United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

24 May 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA

In Africa, 50th anniversary of independence is an occasion to celebrate, lament

(Washington Post)
(Cameroon) Over the past week, hundreds of dignitaries arrived in this Central African
capital to celebrate 50 years of independence from colonial rule for Cameroon and 16
other African nations. But casting a shadow over the occasion was a sober
acknowledgment that the actions of many of Africa's leaders were hurting the
continent's image and potential, as well as tarnishing its successes.

Obama Seeks $3.5 Billion to Feed Poor Nations (Wall Street Journal)
(Pan Africa) The Obama administration, signaling a shift in U.S. foreign policy in the
wake of the 2008 food crisis, said Thursday it wants to spend at least $3.5 billion over
the next three years to help potentially 60 poor nations feed themselves.

Since 2003, the Iraq War has cost U.S. taxpayers three-quarters of a trillion dollars
(Hamsayeh.net)
(Pan Africa) Each year, our military devotes substantial resources to securing access to
and safeguarding the transportation of oil and other energy sources. I estimate that we
will pay $90 billion this year to secure oil.

Congo Minerals Provision Becomes Part of Financial Bill (New York Times)
(Congo) Tucked into the bill passed by the Senate on Thursday is a provision that
requires any publicly traded company that uses certain minerals to file reports annually
with the Securities and Exchange Commission certifying whether the minerals
originated in Congo or neighboring countries.

Congolese rights groups urge Obama to help tackle rebels (AFP)

(Congo) Members of rights groups in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo
launched a "cry for help" to US President Barack Obama to halt Ugandan rebel attacks,
in a letter published Friday.

U.S., Nigeria to launch bi-national commission (Xinhua)

(Nigeria) U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero is
expected to arrive in Nigeria to strengthen the newly established U.S.-Nigeria Bi-
national Commission (BNC), a statement said.

Ethiopia Election Seen ‘Free and Fair’ (Voice of America)

(Ethiopia) A top official of Ethiopia’s government told VOA he is proud of the
administration’s handling of what he called a free and fair vote Sunday, despite
opposition claims of voter intimidation and harassment.

Two nations eject rights researchers (Associated Press)

(Rwanda, Burundi) The tiny East African nations of Rwanda and Burundi have, within
weeks of each other, asked human rights researchers from a New York-based
organization to leave their countries, an official said Thursday.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
World must adopt new approach to bring peace to war-torn Somalia, says Ban
Do not force refugees back to strife-torn Somalia, UN urges governments
Lack of funds threatens children’s health in Central African Republic – UN
Migiro urges Africa to forge ahead with promoting good governance, human
rights
African challenges top Assembly President’s talks with Cameroonian leader
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UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST:

WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, May 25, 8:30 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: Council on Foreign Relations: A Conversation with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
WHO: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President, Republic of Liberia
Info: http://www.cfr.org/

WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, May 25, 10:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs: The Great Lakes Region:
Current Conditions and U.S. Policy
WHO: The Honorable Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, United
States Department of State; Mr. Franklin Moore, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for
Africa, Office of the Assistant Administrator, United States Agency for International
Development; Mr. John Prendergast, Co-founder, Enough Project
Info: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1185

WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, May 26, 2:00 p.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: U.S. Institute of Peace: The Nigerian Predicament: Strategies for Advancing Growth,
Governance and Security
WHO: Richard Joseph, Professor, Northwestern University; Oka Obono, Senior Lecturer,
University of Ibadan; Layi Erinosho, President, African Sociological Association; Dorina Bekoe,
Moderator, Senior Research Associate, U.S. Institute of Peace
Info: http://www.usip.org/events/the-nigerian-predicament-strategies-advancing-growth-
governance-and-security

WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, May 26, 2:30 p.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Assessing Challenges and Opportunities
for Peace in Sudan
WHO: Ms. Katherine Almquist, Senior Fellow, Africa Center for Strategic Studies; Ms. Alison
Giffen, Deputy Director of the Future of Peace Operations Program, The Henry L. Stimson
Center; Mr. David Mozersky, Associate Director of Humanity United; Ms. Anne Richard, Vice
President for Government Relations and Advocacy, International Rescue Committee
Info: http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/20100526/

