Latest news with #northAfrican
Qatar Tribune
20 hours ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Mauritanian Africa's new ‘super banker'
Agencies Mauritania's former economy minister Sidi Ould Tah was on Thursday elected to succeed Nigeria's Akinwumi Adesina as president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and tackle the withdrawal of US financing from the institution. In 2015 Adesina took six rounds of voting to become Africa's 'super banker' but Tah, 60, secured the prestigious post in only three, winning 76.18 percent of votes. Zambian economist Samuel Munzele Maimbo trailed well behind in second on 20.26 percent, with Senegal's Amadou Hott third on 3.55 percent. The winner had to secure both a majority of votes from all 81 member countries and a majority of votes from the 54 African nations who are part of the AfDB. Tah, who headed the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for 10 years, secured 72.37 percent of African votes. 'I wish to congratulate Dr Sidi Ould Tah on his successful election as the President-elect of the African Development Bank Group,' Maimbo said in a statement. 'I entered this race driven by love and deep concern for our continent, and offered a vision for Africa's future. Today, the Governors have chosen the leader they believe will best deliver the vision of the Africa we want at this pivotal moment.' With several north African states members of the AfDB, Tah's experience at the BADEA could be a bridge with sub-Saharan Africa. In his pitch for the AfDB leadership, he vowed to strengthen regional financial institutions, assert Africa's financial independence on global markets, use population growth as a development lever and build climate change-resistant infrastructure. The AfDB, founded in 1964, is one of the world's largest multilateral development banks and is funded by member subscriptions, loans raised on global markets as well as repayments and income from loans. But Tah will immediately face a disrupted international economic environment, notably due to announcements from the US Trump administration. Beyond tariffs, the AfDB is also facing the threat of losing $500 million in US funding for its projects to support low-income countries on the continent. All five candidates in the running for the top job promised to make the AfDB even more effective to transform Africa, continuing Adesina's five priorities to light up, feed, industrialize, integrate and improve quality of life. 'I am proud of the legacy we are leaving behind for... my successor, for the bank and for Africa,' the outgoing president said in a speech on Tuesday. 'We have built a world-class financial institution that will continue to advance Africa's position within a rapidly changing global development and geopolitical environment,' he added. Adesina said 565 million people had benefited from AfDB projects during his decade in charge. Major projects include support for the construction of the Gabal El Asfar wastewater treatment plant in Egypt — the largest in Africa. The bank also helped finance a bridge connecting Senegal and the Gambia, expanded the port of Lome in Togo and supported sanitation projects in Lesotho and access to electricity in Kenya, he said. From 2015 to this year, the bank's capital more than tripled from $93 billion to $318 billion, he added.
Kuwait News Agency
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait News Agency
Tunisia refuses to be destination for illegal immigrants
Security LOC16:17 13:17 GMT TUNIS, April 6 (KUNA) -- Tunisia will not be a destination or transit point for illegal immigrants, its Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Nafti told the UN'S visiting migration agency chief Amy Pope during talks on Tuesday. Citing "relative progress" in a national program aiming to allow illegal immigrants to self-deport, the Tunisian top diplomat assured the director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that Tunis stands ready to facilitate the repatriation of illegal immigrants, in line with the North African nation's belief in "basic humanitarian principles," he said. Commending Tunisian efforts and those of the international community alike, the IOM chief underlined the "tangible progress" in the UN body's cooperation with Tunis, mainly dealing with national initiatives to regulate the flow of migrants, she said. The IOM director general's visit to Tunisa comes at a time where the north African nation has turned into a major transit point for sub-Saharan African migrants and asylum seekers seeking greener pastures in Europe. (end)
BBC News
19-04-2025
- BBC News
Wiltshire in pictures: Magical murals, tiny foxes and a donkey
The perfect blue skies may have faded away but everyone seemed to be feeling the joy of spring ahead of the Easter the county bursts into bloom, Swindon is getting in on the action with a brand new mural from graffiti artist HazardOne on the side of the old Debenhams vibrant yellow and orange blooms are part of work to rejuvenate the town Longleat has welcomed three new north African Fennec fox cubs, while staff at the stately home have embarked on an enormous spring clean of the building's 128 rooms. Palm Sunday: A donkey from the rescue charity Kelly's Donkeys joined the procession from Salisbury Cathedral on 13 Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week in Western Christianity and falls on the Sunday before Easter. Spring to life: Stonehenge may be ancient but the stones are still a haven of life, with spring flowers blooming at their base. Bundles of joy: These three Fennec fox kits - the world's smallest fox species - were born at Longleat, and were they only litter of their species born in the UK this are now being hand-reared by keepers because their mother, Zuri, does not produce enough milk to feed all of them. Elbow grease: Longleat's conservation team are undertaking a thorough deep clean of the stately home's rooms and artefacts - delving into the nooks and crannies that can harbour pests such as clothes, moths and have the task of cleaning more than 300 windows, hundreds of ceramic pieces, glass and silverware, as well as 44,000 books and a 300-year-old chandelier. Cosmic sparkles: The Northern Lights graced the skies of the West Country once again this week, putting on a spectacular display. This image was captured over homes in Salisbury. Easter revival: The congregation of All Saints Church in Lydiard Millicent returned to the 11th-century church on Palm Sunday nine months after it closed for renovations including works to its roof, flooring and organ and installation of a new service was led by Rt Revd Neil Warwick, the Bishop of Swindon, and after blessing the church, he gathered the congregation to give thanks for the new church pond. Throwback snap: While the rest of the county was enjoying the warmer weather, Salisbury Cathedral shared a stunning photograph of the building at sunrise taken on a crisp winter cathedral's famous silhouette is perfectly mirrored in the water at the bottom of the shot. Swindon Croc returns: A taxidermy gharial, also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, gifted to Swindon Borough Council in the 1930s, is soon to be on display at Museum and Art Swindon after much vital restoration work, alongside information about the threats facing the Marina Strinkovsky said the critically endangered animal had "a special place in the hearts of Swindonians", but added that "also has a complex history, and we want to depict its place in the natural world and the British past". Farmer fury: Farmers parked their tractors in Salisbury town centre in protest at changes to inheritance tax law around farming by campaign group Farmers to Action, it says the changes will spell the end of many family farms already struggling to survive.