Photo :
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo :
IN BRIEF
Narmatha S and Vetriselvi Baskaran
Zimbabwe: Condemns the US sanctions on officials
On 7 March, Zimbabwe condemned the recently imposed US sanctions on senior officials on the grounds of corruption and human rights abuses. The spokesperson for President Mnangagwa described the accusations as “defamatory.” The deputy chief secretary of the president, George Charamba, demanded the removal of “illegal coercive measures” immediately, and urged the UN, the AU, and SADC to back Zimbabwe. (“Zimbabwe condemns fresh ‘illegal and coercive’ US sanctions,” BBC, 7 March 2024)
Africa: Three West African states form joint force to counter Jihadists
On 7 March, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso announced the formation of a joint force to fight Jihadists. During the talks in the Nigerian capital Niamey, Niger's army chief Moussa Salaou Barmou stated that it would be operational without giving further information about the joint force. The region has undergone massive attacks that killed more than thousands of people in 2023 by groups linked to both Islamic State and al-Qaeda. (“Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to form joint force to fight jihadists,” BBC, 8 March 2024)
Senegal: President announces the election date
On 7 March, after riots and tensions, the government announced the date of the presidential election on 24 March. The decision was welcomed by the opposition. President Macky Sall was accused of attempting a constitutional coup to prolong his tenure, which was seen as a threat to democracy. President Macky Sall’s term in office will end on April 2. Senegal is the only country in West Africa that has never undergone a coup and is one of the stable democracies in Africa. (“Senegal President Mack Sall announces 24 March election,” BBC, 7 March 2024)