uproar after Kenya president brands courts "corrupt"

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenya's president William Ruto has come under heavy criticism following comments he made on the country's judiciary.

Speaking at a a function on Tuesday, Ruto said that "corrupt" judges were conspiring with "cartels" to frustrate his administration's projects.

Since taking office in September 2022, the president has introduced two hugely unpopular new taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis.

In his remarks, Ruto warned that "judicial impunity" would be stopped and threatened to disobey court orders.

Chief Justice Martha Koome was quick to respond, saying that the president's comments jeopardised Kenya's rule of law and would allow public suspicion and distrust in the judiciary to grow.

Kenya’s Judicial Service Commission said in a separate statement that it had noted the president’s remarks “with concern”.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga said Ruto’s threats against the judiciary amounted to intimidation and disregard for the rule of law.

In a statement published on Wednesday, Ruto defended his comments and said he vowed to continue fighting corrupt practices. 

He also posted on Twitter, writing that "we will root out the corrupt" and "the impunity of bribing judges so as not to derail, delay, or sabotage Kenya’s imminent transformation will never happen under my watch."

The Law Society of Kenya has called for countrywide peaceful protests next week "in support of the rule of law and in solidarity with the judiciary".

In a statement, its president Eric Thueri said that "the President, as the foremost custodian of the rule of law, should refrain from undermining the judiciary and instead, utilize legal avenues at his disposal to challenge decisions that he finds aggrieving."

AU commission chair calls for mutual respect between Ethiopia, Somalia

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat is calling for calm and mutual respect between the Governments of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia amid efforts by the international community to de-escalate simmering tensions. 

Faki says he has been closely following proceedings resulting from signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and the region of Somalia (Somaliland).

The African Union Commission Chairperson urging the two countries to refrain from any action that unintentionally may lead to a deterioration of the good relations between the two neighboring Eastern African countries even as he underscored the imperative to respect unity, territorial integrity and full sovereignty of all African Union member states.

According to Faki, there is need to adhere to the norms of good neighborliness to promote and consolidate peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa region urging the two countries to engage without delay in negotiations to settle their differences in the most constructive, peaceful and collaborative manner to consolidate and deepen their cooperation to serve peace and security in the region.

SA army dismisses ex-officer's threat to remove president

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has swiftly distanced itself from alarming statements made by a former commander, Sylvester Mangolele, who recently surfaced in a video circulating widely on social media.

The former Lieutenant Commander in the SA Navy, Sylvester Mangolele

In the video, Mr. Mangolele explicitly called for the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa from office, setting a tight ultimatum of 48 hours for the president to step down or face forceful eviction.

The former officer justified his demand by pointing to alleged constitutional violations committed by President Ramaphosa.

The video, which gained traction on Tuesday, has stirred considerable concern and speculation across the nation. In response to this development, the SANDF has taken a clear stance, emphasizing its non-involvement in political matters and disavowing any connection to the ex-commander's call for presidential removal.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, the army distanced itself from Mr Mangolele's comments, saying that he does not speak on behalf of SANDF.

“The SANDF condemns Sylvester Mangolele’s utterances with (the) contempt it deserves,” said SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini.

The former Lieutenant Commander in the SA Navy, Sylvester Mangolele was dismissed from the defence force in 2018, due to misconduct.

US quietly reaches agreement with Qatar to keep operating largest military base in Middle East

WASHINGTON, US

The United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years, three US defense officials and another official familiar with the agreement told CNN.

The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.

The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Al Udeid last month where he thanked Qatar for their increased spending on the base.

But he made no mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas leaders. Qatari officials have countered that it was only after a US request during the Obama administration that Hamas was allowed to open a political office in Doha.

The base has been a pivotal hub for the US Central Command’s air operations in or around Afghanistan, Iran and across the Middle East. The Qatari and British Air Forces also operate from the base.

