Nigerian weapons haul shows lengths Iran will go to supply Hamas

Map of Niger courtesy of nigeriamasterweb.com article 19 February 2010: Niger President Toppled, Whisked Away
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Nigerian Weapons Haul Shows Lengths Iran Will Go to Supply Hamas
Source: The MidEast News Source - www.themedialine.org
Written by Benjamin Peim
Date: Sunday, 31 October 2010



Gaza-based groups learned in last war that home-made Qassams aren’t effective

The capture in Nigeria late last week of over a dozen containers filled with weapons highlights the lengths to which Iran is taking to supply its Hamas ally in the Gaza Strip, but leaves a question mark over how successful the arms conduit has been, analysts say.

The containers, unloaded in Lagos, the country’s largest port, came from a cargo ship originating in Iran, the company that owned the ship said in a statement. While their ultimate destination has not been confirmed, analysts believe the containers were bound for Gaza, ruled by the Muslim group Hamas.

“It’s getting harder to obtain the weapons so they’re using all types of funny places,” Martin van Creveld, a retired professor of military history at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, told The Media Line. “They find a place that is so messy they can get through, and Nigeria apparently wasn’t messy enough.”

As Hamas’ main weapons supplier, Iran’s success in delivering missiles and other arms into Gaza will be a key factor in any future conflict with Israel. In its last confrontation with Hamas 14 months ago, Israel sustained almost no casualties, but if the Islamic group succeeds in obtaining more sophisticated weaponry it could put Israeli cities in rocket-range and jeopardize Israel’s control of the skies.

The shipping company, French-based CMA CGM, said it had been duped by Iranian trader who arranged the shipment. The shipper had listed the materials inside the containers as, “packages of glass wool and pallets of stone," but when Nigerian security service personnel opened the containers, they found rockets, bullets, mortars and other weapons under a thin layer of floor tiles.

In the past, Hamas and Iran have sought to bring weapons into Gaza through smuggling routes that wind along the east coast of Africa from the Sudan, north into Egypt. From there, they arrive in Gaza through tunnels under the border with Egypt. But, these routes have grown more difficult as Israel and Egypt crack down on weapons shipments.

“They [Hamas and Iran] were under heavy pressure by the Egyptians,” Yoram Schweitzer, head of the Terror Project at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, told The Media Line. “These routes are under strict supervision, and there is probably some international political pressure as well.”

Israeli warplanes reportedly bombed a caravan of trucks in Sudan that were transporting weapons to Hamas in January 2009, although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement. The United States could be monitoring the situation, as well.

“They are aware of American capabilities to intercept arms on the east coast of Africa,” said Shmuel Bar, director of studies at the Institute for Policy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel.

Bar said Iran has infrastructure in Nigeria, which makes it a prime spot to turn to for its smuggling operations. “They have more assets there than in Egypt and the security is weaker,” he told The Media Line.

Hamas has its own rocket workshops in Gaza where it manufactures simple, short-range Qassams, which constituted the mainstay of Hamas’ arsenal when it confronted Israel in the 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead. Qassams have a range of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), which limits targets to mostly empty and agricultural land adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

No matter how much Hamas beefs up its inventory of Qassams, short-range rockets like the Qassam won’t significantly improve the group’s fighting capabilities, according to Bar. “The real game changer,” he said, would be surface-to-air missiles that threaten Israeli control of the skies over Gaza.

Without the ability to upgrade its weapons technology in Gaza, Hamas is seeking longer-range and more sophisticated rockets from abroad, analysts said.

“They want to upgrade their capabilities so they can strike further into Israel and possibly strike at our air traffic,” Bar said. “But there is nothing specific in this shipment to change the strategic balance.”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said October 20 that Israel believes Hamas, in fact, has obtained surface-to-air strike capability. However, van Creveld, of The Hebrew University, told The Media Line it was likely they would only be capable of hitting helicopters. Jets, which are the key to Israel’s control of Gaza skies, are out of range for Hamas fighters for the time being, he said.

While this smuggling attempt failed, Hamas and Iran will continue their efforts to smuggle weapons into Gaza, analysts said.

“This is a permanent agenda they have,” Schweitzer said. “I don’t think this will deter them from trying to procure weapons in other venues in the future.”

Bill Gates dédicace un ballon de football au Nigeria en soutien à l’éradication de la polio en Afrique

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL - COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE

CONTACT: Sandra Prufer, + 1 847 866-3208 sandra.prufer@rotary.org

Kiki Melonides, +1 847 866-3134 kiki.melonides@rotary.org

Bill Gates dédicace un ballon de football au Nigeria en soutien à l’éradication de la polio en Afrique

Les Rotary clubs du Nigeria et d’Afrique unissent leurs efforts alors que le ballon achève son périple de quatre mois à travers le continent africain.

