L’eau chaude n’oublie pas qu’elle était d’abord froide (Proverbe Burundais – Burundi). – On n’oublie pas ses origines.
Hot water does not forget that it was first cold (Burundian proverb – Burundi). – We do not forget your origins.
Dear Readers, 2025 is upon us!
May 2025 be a book you will author. Write your chapters of joy, love, and extraordinary adventures in it!
The top 6 posts of the year 2024 are listed below with two old-time favorites, “Love Poem for my Country” by Sandile Dikeni took first place as the most read post of the year, while another favorite poem “My Name” by Magoleng wa Selepe took second place. The surprise of the year was the post “The Lebombo Bone: The Oldest Mathematical Artifact in the World,” which reinforces the rich archaeological and scientific parts of the African continent which is the cradle of humanity. Other surprises were the songs ‘Asimbonanga‘ on freedom from apartheid by South African Johnny Clegg, and ‘Yamore‘ on love by the Malian great Salif Keïta and Cape-Verdean diva Cesaria Evora. We wish you a full and amazing new year, rich in blessings and greatness. Like the vibrant petals of this flower, may your year be vibrant, bringing in new fruits! As always, like Agostinho Neto said, “A luta continua … a vitória é certa!”
Celui qui attend la chance risque d’attendre un an (proverbe Yoruba – Nigeria).
One who waits for chance may wait a year (Yoruba proverb – Nigeria).
There was a lot to celebrate in Africa this year. Below are just a few:
In 2024, we said goodbye to many people and things in Africa. Below are a few:
In February, the 3rd president of Namibia, Hage Geingob, passed away in Windhoek, Namibia, from cancer. As a strong freedom and anti-apartheid activist, in his early years, he fought to set the international stage for the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and the Namibian fight for independence from South Africa; we remember his years of service and sacrifice for the nation of Namibia, and Southern Africa as a whole. So Long Hage Geingob, Third President of Namibia – African Heritage
In February, the European Union (EU) agreed to discuss the price of minerals coming from the DRC with Rwanda. Unheard of!!! Such a preposterous agreement! The EU and Rwanda signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen Rwanda’s role in fostering sustainable development and resilient value chains for critical raw materials MOU on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains between the EU and Rwanda. Since then, several mineral-rich Congolese cities have been captured by the M23, a rebellious movement backed by Rwanda. The town with one of the biggest coltan reservoirs in the world, Rubaya was captured by the M23 rebels. Kanyabayonga, Kirumba, Shasha, Vuvano, Kiuli, and Mbwambaliro are other cities that were captured by the M23 this year. Rubaya is rich in coltan, tantalum, cobalt; north Kivu, gold, tin, and of course diamond. Coincidence or Not? Coltan-rich Town Captured – African Heritage
In April, Maryse Condé, the grande Dame of Caribbean literature left us, aged 90. Condé’s work has touched so many throughout the world, as it was a literary bridge between Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe. Her best work, Segu, is a great favorite. My first encounter with Maryse Condé’s work, was when I read her book “La Belle Créole.” Then I read Segu, and really that was it! I was sold… It was unforgettable, strong, and vivid. Maryse Conde: The Grande Dame of Caribbean Literature is no more – African Heritage
ago. The ANC won just over 40% of the votes cast, short of the majority; the Democratic Alliance (DA) won 22% of the votes coming in second; Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party came in third with 15% of the vote, while Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) came in fourth with 9.5%. The ANC’s historic 30-year loss in South Africa and its subsequent unusual coalition with the Democratic Alliance has been rocky so far as shown by one side’s continued support of Russia and the other’s support of Ukraine.
In August, the longest-serving president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Cameroonian Issa Hayatou joined his ancestors this year. Hayatou was a legend who transformed African football into a powerhouse. His visionary leadership expanded Africa’s presence at the FIFA World Cup from two teams in 1982 to 3, 5, and eventually 10 by 2026. He relentlessly lobbyied for the place of Africa in the world of football, including the dream of an African country hosting the world cup, which materialized with South Africa as a host in 2010. He also expanded the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), increasing participating teams from 8 to 24, creating more opportunities for African nations to compete on the global stage. His legacy in African football is unmatched.
