CHINA BUILDS HOSPITAL IN BURKINA FASO

China and Burkina Faso are working hand in hand to build a brighter future. At least, that is the case with their collaboration on a teaching hospital on the outskirts of Bobo Dioulasso. The hospital, set to open in 2025, would be West Africa’s largest.

Karim Démé, president of the Focal Point of the People’s Republic of China in Burkina Faso, initially proposed the project and contacted Chinese authorities to develop the idea. Chinese doctors will train Burkinabé physicians for the first three years, after which the Burkinabé people will run the hospital by 2028.

As of 2020, Burkina Faso had 0.2 hospital beds per 1,000 people compared to the global average of 3.3 beds per 1,000 people.

Video credit: @bf1tv (X)

Sources

https://china.aiddata.org/projects/60057

https://lefaso.net/spip.php?article110036

https://lefaso.net/?page=impression&id_article=136152

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.MED.BEDS.ZS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY15eiMl8Tc

Burkina Faso has acquired an oil depot at Ghana's Tema Multi-Purpose Terminal, one of West Africa's major ports. The storage units will strengthen energy security and facilitate the import of products from partner countries via Ghana's sea access.

It’s an important step for landlocked Burkina Faso, whose president, Ibrahim Traoré, has repeatedly stressed the need to decrease his country’s dependence on Western powers.

Being landlocked is a major challenge for Ouagadougou in its pursuit of greater self-determination and sovereignty. The same goes for its two neighbouring allies, Mali and Niger.

Together, the three countries have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Confederation - after recently exiting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a bloc accused of being an instrument of the West.

Continued……Due to the trio’s landlocked status, Ghana's role is critical. Under its previous leadership, Accra was Western-aligned and an ECOWAS bastion. But now, under President John Mahama, Ghana is seeking to rebuild trust with the AES, signalling a repositioning of its foreign policy.

Will West Africa at large stay divided between foreign-controlled states and those fighting for sovereignty - or unite for true African independence?

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

Kenya splashed $4 million on veteran politician Raila Odinga’s unsuccessful campaign for the African Union chairmanship, as revealed by documents submitted to parliament by the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee.

The money was used for chartered flights, hotel accommodations, airport transfers and lavish promotional materials. In a nation where the average monthly income hovers around $200 and youth unemployment is at 67%, such lavish expenditure on a political endeavour has sparked anger at what many are describing as a lack of fiscal responsibility. Critics say the funds squandered on Odinga’s campaign could have been better spent on critical national infrastructure, such as roads, schools and hospitals, or on hiring additional medical personnel.

Kenyans are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Less than a year ago, widespread protests broke out against IMF-backed tax increases, with reports of police brutality resulting in over 60 fatalities.

Continued……The National Assembly’s Liaison Committee justified the campaign spending under Article 223 of the Kenyan constitution, which permits government expenditures without prior parliamentary consent.

Despite Kenya flexing its financial muscle, and President William Ruto’s vocal support for Odinga’s candidacy, Djibouti’s foreign minister Mahamoud Ali Youssuf bagged the AU’s top job after securing the required 33 votes in the 7th round of voting on 15 February. In the aftermath, Odinga has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Ruto to establish a unity government.

As Kenya approaches another contentious budgetary season, the Ruto administration risks further inflaming public sentiment, adding to the growing list of grievances that citizens are accumulating in anticipation of more financial burdens.

The question remains: when will the government prioritise the needs of its people over political ambitions?

