* Liberia. Une force internationale? — 26 juin. Les forces fidèles au président Charles Taylor ont chassé les rebelles du centre-ville et de la zone portuaire de Monrovia, au terme de combats qui ont fait de nombreuses victimes. Les rebelles du LURD (Libériens unis pour la réconciliation et la démocratie) seraient à présent repliés à une dizaine de kilomètres de la capitale. Lors d’un discours consacré à l’Afrique, le président Bush a appelé Charles Taylor à quitter le pouvoir “pour qu’un bain de sang soit épargné à son pays”. Entre 200 et 300 civils ont été tués et 1.000 autres blessés lors des combats depuis le 24 juin, selon le ministre libérien de la Santé. Une foule en colère a déposé des cadavres ensanglantés devant l’ambassade des Etats-Unis, accusant les militaires américains de n’avoir pas su protéger les civils. — 27 juin. Le LURD a décrété un cessez-le-feu immédiat “pour permettre à la communauté internationale d’apporter l’assistance nécessaire aux populations civiles et d’éviter une catastrophe humanitaire à Monrovia et dans les environs”. Le mouvement précise toutefois qu’il entend maintenir ses positions actuelles, très proches du coeur de la capitale. — Durant le week-end du 28-29 juin, les pressions se sont multipliées pour l’envoi d’une force multinationale chargée de mettre fin au conflit meurtrier. Samedi, Kofi Annan a demandé au Conseil de sécurité d’autoriser ce déploiement, et dimanche les responsables de la CEDEAO ont également demandé  l’envoi d’une force de paix de l’Onu, menée par les Etats-Unis en raison de leurs liens historiques avec le Liberia. La France et la Grande-Bretagne appuient cette demande. Une mission du Conseil de sécurité devrait rencontrer le président du Nigeria, pays susceptible de déployer des casques bleus. — 30 juin. Dans une rencontre avec des responsables de la CEDEAO au Nigeria, la mission de Conseil de sécurité a proposé aux dirigeants de la région l’établissement au Liberia d’un gouvernement de transition auquel ne participera aucun des leaders actuels, afin de mettre fin aux luttes intestines. Par ailleurs, elle a exigé la signature d’un cessez-le-feu avant l’envoi d’une force de stabilisation au Liberia. D’autre part, le président Taylor aurait refusé l’exil que lui offrait le Nigeria, a-t-on appris de sources diplomatiques. — 2 juillet. Pressés de toutes parts, les Etats-Unis étudient la possibilité d’intervenir militairement au Liberia. “Nous examinons toutes les options”, a déclaré le président Bush, qui doit effectuer la semaine prochaine une tournée dans cinq pays d’Afrique. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 juillet 2003)

