africa media analysis report - wits university · east africa reported the highest media coverage...

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Africa Media AnalysisReport JULY 2018

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2Overall Scorecard 3Analysis of daily issue coverage, April 2018 4Eastern Africa & Great Lakes 5Analysis of daily issue coverage 5Politics 6Economy, Trade & Development 7Peace, Security & Terrorism 8Health & Food issues 9Tourism, Travel & Leisure 10Business & Investments 11Science, Technology & Innovation 12Entertainment 13Education, Arts & Culture 14Southern Africa 15Analysis of daily issue coverage 15Politics 16Economy, Trade & Development 17Tourism, Travel & Leisure 18Health & Food issues 19Business & Investments 20Science, Technology & Innovation 21Peace, Security & Terrorism 22Entertainment 23West Africa 24Analysis of daily issue coverage 24Politics 25Economy, Trade & Development 26Peace, Security & Terrorism 27Health & Food issues 27Business & Investments 28Science, Technology & Innovation 28Education 29Entertainment 29North Africa 30Analysis of News Categories 30Peace, Security & Terrorism 31Politics 32Economy, Trade & Development 33

Overall Scorecard

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East Africa reported the highest media coverage volumes for July. The region accounted for 42.63% for the total media cover-age on US Africa issues. Southern Africa region ranked second with about 26.21% of the continental coverage. Northern and West Africa regions accounted for 17.21% and 8.03% respective-ly.

By news category, Politics led the coverage accounting for 279% of the continent’s total coverage of US Africa issues. Economy, Trade & Development came received 226% while peace, security & Terrorism received 203. Tourism, Travel & Leisure accounted for 70% and Health & Food issues accounted for 37%. There was sparse coverage on issues relating to Education, Entertainment and Arts & Culture.

Core news frames in July, related to diplomatic relations partic-ularly on politics mentioned that the United States had linked increased US investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo to a transparent and fair general election in December. Most dominating story for Southern mentioned that former US President Barack Obama would aim high with his Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg on July 17th. According to his close adviser and former speechwriter Benjamin J. Rhodes, Obama viewed this as the most important speech he had given since leaving the White House, one that would set the tone for his post-presidency.

In South Sudan, peace, security & terrorism issues dominated. Reports mentioned that last October, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley visited South Sudan and warned President Salva Kiir that the US was watching the conflict there

closely and found itself at “a crossroads” over its relationship to the country.

The US was named Tanzania’s leading source of international tourists. Tanzania received a total of 107,361 tourists from North America (the US, Canada and Mexico) in 2017, with the US alone accounting for 81% or 87,238 of the total number, accord-ing to data compiled by the Natural Resources and Tourism min-istry.

In other news frames, the US ambassador to the Gambia had reassured her support to making more progress in the New Gambia, after a renewed friendship between her embassy and the country. Other widespread news said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed would conduct a two-day state visit to the US from July 28-29.

In Health & Food issues, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the launch of Pathways, a five-year $35 million program that would offer ser-vices to 250,000 HIV-affected orphans and vulnerable children from 59,500 households, and 15,000 vulnerable youth. Operating in nine districts in Zimbabwe with high HIV burden, Pathways would put communities on a path to self-reliance by building capacity in local institutions to provide a comprehen-sive set of services that improved health, nutrition, and the psy-chosocial wellbeing of HIV-affected and infected children. Other reports mentioned that East Africa imported around an eighth of the world’s used clothing into an industry that employed some 355 000 people who earned $230m a year, according to a study by the USAID.

Issue Coverage Analysis

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East Africa North Africa Southern Africa West Africa

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East AfricaEarly July reports said Glencore’s shares suffered from a “DRC

discount”. Investors were spooked by the prospect of its mining operations in the DRC, a volatile country with a reputation for corruption would landing the company in hot water. Kenya and US signed a deal which sought to explore areas to collaborate on in trade and investments- this was also a clear indication that the US. was changing its tacts towards Kenya. US ambassador said South Sudan’s plan to boost oil production should help it fund a forthcoming transitional government that sought to end more than four years of civil war.

The 5th July spike noted the top US envoy in Sudan vowed to work with Khartoum in its efforts to be removed from US “terror-ism” blacklist as they welcomed the African country’s decision to sever ties with North Korea.

The spike seen 9 July mentioned that Ethiopia was develop-ing its light manufacturing and apparel sectors by building industrial parks that attracted the likes of US fashion giant PVH.

The 11-13 July spikes reflected that President Uhuru Kenyatta held a meeting with General Thomas Waldhauser, the US-Africa Command Commander where they discussed regional security including the situation in Somalia and South Sudan. Other frames said the US had linked increased US investment in the DRC to a transparent and fair general election in December.

16 July spikes were heightened as Former US President Barack Obama arrived in Kenya for a two-day visit and whose key highlight was the launch of the Sauti Kuu Foundation in Kogelo. Kenyatta thanked Obama for keeping the promise he made in 2015 of visiting Kenya and Obama also praised the president and opposition leader for working together.

Spikes between 23-25 July indicated that Bobby Kamani, managing director of the Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa, said the visits by Pope Francis and President Obama in 2015 greatly boosted the tourism industry.

North AfricaEarly July spikes reflected that the US STG (Secure

Technologies Group) would install a phone assembly plant in Morocco around 2019-2020.

The 4 July spike said 30 Tunisian exhibitors would take part in the Summer Fancy Food Show held on June 30-July 2 in New York. The 6-9 July spoke indicated that US Department of State released statement that said twenty-eight teenage girls from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia would participate in the US Department of State’s TechGirls exchange program from July 8–August 1, 2018.

July 16 spikes stemmed from reports that six Egyptians among 200 other African rising leaders were attending the Obama Foundation Leadership Programme.

The spike seen on 23 July citing the US. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing his and on behalf of the US govern-ment, congratulations to the government and people of Egypt on celebrating their National Day, on July 23.

Month end spikes saw the Trump administration’s decision to unfreeze $195 million in military aid to Egypt which it had previ-ously withheld because of concerns over Egypt’s human rights record.

Southern AfricaEarly month spikes showed reports of a US woman standing

next to a black giraffe after shooting it during a hunting exhibi-tion had surfaced, sparking outrage among wildlife enthusiasts in South Africa.

The 6 July spikes indicated that Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services George Charamba accused NewsDay of attacking President Mnangagwa after publishing an article on a travel warning issued by the US Charamba said the NewsDay article ’US Travel Warnings an Indictment on

Analysis of daily issue coverage, June 2018

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Issue Coverage AnalysisAnalysis of daily issue coverage, June 2018

Mnangagwa’ was unfair considering that Mnangagwa was not to blame for the explosion at White City Stadium.

The spike seen on the 9 July said Ray W. Washburne, the President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said they were closely monitoring the political situation in Zimbabwe. Washburne would also travel to Zambia and South Africa where he would visit OPIC projects.

July 12 spikes noted that twenty-two women entrepreneurs from African countries including, South Africa and Zambia would arrive in the US. to connect with their US counterparts and accelerate the growth of their businesses.

Numerous frames on the 17- 18 July emphasized former US President Obama visit to South Africa and as part of his visit Obama gave his Nelson Mandela lecture to commemorate anti-apartheid leader birthday.

The spike on the 21 and 25 July were influenced by a US-led ini-tiative, Gas Roadmap for sub-saharan Africa which aimed to invest in gas-powered power plants and which launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC. The initiative sought to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030 including Angola, Mozambique and South Africa.

The spike on the 23 July covered that South Africa said it was dis-appointed that it was not granted an exemption from duties after Trump announced a 25% tariff on steel imports and 10% on alumi-num in March.

West AfricaEarly month reports said a Liberian man accused of lying on his

US immigration forms about his ties to his country’s war criminals, was convicted a few months after another man was found guilty of similar offenses. Assistant US Attorney Nelson Thayer said people could not commit human rights abuses in their own country and expect to obtain citizenship in the US.

Spikes seen on the 5 July reflected that Ghana and the US signed a memorandum of understanding for a new level of partnership, with industrialization as the leading agenda. Other frames stated

that the US Department of State had trained Nigerian women on achieving effective leadership at workplace.

July 9th spikes showed that amid discussions to expand US visa validity for Nigerian nationals from two to 10 years, the US-Nigeria Trade Council urged Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and US. gov-ernment officials to agree a bilateral treaty that would enable Nigerians to take advantage of the US E1 (nonimmigrant treaty trad-er) and E2 (nonimmigrant treaty investor) visa programs.

The spike on the 12 July said US ambassador, Peter Henry Barlerin’ s photo was plastered across the covers accusing him of paying nearly $5 million to opposition candidates in the presidential race. The US Embassy strongly disputed the claim and said the story was entirely false.

The 16-17 July spikes pointed out that Google said it would open Africa’s first artificial intelligence lab in Ghana’s capital, Accra. Other reports highlighted that the US expressed outrage over a recent video of execution being carried out allegedly by Cameroonian mili-tary personnel.

The spike seen on 19 July said according to an economic survey of the impact of the US companies in Nigeria, which was unveiled by the ABC in Lagos, the total tax contribution of the US companies to the Nigerian economy in 2017 was over N111 billion.

Spikes on the 21, 25 and 26th related to US-led initiative, Gas Roadmap for sub-saharan Africa which aimed to invest in gas-pow-ered power plants and which launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC. The initiative sought to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030 including Côte d’ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.

Month end spikes highlighted that the US government enjoined young Nigerians that had or were currently studying in the US to strive to replicate developments in the US in Nigeria.

