Photo : REUTERS
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : REUTERS
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
South Africa: BRICS expansion, Egypt and Ethiopia to join the bloc
On 24 August, on the final day of the BRICS summit South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the bloc had invited six countries to join as new members. The new members include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Argentina, Ethiopia, UAE and Egypt. Ramaphosa commented that the group considers itself as a counterweight to Western powers. Chinese President Xi Jinping stated: “The expansion is also a new starting point for BRICS cooperation. It will bring new vigour to the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthen the force for world peace and development.” A senior adviser to Iran’s president, Mohammad Jamshidi, stated: “Permanent membership in the group of global emerging economies is considered a historic development and a strategic success for the foreign policy of the Islamic republic.” Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated: ““Ethiopia stands ready to cooperate with all for an inclusive and prosperous global order.” (“Saudi Arabia, Iran among six nations invited to join BRICS,” Al Jazeera, 24 August 2023)
Mozambique: Jihadist leaders killed in joint operation
On 24 August, BBC reported that two jihadist leaders have been killed in a joint operation with regional forces in the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique. The Mozambique army stated that one of them was Abu Kital who "held the position of deputy commander of the operations of the group Ahlu-Sunnah wal Jama`a (ASWJ)." The regional force consisting of Mozambique and Rwanda forces along the Sadc regional bloc’s forces together carried out the operation. The Cabo Delgado region has been fighting Islamist insurgency since 2017. More than a million people have been displaced and 4,000 others were killed in the region over the period. (“Two jihadist commanders killed in Mozambique - army,” BBC, 24 August 2023)
Zimbabwe: Conducts general elections
On 23 August, Zimbabwe began its election for councillors, members of parliament and a president. 11 candidates are running for the presidential seat. More than six million people are expected to cast their votes. However, the contest is between two popular candidates- incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa from the governing Zanu-PF Party and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa from the Citizen's Coalition for Change (CCC). The opposition is seeking to end the 43-year rule of the Zanu-PF party. Since 1980, the Zanu-PF party has been in power and criticized for continuously clamping down on opposition to remain in power. The country struggles with rising cost of living, inflation, crippling power outages and corruption. People in the urban areas and the young population believe that it is time for a change. (“Zimbabwe election: Poll monitors arrested amid election,” BBC, 24 August 2023)