The African Union (AU) will from Monday, March 18 to Tuesday, March 19, 2024, convene the Second Reflection Forum on Unconstitutional Changes of Government (Accra II Process on UCGs) in Accra, Ghana.
The forum, under the theme, “Robust Response, Deepening Democracy, Sustainable Security”, will be officially opened by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The forum will bring together African policy and decision-makers, including representatives of the Peace and Security Council, Permanent Representatives Committee, the Armed Forces of AU member states, as well as the AU Commission and relevant AU organs, regional economic communities, and mechanisms.
It will build on the first edition held in March 2022 and on the Declaration on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa , Malabo Declaration, adopted during the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on May 28, 2022.
Mr Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union, said the Forum would assess efforts and initiatives undertaken since the 2022 Accra Reflection Forum and the key achievements and gaps in implementing its recommendations.
“It will also offer an opportunity to review the latest developments …Provide recommendations on the necessary steps to improve and adapt the AU’s responses to the new challenges posed by UCGs towards consolidating democratic practice and effective governance in Africa.”
Mr Adeoye said the rise in the incidence of unconstitutional government takeovers needed to be collectively addressed to sustain peace and security in the subregion.
He said democracy remained the best form of governance, which must be safeguarded and enhanced to improve the fortunes of peace, security and development in Africa.
Mr Adeoye said the suspension and sanctions on the six countries taken over by military juntas were still in force, adding that the AU would remain resolute in its sanctions until they returned to constitutional rule.
“The emerging trend posed by military takeovers is not acceptable. The AU will continue to rally for democracy and declare zero tolerance to unconstitutional change of governments,” he stressed.
The Government of Ghana has defended its decision to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July 2022, arguing that the consequences are worthwhile.
“It is a decision that already has paid off. It has paid off in terms of the clear turn around that we have seen in our economy,” President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said.
The systematic decline in inflation, interest rate and the relatively stable exchange rate were all important signals that the economy was stabilising and at a good place, he said.
The President, in an interaction with the Managing Director, IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, at the Jubilee House in Accra on Sunday, said “the foundation that it is building for the future is very strong”.
Madam Georgieva and her team are in Ghana to participate in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) conference jointly organised by the Ministry of Finance and the IMF. The event is under the theme, “AI as a Catalyst to Transform Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Last two years, IMF and the Ghanaian authorities reached staff-level agreement on economic policies and reforms to be supported by a new three-year arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) of about US$3 billion.
The reform programme aims at restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while protecting the vulnerable, preserving financial stability, and laying the foundation for strong and inclusive recovery.
In addition to fiscal consolidation and measures to reduce inflation and rebuild external buffers, the programme envisages wide-ranging reforms to address structural weaknesses and enhance resilience to shocks.
“Where we are today is a clear testimony – the fact that our decision to seek your support, was a decision that was correct, and we have had very positive benefits from it,” President Akufo-Addo said of the IMF deal.
The country, he assured, was committed to the arrangements that the two parties had entered into.
“We now need to have an extremely involved discussion about where we are going, and the need for steadiness, and to stay through. For the fundamentals that have been agreed between us is the way forward.
“At the end of the day, it is not the steadiness in itself that matters. It is the outcome, and the outcomes that we are looking for, is this rapid development of prosperity for our people,” the President noted.
He lauded the visiting IMF MD for her commitment to duty and sense of professionalism.
“I think one of the things that has marked your period in office as the MD of the IMF is the strong sense that you have a clearer understanding of the problems of countries like my own, and, therefore, you are minded to try to look for ways of alleviating and helping us make a progress, despite the difficult period in which we are operating”.
President Akufo-Addo said the Ghanaian story was unique in many ways, as it was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to free itself from colonial rule.
“So, our journey has to be typical of what is happening in the evolution of Africa since independence,” he echoed.
Ms Georgieva lauded the Ghana Government for keeping to the arrangements under the IMF deal, saying the debt restructuring had been faster than expected.
According to reports, Mason Mount’s decision to leave Chelsea in a £60 million trade to Manchester United was not prompted by “football reasons”.
The midfielder departed the Blues in the summer transfer window to join Manchester United, but according to the Manchester Evening News, his reasons for leaving were not just football-related. The 25-year-old is claimed to be “sensitive” about his departure from Chelsea, where he spent 18 years progressing from the development academy to the first squad.
Mount’s time at United has not gone smoothly either, however, as he has made just 12 appearances in all competitions. After missing several weeks between August and September due to injury, he picked up yet another fitness issue that has kept him out of action since November. He is back in training with his team-mates now, though, and will be in contention for coach Erik ten Hag again in the near future.
Mount made 195 senior appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring 33 goals from midfield. His move to United sparked an angry reaction from Blues fans, who have accused him of joining United for more money than he was earning in London.
The England international will hope to be back on the field soon as United gear up for this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Liverpool and prepare for the final 10 Premier League matches of their 2023-24 campaign.
After reaching the final eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2020, the Blaugrana have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.
There is little question that Barcelona’s 3-1 victory against Napoli in the Champions League knockout rounds was significant in the context of Xavi’s career. Despite having already won one major award, he need this demonstration of strength in continental competition. Barcelona did as well.
No team has a divine right to succeed, even if there are serial champions. But Barcelona, as a brand, squad, and institution, feels too enormous to wait on the sidelines while the season’s greatest games go place. However, the Catalans have seen little but failure in Europe in recent years.
Not since Lionel Messi stood before the Camp Nou prior to the 2018-19 season, promising the club would win the Champions League, have they been serious challengers. A legendary collapse at Anfield in 2019, the infamous battering at the hands of Bayern Munich in 2020, and consecutive group-stage exits in 2022 and 2023 made the Blaugrana a laughing stock in Europe.
The game with Napoli, then, was a chance to show that the Blaugrana can – if only temporarily – recover on club football’s biggest stage. And there was enough about Barca here to suggest that they might just be able to do something special in this season’s Champions League – even if they remain massive underdogs.
The Blaugrana were convincing at both ends of the pitch, utilising a blend of exciting youth and timely experience to piece together a composed win. And although they may not be widely back to progress past the quarter-finals, this youthful team seems set to finally give Cules something to get excited about.
A solid performance
A fair criticism of Barca this season – regardless of the result – has been the poor quality of their performances. This isn’t necessarily a new thing. Barca weren’t particularly watchable last year, their European-best defence carrying them to a league title, rather than the magical tiki-taka football associated with the club. Only this campaign, their legs have gone, their injuries have multiplied and the goals against tally has sky-rocketed.
But there was a real bounce to Barca here. They scored twice within 17 minutes, Fermin Lopez bagging the first, and Joao Cancelo scoring the second. Raphinha played chief orchestrator of both, assisting one and seeing his fizzing effort ping off the post and into the feet of Cancelo – who couldn’t miss from a tight angle.
After that – and for long stretches throughout – it was all about Yamal. The winger cut, chopped and cut again on the wing, creating chances for an active Barca front line. Napoli were good value for their goal when Amir Rrahmani sauntered into the box and finished on the half hour mark. But the Blaugrana were otherwise relatively untroubled, surviving a scare or two yet staying in control throughout. Their late third was perhaps overdue – but entirely deserved.
Lamine Yamal: The Messi regen?
Yamal was always likely to be the difference-maker here. The 16-year-old winger has been Barca’s most dangerous attacking threat for months, scoring six goals and assisting seven to round off a memorable start to life in Catalonia. And while he didn’t find the scoresheet here, Yamal was at the centre of all the good things Xavi’s side did.
He made Mario Rui’s life a nightmare throughout, a blur of sharp cuts and deft turns often fooling one of the most experienced players on the pitch. And he will need to do more of the same going forward. Perhaps Yamal’s best skill is his relentless unpredictability. He can go left or right, cut onto either foot, and exploit the smallest of spaces. The Lionel Messi label might be unfair, but no one can quite figure out Europe’s brightest talent.
Xavi will have to manage his minutes carefully here. Perhaps he is benched more regularly in La Liga to keep him fresh for European competition. He should probably get the occasional night off. Either way, there’s a real star power about Adidas’ latest signee. When he’s on the pitch, Barca always have a chance.
Fermin Lopez: the midfield engine
Lopez offers something different. He was a surprise inclusion in Barca’s preseason squad, and worked his way into the first team largely thanks to a memorable long-range strike in a summer Clasico that tied up a resounding victory. His performances have been admittedly mixed, the buzzing midfielder falling in and out of the starting line-up.
But against Napoli he was at something nearing his best. He managed an hour of relentless running, finishing his shift with only 39 touches, but two chances created, and one wonderfully taken goal. On another night – with a more clinical aim – he could have scored three.
His spot would seem to be up in the air. Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are working their way back from injuries, and a full-strength Barca would seem to include both of them over the vibrant youngster. But even if he is to function in a reserve role, the academy graduate has the kind of energy, creativity and drive that can change a game.
Pau Cubarsi: the next great centre-back?
Cubarsi is the surprise actor here. Not highly regarded until recently, the lanky centre-back has revived a beleaguered and shaky back-line. He offers something different to the physical and embattled Ronald Araujo. Cubarsi is all about finesse. An excellent passer of the ball and refined dribbler, he serves as the connective tissue between an often rigid Barca defence and active midfield unit.
But against Napoli he played the role of bruiser, turning in a memorable man-of-the-match performance in his first Champions League start. The centre-back won 100 percent of his aerial duels, completed 90% of his passes, created one chance, made three clearances, five defensive recoveries, and almost completely nullified one of Europe’s most highly rated No.9s in Victor Osimhen.
There are still some inconsistencies to his game. For all of his composure on the ball, Cubarsi can be rather erratic off it. A harsher VAR official might have seen him give up a penalty at a crucial juncture in the second leg.
Still, Barca might just have their centre-back pairing of the future set up before them. His partner summed it up. “Pau Cubarsi is spectacular. We complement each other very well, and we hope it lasts for many years. He’s the future of the club,” Araujo said.
Those who might return
And then there remains the question of who might be able to feature in the weeks to come. The March international break arrives at a good time for the Baluragana, giving Xavi ample opportunity to see some key names recover from various knocks.
Pedri, in particular, might benefit from a few weeks off. He picked up yet another hamstring injury in early March. But the club revealed that the pull isn’t as serious as first thought, opening up the possibility for a return for the quarter-finals.
De Jong’s case is harder to judge. The floaty midfielder suffered his second ankle sprain of the season in the first half of Barca’s clash with Athletic Club on March 3. Last time, he needed nearly three months to return to fitness. A month-long layoff has been suggested, but with the first legs set for April 10, he might face a race against time to be at full strength.
However, the word is that he could feature in Sunday’s Liga showdown with Atletico Madrid, which would be a timely boost for Barca, given his ability to impact games.
Xavi’s last stand
The questions about Xavi’s future won’t suddenly go away. Regardless of the roars of the Olympic Stadium, the anticipation of the fans, or the ultimate excitement set to come with playing a first Champions League quarter-final since 2019, Xavi will still depart at the end of the season.
And perhaps, if the draw goes well, and his kids stand up, he might just be able to provide something resembling a perfect parting gift. He and Barca have nothing to lose. And that could at least bring some joy back to a club that has been short of it in recent months.
On Wednesday, an Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed a Hamas member from the nearby Palestinian settlement of Rashidieh, a group source told Reuters.
Hadi Mustafa, according to the source, was not a senior member. Two security sources reported a Syrian guy riding by on his motorbike was also killed in the hit, contradicting earlier reports that the two casualties were in Mustafa’s car.
All three reports stated that the Israeli drone lingered in the air over the hit scene for several minutes after it was carried out.
Hamas, the Palestinian faction which carried out a deadly incursion into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, also has a political and military presence in Lebanon, largely based out of camps where Palestinian refugees have lived for decades.
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in October in support of Hamas. Since then, Israel has been carrying out strikes in Lebanon, mostly confined to the border region but increasingly spreading further north and east.
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin forewarned the West that Russia was prepared for nuclear war and that the deployment of American soldiers in Ukraine would be viewed as a major escalation of hostilities.
Speaking only days before an election scheduled for March 15–17, which is sure to give him another six years in office, Putin stated that he did not see the need for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and that the possibility of a nuclear war was not “rushing” forward.
When asked if the nation was truly prepared for a nuclear conflict, 71-year-old Putin responded, “From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready,” on Rossiya-1 television and news agency RIA.
Putin said the U.S. understood that if it deployed American troops on Russian territory – or to Ukraine – Russia would treat the move as an intervention.
“(In the U.S.) there are enough specialists in the field of Russian-American relations and in the field of strategic restraint,” said Putin, the ultimate decision maker in the world’s biggest nuclear power.
“Therefore, I don’t think that here everything is rushing to it (nuclear confrontation), but we are ready for this.”
Putin’s nuclear warning came alongside another offer for talks on Ukraine as part of a new post-Cold War demarcation of European security. The U.S. says Putin is not ready for serious talks over Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine has triggered the deepest crisis in Russia’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and Putin has warned several times the West risks provoking a nuclear war if it sends troops to fight in Ukraine.
Beatrice Annan, a spokesman for John Mahama’s campaign team, has bemoaned Ghana’s economic situation and asked voters to support the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming elections in December in order to guarantee a speedy recovery.
She said that if John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the NDC, wins the presidency in December, he will keep his word to the Ghanaian people.
Among Mahama’s noteworthy pledges are his 24-hour economy, as well as his assurances to enhance agriculture, stabilise the economy, and find a solution to Accra’s water issue.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Beatrice Annan said Ghanaians can expect improvement under an NDC administration.
“His policy, which is very comprehensive in the area of agriculture and agribusiness, is one that is calculated to make us self-reliant. I think he has also been speaking on a number of things. For instance, how to review the existing mining contracts we have and how to invest more in exploration so that Ghana’s percentage anytime we discover mineral will not just be 5 percent but will be something substantial that can help us.”
“And so there are lots of things to be done and then we pray that the people of Ghana will give [ex]President Mahama the nod because where we are is simply a mess and we do not deserve to be here.”
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has promised that if the NDC wins the December elections, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will be given first priority.
He voiced dissatisfaction with the present administration and said that it has neglected the NHIS, which has decreased the Scheme’s efficacy.
Speaking to Tema’s religious leaders, Mahama emphasised the NDC’s commitment to making sure the NHIS runs well so that all Ghanaians may access high-quality healthcare.
He blasted the purported lack of money from the present administration, saying it has made it impossible for subscribers to get the healthcare treatments they require without having to pay more.
“The basic problem is that the NHIS has almost collapsed. This government is not paying money into the scheme. And once the scheme doesn’t get money, they also cannot pay the facilities for the claims that they make. And so they are forced to charge the patients when the patients come.
“Or else, all they will do is give you a folder, you go and see the doctor. That is the only service you get. For everything else, you have to go outside and pay with cash to get. And so it looks like we are coming back to the cash and carry days. And so what we will do is we will strengthen the NHIS again so that it can give the services that it was designed to give.”
China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 126 trillion RMB (17.89 trillion USD) in 2023, representing a 5.2 percent increase in its overall economic growth.
Ranked among the fastest-growing major economies in the world, the country also created 12.44 million jobs, with an unemployment rate pegged at 5.2 per cent.
Mr LU Kun, Ambassador of China to Ghana, made this known at the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held recently in Beijing.
He touched on major economic and social development targets accomplished in 2023 and other highlights of China’s economy such as the country’s per capita income, which increased by 6.1 percent in the year under review.
Among other indicators, he said the income level of rural residents increased by 8.4 per cent with the number of people working in the labour force exceeding 33 million.
With a focus on modernising industrial systems and other transformational initiatives, China’s strategic emerging industries were reported as “flourishing”.
“China’s domestically developed C919 large passenger jet has been put into commercial operation…
“The production and sales of new energy vehicles account for more than 60 per cent of the world’s total,” the report noted.
The development of high-end equipment such as aircraft engines, gas turbines, and fourth-generation nuclear power plants were also said to have improved.
On the technology front, fifth generation wireless technology (5G) user access had exceeded 50 per cent while innovations in cutting-edge artificial intelligence and quantum technology continue to emerge.
To this end, Mr Lu Kun said China would intensify its efforts to attract foreign investments and abolish all restrictions on foreign investment in the country’s services sectors such as telecommunications and healthcare.
“China will implement measures to ensure national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, enhance foreign investment service system, and improve the convenience for foreigners to work, study and travel in China,” he noted.
The Ambassador emphasised the nation’s commitment to deepening multilateral, bilateral and regional economic cooperation, by signing “high-standard free trade and investment agreements,” as the country marked its 75th anniversary and worked towards achieving its “14th Five-Year Plan”.
“…China is solidly promoting high-quality development, taking solid steps towards building a modernised socialist country in all respects, sharing new development opportunities with other countries.
“China will continue to provide an important driving force for the world and inject more vitality and greater confidence into the world’s economic recovery,” he said.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Energy Minister, says Ghana is keen on becoming host to the Africa Energy Bank – a specialised bank to address the imminent funding challenge in Africa’s oil and gas industry.
Ghana and six other countries – Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria, have all expressed interest to host the continental energy bank, expected to be operational in June 2024.
The development financial institution [Africa Energy Bank] is a brainchild of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
“Ghana is in pole position to host the Africa Energy Bank,” Dr Opoku Prempeh said at the maiden Africa Energy Technology Conference at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.
Speaking exclusively with the Ghana News Agency, the Energy Minister assured all stakeholders that “Ghana is well prepared to host the Bank; we meet all the criteria with other advantages inherent in our bid.”
Ghana, host of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the few countries that have identified a place as the headquarters for the Bank.
“Ghana is one of the countries that’s not a host to any African financial institution; Egypt has the Afreximbank, Ivory Coast has the African Development Bank (AfDB). With our preparations so far, we’re ready to host the Bank,” Dr Prempeh said.
He said the establishment of the Bank would be critical in raising funds to invest in solving, not only Ghana’s energy sector challenges, but the continent’s.
He said the Bank would also provide an opportunity for the continent to raise funds and invest on its natural resources, address energy sector challenges to spur economic development, eliminate energy poverty, and create jobs for its people.
Dr Opoku Prempeh said the continent was endowed with rich critical metals such as Lithium, Cobalt, Tantalite, which were essential for the manufacturing of clean energy technologies such as Lithium-ion batteries for both the power and e-mobility sectors.
“Africa must leverage these enormous resources to bring in industries to process and manufacture finished products for both domestic consumption and export.”
Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO, in an earlier media interaction said: “One of the requirements is that whichever country that’s going to host the Africa Energy Bank must give us a befitting headquarters, and Ghana has already shown us a property.”
At the conference, he echoed the essence of the Bank in making Africa look inward for funds for the continent’s development, and said, “the period of lamentation is over”.
He encouraged African governments and the private sector to increase collaboration and pool resources for research and innovations to collectively improve the continent’s energy sector.
“By pooling resources together, we can make a difference; our salvation as a continent and as a people lies within,” the APPO Secretary General said.
Ms Emelia Akumah, Founder and President, Africa Energy Technology Centre, said the conference was to help shape discourse in the continent’s energy and technology sectors, and take actions for its prosperous future.
She noted that investment in research and technology was critical, also in minimising the environmental impact of activities in the energy sector across Africa.
The maiden edition of the Africa Energy Technology Conference is being hosted by the Africa Energy Technology Centre and the Ministry of Energy.
It is a platform for key stakeholders and industry players within the energy ecosystem to have energy-centred discussions and policy actions that would propel industry development.
It is to also serve as a catalyst to make Africa the ultimate destination for global energy issues, while providing companies the opportunity to showcase their products in the energy and technology sectors.