Eastern Africa

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PoliticsIn Kenya, residents of Kogelo village in Siaya County awaited

the arrival of former US president Barack Obama after more than a decade. Upon arrival, Obama was driven straight to State House in Nairobi where he held a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and other senior government officials. Obama was expected to inaugurate the Sauti Kuu Foundation’s project which comprised of a sports facility and vocational training centre. The former US president also met with Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel. Reports said President Uhuru Kenyatta met with General Thomas Waldhauser, the US-Africa Command boss, at State House, Nairobi, over regional security. The president told Waldhauser that Kenya was firmly committed to ensuring lasting peace in Somalia and that such efforts in the past been ham-pered by inadequate capacity and military commands.

In South Sudan, US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council that the United States was giving up on South Sudan’s president after backing the country’s independence and investing over $11 billion since 2011. This was done during a council meeting to adopt a resolution to impose an arms embar-go in addition to current sanctions until 31 May 2019.

In Sudan, President Omar al-Bashir appointed Sudan’s former spy chief as Khartoum’s top envoy to Washington, in a bid to boost bilateral relations that had improved since last year.

Economy, Trade & Development Kenya’s trade officials announced plans to tap into the bigger

pie of US trade plan using the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) to increase exports. Agoa granted quota and duty-

free access to the US market of more than 6,000 product lines but had been dominated by exports of textile and apparel. Crown Beverages, a subsidiary of US Coca-Cola Beverages, signed a deal for distributorship of premium alcohol brands in Kenya, stepping up competition for local dealers.

The US Justice Department issued a subpoena to Glencore, a commodity firm headquartered in Baar, Switzerland and ordered it to produce documents and other records with respect to com-pliance with the FCPA and US money laundering statutes. The alleged acts occurred outside the US, in countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Twenty-two female entrepreneurs from 13 African countries –including Rwanda, travelled to the US to connect with their American counterparts and accelerate the growth of their busi-nesses. The African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) promoted business growth and increased trade both regionally and with US markets through the Agoa act.

Peace, Security & Terrorism In South Sudan, the UN Security Council was expected to vote

on imposing an arms embargo against South Sudan, a US pro-posal which followed a power-sharing agreement between war-ring leaders. The US took concern as South Sudan’s biggest aid provider, and was a major backer of its 2011 independence from Sudan. The Times reported that the US had doubts whether South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar had the leadership qualities needed to deliver peace to the country at war since 2013. The administration stated that they were deeply concerned about the direction of the current peace process and that a narrow agreement between elites would not

Summary of daily issue coverage

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solve the problems plaguing South Sudan.US President Trump announced his ambassador picks for

Somalia and Nicaragua, aiming to reduce the number of vacant ambassador positions. The delegation was part of his efforts to step up ongoing American military intervention in Somalia.

Business & InvestmentsKenya was expected to hold talks with American construction

firm Bechtel on the financing model of the proposed $3 billion expressway connecting Nairobi and the coastal town of Mombasa, Treasury secretary Henry Rotich said. According to its design, the Nairobi-Mombasa highway would have four lanes, with a provision future increase to six lanes and 19 interchanges. Kenya hoped that the road that would allow vehicles to move with high speed uninterrupted would boost transport of goods and services – a move expected to spur economic growth. Further reports said Kenya and Tanzania were among nine African countries set to benefit from an ambitious US-led initiative to invest in gas-powered power plants. The initiative sought to add 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030.

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and a delegation from President Trump’s Advisory Council announced over $1 billion in private-sector deals during their mission to four sub-Saharan nations. Nations that would benefit from these deals included: Ethiopia, Kenya, and Cote D’Ivoire.

Tourism, Travel & LeisureDelivering a much-needed boost to Kenya’s tourism prospects,

flag carrier Kenya Airways was scheduled to begin daily, nonstop service between Nairobi and New York’s JFK Airport on October 29, which would be the airline’s first direct flights between the two countries. According to CEO Sebastian Mikosz, the new ser-vice was expected to stimulate travel from the US to East Africa and to other destinations on the continent.

The Nation reported that Former US President Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya would boost tourism, hoteliers and investors in the country. Moreover, Bobby Kamani, the managing director of the Diani Reef Beach Resort and Spa, said visits by Pope Francis and President Obama in 2015 greatly boosted the tourism industry.

Health and food issuesA US-based Kenyan research scientist was honoured at a ban-

quet in New York for his discoveries of drugs used to treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases. George Njoroge received a “pioneer award” from Face2Face Africa, a pan-Africa media com-

pany, for his sustained impact on science and medicine. US based Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) took the

Kenyan government to court over the death of a teenage girl that had a back-alley abortion. In 2014, the girl known as JMM was raped and impregnated at age 15, had an illegal abortion, which gave her an infection and eventual kidney failure that took her life, after being transferred between four hospitals that didn’t know how to treat her.

Science, Technology & InnovationUS-based tech giant Cisco Systems was set to open an innova-

tion hub in Nairobi in September seeking to tap tech enthusiasts. Cisco was investing Sh50 million ($500,000) in setting up the lab with a capacity of about 50 developers per cohort.

Reports said Google was expanding its regional mentorship programme for top early-stage technology start-ups in Africa, with the aim of helping them become commercially viable. Countries that were due to benefit from this programme included Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania amongst others.

EducationKenyan residents of Kogelo were set to push former United

States President Barack Obama to publicly endorse a university to be named after him, reports said. The establishment of Barack Obama University of Leadership and Technology was among the six petitions to be presented to the former US president when he landed in Siaya. Community spokesman Nicholas Rajula said talks were at an advanced stage to make Siaya ATC a constituent college of the university.

Entertainment A movie about the love story between a Kenyan and an

American, Kennedy Odede and Jessica, captured in the New York Times best seller Find Me Unafraid, was due to be shot in Kenya. The Standard reported that the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) said it would facilitate the filming of the movie about the couple that lived in Kibera, Nairobi. Hollywood star Tony Goldwyn and renowned scriptwriter and film producer Jamal Joseph had arrived in the country to prepare for the recording.

Eastern AfricaSummary of daily issue coverage

Eastern Africa

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta held a meeting with the US-Africa Command Commander General Thomas Waldhauser where they discussed regional security, includ-ing the situation in Somalia and South Sudan.

Other reports said the State Department announced that the US government’s terror designation for Shabaab was amended to include Al-Hijra, a “wing” of the group based in Kenya. Shabaab was al Qaeda’s branch in Somalia and East Africa.

Media reports said excitement gripped Kogelo village in Siaya County as its son Barack Obama visited after more than a decade. Mr Obama last visited the village in 2006 when he was the senator for Illinois State in the US.

The Washington Post said US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley visited South Sudan last October and warned President Salva Kiir that the US was watching the conflict there closely and found itself at “a crossroads” over its rela-tionship to the country. Haley said they had to decide how they were going to look at South Sudan going forward, and that would be based on how he would go from here.

The US condemned efforts by South Sudanto extend President Salva Kiir’s term for three years.

In other news, the UN Security Council adopted a US-drafted resolution to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan until May 2019. The resolution included a travel ban and an asset freeze on South Sudanese military officials Malek Reuben Riak and Paul Malong Awan, both of whom were listed as threatening the peace in South Sudan or expanding or extending the country’s ongoing conflict. South Sudan’s ambassador to the U.N., Akuei Bona Malwal, urged Council members to vote against the measure, saying it

would deter progress toward peace made by the East African bloc IGAD.

A special envoy for DRC President Joseph Kabila said the US had linked increased investment to a transparent and fair general election in December. Envoy Raymond Tshibanda told Reuters in Washington that in talks he had emphasized Congo’s vast mineral wealth and need for security coopera-tion to tackle violence in the east of the country.

US and Ethiopia held their 8th Bilateral Dialogue on Human Rights, Democracy, and Governance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid separate visits to Rwanda, pledging over $300 million in loans to the tiny, landlocked African country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame spearheaded a pan-African single market. His country was currently in a trade spat with the US over second-hand clothes.

Media reports said President Trump announced his ambas-sador picks for Somalia and Nicaragua, aiming to reduce the number of vacant ambassador positions. Trump nominated Donald Yamamoto to be the ambassador to Somalia and Kevin Sullivan to be the ambassador to Nicaragua. The Trump administration this year stepped up ongoing American military intervention in Somalia. The move followed violent clashes between the government and Al Shabaab.

A US official in Sudan vowed to work with Khartoum in its efforts to be removed from Washington’s “terrorism” blacklist as he welcomed the African country’s decision to sever ties with North Korea. In June, Sudan announced its defence firms had scrapped contracts with the Asian pariah state, acknowledging for the first time the existence of deals with heavily-sanctioned North Korea.

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Analysis of News Categories

Politics

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Eastern Africa

KenyaBusiness Daily reported that a US gov-

ernment agency that helped businesses to invest in emerging markets had sought more backing for American construction firms amid the rise of China as a key Kenya ally for infrastructure deals. The U.S Overseas Private Investment Corporation (Opic) President and chief executive officer Ray Washburne who was in the country said that US firms would “provide value for money” in the local projects singling out American con-tractor Bechtel.

The US firm was set to build the Sh300 billion Nairobi-Mombasa expressway.

In other news, Kenya’s trade officials said they would be taking steps to expand exports and raise the country’s share of new investments during the sec-ond edition of Trade Week at the end of this month. Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said Kenya would particular-ly be focusing on trade windows such as AGOA Act and European Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) which had

not been fully exploited.The Nation reported that US-based tech

giant Cisco systems was set to open an innovation hub in Nairobi in September seeking to tap tech enthusiasts. Cisco was investing Sh 50 million ($500 000) in setting up the lab with a capacity of about 50 developers her cohort.

