CONTINENTAL DRIFT
LGBT+ people targeted
There has been an uptick in people being jailed for being LGBT+ in Cameroon, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). Samesex relationships are illegal in Cameroon and offenders can be sentenced to up to five years in prison. According to HRW, since February, 24 people have been arbitrarily arrested, beaten and/or threatened by security forces, and “at least one of them was forced to undergo an HIV test and anal examination”.
Auctions for money
The Central Bank of South Sudan is planning to auction $5-million to other commercial banks and foreign-exchange bureaus weekly to bring down prices of basic commodities, which have been increasing significantly as a result of inflation. Economists point to the Covid-19 pandemic as cause of the inflation rates. The first auction was held this week, with 22 commercial banks participating. “These resources also will help our business people to bring in essential commodities to South Sudan,” said the Central Bank’s governor.
Compaoré indicted
A military tribunal has announced that former president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, will face charges for the murder of another former president, Thomas Sankara. Compaoré, currently in Côte d’ivoire where he is now a citizen, was forced into exile in 2014 after he tried extend his rule by changing the law. In 2015 a warrant for his arrest was issued. He was indicted for “attack on state security, complicity in murder and concealment of corpse”. Thirteen other people were charged.
$900m for canal incident
Egypt is seeking compensation to the tune of $900-million after the Ever Given container ship blockade of the Suez Canal last month. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) says that it has begun engaging in “negotiations” to obtain compensation for the damages suffered. The organisation says that it lost between $12-million and $15-million a day when the canal was closed. The head of the SCA maintains that Egypt “made no mistake” in the incident” and places the blame squarely on the ship.
Kenya’s elephant friend dies
One of “Africa’s last great supertusker elephants” died this week, Kenyan conservation group Tsavo Trust announced. “It is with great sadness that we report on the death of Il Talal ... He was well-known for his long, symmetrical ivory [tusks] that touched [the] ground,” the group noted in its eulogy for the famous elephant on Facebook.
Thousands of jabs wasted
More than 16 000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in Malawi have reached their expiry date, three weeks after their arrival in the country, the health ministry announced. The AU sent about 102 000 doses; about 16 400 expired on Tuesday before being used. Malawi received 530 000 doses through the AU, the Covax initiative and the Indian government — all Astrazeneca vaccines — and has used 46% of them so far. — Briefs sourced from Africa News and the BBC