The Status of Power and Electricity Access In Africa

 

The African continent has a problem with access to power and electricity. Nigeria has suffered from power outages. North Africa based on collected data has more access to power compared to Sub-Saharan Africa. The countries that lack the most electricity are The African Central Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad,  and South Sudan. These three countries have a history of civil wars and armed groups fighting the government. The M23 rebels and Seleka rebels have fought in the DRC and the Central African Republic. South Africa has the highest access to electricity in its region. The need for better infrastructure and better power grids should be part of every African country's objective. Power and electricity are needed for modern nations. Electricity can be an indicator of development. Considering Africa's vast mineral and fossil fuel resources the economic possibilities are endless. Data  related to progress on electrification According to the IAEA , the number of people without electricity access expanded. The two major factor related to reversal  was the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis related to events in Europe. The 2019 map shows the status before those two events. The African continent has more access to electricity compared to past. The challenge is keeping the process mobilized. The African Union must develop programs to bring electricity to all of the continent. The World Bank has created a plan known as mission 300. The goal is to get electrification to 300 million in sub-Sharan Africa. Although  the African Development Bank has collaborated with the World Bank on the program, fears of further long term debt arise. Mission 300 wants to have most of the region with electricity by 2030. The time frame is too short for such an ambitious project. The African Union should be leading efforts to provide electricity. Doing so would encourage immense  cooperation between all regions of Africa.  

The Democratic Republic of the Congo Seeks Changes To The Constitution

The Democratic Republic of the Congo might be seeking to change the DRC  Constitution. President Felix Tshisekedi revealed a commission is being set up to draft a new constitution.  The argument made is that the current DRC Constitutions has certain flaws. President Tshisekedi asserts that it was originally drafted by foreigners. This was done as a measure to help stabilize the country after the Second Congolese Civil War from 1998 to 2003. The concern by some is that it could extend presidential terms or alter the term limits. The presidency is somewhat limited in comparison to regional governments and parliament. The desire for more centralization could be a means of preventing future civil wars. The M23 rebel attacks evoke memories of previous civil wars. Reforms could also be made in the electoral system. This should not generate condemnation as long as it ensures all citizens can vote. The current DRC Constitution has been used since 2006. A total of six constitutions the DRC has used. The seventh version would probably be used either late 2025 or 2026. This will certainly be a topic of debate in the next presidential election. A new constitution would not be a problem if the intent was known. A pattern with some African nations is that constitutional reforms are a way to extend presidential power. The political opposition rejects the DRC constitutional commission for this reason.   

 

Mali and Rwanda Are Entering A Bilateral Diplomatic Relationship

 

Rwanda and Mali have signed a number of agreements.. President Paul Kagame is extending his influence to other parts of Africa. The Sahel and West Africa are becoming a priority. The agreements were related to health, investment, and agriculture. Prior to this, there were already agreements related to security. Mali has a reason to welcome the series of 19 agreements. When the military regime under Assimi Goita  took power there was threat of an ECOWAS invasion. General Assimi is circumventing that possibility by reaching out to other African countries. This puts the African Union in a difficult position. They would have trouble isolating a military regime that has the support of a longtime leader. All the Sahel  military regimes that came to power in the early 2020s have formed an alliance. The alliance was designed to stop an invasion similar to Gambia in 2017. President Paul Kagame realizes that many longtime leaders are being deposed. Gabon's coup was taken into consideration. If President Paul Kagame gets close to the new regimes it might insulate him from a similar fate. Simultaneously, it can be a way for Rwanda to get vengeance on France. The frustration comes from the fact that France supported the Juvenal Habyarimana regime, which persecuted the Tutsi population. This was the government that the Rwandan Patriotic Front was fighting. President Paul Kagame has accused France of having a role in the 1994 genocide. Now that France is being forced out the Sahel, Rwanda wants to replace it in Mali. The bilateral diplomatic relationship will continue to grow based on regional conditions. Assimi Goita and Paul Kagame are ensuring political survival in a rapidly changing Africa.   