RwandaNews24 reported that Across Rwanda,

markets selling piles of cast-off clothes once worn by Americans had become the unlikely centre of a trade war that vendors said was ruining their liveli-hoods. Kigali, determined to boost its domestic textiles industry, in 2016 raised tariffs on the importation of second-hand clothes, disrupting a multi-million dollar industry and setting it on a collision course with the US

The Exchange reported that Rwanda was banking on its political stability, good governance and well-functioning institutions to attract new investments into the country. The East Africa state was

on an aggressive global charm-offensive to lure new investors, while enticing exist-ing financiers to re-invest in the land-locked country which had proven to be an upcoming strong economic power house in the region.

In other reports, the US government launched Connect Africa, a program that would invest more than $1 billion in proj-ects to improve transportation, communi-cations and value chains across the conti-nent. The US government would carry out the initiative through its development finance branch, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Over the next three years, OPIC plans to finance proj-ects with companies in Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

Reports also noted that the US President Donald Trump had recently begun imposing tariffs on trade partners around the world. But Rwanda was a country where a trade dispute with Washington had been going on for two years. Traders of used goods say they had been badly hit.

DRCSeveral reports stated that US authori-

ties demanded Glencore hand over doc-uments about its business in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela and Nigeria in relation to a cor-ruption probe, sending the mining com-pany’s shares down more than 10 %. Reuters reported that Washington had slammed sanctions on 13 “human rights abusers and corrupt actors” in December last year, including Israeli billionaire, Dan Gertler, who was Glencore’s former part-ner in the DRC and a close friend of Congo’s president.

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Economy, Trade & Development

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EthiopiaThe US Donald Trump’s Advisory

Council on Doing Business in Africa and government agencies pledged over $5.4 billion dollars towards exploring and strengthening commercial ties in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and La Cote d’Ivoire. The US Department of Commerce had also established Government-to-Government Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with governments of Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya to improve trade and partnerships.

Media reports said after declaring an end to a costly two-decade military stale-mate, Ethiopia and Eritrea - one a rising African star, the other among the world’s most isolationist nations - appeared poised to reap a lucrative peace dividend. The dramatic announcement of an end to the “state of war” between the neigh-bours came at the climax of a two-day visit to Eritrea by Ethiopia’s reform-minded Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who had led the push for a pacifying of relations. This move opened prospects for real, regional economic integration. South Sudan

The US ambassador said South Sudan’s plan to boost oil production should help it fund a forthcoming transitional govern-ment that sought to end more than four years of civil war.

SudanMinistry of Finance and Economic

Planning called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and donor countries to contribute to easing the burden of eco-nomic reform policy on Sudanese people. An IMF team concluded a nine-day visit to Khartoum. Sudan’s Minister of Finance Mohamed Osman al-Rikabi said the visit of the team came within the framework of the continued consultations between Sudan and the IMF.

TanzaniaMedia reports said Kenya and Tanzania

were among nine African countries set to benefit from an ambitious US-led initiative to invest in gas-powered power plants. The Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa, launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC, by the US

Agency for International Development’s Power Africa co-ordinator, was an initia-tive that sought to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030.

UgandaReports said the Overseas Private

Investment Corporation (OPIC), a US gov-ernment development finance institution committed 130 million US dollars to Africell. The funds would be used to sup-port Africell to upgrade and expand mobile telecommunication networks in four African countries. Ray W. Washburne the President of OIPC said about a quarter of 130-million-dollar financing would be invested in Uganda. He said OIPC had over 50 million investment commitments in Uganda and Africell commitment would increase it to about 80 million dol-lars.

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Economy, Trade & Development (cont’d)

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Eastern Africa

The seventh anniversary of South Sudan’s independence was overshad-owed by the latest setback in peace talks to end the country’s civil war. Rebel groups rejected a proposed power-shar-ing agreement, just hours after the gov-ernment announced the deal had been accepted by both sides.

Dr. Mishaal Al Salami, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, announced a plan to encourage the US to remove Sudan from the “State Sponsors of Terrorism List” of the US State Department.

Speaking during a press conference with Osama Faysal, Minister of State at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, Al Salami said that the plan would be reviewed by the parliament during its upcoming session, before being endorsed and implemented.

President Joseph Kabila appointed a new army chief who was under interna-tional sanctions for the violent repression of dissent, raising fears of an imminent crackdown. State television reported that Kabila appointed Gen. John Numbi to the post of inspector-general of the Congolese Armed Forces. Numbi was placed under sanctions by the US, EU and Switzerland for alleged killings of scores of civilians by forces controlled by him over several years.

At least nine people were killed in an attack on Somalia’s interior ministry and security forces killed all three attackers after a two-hour gun battle inside. The al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility. The Somalia-based al-Shabab, an arm of al-Qaida, often tar-gets high-profile areas of the capital, Mogadishu.

Kenya and the US called for more efforts to stabilize Somalia and South Sudan, saying regional stability was crucial for economic development. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenya and Thomas Waldhauser, commander of the US-Africa Command (Africom), renewed their com-mitment to peace in the two countries.

The U.S declared Kenya-based Islamic group Al-Hijra as a terrorist organization.

Wall Street Journal reported that Eritrea and Ethiopia signed a peace agreement at the conclusion of an unprecedented summit between the countries as they attempted to normalize relations after two decades of conflict. The agreement, signed in Asmara, laid out a new era of cooperation between the former enemies, including re-establishing telecommunica-tions and transport links, reopening embassies and resolving a border dispute that had locked them in conflict since the late 1990s.

The US commended Rwanda’s remark-able progress in increasing the general welfare of Rwandans.

The US was set to scale back aid to African military units fighting terrorism, as it realigned its defence strategy to com-pete with more traditional threats from China and Russia.

The shift came despite a growing terror-ist threat on the continent that led to an increased American presence, resulting in attacks on US forces in Niger and Somalia that left six US service members dead since early 2017.

Other reports said more than 20 soldiers from the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force participated in training conducted by the US Army.

The training was designed to enhance the capability and capacity of the UPDF in their role to support the African Union Mission in Somalia.

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Eastern Africa

Media reports said the 22nd annual International AIDS Conference was held in Amsterdam. And several studies looked at the US government’s largest foreign HIV program: the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. One of the papers released at the conference looked at whether PEPFAR spending in Kenya reduced the transmission of HIV from pregnant mothers to their babies and led to a drop in infant mortality.

The US’s contribution of $6.5 million (R89 million) to the World Food Programme would enable the restoration of full food rations to thousands of refu-gees in Rwanda. Refugees from DRC and Burundi, which were torn by conflict, would mostly benefit. WFP welcomed the donation by the US government of President Donald Trump. It brought to $10 million (R137 million) the total food and nutrition assistance provided by US and its agencies to Rwanda this year.

Reports said Doctors Without Borders would end its involvement in the interna-tional response to an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the heart of Africa later this month, a sign that public health officials

believed the outbreak had been largely contained. Doctors Without Borders had been tasked with operating treatment facilities in four towns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where patients tested positive for the Ebola virus. The group cared for 38 patients, 24 of whom survived.

Reports said the US would donate $170 million in humanitarian assistance to dis-placed people in Ethiopia. The donation would provide emergency food, clean drinking water, life-saving medical care and sanitation for millions of Ethiopians displaced from different regions due to conflict. Based on information from US embassy news update, as many as 8.5 million people were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

Reports said South Sudan’s leaders were turning humanitarian aid and sup-port into political weapons by blocking opponents from receiving aid and using innocent civilians as bait, international aid experts warned. The US , along with other governments and human rights organiza-tions, offered aid to combat corruption and broker a power-sharing peace deal.

A new food donation to Sudan by the USAID would provide food assistance to 1.5 million of Sudan’s most vulnerable people for the next six months. USAID press release said managed by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the 55,000-metric ton donation of US-grown sorghum was scheduled for distribution to displaced and refugees in Sudan, including those from South Sudan, and other vulnerable groups.

Media reports in Tanzania said Insecticide-treated bed nets—a crucial part of malaria protection throughout sub-Saharan Africa and regions of Asia—had long been distributed to people who needed them through mass campaigns conducted every three years. With sup-port from the US President’s Malaria Initiative through USAID and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Tanzania delivered 2.5 mil-lion nets to schoolchildren in three south-ern regions since 2013: Lindi, Mtwara, and Ruvuma.

NTV reported that the U.S Ambassador, Deborah Malac signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development that would enable the US government support Uganda’s health sector. The agreements would enable the U.S government to con-tribute funding, human resources and infrastructure needed to improve the health sector of the country.

Other news said a US medical device startup, Neopenda introduced a lifesaving biotechnology for neonates in Uganda. The initiative which was started three years ago was to help control the spate of infant mortality, by improving the health of neonates in the country.

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Health & Food issues

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In its 2017 annual report, Kenya Airways blamed the decline in revenue on compe-tition from other regional players, which resulted in lower fares. The woes facing KQ, as it was popularly known, might not be over yet following the recent move by Tanzania to revive its national carrier while Uganda was set to re-launch its air-line in November with Ethiopia continu-ing to expand its fleet.

Air Tanzania would start flying to Entebbe from Dar es Salaam later next month, eating directly into KQ’s share of this lucrative market where it dominated for the last 15 years after Uganda’s nation-al carrier halted operations.

Reports said Kenya Airways had moved to woo Kenyans living in North America as it prepared to launch direct flights to the U.S later this year. The airline’s senior sales manager for key markets, Jennifer Njuguna led a team to the US for an out-reach mission targeting Kenyans living in

the US and Canada.The Nation reported that Kenya scored

78 % on the safety audit conducted by the international aviation regulator, solidi-fying its Category 1 status that would allow direct flights between Nairobi and New York. Kenya had been implementing recommendations by the US government to enhance security including separation of passenger arrival and departure termi-nals clearing the flight path and fencing off the airport which saw the country awarded Category 1 status last year

The US Department of State warned its citizens against travelling to Somalia in fear of fresh attacks by Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab. US citizens were warned to avoid travel to Somalia because of violent crime, such as kidnapping and murder, was common throughout Somalia. The travel advisory released cites the pres-ence of Al-Shabaab as the main concern and extends to all parts of Somalia includ-

ing Somaliland and Puntland. Roadblocks were also widespread.