Sources

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2025-03-11-kenya-spent-sh524m-on-railas-auc-bid-mps-told

https://data.worldbank.org/country/kenya

https://www.citizen.digital/news/only-3-of-kenyans-earn-a-monthly-income-of-above-ksh50k-tifa-n322893

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/kenya/monthly-earnings

https://www.fke-kenya.org/policy-issues/youth-employment

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/6/27/not-afraid-to-die-kenya-tax-protests-inspire-broader-demand-for-change

FOREIGN-OWNED MINE POLLUTES KEY RIVER IN ZAMBIA

A huge spillage of mining waste has polluted two key rivers in Zambia - destroying crops and farmers’ livelihoods in the process. It’s reignited debate over the flagrant disregard for safety and environmental regulations by multinational corporations operating in Africa. The breach happened at the Chinese-owned Sino Metals Leach Zambia Ltd. copper mine. Zambia, Africa’s second-largest producer of copper, has suffered several environmental disasters caused by foreign mining companies. It’s a double tragedy for local communities, which rarely see the benefits of their mining activities - with most of the revenue ending up in bank accounts abroad.

Continued……Foreign mining companies are also accused of engaging in widespread tax avoidance schemes. For instance, in 2021, British NGO Oxfam revealed that Anglo-Swiss mining giant Glencore, which operated in Zambia for over two decades, only paid $28 million in taxes from 2011 to 2018, despite raking in revenues of more than $6 billion during that period.

Sources

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-04-chambishi-tailings-failure-a-canary-in-zambias-copperbelt/

https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/2025/02/25/eiz-undertakes-investigation-into-sino-metals-tailing-dam-incident/

https://newsite3.dailynationzambia.com/2025/03/we-are-sorry-sino-metals/

https://newsite3.dailynationzambia.com/2025/03/sino-metals-mining-disaster/

https://taxjusticeafrica.net/resources/blog/zambias-copper-amid-energy-transition-new-dawn-mining-or-repeating-past-mistakes#:~:text=The%20socio%2Deconomic%20cost%20of%20corporate%20tax%20abuse&text=One%20of%20the%20major%20factors,social%20protection%20and%20economic%20diversification.

JULIUS MALEMA: THE U.S. NO VICTIM OF DISINFORMATION

In his 6 March address to the South African National Assembly, revolutionary Julius Malema (@julius_s_malema on X, @julius.malema.sello on IG), president of the Pan-African political party, Economic Freedom Fighters (@effsouthafrica), called the US the biggest perpetrators of disinformation.

Malema gave a historical account of how the US and its foreign-intelligence arm, the CIA, have destabilised countries under false pretences, such as claiming Iraq held weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) to justify the 2003 invasion.

Continued……He also noted the US assassinated political figures, such as Pan-Africanist revolutionary Malcolm X (1925-65) and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (1942-2011), both of whom posed a threat to US hegemony.

The revolutionary pointed out that the US cutting HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa was not due to South African white-supremacist groups’ disinformation about the country's newly enacted land-reform laws. Instead, he said the US was attempting to punish South Africa for standing with the people of Palestine and against Israeli occupation and gen*cide.

Moreover, Malema stressed that South Africa would not fall for US bullying tactics and would proceed to implement policies intended to redress the legacy of apartheid, which continues to impact Black people to date.

Video credit: Parliament of the Republic of South Africa (@parliamentofRSA on X)

Sources

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/aid-trump-south-africa

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/07/usa.iraq1ay

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7634313

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/9-11-and-iraq-the-making-of-a-tragedy/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rxzndzl7yo

WESTERN NGO WHITEWASHES KAGAME AMID DRC CARNAGE

Western countries have imposed only symbolic measures against Rwandan President Paul Kagame for backing a militia called M23 that has seized territory in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At the same time, NGOs like Global Citizen continue to sanitise his administration, according to journalist Ann Garrison.

We spoke to Garrison (@anngarrison on X) after she reported for The Grayzone (@thegrayzonenews) that Global Citizen promotes a corporate-driven agenda that aligns with Western economic interests under the guise of activism.

Continued……. A recent example is when the NGO organised US-based musician @JohnLegend’s 21 February concert in Rwanda. Legend defended his decision to perform, stating that punishing the people of Rwanda for their leader’s actions was unfair. However, critics say any event in Rwanda is approved by Kagame and therefore supports his regime. Further, some have called Legend hypocritical because he has expressed support for Ukraine against Russia.