WHEN/WHERE: Thurday, May 27, 9:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: Brookings Institution: Ending Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS Pandemic
WHO: Ernest Aryeetey, Senior Fellow and Director, Africa Growth Initiative; Layi Erinosho,
President, African Sociological Association; Uche Isiugo-Abanihe, Professor of Demography
and REACH Chair, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Gbenga Sunmola, Principal Researcher,
REACH, Research Coordinator, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Nigeria; Oka Obono,
Principal Researcher, REACH, University of Ibadan; Jacques van der Gaag, Senior Fellow and
Co-Director, Center for Universal Education; Phillip Nieburg, Public Health Epidemiologist,
REACH, Senior Associate, Center for Strategic & International Studies; Nkem Dike, Associate
Project Director, REACH, Northwestern University; Gbenga Sunmola, Principal Researcher,
REACH, Research Coordinator, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Nigeria; Richard
Joseph, Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Principal Investigator, REACH;
John Evans Professor, Northwestern University
Info: http://www.brookings.edu/events/2010/0527_nigeria_aids.aspx

WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, June 2, 9:30 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: U.S. Institute of Peace: Threats to Maritime Security
WHO: Donna Hopkins, Director, Office of Plans, Policy and Analysis, Bureau of Political
Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Bruce A. Averill, Ph.D., Founder and Senior Partner,
Strategic Energy Security Solutions; Michael Berkow, President, Altegrity Security Consulting;
Robert M. Perito, Moderator, Director, Initiative on Security Sector Governance, U.S. Institute
of Peace
Info: http://www.usip.org/events/threats-maritime-security
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FULL ARTICLE TEXT

In Africa, 50th anniversary of independence is an occasion to celebrate, lament

(Washington Post)

YAOUNDE, Cameroon - Former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan stepped up to the
podium to speak about rule of law and human rights, Africa's hopes and obstacles.
Behind him, seated in a row of red velvet chairs, were the leaders of Cameroon, Gabon,
the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Chad and the Republic of Congo. All had
gained power through military coups, civil wars, inheritance or manipulated elections.

"It wasn't a group of the continent's biggest democrats," remarked Richard Moncrieff,
West Africa project director for the International Crisis Group.

Over the past week, hundreds of dignitaries arrived in this Central African capital to
celebrate 50 years of independence from colonial rule for Cameroon and 16 other
African nations. But casting a shadow over the occasion was a sober acknowledgment
that the actions of many of Africa's leaders were hurting the continent's image and
potential, as well as tarnishing its successes.

On Sunday, Ethiopia -- a close U.S. ally -- will hold a national election that is expected to
extend Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's 19-year rule. Meles was once viewed as a new
breed of reformist African leader, and Ethiopia receives nearly a billion dollars a year in
U.S. assistance.

But in the run-up to the vote, authorities have jailed political rivals and journalists,
denied food aid to opposition supporters, and even killed opposition leaders, according
to human rights activists and diplomats. Ethiopia has denied the allegations.

"There are still too many instances of corruption, of elite capture of resources, of
growing inequality in work and opportunity, abuse of electoral processes and selective
adherence to the rule of law," said Annan, who is from the African country Ghana.

The leaders behind him nodded.

U.S. and Western officials also once hailed Rwandan President Paul Kagame and
Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni as Africa's greatest hopes. But they, too, are accused
of using repression to suppress dissent and extend their rule. Rwanda goes to the polls
in August, but reports of a state crackdown on opposition parties and independent
journalists are already surfacing.

"There is a very serious problem of winner-takes-all politics," Moncrieff said. "That

means the stakes of presidential power are so high that people are willing to use
violence to get it or abuse the rule of law to keep it."

Africa vs. Asia

Many Africans lament their continent's slow progress in comparison to Asia. Africa is
rich in oil, gas and minerals. Yet several Asian countries, which also gained
independence from colonial rulers a half-century ago, are among the world's most
advanced.

Annan noted that South Korea and Sudan had the same per-capita income in the 1960s.
South Korea is today one of the world's wealthiest countries and is "a respected
member" of the international community, Annan said. Despite its oil wealth, Sudan is
one of the poorest countries, and its president has been indicted by a war crimes
tribunal.