The extension comes as the US has bolstered its presence in the region amid escalating threats from Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

After Hamas kidnapped some 240 hostages from Israel on October 7, Qatar has been the primary go-between with Hamas to broker the initial release of scores of the Israeli and international hostages. It continues to be central in the talks to try to revive hostage negotiations, coordinating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad, as well as Egypt.

Their part in the months of negotiations over Americans detained by Venezuela was less public but came to light after President Nicolas Maduro released 10 Americans last month in exchange for a close ally accused by the US of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars.

Qatar’s involvement in both sets of negotiations has been seen as an extension of the mediating role the country has taken on with other US enemies, including Iran and the Taliban. Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight, analysts say.

Bottom of Form

While their hosting of Hamas leadership was no secret, the brutality of the October 7 massacre in Israel has ignited criticism of Qatar and calls for them to expel Hamas.

President Joe Biden has spoken about his conversations with Qatar’s emir but at times hasn’t given them the credit they feel they deserve. Biden did not mention Qatar in a November op-ed in The Washington Post, while Egypt and other Middle East allies were referenced. Nor did Biden highlight Qatar’s part in the release of the detainees in Venezuela in his official statement.

The Pentagon also declined CNN’s request for comment Tuesday.

Thousands of Afghans were flown from Kabul to Al Udeid during the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. US military personnel struggled to provide for the massive influx of refugees from what Biden called “one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history.”

Qatar has committed billions of its own funds upgrade the facilities for US Airmen at the base. Al Udeid became CENTCOM’s main air base in 2003, shifting forces and assets from the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where the presence of a large number of American military personnel was more sensitive and controversial.

While Austin didn’t announce the extension of the Al Udeid agreement during his visit at the base last month, he did say that the US and Qatar “will formally take steps forward to expand and reinforce our bilateral defense relationship.”

“We’ll do this through Qatar’s commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come,” Austin added.

Turkey arrests 33 accused of spying for Israel

ANKARA, Turkey

Turkish Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, on Tuesday said that 33 people have been arrested for spying for Israil in a major operation. “We will never allow espionage activities against the national unity and solidarity of our country,” Yerlikaya said.

The operation was jointly run by the Turkish Police and National Intelligence Agency, MIT, in eight provinces.

Yerlikaya said the operation was conducted “after it was determined that the Israeli intelligence service [Mossad] aimed to carry out tactical activities such as reconnaissance, pursuit, assault and kidnapping against foreign nationals residing in our country”.

During the operation, 143,830 euros and 23,680 US dollars in cash were seized in addition to weapons, bullets and digital materials.

Israel’s military operation in Gaza against Hamas, which has reportedly killed over 22,000 people, remains a major domestic issue in Turkey.

A court on January 1 arrested university student Ege Akersoy for punching a man who carried a “Tajweed” flag associated with jihadists who was returning from a Free Palestine march in Istanbul organised by the pro-government Turkish Youth Foundation, TUGVA – an Islamist NGO run by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s family.

The flag is used by Islamist jihadists as well as those who call for the restoration of a caliphate – an Islamic polity ruled by a caliph.

Akersoy was arrested for punching the man but others who attacked the student in front of police walked free.

At another event, Islamist groups called for the restoration of a caliphate, claiming that “the salvation of the Palestine can only be with the Caliphate,”. The caliphate has became a major topic in social media, further polarising Turkish society.

The Istanbul Bar Association called on the authorities on Tuesday to start legal proceedings against those who call for the restoration of the caliphate. “None of the rights and freedoms included in the Constitution can be used in activities aimed at eliminating the democratic and secular republic,” the Association said in a statement.

The last Caliph was Abdulmecid Efendi, a prince of the Ottoman dynasty. The Caliphate was abolished in 1924 after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded Turkey’s modern secular republic.

Turkey has accused Israel of genocide against Palestines since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and since Israeli striikes killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza. While many Western countries designate Hamas a terrorist organisation, President Erdogan has defined it as a group of “freedom fighters”.