Paul Kagame Seeking A Fourth Term

 

President Paul Kagame is going to run for a fourth term. Doing this is no shock considering the 2015 constitutional amendment . For two decades Rwandan politics has been dominated by one president.  The difference now is the African continent has been turning against longtime leaders and those deemed as puppets of  the West. Gabon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Sudan have seen leaders deposed. Rwanda has had the same president since the year 2000. The presidential terms are seven years. This means Paul Kagame could remain in office up until 2034. Some suspect that another constitutional amendment could be made in the coming years. The end of presidential term limits would mean Paul Kagame could be president for life. The Green Party seeks to defeat him at the polls, but the Rwandan Patriotic Party has a powerful grip on the political system. Frank Habineza is seeking to become Rwanda's next president. The invention in Mozambique, the Rwandan asylum plan, and the status of relations with Uganda are going to be pivotal topics in the election. There is considerable controversy about the Rwandan government's support for the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of The Congo. The concern is that Ugandan and Rwandan involvement in the DRC could create a wider regional conflict. The DRC and Ugandan forces have fought the Allied Democratic Forces. Armed groups and longtime leaders are making the region more unstable. There is the fear of what  would happen with the end of  the Paul Kagame era. This explains why voters might support him, even with  growing diplomatic concerns and military engagements.  

President Ali Bongo Ondimba Has Lost Power To The Military

 

Gabon has become another African country that deposed a longtime leader. President Ali Bongo Ondimba has been placed under house arrest by the military. This comes after a contentious election in which Ali Bongo was declared the winner. The Bongo Ondimba family has ruled Gabon since 1967. Omar Bongo, the father of the current president was supported by France and developed an authoritarian power structure. When Omar Bongo died in 2009, Ali Bongo became his successor. Debates remain about how free and fair elections have been since the Bongo Ondimba family have been in politics. A portion of Gabonese welcomed the coup, because it meant that a new form of government could come into existence. Voting was not going to remove the Bongos and  presidential term limits were never discussed. Protests against the government did happen in 2016. A coup attempt in 2019 was foiled. The military launched another coup in 2023 and so far it appears successful. Gabon has oil and mineral resources, but the Bongos failed to improve living standards of the Gabonese. France has interest in keeping a regime in power to extract these resources. The change in government certainly will get the attention of Cameroon , Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. Paul Biya, Dennis Sassou Nguesso, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo could come to the realization their countries could be subject to military coups. A major political shift that started in 2020 is spreading across the African continent. Either the new regimes will revert to another form of authoritarianism or follow an alternative political path. Gabon now joins Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in the group of African countries under military rule.  

Chad Strengthens Ties With Israel

 

Chad and Israel are undergoing a process of normalizing relations. Chad has decided to open its embassy in the country. The process of normalizing relations began five years ago. The development is a bizarre one considering Israel's history of anti-black racism. Ethiopian and Somali immigrants have been subject to abuse. Chad broke off relations with Israel in 1972. At the time the Organization for African Unity promoted solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Now it appears some African states are making a foreign policy shift. Chad's motivations are more apparent. Mahamet Deby wants to ensure his regime's survival. After inheriting the presidency from his father external support from other countries ensures he can maintain power. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to present an image of reaching out to Muslim and African countries. An attempt is being make to Israel look better when it still engages in racism and human rights abuse. Logically, it would make sense for him to aid authoritarian regimes in Africa . Morocco and Sudan have already signed normalization agreements with Israel. Chad probably will not benefit from these bilateral agreements. Chad suffered under French colonization and some would think they would have more sympathy to the Palestinian  cause. Some resources report that the Mossad had a role in keeping diplomatic relations alive. Niger could follow Chad's example. The new diplomatic relations are not to the benefit of African states. Rather, it is a means of Israel to extend power and influence in Africa.    

Denis Sassou Nguesso Re-elected President of The Republic of The Congo

 

The Republic of the Congo has re-elected Denis Sassou Nguesso. The longtime leader has been president since 1997. Prior to this he served as president from 1979 to 1992. The Republic of the Congo  had fallen into civil war between the years of 1997 to 1999. Various militias  were fighting for a certain political candidate. Prior to this the country faced another civil war between 1993 to 1994. These wars caused much instability in the Congo and the surrounding region. The reason President Nguesso  continues to remain in power is because he is seen as a stabilizing force. There are citizens that may want to see a change in administration, but over the decades President Nguesso built a strong base. Even when he was defeated in the 1992 elections, he had enough support to engineer a political comeback. This was not only done with traditional political maneuvering, but with the aid of armed force. The 2015 referendum  allowed for the elimination of term limits. It is possible that the political system has made it so that Denis Sassou Nguesso could be president for life. A country that is rich in oil has to spread the wealth to the majority of the population. If  the Nguesso administration   does not address economic and political challenges growing discord could cause another civil war.