The United Nations said on Saturday it would invite Sudanese military leaders, political parties and other groups to take part in discussions aimed at ending a crisis unleashed by a coup in October.
U.N. mediation in the weeks after weekthe coup succeeded in reinstating Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, but his resignation last week deepened uncertainty around Sudan’s political future and a transition towards elections scheduled for 2023
Neighbourhood-based resistance committees, political parties and other pro-democracy groups have carried out an ongoing campaign of protests under a “no negotiation” slogan, and crackdowns by security forces have left at least 60 dead.
Unless a new course towards a transition and credible elections can be charted, more instability within and beyond Sudanese borders is likely, analysts and diplomats have said.
The Quad group, comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Britain and the United States, voiced backing for the U.N. effort.
About two years after the escrowing of accounts belonging to 11 distribution companies (DisCos) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), stakeholders, yesterday, weighed options available to the country’s debt-laden power sector.
By escrowing, the accounts were locked, with cash allowed in and withdrawals by DisCos blocked. The accruing funds are thereafter allocated based on priority.
Under the original arrangement, loan repayment to the Federal Government was the priority followed by 100 per cent payment of market operators invoices, as well as invoices from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company before others.
Fuelled by tariff shortfall, receivable collection, technical, commercial and collection losses, financial liquidity in the sector now hovers around N4t, affecting the balance sheet of commercial banks and reducing the sector’s attractiveness to needed investments.
It would be recalled that loans to the power sector from commercial banks stand at about N819.97b, by the third quarter of last year, as banks are already warning that the loans could increase in the cost of risk for these banks.
Gunmen in Nigeria killed at least 200 people in multiple raids this week in northwest Zamfara state, a government spokeswoman told AFP on Sunday.
Clashes between herders and farmers over access to land has plagued northwest and central Nigeria for years, with some groups evolving into criminal gangs known as bandits who kill, loot and kidnap.
“This is horrific and tragic. Over 200 persons were buried… due to the invasion by bandits,” a spokeswoman for Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, said.
“We also worried about the displaced persons who are fleeing in their hundreds from their communities,” the minister added in a statement issued late on Saturday and confirmed by her spokeswoman on Sunday.
“More than 10,000 victims have also been rendered homeless after their homes were razed by the bandits while scores are still missing.”
On Saturday, four residents had told AFP that gunmen rampaged through Anka and Bukkuyum districts over two days, killing at least 140 people.
Babandi Hamidu, a resident of Kurfa Danya village said the militants were shooting “anyone on sight”.
The governor of Zamfara Bello Matawalle has downplayed the death toll, saying only 58 people were killed.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attacks, describing them as “an act of desperation by mass murderers.”
The Nigerian government this week officially labelled bandits as terrorists, to bring tougher sanctions against convicted gunmen, their informants and supporters.
Military and police operations are currently on in the northwest.
Amazon Prime Video has signed a second exclusive licensing arrangement with a Nigerian production business, extending its drive into the African market.
The streaming service has signed a multi-year contract with Anthill Studios in Lagos, which is responsible for local theatrical hits such as Prophetess, Day of Destiny, and Elevator Baby. Following their theatrical runs in Nigeria, Prime Video will become the exclusive global streaming home for Anthill’s portfolio of films.
This is Amazon’s second such agreement in as many months, following its agreement with Inkblot Studios, the production firm behind The Wedding Party.
In an official statement on their Instagram post, they said, “We are super excited to announce to the world that Anthill Studios has officially signed a multi-year licensing deal with Amazon Prime Video.
Prime Video will have exclusive worldwide distribution rights to Anthill’s slate of theatrical releases, starting in 2022, which will be made available to an audience of more than 200 million Prime Video members worldwide following their cinema run in Nigeria!,” Anthill Studios
It is unique and is bound to be a spectacular show. It is a return to the even-numbered year, even if it is a temporary one as the next edition returns to the odd-numbered year.
The hosting of this competition will go down the history books as the one that suffered most postponements. Originally to hold in 2019, it was shifted to another country – Egypt on account of facilities.
Again, it could not hold in 2021, owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Even while moving it to 2022, the June-July new African football calendar could not be followed for climatic reasons.
The competition had to revert to the January – February calendar that was to have been jettisoned since 2017.
Like it happened three years at Egypt 2019, debutants are waiting to cause upsets at the delayed 2021 edition holding in 2022.
Comoros and Guinea Bissau are debutants ready to upstage the existing order just like Madagascar did three years ago in Egypt.
Yet, some powerhouses are glaring absentees. Zambia, South Africa and DR Congo are past champions who are confined to the spectators’ seats watching as Africa’s premier sports competition gets underway.
Absence of powerhouses is however not a new phenomenon. Seven times finalists of which they won three titles, Nigeria have had to suffer painful absence in 1986, 2012, 2015 and 2017.
