ZIMBABWE EXCEEDS $ 1 BILLION TARGET FOR CREDIT FROM AFRICA

Zimbabwe has exceeded its target of securing $1 billion in credit lines from African countries to help rebuild the country’s shattered economy, Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma said on Wednesday. “We’ve made major strides in obtaining lines of credit for the private sector … so our $1 billion target has already been surpassed,” Mangoma said.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

OXFAM: UN CONGO JOINT MILITARY OFFENSIVE CAUSING CIVILIAN DEATH

A joint military offensive by United Nations peacekeeping forces and the Congolese army is causing “untold death and suffering” among civilians, international aid agency Oxfam said on Wednesday. The U.N. mission in Congo, is providing logistical and military support for the army’s efforts to combat a rebel resurgence in North Kivu. It is also backing the army as it prepares to extend operations into neighbouring South Kivu.

“The offensive against the FDLR (Rwandan Hutu rebels) began a spiral of violence against civilians which has forced 250,000 to flee their homes and caused untold death and suffering that continues to this day.” said Marcel Stoessel, head of Oxfam in Kinshasa. The FDLR rebels are accused of carrying out the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed nearly one million people.

Congo’s army and troops from neighbouring Rwanda launched a joint operation in January against the Rwandan Hutu rebels, who are seen as a root cause of 15 years of festering conflict in eastern Congo. But following a Rwandan pullout a month later, the mainly Hutu rebels have stepped up reprisals against civilians and re-taken ground they lost during the offensive.

The 17,000-strong U.N. force has requested a temporary increase of 3,000 troops and police to help it deal with renewed fighting in the area. The U.N. force and the Congolese army are preparing to expand operations against the FDLR into neighbouring South Kivu, and aid agencies fear this could worsen a humanitarian disaster in the east where more than a million people have fled fighting since late 2006.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

S. AFRICAN POLICY KEY FOCUS IS ON JOB CREATION: MINISTER

Creating descent work for millions of South Africa’s unemployed will be at the centre of government discussion around economic policy, Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel said on Wednesday. The new ministry is one of three tasked with steering the economy in President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, the others being a planning commission under former finance minister Trevor Manuel and the finance ministry headed by Pravin Gordhan.

Analysts and media have questioned whether the various ministries will be able to work together effectively. Asked about possible changes to investor-friendly economic policies of the past decade referred to as GEAR (Growth, Employment and Redistribution), Patel told SABC radio that talks would focus on practical ways of increasing employment.

“The economic framework that came out of the Polokwane conference of the ANC changes the nature of debate. It’s no longer a debate about GEAR or not GEAR.” GEAR, established under former President Thabo Mbeki, proposed relatively conservative economic policy, and led to inflation targeting and fiscal policies that saw South Africa reduce its budget deficit and control public spending.

The plan was widely criticised and opposed by the labour and communist allies of the ruling ANC. They blamed inflation targeting for fairly tight monetary policy that they claim hurt the poor. “It’s really a simple question of how do you place employment and decent work at the centre of our economic policy,” Patel, a former trade union leader, said.

SOURCED FROM REUTERS

SA OPPOSITION LEADER CALLED RACIST FOR ATTACK ON ZUMA

South African opposition leader Helen Zille has been labelled a racist by the governing ANC’s Youth League for a lacerating attack on the president.

The Western Cape premier was quoted by the Sowetan newspaper as saying President Jacob Zuma had put his three wives at risk of contracting HIV.

She reportedly lashed out after union chiefs criticised her for appointing an all-male cabinet.

The ANC said it was “astounded” by the Democratic Alliance leader’s remarks.

The war of words has erupted days after Mr Zuma reached out to opposition parties in a conciliatory speech at his inauguration.

The Sowetan on Tuesday quoted Ms Zille as saying: “Zuma is a self-confessed womaniser with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.”

Self-proclaimed polygamist Mr Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 when he conceded having unprotected sex with his accuser, an HIV-positive family friend, but said he showered afterwards to prevent infection.

Ms Zille’s remarks reportedly came in response to criticism from a Congress of South African Trade Unions’ branch secretary, Tony Ehrenreich, that she is the only woman in the Western Cape executive council she unveiled on Friday.Cosatu has said it will challenge the Western Cape premier’s all-male cabinet in the Equality Court.

