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Ivory Coast's government on Tuesday accused the opposition of "plotting" against the state after it vowed to set up a rival government following bruising presidential elections won in a landslide by the incumbent, Alassane Ouattara.
The standoff pitched the West African nation deeper into a three-month-old crisis that has claimed several dozen lives, triggering EU appeals for calm and dialogue.
Hours after 78-year-old Ouattara was declared victor with more than 94 percent of the vote, Justice Minister Sansan Kambile accused the opposition of "acts of assault and plotting against the authority of the state."
The Abidjan public prosecutor has been asked to investigate, Kambile said, warning that "all options are on the table."
Opposition leader Pascal Affi N'Guessan had told reporters late Monday that opposition parties and groups were forming a "council of national transition."
"This council's mission will be to... create a transitional government within the next few hours," N'Guessan said.
The goal, he said, was to "prepare the framework for a fair, transparent and inclusive presidential election."
Ouattara's landslide in Saturday's vote had been widely expected -- two opposition leaders had called for a boycott of the ballot and a civil disobedience campaign.
But the protests and bloody clashes have also stirred traumatic memories of a crisis a decade ago that tore the country apart and dealt it lasting economic damage.
Around 3,000 people died after then-president Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by Ouattara.
N'Guessan late Monday said the "transitional council" would be led by opposition veteran Henri Konan Bedie, 86, a former president and long-term adversary of Ouattara.
"Keeping Mr Ouattara as head of state could lead to civil war," he warned.
- Confrontation -
In Abidjan, the economic capital, security forces blocked off roads close to Bedie's villa.
They fired teargas to disperse small groups of supporters and journalists outside, preventing the staging of a press conference called to follow up Monday night's announcement.
In Daoukro, an opposition stronghold 235 kilometres (146 miles) north of Abidjan, anti-Ouattara protesters were manning barricades.
"These results are a farce, " said one, who gave his name as Firmin. "We are going to carry on with civil disobedience until Ouattara steps down."
In contrast, Ouattara supporters sang his praises, saying he had strived to end instability in the world's top cocoa producer and revive its battered economy.
"He has worked hard for the country. He has to carry on, not just for us, but for our children," said Hamed Dioma, a scrap-metal worker in a rundown district of Abidjan.
"We are going to party."
Anger sparked by Ouattara's quest for a third term has revived memories of past feuds left mostly unreconciled after a 2002 civil war split the country in two.
Thirty people died in clashes before Saturday's vote, often between local ethnic groups allied to the opposition and Dioula communities seen as close to Oua
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
In presidential elections in early 2011, incumbent François Bozizé (National Convergence Kwa Na Kwa) won reelection with 64.4% of the vote. In March 2013, Bozizé was ousted by rebels from the northern part of the country. The rebels, who are mostly Muslim and collectively known as Seleka, have been engaged in battles with government troops and said they overthrew Bozizé because he failed to follow through on earlier peace deals. Bozizés presidency was marred by allegations of corruption and cronyism—hardly a surprise in one of the worlds poorest and most unstable countries. Michel Djotodia, the coup leader, assumed power, suspended the constitution, and dissolved parliament. In mid-April he created a transitional national council that named him interim president. He was sworn in as head of state in August and promised to hold free and fair elections within 18 months. The African Union suspended the country in response to the coup, and refused to recognize Djotodia as president.
Djotodia was not able to stem the violence in the country, and CAR spiralled into chaos. Seleka rebels terrorized civilians, and Christian opponents formed their own militias to retaliate and defend themselves and were equally as brutal to Muslims. About 1 million people, in a country of 5 million, fled their homes. Many of those fleeing were farmers and herders, and officials feared that their absence would lead to famine. In October, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the country had experienced total breakdown of law and order, and he authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force. In December, the African Union said it would increase the size of its force there from 3,500 troops to 6,000. France deployed 1,600 soldiers to CAR, a former colony of France. Many feared that CAR was on the brink of experiencing a genocide. In April 2014, the UN authorized a force of 12,000 peace-keeping troops. They were deployed to CAR in September.
