- COVID-19: Second wave sees higher death rates in Africa
According to a public address by the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, on Thursday, 4 February 2021 in Addis Ababa, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which sees new variants of the virus reported by experts to be more contagious, is having an even more devastating impact than the first time around — as far as the continental death rate.
Speaking, John said in part, “Unfortunately, also in Africa, 93,000 individuals have died from the COVID-19, leading to a case fatality rate of 2.6%. So again, the global case fatality rate is 2.2%. The continental case fatality rate is 2.6%. That shows you clearly, as I indicated last time that the case fatality rate so it’s becoming very troubling because it has now exceeded the global total. It used to be the reverse. During the first wave, the case fatality rate was about 2.2%, and now we are seeing 2.6%.”
2. AfDB grants South Sudan $14M to boost Agriculture
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant of $14 million to South Sudan to boost agriculture and reduce the country’s dependence on oil as only means of national revenue.
During the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony the African Development Bank representative, Benedict Sorie Kanu said the grant will support the Agricultural Markets, Value Addition and Trade Development (AMVAT) project by the United Nations Food Agricultural Organization (FAO).
3. Military operations in DRC’s north-east increases IDPs crisis
Soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo were part and players in an operation against rebels in the north-east region of the country. The region of Djugu had earlier been under threats from armed groups, where at least 46 people were killed in a single attack last month.
The Congolese army said they were probing the January massacre, saying it was still early and difficult to explain what happened and those responsible for the killings as several groups are operating in the area.
4. International crimes court convicts Dominic Ongwen of War Crimes
The International Criminal Court, ICC, sitting at The Hague, Netherlands, has convicted Ugandan child soldier-turned-warlord Dominic Ongwen for crimes against humanity including maiming, torturing, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, and leading an army of fighters in displacing communities in northern Uganda.
The ICC judges said prosecutors had proved 61 crimes against Ongwen, out of the 70 he was accused of committing.
5. Egypt among countries to purchase Indian missile systems
Egypt has been listed among the potential countries that India could supply with modern missile systems as part of its new bid to emerge as a major arms exporter.
In a recent report, India had made a list of friendly countries to which it could sell in advanced its Akash missile systems and BrahMos cruise missiles over the next few years.