ABUJA, Nigeria (8 juin 2010) – Bill Gates, co-président de la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates a apporté son soutien à la campagne Bouter la polio hors d’Afrique en dédicaçant un ballon de football qui voyage de la ville du Cap à l’Égypte en préambule de la coupe du monde de football 2010. Au cours de ce voyage épique, durant lequel le ballon s’est déplacé dans 22 pays affectés par la polio ou à risques, les Rotary clubs d’Afrique ont mobilisé le public pour des campagnes de vaccination d’une grande amplitude et ont sensibilisé l’opinion à l’importance de l’éradication de la polio. Bill Gates a loué les efforts du Rotary pour éradiquer la maladie de l’Afrique et du reste du monde.

M. Gates a salué le Nigeria pour les résultats significatifs obtenus dans le combat contre la polio et s’est joint aux dirigeants nigérians pour souligner les campagnes de vaccination qui se déroulent actuellement en Afrique et qui ciblent plus de 100 millions d’enfants âgés de moins de 5 ans.

Depuis que le Rotary et ses partenaires ont commencé leur combat contre la polio en 1988, le nombre de cas a été réduit de 99 %. En Afrique, seul le Nigeria reste endémique, mais la maladie touche encore des enfants d’autres pays à risques, démontrant ainsi l’importance de vacciner contre la polio tous les enfants africains. Selon l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé, seulement trois nouveaux cas de polio avaient été constatés au 25 mai de cette année au Nigeria, contre 276 cas sur la même période en 2009.

« Les progrès récents dans le combat contre la polio au Nigeria constituent une réussite dont tous les Nigérians devraient être fiers, a déclaré Bill Gates. Grâce aux leaders politiques et traditionnels, au travail des professionnels de la Santé et aux parents qui souhaitent que leurs enfants soient protégés, le Nigeria est en bonne voie pour éliminer la polio. »

Après s’être déplacé pendant près de quatre mois dans tout le continent africain, le ballon s’apprête à atteindre sa destination finale, Alexandrie en Égypte. La conclusion de cette campagne de sensibilisation aura lieu à la bibliothèque d’Alexandrie le 12 juin sous les hospices de la première dame d’Egypte Suzanne Moubarak. Les joueurs de l’équipe d’Égypte championne d’Afrique taperont symboliquement dans le ballon pour le propulser hors d’Afrique dans la mer méditerranée. Hany Salama, star du cinéma et ambassadeur de bonne volonté de la polio sera également présent lors de l’évènement, ainsi que des enfants atteints de la polio, des représentants et des dignitaires gouvernementaux.

Comme l’explique Ismail Serageldin, directeur de la bibliothèque d’Alexandrie : « la polio existe toujours, mais elle peut être éradiquée. Nous ne devons pas céder à l’oubli ou au désintéressement qui laisseraient de si nombreuses victimes dans la misère. Nous sommes prêts du but. Ensemble, finissons-en. »

La campagne de sensibilisation panafricaine du Rotary « Kick Polio Out of Africa » (Bouter la polio hors d’Afrique), a été lancée le 23 février au Cap, par Monseigneur Desmond Tutu qui en a donné le coup d’envoi en tapant dans un ballon qu’il avait dédicacé. Lui-même touché par la polio lorsqu’il était enfant, il a rejoint la campagne du Rotary comme ambassadeur de bonne volonté.

Le ballon se rendra d’Égypte à Montréal (Canada), pour être présenté à la convention du Rotary dans la deuxième moitié du mois de juin. Le transport du ballon est assuré par DHL Express.

En soutien de la campagne, le Rotary invite les fans de football du monde entier à signer un ballon virtuel sur www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org et à rejoindre le grand mouvement mondial de solidarité envers les enfants africains - et les enfants du monde entier - pour les préserver de cette maladie paralysante et parfois mortelle. Les dédicaces virtuelles seront présentées aux responsables de l’Initiative mondiale pour l’éradication de la polio après la coupe du monde de football.

« Nous faisons appel aux footballeurs du continent pour assurer le succès de cette campagne. Des efforts unifiés galvanisant des sociétés entières sont seuls capables de bouter ce virus, qui ressemble tant à un ballon de foot, hors d'Afrique et enfin hors du monde », déclarait Nelson Mandela, ancien président d'Afrique du Sud, au cours de son discours devant l’Organisation pour l’Unité africaine en 1996, date officielle du lancement de la campagne Bouter la Polio hors d’Afrique.