At the urging of regional leaders, Djotodia resigned in January 2014 for his failure to stem the
Rwanda continued fighting against the Democratic Republic of the Congo throughout its four-year civil war. Finally, in July 2002, the two countries signed a peace accord: Rwanda promised to withdraw its 35,000 troops from the Congolese border; Congo in turn agreed to disarm the thousands of Hutu militiamen in its territory, who threatened Rwandan security.
In May 2003, 93% of Rwandans voted to approve a new constitution that instituted a balance of political power between Hutu and Tutsi. No party, for example, can hold more than half the seats in parliament. The constitution also outlawed the incitement of ethnic hatred. In Aug. 26 presidential elections, the first since the Rwandan genocide, Paul Kagame, who had served as president since 2000, won a landslide victory. In June 2004, Pasteur Bizimungu, the Hutu who had served as president between 1994 and 2000 (then–vice president Kagame held the real power), was sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of inciting ethnic hatred. Many considered the trial politically motivated.
Economic and social conditions in Rwanda during President Kagames first term improved markedly. He has clamped down on corruption and crime, per capita income doubled between 2000 and 2008, life expectancy increased, and nearly half of the countrys children are completing primary school, compared to 20% pre-Kagame.
In 2004, a French judge asserted that Kagame was responsible for the 1994 downing of a plane that killed the presidents of both Rwanda and Burundi and set off ethnic violence that killed some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu. Kagame vehemently denied the charge. In 2008, Rose Kabuye, a senior aide to Kagame, was arrested at Frankfurt International Airport on a warrant from France and charged in connection with the crash.
A UN court in Dec. 2008 convicted Col. Theoneste Bagosora, a Hutu extremist, of genocide for his involvement in the 1994 massacre of 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu. He is the highest-ranking military official charged in connection with the genocide. Several
Khartoum — The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, on Sunday, expressed deep concern over what it termed as\" May.28 incident \"along the Sudanese-Ethiopian borders, expressing condolence and deep sympathy with the families of the victims in the two countries.
The Sudanese Armed Forces, on Thursday, issued statement on the penetration of the Sudan International borders by Ethiopian Army- supported militia which killed Sudanese Commander and a number of civilians including children.
Statement issued by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said Ethiopia works to contain the situation on the ground to avoid further tensions, calling on the two countries to work together, through the existing military mechanism, to address the circumstances surrounding the incident.
\"
The Ministry strongly believes that there is no honorable reason for the two countries to engage in hostility and calls for continued close cooperation between neighboring local and regional administrations to maintain peace and security in the border areas\" the statement stressed.
The ministry pointed out that the incident\" does not represent the strong relations linking the two countries, affirming that the best means to address such incidents is the diplomatic dialogue which based on the cordial relations and the peaceful co-existence between Sudan and Ethiopia.
Despite being looked upon unfavorably by the populace, Mugabe took 61% of the vote in presidential elections in July 2013, soundly defeating Tsvangirai. Mugabes Zanu-PF party also won 158 out of 210 seats in parliament. Tsvangirai alleged the vote was rigged, but decided against challenging the results, saying he would not get a fair hearing.
Tsvangirai was suspended from his party, the Movement for Democratic Change, in May 2014. His detractors in the party denounced him for failing to defeat Mugabe in 2013s election and accused him of being an undemocratic and incompetent leader.
There was no shortage of drama in Zimbabwe in late 2014, as conspiracy theories and accusations hinted at a succession battle. The state-run newspaper published accusations that Vice President Joice Mujuru had conspired to have Mugabe assassinated, and Mugabes wife, Grace, accused Mujuru of also trying to have her killed. Mujuru, a former guerrilla fighter in the countrys war against white rule, was widely considered the successor to Mugabe. She dismissed the allegations as ridiculous, and she professed her loyalty to Mugabe. Nevertheless, she was ousted from a seat on the governing partys central committee in early December. At the same time, Grace Mugabe was given a leadership position in the party, Zanu-PF. Then, Mugabe fired Mujuru and seven members of his cabinet. He replaced Mujuru with Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, an ally of Grace Mugabe. Observers speculated that Mugabe wants to ensure his loyalists remain in power after he dies.