"If Africa is put on the right track, it could be a major player," said Mohamed ElBaradei,
the Nobel Peace Prize winner and former head of the International Atomic Energy
Agency, who is from Egypt.

In the past two years, there have been military coups in Niger, Madagascar and Guinea.
Sudan's first multi-party elections in more than two decades were marred by vote
rigging, intimidation and boycotts.

Last week, Burundi ordered a Human Rights Watch researcher to leave the country.
The group had documented official inaction over political violence in the run-up to its
first presidential elections after nearly 16 years of civil war next month.

Rwanda, which receives hundreds of millions in U.S. and international aid each year,
also recently ordered a Human Rights Watch monitor to leave the country.

There have been successes. Civil wars have declined since the 1990s. There are strong
democracies, such as Ghana and South Africa. Nigeria has so far smoothly managed a
political transition after the death of President Umar Yar'Adua this month.

The continent has one of the highest rates of cellphone growth. Investment from Asian
nations such as China is booming, fueling relatively strong economic growth rates.

Still, even the most stable African economies can quickly disintegrate. Ivory Coast, once
a model of stability, crumbled into civil war in 2002 and remains tense and divided.
Kenya's 2007 election violence spurred investors to pull out or postpone investments for
months.

Calculated repression

Demonstrations erupted after Ethiopia's 2005 elections, when opposition groups

charged that the government had cheated them out of parliamentary seats. Security
forces suppressed the protests, killing dozens and arresting thousands. This time, the
state repression appears to be a calculated strategy to erase any serious political threat
and to prevent a repeat of violence, said rights activists and diplomats.
The State Department's most recent human rights report concludes that Ethiopian
"security forces committed arbitrary and politically motivated killings," and that "there
were reports of politically motivated disappearances."

A recent Human Rights Watch report accused the government of politicizing the
distribution of humanitarian assistance, much of it from the United States.

In a telephone interview, Ethiopian Communications Minister Bereket Simon

denounced both reports as "baseless."

"We are implementing democracy based on the Ethiopian context. We are not taking
any prescription from any master," he said. "This is a free and fair election. You will see
how Ethiopians will give their approval for this government."

In Yaounde, none of the dignitaries who discussed Africa's future on panels or in

speeches mentioned Meles. But the names of Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere,
and South Africa's Nelson Mandela were still uttered with pride, as models to emulate.

As he concluded his speech, Annan described Africa as "a sleeping giant about to be
awoken." He spoke of the potential markets, the rapid spread of modern technology. He
said the continent's opportunities "are real, but also under threat."

He implored leaders to respect human rights, rule of law, to be more transparent. He

urged those at the helm of oil-rich nations to use their wealth to help their people.
Behind him, his host, President Paul Biya of Cameroon, nodded.

Biya has been in power for 28 years and wields tight control over the government and
the economy. The watchdog group Transparency International describes Cameroon as
among the world's most corrupt countries. There is no real political opposition.

His portrait is everywhere. His supporters wear shirts emblazoned with his face and
burst into song in front of him. Banners on the street proclaim him "a wise man at the
service of Africa."
--------------------
Obama Seeks $3.5 Billion to Feed Poor Nations (Wall Street Journal)

The Obama administration, signaling a shift in U.S. foreign policy in the wake of the
2008 food crisis, said Thursday it wants to spend at least $3.5 billion over the next three
years to help potentially 60 poor nations feed themselves.

The initiative, the budget for most of which has yet to be approved by Congress, would
be a break from the recent past in which the U.S. has largely helped hungry nations by
spending roughly $2 billion annually to donate U.S.-grown food, a strategy that has
aided U.S. farmers and shippers.

"Agricultural development is a springboard for broader economic development," said

Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. "And food
security is the foundation for peace and opportunity."

In recent years, only about 4% of foreign assistance from the world's rich nations has
been given to poor nations for agricultural development—such as installing irrigation
systems and training farmers—compared with 18% in the late 1970s. That was when the
West was helping to fund efforts to give Asian farmers modern seeds and chemical
inputs to grow higher-yielding wheat and rice plants. The Green Revolution, as it was
known, is credited with helping to prevent widely predicted famines.