With a population of over 100 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the largest landlocked country in the world. Sea access is not just a common question, but is an existential issue for the country. On January 1, 2024, Ethiopia announced an agreement signed with Somaliland (way to announce the colors of the new year) to lease the port of Berbera in Somaliland, on the Red Sea, and a 20-km stretch of Red Sea coastline for 20 years, Ethiopia – Somaliland Agreement: Will Sea Access lead to Conflict in the Horn of Africa? The agreement made countries in the entire Horn of Africa sweat pools in fear of war, even though those same countries, Ethiopia’s coastal neighbors, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Somalia all rejected its pleas for direct access to a port on the Red Sea. African countries are always ready and eager to lease their lands, ports, airports, railways (Lobito), for a specific duration to European or Chinese or even South African companies, why is it so hard to do the same for fellow African neighbors? Somalia’s president was particularly vocal, calling the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement an act of agression, saying that the agreement implied that Ethiopia was recognizing Somaliland (which has seceded from Somalia) as an independent state.
Last week, a historic agreement was signed between Ethiopia and Somalia, under the patronage of Turkey. It centered around, 1) resolving misunderstandings, with both countries committing to resolve issues in upcoming months; 2) cooperation and dialogue to ensure mutual prosperity (should this even be a question among neighbors?); 3) access to the sea for Ethiopia, which Somalia agreed to facilitate under its sovereign authority; 4) both countries will begin technical talks to iron details no later than the end of February 2025, aiming to complete them within 4 months with Turkey’s assistance if needed.
We applaud the historic agreement, and can only breathe a sigh of relief for a year which has been tough in the Horn of Africa with war intensifying in neighboring Sudan. However, the agreement still seems a bit vague as to the fundamental issue of whether Ethiopia will use the port of Berbera in Somaliland or whether another port (perhaps in Somalia) will be used instead.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), specifically Part X of the convention addresses the rights of landlocked states to access the sea and freedom of transit. Sea access should not be used as a carrot and a stick as it is an existential issue for these countries. Part X ensures that landlocked countries have the right to access the sea for the purpose of exercising their rights, including freedom of the high seas. Nobody has heard of European countries blocking Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, or Slovakia from sea access. However, we saw ECOWAS countries try that during the year, particularly Benin which even went as far as blocking the Niger pipeline which goes through its territory until China gave Benin a reminder (want to bet that it was not a gentle one?) that it was not right.
For more information on this agreement brokered by Turkey between Ethiopia and Somalia, check out the articles on DW and The Economist.
This past weekend, I visited an Ivorian friend who served me Attiéké, Ivory Coast’s iconic dish made from fermented cassava roots, which is part of almost all Ivorian tables. Few days ago, the attiéké, has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. What is the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, you may ask? The Intangible heritage focuses on the non-physical aspects of a culture, contrary to the tangible heritage which focuses on monuments and natural landscapes, working on the preservation of traditions, practices, expressions, and knowledge of entire communities. Thus, African treasures which are part of the UNESCO tangible heritage list would be Great Zimbabwe, the Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela (Ethiopia), Timbuktu (Mali), or Pyramids of Giza (Egypt), while intangible heritages would be the Congolese Rumba and now Attiéké.
Attiéké is often nicknamed “Ivorian couscous,” because it is a staple made from grated, fermented cassava roots, which has a texture similar to the semolina couscous consumed in the countries of the Maghreb, in northern Africa. The Attiéké originated in the coastal regions of Ivory Coast centuries ago; today, it has become a culinary cornerstone across the country and even beyond its frontiers. The dish is versatile, often paired with grilled fish and served during meals and special ceremonies such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals. It also represents a livelihood for many women in Ivory Coast, as its production is an intricate, multi-day process which has been traditionally led by women and passed down from generation to generation. This tradition includes peeling, grating, fermenting, pressing, drying, and steaming the cassava pulp. These skills, which are central to its preparation, have also been recognized as intangible cultural heritage. Today, Cote d’Ivoire produces over 40,000 tons of Attieke per year, and its commercialization and consumption has expanded beyond the country’s border to other African countries, and other continents.
The UNESCO’s recognition of this Ivorian treasure highlights the importance of preserving not just the dish itself but also the traditional knowledge and skills associated with its preparation. The generational transfer of these skills ensures attiéké’s role as a cultural bridge in Ivorian society.
To learn more, please read Afrikana’s post on Attieke, and this BBC article.
Last week, Orano, the French nuclear company which until now controlled the mining of uranium in Niger, has announced that the Niger government had taken control of its Somair uranium mining. Orano owns about 63 % of the mine. Orano claims that the government had been stopping them from resuming exports and operation, when we know that the degradation (Niger and Orano: Disagreement) is in part because they were trying to force the government to go through Benin whose border has remained closed, previously due to ECOWAS blockage (fueled by France), and now given that it hosts French military bases. The media tell us that Niger is not that important and Orano, France, and the EU have been able to find alternative suppliers in Canada, Uzbekistan, Australia, Namibia, and others… if that is the case, then why do they persist in Niger? Why not leave Niger alone? Is it because the uranium from Niger was dirt cheap, and now paying from it at regular prices from those other sources hurts the pocket book? The BBC admits that “the timing could hardly be more awkward, as Western countries struggle to meet the challenge of climate change and cut their carbon emissions from electricity generation.” Overall, the West is unhappy that Niger is now seeking other partners such as Russia, China, and others.
