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19 November 2004
Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Warned Not to Call for Further Sanctions
Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Thursday it would continue to support targeted sanctions against top officials, despite a warning that the party leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, may not be allowed back home from his European tour if he lobbied for further sanctions against President Robert Mugabe...
...Until recently the MDC has largely been snubbed by African leaders. But according to Pretoria-based analyst, Chris Maroleng, the tide seems to be changing. Tsvangirai received, according to Themba Nyathi, a positive reception while canvassing support from African leaders for electoral reforms in Zimbabwe.
Maroleng said the apparent about-face of African leaders was due to a 'deeper understanding' that Zimbabwe's current problems were 'not so much about land as about poor governance'.
Africa Takes Election Test
Botswana and Namibia were the first two countries to go to the polls after the new election charter for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was accepted in August...
...Chris Maroleng of the Institute for Security Studies believes the SADC rules are 'a good sign, but not nearly enough'. He is looking for real changes in institutions such as the parliament, courts, police and the defence force that are supposed to protect democracy. The election standards are only useful if supported by 'serious penalties' against countries that ignore the rules. 'With laws that obviously advantage Zanu-PF, as well as the mobilisation of paramilitary organisations such as the youth brigade and war veterans, its seems unlikely that Zimbabwe will have free and fair elections,' Maroleng explains. He believes the elections should rather be postponed.
18 November 2004
Organised Crime in Pretoria
Laudium is believed to be the centre of a multi-million-rand platinum and precious metal smuggling operation ...
... Charles Goredema, of the Institute for Security Studies, said the triad's partnership with another crime syndicates was surprising. 'Triads tend to operate alone. In this instance, it is possible the triad is using the expertise of an unrelated syndicate to expand their perations,' he said. Goredema said triad activity in South Africa did not traditionally involve dealing in precious metals. 'This appears to be a new development.' 'It should be of concern in terms of combating organised crime,' said Goredema.
Mozambique: Consititutional Amendments Welcomed
Joao Porto, head of the African Security Analysis programme at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies, noted that the introduction of an impeachment process in Mozambique signalled 'to some extent' a commitment to tackling potential corruption 'at the highest level'.
According to another analyst, the adoption of a new national anthem signalled a maturing democracy.
"Previously, the national anthem was the same as Frelimo's [the ruling party], but the adoption of an independent anthem symbolises a break between the party in power and the state. This is significant for improving democracy," Ana Leao, a senior ISS researcher told IRIN.
UN Security Council Briefing: Darfur Situation Deteriorating
In his monthly briefing on Sudan, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, Jan Pronk, suggests a three-pronged approach to reverse the current trend and states that the Darfur situation is deteriorating, with tension at highest level and fighting more widespread.
17 November 2004
China Increases Focus on Africa
Analysts, such as Jakkie Cilliers of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa, believe China is more likely to grant loans than make donations to African countries which would push Chinese companies to the forefront in terms of oil sector participation in Africa in the coming decade. Angola and other African nations are likely to welcome Chinese loans given that there are no political conditions attached to them.
Cilliers stated in a recent interview that his impression of China 'is very much that politics follows economic development' and that current 'Chinese political and geo-strategic expansion is following [China's] absolutely phenomenal economic growth'.
UN Security Council Imposes Arms Embargo on Côte d'Ivoire
Deploring the resumption of hostilities in Côte d'Ivoire and the repeated violations of the ceasefire of 3 May 2003, the Security Council this evening imposed an immediate 13 month arms embargo on Côte d'Ivoire and gave the Ivorian parties to the conflict until 15 December to implement their commitments under the existing peace process or face further restrictions on travel and finance.
16 November 2004
First International Great Lakes Summit
The ministers from Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo (Republic of) Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and the host country Tanzania, will thoroughly examine the first draft Declaration which was the outcome of the Third and last meeting of the Regional Preparatory Committee in Kampala last week. The First of these meetings was held in Bujumbura, Burundi in September while the Democratic Republic of Congo hosted the Second in Kinshasa last month.
At the Dar es Salaam meeting, the ministers are expected to come up with the final version of the draft Declaration and will subsequently submit it to the Heads of state for adoption and signature on Saturday November 20, thus making it the Dar es Salaam Declaration.
The International Conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes Region was proposed by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan and is being co-chaired by the United Nations and the African Union. Its objective is to find a lasting solution to the multiple and endemic problems facing the region and to create conducive environment and tools for security, stability, reconstruction and development.
(Source: African Union)
Entry Into Force of SADC Firearms Protocol
This is a significant achievement for Southern Africa as it represents the first legally-binding treaty to regulate small arms in Africa. The impetus behind the ratification should lead to a reinvigoration of the work of the SADC small arms committee and greater political action on small arms in the subregion.
The countries that have ratified the Protocol are: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia. The countries that remain to ratify are the DRC, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Angola.
15 November 2004
Namibia goes to the polls
President Sam Nujoma called on Namibians to vote on Monday as he cast his ballot on the first day of elections in the Southern African country that are set to hand victory to the veteran leader's hand-picked successor.
ISS End of Year Reception and Annual Council Meeting
The function brings together senior members of the diplomatic community, senior government officials, members of the international donor community, academia and members of civil society. The reception will also see the launch of the new ISS logo.
For more information, please contact Grace Mulinge (grace@iss.org.za, tel +27 12 346 9500).
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