Gubernatorial candidates Andrew Gillum (Florida) and Stacey Abrams (Georgia) have given the November mid-term elections just the spark it needed. It’s not easy to get voters fired up for non-presidential elections so the national attention these two candidates are getting is inspiring voters in those states. But what about the rest of the country []
By Ramona Mitchell, 15 | Artwork by Jae-Din Bryant, Youth Farm Participants Voting is a very big thing for everyone. It is a collective decision that is used to express an opinion, statement or questions. My name is Ramona Mitchell, I am 15 years old, I am currently a St. Pete resident, and my opinion matters […]
This will also be used to take a stand against the country's own security forces which have allegedly been responsible for the deaths of citizens during the national lockdown.
The ANC's deputy secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, said the campaign, which will be launched on Friday at 19:00, was not only to stand in solidarity with Americans but would also seek to highlight racism in South Africa.
Cosatu's general-secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, said the decision for people to wear black as part of the campaign was meant to conscientise them as they would be deciding whether to remain neutral or to take a stand against racial discrimination.
The alliance partners also expressed their disapproval of attacks levelled against Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who was recently depicted as an ape on social media.
Zeroing in on the acts of the ANC's own government, the alliance secretariat said its campaign wanted to take a stand against acts of brutality meted out by the police and security forces.
In 1972, Kaunda outlawed all opposition political parties. The world copper market collapsed in 1975. The Zambian economy was devastated—it had been the third-largest miner of copper in the world after the United States and Soviet Union. With a soaring debt and inflation rate in 1991, riots took place in Lusaka, resulting in a number of killings. Mounting domestic pressure forced Kaunda to move Zambia toward multiparty democracy. National elections on Oct. 31, 1991, brought a stunning defeat to Kaunda. The new president, Frederick Chiluba, called for sweeping economic reforms, including privatization and the establishment of a stock market. He was reelected in Nov. 1996. Chiluba declared martial law in 1997 and arrested Kaunda following a failed coup attempt. The 1999 slump in world copper prices again depressed the economy because copper provides 80% of Zambias export earnings.
In 2001, Chiluba contemplated changing the constitution to allow him to run for another presidential term. After protests he relented and selected Levy Mwanawasa, a former vice president with whom he had fallen out, as his successor. Mwanawasa became president in Jan. 2002; opposition parties protested over alleged fraud. In June 2002, Mwanawasa, once seen as a pawn of Chiluba, accused the former president of stealing millions from the government while in office. Chiluba was arrested and charged in Feb. 2003.
Although the country faced the threat of famine in 2002, the president refused to accept any international donations of food that had been genetically modified, which Mwanawasa considered “poison.” In Aug. 2003, impeachment proceedings against the president for corruption were rejected by parliament. In April 2005, the World Bank approved a $3.8 billion debt relief package for the country.
In Sept. 2006 presidential elections, incumbent Levy Mwanawasa was reelected. President Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in June 2008 and died in Paris in September. Vice President Rupiah Banda took over as acting president and was elected president
Leaders from Ivory Coast's ruling party have agreed at a closed-door meeting to press President Alassane Ouattara to seek a third term in October's election following the sudden death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibal.
By 1947 the question of black civil rights in the South had become a national issue when a committee President Harry S. Truman appointed to study the issue called for legislation which among other things would to protect voting rights for Southern blacks and provide federal protection against lynching. In response to the report President Truman sent a special message to Congress on the issue on February 2, 1948. That message, the first by a sitting president to address the question of black civil rights, appears below.
To the Congress of the United States:
In the State of the Union Message on January 7, 1948, I spoke of five great goals toward which we should strive in our constant effort to strengthen our democracy and improve the welfare of our people. The first of these is to secure fully our essential human rights. I am now presenting to the Congress my recommendations for legislation to carry us forward toward that goal.
