Reuters Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow
This week’s most important headlines out of and about Africa.
In this week’s news,world leaders wrap up the 2017 France-Africa summit in Mali, and embattled Gambian leader Yayah Jammeh continues to lead the Africa news headlines around the world.
With France-Africa summit 2017, Francois Hollande Builds Africa legacy
This week the 27th France-Africa summit was held in Bamako, Mali.
The event brought together heads of state and governments from over 20 African countries, as well as representatives from the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and many other institutions.
More than just an annual summit for these leaders to come together, euronews reports that the agenda was full with important matters affecting international security, democracy, business and investment for all involved.
The summit took the decision to step up their efforts to allow access to finance for companies wishing to invest in Africa to promote investments in the country, according to The New Times, a Rwandan newspaper.
Co-chaired by French President Francois Hollande, as well as Malian president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the event was characterized as a swansong for Hollande, whom the Zimbabwe Herald thinks has put his legacy first by insisting that the summit take place in Mali.
“Mali is certainly a lot calmer and safer than it was four years ago when a jihadist/separatist insurgency erupted in the north – but it is by no means completely secure,” a correspondent for the Herald said.
The President-Elect of Gambia Waits in the Wings
As Donald Trump prepares to assume the U.S. presidency, the world is watching what could happen in Gambia as incumbent president, Yayah Jammeh refuses to hand over power.
The president-elect, Adama Barrow, is waiting for Jammeh to leave so that he could be installed as the country’s next president. Jammeh was defeated in the country’s December 1 presidential election. So far he has refused to concede, after initially accepting the results.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) group of nations has said it is preparing to take action on the country. Also, the Africa Union has stated that it will not recognize Jammeh as the country’s legitimate president.
Many African leaders, including Muhammadu Buhari from Nigeria, have travelled to the Gambian capital Banjul, to broker a solution to the crisis and have not succeeded. The tense situation has not only left Gambians and neighboring nations preparing for the worst, regional leaders are preparing for an invasion to remove Jammeh from power.
Read more: Africa’s mixed political transitions in the 3 Gs: Gabon, the Gambia, and Ghana
Copyright 2017, Africa Agenda.