Industrialized countries are showing renewed interest in helping poor nations feed
themselves in the wake of street protests that were sparked by soaring food costs in
2007 and early 2008. The global recession put agricultural commodities into a tailspin in
2009, but food prices in some nations have yet to return to their pre-food crisis levels.

In a report released Thursday on the initiative, which is called Feed the Future, the
administration said it initially plans to focus on 12 African countries, four Asian
countries and four Latin American and Caribbean countries. The list, which could
change, includes Ethiopia, Rwanda, Liberia, Mali, Bangladesh and Haiti.

The countries are required to draw up their own development plans, which could
include everything from establishing research stations and breeding better seed to
giving farmers access to credit, insurance and markets.

The White House's budget request for fiscal year 2011 includes $1.64 billion for the
initiative.
--------------------
Since 2003, the Iraq War has cost U.S. taxpayers three-quarters of a trillion dollars
(Hamsayeh.net)

What are the military costs of securing ―our‖ oil?

When Americans pull up to the pump, the price they pay for a gallon of gas does not
begin to reflect the true costs of extracting, transporting, and burning that gallon of fuel.

Most people know that burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change. Every time
we drive our cars, we are sending greenhouse gases into the air, which trap radiation
and warm the earth’s surface. The more the earth warms, the more costly the
consequences.
But as bad as the costs of pollution and global warming are, as taxpayers we pay
another cost for oil. Each year, our military devotes substantial resources to securing
access to and safeguarding the transportation of oil and other energy sources. I estimate
that we will pay $90 billion this year to secure oil. If spending on the Iraq War is
included, the total rises to $166 billion.

This year, the U.S. government will spend $722 billion on the military, not including
military assistance to other countries, space exploration, or veterans’ benefits.
Defending American access to oil represents a modest share of U.S. militarism.

Calculating the numbers isn’t straightforward. Energy security, according to national

security documents, is a vital national interest and has been incorporated into military
objectives and strategies for more than half a century. But military documents do not
attach a dollar figure to each mission, strategy, or objective, so figuring out which
military actions relate to oil requires plowing through various documents and devising
methodologies.

The U.S. military carves the world up into regions—Europe, Africa, the Pacific, the
Middle East, South America and North America—each with its own command
structure, called a ―unified combatant command.‖ I arrived at my estimate of military
spending related to securing oil by tracing U.S. military objectives and strategies
through these geographic commands and their respective fleets, divisions, and other
units. I only considered conventional spending, excluding spending on nuclear
weapons, which is not directly related to securing access to resources.

U.S. Central Command has an ―area of responsibility‖ which stretches from the Arabian
Gulf region through Central Asia and was specifically created in 1980 during the Carter
administration because of the region’s oil reserves. Two-thirds of the world’s oil
reserves and nearly half of natural gas supplies reside within these twenty countries.
Aside from joint training exercises with oil-producing nations, securing oil fields, and a
host of other oil-related tasks, the command closely monitors the Strait of Hormuz.
Nearly half of all oil transported throughout the world passes through this chokepoint,
which has been periodically threatened with disruptions. I estimate about 15% of
conventional military spending is directed at supporting the missions and strategies of
Central Command, and three-quarters of that spending is related to securing and
transporting oil from and through the region, as shown in Table 1.

U.S. Pacific Command ensures transportation of oil, specifically through the Strait of
Malacca, one of the two most important strategic oil chokepoints. Fifteen million barrels
of oil per day flow from the Middle East and West Africa to Asia. This oil is particularly
important to another oil-dependent country — Japan, an important American ally in the
region. Pacific Command is the largest of all the commands, covering half of the globe.
It is also responsible for the largest number of troops and is an important provider of
training and troops to U.S. Central Command. Given information on bases, assigned
troops and other indicators, I estimate that about 35% of conventional military spending
is required for missions and strategies for this command and about 20% of that amount
is needed for securing the transport of energy throughout the region.

U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command also have resources devoted to
securing access to energy. Initially formed to protect Western Europe against Soviet
aggression, European Command is currently postured to project power toward the
energy-rich areas of the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Alongside
NATO, European Command is increasingly focused on energy security in Europe,
especially since the revision of NATO’s Strategic Concept in 1999. Finally, the command
was also responsible for overseeing the set-up of the newest command, U.S. Africa
Command, which was motivated by competition for newly discovered oil reserves. I
estimate that around 25% of the military budget is devoted to military strategies
relating to Europe and Africa, and of that, about two-fifths can be attributed to securing
oil and energy supplies.

