Monthly Archives: July 2021

Tunisian parliament suspended by president who insists there is no threat to constitution

Via: RFI

After a series of demonstrations across the country, Tunisian President Kais Saied announced on Sunday (25/07) evening that he was suspending the work of Parliament and dismissing the head of government, Hichem Mechichi, from office. Although Tunisia is under curfew, a number of people took to the streets on Sunday night after the announcement and others honked car horns, either to celebrate or criticise the president’s move, according to RFI’s correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise. On Monday morning (26/07), parliament leader Rached Ghannouchi tried to access the parliament building but was prevented from entering by the military. Protests by rival political parties are ongoing in front of the building.

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Ethiopia says second filling of Renaissance Dam complete

Via: Aljazeera

Ethiopia has completed the filling of a massive, controversial dam on the Blue Nile river for a second year, state media has said, a move that is likely to anger Egypt and Sudan who have long opposed the project. Addis Ababa has said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a $4bn hydropower project, is crucial to its economic development and to provide power But the project has caused concern over water shortages and safety in Egypt and Sudan, which also depend on the Nile’s waters. Both countries have called for a binding legal arrangement before dam operations begin, but attempts at mediation have failed, raising concerns that tensions could rise following the most recent announcement. “The second filling of the Renaissance dam has been completed and the water is overflowing,” Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia’s minister for water, irrigation and energy said on Monday (19/07).

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AU, UN seek to boost peace support operation in Somalia

Via: CGTN Africa

A senior UN official has held talks with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) leadership to discuss various issues to boost the peace support operation in the country, the AU mission said on Monday (12/07). Francisco Madeira, head of AMISOM said Atul Khare, UN Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support met with the AU mission’s leadership to discuss logistical and financial support to the mission, including modalities to support the upcoming electoral process in Somalia. “In 2016, we were covering and securing elections in areas where we have our military and our police. This time we are asked to go to areas where we have never deployed before. That will require additional logistical support. We discussed the matter with Khare. He was very receptive and will look at it” Madeira said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. Madeira noted that the UN remains the most significant contributor to AMISOM, with the world body contributing almost two-thirds of the mission’s funds.

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