* Liberia. The battle for Monrovia — 26 June: Fighters loyal to President Charles Taylor have pushed rebels back to the outskirts of the capital, Monrovia. Fighting is now taking place around St. Paul’s Bridge, some 10 kilometres from the city centre. Around 200,000 people have fled their homes and sought sanctuary in schools, empty buildings and even the national football stadium. Aid agencies say they are working against the clock to install health and water facilities to prevent outbreaks of disease in the impromptu camps. — President Bush calls on President Taylor to quit. He says: «President Taylor needs to step down,so that his country can be spared further bloodshed.» He adds the US supports peace talks. By way of reply, the Liberian government says it welcomes President Bush’s call for talks, and says President Taylor has already offered to step aside for a transitional government. However, the government insists that Mr Taylor cannot step aside before the end of his term in January, and only if war crimes charges against him are dropped. 27 June: The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels says they have declared a truce but their troops will retaliate if attacked by forces loyal to President Taylor. Up to 300 people are believed to have been killed in three days of rocket and mortar fire. — reports later in the day indicate that fighting is continuing in spite of the ceasefire call. President Taylor’s forces say they have re-taken the port area. It seems that both sides want to control the port, with its stocks of food, before honouring any ceasefire. However, refugees continue to stream out of the port despite the government’s claim of victory there. 28 June: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asks the Security Council to put together a peacekeeping force for Liberia. ECOWAS has promised to send a 5,000-strong peacekeeping force after the warring sides commit themselves to a lasting ceasefire. 29 June.: Discussion take place in Nigeria between ECOWAS and UN Security Council ambassadors. The West African leaders call on the United States to join a multinational peacekeeping force in Liberia. 30 June: The UN Security Council adjourns its emergency debate on Liberia without a decision on whether to send an international force to monitor the ceasefire. Members agree to follow developments closely and reconvene next week to continue to discuss the situation. Monrovia is reported calm with some residents starting to return to their homes. 1 July: Senior US officials are meeting to discuss whether to join international peacekeepers for Liberia. Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State outlines «deep concerns» about the worsening situation. — The Joint Verification Team charged with charting the ceasefire positions of government and rebel forces says it may have to wait a few days in Freetown, Sierra Leone, while administrative arrangements for it to start work in Liberia are finalised. 2 July: The UN Security Council’s current president has said publicly for the first time that exile for Liberia’s President Charles Taylor could be a means to end the civil war in his country. President Taylor faces an indictment for war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone, where he backed rebels in the war that ended in 2001. But the British UN Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock said on a tour of Western Africa that although the UN ruled out impunity for alleged war criminals, it understood that regional leaders had to take their own decisions. Sir Jeremy’s comments come amid mounting international pressure on the United States to lead a peacekeeping force in Liberia, although Washington says it is still considering its options. — Thousands of refugees have been fleeing fighting in Monrovia, aboard small Ghanaian fishing boats little bigger than canoes. Hundreds are arriving in Côte d’Ivoire every day, after more than three days and nights on the Atlantic Ocean. — President George W. Bush calls on President Taylor to leave the country to help the chances of peace. Previously Mr Bush has only gone so far as to urge Mr Taylor to step down. 3 July: The United States is expected to announce as early as today whether it will send peacekeeping troops to war-torn Liberia. Washington has come under increasing diplomatic pressure to take the lead in restoring peace in Africa’s oldest republic after three years of fighting between government troops and rebels. Correspondents say there seems little real appetite in the corridors of the Pentagon for a new peacekeeping mission in West Africa, but equally an acceptance that events appear to be moving in that direction. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 3 July 2003)

* Libya. Italian troops to Libya? — 26 June: Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is reported as saying that Italy is close to  signing an agreement with Libya to send troops there to curb illegal immigration via the Mediterranean. Under the agreement, Italian soldiers would control Libyan ports and borders. Italian ships will also be authorised to patrol Libyan waters. The statement goes further than a previous Italian decision to supply Libya with night-vision goggles and other border-crossing equipment — subject to a partial lifting of the international arms embargo against Tripoli. Libya has already acknowledged that it cannot police its long sea and desert frontier. 27 June: The Libyan authorities deny any knowledge about plans to station Italian troops in Libya. Libya’s Foreign Minister, Abdulrahman Shalgham tells La Stampa newspaper: «We will not accept an (Italian) military presence on our territory, but the issue will be discussed with Italian officials next week. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 27 June 2003)

* Libya. Gadaffi’s proposal for Middle East peace — On 27 June, Muammer Gadaffi, the Libyan leader, denounced the «road map» for peace in the Middle East as he premiered his own solution in his new book «Israteen». Speaking live via satellite to an audience at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, Colonel Gadaffi outlined his proposals for a one-state solution in which Palestinians and Israelis would live side by side and share a proportionally-elected government. «It will be a federal state and there will be elections under the supervision of the UN. It is not important who will have the majority of seats, Muslims or Jews, it will be just like Lebanon —different religions but one state and one unity,» he said. In Gadaffi’s notional nation state, no further members of the Jewish diaspora would be allowed to settle, but existing Israeli and Palestinian citizens would move unfettered between the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. A formidable national army would also be created comprised of men on both sides. «We must accept that the two peoples are very close to each other and have to live together. Israel needs the Palestinian labourers — it cannot be a great country without them. Both parties depend on each other and both parties have the right to live in peace,» he said. Gadaffi rubbished America’s plans for a two-state solution, claiming there would never be enough room for two separate states as Israel would be too narrow and both countries would be at the mercy of each other. «We need a long-term solution but the US is looking for a short term solution for electoral reasons. The American taxpayer wants to get rid of this burden because they fund the problem and they want to alleviate it. This is treason to mankind,» he said. (Financial Times, UK, 29 June 2003)