U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command are responsible for North and
South America and the surrounding waters. While Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela
rank in the top five countries from which the United States imports oil, I could not find
definitive activities connected with either Northern or Southern Command that would
justify inclusion in the estimate.

Dividing the military budget according to geographic regions and reviewing activities
in those regions leads me to conclude that about $90 billion will be spent this year for
securing access to and the transport of oil and other energy supplies.

But that number does not include the vast sums spent on the Iraq War. In spite of the
Bush administration’s claims that the United States invaded Iraq because of weapons of
mass destruction, evidence points to oil. Since World War II and historic meetings
between President Roosevelt and the leader of Saudi Arabia, U.S. policy interests have
been focused on establishing a stronghold in the region. Prior to the invasion, the Bush
administration had already made plans for the oil industry, and currently, the military
surrounds and secures the oil fields.

Since 2003, the Iraq War has cost U.S. taxpayers three-quarters of a trillion dollars, as
shown in Table 2. Though spending will decline this year, including the Iraq War brings
total spending on securing access to oil to $166 billion. Other analysts might point to the
strategic importance of Afghanistan in a resource-rich region, but spending on that
prolonged war and occupation is not included in this analysis.
Recently, President Obama appeased the oil industry by opening large parts of the East
Coast, Gulf waters, and elsewhere to drilling. But this shortsighted policy would only
lessen our dependence on foreign oil by a trivial amount. Moreover, if production were
increased, oil prices may drop and the average American may choose to drive more.
Bring back the Hummer.

Instead, the $166 billion that we are spending right now on the military could subsidize
and expand public transport, weatherize homes, and fund research on renewable
energy. Typically, the federal government invests only $2.3 billion in renewable energy
and conservation each year. Even the stimulus bill, which contained an unprecedented
amount of spending for renewable energy and conservation, pales in comparison with
military spending. Stimulus spending included $18.5 billion for energy efficiency and
renewable energy programs, $8 billion in federal loan guarantees for renewable-energy
systems, and $17.4 billion for modernization programs such as the ―smart‖ electricity
grid, which will reduce electricity consumption. While these healthy federal
investments—spent over several years—will encourage a move away from fossil fuels,
strategic military operations securing access to those climate-changing resources
will continue to dominate our taxpayer dollar.

Put all these numbers in perspective: The price of a barrel of oil consumed in the United
States would have to increase by $23.40 to offset military resources expended to secure
oil. That translates to an additional 56 cents for a gallon of gas, or three times the federal
gas tax that funds road construction.

If $166 billion were spent on other priorities, the Boston public transportation system,
the ―T,‖ could have its operating expenses covered, with commuters riding for free.
And there would still be money left over for another 100 public transport systems
across the United States. Or, we could build and install nearly 50,000 wind turbines.
Take your pick.
--------------------
Congo Minerals Provision Becomes Part of Financial Bill (New York Times)

WASHINGTON — During their long effort to pass a financial regulation bill, senators
cited many causes for the housing crisis and the financial market collapse that led to the
recession.

The mining of minerals in Congo was not one of them.

Nevertheless, tucked into the bill passed by the Senate on Thursday is a provision that
requires any publicly traded company that uses certain minerals to file reports annually
with the Securities and Exchange Commission certifying whether the minerals
originated in Congo or neighboring countries.
It also requires them to report what steps the company took to ensure that the purchase
of these minerals did not benefit armed groups in Africa. Minerals trading in Africa is
often used to finance military activities.

These are not just any minerals, however. Columbite-tantalite, cassiterite, wolframite,
gold and metals derived from them are widely used in the manufacture of cellphones,
laptop computers, MP3 players, digital cameras and all sorts of other consumer
electronics. Thus, the regulations could affect hundreds of companies.

Wolframite, for example, is a source of tungsten, which is used in integrated circuits,

light bulbs, and computer and television screens.

