s east. On top of the humanitarian crisis and conflict, some of the women also told us about abuse and rape.

One reason for the Western media’s silence could be that wealthy countries depend on destabilising the Congo.

Continued….While M23 rebels wreak deadly havoc, the priority will not be improving the dangerous working conditions and minuscule wages of miners - many of them children - digging up the minerals on which today’s modern technology so vitally depends. Western multinationals lord over DRC’s wealth while its people suffer in poverty. Helping out the needy would mean eventually having to pay fair prices for Congolese goods - hence they don’t.

African Stream’s Erick Gavala filed this report from the camp at Kanyaruchinya village in Goma, at the foot of the Nyiragongo volcano. Please share, and let us know your reactions in the comments.

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WHAT MADE U.S. SO VIOLENT?

The US is not the shining city on the hill it fronts itself as. Far from being the beacon of human rights and democracy it preaches about, it has a closet full of bones of its victims. Professor Amos Wilson peels back the mask, and explains how its bloody past manifests in the criminogenic society it is today. It has two original sins, he explains, the genocide of American natives followed by the enslavement of Africans.

Once this is clear, it becomes easier to see the hypocrisy whenever a U.S. official lectures the world on humanity. While professing democracy, its government seems to mainly serve a small wealthy elite, including a military industrial complex responsible for the deaths of more than 20 million people since World War II. Its calls for human rights reflect poorly, considering the descendants of the enslaved Africans are nowhere close to justice, with subjects such as reparations seen as calls for free handouts.

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NEW SAHEL CURRENCY IN THE WORKS

The Alliance of Sahel States has been demolishing the pillars of Françafrique by the minute. Mere weeks after withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and a few months after the creation of the alliance, a common currency for Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger is well underway. That would relegate the CFA franc as a colonial relic in the dustbin of history.

A sovereign Sahelian currency will be a welcome break away from the patronising relationship that Francophone Africa has with Paris. France dictates 14 African countries’ economic policies, including requiring a French citizen to sit on the board of each of the three central banks that govern various forms of the CFA franc.

Continued….Despite holding a wealth of resources, these countries are among the poorest in the world. Following the 26 July coup that Nigeriens supported en masse, the International Monetary Fund projected 11 per cent growth in 2024 for Niger. And, it is not alone. Burkina Faso and Mali are also expected to grow despite Western powers attempting to isolate all three states and regional bodies like ECOWAS imposing sanctions. So, what changed?

Have a watch, and, as always, please let us know what you make of it.

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SUDANESE REFUGEES PICK WARTORN HOME
OVER INHOSPITABLE EGYPT

The war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group has increased Sudan’s internally displaced population to 9 million people. Meanwhile, 1.7 million have fled abroad, with about 450,000 Sudanese ending up in neighbouring Egypt.

But an economic crisis has caused Egyptians to turn on Sudanese refugees, whom they see as a burden. Many Sudanese are now deciding between homelessness in Egypt and risking their lives by returning to a war-ravaged country. Unfortunately, reports say many Sudanese neighbourhoods have been devastated, and the few houses that stand are swarming with fighters.

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