United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

20 August 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

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

U.S. says keen on improving maritime safety in Nigeria (Xinhua)

(Nigeria) U.S. Deputy Chief of Staff Naval Forces for Europe and Africa Gerrad Hueber
has expressed his country's keenness on improving maritime safety in Nigeria.

US Sponsored Fellowship Program Benefits Women Scientists in Africa (Voice of

America)
(Pan Africa) Sixty women from a variety of agricultural science backgrounds were
among receivers of this year's A.W.A.R.D fellowship - the African Women in
Agricultural Research and Development.

Terror Attacks Should Evoke Patriotism in U.S. (The Observer - Kampala)

(Uganda) There are lessons we ought to learn from the brutal terrorist attacks that left
many dead and hundreds injured. Such incidences should be transformed into a deeper
understanding of who we are, and remind us that we are Ugandans regardless of what
we believe in.

Ruling an Insult to Country (Daily Nation)

(Kenya) A US court ruling granting President Barrack Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango,
asylum in that country would not have attracted much attention were it not for the
falsehoods packed in it.

Sudan warns against south independence declaration (AFP)

(Sudan) Sudan's ruling National Congress Party said on Thursday its southern
partners in government would commit "suicide" if they declared an independent state
without a referendum.

Guinea proposes electoral law change before vote (Associated Press)

(Guinea) Guinea's interim government wants to change the electoral code in a way that
would give the government access to completed ballots, according to documents given
to The Associated Press, a move that is fueling accusations of manipulation before next
month's historic election.

Violence Erupts During South Africa Strike (Associated Press)

(South Africa) Police fired rubber bullets on protesting teachers throwing bricks and
stones as a nationwide civil-servants' strike for higher wages took hold in South Africa
on Thursday.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
 Aid access restored to troubled camp for displaced in Darfur, UN says
 Kenyan diplomat chosen to lead UN office to the African Union
 UN deplores deadly attack against blue helmets in DR Congo
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U.S. says keen on improving maritime safety in Nigeria (Xinhua)

LAGOS, Nigeria - U.S. Deputy Chief of Staff Naval Forces for Europe and Africa Gerrad
Hueber has expressed his country's keenness on improving maritime safety in Nigeria.

Hueber made this known on Wednesday when he led a delegation to the headquarters'
of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos.

The U.S. Naval Forces delegation is Nigeria to conduct a three- day search and rescue
exercise with their Nigerian counterpart.

Hueber told reporters that the Nigerian Navy had attained standard human capital
development in its operations, noting that the Nigerian Navy was equipped with a
pyramid of security.

"Nigerian Navy can boast of human capital development with a sustainable pyramid of
security," he added.

According to him, Nigeria, being one of the African partnership stations, should benefit
from the American initiative for the development and sustenance of democratic values
and initiatives.

Hueber said creating partnership with Nigeria was an effort to exchange naval
professionalism and also intensify maritime security in Africa.

He said such effort would be extended to government functionaries and civilians in

trying to propagate the value of the sea and the need to keep it secure.
--------------------
US Sponsored Fellowship Program Benefits Women Scientists in Africa (Voice of
America)

They were chosen from among 800 candidates to receive a special agricultural
fellowship for African women. And among this year winners -- a plant pathologist, a
catfish breeder, a soybean specialist. They all hope to benefit from the two-year
program sponsored by United States Agency for International Development and the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Sixty women from a variety of agricultural science backgrounds were among receivers
of this year's A.W.A.R.D fellowship - the African Women in Agricultural Research and
Development. "All of our fellows are working on pro-poor research. From climate
change to indigenous vegetables to plant breeding to post harvest processing. And they
share one passion: to change the face of agriculture in Africa," said Vicki Wilde,
AWARD's executive director.

Wilde says the two-year fellowship helps top African female scientists strengthen their
research and leaderships skills to alleviate poverty across the continent. Since 2008, 180
women have been chosen from among 1,500 applicants. Ruth Amata, a senior research
officer at the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) is one of this year's
winners. "I am a plant pathologist. I am working on diseases affecting passion fruit,
cassava, sweet potato, tomato and millets," she said.

Amata says her goal is to improve food security despite Kenya's often harsh weather
conditions ."Two-thirds of Kenya is semi-arid. This means, you cannot just grow
anything & anywhere. I am working on crops like cassava and sweet potato. These are
crops that can tolerate harsh climatic conditions. Coming up with varieties that would
tolerate viruses will contribute toward higher yields," she said.