According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza on Tuesday, at least 22,185 Palestinians including women and children have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. The death toll on the Israeli side stood at 1,400.

More than 100 killed in 'terrorist attacks' near tomb of Iranian Guards' Soleimani

By Parisa Hafezi, DUBAI UAE 

Two explosions killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran on Wednesday to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a U.S. drone in 2020, Iranian officials said, blaming unspecified "terrorists".

Iranian state television reported a first and then a second blast after 20 minutes during a crowded fourth-anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman.

No one claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the "heinous and inhumane crime", and Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge for the bloody twin bombings.

"Cruel criminals ... must know that they will be strongly dealt with from now on and ... undoubtedly there will be a harsh response," Khamenei said in a statement, according to state media.

Several countries, including Russia and Turkey, condemned the attacks, and the U.N. Secretary-General called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Iranian Health Minister Bahram Eynollahi told state TV the death toll was at 95, down from 103, and said 211 others were injured, making it the deadliest attack in the history of the Islamic Republic, which has faced similar incidents in the past from various groups, including Islamic State.

Iran has in the past blamed Israel for attacks on individual people or places within its borders - claims which Israel has neither confirmed nor denied - but there was no indication of any involvement of a foreign state in the cemetery explosions.

The U.S. has seen no indication Israel was behind the blasts, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said.

An unnamed official told state news agency IRNA that "two explosive devices planted along the road leading to Kerman's Martyrs' Cemetery were detonated remotely by terrorists".

Videos aired by Iranian state media showed dozens of bloodied bodies strewn around with some bystanders trying to help survivors and others hurrying to leave the blast area.

"I heard a very loud sound and then felt pain in my back ... then I could not feel my legs," a wounded woman at a Kerman hospital told state television.

Iran's Red Crescent rescuers tended to wounded people at the ceremony, where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani's killing. Some Iranian news agencies said the number of wounded was much higher.

"A terrible sound was heard there, despite all the security and safety measures. The matter is still under investigation," Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman Red Crescent Society, told state television.

Later, the state news agency said the cemetery had been evacuated and closed until further notice. The government announced that Thursday would be a day of mourning.

While the authorities did not publicly assign blame, top commander of Iran's Quds force Esmail Qaani said the attacks were carried out by "the agents of the Zionist regime (Israel) and the United States".

Tehran often accuses its arch enemies, Israel and the United States, of backing anti-Iran militant groups.

State TV showed crowds gathered at the cemetery at night, chanting: "Death to Israel" and "Death to America".

The United States was not involved in any way in the explosions in Iran on Wednesday and has no reason to believe Israel was, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a regular news briefing.

Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement that it will use all international means to identify and bring to justice those involved in the attacks and their supporters. Meanwhile, President Raisi cancelled his planned visit to Turkey on Thursday.

Top Hamas official killed in drone strike in south Beirut

BEIRUT, Lebanon

Senior Hamas official Saleh Al-Arouri was among at least six people killed on Tuesday night in a suspected Israeli drone strike in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh.

Arouri, 57, was a member of the militant group’s politburo and one of the founders of its military wing, the Qassam Brigades. Last year the US offered a $5 million reward for information about him.

A Lebanese security source told Arab News the drone strike had targeted a three-storey building in the Haret Hreik neighborhood that had Hamas offices on the second and third floors. “There is no building built above it, so it was easy to target from the air,” the source said.

Leaders of Hamas’ armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades, Samir Findi Abu Amer and Azzam Al-Aqraa Abu Ammar, were also killed in the Israeli strike, Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV channel said on Telegram.

A security cordon was set up around the scene of the attack, while ambulances rushed to transport the injured to hospital.

After the blast firefighters and paramedics gathered around the building, which had a gaping hole in the third floor. Limbs and other pieces of flesh were visible on the roadside.

After the attack, Israel’s army said its forces were “in a high state of readiness for any scenario.”

“The IDF is at a very high level of readiness, in all arenas, in defense and offense. We are in a high state of readiness for any scenario,” Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a press conference.

