MALI: UKRAINE IS A TERRORIST STATE

According to Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, Ukraine is a terrorist state. The African diplomat made the charge during a meeting between the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and Russia in Moscow, accusing Kiev of supporting and sponsoring terrorism in the Sahel region.

Following an attack in the northern Malian town of Tinzawaten in July 2024 by Tuareg separatist rebels that killed Malian soldiers, the AES called on the UN Security Council to denounce the Ukrainian government’s “open and assumed support for international terrorism”. Ukrainian intelligence official, Andriy Yusov, acknowledged Ukraine’s involvement in what Malian government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga described as a “cowardly, treacherous, and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups.”

Continued……Speaking on Ukrainian television, Yusov said, “[The attackers] have received the necessary information to enable them to carry out a successful military operation against Russian war criminals”.

Also, the Ukrainian embassy in Senegal expressed support for the attacks in a Facebook post, which was subsequently removed. The Senegalese government summoned the Ukrainian ambassador in their country for an explanation.

While convening with Russian officials, Diop highlighted progress in fighting terrorist threats in his country and announced plans to form a united Sahelian Confederation Force to ensure regional security. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov supported the plan, pledging readiness to assist in equipping AES forces with needed weapons.

Sources

https://www.dw.com/en/mali-ends-diplomatic-ties-with-ukraine-over-attack-claims/a-69860100

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/mali-niger-burkina-faso-agree-to-form-joint-force-to-combat-terrorism-in-region/3527556

https://tass.com/world/1938401

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/50134

Our African proverb this week underscores the importance of recognising and respecting our own limitations as well as strengths. Focus on your own talents rather than overextending yourself in areas where you’ll probably be at a disadvantage.

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

NAMIBIA STRIKES BACK

Tourists from 33 nations - including the US, Canada, the UK and Germany - now need visas to visit Namibia. It’s a clear sign that the new administration in Windhoek insists on its citizens being treated as equals on the global stage - and is widely being hailed as an expression of sovereignty.

Three-month visas will cost around $90 - and should be fairly hassle free, as they can be applied for online or at the airport (so no trips to the embassy).

African visitors have consistently been subjected to strict visa stipulations when they travel to the West, with high refusal rates and long processing. By instituting visas, Namibia is joining other African nations in demanding equitable treatment in the world.

In this clip, Content creditor @Oska_films (IG) reacts to the new visas - and hails the direction of travel Namibia’s new female leadership has set the country on.

Sources

Sources

https://www.visaverge.com/news/namibia-visa-update-no-more-visa-free-travel-for-33-countries/?utm

https://www.we.com.na/international-we/visa-required-upon-entry-from-april-20252024-07-19?utm

https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2024/08/06/ensures-our-policies-are-respected-internationally-namibias-new-visa-policy-for-over-30-countries/?utm

HOW RWANDAN GENOCIDE LED TO DRC’S

With more than 6 million killed and over 7 million internally displaced, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a moral stain on Africa. Today, the eastern part of the country remains at war, amid overwhelming evidence that rebel groups like M23 receive support from neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda. The January 2025 offensive by M23 in Goma killed over 3,000 and displaced over 700,000.

Continued……. The origins of DRC’s crisis can be traced to the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath. The international community sat and watched as 800,000 Rwandans were killed, with millions fleeing to neighbouring DRC. The instability that persists there today suits the interests of multinational corporations eager to exploit the country’s riches, and the armed proxy groups making hundreds of thousands of dollars a month from the chaos.

Sources

https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1160486

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/africa/dr-congo-goma-violence-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgyzl1mlkvo

https://www.theafricareport.com/375904/drc-rwanda-rubaya-coltan-mine-at-the-heart-of-m23-financing/

MOZAMBIQUE’S MIGHTY MACHEL

Today, we honour the life and legacy of Josina Machel, a fearless freedom fighter, revolutionary and women’s rights pioneer, who passed away on 7 April 1971 at just 25 years old.

Machel (1945-71) was a leading figure in Mozambique’s struggle for independence from Portuguese colonial rule. As a dedicated member of FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front) since age 18, she fought on the frontlines and organised political and military training for women, boldly pushing for their inclusion at a time when that was virtually unheard of.

Continued….. FRELIMO appointed the 24-year-old Machel head of the Women’s Section in FRELIMO’s Department of International Relations and head of FRELIMO’s Department of Social Affairs, through which she developed child care and educational centres for children in the country’s north. 

In May 1969, she married socialist and nationalist Samora Machel (1933-86), who became the country’s first president in 1975.

Though her life was cut short by an illness that has yet to be determined, Josina Machel’s courage, vision and determination continue to inspire generations. 

Rest in power, Josina. Your spirit lives on.

Sources

https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/josina-machel-1945-1971

https://amaka.studio/u/@nicolasnhalungo/remembering-josina-machel-and-the-fight-for-independence-in-mozambique-_BoYwdqpjMY7ldndF1bwo

https://www.pambazuka.org/uncovering-josina-machel-obscurity