Sudan expressed dismay over the warn-ing issued by the U.S embassy for its citi-zens to “reconsider travel to Sudan” due to terrorism and civil unrest. Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said the issuance of that warning at a time when Sudan was wit-nessing positive political and security atmospheres lacked objective justifica-tions and contradicted the positive reality.

Media reports said the much-awaited Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for Air Tanzania landed finally at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) for the first time. President John Magufuli was the guest of honor who graced the event to receive the plane that would be leased to the airline. The plane touched down at the country’s major international gateway from US. The aircraft was part of the Air Tanzania’s plans to grow its operations across Africa as well as to international destinations. The brand new 787 was the first wide body airplane to join Tanzania’s flag carrier’s fleet.

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Tourism, Travel & Leisure

Eastern Africa

KenyaCrown Beverages, a subsidiary of Coca-

Cola Beverages Africa, signed a deal for distributorship of premium alcohol brands in Kenya, stepping up competition for local dealers. The deal with Italy’s Campari Group involved distribution of Glen Grant Single Malt Whisky, Old Smuggler blended Scotch Whisky, Bulldog Gin, SKYY Vodka and Campari Aperitif among others.

Several American investors were dis-couraged from investing in Uganda, due to irrepressible levels of corruption, according to US ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Malac. Positioned 151 on a rank-ing of 180 countries, Uganda was listed as the third most corrupt country in East Africa, behind Burundi and South Sudan, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index released this year by Transparency International.

The US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was investing $58m

(Shs220b) in Uganda’s economy through lending financial capital to private compa-nies to promote value addition and increase their operational scope. Mr Ray W. Washburne, the president and chief executive officer OPIC, said they were tar-geting logistics, transportation, telecom-munications, internet connectivity and value chain projects in sectors such as agriculture across the country.

Several reports said that US authorities demanded Glencore hand over docu-ments about its business in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela and Nigeria in relation to a cor-ruption probe, sending the mining com-pany’s shares down more than 10 %. Reuters reported that Washington had slammed sanctions on 13 “human rights abusers and corrupt actors” in December last year, including Israeli billionaire, Dan Gertler, who was Glencore’s former part-ner in the DRC and a close friend of Congo’s president.

The U.S Donald Trump’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa and government agencies pledged over $5.4 billion dollars towards exploring and strengthening commercial ties in Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and La Cote d’Ivoire. The US Department of Commerce also estab-lished Government-to-Government MoUs with governments of Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya to improve trade and partnerships.

Other reports said Mr Gilbert Kaplan, U.S Secretary of Commerce led a large dele-gation of businesses and officials from across the US government on a visit to Ethiopian Airlines. A statement issued in Accra by Mrs Aniley Eshetu, Assistant Manager Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines said the delegation met with Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, to discuss potential ways for US companies to collaborate with Ethiopian Airlines to achieve even greater growth, including in the construction and operation of new airports.

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The Nation reported that a US-based Kenyan research scientist was honoured at a banquet in New York for his discoveries of drugs used to treat cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Dr George Njoroge was presented with a “pioneer award” from Face2Face Africa, a pan-Africa media company, for his sustained impact on science and medicine. The 64-year-old Kiambu native held more than 100 patents for his work on cancer and immu-nology.

iol News reported that Alphabet Inc’s Loon said it would deploy its system of balloons to beam high-speed Internet access with Telkom Kenya from next year to cover rural and sub-urban populations, marking its first commercial deal in Africa, Reuters reported. This technology was used by US telecom

operators to provide connectivity to more than 250,000 people in Puerto Rico after a hurricane last year. Kenya hoped the tech-nology could help achieve full Internet coverage for its popula-tion

East African reported that Silicon Valley giant Google was expanding its regional mentorship programme for top ear-ly-stage technology startups in Africa, with the aim of helping them become commercially viable. The Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme started off with six countries at its launch eight months ago — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. Beneficiary firms received $10,000 each equi-ty-free cash grants, and had so far raised more than $7 million between them.

TunisiaReports said twenty-eight teenage girls from Algeria, Egypt,

Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia would participate in the US Department of State’s TechGirls exchange program from July 8–August 1, 2018. During their three weeks in the US, participants would strengthen and devel-op technical skills, form invaluable networks, and establish rela-tionships with mentors that would influence their future tech careers.

UgandaThree Ugandan app developers could win an over 1.6 billion

shillings’ prize to develop a web-based application to for small-holder farmers to fight the destructive Fall Armyworm (FAW). Uganda was among the countries in Africa battling the outbreak and spread of the fall Armyworm. The Fall Armyworm Tech Prize was a Feed the Future prize funded by The US Agency for International Development (“USAID”). It was shortlist-ed the three app developers as part of the Africa-wide search for technologies to fight Fall armyworm (FAW).

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Science, Technology & Innovation

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Eastern AfricaAnalysis of News Categories

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The Nation reported that Kogelo residents would push former U.S President Barack Obama to publicly endorse a university to be named after him. Already, locals had set aside 24 acres for the main campus of the university in Nyang’oma while plans were underway to admit the first batch of students to Siaya Agricultural Training Centre in September.

Reports noted that lack of education was what made South Sudan so ravaged by war at this time. If people were educated, they could make their own decision.

The non-profit organization “All We Are” had a mission to solar-ize more than 50 schools in Uganda by the year 2025. The orga-nization worked in the country for the last eight years and was supported in its efforts by Rotary Clubs here in the US and in Uganda. All We Are Founder and CEO Nathan Thomas and Deborah Schultz, president of Trans-Borders Solutions and cur-rent board member of the Rotary Club of Cincinnati, recently spoke with Dan Hurley about the Solarize Uganda Now (SUN) Project

Education

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The Nation reported that movie about the love story between a Kenyan and an American would not be shot in South Africa as earlier planned. The Government intervened to have the movie about Kennedy Odede and American Jessica, captured in the New York Times best seller Find Me Unafraid, filmed in Kenya. The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) said it would facili-tate the filming of the movie about the couple that lives in Kibera, Nairobi.

The Star reported that Film director Scott Kennedy, an Oscar nominee, visited East Africa this month for the screening of his film ’Food Evolution’. He was hosted by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa project. The movie, which

premiered in US theatres, was shown free to audiences in Africa, including universities, public schools and community groups. In Kenya, Scott Kennedy participated in a public screening at Kerugoya Kutus ACK Hall on July 12 and the University of Nairobi on July 13.

RwandaReports said it was only last year, when US-based Rwandan

artiste Magaly Pearl burst onto the music scene, releasing two singles; Nyemerera and Hold me. The songs enjoyed moderate success and introduced her to the music scene both in the US and Rwanda.

Entertainment

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PoliticsMedia coverage for the Southern African region continued to

be driven mostly by issues on politics, economy, trade and development. Extensive coverage was given to former US President Barack Obama’s address marking the 100th anniver-sary of anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela’s birth in South Africa.

Obama said African governments should first unify their citizen-ry before considering an amalgamation of states akin to the US model. Obama also took aim at “strongman politics” in his high-est-profile speech since leaving office, urging people around the world to respect human rights and other values now under threat. The former US President also addressed inequality, rac-ism and climate change among other issues.

Other frames said the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the BRICS emerging economies were gathering in South Africa for a sum-mit likely to feature criticism of US President Donald Trump’s wave of tariffs on foreign goods.

The US government said corruption in Zambia occurred at all levels and resulted in an ineffective legal and justice system. In Zimbabwe, the US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian A Nichols had urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to fulfil their pledge for free and fair elections on July 30.

Minor reports indicated that the US had terminated funding to three Zimbabwean human rights and pro-democracy groups three weeks before an election, a move that analysts said could undermine the credibility of the country’s first post-Mugabe vote.

Economy, Trade & DevelopmentFrames on Economy, Trade & Development highlighted that

according to Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, South African meat producers could consider litigation against the US if it imposed new tariffs on aluminium-based exports such as vehicles. Speaking on the side-lines of the 17th Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) forum in Washington DC with US trade representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and the sec-retary of commerce Wilbur Ross, as well as senators Chris Coons and Johnny Isakson,

Davies said it was “clear that SA “does not pose a threat” to US national security and the steel and aluminium industries but it was a source of strategic primary and secondary steel used in further value-added manufacturing in the US.

Significant reports noted that the Us had issued yet another warning to African nations, including Zambia, over the risk of being laden with unsustainable debt through large-scale infra-structure projects that are not economically viable.

The US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) CEO, Ray Washburne warned that the Chinese strategy created a debt trap for many poor nations.

The Zambian Delegation and Embassy staff successfully par-ticipated and showcased Zambia at the Global Summit in the United States (U.S) under the theme “Driving Trade, Unleashing Investment and Enhancing Economic Development: The Gateway to African Markets.”


Analysis of daily issue coverage

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The Business & Investments segment highlighted a Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa, launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC, by the US Agency for International Development’s Power Africa co-ordinator, as an ini-tiative that sought to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030.

According to the roadmap, US companies supported by Washington would invest $175 billion in gas power projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa.

It was estimated that several undeveloped fields in Tanzania and Mozambique accounted for 62% of total contingent resources while other African countries without reserves were developing infrastructure for importation of natural gas to sup-port the demand for power generation.