« Source de nombreux bénévoles et partenaire privé de l’Initiative mondiale pour l’éradication de la polio, le Rotary a alloué 388 millions de dollars aux efforts d’éradication en Afrique, affirme June Webber, organisatrice de la campagne sud-africaine du Rotary. Alors que nous célébrons la première coupe du monde de football sur le sol Africain et le 20^e anniversaire de la libération de Nelson Mandela de prison, les Rotariens et nos partenaires sont déterminés à offrir à cet ancien président emblématique une raison de plus de rentrer dans l’histoire. »

Le capitaine de l’équipe nigériane de football Nwankwo Kanu a rejoint la campagne en annonçant qu’il avait deux objectifs cette année : que le Nigeria se distingue lors de la coupe du monde de football et que la polio soit éradiquée d’Afrique.

L’éradication de la polio est depuis plus de 20 ans la priorité absolue du Rotary. L’organisation de service humanitaire internationale a consacré plus de 900 millions de dollars à cette cause et est le fer de lance de l’Initiative mondiale d’éradication de la polio aux cotés de l’organisation mondiale de la Santé, du CDC d’Atlanta et de l’Unicef.

Le Rotary s’est également récemment engagé à collecter 200 millions de dollars en réponse à la subvention de la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates de 355 millions de dollars. La somme totale servira à soutenir les actions d’éradication.

Des progrès fantastiques ont donc été réalisés et le nombre de cas de polio est passé de près de 350 000 en 1988 à moins de 2 000 en 2009. Plus de deux milliards d’enfants ont été vaccinés dans 122 pays, évitant cinq millions de cas de paralysie et 250 000 morts infantiles.

Pour suivre le parcours du ballon : http://kickpoliooutofafrica.wordpress.com.

Pour signer le ballon virtuel : www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org.

Pour consulter des vidéos et des photos : www.thenewsmarket.com/rotaryinternational

# # #

Le Rotary est une organisation mondiale de plus de 1,2 million de membres issus du monde des affaires, des professions libérales et du monde civique, qui apportent un service humanitaire. Il existe plus de 33 000 Rotary clubs dans plus de 200 pays et régions. Les Rotariens s’investissent dans des actions locales visant à répondre aux grands problèmes d'aujourd'hui tels que la pauvreté, les maladies et l’illettrisme.

Distribué par l’Organisation de la Presse Africaine au nom de Rotary International

Ping mourns Yar'Adua, congratulates President Jonathan

Ping mourns Yar'Adua, congratulates President Jonathan
From (Pana) Afrique en ligne - Friday, 07 May 2010:

(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) - With the passing of President Umaru Yar'Adua, Nigeria and Africa have lost one of their illustrious sons, and an activist committed to the unity and well-being of all peoples of the continent, said Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Ping presented his deepest condolences to the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the African Union, and requested the Ambassador to convey them to the Government and people of 'this great brotherly country of Africa.'

In addition, the Chairperson has invited all of Africa to pray for the rest of the soul of the late President Yar'Adua and the soothing of hearts within his family and the entire population of Nigeria.

In his eulogy, Ping said he still remembered 'the brilliance, wisdom and vigour with which President Yar'Adua chaired on 29 October 2009, in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the 207th meeting of the Peace and Security Council, which took historic decisions on the situation in the Sudan, with the adoption of the Report and Recommendations of the AU High-Level Panel on Darfur.'

On the same occasion, the PSC took decisions on the situation in Guinea and Niger, which Ping said 'have contributed to accelerating the search for solutions to the crises in both countries.'

Also, Yar'Adua will be remembered for chairing the AU Summit of the PSC in Sharmel Sheikh, Egypt, in July 2008.

Meanwhile, Ping has sent his 'warm congratulations and best wishes for success' to Nigeria's new leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was sworn Thursday, saying he was assuming a 'noble and exciting mission to lead this great country of our continent.'

Red Cross & UN: Africa polio eradication scheme launched, targeting 85 million children

The campaign will target children under the age of five in 19 countries

Many analysts believe the key to its success lies with Nigeria.

From BBC News Online at 10:48 GMT, Saturday, 6 March 2010:
Africa polio eradication scheme launched

A campaign has been launched to eradicate polio in west and central Africa, targeting 85 million children.

Some 400,000 health workers and volunteers will go from door-to-door in 19 countries, giving oral polio vaccine to children under the age of five.

