Barrick and Twiga Minerals partnership drives sustainable value creation in Tanzania economy

By Osoro Nyawangah, SHINYANGA Tanzania

Barrick Gold Corporation has injected over $4.24 billion into the Tanzanian economy since establishing the Twiga Minerals joint venture with the government in 2019, contributing $888 million in 2024 alone. 

Barrick President and CEO Mark Bristow

Twiga Minerals comprises the North Mara and Bulyanhulu gold mines by the Lake Victoria zone.

At a media briefing in Bulyanhulu town Shinyanga region, Barrick President and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Bristow said the Twiga partnership remained a leader in Tanzania’s extractive industry, creating thousands of jobs, supporting local businesses and funding critical community projects.

“We spent $573 million on national suppliers and service providers last year, representing about 83% of our total spend in-country.  Additionally, 75% of all our payments to suppliers and service providers went to indigenous companies, exceeding our target of 61%.” Bristow said.

Thanks to Barrick’s policy of local employment and advancement, 96% of its 6,185-strong workforce are nationals with 53% coming from the communities neighbouring the mines. 

Bristow said Barrick also invested over $5 million during the year in potable water, healthcare and education, taking the total investment in community projects to $15.8 million since Barrick formed Twiga Minerals partnership with the Government and assumed operational control of the Tanzanian mines in 2019.

Bulyanhulu and North Mara production guidance for 2024 exceeded 500,000 ounces maintaining the status as a Tier One complex and, additionally, both mines achieved a full year without a Lost-Time Injury. 

The CEO said Buzwagi made significant progress with its closure implementation and environmental management and monitoring progressed with a focus on water management and vegetation maintenance.  

“The Barrick Academy, which opened at Buzwagi in 2024, is making significant strides in developing talent for Barrick.  With a focus on training foremen, supervisors and superintendents, the Academy has already trained 1,700 individuals and is on track to exceed its target of training over 2,800 people by the end of 2025.” He said. 

According to the Barrick President, Twiga Minerals received numerous accolades in the past year, including recognition for its safety, top employer, environmental performance and community engagement.  In 2024 North Mara was recognized as the largest economic contributor in Tanzania’s extractive industry and received several awards for its commitment to occupational health and safety, corporate social responsibility, and local content compliance.

“Barrick’s work in Tanzania is a model for sustainable mining that balances economic, environmental, and social responsibility.” said Bristow adding that the recognition they received, speaks to their commitment to excellence and the value they bring to their host countries.” osoropj@gmail.com

Trump says plans to speak to North Korea's Kim

WASHINGTON, United States

United States President, Donald Trump, said in an interview broadcast on Thursday that he plans to seek to engage North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, anew after the two men developed a working relationship in Trump's first term.

"I'll reach out to him again," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity.

"I got along with him," Trump said of Kim. "He's not a religious zealot."

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 24/01/2025

Gabon announces date for Presidential election

LIBREVILLE, Gabon

Gabon will hold a presidential election on April 12, the council of ministers said. The military currently rules the West African country following a coup in August 2023.

“Under this decree, the electoral college is convened on Saturday, April 12, 2025,” a government statement, issued late Wednesday after a ministerial cabinet meeting, said.

The announcement comes after the adoption last Sunday by Gabon's parliament of a new electoral code, which sets out the rules and conditions for organizing elections in the country.

ALSO READ: Gabon approves new electoral law seen as win for junta leader

The legislation, which requires approval by the Constitutional Court, is controversial as it authorizes military personnel to be candidates in all political elections in the country, which was not possible in the past.

It could allow Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who led the 2023 coup that overthrew former president Ali Bongo Ondimba, to run for his first presidential term.

Gabon's constitution, which was adopted by referendum in November, sets the presidential term at 7 years, renewable once.

Iraq passes laws that could legalise child marriage

BAGHDAD, Iraq

Iraq has passed amendments to a law that would in effect legalise child marriage. Currently the legal age for marriage in most cases is 18, but the amendments that were passed on Tuesday 21st January 2025 would allow clerics to interpret this law based on their interpretation of Islamic law.

This means that the law would effectively reduce the legal age of marriage from 18 years old to nine years old for girls, and 15 for boys. Those opposed to the changes say that this would disproportionately affect women and girls and have a disastrous effect on their human rights, violate the rights of children, and “disrupt the protection mechanisms for divorce, custody and inheritance for women.”

