Weekly Roundup of Top Stories

Welcome to the Development Diaries weekly roundup of top African stories for Sunday, 20 August, 2023.

Last week, we reported Nigeria’s announcement of ministerial nominees, with Betta Edu appointed the country’s humanitarian minister; protest against sexual harassment in a Nigerian university; children facing life-threatening risks in Sudan; African Union’s reaction to violence in Libya; why North Africa must fulfil right to social security among other top stories. 


Nigeria: Hurdles for Edu as Humanitarian Minister

What should Nigerians expect from Betta Edu as Nigeria’s incoming Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation? Edu, a medical doctor and a health policy and management expert, is one of President Bola Tinubu’s 46 ministerial nominees recently cleared by the country’s senate. Read more

Sudan: Children Face Life-Threatening Risks

Children in Sudan could face crisis-level hunger by September if a ceasefire is not achieved soonest and humanitarian aid support ramped up. An estimated 1.5 million children in the country are expected to face new levels of hunger as violent conflict, displacement, and high food prices persist, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) figures. Read more

Nigeria: UNICAL and Sexual Harassment Burden

‘Mr Lecture’, a popular song by legendary Nigerian artiste, Eedris Abdulkareem, comes to mind as aggrieved female law students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) protested against alleged sexual harassment. The students besieged the office of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Florence Obi, demanding the immediate removal of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Cyril Ndifon, for allegedly sexually harassing them. Read more

Chad: Major Humanitarian Crisis Looms

As refugee camps are being built in Chad, there are reports that shelter and basic facilities available in the camps are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of the incoming people. Refugees are in urgent need of shelter, food, water, sanitation, health care and protection services, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Read more

Nigeria: Tasks for New Education Minister

Professor Tahir Mamman is Nigeria’s incoming Minister of Education. The professor of law is taking charge of the ministry when the country is faced with numerous educational issues, including that of basic education. Read more

Libya: African Union Reacts to Violence

The African Union Commission urged all stakeholders and all military, political and social actors in Libya to put an immediate end to all hostilities. Clashes broke out in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Monday after the reported detention of a powerful armed faction commander by a rival force at an airport in the capital. Read more

FAO, Partners Launch Anti-FMD Project in Southern Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and its partners in Mozambique and Zimbabwe launched a U.S.$500,000 Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) to improve food and nutrition security in southern Africa. The FAO is working with the governments of Mozambique and Zimbabwe to implement the programme. Read more

Why North Africa Must Fulfil Right to Social Security

Despite worsening economic conditions in North Africa, governments in the region have failed to develop comprehensive social protection systems that fulfill all people’s right to social security. Only 40 percent of people in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region have effective coverage in at least one area of social protection, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Read more

Cameroon: Refugees Living in Despair

Refugees in Cameroon are living in despair due to insecurity and the severe impact of climate change. Competition over land, water and food is fueling intercommunal violence, and leading to an escalating refugee crisis, per rfi. Read more

Zambia: GBV Tops Priority for Government

Afrobarometer reported that gender-based violence (GBV) is the most important women’s rights issue for the government of Zambia to address. 36 percent of Zambian women have experienced physical violence since age 15, while 20 percent suffer sexual abuse before age 18, and 39 percent are married before age 18. Read more


That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More headlines are available on Development Diaries.

Photo source: MSF

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