Other reports said Global mining giant Glencore, which had a large footprint in South Africa, shocked markets when the United States department of justice subpoenaed it for documents under the US’ money-laundering and anticorruption laws.

EntertainmentEntertainment reports from Zimbabwe revealed that Bulawayo

actor and filmmaker Daniel Lasker kept shining as he was set to feature in an American television series ’What lies beneath’ that was expected to premiere on Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121) later this year.


Science, Technology & Innovation frames said U.S-based Fab Foundation, in collaboration with Zambia’s BongoHive, main-tained a register of 226 innovation hubs, tech collaboration zones, “makerspaces”, and “hackerspaces” across Africa — up from 170 in 2015, when the register was set up.

Time-Herald in Mozambique said a man who hunted an endangered South African leopard and smuggled it into California, US, through an elaborate plan was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and serve three years’ probation, according to fed-eral court records.

Health & Food issuesMinor frames on Health & Food issues noted that the United

States Agency for International Development (USAid) in Namibia had announced Resilient Waters, a five-year, $32.4 million (about R428 million) project to address severe water challenges facing the Limpopo River Basin and Okavango River Basin com-munities.

EducationOn education issues, Sherry Sykes, Consul General for the US

Consulate in South Africa, recently visited Vryheid as part of an English teaching workshop for more than 200 teachers in Zululand. Sykes explained that it was vitally important for a child to not just read, but to understand what they were reading.

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Former US President Barack Obama speech at the Mandela centenary celebrations dominated media headlines in the peri-od under review. Obama described Mandela as “a personal inspiration” and someone that made him want to be a better man. During that speech he added that the world thanked South Africa for sharing Nelson Mandela with them.

Obama also acknowledged that racism still existed in the US and in South Africa. However, he called on South Africans and the rest of the globe to invoke the spirit of South Africa’s found-ing father Nelson Mandela to “push for a better world in the face of injustice and exploitation”.

US was one of the representatives across 46 countries and 15 regional and international organizations that accepted the invita-tion to observe the elections in Zimbabwe.

U.S terminated funding to three Zimbabwean human rights and pro-democracy groups three weeks before an election, a move that analysts said could undermine the credibility of the country’s first post-Mugabe vote.

A US embassy spokesman said the decision by USAID, Washington’s aid arm, to pull the plug followed a regular inter-

nal audit that uncovered “unusual activity” and “non-compli-ance” in the use of funds, without providing any details.

Zambia U.S government said corruption in Zambia occurred at all lev-

els and results in an ineffective legal and justice system. US fur-ther said the Zambia Police Service was solely a reactive force and demonstrated rather poor proactive law enforcement tech-niques or initiative to deter or investigate crime.

Angola Joao Lourenco of Angola was among the African leaders who

would attend “Brics outreach” programme in Johannesburg. The meeting would focus on the threat of a US-led global trade war.

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According to Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, South African meat producers could consider litigation against the US if it imposed new tariffs on aluminium-based exports such as vehicles. Speaking on the side-lines of the 17th Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) forum in Washington DC with US trade representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and the secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross, as well as sena-tors Chris Coons and Johnny Isakson, Davies said it was “clear that SA “does not pose a threat” to US national security and the steel and aluminium industries but it was a source of strategic primary and secondary steel used in further val-ue-added manufacturing in the US.

Gulf News noted that Brics leaders expected to join in defence of the multi-lateralism the US once championed. Chinese President Xi Jinping said a glob-al trade war should be rejected as it would leave no winner, calling on the

Brics nations to reject unilateralism in the wake of tariff threats by US President Donald Trump.

In Zambia, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) support-ed multiple projects, including a solar power plant, schools, investment in local farms and financial services for small businesses. OPIC was a US government agency that invested in development around the world. More than a quarter of our $23 billion portfolio was in Africa.

A Zimbabwean mining expert said the trade war between China and the US could negatively affect copper prices on the international market in the long-term.

Minor frames said US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer would use African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) Forum in Washington DC to initiate “exploratory talks” with African governments on a possible trade model that could be implemented when the unilateral pro-

gramme expires in 2025. The top five sub-Saharan African exporters under Agoa last year were Angola ($2.3-billion), Nigeria ($6.1-billion), South Africa ($2.9-billion), Chad ($590-million) and Kenya ($408-million). However, South Africa was the largest non-oil beneficiary by value, accounting for 68% of non-oil exports to the US under the programme.

NamibiaAccording to Namibian Finance

Minister Calle Schlettwein, unilateral populist directions, the populist rhetorics of ’America first’ by the US president Donald Trump, were undermining multi-lateral institutions, but Namibia still had faith in the multilateral institutions’ sup-port for prevailing trade regime.

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Tourism reports focused on an American woman who had set off anger by killing a rare 18-year-old male black giraffe during a guided hunt in South Africa. The dead giraffe was curled up on the ground in souvenir photographs. She received both local and international backlash.

Additionally, an American man who hunted an endangered South African leopard and smuggled it into California through an elaborate plan was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and serve three years’ probation, according to federal court records.

ZimbabweIn Zimbabwe, government had described as “regrettable” a

decision by NewsDay to push an MDC Alliance agenda to attack the person of President Mnangagwa after the paper used a routine travel warning by the US to cast doubt on the sustain-ability of the peaceful environment in the country.

The privately-owned newspaper led with a story headlined; “Polls: US issues travel alert”.

It followed up with a leader screaming; “US travel warnings an indictment on Mnangagwa”, suggesting the situation in the country was volatile.

US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote advised that if Zambia wanted to become one of world’s leaders in tourism, it would need to show the world it was serious about conservation. US envoy had said the Kafue National Park was dying.

During the Zambia Parliamentary Conservation Caucus work-shop, Ambassador Foote said the caucus was critical to ensur-ing inclusive and well-managed wildlife, environmental and economic-development strategies for Zambia.

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Zimbabwean reports highlighted the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announcing the launch of Pathways, a five-year $35 million program that would offer services to 250,000 HIV-affected orphans and vulnerable chil-dren, 59,500 households, and 15,000 vulnerable youth.

Funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID, Pathways would be imple-mented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Child Protection Services and communities.

THE USAID had also availed $32,4 million for a five-year Resilient Waters project to address severe water challenges facing communities living around the Limpopo River Basin and Okavango River Basin.

The programme aimed to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation services for nearly 21 million people spanning South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia.

Namibia was awarded two awards for its fight against HIV/AIDS at the 22nd International AIDS conference in Amsterdam. Namibia received awards from the US President’s Emergency

Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for its efforts in cultivating the potential of local and indigenous partners and best progress at the halfway point in pursuit of the 2020 fast track goals. The country further received recognition for its efforts in reaching the Joint UNAIDS 2020 targets.

In other health reports, Zambia became the first country in Africa to launch the Growing Expertise in E-health Knowledge and Skills programme.

Speaking at the launch of the GEEKS training programme at the University of Zambia, US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote said the initiative underscored his government’s strong bilateral relationship with the Zambian government, particular-ly in the health sector.

Additional reports looked at US companies operating in Nigeria who had invested $1.3bn in the economy in 2017. This was a clear indication that US businesses were commit-ted to contributing to the Nigerian economy by uplifting its people, increasing investment and facilitating trade.

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Health & Food issues

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Reports said spooked by Netflix’s growing popularity among African viewers, the continent’s largest television operator wanted the disruptor to be regulated. This call for regulation was a common call from established monopolies who found their grip on a local market challenged by a tech disruptor, and MultiChoice was no different. At first the South African compa-ny tried to compete, launching its own streaming service as eyeballs moved online. Now it had resorted to calling for strict-er rules in its own market.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said SA’s steel and aluminium exports to the US did not pose any threat to national security. Davies was speaking during bilateral meetings in Washington DC with US Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and senators Chris Coons and Johnny Isakson. Davies said South Africa’s exports of steel to the US accounted for less than 1% of total US imports and 0.3% of total US steel demand.

Sunday Times reported that risk factors for Sibanye-Stillwater were on the rise as hefty debt and the troubles it faced when it took over Lonmin at the end of the year were compounded by legal action in the US over safety issues at its gold mines in South Africa. US-based law firm Bernstein Liebhard said it filed a securities class action lawsuit on behalf of those who had acquired the securities of the company in a period in which the share price plummeted 61%. The law firm accused the compa-ny of misleading shareholders and failing to disclose informa-tion regarding mine safety.

Media reports said the Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa, launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC, by the US Agency for International Development’s Power Africa co-ordinator, was an initiative that sought to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in nine countries by 2030. The

roadmap was built on the fact that based on known reserves, there was potential for approximately 400GW of gas-generated power in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the roadmap, US companies supported by Washington would invest $175 bil-lion in gas power projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Mozambique and SA.

Reports said twenty-two women entrepreneurs from 13 African countries arrived in the US to connect with their American counterparts and accelerate the growth of their busi-nesses. The businesswomen in this year’s African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program joined a network that created thou-sands of jobs and over 20 women’s business associations in sub-Saharan Africa.

The initiative promoted business growth and increased trade both regionally and with US markets through the AGOA. This year’s cohort represents Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe.

In other news, Ray W. Washburne, the President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said that they were closely monitoring the political situation in Zimbabwe. OPIC currently had $1 billion initiative for various projects in Africa across the next three years. Washburne also voiced concern over a $360 million expansion of the airport in Zambia’s capital Lusaka currently being carried out with financing from the Exim Bank of China. Reports also noted that Washburne would be travelling to Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda where he would visit OPIC projects ranging from transportation, geothermal energy, and agricul-ture.