“The most important thing to say tonight is that we are focused and remain focused on fighting Hamas,” Hagari said. 

A US defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, said the Israel Defense Forces was responsible for the strike targeting Al-Arouri and that an assessment of whether he had been killed was ongoing, the Washington Post reported. 

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack as a “new Israeli crime” and said it was an attempt to pull Lebanon into the Gaza war.

The Israeli military refused to comment, but Mark Regev, an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said: “Whoever did it, it must be clear: this was not an attack on the Lebanese state. Whoever did this carried out a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership.”

Dahiyeh, where the attack took place, is a Hezbollah stronghold. Palestinian political analyst Hisham Debsi said Arouri had been “living in Lebanon for some time under the protection of Hezbollah, and launched joint operations against Israel from Beirut.”

His death was “a challenge to Hezbollah and puts the party in a dilemma,” Debsi said. “The party’s security has been violated, despite all the measures taken, it is no longer an impregnable fortress and Israel can attack whoever it wants.”

Sierra Leone charges 12 for roles in coup attempt

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone on Tuesday charged 12 people with treason and other offenses for their roles in what authorities have called an attempted coup on November 26, a news release said.

One of those charged was Amadu Koita, whom the government has said was one of the organizers of the coup attempt.

A former soldier and bodyguard of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, Koita was widely followed on social media networks where he criticized the government of current President Julius Maada Bio.

He was arrested December 4 and is one of 85 people — most of them military personnel — who were arrested in connection with the events of November 26.

The 12 alleged perpetrators, including former police officers, were handed charges including "treason, misprision of treason, harbouring, aiding, and abetting the enemy," according to a news release signed by Information Minister Chernor Bah.

Eleven of them were brought before a judge in the capital Freetown, with the case of one of the accused postponed due to illness, the statement said, adding that all had legal representation.

On November 26, armed attackers stormed a military armory, two barracks, two prisons and two police stations, clashing with security forces.

Twenty-one people were killed and hundreds of prisoners escaped before authorities were able to regain control after what they deemed a coup attempt by members of the armed forces.

The violence sparked fears of another coup in West Africa, where Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea have all experienced putsches since 2020.

Year of elections has Africa poised for political shake-up in 2024

By Melissa Chemam, PARIS France

A third of Africa will head to the polls in 2024, with at major issues on the line in at least 18 countries gearing up for an election year. These include coup-hit Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso – if the junta leaders in those countries stay true to their word. From Algeria to South Africa, our correspondent looks at the main polls to watch.

SENEGAL

Population: 18 million

Election: Presidentials

Date: 25 February

In his New Year address, Senegalese president Macky Sall, elected for the first time in 2012, called for peaceful elections after a year marked by violence.

Last year saw staunch opposition protests and a complicated legal battle for Ziguinchor mayor Ousmane Sonko, who ended up in jail in July, and almost lost his right to run.

Despite authorities banned a ceremony declaring his candidacy, Sonko and most opposition parties supporting him managed to hold an online event Facebook on 31 December.

International observers and African political analysts say Senegal is travelling down a dangerous path for a democracy that has long been  considered a beacon of stability in West Africa.

MALI

Population: 23.6 million

Election: Presidential

Date: Expected in February

Mali's military government came to power after a coup in 202, and has since promised to return the country to civilian rule. However presidential elections have been repeatedly delayed.

Polls scheduled for 4 and 18 February have been "slightly delayed for technical reasons", junta spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement in late September.

He also cited a dispute with Idemia, a French company that has provided Mali with biometric passports and that is involved in creating a civil registry database.

At the end of June, voters approved a new constitution – a move that was necessary before organising elections. But the opposition and civil society fears the new constitution may actually help to keep the military in power.

SOUTH AFRICA

Population: 60.7 million

Election: Parliamentary

Dates: Expected between May and August

South Africa is celebrating 30 years of democracy, but the biggest question for 2024 seems to be whether the ruling African National Congress can cling to its now fragile grip on power.