The measure calls for any company using the minerals as a primary ingredient in its
products to file the reports and to describe the steps taken to ensure that its mineral
procurements did not benefit armed groups in Africa.

Senate leaders had vowed that the financial regulation bill would not be weighed down
by amendments favoring the pet projects of lawmakers. But the Congo mineral
amendment has been a project of Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas, for
years. The amendment was approved by a voice vote.

Mr. Brownback, who argued strongly for the need to exclude auto dealers from the
regulations the legislation imposes on them by a new consumer financial protection
bureau, said he was ―hopeful that this amendment will bring accountability and
transparency to the supply chain of minerals used in the manufacturing of many
electronic devices, without placing a disproportionate burden on publicly traded
companies.‖
--------------------
Congolese rights groups urge Obama to help tackle rebels (AFP)

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo – Members of rights groups in

northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo launched a "cry for help" to US President
Barack Obama to halt Ugandan rebel attacks, in a letter published Friday.

"This letter is a cry for help. We know the goodness of your heart and we know that you
alone can bring a concrete, rapid and decisive response before our women and children
are wiped out. Please, save us," said the letter, made public by the New York-based
Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The 31 signatories are members of seven non-governmental organisations in the remote

Niangara district, in the north of Oriental Province, where rebels of Uganda's Lord's
Resistance Army (LRA) are active.
HRW published the letter, dated Wednesday, at the same time as one of its own
statements, which accused the LRA of killing 96 civilians and kidnapping dozens of
others in northeastern DR Congo between January and the beginning of April.

The people from Niangara asked for a telephone network or a community radio "that
would allow the population to send rapid alerts to senior authorities in the Congolese
government or to the international community".

They also wanted a change in military tactics by the DR Congo army (FARDC) so that
"operations against the LRA leadership are more targeted and effective and conducted
in a way that spares innocent civilians who are often caught in the crossfire".

"The population of Niangara feels forgotten, abandoned and our suffering appears to
result in little concern on the part of the international community or our own
government," the appeal said. "What chance do we have if no one hears our cries and no
one comes to our aid?"

The LRA, considered one of the most brutal guerrilla movements in the world, has been
active in northeastern Congo, as well as the Central African Republic and South Sudan,
since 2005.

It was driven out of northern Uganda by the Ugandan army, which has since launched
cross-border operations against them.

The FARDC has also mounted ongoing offensives against the LRA and it receives
tactical and logistic support from the UN mission in the DR Congo, which is the world's
biggest UN peacekeeping operation, with about 20,000 troops.

HRW's Anneke Van Woudenberg asked the United States to reconsider its policy on the
LRA, which she said is "killing civilians and abducting children at an alarming rate."

"The US government has depended on the Ugandan army to end the threat of the LRA,
but this strategy is not working," Van Woudenberg said.

"The Obama administration, together with governments in the region and other
concerned states, should go back to the drawing board and develop new policy options
to end the LRA?s violence, including a more effective strategy to apprehend LRA
leaders implicated in atrocities."

The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants in 2005 for LRA
leader Joseph Kony and three other top LRA commanders, accused of raping and
mutilating civilians, enlisting child soldiers and massacring thousands.
--------------------
U.S., Nigeria to launch bi-national commission (Xinhua)

LAGOS, Nigeria - U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero
is expected to arrive in Nigeria to strengthen the newly established U.S.-Nigeria Bi-
national Commission (BNC), a statement said.

A statement reaching here on Sunday from the country's Embassy in Lagos, said Otero
will lead the U.S. delegation to launch the commission between May 25 and 27.

It will be the first of four working groups to convene on this issue since the BNC was
consummated in Washington on April 6, the statement added.

The newly established commission (BNC) is starting off its activities with a critical look
at good governance and transparency in government.

The working group of the commission will be launched this week in partnership with
Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs Odein Ajumogobia.

The statement said Otero will engage with senior government officials and
nongovernmental stakeholders on critical issues including the promotion of democratic
institutions and processes and the fight against corruption while in Abuja.
--------------------
Ethiopia Election Seen ‘Free and Fair’ (Voice of America)

A top official of Ethiopia’s government told VOA he is proud of the administration’s

handling of what he called a free and fair vote Sunday, despite opposition claims of
voter intimidation and harassment.