Africa has made significant progress in the fight against polio, which attacks the nervous system, but the virus has still not been stamped out.

Previous efforts at eradication failed as too few children were vaccinated.

The effort is a joint campaign by the Red Cross and United Nations.

Many analysts believe the key to its success lies with Nigeria.

In the past, campaigns in the north of the country were met with suspicion by religious leaders, some of whom even suggested the vaccinations were an attempt to spread sterility and HIV.

But religious groups are now showing support for vaccination drives, and correspondents say there is optimism that the debilitating, sometimes fatal, virus can be eradicated.

Tony Blair instrumental to Nigeria's debt relief by Olusegun Obasanjo

Saturday, February 20, 2010 by Creativity and Thougthfulness
Source: www.thisdayonline.com/
TONY BLAIR INSTRUMENTAL TO NIGERIA’S DEBT RELIEF BY OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who is in Nigeria for the THISDAY’s Nigeria at 50, 2010 Awards, yesterday relived the diplomatic interactions that contributed to the success of their administrations.

Speaking at an Inter-faith Malaria Initiative organised by the Nigeria Inter-faith Action Association with funding support from Federal Government, World Bank, Centre for Inter-faith Action on Global Poverty and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation held at the Kuje Town Hall in Abuja, Obasanjo said the former British premier made a significant contribution to Nigeria’s exit from the Paris Club and other creditor nations.

Obasanjo, whose entry into the venue of the event elicited wild, nostalgic cheers from the audience, said while he travelled round the globe to get Nigeria off the Paris Club debt yoke, he received promises from world leaders which were not fruitful thus prompting his government to search for a facilitator and a member of the Group of Seven industrialised nations (G7) which they found in Mr. Blair.

He said the debt relief allowed the country to channel resources into the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) projects notably funds needed to fight infant mortality and morbidity occasioned by such diseases as malaria.

“Since I left public office, I have engaged in issues of health and education which are very critical and I have always looked for an opportunity to meet Tony Blair and say thank you.

“In my eight years of leadership, Blair was in the vanguard of support in the area of health but more importantly in the area of debt relief. I visited world leaders but we needed somebody in G7 to get us debt relief. Blair led G7 to get us debt relief.

“What that has done for us is that the money we would have used to service debt is now being used on MDGs for infant mortality and other things. The money we used for the MDGs came from there,” he said.

He commended the inter-faith initiative which he said was deployed under his administration to tackle HIV/AIDS and it worked.
“People hear Nigeria as a land of religious crisis and destruction of lives. This one is about peace. Why are we not telling the world that we are religious and not religious fanatics. What we hear after the terror incident involving Nigeria is that when we call terrorism, Americans catch cold,” he said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

In his remarks, the former British premier recalled that he spoke severally with President Obasanjo on his African Commission initiative which led to the commitment of huge sums of money to alleviation of poverty in Africa for which the former president was instrumental.

He commended religious leaders notably the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop John Onaiyekan, for their commitment in the fight against malaria and noted that the coming together of religious leaders on the effort to eradicate malaria and other initiatives would go a long way in ensuring religious harmony in the country.

“The issue of religious faith will be of the same significance to the 21st century as political ideology was to the 20th century. In an era of globalisation, there is nothing more important than getting people of different faiths and cultures to understand each other better and live in peace and mutual respect; and to give faith itself its proper place in the future,” he said.

Also yesterday, Blair visited Acting President Goodluck Jonathan at his Akinola Aguda residence, Presidential Villa, Abuja and commended him for holding the country together in the face of the daunting political leadership facing the country.

Blair also expressed concern about recent political developments in the country and thanked Jonathan for the skilful way he has handled the country.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the end of about 30 minutes parley with Jonathan, Blair expressed satisfaction that the relation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom had remained very strong over the years. He expressed the hope that Nigeria would continue to play a leading role in the African continent as it’s mandatory on her.

Said Blair: “First of all I would say I am delighted to have seen the Acting President and to discuss with him and hear from him the situation here in Nigeria and the wider region and we were able to talk about some of the issues that are of mutual interest to the relationship between Britain and Nigeria. That relationship is a strong one, and I want it to stay strong.

“I have done lots of work with the previous president of Nigeria while I was in the office and all of Africa and we know that without Nigeria fulfilling its potentials and exacting its leadership, it will be greatly difficult for the whole of Africa.

“I said to the Acting President that I want to thank him for the wise way he and the institution of Nigeria government have handled themselves in the last few days and I want to say it has been a pretty difficult situation and I think they have handled it with skill.”