Those backing the changes defend them as a means to align the law with Islamic principles and to reduce western influence on Iraqi culture. However, the passing of the law caused controversy during the parliamentary session due to the voting process. 

Three laws, which are all supported by different groups in Iraqi parliament, were voted on together. This meant that half of the country’s lawmakers did not vote and many protested the process. This may mean that a legal appeal will be lodged with the federal court.

Savera UK CEO and founder, Afrah Qassim, said: “We are outraged to hear this shocking news today. If this vote stands it will see Iraq roll back progress made when marriage under the age of 18 was banned in 1959 and put children at risk of abuse and harm, as well as stripping away the rights of women and girls.

“The excuse of reducing western influence on Iraqi culture does not stand. Child and forced marriage is not a part of any culture or faith, it is abuse and a violation of human rights.

“The process used in the vote also means that this law has been passed without proper voting. We urge those within parliament opposed to it to challenge this decision and stand up for the human rights of the children who would be harmed by this law.

“We stand in solidarity with all those opposed to this law change and will take action necessary to apply pressure on Iraq’s lawmakers to prevent this law from coming into effect. Together we will end child marriage for good, everywhere in the world.”

 

Trump warns Russia, others of tariffs, if Ukraine deal not reached

WASHINGTON, United States

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that he would impose new tariffs along with his threat of sanctions if Russia does not construct a deal to end the war in Ukraine, adding that the sanctions could also be applied to "other participating countries".

In a post on Truth Social, Trump clarified and adjusted his earlier remarks from Tuesday, indicating that he would likely implement sanctions against Russia if President Vladimir Putin remained unwilling to negotiate a resolution to the nearly three-year-long conflict.

“If we don’t make a ‘deal,’ and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and various other participating countries,” Trump stated.

Trump’s post did not specify the nations he considered to be involved in the conflict or clarify his definition of participation.

The administration of former President Joe Biden imposed extensive sanctions on thousands of entities across Russia’s banking, defence, manufacturing, energy, technology, and other sectors following Moscow’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The war has caused tens of thousands of deaths and left cities in ruins.

Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy commented on Trump’s remarks, stating that Moscow would need to understand what Trump considers a “deal” to end the conflict in Ukraine.

“It’s not merely the question of ending the war,” Polyanskiy told Reuters. “It’s first and foremost the question of addressing root causes of Ukrainian crisis.”

During his campaign leading up to the November 5 election, Trump repeatedly claimed that he would secure a deal between Ukraine and Russia on his first day in office, if not earlier. However, his aides have acknowledged that such an agreement could take months or even longer.

Before this month, the U.S. Treasury imposed its toughest sanctions yet on Russia’s energy revenues. These measures targeted oil and gas producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas and 183 vessels linked to the so-called dark fleet of tankers, aiming to bypass other Western trade restrictions.

Trump has leveraged the threat of tariffs to achieve objectives unrelated to trade, such as pressuring Mexico, Canada and China to curb illegal migration and reduce the flow of deadly opioid fentanyl into the United States.

These three nations are the largest trading partners of the U.S., collectively accounting for over $2.1 trillion in annual bilateral trade. In contrast, Russia ranks much lower, with U.S. imports from the country decreasing sharply—from $29.6 billion in 2021 to just $2.9 billion during the first 11 months of 2024.

In 2014, the U.S. imported $13.5 billion of petroleum products from Russia. However, this figure has dropped to zero following sanctions related to the Ukraine conflict. Similarly, imports of other major categories from a decade ago, such as semi-finished steel and pig iron, have also ceased entirely.

Despite these declines, the U.S. imports significant quantities of Russian fertilisers, valued at approximately $1.4 billion in 2023. Other imports include over $1 billion each of uranium, used for nuclear power, and precious metals such as palladium and rhodium, essential for automotive catalytic converters.

“One way to hit Russia hard would be to sanction and halt the use of Russian wood in finished wood products originating from China, Vietnam and other countries,” stated Tim Brightbill, a trade attorney at the Wiley Rein law firm in Washington.

Regarding other participants, the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on entities in North Korea and Iran for providing weapons to Russia and on Chinese entities supplying components and other goods supporting Russia’s war effort.

Trump declared he was “going to do Russia, whose Economy is failing, and President Putin, a very big FAVOR. Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!”