Communications minister Bereket Simon said he is confident the ruling Ethiopian

People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) party is going to win the vote based
on its record of improving the lives of the ordinary Ethiopian and its development
programs.

―We prepared ourselves for the last five years despite the allegations that democracy
has narrowed down. All what we did was to expand the democratic spectrum and they
show that a free and fair environment will prevail. That is what we have been trying to
do and that ultimately has paid off,‖ he said.

The electoral commission said it will announce provisional results of the vote 48 hours
after the poll. But, opposition groups said Sunday’s vote was fraught with voter
intimidation and harassment, which they said was the ruling party’s ploy to ensure its
firm grip on power.
But, communications minister Simon said the competitiveness of the just-ended vote
disproves the accusations.

―We know the opposition had designed a strategy whereby they tried to tarnish the
whole democratic electoral process. The facts on the ground tell everybody that this has
been a competitive election. And, more than 500 hours of airtime have been allotted to
all, about nine televised debates by the public media have been done…the system
accommodated even extra requests by the opposition. So, one can say we have issued
(a) free and fair playing ground,‖ Simon said.

About 32 million registered Ethiopians were expected to participate in Sunday’s vote.

Simon said several opposition allegations were unfounded.

―This is not a new phenomenon. In the past, they have been complaining and
submitting many new allegations. We’ve been verifying them (but) we were not able to
prove what they have asserted. On the contrary, we have disproved every allegation,‖
Simon said.

Last week, senior officials of Ethiopia’s National Electoral Board (NEBE) said it was
well prepared to guarantee a free and fair, as well as a transparent vote.

The electoral body says it deployed about 220,000 election officials in over 40,000
polling stations across Ethiopia.

Several local and international poll observers, including the African Union and the
European Union, monitored Sunday’s vote. They are expected to soon present their
final assessment of the election in the coming days.
--------------------
Two nations eject rights researchers (Associated Press)

NAIROBI, Kenya - The tiny East African nations of Rwanda and Burundi have, within
weeks of each other, asked human rights researchers from a New York-based
organization to leave their countries, an official said Thursday.

Reed Brody of Human Rights Watch said the organization had been critical of both
governments.

"For the government to kick out a Human Rights Watch researcher suggests it is not
comfortable being put under scrutiny," Brody said.

The Burundian government said in a statement Wednesday that it had given researcher
Neela Ghoshal until June 5 to leave the country. Burundi is due to hold its first round of
elections Friday after nearly 16 years of civil war. A presidential vote is scheduled for
June 28.

Ghoshal had researched a report released by Human Rights Watch last week that
documented police inaction over political violence committed by several parties in the
run-up to the elections.

On March 10, neighboring Rwanda told Carina Tertsakian that her work permit had
been revoked. On April 23, she was given 24 hours to leave the country.

Her expulsion is part of a "wider crackdown on opposition political parties, the

independent press and independent civil society," Brody said. "The Kagame regime is
not allowing democratic institutions to form."
--------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

World must adopt new approach to bring peace to war-torn Somalia, says Ban
22 May – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the world to adopt a new
approach to bring peace to Somalia, telling an international conference on the Horn of
Africa country that a failure to act now risks expanding the violence to its neighbours
and beyond.

Do not force refugees back to strife-torn Somalia, UN urges governments

21 May – The United Nations today again appealed to governments worldwide not to
forcibly return refugees to Somalia, where tens of thousands of people have been killed
and some 2 million displaced by years of fighting, as the situation deteriorates even
further in the Horn of Africa country.

Lack of funds threatens children’s health in Central African Republic – UN

21 May – A lack of funds and difficult access for aid workers are threatening the health
of millions of people in conflict-plagued areas of the Central African Republic,
including hundreds of thousands of children, the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) reported today.

Migiro urges Africa to forge ahead with promoting good governance, human rights
21 May – Africa must keep pressing ahead with promoting good governance, respect
for human rights and empowering its own people as it seeks to enhance continental
integration, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today.

African challenges top Assembly President’s talks with Cameroonian leader

21 May – The challenges and opportunities for Africa’s peace and development were
the focus of discussions between General Assembly President Ali Treki and
Cameroonian President Paul Biya this week.