ADF

ADF STAFF Under overcast skies, Ghanaian fishermen in a wooden canoe strained to haul in their fishing nets through choppy waters 17 kilometers off the coast. Despite hours of struggle, their nets were mostly empty. “I am not happy at all today,” Nana Kwentsiar, a fisherman from the coastal village Elmina, told broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). “We didn’t get [as much] fish as we were expecting.” Due to illegal overfishing by foreign industrial trawlers, mostly from China, Ghana’s fish stocks are in steep decline. Its small pelagic fish populations, such as sardinella, have dropped 80% in the past two decades.…

ADF STAFF In a press conference in January, Zambia announced that it would be one of the first countries in Africa to offer a 5G mobile network as part of a pilot project. The technology, which stands for “fifth generation mobile network,” promises fast connectivity and low latency so phone users can exchange information and download data at high speeds. It is part of a project by Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei in partnership with South African carrier MTN. “It will transform the way we live and work, and it will offer exciting new opportunities for entrepreneurs and youth in our…

ADF STAFF The news that a junta had overthrown Burkinabe President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the only democratically elected head of state in the country’s history, had a familiar ring to it. It was the fourth successful military coup in West Africa in the last 18 months, following Mali in August 2020 and May 2021 and Guinea in September 2021. On a continent that has had 11 coups in the past decade and at least 20 attempted coups, West Africa stands out for its recent upheaval. The question is why? Each coup has distinct differences while also being connected, said…

ADF STAFF Illegal fishing by large industrial trawlers in Ghana has decimated fish stocks to the brink of collapse and left small-scale fishermen with empty nets. In Elmina, a coastal fishing town about 155 kilometers southwest of Accra, artisanal fishermen have had enough. Although Ghana’s government allows a maximum of 48 industrial trawlers in its waters, more than 70 were licensed as of July 2021. “The key stakeholders, the canoe owners should be involved in the participation, in the decision-making, in the governance, and in the management of our resources,” fisherman Nana Kweigya told Deutsche Welle (DW). Kweigya added that…

ADF STAFF Members of the Seychelles People’s Defence Force Tazar Special Forces boarded a ship, single file, with their guns drawn. “So, now we have the two security guys come up,” a U.S. Coast Guard instructor said. “Right here, this door here is called the ‘fatal front.’” A Tazar member entered the door carefully and swept his gun to the right. “All clear? All right,” said the instructor, as more Tazar members entered the ship’s cabin. It was the first week of Cutlass Express 2022, an annual 12-day exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and led by U.S. Naval…

ADF STAFF In the Bamanga forest of northern Cameroon, the sound of axes biting into tree trunks has become a part of everyday life. The axes are often wielded by local poachers or by those crossing the border from Nigeria. Their target: rosewood trees. Africa’s rosewood trees, also known as kosso, are a prized resource for Chinese makers of luxury furniture. Environmental activists say China’s lust for rosewood lumber drives a black market that is corrupting government officials and tribal leaders, undercutting international protections, and devastating the environment. According to Raphael Edou, Benin’s former minister for environment, rosewood poaching in…

ADF STAFF As a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered in Ouagadougou’s national square after the announcement of a military coup, there was an unusual sight: Russian flags being waved in celebration. West Africa’s third coup in eight months has raised alarm among experts who see a pattern: Wherever there is instability, Russia appears ready to exploit it. “It’s just a matter of time,” Nigerian journalist Philip Obaji Jr. told ADF. “From what I’ve been told by sources in the Burkinabe military, there is no Russian presence yet in the country, but that could change pretty soon.” Sahelian terrorists…

ADF STAFF African Air Force leaders came away with a spirit of cooperation and a greater understanding of other countries’ capabilities after attending the 11th annual African Air Chiefs Symposium (AACS). Thirty-two air chiefs and senior officials attended the five-day-event that ended January 28 in Kigali, Rwanda. The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and U.S. Air Forces Africa co-hosted the event. The theme of the symposium was “strategic airlift,” which is particularly relevant as countries look for ways to transport troops, equipment and humanitarian assistance to the places where they are needed most. “Strategic airlift is critical to our operations both…

ADF STAFF The attackers came in six wooden canoes. One with a small motor towed the rest. In the fading light of dusk, they reached Matemo Island just off the coast of northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. The attackers killed at least two villagers, burned down dozens of homes, and looted shops for food and medicine throughout the night of February 1. Well aware that the closest military position was about 10 kilometers south in the district capital, Ibo Island, they shouted at each other to “do it quickly before the pigs [the military] and their helpers arrive,” according to…

ADF STAFF Joseph Fofana, a 36-year-old fisherman in Sierra Leone, recalled a time when he could see large fish breaking the water from the docks at Tombo, a coastal fishing village. Those days are long past. According to Fofana and other fishermen interviewed by The Guardian newspaper, a steep decline in fish stocks has left the nets of local fishermen as empty as their stomachs and wallets. Fofana earns about 50,000 leone (less than $4.50) for working 14-hour days at sea. “This is the only job we can do,” Fofana told The Guardian. “It’s not my choice. God carried me…