The 2024 election could be a watershed one. For the first time since the end of apartheid, the party that Nelson Mandela led into office is in a real danger of losing a national vote.

This is mainly due to its failure to fight the economic downturn and high unemployment, to deliver on promises regarding crumbling infrastructure and widening inequality, and amid accusations of corruption. 

The political landscape has also become increasingly more competitive. 

RWANDA

Population: 14.3 million

Elections: Presidential and parliamentary

Date: 15 July

Rwanda will hold presidential and parliamentary elections in July, and incumbent President Paul Kagame will seek to extend his three decades in control of the East African country. 

Candidates will be allowed to campaign from 22 June until 12 July, but as Kagame was reelected with more than 90 percent of the vote in elections in 2003, 2010 and 2017, he's largely expected to win again.

His only known challenger is for now Green Party leader Frank Habineza, who announced his intention to run in May.

Kagame has won international acclaim for presiding over peace and economic growth since the end of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed, but he has also faced mounting criticism from human rights groups for the suppression of political opposition and the muzzling of independent media.

Most of his opponents are in jail or in exile.

CHAD

Population: 18.6 million

Election: Presidential

Date: Expected in October

Chadians just saw the promulgation of their new constitution at the end of last week, following a referendum mid-December.

On Monday, the former opposition leader Success Masra was appointed prime minister by transitional leader Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. He will be in charge of organising elections.

Déby took power in 2021 following the death of his father, Idriss Déby, who himself took power in a coup 33 years ago.

He initially promised an 18-month transition to elections.

But last year his government adopted resolutions that delayed elections until 2024 and allowed him to run for president.

Several opposition groups had called for a boycott of the referendum, saying the junta had too much control over the process.

TUNISIA

Population: 12.5 million

Election: presidential

Date: Expected in October

The incumbent Tunisian President Kais Saeid was elected in 2021 and has since increased his powers. He is already a declared candidate.

Tunisia will first go to local election in January, including the selection of the newly created Regional Council, in a test for the opposition, where most parties say they feel pushed out by the regime.

Saeid is expected to win, but a growing economic crisis, marked by inflation and lack of jobs, remains a major challenge for his campaign as much as his potential second term.

GHANA

Population: 34.4 million

Elections: Presidential and parliamentary

Date: 7 December

The incumbent president, Nana Akufo-Addo, is stepping down after serving two terms, and his New Patriotic Party will try to win an unprecedented third consecutive stint in control of the country's top office.

In November, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia won the nomination as Ghana's ruling party presidential candidate in the 2024 election.

He will face the opposition's National Democratic Congress candidate, ex-president John Dramani Mahama, who lost to Akufo-Addo in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Former agriculture minister Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former MP Francis Addai-Nimoh are also running.

Political analysts estimate that the polls are in favour of Bawumia.

But Ghanaians face the worst economic turmoil in years, with a massive debt load and, like most other sub-Saharan African nations, a fallout due to the global pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. 

ALGERIA

Population: 46 million

Election: Presidential

Date: Expected in December

Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been in power in Algeria four years, taking over from Abdelaziz Boutelfika, who was ousted from office in April 2019 after protesters took to the streets to denounce his candidacy for a fifth term.  

The December 2019 vote listed five candidates linked to Bouteflika and was widely boycotted.

Protesters denounced an old political elite, in power since Algeria's independence in 1962.

The anti-government movement, named Hirak, instrumental in pushing president Bouteflika out, gathered pace but has weakened since the Covid period. 

Yet, unlike most of Africa, Algeria is enjoying a growth rate of 4.2 percent, foreign exchange reserves of more than $70 billion and highest non-hydrocarbon exports since 1962, estimated at $7 billion. 