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Beyoncé and JAY-Z were said to be headlining a concert in SA paying tribute to the late Nelson Mandela. The musical duo would perform alongside other artists which include Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin, Pharrell Williams, D’banj, and Femi Kuti at the Mandela 100 Festival organised by Global Citizen net-work which aimed to put an end to “extreme poverty”.

US star Issa Rae was said to be heading to SA for the inaugu-ral In Good Company Experience taking place at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton. The event was designed to celebrate women and discuss innovative ideas that would contribute towards changing the current state of affairs in gender equality.

SSA actress Phumzile Sitole appeared on the latest season of US series Orange is the New Black. Sitole played the role of Antoinetta ’Akers’ Kerson. Sitole was well known in SA for her

role on the TV show Rights of Passage. In other reports of SA sharing the world stage, SA’s Loyiso

Gola, Loyiso Madinga, Tumi Morake, and Riaad Moosa would be a part of a Netflix stand-up comedy series launching in 2019.

From Zimbabwe, Bulawayo actor and filmmaker Daniel Lasker was set to feature in an American television series What lies beneath which would premiere on Discovery Channel later this year. The 19-year-old National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) nominee and 2018 Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards winner had writ-ten and directed three award-winning short films including The Walk that earned him accolades in America.


Entertainment, Arts & Culture

The 10th BRICS Summit was held in South Africa where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered statements in support of multilateralism and trade. He also called on the developing world to rise against US protectionism, warning that the tariffs the world’s biggest economy had imposed on imports would have far-reaching implications for emerging nations and mar-kets.

The US government said corruption in Zambia occurred at all levels and resulted in an ineffective legal and justice system. The US also said that the Zambia Police Service was solely a reactive force and demonstrated rather poor proactive law enforcement techniques or initiative to deter or investigate crime.

Egyptian delegation had visited Washington to discuss bilat-eral relation. The meetings served as part of an ongoing com-

munication and consultation between Egypt and the US to exchange views on various issues of common concern. The joint meetings also aimed to strengthen the framework of com-munication and coordination between the two sides in order to contribute to overcoming any difficulties.

US Congressional Republicans aimed to get a better hand on over foreign policy. Congress squeezed funding to limit and potentially end controversial military engagements in Vietnam and Central America, and covert operations in Angola.

Two US pro-democracy groups stated that widespread vio-lence in Nigeria could affect next year’s presidential election. Voters in Africa’s most populous nation would go to the polls in February next year, with President Muhammadu Buhari looking to secure a second four-year term of office.


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The Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa was launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington by the US Agency for International Development’s Power Africa co-ordi-nator.

According to the roadmap, US companies supported by Washington would invest $175 billion in gas power projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa, and aimed to add 30,000MW of new generation capacity and 60 million new connections by 2030.

SA’s Energy Minister Jeff Radebe had promised greater align-ment between SA’s energy plans, including the new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity, with a regional gas master plan, which was under development within the 16-country Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.

The plan would include gas-to-power projects and would

also include cross-border gas and gas-to-power into its various energy plans.

Radebe also initiated bilateral discussions with Mozambique regarding the further development of the cross-border gas infrastructure linking SA’s energy and chemicals sectors to Mozambique’s vast natural gas resources. Mozambique moved closer to becoming a player on the fast-growing global market for liquefied natural gas.

Additionally, Pan-African oil and gas exploration and develop-ment group Oranto Petroleum had started farming into two exploration blocks located onshore in Zambia.

US-based Fab Foundation in collaboration with Zambia’s BongoHive, maintained a register of 226 innovation hubs, tech collaboration zones, “makerspaces”, and “hackerspaces” across Africa.



In Zimbabwe, the Midlands State University successfully defended their Enactus National championship title at the Zimbabwe Enactus National Competitions.

The team additionally won the best sustainable develop-ment-oriented project prize, which was accompanied by a cheque of $1 000 and the right to represent Zimbabwe during the 2018 World Championships in California.

Consul General for the US Consulate in South Africa, Sherry Sykes, visited Vryheid as part of an English teaching workshop for more than 200 teachers in Zululand.

Sykes stated that students should read and be given the opportunity to read to gain a proficiency in the English lan-guage, which was vital in opening doors for their future.

In Namibia, a non-profit organisation called Lift Up Namibia donated teaching aids worth over N.dollars 100 000 to Twaalulilwa Primary School of Eenhana Education Circuit in the Ohangwena Region.

Other items donated to the school were tapes, paper cutters, colour pencil, erasers and three binding machines.

Education

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Reports stated that nine African nations were set to benefit from a $175bn US Government project to invest in sub-Sa-haran power plants and support African gas production. These nations included Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Côte d’Ivo-ire. US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said that a key ingredient in Africa’s ener-gy mix was, and would continue to be clean natural gas.

US Africa Development Foundation pledged to continue to support the growth of small businesses across Africa including Nigeria.

Glencore received a US department of Justice subpoena concerning its opera-tions in the Nigeria.

US Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur L. Ross was in Ghana for maiden US-Ghana Business summit. The forum endeav-oured to strengthen trade and promote business partnership opportunities between US and Ghanaian Companies in infrastructure, railway and renewable energy, and the technology sectors.

US Diplomat Madam Elder said that for Liberia to attract investments, it would have get rid of corruption and liberalise its economy.

At the celebrations of Mandela cente-nary, Obama spoke out against the cor-ruption and conflict that slow down change, mentioning the current deadly

tensions in Cameroon, which faced an Anglophone separatist movement and the threat from Boko Haram extremists based in neighbouring Nigeria. A Liberian clergyman based in the US, Sheikh Abubakar Sheriff, expressed opti-mism over Liberia’s progress under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led administration.

The US said it was carefully watching the developments in Nigeria’s politics. The Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Nigeria, David Young said US government strong believed in elections and democratic process in Nigeria.

USA committed over $5.4 billion through its agencies to expand commer-cial ties with four African countries including Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. US secretary Willbur L. Ross said US was taking a whole governmental approach to significantly deepen her commercial engagements with the continent to cre-ate new pathways for long-term trade and economic partnerships.

US companies operating in Nigeria invested $1.3bn in the economy in 2017, a survey by the American Business Council has shown. The investment gen-erated over N2.6tn revenue for the 74 American companies that participated in the survey.

US expressed outrage over a recent

video of execution being carried out allegedly by Cameroonian military per-sonnel. A state official called for transpar-ent investigation by Cameroon. Ghana Armed Forces were currently training about 800 troops from the US Army at the Achiase Jungle Warfare School.

Liberia’s Ambassador to the US, H.E. Lois C. Brutus, applauded the interna-tional community for establishing the UN Mission to Liberia, which was recorded historically as one of the most successful peacekeeping missions in the world.

US said it could support a humanitarian plan unveiled by the Cameroonian gov-ernment aimed at responding to the cri-sis in the north west and south west regions of the country.

Pretoria News reported that Silicon Valley investors were eyeing Africa as the next tech frontier. Nigerian Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo visited Silicon Valley to meet with various US tech investors for what he was hoping would bring a tech revolution and investment.

Bad weather in the US forced Delta Air to cancel its Atlanta-Lagos flight, with over 500 passengers affected by the dis-ruption in flights.

110 Nigerian students were awarded scholarships worth $5.3m (about N2bn) by over 15 universities in America.

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US Institute of Peace on electoral violence risk assessment in Nigeria suggested possible escalation of electoral violence before the 2019 general elections.

The US said it was carefully watching the developments in Nigeria’s politics. US government said it believed in elections and democratic process globally, Nigeria included. The political development referred to the defection of dozens of federal law-makers from Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.

There were also instances of security siege on the two presid-ing officers of the Senate, ostensibly to prevent them from pre-siding over the Senate. Senate President Bukola Saraki eventu-ally maneuvered his way to the Senate where he presided over the defection of 14 senators, majority to the opposition PDP.

The US Embassy in Nigeria called for neutrality of the police and other security agencies in the country.

A Liberian man lied on his US immigration forms about his ties to his country’s war criminals was convicted.

Liberian clergyman based in the US expressed optimism over Liberia’s progress under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led administration.

US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson praised the Akufo-Addo government for its military partnership with the US. Opposition politicians and civil society groups pressed on with their quest to impress upon the government on why they believe the military pact agreement is bad for Ghana.

US

expressed outrage over a video of execution being carried out by Cameroonian military personnel.

Heather Nauert, US Department of State spokesperson, in a statement called for thorough and transparent investigation by the government of Cameroon.

International media, Amnesty International, and Cameroonian human rights organisations attribute the actions portrayed in the video to the Cameroonian military

US said it may support a humanitarian plan unveiled by the Cameroonian government aimed at responding to the crisis in the north west and south west regions of the country.

The US human trafficking reports said The Gambia made a progress and took some significant steps to eliminate human trafficking.

US gave over $5.4 billion through its agencies to expand com-mercial ties with four African countries including Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.

Nigeria’s inclusion on the US treaty deal list - which included countries such as Senegal, Argentina, Cameroon and Jamaica - was vital for Nigeria’s growth.

67 people ended their allegiance to 35 former homelands US Attorney Thomas Cullen had the chance to read the names of newly naturalized Americans from Sierra Leone.

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Nine African countries were set to benefit from an ambi-tious US-led initiative to invest in gas-powered power plants. The Gas Roadmap for sub-Saharan Africa, launched in June at the World Gas Conference in Washington, DC, by the USAID’s Power Africa co-ordinator, is an initiative that seeks to add some 16,000MW of gas-fired power in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal by 2030.

The roadmap is built on the fact that based on known reserves, there is potential for approximately 400GW of gas-generated power in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the roadmap, US companies supported by Washington will invest $175 billion in gas power projects in the nine countries.