This Nation was founded by men and women who sought these shores that they might enjoy greater freedom and greater opportunity than they had known before. The founders of the United States proclaimed to the world the American belief that all men are created equal, and that governments are instituted to secure the inalienable rights with which all men are endowed. In the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, they eloquently expressed the aspirations of all mankind for equality and freedom.
These ideals inspired the peoples of other lands, and their practical fulfillment made the United States the hope of the oppressed everywhere. Throughout our history men and women of all colors and creeds, of all races and religions, have come to this country to escape tyranny and discrimination. Millions strong, they have helped build this democratic Nation and have constantly reinforced our devotion to the great ideals of liberty and equality. With those who preceded them, they have helped to fashion and strengthen our American faith—a faith that can be simply stated:
Ivorian Dumbo Moves House
Hamed, an Ivorian elephant, although part of the country’s national wildlife pride, has been a bit of a nuisance the last few years to his human neighbours residing within proximity to his old home at the Azagny National Park in Guitry, the Southern region — where he eventually started to destroy farmers’ land and frighten people. “At the beginning, like any elephant, we thought that he was the emblem of Ivory Coast and should be honoured,” said resident Eric Serge. “But after a while, he eventually started to get very aggressive, and the whole community began to worry about his presence.”
Hence, he awaits his relocation on Thursday to his new home at a zoo in Abidjan where authorities hope he will be safe and have less troublesome human encounters.
Colonel Jerome Ake, the country's Deputy Director-General of Forests and Wildlife, said the elephant will go “where there will be no more nuisance.\"
Ivorian Elephant Protection Mission
vorian authorities are on a mission to catch and relocate wild elephants that have disrupted farming communities in a bid to save their dwindling population within the nation. Côte d’Ivoire was once home to more than 1,100 elephants in diverse habitats. Today however, experts estimate that around only 300 remain - dwelling in small groups or in isolation and vulnerable to poachers who seek their ivory tusks for trafficking and foreign markets.
The West African nation is considering adopting a new law to preserve its national elephant populations.
One person was killed and several others injured during largely peaceful demonstrations in Sudan on Tuesday, a government spokesman said, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets demanding faster reform and greater civilian rule in the country’s transition towards democracy.
Waving Sudanese flags, protesters gathered in Khartoum and its twin cities Khartoum North and Omdurman after the government closed roads and bridges leading to the centre of the capital in the largest demonstrations since a transitional government took power late last year following the ouster of Islamist ruler Omar al-Bashir after three decades.
The main demands submitted to the PM include the appointment of the transitional parliament, ending the peace process, replacing the military with civilian governors, announcing the results of June 3 massacre, reforming of the security sector and dismissing the minister of interior and police inspector.
While many protesters expressed their support for Hamdok during Tuesday’s rallies, they renewed their calls for the transitional government to fulfil the agreement.
Hamdok is also pursuing peace talks with rebel groups across the sprawling country, a key priority for both the government and protesters, but no agreement has been reached yet.