* Madagascar/GB. Annulation de dette — La Grande-Bretagne a annulé 5,3 millions de dollars de dette malgache aux termes d’un accord signé le 26 juin. L’accord porte en fait sur une dette de $6,63 millions dont une partie, d’un montant de $1,28 million, sera  aménagée pour être remboursable sur 23 ans. Cet accord, le 9e du genre signé entre les deux pays, porte à $74 millions le montant de la dette effacée par le Royaume-Uni pour le compte de Madagascar. (PANA, Sénégal, 27 juin 2003)

* Malawi. Malawians riot over al-Qaeda suspects — Malawi’s army was deployed at the weekend to quell violent riots, in which crowds of angry Muslims attacked several churches to protest at the extradition of five foreigners suspected of working for al-Qaeda. The five — two Turks, one Saudi, one Kenyan and one Sudanese — were handed over to US security officials on 23 June and are widely believed to have been taken out of Malawi before they could appear in court. A Malawian court had ordered the state to free the five men, before the High Court overturned an injunction blocking their deportation. US security officials are believed to be very active in many African countries in the run-up to the first official visit to the continent by US President George W.Bush, in the second week of July. (Financial Times, UK, 30 June 2003)

* Morocco. Morocco raises 400 million Euros in eurobond issue as investors shrug off fears — On 27 June, Morocco raised 400 million Euros in a first eurobond issue that showed investors appear undaunted by last month’s multiple suicide attacks in the financial capital Casablanca. The bombings, perpetrated by a group of young Moroccans, highlighted a worrying radicalisation among disenfranchised youth. But senior Moroccan officials said the government’s swift crackdown and the support inside and outside the country had maintained investors’ appetite in the bond deal. «Foreigners’ reaction has been positive — there has been a wave of solidarity,» Fathallah Oualalou, finance minister, said in London. The five-year issue, which the government had talked about for years but only now decided to launch, was priced to yield 2.15 percentage points for a country with a speculative rating. But up to 25 per cent of the issue, managed by Merrill Lynch & Co and BNP Paribas, was sold to Gulf investors, who tend to be less price-sensitive. Much of the rest was marketed in Europe. Proceeds from the bond issue are expected to refinance some of the country’s more expensive debt. (Financial Times, UK, 28 June 2003)

* Mauritania. Taking Spain’s migrants — 2 July: Spain and Mauritania have agreed measures aimed at reducing illegal immigration from Mauritania to the EU. Spanish Foreign Minister and her Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Toba, signed an accord that will allow Spain to return illegal immigrants from Mauritania even if they are citizens from another country. Mauritania itself is not a significant source of illegal immigration to the EU but the country serves as a transit territory for people from other countries, especially from Senegal and Mali who enter Europe through  Spain’s Canary Islands. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 2 July 2003)

* Mozambique. Le Corridor de Nacala — Le 27 juin, le Mozambique et une agence gouvernementale américaine, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, ont signé à Washington un accord de financement pour la modernisation du Corridor de Nacala, la ligne de chemin de fer reliant le port mozambicain de Nacala au Malawi. Le montant total du financement s’élève à $29,6 millions. Le gouvernement américain est particulièrement intéressé par ce projet en raison du fait que deux entreprises américaines sont membres du consortium qui a remporté le marché pour l’exploitation de cette ligne. Celle-ci avait été sabotée par les rebelles du Renamo durant la guerre civile. Sa reconstruction est jugée essentielle au développement de l’ensemble de la vallée du Zambèze. (PANA, Sénégal, 28 juin 2003)

* Namibie. Sortie du COMESA — Le 1er juillet, la Namibie a annoncé sa décision de se retirer du Marché commun pour l’Afrique de l’Est et Australe (COMESA), pour des raisons de contraintes financières, a révélé à Lusaka le Haut Commissaire de la Namibie en Zambie, Mme Ithepe. Elle a expliqué que la Namibie avait déjà envoyé une lettre au secrétariat du COMESA pour expliquer les raisons de son retrait. Elle a également fait remarquer que la Namibie envisage de se retirer d’un certain nombre d’organisations régionales et internationales parce que sa participation à ces regroupements économiques s’avère onéreuse. Le fonctionnaire chargé des relations publiques au niveau de l’organisation sous-régionale, M. Karake, a confirmé la notification du retrait de la Namibie, mais a estimé que le principal perdant de ce retrait sera la Namibie elle-même. (PANA, Sénégal, 1er juillet 2003)