The countries were selected because they have local gas resources (in operation or under development) or are plan-ning liquefied natural gas (LNG) import projects.

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Jr. headed a trade delegation to Ghana where he announced that the US had committed $5.4 billion to boost commercial ties with Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire. He said the US supported for what was going on in Ghana and in Africa in general.

US trade with Ghana increased and US government con-tinued to give financial support to the agricultural sector to increase agricultural output as well as the energy sector in Ghana.

The American Business Council disclosed that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of about $1.3 billion flowed into the Nigerian economy from the US in 2017.

US companies operating in Nigeria generated over N2.6 trillion in revenues in 2017, according to survey conducted

by the American Business Council. This reflected an increase of N1.6 trillion from 2016 level.

The findings showed that approximately 11,200 indirect jobs and over 9,000 full time jobs were created by the sur-vey participants in Nigeria in 2017.

US-African Delegation promoted investments worth Millions in Côte d’Ivoire, Chief Operating Officer of US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) met Charles Boamah, senior vice president of African Development Bank Group and declared the strengthening of their part-nership.

US said that Liberia would attract investment and jobs by opening its economy, not by narrowing it. US invested $175 billion in gas power projects in Senegal and other countries.

US ambassador to The Gambia reassured her support to making more progress in the New Gambia, after a renewed friendship between her embassy and the country.

Minor reports said US was reducing crude oil imports from Nigeria while increasing imports from Angola. It attributed the greater patronage of Angola’s oil over Nigeria’s as the comparative ease of blending Angolan crude with America’s shale crude; Angola’s heavy sweet crude blend well with the America’s light sweet shale crude. America’s demand for heavy refined products and feedstocks also favour Angola’s crude. Angolan crude was described as mostly of a heavy sweet variety with a low specific gravity which makes it denser, and low sulphur content, making it more appealing to US oil refiners.

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The US supported a humanitarian plan unveiled by the Cameroonian govern-ment aimed at responding to the crisis in the north west and south west regions of the country.

The 18th annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released by the US Secretary of State, the percentage of human trafficking in Ghana decreased.

A Pennsylvanian man accused of lying on his US. immigration forms about his ties to Liberian war criminals had been convicted for fraud.

More than 14,000 immigrants from Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria became US’s newest citizens during cer-emonies that came at a time of height-ened anti-immigrant rhetoric and poli-cies.

US Africa Command confirmed it had armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft already in Niger to improve combined ability to respond to threats and other security issues in the region.

Samantha Reho, spokeswoman for US Africa Command, said armed ISR aircraft began flying in early 2018, and were cur-rently deployed to Niger’s Air Base 101 in Niamey. The effort was supported by Niger, and is part of the long-term strate-gic partnership between the US and Niger to help counter violent extremists in the region.

MQ-9 drones currently flying out of Niger’s capital will eventually be moved to Nigerien Air Base 201, which is being built in Agadez, on the scorching edge of the Sahara Desert.

The new base is part of efforts by the US to battle the growing extremist threat in Africa’s vast Sahel. The $110 million project is the largest troop labor con-struction project in US history, according to Air Force officials.

Lobby groups and human rights activ-ists called on the US Congress to investi-gate claims that Christians in Nigeria faced murder as radical Islamists led a religious cleansing. Media reports said a

radical Islamic group in Nigeria known as the Fulani herdsmen was carrying out violent attacks on Christians for more that one year, and had intensified its campa-gain in recent months.

The highest ranking civilian at AFRICOM visited The Gambia late July. Ambassador Alexander M Laskaris, who serves as the deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement, held dis-cussions with senior government officials on issues related to security sector reform and civil-military relations in The Gambia.

Laskaris met with President Adama Barrow, Vice President Ousainu Darboe, National Security Adviser Momodou Badgie, and senior leaders of The Gambia’s military and security agencies. He gained insights into The Gambia’s objectives for security sector reform and progress on improving civil-military rela-tions.

The US, Cabo Verde, and Senegal have completed combined operations during Operation Junction Rain, a part of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP).

The AMLEP exercise wrapped up in Dakar, Senegal, late June. AMLEP pairs a US Coast Guard law enforcement detach-ment (LEDET) with partner nation mari-time forces and interagency personnel to execute combined law enforcement operations. The US boarding teams oper-ated from partner nation vessels to identi-fy suspect vessels or escort vessels that have been cited for illicit and criminal activities.

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Media Coverage said the federal gov-ernment earned over N2.6 trillion as reve-nue from US companies operating in Nigeria. Nigeria recorded Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of about $1.3 billion from US in 2017.

Glencore, the world’s largest commodi-ties trader and mining group had been under suspicion of corruption. The inves-tigation in the US was linked to suspi-cious payments in Nigeria, Congo and Venezuela. The US Justice wanted to know if Glencore had complied with anti-corruption and money laundering laws.

Governments of Ghana and US signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the deal covered areas such as agri-culture, industry, infrastructure, railway, energy. The MoU indicated that US gov-ernment would partner with US business-es to work with their Ghanaian counter-

parts to advance the industrialization agenda of the Ghanaian government.

US companies supported by Washington invested $175 billion in gas power projects in Kenya and Côte d’ivo-ire.

The major palm oil company Golden Veroleum in Liberia and its primary inves-tor Golden Agri-Resources stand accused of environmental and human rights abuse in a report from the Earth US, Sustainable Development Institute, and Milieudefensie.

Report said Senegal benefited from an ambitious US-led initiative to invest in gas-powered power plants.

US Ambassador to The Gambia urged the government to make best use of the $1.7 billion pledge for the development of the new Gambia.

In Cameroon, US FAPA donors approved four SMEs projects worth US

$3.9 million.Media reports said NG_Hub, new tech

hub in the Lagos metropolis was attract-ing interest from global giants keen to tap into an emerging market of young, connected Africans.

Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the SIlicon Valley in California to court US tech investors for what he said could herald a “fourth Industrial Revolution” back home. In May, both Google and Facebook launched initia-tives nearby.

Numerous media reports said the US Justice Department subpoenaed docu-ments related to Glencore’s assets in the DRC and Nigeria as part of a corruption probe has rattled investors and is likely to weigh on the miner’s performance until there is more clarity on the case.

Glencore said it had received a subpoe-na from the US Department of Justice dated requesting documents for its DRC business over compliance with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and rules against money laundering. The company said documents for Venezuela and Nigeria were also requested, adding it would co-operate with the authorities.

In The Gambia, US Ambassador Patricia Alsup pledged support for new projects and activities in the spirit of a renewed friendship between the two countries. Alsup said her embassy was helping The Gambia on different sectors, especially in building democratic institutions, good governance and human rights.

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US allowed immigrants from Liberia plagued by civil war or natural disasters to stay in US until conditions in their homelands improved.

According to Daily Trust US forced Delta Air to cancel its Atlanta -Lagos flight in the past, with over 500 passen-gers affected by the disruption in flights.

Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire immigrants became US newest citizens during cere-monies that came at a time of height-ened anti-immigrant rhetoric and poli-cies.

US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Porter Jackson, blamed the impending deportation of 7,000 illegal migrants from the US, on the blatant failure of the government of Ghana to resolve matters with issuance of travel documents to its travel citizens.

A Liberian who was accused of lying on his US immigration forms about his

ties to his country’s war criminals was convicted after a three-week trial that included testimony from foreign report-ers, intelligence officials and a former child soldier.

Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu was con-victed on perjury, immigration fraud and other charges stemming from answers he gave on a 2006 application for citi-zenship, saying he never took part in the overthrow of a government.

But immigration and human rights investigators said Woewiyu was part of Charles Taylor ’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia, which sparked a multifaction tribal conflict and civil war. They said his role was as one-time defense minister, spokesman and face of Taylor’s regime.

The Executive President Commanding, World Commandant General of Chaplaincy International, Apostle Edward Taylor, expressed opti-

mism that Nigeria would experience economic and tourism boom soon.

Taylor spoke in Plateau State, Nigeria, at the 2018 Commissioning and Decoration of New Mac-Corps Chaplains/Doctorate. He said Nigeria could not be backward with her huge potentials as well as vast human and natural resources. He said Plateau was displaying great leadership qualities in tourism and economic boom.


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US committed more than $5.1 billion to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria through its President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. US based NGO administered free medical treatment to over 2,000 residents of Okitipupa area of Ondo state in Nigeria.

Government of Liberia and US launched the National Action Plan for Health Security, the National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance.

US Ambassador Peter Barlerin said the Cameroonian gov-ernment took initiative to address the problem of humani-tarian assistance and access in the north west and south west regions.

The Coastal Sustainable Landscape Project initiated by the United States International Aid for Development (USAID) deepened its commitment to sensitize rural com-munities in Ghana to embark upon sustainable livelihood empowerment projects.

WFP expressed its appreciation to the US government support and remembered that the northern regions of Podor and Matam had, among others, been declared very vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity.

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Comedian, Derick Kobina Bonney, better known in the showbiz circles as DKB won the Best Ghana Comedian in the USA for the second time. US artists Ciara recently visited Nigeria—and managed to do some authentic Nigerian danc-ing before heading home. In the clip, Ciara was barefooted in the streets of Lagos, performing a dance choreographed by local star Kafayat Shafau-Ameh that incorporates traditional African styles.

A Liberian youth coach based in the United States, Doco Wesseh, has been nominated for the Major League Soccer Work Community MVP. The Major League Soccer Work Community MVP award is given every year to individuals using football to improve the lives of others. Wesseh, who is the founder of the One Goal Foundation, was nominated along with 22 other soccer philanthropists for the charity award.