The negotiating stances of the two warring sides remain significantly divergent, and some Ukrainians are concerned they might be compelled to make substantial concessions after three years of intense combat. The conflict has evolved into a war of attrition, predominantly fought along the front lines in eastern Ukraine, resulting in a staggering number of casualties on both sides.

UN chief urges global collaboration to address mounting challenges

DAVOS, Switzerland

The United Nations (UN) chief on Wednesday issued a stark warning about the mounting challenges facing humanity, including the climate crisis and geopolitical divisions, and urged the global community to work together to tackle them.

Addressing the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world was confronting a "Pandora's box of troubles" and emphasized that collaboration is the key to addressing these challenges.

He painted a dire picture of the climate emergency, likening humanity's dependence on fossil fuels to a "Frankenstein monster" that spares no one.

"Our fossil fuel addiction is a Frankenstein monster, sparing nothing and no one. All around us, we see clear signs that the monster has become the master," he said. "Sea-level rise, heatwaves, floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires are just a preview of the horror movie to come."

The UN chief urged governments to honor their promises by delivering new climate action plans ahead of the COP30 climate change conference in Brazil. He also called on financial institutions to support the energy transition in developing nations.

Guterres turned his focus to artificial intelligence, acknowledging its potential to revolutionize sectors like healthcare, education, and crisis response. However, he cautioned against the risks posed by AI, including its potential to disrupt economies and labor markets.

He called for urgent and unified action to address these challenges. "As a global community, we must live up to these great responsibilities, and let's do so by working as well in collaboration as the motto of the World Economic Forum."

Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli attack on West Bank’s Jenin

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has condemned Israeli forces’ attack in the occupied West Bank’s Jenin area, the Saudi Press Agency said early Thursday.

Gunfire and explosions rocked Jenin on Wednesday, an AFP journalist reported, as the Israeli military kept up a large-scale raid for a second day.

The operation, launched just days after a ceasefire paused more than a year of fighting in Gaza, has left at least 10 Palestinians dead, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israeli officials have said the raid is part of a broader campaign against militants in the West Bank, citing thousands of attack attempts since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.

“The Kingdom renews its demand for the international community to assume its responsibilities towards halting Israeli violations of relevant international laws and treaties,” a Saudi foreign ministry statement read.

Saudi Arabia warned that the continuation of these violations might cause the fighting and chaos to return to occupied Palestinian territories, thus risking the security and safety of civilians and undermining chances of peace in the region.

Civilians flee as fighting between M23 and DRC army approaches Goma

GOMA, DR Congo

Civilians have been fleeing the Nzulo camp for displaced people outside Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese army approaches the provincial capital.

The camp is filled with internally displaced people who have already fled at least once in the decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

But amid an uptick in fighting between the Congolese army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, they believe it is no longer safe to stay.

David Kasereka fled on a motorbike on Wednesday with a young child, barely stopping to explain that he was leaving because they noticed the rebels had taken the nearby Ngwiro hill.

“We are fleeing, but we don’t know where we are going because everywhere, the bombs are following us. They are already close to here, and we expect to receive a lot of bullets. That is why we decided to leave the camp,” he said.

Nadège Bauma, like many others in Nzulo, was first displaced due to intense fighting in Sake.

On Wednesday, this mother of six gathered what she could of her belongings and piled them into a minibus so that she and her family could flee again.

“We just learned that the M23 have arrived in Ngwiro, and we decided to leave the area because bullets and bombs are falling. We are afraid,” she said.

Congolese authorities said Tuesday that M23 has seized the town of Minova, a key supply route for Goma just 40 kilometres away.

They have also reportedly captured several mining towns in the region.

The United Nations on Monday said more than 237,000 people have been forced from their homes in the mineral-rich region since the start of the year.

Rights group Amnesty International earlier this week called on the warring parties to stop using explosive weapons in densely populated areas.

The M23, or the March 23 Movement, is a militant group composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army just over a decade ago.

Rwanda denies accusation by the DRC and the United Nations that it supports the group with troops and weapons.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo since 1998 when the conflict began.

More than 7 million people have been displaced.

Numerous diplomatic initiatives by neighbouring countries and others to resolve the conflicts have failed.

Italy under fire for releasing Libya warlord accused of war crimes

ROME, Italy

Opposition parties and NGOs are demanding explanations from the Italian government after Rome released the head of Libya's judicial police, who had been arrested on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Osama Najim - also known as Almasri - is also the director of an infamous detention centre in Mitiga, near Tripoli, which Amnesty International says is the scene of "horrific violations committed with total impunity".

