Africa Continent: 2008

This week has been marked by major developments around the World. The developments include critical events in Africa, the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. However, probably the events in Africa and the United States have captured  most of the attention. The events include humanitarian situation, democracy related actions, and geopolitical considerations..

G20 Summit in Italy, Rome, October 30, 2021

The 2021 G20 summit was held in Rome, Italy, on 30–31 October 2021. It was the sixteenth meeting of G20. For the meeting, some heads of state were invited based on their role at a more global level. Among the invited guests were Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi, as the President 2021 Chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat from Chad as President of the African Commission, and Rwanda President Paul Kagame, as the 2021 Chairperson of Africa Union Development Agency - New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA - NEPAD), an economic development program of the African Union.  During the meeting, a drama involving the Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame  unfolded, leading to unanswered questions and speculations about his waning relevance  as a political leader and power struggles in Rwanda.

Rwandan activists protesting against Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Montreal, Canada in April 2006

Over the weekend of July 16-18, 2021, an international consortium of news outlets reported that several authoritarian governments and dictatorships used a spyware developed by an Israeli based company, NSO Group to spy on activists and other perceived critics of their governments.

According to the reports, the intelligence services of those governments, including Rwandan Government, used the NSO delivered Pegasus spyware to hack into the phones of thousands of vocal critics, including journalists, activists, politicians, opposition groups, and business executives.

J Peter Pham, as Atlantic Council Vice President for Research and Regional Initiatives and Director of the Africa Center

Rainbow Rare Earths is a mining company operating two countries in Africa through two initiatives: the Phalaborwa Project in South Africa and the high-grade Gakara Project in Burundi.  The company stock is traded on the London Stock Exchange, under RBW. According to information received by AfroAmerica Network sources in Burundi,  Dr J. Peter Pham, the former US Envoy to the Great Lakes of Africa under  President Donald Trump, between 2018-2020. was recently appointed to the Board of Directors, as a Non-Executive Director. He is expected to visit the Gakara Rare Earth mining site in Burundi  this week. 

FARDC Overall Commander's Telegram to FARDC Region and Sector Commanders of Jan 2, 2017

In the last hours of 2016, on December 31, 2016,  a deal between Joseph Kabila and his opposition was announced. The  deal was reached following the Plan B of a political dialogue brokered by the National Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), known as CENCO between President Joseph Kabila's political alliance, the presidential majority (MP) and the Rassemblement, a broad coalition of opposition groups. A telegram, a copy of which AfroAmerica Network has received (see photo), sent by FARDC Overall Commander (CHEF EMG FARDC) to all the region and sector military commanders of the DRC, their deputies,  those in charge of military intelligence, and those commanding operations against an insurgency known as Kamuina-Nsapu in Kasai,  on Jan 2, 2017 has casted doubts on the deal.

CENCO has been trying to brokered a political dialogue

The political dialogue brokered by the National Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), known as CENCO between President Joseph Kabila's political alliance, the presidential majority (MP) and the Rassemblement, a broad coalition of opposition groups, has failed.

Despite pressure, both internal and external, on DRC President Joseph Kabila to accept the peaceful transfer of power, with major concessions from the opposition to allow a smooth transition, Joseph Kabila has refused to approve the proposed accord.  With Joseph Kabila's adamant refusal to agree to an orderly transition, fears of violence are mounting.  Accused of massive corruption and large