Global Citizen’s activism raises questions about its stance on Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC conflict. Its corporate partners, including tech giants like PayPal, Cisco, and Google, are accused of benefiting from the exploitation of DRC’s mineral wealth. Kigali plays a crucial role in smuggling valuable minerals like cobalt, which Western companies rely on.

Sources

Original
https://thegrayzone.com/2025/03/05/global-citizen-kagames-invasion-drc/

Global Citizen and USAID
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/usaid-takes-powerful-strides-to-feed-the-future/

John Legend defends his performance
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-star-john-legend-defends-playing-rwanda-concert-during-war/ar-AA1zGoli

DRC loses $1 billion to Rwanda
https://www.ft.com/content/ecf89818-949b-4de7-9e8a-89f119c23a69

Rwanda cobalt exports beats DRC
https://www.africanews.com/2024/04/12/coltan-at-the-heart-of-drc-rwanda-tensions-business-africa/

M23 taxing mining
https://www.xtrafrica.com/congo/tons-of-minerals-extracted-from-rubaya-were-transported-to-rwanda%3A-un-reports

Rwanda backs M23
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgyzl1mlkvo

MAURICE BISHOP’S MESSAGE TO AFRICANS IN THE UNITED STATES

Today, the 13th of March, marks 46 years since the New JEWEL Movement ousted the corrupt U.S-backed dictatorship of Prime Minister Eric Gairy through a bloodless coup in Grenada. It is an excellent time to bring back the revolutionary prime minister, Maurice Bishop's, address in New York about the danger Grenada's revolution posed to the United States.

The New JEWEL Movement—New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education and Liberation—swiftly established the People's Revolutionary Government, ushering in a new era of socialist ideals. Under Bishop's leadership, Grenada underwent a profound socioeconomic transformation marked by extensive reforms and initiatives to uplift the primarily poor population. By 1982, the following occurred: a literacy campaign, the construction of new schools, and the establishment of agricultural cooperatives that particularly benefitted unemployed youth in rural areas.

Continued……Cuban aid bolstered these efforts, providing expertise in education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, notably constructing a modern international airport to replace the hazardous existing airstrip.

Unemployment plummeted from 49 per cent to 14 per cent within four years. Symbolising the shift in priorities, vibrant billboards promoting education adorned the island, signalling a departure from those that had advertised cigarettes and alcohol. Grenada's revolution sparked tangible social progress and economic development, leaving a lasting legacy of change and empowerment among its populace.

UK HAND IN GHANA COUP REVEALED

Newly declassified documents confirm that the UK had a hand in the 1966 coup against Ghana’s first president, pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah.

We spoke to investigative journalist Mohamed El Maazi, who talked us through how London orchestrated a covert propaganda campaign through journals, pamphlets and fabricated groups - all with the aim of destabilising Nkrumah’s leftist government. Their goal was to replace him with a regime that aligned with Western political and economic interests.

Maazi explains how Nkrumah’s efforts to unite Africa and fight against colonialism, apartheid and Western control in Africa angered Britain and the US, leading to an intensified campaign to overthrow him.

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

PT. 1: GRENADA’S EDUCATION REVOLUTION 🇬🇩

On 13 March 1979, the New Jewel Movement (NJM), led by Grenadian President Maurice Bishop, overthrew Western-aligned leader Eric Gairy and established the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRM).

In 2024, African Stream’s Salifu Mack explained in this video that one of the enduring legacies of the PRM government was a revolutionary literacy campaign that aimed to eradicate adult illiteracy on the island. Volunteer teachers, community involvement and innovative methods drove this initiative, creating a path for individuals in both urban and rural areas to become literate. The campaign symbolised the revolutionary government’s commitment to social justice, grassroots empowerment and equality.

Continued….. Five decades later, its impact can still be felt. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Caribbean island nation has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, with 98.6 of Grenadian adults able to read and write in 2014, the most recent figure available.