COMOROS

Population: 860,000

Election: Presidential

Date: 14 January

Togo

Population: 9.2 million

Election: Parliamentary

Date: Expected in early 2024

MADAGASCAR

Population: 30.7 million

Election: Parliamentary

Date: Expected in May

MAURITANIA

Population: 4.9 million

Election: Presidential

Date: 22 June

MOZAMBIQUE

Population: 34.4 million

Elections: Presidential and Assembly of the Republic

Date: 9 October

BOTSWANA

Population: 2.7 million

Election: Parliamentary

Date: Expected in October

SOUTH SUDAN

Population: 11.2 million

Elections: Presidentoal and parliamentary

Date: Expected in December

Dates to be announced:

BURKINA FASO

Population: 22 million

Burkina Faso has been ruled since 2022 by a junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who has promised a return to democracy with presidential elections by July 2024.

But increasing jihadist attacks have challenged that timeframe and the polls look as though they will surely be pushed back.

MAURITIUS

Population: 1.3 million

Election: Parliamentary

NAMIBIA

Population: 2.6 million

Elections: Presidential and parliamentary

GUINEA BISSAU

Population: 2.2 million

Election: Presidential

Uganda kicked out of Agoa following controversial anti-gay law

WASHINGTON, US

United States President Joe Biden has officially removed Uganda and three other African countries from the beneficiaries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), effectively ending Kampala’s ability to export certain commodities to the US duty-free.

In a decree dated December 29, President Biden said he has “determined” that the four countries “do not meet the requirements” necessary to allow them to continue benefitting from the trade deal, effecting his earlier stated plans to remove them from the list of beneficiaries.

“Accordingly, I have decided to terminate the designations of the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger, and Uganda as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries for purposes of section 506A of the Trade Act, effective January 1, 2024,” read the statement by Mr Biden.

In an October 2023 letter to the speaker of the US congress expressing his intention to remove the four countries from the list of Agoa beneficiaries, Biden said Uganda has “engaged in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

This came after Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni assented to the anti-gay law passed by the Ugandan lawmakers, which introduced serious repercussions, including life imprisonment or death, for same-sex relations in the country.

Uganda’s expulsion from the deal could destroy thousands of jobs, cause a foreign exchange earnings drought, and low utilisation of raw materials locally, experts have warned.

Since the establishment of the Agoa legislation in 2000 to allow several African countries to export several commodities to the US duty-free, Uganda has been a significant beneficiary of the programme.

In the 12 months to June 2023, Uganda’s exports to the US under Agoa amounted to $8.2 million, about 11.5 percent of Kampala’s total exports to the US in the same period, which totalled $70.7 million, data from the US department of commerce shows.

Over 80 percent of Uganda’s exports under the Agoa programme were from the agricultural sector, which employs about 72 percent of the country’s workforce, indicating that the expulsion could have a significant hit on Kampala’s jobs.

Uganda’s trade with the US is, however, smaller compared to its neighbours Kenya and Tanzania. In the 12 months to June 2023, Nairobi’s exports under Agoa totalled $268 million, representing 47 percent of total exports to the US.

Similarly, Dar es Salaam exported $47 million worth of commodities under Agoa, about 40 percent of its total exports to Washington.

Agoa is set to expire in December 2025, but American leaders, including trade officials, have expressed intentions of having it extended. Uganda could be readmitted into the programme if it shows commitment to meet the set criteria, which could mean scrapping its anti-gay law.

For example, Mauritania, which was suspended from the list in 2018, has just been returned into the fold.

In the region, Uganda now joins South Sudan, Somalia, and Burundi in the list of countries unable to benefit from the preferential trade agreement with the US. Juba was suspended in 2015 due to the rise of ethnic conflicts.

Other countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have been removed from the list are Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Gabon, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, and Sudan.

Hamas leader thanks S. Africa for launching genocide case

CAIRO, Egypt

In a televised address on Tuesday (Jan. 02), the chief of Hamas' political bureau thanked South Africa for launching a case against Israel at the UN's top court.

South Africa alleges that acts and omissions by Israel in the Gaza Strip are genocidal in character in a 84-page long application.

Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh hailed an important lawsuit.

"I applaud all the positions of support and especially the state of South Africa, which filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice against the occupying state for its crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide, and we appreciate the political and legal importance of this lawsuit."

Israel has rejected the accusations.

South Africa asked The Hague-based court to issue an interim order for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza. A hearing into that request is likely in the coming days or weeks. The case, if it goes ahead, will take years, but an interim order could be issued within weeks.

The military branch of the Hamas launched the deadliest attack in Israel on October 7. Some 1,200 people mainly civilians were killed, and hundreds abducted.

 It led to the latest war in the decades’ long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"This aggression will stop under the blows of the resistance and the steadfastness of our people; the occupation has no choice but to respond to the will of our people. I would like to point out here that, in light of the initiatives and offers that reached the leadership of the movement through the brothers in Egypt and Qatar, and after studying these ideas positively, the movement has presented its position and vision to Qatar and Egypt, which is based on a comprehensive cessation of aggression against our people, providing relief to them, and responding to their rightful and just demands."

The Israeli military offensive has killed over 20,000 people in Gaza and worsened a humanitarian crisis.

South Africa has condemned "all violations of international law by all parties, including the direct targeting of Israeli civilians and other nationals and hostage-taking by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups."

South Africa and Israel are both members of the United Nations and are parties to the Genocide Convention.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said on Tuesday he was 'open to the idea' of a single Palestinian administration to govern Gaza, which is ruled by the militant group, and the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian groups have been divided on a common strategy for years.

The U.S. "rejected" Tuesday recent comments made by two Israeli ministers who suggested that Palestinians should be displaced out of Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Monday (Jan. 01st): “We must promote a solution to encourage the emigration of Gaza’s residents.”

Israel ended the withdrawal of its troops and settlers in 2005, ending a presence inside Gaza that began in 1967.

In mid-October, Egypt once again refused to accept what it calls the transfer of Israel's responsibility as an occupying power, including to "provide for the safety of civilians" living under its occupation.

Israel's army said Tuesday (Jan.02) several thousand troops would be taken out of Gaza in the coming weeks, though it has not said publicly whether the withdrawal reflects a new phase of the war.

The move is in line with the plans that Israeli leaders have outlined for a low-intensity campaign, expected to last for much of the year, that focuses on remaining Hamas strongholds.

This will be one of the toughest AFCON tournaments – Sadio Mane

DAKAR, Senegal

Senegal national team captain and talisman, Sadio Mane believes that the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023 will be the toughest compared to previous editions.

The Teranga Lions skipper was speaking to CAFOnline on the nations’ chances of defending the title and what such a feat would mean to him and the nation.

Senegal are pitted in what many have deemed as the group of death where they will be up against Cameroon, Guinea and The Gambia in Group C.

Sharing his views on their tough group and the rest of the competition, Mane said the team was expecting a difficult competition as all the big African nations had qualified for the Cote d’Ivoire edition and would all be aiming to do well.

“We know it won’t be easy but we will be there to do our best and try to go through every round. We are expecting a tough competition. This competition will be one of the strongest since I started playing in it because all the big countries are here and they all have their targets, but we will see what will happen”, said the skipper.

Asked on what it would mean for him personally to lift the title in succession, the 31-year-old star said it would be a special achievement as the TotalEnergies AFCON trophy remains one of the best trophies he has won in his glittering career.  

“Firstly, winning the AFCON was the best trophy I have ever won in my life and coming to do it again will be special and a big achievement. It’s been a dream to play in this competition since I was a kid and we will do our best.  Winning the AFCON will be a big impact for our football because we have won all the other categories which is great for the country” concluded Mane.

Senegal kick off their title defense against The Gambia on Monday, 15 January before the ultimate clash of the Lions when they face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon three days later.

They conclude their Group C campaign against Guinea on Wednesday, 23 January.

All their matches will take place at the Stade Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro which will also play host to a Round of 16 and quarter-finals of the competition.