African National Congress spokesperson Jessie Duarte said in a statement: “Even by Zille’s standards of personal invective, this latest attack is an unprecedented example of Zuma-hate. Zille’s outburst is deeply offensive and should be roundly condemned.”

The ANC Youth League then waded in with a statement threatening to take militant action against Ms Zille if she continued to talk “hogwash”.

The league said it was “disgusted by remarks attributed to the racist girl Helen Zille, who when failing to defend her stupid and sexist decision to appoint predominantly white males into her Cabinet, attacks the president”.

Ms Zille’s spokesperson, Fritz de Klerk, told the South African Press Association a response was being drafted.

The ANC won last month’s general election, albeit with a slightly reduced majority, after a bitterly fought election campaign.

SOURCED FROM BBC

NIGERIA’S LABOUR UNION HOLD ANTI GOVERNMENT RALLY

An anti-government march through the Nigerian city of Lagos has begun amidst heavy police presence.

Thousands have come out onto the streets against rising fuel prices, low minimum wages and the slow process of electoral reform.

Armoured cars have been stationed on the route and are following the march.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says there will be further rallies around the country if the government does not meet its demands.

The government has said the protests may be used “to cause chaos”, urging the NLC to return to negotiations.

The BBC’s Fidelis Mbah, following the protestors on their route, says the march is swelling as they pick up more people on the way.

“Commercial drivers, and motorcycle taxi operators are leaving their work and joining the protest,” he said.

At every corner there are armed police, and at least four armoured cars are following the demonstration, our correspondent says

The NLC says further protests are planned for the southern Delta state and cities in the north over the next 10 days, before a second phase of demonstration throughout the country.

“We are determined to carry these protests to all nooks and crannies of the country,” said NLC president Abdulwaheed Omar. “We are not afraid of the government.”

The NLC wants the government to scrap its plans aimed at deregulating the oil sector, saying the move would lead to further fuel shortages and push up pump prices.

Nigeria imports some 85% of its oil petroleum product needs, despite being the world’s biggest crude oil exporter.

The NLC is also demanding higher minimum wages, currently about $38 (£25) per month, and electoral reforms to avoid a repeat of what it calls flawed polls in the past.

SOURCED FROM BBC

IVORIAN TOXIC DUMP CASE FIXED FOR HEARING

London’s High Court will on Wednesday hear allegations of dirty tricks in the biggest class action ever brought before the British courts.

It arises from the dumping of toxic waste three years ago in Ivory Coast’s largest city, Abidjan.

In the aftermath, up to 100,000 people fell sick and 16 died.

The waste belonged to a multi-national oil trading company, Trafigura. In the wake of the incident, 30,000 Abidjanis are suing them for damages.

Before the case can start, lawyers for the BBC and other media organisations are asking for certain evidence to be made public.

This deals with accusations that Trafigura’s lawyers have been implicated in attempts made by Trafigura in Abidjan to persuade key witnesses to change their statements.

The law firm representing the Abidjanis, Leigh Day and Co, allege a dirty tricks operation by Trafigura agents in Abidjan.

In March this year, pending a full hearing of those allegations, the High Court issued an injunction forbidding Trafigura representatives – including leading London law firm Macfarlanes – from contacting the claimants.

SOURCED FROM BBC

SOMALIA FACING WORST DROUGHT IN A DECADE

Somalia is facing its worst drought for at least a decade, says the UN.

Satellite surveys of rainfall and ground research show the drought’s severity, said UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden.

He said many cattle were dying from the lack of water, and that this was contributing to nearly half the population suffering from malnutrition.

Mr Bowden said humanitarian assistance to Somalia needed to start “increasing dramatically”.

He said that Somalis were not currently dying of starvation but some 3.2 million of the population needed life-saving food assistance.

“We’re now facing a drought in Somalia that is worse than people have seen for at least a decade,” Mr Bowden said.

“Roughly 45% of the [Somali] population is suffering from moderate malnutrition.”

In parts of central and southern Somalia, 24% of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, he told a news briefing in Geneva.

Some 1.1 million people in Somalia have been driven from their homes because of conflict in recent years.

Since the weekend thousands of civilians have fled fierce fighting in the capital Mogadishu between Islamist militants and the government.

SOURCED FROM BBC