Record seven-time winners, Egypt could not qualify for the 2013 edition. Even then, some strong teams have been reduced to strugglers in the competition.
The Nigerian side has won the losers’ finals more than any other country. In 2019, they were crowned third place winners for a record extending eight times!
What of the Ghana Black Stars? They were pace-setters, being the first to achieve a hat trick and win eternally, the original trophy after their 1978 victory.
Not done yet, when they won their fourth title in 1982, Coach Charles Gyamfi, a contemporary of Tesilimi Balogun of Nigeria, became the first coach to win the cup three times. He was Ghana’s coach in the successful outings of 1963 and 1965, thus also being the first to guide a team to back-to-back victories.
That has however been shattered by Egypt’s Hassan Shehatan’s success across three tournaments of 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Till date, Africa has witnessed 657 matches in the Africa Cup of Nations. The milestone 500th match was the Botswana versus Mali match in Libreville on 1 February 2012. Statisticians will have to look forward to 14 editions from now for thee 1,000th milestone game.
Perhaps more matches would have been recorded in the competition if entries had been explosive as it is now.
In the beginning, the African Nations Cup in 1957 had just three entries comprising Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia after South Africa, part founders of CAF, were thrown out owing to the prevailing apartheid policy.
By 1962, entry had risen to eight with the Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda and the then Zanzibar joining CAF. That necessitated the very first qualifying series that produced four finalists.
The competition expanded in 1963 from four finalists to six. More countries entered the 1965 edition in Tunisia, but the six-team format was retained. The edition which was the last to be held in an odd year witnessed the first political problem.
Egypt withdrew for not having diplomatic relationship with Tunisia. In its place, Sudan was invited, but declined. Then Congo was invited and accepted. Also, for the first time, leader in a group was decided by a toss of coin when Tunisia and Senegal tied on points. Tunisia won the toss.
By 1968 in Ethiopia, the format attained a definitive form of two groups with four teams and 16 matches in all. That format held on till Senegal ’92 when Isa Hayatou expanded the finalist teams from eight to 12.
They were divided into four groups of three teams. The oddity of the format was that a team was almost guaranteed qualifying for the quarter finals after winning its opening match.
Since 1998 in Burkina Faso, the 16 team format was adopted which changed to 24 at the 2019 edition.
Not always a smooth organisation, the Africa Cup of Nations had sometimes being enmeshed in political wrangling. The first time politics crept in was at the inaugural edition when South Africa was thrown out.
In 1965, Egypt pulled out for political reasons. The country was almost boycotting the 1990 edition in Algeria, almost for the same reasons after a bitterly contested game in the World Cup qualifying series and also, perhaps, a follow-up to the bitterness that had existed between Algeria and Egypt since a riot infest football match at the All Africa Games of Algiers ’78.
Nigeria also pulled out of the 1996 edition in South Africa after a political row that followed the execution of the “Ogoni 9”.
Hosting too, suffered instability. For instance, the 1980 edition hosted by Nigeria was originally awarded to Senegal in 1976.
Also, Morocco replaced Zambia as the 1988 hosts just as Nigeria and Ghana were called in to co-host the 2000 edition when Zimbabwe could not cope with the logistics.
Even the edition of 1996 which South Africa hosted was originally awarded to Kenya. Again, South Africa hosted the 2013 edition in place of politically troubled Libya.
Which national team will wear the African football crown on Sunday 6th February?
Seven matches, no defeat at the knockout stages will deliver the trophy to that team at the grand finale to be held at the Stade Omnisport Paul Biya (otherwise known as Olembe Stadium) in Olembe, Yaoundé, Cameroon
As the 33rd edition of the continent’s flagship competition kicks off, pundits and fans have their favourites among whom are title holders Algeria, who have only won the tournament once when they hosted in 1990 beating Nigeria by a lone goal in the final. The Super Eagles had been humiliated by the Desert Warriors 5-1 in the opening match a fortnight earlier.
Expected to shine and perhaps break the voodoo are the Teranga Lions of Senegal. Africa’s No 1 rated team who painfully lost the final of Egypt 2019 by a lone goal, just as they did in Mali 2002 to Cameroon in the shootout.
Other contenders are Morocco, whose only hurrah in the competition was in 1976, and hosts Cameroon, who have claimed the trophy five times.
Record title holders Egypt will strive to make amends for disappointing their fans on home soil when they exited in the Round of 16 to South Africa by a lone goal.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles arrive the competition in the throes of a managerial crisis. Following the sack of Gernot Rohr, an interim manager Augustine Eguavoen is in charge with a substantive manager, Portuguese Jose Peseirowatching over the squad and assuming responsibilities after the competition.
In spite of that, and the absence of top striker Victor Osimhen, among other regulars, the Super Eagles are expected to arrive in the final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in South Africa 2013. Nigeria are aiming for their fourth title.
