Africa (except North Africa)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — African leaders are asking what China can do for them as the coronavirus pandemic threatens to destroy economies and wipe out some 20 million jobs across a continent where Beijing is both the top trading partner and top lender.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have announced immediate relief measures, including freeing up billions in debt payments and expectations for help from China are high across resource-rich Africa, but Beijing has remained silent.

ABUJA, April 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria will begin a “gradual easing” of coronavirus-related lockdowns in the federal capital territory of Abuja, and Lagos and Ogun states from May 4, 2020.

The lockdowns had been due to end on Monday night, but President Muhammadu Buhari said they needed to continue.

He also ordered new nationwide measures against Covid-19, including a night-time curfew and mandatory face masks.

The moves would ensure the economy functioned “while still maintaining our aggressive response”, Buhari said.

WASHINGTON, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it has approved a disbursement of $309 million to help Mozambique meet urgent balance of payment and fiscal needs stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

African nations including Mozambique have become heavily indebted in the past decade and are seeking support from the IMF, World Bank and European Union for wide-ranging debt relief.

ABUJA, April 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Months after Guinea-Bissau’s disputed presidential election, leaders in the West Africa bloc, ECOWAS, have acknowledged the victory of Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

In a statement, the Economic Community of West African States said the decision followed “a thorough analysis of the political situation in the country.”

The development signifies a diplomatic victory for Sissoco Embalo, who had organized his own investiture at the end of February and moved to the presidential palace, with the support of the country’s military.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A police officer in Somalia’s capital has been arrested in the fatal shooting of at least one civilian while enforcing coronavirus restrictions, fellow officer Ahmed Muse said Saturday.

The shooting Friday evening sparked protests in Mogadishu that continued Saturday with crowds of angry young men burning tires and demanding justice.

There has been growing anger among some residents over alleged abuses by security forces, including beatings, while enforcing virus-related restrictions.

GOMA, DRC, Apr 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Seventeen people, including 12 rangers from Virunga National Park, died in an armed attack, by an unidentified armed group, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local authorities said.

According to a press release from Nzanzu, Kasivita Carly, governor of the eastern province of North Kivu, where the attack took place, four passengers and a driver were also killed in a jeep, burned by the attackers.

PRETORIA, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 70,000 extra troops will be deployed in South Africa to help enforce a lockdown intended to stop the spread of coronavirus, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

South Africa has had 3,465 confirmed coronavirus cases – second only to Egypt in Africa – and 58 deaths.

The country has some of the most stringent coronavirus lockdown restrictions in the world.

But security forces have struggled to enforce them.

LUANDA, April 24 (NNN-ANGOP) — Angola’s National Assembly (Parliament) approved the second extension of the 15-day State of Emergency in the country, as part of the effort to arrest the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The decision followed a petition from President João Lourenço for the purpose, which was unanimously backed by the Parliament.  

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — As Africa braces for a surge in coronavirus cases, its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment. Ten nations have no ventilators at all.

Outbid by richer countries, and not receiving medical gear from top aid donor the United States, African officials scramble for solutions as virus cases climb past 25,000. Even in the best scenario, the United Nations says 74 million test kits and 30,000 ventilators will be needed by the continent’s 1.3 billion people this year. Very few are in hand.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Specialists appointed to try to save state-owned South African Airways (SAA) said on Thursday that they had no further funds for rescue efforts and that the two remaining options were a wind-down process or placing the company into liquidation.

The wind-down process is dependent on employees accepting the termination of their employment by mutual consent within a given time frame, the specialists said in a notice to affected parties seen by Reuters.