Amata says she also hopes to learn from other African women scientists. Mabel Mahasi,
a soybean specialist, was fellow in 2008. "What AWARD has done for me is to train and
empower me to get out there and do a lot of mentorship, especially with young girls
who are trying to get into science. I am also trying to tell the girls, don't avoid to take
agricultural courses because the destiny of this country depends on agriculture, which
actually contributes to about 26 percent of our GDP," she said.

Mahasi says her first mentors were her parents. "I got interested because every time
dad traveled, he brought a plant. For example we have a banana which still lives on at
our farm that has long shelf life that was introduced to us from Uganda. We have yams
that are from Eastern Kenya," she said.

Maryam Imbumi, a nutritionist from South Africa, was a fellow in 2009. She
concentrates on malnutrition among children under five and women who breast-feed.
"Protein energy malnutrition is one of the biggest problems in western Kenya. That goes
together with iron deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiencies is also a big problem," she said.

Imbumi says it is important to solve the problem with a diverse approach. "I'll use all
avenues. I'll use other traditional foods and vegetables because they grow easily.
Farmers can grow them in their kitchen gardens. They don't need to pump chemicals
into them... So it's easy to motivate them to grow them and they also know how to cook
them," she added.

AWARD Executive Director Vicki Wilde says the fellowship program's short-term
impact is clear. "We are already seeing sharpened up scientific skills ranging from fuel
briquettes made out of waste in the slums to poultry breeding that may fight avian flu.
Innovations that are relevant to Africa but also to the world," she said.

Female farmers play a big role in African agriculture. The Kenyan research firm ASTI
says women make up 60 to 80 percent of the agricultural force in Africa. The 180
women who have received fellowships have come from 10 African countries.
--------------------
Terror Attacks Should Evoke Patriotism in U.S. (The Observer - Kampala)

Amidst the nervous atmosphere in Uganda today, where people have lost trust
following the brutal terrorist attacks that left many dead and hundreds injured, I offer
my heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and friends.

However, when such unimaginable disasters befall us, there are lessons we ought to
learn. Such incidences should be transformed into a deeper understanding of who we
are, and remind us that we are Ugandans regardless of what we believe in; we should
try to find a middle ground aimed at making us better, united and stronger.

This goes back to when Britain granted Uganda its independence. This is the day the
people of Uganda won their freedom, even if today, most Ugandans, especially the
teenagers, wouldn't know the deeper meaning of that concept, perhaps only aware of
the exact date the country attained independence.

In fact, when you consider how the day is celebrated, you wonder if it still holds any
meaning or whether it has simply become a day off for public workers. Independence
Day shouldn't be a government's platform to advance its agenda; rather, it should
reflect a people's understanding of who they are.

America's Independence Day falls on the fourth of July and what happens here is
inestimable. First, the day falls in the summer when temperatures are pretty high,
meaning all celebrations could be undertaken outdoors. The day is planned in advance -
American flags fly atop everywhere, and everyone wears something that reflects the US
flag colours of blue, red and white. Fireworks are set off between 9pm-11pm and the
general atmosphere tells that Americans are a proud nation.

The secret behind such success is the love Americans have for their country, always
reminding themselves of the freedom they fought for 200 years ago. This is one of the
driving forces behind America's prosperity and if we remember President Barack
Obama's inauguration speech, the elements of independence and freedom took centre
stage.

I believe we can learn a lot from these prosperous countries. And while we need to
adopt their technology and education standards, we shouldn't forget the fundamental
fact that leads to such infrastructural advancements; the love for one's nation.

When the US suffered the tragedy of 9/11, there was a rise in the recruitment of troops
because many young men and women wanted to fight the terrorists. In fact, a soldier
who died during the Fort Hood massacre in Killeen, Texas, late last year said she had
joined the armed forces after 9/11 because she wanted to get Osama bin Laden herself.
We need to emulate this kind of heroism.

I'm aware though that while the citizens might play their part, the leaders make it
harder for them to display their sense of patriotism. It's a common cry that public
leaders plunder the national treasury, have no respect for the rule of law, and have no
sense of remorse for the poor.

Uganda is almost like a jungle where it's everyone for himself and God for us all. Such
an environment definitely leaves people less interested in their motherland. If you
asked students at a university what they would love to do after graduation, most of
them wish to work for the Uganda Revenue Authority or ministry of Lands and the city
council because here, they believe, guarantees easy access to public funds.

