US, France taking drone war to Mali: Rest of Africa next?

US, France mull taking drone war to Mali

 

A French Harfang drone (file photo)

Source: Press TV

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/10/23/268272/us-france-mull-moving-drones-to-mali/

The military officials of France and the US have reportedly held secret talks in Paris to discuss a plan to move French surveillance drones from Afghanistan to the crisis-hit African country of Mali.

American and French officials met in Paris last week to draw a plan for military intervention in Mali by moving the unmanned reconnaissance aircraft to the African country, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Last Friday, African leaders had met in the Malian capital, Bamako, to discuss a plan for a military intervention in the north, which was seized under the cover of a coup d'etat six months ago.

On October 13, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that gave West African nations 45 days to offer details of a plan for a military intervention in Mali.

“France and the United Nations insist any invasion of Mali's north must be led by African troops,” the AP report claimed, adding that Paris, however, “is playing an increasing role behind the scenes.”

A French defense official said on the condition of anonymity on Monday that his country is considering a plan to send two more surveillance drones to western Africa from Afghanistan by the end of the year.

Reports say France has deployed its special forces to the region around Mali as well.

Meanwhile, a group of top American military officials and diplomats, including US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, arrived in Paris on Monday to hold talks on intelligence-gathering and security in the Sahel region, including Mali.

Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure was ousted in a military coup on March 22. The coup leaders said the president had failed to fight the separatist movement of Tuareg rebels in the north.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned against a military operation, saying it would further affect millions of people in the region.

Once a detailed plan for military intervention in Mali is received from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the United Nations, the Security Council would consider a second resolution to approve the move.

 

Gaddafi agrees to AU ceasefire plan after talk with Zuma

Gaddafi talks with Zuma at an undisclosed location. It was the first time the tyrant leader has been seen by the world since May 11

Source: CNTV
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20110531/102239.shtml

South African President, Jacob Zuma, has made a breakthrough in talks with Muammar Gaddafi by getting the Libyan leader to agree to an AU-brokered ceasefire. The truce could pave the way for peace to return to the troubled North African country.

Libyan state television showed Gaddafi's first public appearance in nearly three weeks as he met with Zuma in Tripoli. Delegations from both sides sat in a large room and talked. After their meeting, Zuma said that Gaddafi accepted the AU roadmap aimed at bringing the conflict there to an end.

Zuma said, "Muammar Gaddafi confirmed that he's ready to implement the decision of the African Union. There must be a ceasefire, which is unconditional. That includes bombing by NATO coming to an end. A ceasefire must include everyone. Also, he made the point that Libyan people be given the chance to talk among themselves to solve their problems. Therefore, he's ready to implement the roadmap of the AU. Those were the highlights of our discussions."

South African president says Gaddafi ready to implement AU roadmap



Source: CNTV
http://english.cntv.cn/20110531/102647.shtml

Visiting South African President Jacob Zuma said on Monday that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is ready to carry out an African Union (AU) roadmap for solving the crisis in the North African country.

"I can say that the Libyan leader is ready to implement what is in the roadmap by the AU," Zuma said at a press conference shortly before leaving Libyan capital Tripoli.

Zuma, during his several hours' visit to Tripoli, held what he described as a "detailed and long" talk with the embattled Libyan leader, during which he informed Gaddafi "recent steps and measures taken by the AU," and iterated an AU call for dialogue between the Libyans.

The South African president, who arrived earlier in the day and was greeted by Libyan Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abul Ati al-Obeidi at the Tripoli airport, said he came to meet Gaddafi as a member of a high-level committee formed by the AU on the Libya crisis.

The Libyan government has accepted the Union's initiative and the African roadmap, Zuma said, adding Gaddafi assured him "the importance of the ceasefire proposed by the AU on condition that NATO and (others) stop bombing and give the Libyan people a chance to solve their problems by themselves."

The AU formed a special committee on Libya before France, Britain and the United States took the lead in launching airstrikes on Libya in March, hoping to solve the crisis by peaceful means.

The high-level committee proposed a five-point roadmap for peace, calling on conflicting parties in Libya to protect civilians, stop hostilities and provide humanitarian aids equally to both the Libyans and the immigrants, especially African ones. The committee also called for political dialogue to end the crisis, a transitional period and necessary political reforms to meet the demands of the Libyan people.

The African initiative received positive response from the Libyan government, but was rejected by the Benghazi-based rebels who said it doesn't address their major demand, namely, the departure of Gaddafi.

African Union to replace West with China‎?

AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs Dr Maxwell Mkwezalamba


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=136137§ionid=3510213


The African Union (AU) economic chief says Africa must end reliance on Western partners and deal more with China for mutual economic progress.

Maxwell Mkwezalamba said on Saturday that stringent conditions and checks often stalled the flow of funds from Western nations as well as the World Bank.

"We need to diversify our partners that we work with and hence for us, working with China is something that we have welcomed," he said at the 15th AU summit in Uganda.

"For Africa's development and integration, we have depended on the Western world and we cannot continue to proceed like this," Reuters quoted him as saying.

Restrictive terms and conditions placed on loans by some of their traditional Western partners and groups such as the World Bank was driving African nations into the arms of China, he said.

"By getting support from China and other countries we strengthen our position in dealing with institutions such as the World Bank, which tend to impose huge conditions," he said.

China is pouring money into developing infrastructure in the world's poorest continent — Africa. China pledged last year to give Africa $10 billion in concessional loans over the next three years.