Photo : Mike Segar, Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Mike Segar, Reuters
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Guinea: ECOWAS impose sanctions on military government officials
On 23 September, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) imposed sanctions on the military government officials of Guinea in response to the coup in 2021. The AFP news agency reported, the leaders of the bloc, attending the UN General Assembly, agreed on “gradual sanctions” on a list of individuals in the military government who will be identified “very soon”. The Guinean junta say they need three years to return democracy and they are unhappy with Ecowas’s demand for faster transition. Guinea was suspended from the bloc following the coup. ("West African bloc imposes sanctions on Guinean junta," BBC, 23 September 2022)
South Sudan: Rape so common, women no longer bothered, says UN
On 23 August, a United Nations human rights team said rape has become a common incident in South Sudan in a way that women are no longer bothered to report repeated sexual abuses. Besides, the victims lack access to medical and trauma care, including those who have been gang raped multiple times. Yasmin Sooka, the chairperson of the team said: “Just imagine what it means to be raped by multiple armed men, pick yourself up for the sake of your children an then for it to happen again and again and again.” The team have been participating in meetings at the UN General Assembly to speak about the situation in South Sudan. ("South Sudan rape so common women do not report it - UN," BBC, 23 August 2022)
Uganda: Ebola death toll rise to three
On 23 September, the health ministry of Uganda said three more people died of Ebola virus bringing the total number to four since the announcement of the outbreak. The World Health Organization said the Ebola Sudan strain, which currently spreads in Uganda, is less transmissible and has a lower fatality rate than Ebola Zaire. Between 2018 and 2020, the Ebola Zaire strain killed more than 2,000 people in Democratic Republic of Congo. ("Uganda Ebola death toll jumps by three," BBC, 23 September 2022)