Unless the public office bearers learn to practice what they preach, and show that they
are true revolutionaries as they claim to be, this nation is destined for disaster.
--------------------
Ruling an Insult to Country (Daily Nation)

Nairobi — A US court ruling granting President Barrack Obama's aunt, Zeituni

Onyango, asylum in that country would not have attracted much attention were it not
for the falsehoods packed in it.

Making the ruling, an immigration judge made very uninformed remarks about Kenya,
demonstrating a paucity of knowledge about our territory.

The first was the supposition that Zeituni risked persecution if deported to Kenya by
reason of her ethnic extraction and political persuasion.
Nothing could be more irritatingly absurd. The judge also averred that given the
country's record of violence in 2008, there was a possibility that the lady would fall
victim to ethnic attacks.

Enmeshed with this was the insinuation that extra-judicial killings were commonplace
in Kenya, and the good lady risked falling victim.

Yet, there was no corroborating evidence. Not when the country has just successfully
conducted a referendum that won it international accolades.

Broadly, the ruling illustrates two critical facts. The first is that many people out there
are completely ignorant about Kenya and other developing nations.

Two, there is a relentless attempt to paint President Obama's genealogy in a bad light.

Kenya may have had its share of tribulations in the past, but it has turned the corner.
This must be respected.
--------------------
Sudan warns against south independence declaration (AFP)

KHARTOUM – Sudan's ruling National Congress Party said on Thursday its southern
partners in government would commit "suicide" if they declared an independent state
without a referendum.

The southern Sudan People's Liberation Movement threatened to opt for "alternative
options" if a January referendum is delayed. A commission tasked with organising the
referendum has not yet started work because of disagreements.

The NCP's deputy leader Nafie Ali Nafie told reporters that the SPLM wanted to divide
Sudan, adding "if the movement decided on declaring south Sudan's independence by a
parliamentary vote without a referendum it would be committing political suicide."

He insisted the NCP wanted to hold the referendum on schedule and resolve problems
that could delay it.

The referendum was a key part of a 2005 peace agreement that ended more than 20
years of fighting between the north and the south.

The commission that is responsible for organising the referendum, which analysts say is
likely to result in a win for the secessionists, has yet to appoint a secretary general to
conduct its work.
On Wednesday, US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration arrived for talks, in an effort to
address concerns over the schedule of the vote.
--------------------
Guinea proposes electoral law change before vote (Associated Press)

CONAKRY, Guinea – Guinea's interim government wants to change the electoral code
in a way that would give the government access to completed ballots, according to
documents given to The Associated Press, a move that is fueling accusations of
manipulation before next month's historic election.

A draft of the proposed ordinance given Wednesday to the Associated Press gives
logistical control of the Sept. 19 presidential run-off to a department supervised by Jean-
Marie Dore, the interim prime minister who is believed to be backing the race's
underdog. The department's duties would include transporting ballots from the polls to
the counting center and auditing the software used to create the electoral list. The latter
duty would also give the government access to the voter roll.

The draft law conflicts with the constitution and an accord signed earlier this year by
the country's military junta, which assigns these duties to the neutral National
Independent Election Commission.

"This is an attempt by the prime minister to manipulate the vote. He knows that his
candidate cannot win and so he wants to lay the groundwork for massive fraud," said
Cellou Dalein Diallo, the top candidate who won 44 percent of the vote during the first
round in June.

He is squaring off against longtime opposition leader Alpha Conde, who received
around 20 percent of the vote. Dore, the interim prime minister, has never publicly
stated his affiliation but is believed to be backing Conde.

Dore's spokesman Mamadou Sam said the election will be fair, even if the new
ordinance passes.

"The intention of the prime minister is to have a run-off that is credible and transparent
— all of the initiatives he is taking are with that aim in mind and not to try to sway the
vote in favor of one candidate or another," he said.

It's unclear how the new law could pass, since it involves altering the constitution, a
move that typically requires parliament's approval. In a memo dated Aug. 16 that was
also given to the AP, the counsel to the prime minister's office says the interim
government does not have the legal right to modify the constitution or the electoral
code.
Talibe Diallo, a close ally of the prime minister, said the decree simply formalizes what
already took place during the first round. He said the electoral commission in the
impoverished country did not have enough cars to transport the ballots and were
helped by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Political Affairs, known by its
French acronym MATAP.

