THE WORLD

Photo: UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, Siddharth Chatterjee, appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in China.

UN Chief Appoints an Eminent Indian National as Resident Coordinator in China

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Siddharth Chatterjee, an eminent Indian national at the world body, as UN "resident coordinator" to China, who has the same rank as an ambassador of a foreign state accredited to that country. The Chinese government' has formally accepted the UN Secretary-General’s selection.

Observers consider this important particularly as Chatterjee is also an Indian Army Special Forces veteran. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from the National Defence Academy in India.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 17 December 2020

EEPA Report on Horn of Africa Situation on December 17

Military situation

Heavy shelling is continuing in many villages in Tigray.

Reported that male youth were forcibly recruited: “any males who tried to return home were taken to a local meeting and told by the Amhara forces that they would have to become soldiers.” Forced recruitment was earlier reported by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 17 December 2020

Situation Report on Horn of Africa No. 27

By EEPA

Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 16 December 2020

Photo: Late French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and 'Emperor' Bokassa of the Central African Republic.

The Story of Giscard D’Estaing's Fascination for 'Emperor' Bokassa's Diamonds

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*

LUND, Sweden (IDN) – Early December the former president of France Valery Giscard D’Estaing died. The Guardian in its obituary described him as “the grand old man of French politics”. President Emanuel Macron said, “his presidency had transformed France and his direction still guides its way”. The New York Times said he was “a modern-minded conservative”.

Unlike many of the other obituaries, the New York Times failed to mention the scandal that was a major factor in bringing him down when he ran for a second term in 1981. He was accused and it was proved that he had accepted a gift of diamonds from Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic valued at about quarter of a million US dollars.

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 15 December 2020

Situation Report on Horn of Africa No. 26

By EEPA

Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route.

: Ramesh Jaura; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 15 December 2020

Photo: Ethiopian federal government's "final offensive" against Tigray regional forces. Credit: Ethiopian News Agency

African Women Stress the Need for a Horn of Africa Peace Initiative

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS (IDN) – The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali "for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea." The prize was also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions.

: Reinhard Jacobsen; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 15 December 2020

South African Firm to Manufacture COVID-19 Vaccine for Patients in Need

By Lisa Vies, Global Information Network

NW YORK (IDN) – The South African firm Aspen may soon be rolling out drugs to combat COVID-19 on the continent after signing a deal with the U.S.-based Johnson & Johnson.

The American pharma company has conducted the only major study testing the efficacy of a single dose of Covid vaccine among 60,000 volunteers. In October, the company announced that the single-dose drug “induced a strong neutralizing antibody response in nearly all participants aged 18 years and older and was generally well tolerated.”

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 14 December 2020

Situation Report on Horn of Africa No. 25

By EEPA

Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peace-building, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Horn of Africa; 14 December 2020

Photo: A UN patrol team, deployed for monitoring ceasefire, drives through the Smara area of Western Sahara. The Moroccan Government has reportedly launched an operation on the southern border of Western Sahara. UN Photo/Martine Perret (file)

Morocco's Covert Ties to Israel Belie ‘Historic Breakthrough’ Narrative

By Lisa Vies, Global Information Network

NW YORK (IDN) – While the news media from coast to coast has been trumpeting a “historic breakthrough” between Israel and Morocco with credit to the Trump administration, ties between the two countries have been close for decades, with cooperation on intelligence and military matters that even included the assassination of an opposition leader.