Photo : picture-alliance/AP Images/Al-Hadji-Kudra Maliro
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : picture-alliance/AP Images/Al-Hadji-Kudra Maliro
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
WHO concerned over rise in zoonotic disease outbreak
On 14 July, the World Health Organization said that in the 2012-2022 decade, Africa had witnessed a 63 per cent increase in zoonotic disease outbreaks, compared to the 2001-2011 decade. Of the 1,843 public health events, 30 per cent were zoonotic outbreaks and Ebola accounts for 40 per cent of the zoonotic outbreaks, said WHO. The WHO statement came in the backdrop of the rising cases of monkeypox across the world. The rise in the number of cases is also attributed to better testing measures, especially in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (“Africa sees 68% jump in zoonotic outbreaks over last decade,” News24, 14 July 2022)
Macron calls for rethinking strategy in Africa
On 13 July, France’s president Emmanuel Macron addressed French troops ahead of French officials’ visit to Niger on 15 July. Macron said he would want to “rethink” France’s military postures in Africa and called on ministers and army chiefs to deliberate the same. (“France's Macron wants 'rethink' of French military postures in Africa,” Reuters, 14 July 2022)
DRC: OVer 30 killed in clashes in the east
On 14 July, BBC reported at least 31 people, including children, had been killed in renewed clashes between the DRC’s armed forces and multiple rebel groups in Beni territory in the east. In 2022 so far, an estimated 700,000 people have been displaced in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces, thereby bringing the total number of displaced people in DRC to six million. (Emmanuel Igunza, “Death toll in DR Congo violence rises to over 30,” BBC, 14 July 2022)