When asked what the response of Jonathan was on the issues discussed. Blair said, “He was explaining to me the importance of maintaining the right constitutional process and we both agree that one of the greatest things to have happened is returning to democratic government and we would want to see that maintained.

“There is no place for nothing else and I am actually optimistic that this will happen, there is the great desire on the part of the legislature and the acting president himself to make sure that even in what seems to be unique and difficult situation, the country has been able to function and move forward in a proper way and in a way that helps its people,” he said.

Source:www.thisdayonline.com/

CSRD coup ousts Niger President Mamadou Tandja

A newsreader on Niger television said the country's borders had been closed and a curfew was now in force. The 'patriotic' military announcement was made on TV. See video clip in the following report.

Military coup ousts Niger president
From BBC News online at 23:34 GMT, Thursday, 18 February 2010:

A coup has taken place in Niger and the president has been captured after a gun battle in the capital, Niamey.

In a television announcement, a spokesman for the plotters said Niger's constitution had been suspended and all state institutions dissolved.

The country was now being led by a group called the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (CSRD), the spokesman said.

President Mamadou Tandja is believed to be in captivity at a military barracks.

Reports say government ministers are also being held.

Making the announcement on television, the spokesman for the coup leaders, wearing a military uniform, was surrounded by a large group of soldiers.

He called on the people of Niger to "remain calm and stay united around the ideals postulated by the CSRD", to "make Niger an example of democracy and good governance".

"We call on national and international opinions to support us in our patriotic action to save Niger and its population from poverty, deception and corruption," he added.

A newsreader on Niger television said the country's borders had been closed and a curfew was now in force.

Tensions have been growing since last year in the uranium-rich nation.

Mr Tandja was widely criticised when he changed the constitution in August to allow him to stand for a third term.

Long-term tensions

A BBC correspondent said earlier that tanks were firing and witnesses reported seeing injured people being taken to hospital.

The exchange of gunfire has been between soldiers but it is confusing and one cannot tell one side from another. I saw tanks being fired and soldiers on the streets using machine guns.

The area near the presidential palace is where the business of government takes place and at least four military barracks are based there.

People have fled the area and some civil servants have locked themselves inside their offices.

Earlier, smoke could be seen from the roof of the office where President Mamadou Tandja was holding his cabinet meeting.
An unnamed French official told AFP that the president had been seized.

"All I can say is that it would appear that Tandja is not in a good position," he told the news agency on condition of anonymity.

Soldiers captured Mr Tandja while he was chairing his weekly cabinet meeting, a government source told the BBC.

AFP later reported an official as saying Mr Tandja was possibly being held at a military barracks about 20km (13 miles) west of Niamey.

A witness told the news agency that the bodies of three soldiers had been taken to a military mortuary.

The situation in Niamey remains unclear - there has apparently been no large-scale deployment of military personnel.

The government and opposition have been holding on-off talks since December - mediated by the regional body Ecowas - to try to resolve the country's political crisis.

Constructive engagement

Ecowas has told the BBC that it is closely following developments in Niger.

The organisation's political director, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said that, if needed, Ecowas would be in the country as quickly as it could to ensure order was maintained and constitutional order restored as soon as possible.

Mr Musah said that while Ecowas would never recognise a military takeover, it would maintain a constructive engagement with those in authority in Niger.

Mr Tandja, a former army officer, was first voted into office in 1999 and was returned to power in an election in 2004.

Niger has experienced long periods of military rule since independence from France in 1960.

It is one of the world's poorest countries, but Mr Tandja's supporters argue that his decade in power has brought a measure of economic stability.

Under his tenure, work has begun on the world's second-biggest uranium mine, and energy deals have been signed with Chinese firms

AT THE SCENE:
Idy Baraou
BBC News, Niamey

The exchange of gunfire has been between soldiers but it is confusing and one cannot tell one side from another. I saw tanks being fired and soldiers on the streets using machine guns.

The area near the presidential palace is where the business of government takes place and at least four military barracks are based there.

People have fled the area and some civil servants have locked themselves inside their offices.

Earlier, smoke could be seen from the roof of the office where President Mamadou Tandja was holding his cabinet meeting.

Click on coup label here below to read related reports and latest updates.

Coup attempt launched in Niger

Elite guards are fighting to put down a suspected coup attempt against President Mamadou Tandja in the uranium-rich African country Niger.

Niger produces close to eight percent of the world's uranium, traditionally in partnership with French and Canadian mining firms.

In the last two years, it has signed deals with two Chinese state owned companies to extract uranium and pump oil from new wells. One of the Chinese deals, agreed in June 2008, is worth £3 billion.