Let us know in the comments what you think about Grenada’s education-led revolution.

Sources

https://countryeconomy.com/demography/literacy-rate/grenada#:~:text=Grenada%20repeats%20literacy%20rate,information%20about%20Grenada:%20Grenada's%20economy
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/grenada-revolution

https://jacobin.com/2019/09/grenada-revolution-maurice-bishop-reagan
https://www.marxists.org/history/grenada/1981/education/03.htm#:~:text=When%20the%20first%20stage%20of,seminars%20at%20the%20parish%20level

CONNECTING THE DIASPORA: NIGERIA & JAMAICA EXPLORE DIRECT FLIGHTS

Our continent is poised to integrate more closely with the diaspora. Nigeria and Jamaica have begun discussions on establishing direct flights between the two countries. This was agreed during a meeting between Nigeria’s aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, and Jamaica’s ambassador to the country, Lincoln Downer.

Keyamo said the process to finalise the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) would now be fast-tracked - adding that he was ready to visit Kingston to conclude the deal. Downer, meanwhile, stressed growing ties between the two nations, noting that demand for Jamaican products is increasing in Nigeria.

African and diaspora nations suffer from limited air connectivity compared with the ease of travel within Europe. While the EU benefits from seamless movement due to policies such as Schengen and Open Skies, travel between African and Caribbean countries typically involves high costs and indirect routes.

Continued……If successful, the Nigeria-Jamaica agreement will be a boon for pan-African integration, with potential economic and cultural benefits, such as increased trade and tourism.

Let us know what you make of it.

Sources
https://politicsnigeria.com/theres-no-reason-we-shouldnt-have-direct-flights-fg-jamaica-announce-new-move/
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/nigeria-jamaica-to-review-bilateral-air-services-agreement-keyamo/

https://www.okayafrica.com/intra-africa-travel-difficult/

https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/visa

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/themen/218432-218432

UGANDA DEPLOYS TROOPS TO SOUTH SUDAN

Uganda has deployed its forces to South Sudan following renewed tensions between government forces and the White Army militia in Nasir, Upper Nile State.

Kampala is a long time ally of current South Sudanese president Salva Kiir. Uganda also sent its forces to fight alongside his government’s troops during his country’s civil war (2013-2020), which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of at least 4.5-million. The current deployment of Ugandan forces has intensified fears that the recent clashes will grow into a wider conflict.

The US has ordered the evacuation of its non-emergency staff from South Sudan, while the UN has called on both sides to swiftly find a political solution that safeguards the lives of civilians.

Continued….. According to the UN, nearly 60% of South Sudan’s population (7.7-million people) will face acute hunger - the most extreme form - by July 2025. By April this year, 2-million children are expected to suffer from malnourishment. And floods in 2024 displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Another civil war would only aggravate an already dire humanitarian situation.

Sources

https://apnews.com/article/south-sudan-fighting-ugandan-troops-3e36094b4eaea9247843ea3fad86f03d

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/9/nearly-380000-people-displaced-by-south-sudan-floods-un-says

https://www.deccanherald.com/world/sixty-percent-of-south-sudan-population-facing-acute-hunger-un-928942.html

https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-floods-snapshot-1-november-2024

Angola is trying to facilitate direct peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. It’s formally invited both sides to peace talks beginning 18 March.

Angola has been at the forefront of the Luanda Process, a regional effort aimed at addressing the interstate aspects of the ongoing crisis between the DRC and Rwanda. In parallel, the Nairobi Process seeks to mediate a resolution involving the 120 armed groups operating in eastern DRC and the Kinshasa government. However, progress on both initiatives has stalled.

President Félix Tshisekedi has consistently refused to engage in talks with M23, which launched a rapid offensive in late December 2024 following the cancellation of planned peace talks in Luanda with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Since then, M23 has taken control of Goma and Bukavu, the largest cities in eastern DRC, along with numerous towns in the mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu.