In this issue:

Presidents of South Africa and Senegal Make Major Visits to India

Quarter of Ethiopia Threatened With Desperate Famine

Sudan Campaigns To Get Its Name Off U.S.Terror Blacklist

From Volume 2, Issue Number 42 of Electronic Intelligence Weekly, Published Oct. 21, 2003
Africa News Digest

Presidents of South Africa and Senegal Make Major Visits to India

South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in New Delhi for a 4-day state visit Oct. 15, accompanied by most of his Cabinet: the ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture, science and technology, communications, environment and tourism, health, justice and constitutional development, minerals and energy, public enterprises, defense, trade and industry, and Presidency.

The object of the visit was to give impetus to the "strategic partnership between Pretoria and New Delhi." Mbeki held bilateral discussions with Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee.

The two sides initialed an agreement for cooperation in electricity generation, transmission and distribution, urban and rural electrification, and "renewable" energy.

There were extensive talks on defense technologies. South Africa is working to modernize its navy, and India is seeking to improve its artillery after its deal with Soltam Ltd, the Israeli company, fell through. There was discussion of joint training and joint ventures in defense production. The South Africans discussed shipbuilding with the help of Indian shipyards.

The two governments continued negotiations necessary for a Framework Preferential Trade Agreement between the South African Customs Union and India, and reported substantial progress, but the agreement is not expected to be signed until the end of 2004.

Other subjects of discussion were the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) cooperation, the World Trade Organization, the campaign against international terrorism, the aftermath of the Iraq war, and developments in the Middle East.

Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade also traveled to India, arriving in New Delhi Oct. 12 for 4 days with a delegation of about 60 businessmen. Before departure, Wade said he was going to sign agreements for cooperative projects, including construction of a railroad from Dakar to Ziguinchor. He met with PM Vajpayee, President Abdul Kalam—who hosted a banquet in his honor, and Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha.

He told the press in New Delhi Oct. 13 of possible partnerships with the Indian automotive industry. Wade visited the auto works of Tata Engineering in Puna, which is furnishing technical assistance to a Senegalese bus assembly company. (Wade inaugurated the Senegalese assembly plant at Thies Sept. 17.) He was also to visit Agra and Bangalore before going on the Malaysia for the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting.

Quarter of Ethiopia Threatened With Desperate Famine

A quarter of Ethiopia is threatened with a desperate famine, according to a new report by the U.S. government's Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) Network, which reports an all-out famine approaching in this nation of over 65 million people. FEWS predicts that 12.8-million Ethiopians will meet none of their food needs in the 2004-05 production year, increasing to 14.3 million in 2005-06, 15.8 million in 2006-07 and 17.3 million in 2007-08.

Inflation In Zambia And Zimbabwe Skyrockets

Zambia's official inflation rose 30% in a month, to an annual rate of 455%, according to official statistics released by The Central Statistical Office. The rise was seen mainly in the average prices of meat, bread, cereals, fruits, vegetables and beverages. Zimbabwe's inflation rate has more than doubled from 208.1% in January. Actual inflation is, in fact, much higher, since many items are available only on the black market, where prices are also rising steeply.

Sudan Campaigns To Get Its Name Off U.S.Terror Blacklist

Sudan's Ambassador to Washington Khidir Haroun Ahmed is on a campaign to get his country's name off the U.S. terrorism blacklist, and has outlined in detail, in his embassy's newsletter, the steps taken to clear the country's record.

Colin Powell told visiting Foreign Minister Mustafa Ismail in May that Sudan had to do more to be taken off the list, while recognizing Sudan's cooperation, but complaining that Sudan continued to shelter Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.

The Clinton Administration began to recognize the country's efforts in May 2000. Since then, the FBI and CIA have opened anti-terror offices in Khartoum, which, the Ambassador writes, led to serious and substantial collaboration in the war on terrorism, including surveillance, investigation, interrogation, extradition, detention of suspects, and joint operations inside and outside Sudan in the past 3 years, which included arrests in June of 17 suspected Saudi nationals on a charge of "unauthorized arms training" in Sudan.

In other Sudan news, the New York Times reported Oct. 14 that Hassan al-Turabi, former collaborator of President Omar al-Bashir, has been released from house arrest.

All rights reserved © 2003 EIRNS