Jayasekara, also known as Chokka Malli, was found guilty by the High Court of Ratnapura on July 31 of murdering activist Sunil Perera, popularly known as Shantha Dodamgoda, ahead of presidential elections in 2015. He was sentenced to death along with two others convicted of the same crime. Nonetheless, he took the oath as a […]
The post Murderer on Death Row Sworn In as Member of Sri Lanka’s Parliament appeared first on L.A. Focus Newspaper.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA ZANU PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has claimed that the statement he made at the party’s annual conference last December where he was quoted as saying “if elections fail, we will use any other means necessary” to retain power was not an incitement to commit public violence. Instead, Matemadanda claims he meant that the ruling party was prepared to form a transitional government in the event that elections failed to deliver a clear result. In his answering affidavit filed at the High Court in Harare after being taken to court by the Electoral Resource Centre (ERC) for contravening the Electoral Act, Matemadanda said his remarks were not meant to demean public elections. “The statement that is the basis of this application, if interpreted by a reasonable person, is by no means a threat of violence. Clearly, I stated that “if elections fail”, which is a real possibility in any society, then other means necessary would be employed. However, this does not mean that I do not believe in elections for that would make my position as the political commissar redundant, given that my main task is to mobilise and campaign for the support of the electorate,” Matemadanda submitted. He claimed that he meant that Zanu PF could engage in a power-sharing deal with the opposition if elections were to fail. “I meant any means necessary within the confines of the law. These means may include dialogue, litigation, transitional government or the tried and tested government of national unity. It is, therefore, surprising how the applicant has interpreted the statement ‘any means necessary’ as a synonym of violence, which is wrong and this honourable court should dismiss it as such,” Matemadanda said in his defence. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) fought in Matemadanda’s corner, saying the matter should be dismissed on a technicality. In her opposing affidavit, Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said ERC was not a voter and, therefore, did not have the right to bring the matter before the courts. “The applicant has no locus standi to approach the court for the relief sought in this matter. The issue pursued by the applicant, that of intimidation of voters, is a matter that speaks to and ought to be pursued by individual voters who, in consequence of the words attributed to Matemadanda, have suffered intimidation as defined by the Electoral Act,” she submitted. Further she noted that Zec had referred the matter for investigation to the police and any order coming from the court would be subject to interference with the operations of the independent body. ERC said the statement made by Matemadanda should never be taken lightly as the country had had violent elections in the past. The electoral watchdog cited the violent manner in which Zanu PF refused to cede power after being defeated by the opposition MDC-T in 2008. “His (Matemadanda) utterances cannot be taken lightly. They carry the force of authority and directive to members of the ruling party, war veterans and those that fall under his minis
Bir Lehlou (Saharawi Republic) — The Saharawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH), called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to urgently intervene for the release of Saharawi political prisoners in Morocco, to protect them from possible Covid-19 infection.
Here is the complete text of the letter sent by CONASADH to ICRC of which Saharawi.net received a copy:
\"Request of urgent intervention for the release of Saharawi political prisoners in various Moroccan jails
It is with deep concern that the Saharawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH) addresses you this letter hoping to draw your attention to the dangerous conditions in which Saharawi political prisoners are living in various Moroccan prisons, especially with the alarming spread of Covid-19 infections all over the world, including in Morocco.
The dire conditions of the Moroccan prisons and the alarming lack of the minimum hygienic environment necessary for the protection of prisoners is a permanent threat to the lives of political prisoners, whose only crimes, as evidenced by all international organization, are related to their political views and peaceful activities, as human rights defenders.
The Moroccan regime of occupation arrested those Saharawi political prisoners simply because they were defending theirs and their people's rights to self-determination and independence, which are recognized to them by the UN and other international and regional organizations and instruments.
For all these reasons, Mr. President, CONASADH calls on you and on your organization to immediately and urgently intervene for the release of Saharawi political prisoners and to put an end, not only to their ordeals and possible threats to their lives, but also to a long continuing violation of the international humanitarian law in Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa.
Despite the political turmoil and uncertainty, millions of Egyptians voted in the first round of parliamentary elections on Nov. 28, 2011. The Muslim Brotherhood fared better than expected, winning about 40% of the vote. Even more of a shock was the second place finish of the ultraconservative Islamist Salafists, who took about 25%. The Muslim Brotherhood, however, said it did not plan to form a coalition with the Salafis—an apparent attempt to calm fears that it would assemble an Islamist government. In fact, it said that it planned to form a unity government with secularists and would respect the rights of women and religious minorities.
The second round of parliamentary elections in mid-December were marred by violence. Protesters demonstrating against military rule were beat up and troops assaulted civilians who assembled outside parliament and judges who were enlisted to supervise the vote counting. In response, the civilian advisory council, formed to help the military council gain acceptance with the populace, ceased operations. The move was an embarrassment to the military council. The reputation of the military was further tarnished in late December, when it beat, kicked, and stripped several women who were participating in a womens demonstration against military rule.