* Niger. Irish police seek missing Special Olympians — 1 July: Irish police appeal for information about five foreign athletes who have gone missing after they participated in the Special Olympics in Dublin. Four of the six-strong Niger delegation disappeared after they went shopping on 30 June, the day after the competition finished. About 7,000 athletes from 166 countries took part in the nine-day long Special Olympic Games for athletes with learning difficulties in Dublin. The missing competitors did not arrive at Dublin Airport for their scheduled return, today. A police spokesman says none of the five have applied for political asylum. Concerns for their welfare are a priority. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 1 July 2003)

* Nigeria. Grève générale — 27 juin. La pluie et les grèves paralysent l’activité au Nigeria. Depuis deux jours, des pluies torrentielles se sont abattues sur le pays, provoquant des inondations, notamment autour de Lagos. Tous les transports en commun ont été paralysés et l’électricité  coupée. Au même moment, la plus grande centrale syndicale du pays a appelé à la grève générale pour demander une baisse du prix de l’essence qui vient d’augmenter de 50%. — 30 juin. Pour protester contre l’augmentation des prix des carburants, les syndicats ont lancé une grève générale illimitée largement suivie. Les axes routiers étaient dégagés en raison de l’absence de milliers de bus et de taxis, les marchés étaient vides, de nombreuses banques et commerces étaient fermés. Dans la capitale Abuja, la police a fait usage de gaz lacrymogènes pour disperser les manifestants. Après l’échec d’une rencontre de concertation entre le président Obasanjo et les responsables syndicaux, ces derniers ont décidé de poursuivre la grève. — Le 1er juillet, au second jour de la grève, la police a molesté des manifestants et des journalistes, alors que la première journée s’était soldée par la mort de six personnes. 80 manifestants ont été arrêtés. — 2 juillet. A Abuja, des dizaines de personnes ont été blessées dans une bousculade lorsque la troupe a tiré des balles en l’air pour disperser les manifestants. Les manifestations, parties d’Abuja et de Lagos, se sont étendues dans toutes les grandes villes du pays. — 3 juillet. Les négociations visant à mettre un terme à la grève générale ont encore échoué aux premières heures de jeudi. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 3 juillet 2003)

* Nigeria. Strike goes ahead — 27 June: Nigerian unions are pressing ahead with an indefinite general strike on 30 June even though the government has declared it illegal. The protest is against President Obasanjo’s decision to remove fuel subsidies which has led to a 54% rise in fuel prices for ordinary Nigerians. «Nothing on earth is going to stop the strike action,» said Owei Lakemfa, spokesman of the main umbrella group of the Nigeria Labour Congress, which is organising the nationwide strike and mass street protests. On 26 June, the government described the union’s plans as «unwarranted, illegal and unfortunate«, and said the union had not given the government the statutory 15 days of warning. And it threatened legal action against any attempt to barricade factory gates or stop workers carrying out their normal duties. 30 June: The general strike has started. It is being observed by large numbers of workers after last-ditch talks with the government collapsed. Roads leading into the country’s major cities are reported to be unusually quiet as thousands of commuter buses and taxis stay off the road. police say they killed four people when they fired on striking crowds in Abuja. 1 July: Nigerian riot police fire into the air and beat union activists and journalists with whips and rifle butts on the second day of a general strike against massive fuel price rises. At least three journalists and an unknown number of striking union workers were injured in the police attack on the 1,000-plus worker rally at a federal  government complex in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Streets are largely empty in the major cities of Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Port Harcourt, with residents staying home and shops remaining shuttered for fear of violence and looting. However, many shops and business in Abuja are open. 2 July: Police have fired teargas in Abuja’s main market. It appears that support for the strike is weakening, with many shops and offices open. — No agreement has been reached between the government and striking trade unionists. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 2 July 2003)