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Fulani: new study unravels the genetic history of Africa's largest pastoralist community
The Fulani people are Africa's largest pastoralist group. There are between 25 million and 40 million Fulani people across 17 African countries, from the Atlantic shores of Senegal and Mauritania to Sudan. The Fulani have long intrigued social anthropologists with their complex cultural heritage. They raise mainly cattle, goats and sheep in the vast, arid Sahel region. Some are nomadic but many have adopted a sedentary lifestyle. In the wide geographical belt where they live, they speak 11 dialects. The Fulani's origins and migratory patterns have been subjects of scientific debates. Certain physical characteristics are similar to those commonly observed in European populations. These, combined with specific cultural practices like scarification, have given the impression that their ancestors came to west Africa from elsewhere. One way to find out more about a population's history is by studying their genes. This also informs medical research. African populations remain underrepresented in genomic studies. Only about 1.1% of genomic data being used for studies of the links between genes and diseases has come from people of African descent. This means they may miss out on the potential benefits of genomic research, like early detection of disease and drugs designed for specific biological targets. Commonly available genomic datasets also lack comprehensive Fulani DNA samples covering the entire region they inhabit. To address this gap, we conducted over a decade of field research among Fulani nomads throughout the Sahel/savannah belt. We are an international team of researchers specialising in human diversity and evolution. Our research explores human migration, adaptation and cultural and genetic diversity. We wanted to uncover the genetic and evolutionary histories of the Fulani. Our work has revealed that all Fulani groups share a common genetic background. This has been shaped by centuries of migration and interaction with diverse African populations. Their ancestry includes influences from both north and west African populations. Given the Fulani's primarily nomadic lifestyle and geographically dispersed campsites, our researchers often travelled to remote locations. Fieldworkers worked with Fulani interpreters and linguists to explain the research's purpose to the communities. We secured biological samples and anthropological data for over 400 participants from Fulani populations in seven countries: Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Genomic analyses confirm a distinct Fulani genetic signature. This reflects deep ancestral connections to both north and west Africa. Traces of ancient north African ancestry, including influences from ancient Iberomaurusians (Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers), are present across all Fulani populations. This shows populations moved between the Sahel and the Maghreb region during the Green Sahara period 11,000 to 5,000 years ago. Read more: Our findings also indicate closer Fulani genetic ties to west African communities. Eastern Fulani populations share genetic affinities with central and eastern African groups. This pattern aligns with historical records of Fulani migrations. It also underscores the role of continuous gene flow across the Sahel in shaping their genetic diversity. Such genetic exchange may have contributed to the Fulani's resilience as pastoralists, enabling them to adapt to a variety of ecological and climatic conditions. Our findings went beyond ancestry. We found that the Fulani have genetic adaptations relevant to their environment and way of life. One example is the high prevalence of a genetic trait that enables a person to digest milk beyond childhood into adulthood. It's often associated with European and north African populations, which suggests that genes once flowed from these regions. It must have been essential for sustaining the Fulani's dairy-based pastoralist economy. Another striking discovery is the Fulani's lower susceptibility to the parasite responsible for severe malaria. There is a high incidence of malaria in the Sahel belt. Read more: The genetic study of the Fulani tells us more about their biological history as a population and enriches our understanding of their cultural and historical stories. The population mixing and migration reflected in their DNA corresponds with oral traditions and historical accounts of the Fulani's movements across Africa. Some historians and linguists have reported Fulani past migrations from Senegal via Guinea to Mali and then via Nigeria and Niger to Lake Chad and even further. Their complex genetic diversity from different sources mirrors their ability to assimilate diverse cultural elements. It suggests a history of surviving challenging environments and health threats. The Fulani's genetic adaptations, such as the ability to digest milk and resist malaria, have had profound impacts on their societal structures and health outcomes. These traits have enabled them to thrive in varied environments. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Carina Schlebusch, Uppsala University; Cesar Fortes-Lima, Johns Hopkins University, and Viktor Černý, Charles University Read more: Will Africa's young voters continue to punish incumbents at the ballot box in 2025? We are about to find out 'Return' of the dire wolf is an impressive feat of genetic engineering, not a reversal of extinction Woman-to-woman marriage in west Africa: a vanishing tradition of power and agency Carina Schlebusch receives funding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish Research Council. Cesar Fortes-Lima receives funding from the Bertil Lundman's Foundation, the Marcus Borgström Foundation, and the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund (Nilsson-Ehle Endowments). Viktor Černý receives funding from Czech Academy of Sciences award Praemium Academiae.
