Photo : BBC
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : BBC
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Somalia: Farmajo to run for the second term
On 9 May, Somalia’s president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo announced that he would run for a second term in office for the upcoming presidential election on 15 May. Farmajo said his decision was a response to the “Somali people’s call.” The development comes as Somalia is facing a political crisis after Farmajo stayed in power after elections were postponed in February 2021, due to a delay in parliamentary elections. (“Somali president announces candidacy for second term,” BBC, 9 May 2022)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Several killed in suspected militia attack in Ituri province
On 8 May, an army spokesperson confirmed that over a dozen people had been killed in an armed attack on a mining camp in Ituri province. Three civil society leaders estimated that 30 to 50 people had been killed and accused the CODECO militia of the attack. The latest attack comes after 60 people were killed in a camp for displaced people and 18 were killed at a church in February. (“Dozens dead after suspected militia raid in eastern DRC,” Al Jazeera, 9 May 2022)
Aviation fuel shortage disrupts flights
On 9 May, BBC reported that the Airports Company of South Africa was trying to rectify the fuel shortage at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport after 14 flights were cancelled. The Central Energy Fund said if suppliers were unable to provide aviation fuel, it would help the international airlines for refuelling. The rail network providing fuel supply to the OR Tambo airport is operating only partially after it was damaged by the recent floods in Durban. Previously, in Nigeria, on 7 May, the Airline Operators of Nigeria said it would suspend all flights from 9 May because of the rise in fuel jet prices. The AON said cited the rise in prices due to Ukraine and said: “No airline in the world can absorb this kind of sudden shock from such an astronomical rise over a short period.” (Vumani Mkhize “Flights cancelled as Johannesburg hit by fuel shortage,” BBC, 9 May 2022; “Nigerian airlines suspend flights over soaring jet fuel prices,” Al Jazeera, 7 May 2022)