After the third and final round of voting, the Muslim Brotherhood emerged as the clear winner, taking 47% of the seats in parliament. The Salafis won 25%, giving Islamists more than 70% of the seats. The first democratically elected parliament in more than 60 years convened in January 2012. Parliament, however, will remain secondary to the military council until the military hands power to a civilian government, which is expected after Mays presidential election. The legislative body was charged with forming a committee to write a new constitution. The Muslim Brotherhood named as many as 70 Islamists, including 50 members of parliament, to the 100-person committee. Given its dominance in parliament and control over the new
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights activist and minister. He was born as Jesse Louis Burns on October 8, 1941 to a 16 year high school student named Helen Burns out of wedlock. Jesse’s biological father was their 33 year old neighbor named Noah Louis Robinson who was married to someone else. His mother married Charles Henry Jackson who legally adopted Jesse, but Jesse remained close to both his biological and adoptive fathers. He grew up in a time of strict racial segregation, went to an all black school and was often taunted by other children for being born out of wedlock. However, he was a bright and active child, was elected the president of the student body and was active in many sports.
He graduated from high school in 1959 and was offered a contract by a professional minor league baseball team. However, he chose to accept a football scholarship to the University of Illinois, which was a predominantly white school. Less than a year later, he transferred to North Carolina Agricultural & Technical College, where the majority of the student body was black. Here he played as a quarterback on the football team and was again elected president of the student body. Anti discrimination sentiment was at an all time high, and Jackson became an active participant in civil rights protests against racial segregation.
Jackson graduated from college with a degree in sociology in 1964. He came to national attention when he began working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He helped to organize protests and marches and was soon given a role in running the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and later made the head of “Operation Breadbasket”, an economic forum of the Chicago branch of the SCLC’s operations that focused on job placements for African Americans. They boycotted white businesses in an attempt to convince them to hire black workers. In 1962, he married Jacqueline Lavinia Brown whom he had met at civil rights demonstrations, with whom he has 5 children.
In 1966, the family moved to Chicago where
Guinea, in West Africa on the Atlantic, is also bordered by Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Côte dIvoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Slightly smaller than Oregon, the country consists of a coastal plain, a mountainous region, a savanna interior, and a forest area in the Guinea Highlands. The highest peak is Mount Nimba at 5,748 ft (1,752 m).
Republic.
Beginning in 900, the Susu migrated from the north and began settling in the area that is now Guinea. The Susu civilization reached its height in the 13th century. Today the Susu make up about 20% of Guineas population. From the 16th to the 19th century, the Fulani empire dominated the region. In 1849, the French claimed it as a protectorate. First called Rivières du Sud, the protectorate was rechristened French Guinea; finally, in 1895, it became part of French West Africa.
Guinea achieved independence on Oct. 2, 1958, and became an independent state with Sékou Touré as president. Under Touré, the country was the first avowedly Marxist state in Africa. Diplomatic relations with France were suspended in 1965, with the Soviet Union replacing France as the countrys chief source of economic and technical assistance.
Prosperity came in 1960 after the start of exploitation of bauxite deposits. Touré was reelected to a seven-year term in 1974 and again in 1981. He died after 26 years as president in March 1984. A week later, a military regime headed by Col. Lansana Conté took power.
In 1989, President Conté announced that Guinea would move to a multiparty democracy, and in 1991, voters approved a new constitution. In Dec. 1993 elections, the presidents Unity and Progress Party took almost 51% of the vote. In 2001, a government referendum was passed that eliminated presidential term limits, thus allowing Conté to run for a third term in 2003. Despite the trappings of multiparty rule, Conté has ruled the country with an iron fist.
Guinea has had ongoing difficulties with its neighbor Liberia, which was embroiled in a long civil war during the 1990s and again in
Sudan’s transitional government announced a major cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, hoping to defuse public discontent over economic collapse and other crises that have tested the country’s path toward democracy.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok accepted the resignation of six ministers, including the finance minister criticized for failing to rescue the plunging economy. He also dismissed the health minister in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak that has hit the country hard.