Mr Najim was freed due to a legal technicality, Italian media said, quoting interior ministry sources.

On Wednesday evening, the ICC said Mr Najim had been released by Italy "without prior notice or consultation with the Court" and issued another arrest warrant for him.

He had been arrested on Saturday in Turin, where he had attended a Juventus-Milan football match.

Mr Najim was flown back to Libya on Tuesday night on an Italian government flight. Images shared by local media showed a jubilant crowd welcoming him back with cheers and fireworks.

Shortly after Mr Najim was arrested internal ICC sources were already concerned Italy may release him, said Avvenire, the daily newspaper that first broke the story.

Italian opposition parties have expressed outrage at the release, which Rome has not yet commented on.

Matteo Renzi, former prime minister and leader of a centrist opposition party, asked justice minister Carlo Nordio "to account for his decision before MPs", while Arturo Scotto of the Democratic Party (PD) said Mr Najim was a "Libyan mafia boss" and that Italy - an ICC signatory - had to adhere to international treaties.

Libyan writer and journalist Khalil Elhassi said Italy should explain to the Libyan people why it had released "an extremely dangerous criminal" who he said was "known for taking part in torture of Libyans and migrants".

Two NGOs who work with migrants - Mediterranea Saving Humans and Refugees in Libya - said they had been left "stunned" by news of Mr Najim's release.

"Some of us have suffered torture in the Mitiga camp," the NGOs said in a statement, adding that "any crime committed on [detainees] will fall on the conscience of those who protected and freed a criminal like [Mr Najim]."

According to Amnesty International, Mr Najim headed the Judicial Police wing of the Mitiga prison since 2016 and, from 2021, oversaw various other prisons as director of the Reform and Rehabilitation Institution of the Libyan Judicial Police.

Libya has been splintered since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, is currently divided between two rival governments, as well as by militias.

Right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made frequent trips to Libya and signed agreements with Tripoli.

In October, she said the two countries were bound "deep cooperation" and were working together to fight illegal immigration.

But Italian governments of all stripes have worked with Libyan authorities and militias for years, providing them with financial and technical support under controversial agreements to tackle illegal immigration, including training and funding for the Libyan coast guard which intercepts migrant boats.

As part of this agreement, Libya is expected to help reduce the number of migrants who pass through the country and arrive in Italy.

The people who are intercepted by the coastguard and brought back to shore are often imprisoned in detention camps, where they are subject to inhuman treatment and dire conditions.

Earlier this month, Italy released an Iranian engineer, Mohammad Abedini, who had been detained on suspicion of supplying drone technology that led to the deaths of US soldiers.

It is thought Abedini's release was linked to the case of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who had been freed from a Teheran jail days before.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 23/01/2025

 

Alliance of Sahel States to form 5,000-troop military unit

NIAMEY,  Niger

Three junta-ruled countries in Africa's Sahel region will join forces to create a 5,000-strong unit to fight the jihadist violence that has for years plagued the nations, officials said on Tuesday.

Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali will create a "unified force" within weeks, Niger's defence minister said.

The three nations are former French colonies where the military deposed civilian administrations in putsches between 2020 and 2023.

Following the coups, the three countries distanced themselves from France and last year formed a confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

"In this common space, our forces will be able to intervene together", Niger Defence Minister Salifou Mody said in a televised interview, adding that the 5,000-strong force was "nearly ready".

"This unified force will not only have its own personnel, but aerial, ground and intelligence means and a coordination system", he said, adding that it should be operational within weeks.

Taken together, the three countries are sprawled over an area of some 2.8 million square kilometres (1.1 million square miles) -- roughly four times the size of France -- in Africa's northwest.

They lie in the region known as the Sahel, which stretches between the dry Sahara desert in the north and the more humid savannas to the south.

Each has been wracked by attacks by jihadists allied with either Al-Qaeda or Islamic State for a decade, violence that governments have not been able to eradicate despite help from French forces.

"We are in the same place, we face the same type of threats, especially this threat of criminal groups. We have to join forces", Mody said.

"This is new, original and will provide security for our territories and for our people", he said.

The three countries already carry out joint anti-jihadist operations, especially in the region where their borders meet, where the attacks are the most frequent.