Niger, where the main religion is Islam, is one of the countries in the region where Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - the network's North African affiliate - has become active. Read full story here below.



Niger's President Mamadou Tandja Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Coup attempt launched in Niger
From The Daily Telegraph by Mike Pflanz, West Africa Correspondent
Published: 2:36PM GMT UK Thursday, 18 February 2010:

The sounds of machine-gun fire and heavy weapons were heard from the government district of the capital Niamey, and smoke was rising from the presidential palace.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the apparent attempt to oust President Tandja, who changed his country's constitution in August to allow him to stay in power.

"We heard automatic gunfire and then large detonations. The house was shaking. It lasted about a half hour, non-stop," Claire Deschamps, a French national living in Niamey, told the AFP news agency.

Soldiers were blocking the road near to the prime minister's office, and all other streets nearby were said to be deserted, with shops shuttered.

The president was not thought to have been injured during the first bout of sustained gunfire.

A member of his personal staff at the presidential palace told the Reuters news agency that "for now everything is alright".

But tensions have been rising in the vast West African country on the southern fringes of the Sahara, since the constitutional amendment two months ago.

Mr Tandja forced the change through by claiming that "his people" wanted him to stay past his prescribed two term limit in order to "finish the work I have started".

At the same time, he dissolved parliament and awarded himself extra powers, moves which drew international criticism and sanctions from neighbouring states.

Mr Tandja won elections in 1999 and 2004 that were widely seen as free and fair.

Niger produces close to eight percent of the world's uranium, traditionally in partnership with French and Canadian mining firms.

In the last two years, it has signed deals with two Chinese state owned companies to extract uranium and pump oil from new wells. One of the Chinese deals, agreed in June 2008, is worth £3 billion.

Niger, where the main religion is Islam, is one of the countries in the region where Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - the network's North African affiliate - has become active.

Also, read IRIN news report, Thursday, 18 February 2010 re NIGER: Constitution crisis turned coup.

Click on coup label here below to read related reports and latest updates.

Coup attempt underway in Niger

Snapshot of Google's newsreel on Thursday, 18 February 2010; at 17:18 pm GMT UK:

Gunfire reported near Niger's presidential palace

Xinhua - Fang Yang - ‎8 minutes ago‎

18 (Xinhua) -- Explosions and bursts of gunfire were reported in Niger's capital Niamey, which was by some termed as a coup attempt, the agencies reported ...

Armed soldiers storm Niger presidential palace

The Associated Press - ‎16 minutes ago‎

NIAMEY, Niger — Armed soldiers stormed the presidential palace Thursday afternoon and witnesses said the president was missing after heavy gunfire in the ...

euronews

Coup bid underway in Niger

euronews - ‎29 minutes ago‎

A coup attempt is said to be underway in Niger after automatic weapons fire was reported coming from the presidential palace in the capital Niamey. ...

West Africa Gunfire Around Niger's Presidential Palace

Voice of America - Scott Stearns - ‎34 minutes ago‎

Thousands of people march in Niamey to back Niger's President Mamadou Tandja, who has obtained an extension of his mandate in defiance of his foes and by ...

Coup attempt ongoing in Niger

afrol News - ‎40 minutes ago‎

Currently, the Niger coup-makers seem to be in control of Niamey. However, the presidential guard is still loyal to the government. Gun fighting is reported ...

Bangladesh government accused of crackdown on Burmese refugees

Open Democracy - Josephine Whitaker - ‎51 minutes ago‎

Rumours of a coup attempt in Niger. All this and much more in today's briefing. Two separate reports this week have raised fresh concerns about the ...

Armed soldiers storm Niger presidential palace

The Associated Press - ‎55 minutes ago‎

NIAMEY, Niger — Witnesses say armed soldiers have stormed the presidential palace with guns blazing and left with the president, whose whereabouts are ...

Afrik.com

Niger coup: "Tandja is not in a good position"

Afrik.com - ‎59 minutes ago‎

Niamey, the capital of Niger has been hit by a coup d'état. The President Mamadou Tandja and his Cabinet Ministers who were holding an extraordinary meeting ...

Reports: Gunfire breaks out in apparent Niger coup bid - Update

Earthtimes (press release) - ‎1 hour ago‎

By : dpa Nairobi/Niamey, Niger - Gunfire has broken out in the Nigerien capital Niamey in an apparent coup attempt, reports said Thursday. ...

Nigerien Streets Near Presidency Empty After Gunfire

BusinessWeek - Djibril Saidou, Franz Wild - ‎1 hour ago‎

A coup attempt against President Mamadou Tandja is underway, Agence-France Presse reported, citing an unidentified French official.