Euronews
19-03-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Peter Pellegrini reshuffles Slovakia's cabinet to secure majority
Slovakia's president has sworn in a new minister of investments and regional development, completing a reshuffle that keeps a parliamentary majority for the government. The appointment of Samuel Migaľ was a result of a deal agreed on by three parties in governing coalition to increase the power of the Smer (Direction) party of Prime Minister Robert Fico. Under the agreement, the coalition's two junior partners — the Hlas (Voice) party and the ultranationalist and pro-Russian Slovak National Party — gave up control of one ministry each to Smer. With the addition of the ministries overseeing investments, regional development and information, and tourism and sports, Smer now controls nine ministries, Hlas six and the Slovak National Party two. The deal was struck to solve a recent crisis in the coalition that risked its parliamentary majority. The coalition had 79 seats in the 150-seat parliament known as the National Council before four Hlas lawmakers, including Migaľ and three others, from the Slovak National Party parted with their parliamentary factions. The lawmakers did not join the opposition but have demanded posts in the government, parliament and state institutions in exchange for their loyalty. That has made it difficult for the government to advance its agenda. Another rebel from Hlas, Radomír Šalitroš, will become a state secretary at the ministry led by Migaľ. Pellegrini had already sworn in Rudolf Huliak, one of the rebels representing the Slovak National Party, as the minister of tourism and sports. Richard Raši, the predecessor of Migaľ at the ministry, has resigned and is expected to be elected the parliamentary speaker. That post is vacant since the previous speaker, Pellegrini, won last year's presidential election. Robert Fico is a divisive figure in Slovak politics with many people in the country opposed to what they see as his pro-Russia stance. When he came to power in 2023, he cut financial and military aid to Ukraine and said he would block the country from joining NATO. Those moves have proved highly unpopular with many ordinary Slovakians and sparked a wave of protests across the country. Madrid has adopted a measure to redistribute thousands of unaccompanied migrant minors currently sheltered on the Canary Islands to other parts of Spain. The reform ends a months-long political stalemate between Spain's regions and the central government and is aimed at easing pressure on overcrowded migrant reception centres, mainly in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands is a popular destination for thousands of mostly north African migrants who arrive in the archipelago every year hoping to reach the European Union. For several months, local leaders in the Canaries have complained about a lack of resources to shelter the thousands of unaccompanied children and teenagers who reach their shores. In Spain, which has a population of 49 million, the central government handles the treatment of adult migrants, while regional governments are responsible for unaccompanied minors. After the measure was approved on Tuesday, Ángel Victor Torres, the government minister in charge of Spain's relations with its regions, called it a "milestone in the defence of human rights" and the rights of children. "It would be good for anyone with doubts to visit a migrant centre," said Torres, who previously led the Canary Islands regional government. "And see that in spaces for 20 people, there are 300 people, and that they are kids of 15 years, 10 years and five years." For regions such as the Canary Islands and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa who cannot host more unaccompanied minors, the measure would allow for some of them to be transferred to other regions in Spain, factoring in a region's population, per capita income, unemployment rate and other factors. The Canary Islands are sheltering more than 5,000 unaccompanied minors across the archipelago. Some 4,000 migrants will be transferred elsewhere within mainland Spain. While final numbers are still being worked out, the wealthy Catalonia region that includes Barcelona will only receive between 20 and 30 unaccompanied minors, a spokesperson for the Junts per Catalunya party said. The strip of Atlantic ocean between West Africa and the Canary Islands is one of the world's deadliest migration routed. Nearly 47,000 people who made the crossing last year reached the archipelago, shattering previous records for a second time. Most were citizens of Mali, Senegal and Morocco, with many boarding boats to Spain from the coast of Mauritania. Numbers so far this year are down, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. Almost 11,000 migrants have reached Spain this year by sea as of 15 March, a 21% decrease from the same period last year.