The Western mainstream media, in a case of absolute double standard keeps calling the government of Niger, “military junta“, while calling the Syria terrorists “liberators.” These same media are all up in arms in the case of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Today, the BBC received a 3-month ban in Niger, while the Nigerien government is filing suits against RFI for spreading fake news that could destabilize the social peace and inciting war propaganda against the local government.
Excerpts below are from the BBC. For the full article, check out How a uranium mine became a pawn in the row between Niger and France. Enjoy!
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In the latest sign of a dramatic deterioration in relations, Niger’s military rulers appear increasingly determined to drive France out of any significant sector in their economy – and particularly uranium mining. This week the French state nuclear company Orano announced that the junta … had taken operational control of its local mining firm, Somaïr. …
… the crisis facing Orano in Niger represents a significant practical challenge for French energy supply. With 18 nuclear plants, totalling 56 reactors, which generate almost 65% of its electricity, France has been ahead of the game in containing carbon emissions from the power sector. … So, over the past decade or so, [France] has imported almost 90,000 tonnes – a fifth of which has come from Niger. … Last year, as West African neighbours responded to the coup in Niger by imposing a trade blockade that paralysed uranium exports, other suppliers readily stepped into the breach. The European Union’s imports of the mineral from the country plunged by a third, but these were largely replaced by Canada.
… After last year’s coup, Orano itself tried to stay out of the diplomatic row, keep a low profile and carry on operating normally. But the Ecowas trade blockade prevented it from exporting the output from the Somaïr mine, near Arlit, in the Sahara Desert. And even after the sanctions were lifted in late February, the usual uranium export route, via Benin’s port of Cotonou, remained blocked, because the junta kept the border closed in an ongoing political row with Benin…. In June the junta cancelled the French company’s rights to develop a new mine at the large Imouraren deposit, which had been seen as the uranium sector’s principal new hope for future growth. Meanwhile, the export blockage was pushing Somaïr, which by November was sitting on 1,150 tonnes of blockaded stocks of uranium concentrate worth $210m (£165m), into financial crisis.
… Niger’s junta feels no need to make concessions to Orano because it is now buoyed by a sharp rise in oil exports, thanks to a new Chinese-built pipeline. With that financial cushion, the regime appears prepared to bear the cost of paralysing and probably dismantling the traditional uranium partnership with France – now its main international opponent.
On Monday, a French court found the Franco-Cameroonian journalist and author Charles Onana guilty of downplaying the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Onana has been condemned to pay 8400 Euros of penalty. His editor, Damien Serieyx has also been found guilty and condemned to pay 5000 Euros. They also have to further pay 11,000 Euros in compensation to human rights organisations that filed the suit. The book at the center of the controversy is, “Rwanda, la vérité sur l’opération Turquoise: quand les archives parlent.”
The court said that Onana’s book had “trivialised” and “contested” in “an outrageous manner” the genocide that occurred between April and July 1994. Onana’s lawyer, Emmanuel Pire, insisted that Onana did not question that genocide took place, or that Tutsis were particularly targeted as per the BBC; but rather that many lost lives in the 1994 horrendous events including Tutsis, Hutus, and Twas. Onana invites all to read his book without pulling passages out of context, but reading the book in its entirety. Both Onana and his publisher have appealed against the verdict.
Could this be a vendetta against Onana for shedding light on the horrors happening in the East of the Democractic Republic of Congo (DRC), with his book “Holocaust in Congo: the International Community’s Omerta“? Until his book and a few by others like Patrick Mbeko, Michela Wrong, Pierre Pean, …, the international community had turned a blind eye on the atrocities committed in the DRC. With over 10 million dead, 7 million internally displaced, 500 000 woman raped, the story should have been in the front pages of news outlets around the world, yet it is a total blackout. Why? Because of the Geological Scandal that is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), The New Scramble for Africa with Congo as the centerpiece, and the special first rate place played by that country ‘wrongfully’ dubbed by some as the Switzerland of Africa.
For more, check out the article by Colette Braeckman, The Looting of the Congo, BBC – DR Congo: Cursed by its natural wealth and the extensive articles written by a fellow blogger at WiPoKuli Schluter. All Support to Charles Onana. Check out the recent interview of Idriss Aberkane with Michela Wrong.
African Heritage 