Nigeria: Army troops and vehicles are now patrolling the streets of riot-hit Jos

The army has taken over responsibility for security in the central city of Jos, Nigeria's Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

At least 65 Christians and 200 Muslims are believed to have died in religious rioting in Jos in recent days.

Mr Jonathan said the situation in Jos under control and those responsible would be brought to justice.

It is unclear what the trigger was for the latest bout of violence, but there have been reports it started after football match.

Other reports suggested it began after an argument over the rebuilding of homes destroyed in the 2008 clashes.

Correspondents say such clashes in Nigeria are often blamed on sectarianism.

However, poverty and access to resources such as land often lie at the root of the violence.

Full story: BBC News 03:46 GMT, Friday, 22 January 2010 - Nigeria army takes control of riot-hit Jos

Pass this on: Missing Persons Registry - Haitian Earthquake January 2010

Copy of message today on Twitter from Ushahidi's Erik Hersman:

Pass this on. Missing persons registry for #haiti is http://www.haitianquake.com
about 4 hours ago from twhirl
ushahidi

Further reading

Patrick Meier's report at Ushahidi's blog, 13 January 2010: Our Efforts in Response to Haiti’s Earthquake - We’ve launched Haiti.Ushahidi.com

Ethan Zuckerman's blog post at My Heart's in Accra, 13 January 2010: Following the Haitian earthquake online

World Bank: Niger & Nigeria eligible to participate in initial $26.2m phase of CAB program to develop high-speed telecoms

$215 Million Central Africa Backbone Program (CAB Program) Will Bring Low Cost, High Speed Internet to the Region. Program is expected to bring significant development impact.

Source: World Bank Press Release No:2010/094.SDN
Contact
In Geneva: Ian Larsen
Phone: +41(0)79 477 96 17
E-mail: ilarsen@worldbank.org or ianlarsen71@yahoo.com

GENEVA, October 6, 2009 – Today the Executive Board of Directors of the World Bank Group has announced its endorsement of the $215 million, ten-year Central African Backbone Program (CAB Program). This program will support the countries of the Central African region in developing their high-speed telecommunications backbone infrastructure to increase the availability of high-speed Internet and reduce end-user prices. The CAB Program will also help countries harmonize the laws and regulations that govern the ICT sector to increase private sector investment and improve competition.

Three countries – Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic (CAR) – are participating in the initial $26.2 million phase of the Program. A further eight countries are also eligible to participate in the Program—Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Principe, and Sudan.

The CAB Program is being supported through a partnership between the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The program also aims to leverage an additional US$98 million from the private sector. In conjunction with the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), the African Union Commission (AUC) will play an important role in facilitating inter-governmental cooperation and policy harmonization. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) will also assist governments in structuring Public Private Partnerships under the program.

Development Impact

The CAB Program brings much needed connectivity to Central Africa. Until now, people in Central Africa have the lowest quality and highest cost Internet and telephone services in Africa. The population pays up to two times more in monthly Internet rates than people living in other African countries, and up to three times more than those living in other parts of the world. “The CAB Program is very important for the countries involved and lies at the heart of their development strategies. It will assist countries to strengthen their enabling environment, create competition and, ultimately increase access and lower the costs for end users,” said Mary Barton-Dock, World Bank Country Director for Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic.

In its recent Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact, the World Bank found that for every 10 percentage-point increase in high speed Internet connections there is an increase in economic growth of 1.3 percentage points. The report also identifies the mobile platform as the single most powerful way to reach and deliver public and private services to hundreds of millions of people in remote and rural areas across the developing world.

“Ultimately, our goal is to develop regional and national broadband backbones and significantly reduce the cost of ICT services in Central Africa. Through better and affordable connectivity, the aim is to leverage the transformational powers of ICTs to support economic growth, SME development, employment creation, productivity gains and trade integration in the region,” says Mohsen Khalil, Director of Global Information and Communications Technologies at the World Bank Group.

Modernizing the ICT Sector

In addition to infrastructure development, the CAB Program will strengthen the capacity of public institutions such as the sectoral ministries and regulatory authorities and will promote a competition-friendly environment by liberalizing the sector and restructuring telecommunications operators.

The Program is also meant to be a model of regional integration and successful public-private partnerships. Its design and implementation require the cooperation of several countries and international and regional organizations. Design goals will be to: (i) maximize the use of private financing (or minimize the use of public financing); (ii) ensure feasibility and attractiveness of the transaction; and (iii) secure open access to regional connectivity infrastructure and ensure competitive, reasonable tariff of international, regional and national capacity.