After their coups, the three nations expelled French forces that had been assisting in the battle against jihadists, opted out of the ECOWAS regional organization, deeming it unhelpful for their requirements, and have sought new alliances with countries like Russia, which is aiming to increase its presence in the region.

Firebrand politician to lead Tanzania's main opposition party

By Osoro Nyawangah, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania

Tundu Lissu, a firebrand Tanzanian opposition leader and former presidential candidate, has emerged as the new leader of the country’s largest opposition party, Chadema, defeating long-serving chairman Freeman Mbowe.

Mbowe, who has led the party for 21 years, publicly conceded the loss on his X account, extending his best wishes to Lissu as he takes over the reins of the party ahead of Tanzania’s highly anticipated general elections later this year.

"I open-heartedly received the decisions by the General Meeting of our party CHADEMA concluded this morning 22 January 2025. I congratulate Hon. Tundu Lissu and his colleagues who were entrusted with the responsibility of the party leadership. I wish them all the best in taking our party forward.” He said.

The leadership contest, announced early Wednesday, marked a pivotal moment for Chadema where Lissu scooped 513 votes against Mbowe’s 482 votes.

The meeting also voted John Heche as Vice Chairman (Tanzania mainland) and Said Mzee Said (Zanzibar) respectively.

Analysts noted that the heated race between Mbowe and Lissu exposed internal divisions in the party, which has struggled to unseat the ruling CCM party in past elections.

Lissu is widely known for his outspoken stance on human rights and constitutionalism.

A lawyer and former lawmaker, Lissu survived a near-fatal assassination attempt during the regime of the late President John Magufuli. After spending years in exile, he returned to Tanzania in January 2023, ready to challenge the political status quo.

Initially expressing interest in retaining his vice chairman’s role, Lissu announced his bid for the top position in December 2024. During his campaign, he leaned on his reputation as a fearless advocate for justice, rallying party members to support his leadership vision.

The leadership change comes as Chadema prepares to face Tanzania’s ruling party CCM, which has endorsed President Samia Hassan as its flag bearer for the October general elections.

This will be the party’s first challenge against Tanzania’s first woman president.

Lissu’s victory represents a significant shift in Chadema’s direction as it seeks to strengthen its position in Tanzanian politics and mount a robust challenge against the ruling party in the upcoming polls.

Libyan police chief arrested in Italy for alleged war crimes - reports

TURIN, Italy

The head of Libya's judicial police has been arrested after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant over war crimes allegations, media reports say.

Osama Najim, who directs Tripoli's Mitiga detention centre, was reportedly arrested on Sunday in the Italian city of Turin.

Former detainees from various centres have described abuses, such as routine torture and rape. In 2022, the UN said it had uncovered evidence of "serious rights violations".

Mr Najim was arrested in a hotel following a tip from international police body Interpol, Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported.

Italian migrant rescue charity Mediterranea Saving Humans said the arrest came after a "difficult" ICC investigation involving "years of complaints and testimonies from victims".

An ICC spokesperson did not immediately respond to the BBC's questions.

Mediterranea Saving Humans also criticised the long-standing, controversial deal between Italy, under which Italy trains and funds the coastguard to intercept migrant boats.

As part of this agreement, Libya is expected to help reduce the number of migrants who pass through the country and arrive in Italy.

At the time Mr Najim was arrested, he was with other Libyan citizens and planned to go to a stadium, attorney general Lucia Musti told la Repubblica.

Mr Najim's case has reportedly been forwarded to the justice ministry and and the appeals court in Rome.

Gabon approves new electoral law seen as win for junta leader

LIBREVILLE, Gabon

Gabon's transitional parliament on Monday approved a new electoral code seen by opponents as favourable to junta leader Brice Oligui Nguema.

The bill which was passed after days of deliberations allows members of the security forces and magistrates to contest elections as candidates.

Nguema has promised to return power to civilians but speculation that he desires to run as a presidential candidate is rife.

For its part, the opposition is demanding a formal ban on any military member of the transition committee standing as a presidential candidate.

But members of the junta have recently embarked on a propaganda drive seen by observers as a plan to soften the ground for a potential Nguema candidacy.

The bill also introduces two parliament seats reserved for diaspora Gabonese.

It allows dual nationals to stand as candidates in all elections except the presidential vote without having to renounce their other nationality.

The text also moves the responsibility to organize elections to the interior ministry from that of local government.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 22/01/2025