A government statement named the acting replacements for the seven posts, which also include foreign, energy, agriculture and transportation ministers.
“The trust that the people have given the transitional government obliges us to listen to the voice of the street,” said Hamdok, referring to the sweeping protest movement that toppled longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April last year.
He added that the changes were aimed at meeting “accelerated economic and social changes.”
Following al-Bashir’s ouster, Sudan’s military and pro-democracy protesters reached a power-sharing agreement to form the Sovereign Council, made up of army generals and civilians, to rule the country until elections can be held in 2022. Still, the military has retained the upper hand in many ways.
The Cabinet shake-up was widely expected after hundreds of thousands rallied in Sudan’s major cities again on June 30 to pressure the government for reform.
Protesters demanded the speedy appointment of civilian provincial governors, the formation of a legislative council and the completion of peace deals with rebels in the country’s restive provinces. At the time, Hamdok pledged to take “decisive steps” within two weeks.
Reshuffling gives the government room to appoint several ministers from rebel groups, as a condition of peace negotiations expected to conclude in the coming week.
The Sudanese Revolutionary Front, an alliance of rebel groups, visited the capital of Khartoum this week to discuss a few outstanding points in the deal, such as rebels’ participation in the yet-to-be-formed legislative council.
Sudan has for decades been convulsed by insurgencies in the west and south, and last year’s power-sharing deal required the government reach a peace agreement within six months. Although the deadline has expired, Khartoum wants to ink a settlement and reduce military spending, which takes up 80% of the budget.
Heba Ali, a key official in the finance ministry, was appointed to replace Finance Minister Ibrahim Elbadawi, who inherited a collapsed economy after decades of mismanagement under al-Bashir.
Elbadawi was spearheading ambitious economic reform plans sought by foreign donors and the International Monetary Fund, which included painful steps like the slashing of fuel and other subsidies.
Earlier this week, in a move toward restructuring Sudan’s unwieldy security apparatus, Hamdok fired the police chief and his deputy, apparently over ties to al-Bashir.
The reshuffle seems unlikely to satisfy demonstrators, said Osman Mirghani, a Sudanese analyst an
[DW] On October 31, Ivorians will elect a new leader. President Alassane Ouattara is running for a third controversial term. The opposition is urging supporters to shun the poll -- a political crisis appears imminent.
[Radio Dabanga] Bangui -Former Darfur janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, who has been indicted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was arrested in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday, Radio Dabanga has been informed by reliable sources.
Ivory Coast's government says it has decided to favorably consider requests on the restructuring of the Independent Electoral Commission.
The decision comes on the proposal of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Commission chaired by General Francis Béhanzin.
The government also expressed its support for a meeting between the President Alassane Ouattara and the President of the PDCI, Henri Konan Bédié, with a view to the participation of the opposition in the presidential election of 31 October 2020.
The information was made public in a statement read by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Sidiki Diakité, at the end of a working session chaired by Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 in Abidjan. A meeting that brought together the government, the ECOWAS Peace and Security Commission and opposition political parties. The PDCI and the FPI did not respond to the invitation.
According to Sidiki Diakité, the government decided to consider favorably the requests on the restructuring of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) made by the opposition after exchanges with this ECOWAS commission. These requests relate to \"the integration of a fifth personality into the central commission of the IEC in the name of the opposition, the granting of a post of vice-president to the PDCI in the office of the central commission of the IEC and the recomposition of the local IECs\".
The participants also deplored the violent demonstrations that have been recorded in recent weeks and which have resulted in loss of life, serious injuries and significant property damage.
In addition, the government called on the political parties to lift, without delay, the watchword of civil disobedience, to commit themselves definitively to the path of dialogue and to work for a peaceful presidential election on Saturday, October 31, 2020.
Hamed Bakayoko thanked ECOWAS for its \"engagement with stakeholders to help move forward in the negotiations\".
The ECOWAS delegation led a ministerial mission of preventive diplomacy to Côte d'Ivoire from 18 to 19 October.