Minor reports said US sports organizations, nonprofits and players were heading to Nigeria to widen their market to tap-ping talent from a community that had already proved itself in multiple fields in the US The NBA launched Power Forward, its Jr. NBA program, in Abuja, Nigeria, in late 2013 and has since had more than 10,000 participants.

Baseball Tomorrow Academy works with the US Embassy in Abuja to promote baseball and softball in schools. The sport is new in Africa, and within the continent is most popular in South Africa, Uganda and Kenya. Nonetheless, the MLB is investing in Nigeria’s baseball future.

The Nigerian Institute of American Football, set up in 2011, hosts training clinics for coaches and school camps for kids. And the American Football for Africa Mission, launched in 2010, has since trained more than 2,000 Nigerians in the sport.

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PoliticsEgyptian experts met with the US Immigration and Customs

Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations experts in Alexandria to exchange knowledge and explore best practices in combating fraudulent document proliferation.

Minor internet news reported that Egypt was ranked by US News and World Report as the 25th most powerful country in the world. US Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence R. Silverman asserted the depth of Egypt-US relations, praising Egypt’s vital role in the Middle East region.

Arab countries reportedly warned the US against revealing its so-called Mideast peace plan, saying disclosing a plan that did not meet Palestinian expectations could agitate the region.

The UN completed an agreement on improved ways to han-dle the global flow of migrants — a pact particularly notable because it was boycotted by the US.

Peace, Security & TerrorismThe State Department announced that US decided to release

$195 million in military aid to Egypt after withholding the assis-tance in 2018 over human rights concerns.

Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces ordered a strategic redeploy-ment of warships in response to Algerian threats, bringing hos-tilities to new heights and raising concerns of direct confronta-tion. Morocco, which had acquired US-made state-of-the-art military equipment deployed frigates and warships off its north-ern coast to both respond to the alarming presence of Algerian ships and to thwart criminal activities at sea.

The US donated nine Pitbull VX armoured vehicles to Tunisia’s Tunisian Counter-Terrorism Brigade to combat terror-ism and improve border security.

Economy, Trade & DevelopmentReports said US and Western officials considered an eventual

emergency release of stockpiled oil if new supplies could pre-vent another sharp rise in prices. Rebels had forced the closure of Libya’s oil export terminals.

Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr was expected to travel to the US to participate in the UN Economic and Social Council. Egypt sought to raise exports to the US under the Qualified Industrial Zones protocol to near-ly $900 million at the end of 2018 by adding more products. In 2017, exports rose 3% to reach $750 million.

EducationUS Depart of State reported that 28 girls from Algeria, Egypt,

Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia would participate in the TechGirls exchange programme.

Six young and entrepreneurial Egyptians were among 200 Africans to be selected in the inaugural class of a program run by the Obama Foundation aimed at bringing together young leaders from across Africa. The 2018 ’Leaders: Africa’ program brought together 200 ’emerging leaders’ from across 44 coun-tries to explore “new ways to take on the biggest challenges in their communities”.

Science, Technology & InnovationUS Depart of State said twenty-eight teenage girls from

Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia would participate in the US Department of State’s TechGirls exchange program from July 8–August 1, 2018. The TechGirls initiative empowers girls around the world to become leaders in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Health & Food issuesUSA Today said Egypt’s faltering economy forced authorities

to become explicit about family planning, one the most private of matters in this traditional, Muslim country. As Egypt’s popula-tion hit the milestone of 100 million, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi rolled out a campaign called “Two is Enough.”

In other news, 30 Tunisian exhibitors took part in the Summer Fancy Food Show held on June 30-July 2 in New York.


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The US had decided to release $195 million in military aid to Egypt after withholding the assistance in 2017 over human rights concerns, the State Department announced. The department said the decision followed steps Egypt had taken in response to specific US concerns, and it cited stronger US-Egypt ties in security and counterterrorism.

An Israeli cabinet minister had predicted that President Donald Trump’s elusive wall along the US-Mexican border would copy elements of the controversial barrier enclosing the Gaza Strip.

The US had donated nine Pitbull VX armoured vehicles to Tunisia’s Tunisian Counter-Terrorism Brigade to combat terror-ism and improve border security.

Twenty-eight teenage girls from Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestinian Territories would participate in the US Department of State’s TechGirls exchange program from July 8–August 1, 2018.

France’s foreign minister visited Libya to encourage holding elections in the north African country later this year as part of a reconciliation agreement reached by the country’s main politi-cal rivals in Paris in May. Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed ruler Moammar Gadhafi. France was at the forefront of the NATO airstrikes, car-

ried out along with the US and others.The US-led coalition fighting Daesh said it killed high-value

leaders from the group who were planning attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, the US and Sweden. On April 24, a coalition air strike killed Syrian-based Daesh member Munawwar Al Mutayari in Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition said in a statement.

Under a set of classified programs, American special opera-tions teams were playing a more direct role in military actions against suspected terrorists in Africa than the Pentagon had publicly acknowledged, planning and participating in combat raids by African troops in multiple countries including Tunisia, Somalia, Kenya and Niger.

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EgyptUS Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence R. Silverman asserted

the depth of Egypt-US relations, praising Egypt’s vital role in the Middle East region. In a statement to MENA correspon-dent in Kuwait, Silverman said cooperation between Cairo and Washington since US President Donald Trump assumed office had been on the rise at various levels in view of the two states’ common resolve to combat terrorism and dry up its financing resources.

The Trump administration had decided to unfreeze $195 million in military aid to Egypt which it had previously with-held because of concerns over Egypt’s human rights record, a US State Department official said.

The chairman of a US House of Representatives subcommit-tee on national security said that the Muslim Brotherhood had committed numerous acts of terrorism and that the “jihadist ideology” had continued to fuel the group despite its renunci-ation of violence decades ago.

Egyptian experts met with the US Immigration and Customs

Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) experts in Alexandria to exchange knowledge and explore best practices in combating fraudulent document pro-liferation.

Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr was expected to travel to the US to participate in the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council and meet with officials from the World Bank.

MoroccoIn Morocco, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

head Scott Pruitt, who had been lauded by President Donald Trump for his aggressive efforts to roll back environmental regulations, resigned under heavy fire for a series of ethics-re-lated controversies.

TunisiaThe “Arab Opinion Index,” a poll of nearly 19,000 respon-

dents across the Arab world, indicated increasingly negative views of US foreign policy. They sought to be driven in part by US President Donald Trump’s support of Israel, criticism of Palestinian leaders and the decision to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley slammed Arab and Islamic states for talking a lot about supporting Palestinians but not giving more money to help, calling out countries such as Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Haley listed how much those countries, along with Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistan, Oman, Iran and Turkey, had given — or not given — to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

AlgeriaIn the era of president Donald Trump, Africa had slid far off

the White House’s agenda, so former president Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya and South Africa had been met with a great sense of nostalgia. During his presidency Obama cham-pioned stronger ties with the continent, including with lon-gest serving leader of Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

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Crude futures fell sharply in European trading, as signals of rising output from the US and OPEC members offset a string of supply strains, including a strike at Norwegian oil fields and a kidnapping at the Sharara field in Libya.

In the wake of the Iraq “surge” from 2006 to 2008, it looked like the US had cracked the code for defeating insurgencies in Libya: putting boots on the ground to provide services and security that win cooperation from civilians and defecting mili-tants.

US and Western officials were considering an eventual emer-gency release of stockpiled oil if new supplies could not pre-vent another sharp rise in prices, according to people familiar with the matter.

In Egypt, US soybean exports surged in the second quarter, delivering an outsize boon to economic growth even as China shifted much of its sourcing to Brazil in response to its worsen-ing trade relations with the US.

Saudi Arabia’s state oil company announced that it would suspend all shipments through the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb after an attack on its tankers off the coast of Yemen.

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Minor media coverage

Education Six young and entrepreneurial Egyptians were among

200 Africans to be selected in the inaugural class of a pro-gram run by the Obama Foundation aimed at bringing together young leaders from across Africa. The 2018 ’Leaders: Africa’ program brings together 200 ’emerging leaders’ from across 44 countries to explore “new ways to take on the biggest challenges in their communities”.

28 girls from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt partici-pated in the US government tech exchange program.

Business & InvestmentsUS oil producer Apache signed a $9 billion deal with

Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum to explore and produce oil and gas in the Western Desert. US’s STG Group said it would set up a phone assembly plant in Morocco .

The Presidential Council issued a resolution that allowed the General Electricity Company of Libya GECOL to con-clude a contract with GE Power worth Dr30 million to pro-vide technical services in gas-fired power stations.

Tourism, Travel & LeisureIn Morocco, Home plate at Dunkin’ Donuts Park was brief-

ly transformed into a federal courtroom on Wednesday as 50 people from 22 nations took the oath of allegiance and became United States citizens.

France’s foreign minister visited Libya to encourage hold-ing elections in the north African country as part of a recon-ciliation agreement reached by the country’s main political rivals in Paris in May.

Entertainment30 Tunisian exhibitors took part in the Summer Fancy

Food Show in New York. Tunisian participation was to pro-mote a rich and diversified offering of agro-food products, namely: olive oil, dates, pasta and canned food.

Moroccan TV featured Hello, Maroc!, the first TV show written and hosted by an American woman in Fusha, or for-mal Arabic.

Health & Food issuesWith two grants of $1.9 million, the US Grains Council and

its partners created a new regional training centre based in Tunisia to address these issues by providing training for feed production and improved animal nutrition across all sectors of the region’s feed industry.

Egypt’s faltering economy was forcing authorities to become explicit about family planning, one the most pri-vate of matters in this traditional, Muslim country. As Egypt’s population hits the milestone of 100 million, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi rolled out a campaign called “Two is Enough.”

africa media analysis report - wits university · east africa reported the highest media coverage...

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