The draft ordinance says elections will be "organized and supervised conjointly" by
MATAP and the independent electoral commission.

The September vote is expected to mark a watershed in Guinea's troubled history,

coming after the one-year rule of a brutal military junta that led to a Sept. 2009 massacre
of hundreds of people.

Late last year when the head of the junta was suddenly forced into exile, it appeared the
country had turned a corner. The junta's second-in-command signed an accord agreeing
to hand over power to civilians. The first round of voting in June was largely seen as
free and fair, an enormous step forward in a country that has never had a transparent
poll. Then the problems started.

Diallo, the leading candidate, is a member of an ethnic group that has been
systematically denied power under previous regimes. The Peul, which is the country's
largest ethnic group, were openly targeted during the massacre inside the national
stadium. Peul women were sought out and violently raped, according to Human Rights
Watch.

Peul community leaders have vowed to lead a revolt if election results are distorted to
prevent Diallo from winning. Conde, his opponent, is a Malinke, a group heavily
represented in the deposed military junta. The country's first despot Sekou Toure was
also Malinke and he clashed with the Peul, whom he accused of plotting against him.
An untold number perished in Toure's jails.

"This tension between the Malinke and the Peul is definitely there. It cannot be
underestimated," said Sidya Toure, a former prime minister who finished third in the
first round and has endorsed Diallo.

"This attempt to change the electoral code is an aberration ... You can't change the
constitution with an ordinance. It's an attempt to pour oil on the fire," he said.

In the neighborhood of Bambeto, one of the poor suburbs of Conakry that in the past
has been the incubator for violent street protests, young men were already laying out
plans.

"We are very, very upset by this ordinance," said 32-year-old Mamadou Diallo, a youth
leader and a Peul. "This decree is a violation of our rules, a violation of our constitution.
If it is signed into law, we will not hesitate to take to the streets. We will not back
down."
--------------------
Violence Erupts During South Africa Strike (Associated Press)

JOHANNESBURG—Police fired rubber bullets on protesting teachers throwing bricks

and stones as a nationwide civil-servants' strike for higher wages took hold in South
Africa on Thursday.

On the second day of the strike for higher wages, teachers in the red T-shirts of their
union scattered as police fired to stop them from blocking a stretch of highway during a
protest in Johannesburg.

At least one officer was seen being taken from the scene bleeding from the head. There
was also scattered violence outside some hospitals. Nurses tore down a gate at one
Johannesburg hospital and striking workers were keeping their nonstriking colleagues
and patients from entering hospitals around the country.

Col. Lungelo Dlamini, a police spokesman, said police had no further information on
violence associated with the strike. The indefinite strike was also delaying trials because
court stenographers weren't at their desks.

Unions are demanding an 8.6% wage increase and a 1,000 rand ($137.70) housing
allowance. The government is offering a 7% increase plus 700 rand for housing. In a
statement Thursday, the government said it couldn't afford to offer more.

"It's a choice between improving the wages of state employees and continuing to
address the service delivery needs of poor communities and the unemployed," the
government said.

South Africa has been hit hard by the global recession, losing 900,000 jobs last year on
top of already high unemployment.

The government said it deplored the scattered violence and the South African army was
on standby Thursday in case soldiers were needed to provide services at hospitals and
elsewhere.

"While the majority of public servants have protested peacefully, the disruption of
classes and health facilities is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated," the
government said. "Those who break the laws must not expect any sympathy from the
law enforcement agencies."

Nomusa Cembi, the spokeswoman for the South African Democratic Teacher's Union,
the largest civil service union, told The Associated Press the strikes would go on.
"This will continue until we get the response from government that we need," she said.
-------------------
UN News Service Africa Briefs
Full Articles on UN Website

Aid access restored to troubled camp for displaced in Darfur, UN says

18 August – Aid workers were today allowed back into a restive camp for internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur, the joint United Nations-African Union
peacekeeping mission to the Sudanese region reported.

Kenyan diplomat chosen to lead UN office to the African Union

18 August – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed an experienced Kenyan
diplomat as the first Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (AU),
established earlier this year to strengthen links between the two organizations.

UN deplores deadly attack against blue helmets in DR Congo

18 August – The United Nations has condemned the overnight ambush of a United
Nations peacekeeping base in the troubled far east of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) which has claimed the lives of three Indian blue helmets.