“This program is a great example of the World Bank’s increasing emphasis on regional infrastructure as part of Africa’s development,” said Rick Scobey, Acting Director for Regional Integration in Africa at the World Bank.

Part of a Broader Regional Strategy

The World Bank Group and African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership, are committing significant resources and are making progress on the ground in helping to achieve the goals outlined at the October 2007 Connect Africa Summit. The Summit was convened by the International Telecommunications Union, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the African Union, and the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development.

This partnership has already launched three major regional connectivity programs, among a range of other ICT activities, with a fourth in the pipeline.

Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP)

The World Bank is providing US$424 million in financing for the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) to support regional connectivity and transparency in government through the use of ICT. The Program is available to all countries in the East and Southern Africa region and can be tailored to each country’s specific needs and priorities. The first phase of RCIP included Kenya, Madagascar and Burundi and was approved by the Board of the World Bank in 2007. The second phase was for Rwanda and was approved in 2008. The third phase includes Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi and was approved by the Board of the World Bank in June 2009.

East African Submarine Cable System (EASSy) – World Bank Group, AfDB and other Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)

EASSy is a 10,000 km submarine fiber-optic cable running along the East Coast of Africa from Sudan to South Africa. It will directly connect eight of the countries along the route and indirectly connect all of the others in the region to the international communications infrastructure. It will provide broadband connectivity to the global fiber-optic cable networks, supplying low-cost, high bandwidth capacity to the markets in the region.

The project was developed by a consortium of 26 telecommunications operators, mostly from Eastern and Southern Africa with the support of five DFIs: International Finance Corporation (IFC), the AfDB, European Investment Bank, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). The total cost of the project is $235 million with around $70 million coming as debt-financing from the DFIs. Of this, IFC contributed $32.7 million and AfDB contributed U$14.5 million.

EASSy is one of three submarine fiber-optic cables that are due to become operational in the region between 2009 and 2010. Experience shows that competition between submarine cables is the best way to achieve efficient and affordable ICT services.

West African Power Pool – Joint World Bank-AfDB

Limited inter-country connectivity in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region results in inefficient, costly routing of calls between neighboring countries by satellite. Policy makers in the region have identified the emerging regional electricity transmission infrastructure as a way of improving high bandwidth regional communications capacity. These electricity networks have built in fiber-optic cables whose spare capacity can be utilized to provide backbone services to communications providers on a wholesale basis.

The World Bank and AfDB have been closely involved in developing the regional electricity transmission infrastructure through the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP). This transmission infrastructure will also be able to carry telecommunications traffic. In 2008, a stakeholder workshop in Benin endorsed the opportunity and committed to removing the bottlenecks associated with creating a regional backhaul network.

The World Bank and AfDB continue to provide support to the development of this network in FY09 through the preparation of the detailed technical, commercial and financial feasibility studies. Staff are also working with governments in the region to address the legal/regulatory and contractual arrangements for implementation, and continue to work with other donor agencies to ensure that efforts in this area are complementary.

“Regional communication infrastructure programs such as the CAB program illustrate what can be achieved through a strong partnership between the governments, private-sector and development partners,” said Yann Burtin, Project Manager for the CAB Program. The contributions of the AfDB and of the African Union Commission are essential to the process, added Burtin.

“The CAB program is an exciting development for Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Program. Regional connectivity projects like this one are increasingly important in the African Development Bank’s strategy for the region,” said Amadou Thierno Diallo, Manager for Energy and ICT at theAfDB.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/gict

Cross-posted to Sudan Watch and Congo Watch

Nigeria rebel group Mend attacked oil pipeline using machine guns and assault rifles

Armed men in the Niger delta of Nigeria say they have attacked an oil pipeline overnight, putting a two-month truce with the government in doubt.

A faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it attacked the pipeline.

A spokesman said it was because the government was delaying peace talks due to the absence of ill President Umaru Yar'Adua, who is in Saudi Arabia.

Attacks have cost Nigeria millions in lost revenue over the years.

The faction said, in an e-mailed statement, that the "warning strike" was carried out by 35 men on five boats with assault rifles, rocket launchers and heavy-calibre machine guns.

It said the pipeline was in Abonemma, about 50km (30 miles) west of Port Harcourt.

Nigeria's military has not commented on the attack.

Peace talks were suspended when President Yar'Adua was hospitalised in late November in Saudi Arabia.

Full story: BBC News at 10:53 GMT, Saturday, 19 December 2009 - Nigeria rebels attack oil pipeline