{"id":58935,"date":"2021-11-03T15:10:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T13:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=58935"},"modified":"2021-11-03T15:10:35","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T13:10:35","slug":"coups-and-covid-the-africa-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/coups-and-covid-the-africa-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Coups and Covid- the Africa Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Staff Writer<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sudan\u2019s Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok was deposed by the military on October 25, after tensions had been simmering between civilian and military components of the country\u2019s transitional council, especially in light of the military\u2019s refusal to hand over power.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in South Africa, elections the November 1 elections has seen a drop in support for both the ruling African National Congress, and the opposition Democratic Alliance, as would be voters increasingly turn away from the electoral system, preferring to engage with the state through other ways, including through protest action.<\/p>\n

It has been argued that transitions to civilian rule take time, and that institutions are required, especially in relation to democratic consolidation, \u201ddemocracy needs nurturing\u2026.. [and]\u00a0 transitioning from military to civil rule takes time, it has to be built [and]\u00a0 can’t be done at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Africa has seen 5 attempted coups in 2021 alone, 3 of which were successful, including a second in Mali in less than a year.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile the coronavirus continues to impact the continent, especially the more contagious Delta variant. Africa will likely miss its target of 40% vaccinations by the end of the year, with only 5 countries including the Seychelles and Tunisia reaching this; currently only 6% of the continent has been vaccinated.\u00a0 Social distancing and mask wearing have thus been advocated.<\/p>\n

In more positive news, Cambridge University (England) and the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) have commenced the process of returning artefacts to the Kingdom of Benin, which were stolen during the period of colonialism. This follows artefacts having been returned from France, and thus alludes to the growing push to regain the continent\u2019s stolen artefacts, most of which remain in Europe following the period of colonialism. It is significant that over 70 years after colonialism, most countries on the continent are still suffering its effects, especially in relation to trade, economic development and the lack of industrialisation, with countries in Francophone West Africa still forced to use a denomination of France\u2019s colonial currency, the CFA Franc.<\/p>\n