A blog of the Africa Program
Daily News on Issues Affecting Africa for December 10 2014
Continue reading for a summary of recent news stories relating to some of the most pressing issues on the continent. We draw on a wide range of respected news sources, both from Africa itself and around the world. The themes of today's In the News post are: Climate change, the continued fight against Ebola, ICC and Kenya's leader, the Rockefeller Foundation in Africa, competition between pharmaceutical companies, Oscar Pistorius and the repatriation of M23 rebels to Congo.
Climate Change: It's important that Africa does not pay the price
This week is when it is hoped that there may be some progress on some of the more contentious issues in the high level segment of the climate negotiations in Lima.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the opening ceremony said it was important that countries reach a common understanding on the scope and status of their commitments (INDC) under the new agreement, that there is progress on climate finance.
To read more from the Africa Report, click here.
Head of WHO warns against complacency in the fight against Ebola
The head of the World Health Organisation has warned that the international community must guard against complacency in the fight against Ebola.
Director general Margaret Chan said the disease still poses a significant risk and that efforts to contain the virus in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea must not be relaxed.
To read more from The Guardian, click here.
ICC drops charges against Kenyan leader
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor dropped all crimes-against-humanity charges against Kenya's president on Friday, highlighting the court's problems in bringing to justice the high-ranking officials it has accused of atrocities.
Judges at the Hague-based court on Wednesday gave the prosecution a week to decide whether to proceed with their case against Uhuru Kenyatta, who they accused of provoking ethnic violence after Kenya's 2007 election, or to withdraw charges.
To read more from Al Jazeera, click here.
The Rockefeller Foundation announces a $500,000 Inclusive Economies Accelerator Fund for Africa with AfDB and partners
The Rockefeller Foundation, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa today convened the Africa Forum on Inclusive Economies to discuss greater inclusion as Africa grows economically.
To read more from All Africa, click here.
India, China challenge big pharmaceutical companies in Africa
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck, Sanofi-Aventis and others are now able to build on their established positions to market their products to Africa's growing middle classes.
It is obviously in the financial interests of such companies to promote the attractiveness of branded drugs and indeed there is a certain pharmaceutical brand-snobbery among more prosperous Africans in some countries.
To read more from Africa Business, click here.
Uganda to repatriate M23 rebels to Congo
A team of Congolese government officials is in Kampala to inspect weapons formerly belonging to the M23 rebels but now under the Ugandan army custody after the mutineers fled the UN- backed Congolese offensive to Uganda.
The inspection of the weaponry kicked off the process that will see Uganda handover the military hardware and also repatriate hundreds of rebels back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To read more from The East African, click here.
Oscar Pistorius Verdict Can Be Appealed, Judge Says
South African prosecutors won the right on Wednesday to appeal the acquittal on murder charges of Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee track star convicted of a lesser offense in the killing of his girlfriend in 2013.
The reversal came in a complex ruling by Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa who presided over Mr. Pistorius's trial and, in September, found him guilty of culpable homicide, equivalent to manslaughter. She later sentenced him to a five-year jail term.
To read more from The New York Times, click here.
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Africa Program
The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations. Read more