Tunisia can’t also be ruled out of contention as the 2004 champions hunger for another opportunity to drink from the cup.
Cameroon 2021, being played this year, begins with the hosts having Burkina Faso on the other side of the field at the Stade Omnisport Paul Biya.
Burkina Faso lost in the final to Nigeria in 2013, which is the farthest the Stallions had travelled in the tournament. Four years later in Gabon, Burkina Faso won bronze.
While the Stallions failed to qualify in 2017, Cameroon used that edition to win their No 5 African title.
Both sides had clashed five times with honours even – a win each and three draws. Interestingly, their respective victory happened away from their fans.
The Burkinabe trashed Gabon 3-0 in a friendly last Sunday.
In the other fixture of the opening day, Ethiopia will engage Cape Verde Islands.
Few football fans remember that Ethiopia had ruled the continent. That was almost six decades ago when they won the then fledgling competition in 1962 as hosts.
Tunisia, Uganda and the then United Arab Republic were the other countries in that edition, which was the third in the series.
Except for a fourth placed finish among eight teams again as hosts, Ethiopia have either being absent in the competition or exited at the group stage. They were not in the last three editions before this one.
Cape Verde debuted in South Africa 2013. And what an experience they had!
The minnows emerged from Group A behind the hosts after beating Angola and sharing honours with the Bafana Bafana and Morocco.
The Blue Sharks however lost 0-2 to Ghana at the next stage – the last eight.
A group stage exit followed in the next edition in 2015, while they missed out of 2017 and 2019.
Ethiopia and Cape Verde are meeting for the first time, whether in competitive or friendly encounter.
The delayed Cameroon 2021 has already hit a unique point ahead of the kick-off this Sunday. For the first time since 1988, the Africa Cup of Nations is holding without the national team of the CAF president featuring.
Sudan, Nigeria’s Group D opponents, beat South Africa 2-0 last year March to pick the second ticket of their Group C qualifiers. It is the second time they will qualify since a dramatic injury-time induced elimination of Nigeria for the 2012 edition.
Twelve years ago, Sudan were already eliminated on the field after losing their last qualifiers to Ghana at home.
But mother luck ran their way as Nigeria, wrongly thinking they needed a two-goal advantage win over visiting Guinea had their initial 2-1 lead cancelled following a 96th minute injury time equalizer by Guinea in the very last match the Super Eagles has since played in Abuja.
Thus, an already eliminated Sudan came in as one of the best runners-up in the groups and Nigeria got eliminated.
Sudan by their win on last year have also eliminated South Africa who finished third on the group log behind Ghana and Sudan.
Thus, CAF President, Patrice Mostsepe will be presiding over his first AFCON but without his own national team.
The last time that happened was in Morocco 1988 when acting CAF president, Abdel Halim Muhammad of Sudan’s team did not qualify.
Abdel Halim Muhammad was acting for the late CAF president, Yidnekatchew Tessema of Ethiopia who died in the previous year.
Successor to Abdel Halim Muhammad, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon had his team featuring throughout his long tenure.
Even one-term president, Ahmad of Madagascar had his team as debutants at the 2019 edition in Egypt.
mbiana Samira and her sisters spent hours tracking down tickets for the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon’s capital, as growing excitement ahead of the continental competition meant many vendors had run out.
The three women cheered when they finally secured tickets at a kiosk in Yaounde’s outer suburbs on Friday, guaranteeing them seats for Sunday’s clash between Burkina Faso and first-time hosts Cameroon.
“Since this morning we’ve gone to all the booths,” the 21-year-old student said with relief, clutching her ticket.
Cameroon has had an anxious run-up to the tournament with concerns raised over incomplete building work, security issues in some regions and the threat of coronavirus outbreaks as large number of players and staff descend on the under-resourced country.
All spectators will need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter stadium – an incentive for some soccer fans, including Samira and her family, to get the jab in recent days.
The flag-decked streets of Yaounde were buzzing with excitement on the Friday before kick-off, as an open-top bus toured the centre with Cameroonian supporters dancing and tooting vuvuzelas.
“We are very proud to have organised this, you see we are in the streets to make the streets and the city beautiful,” said Ambassa Maurice, who was fixing flags of the 24 participating teams to lamp posts.
Traditionally one of Africa’s strongest soccer nations, Cameroon are this time viewed as more of an outside bet for a title they have won on five occasions, most recently in 2017.
At Yaounde’s brand new 60,000-capacity Olembe stadium, workers made checks ahead of Sunday’s game.
“We are very happy to welcome so many foreigners in our country, to have jewels such as our stadium here,” said its security officer Josue Sefty. “We are happy to host this event, it’s a great thing for us.”
The 33rd edition of Africa’s premier sports competition kicks off this Sunday afternoon. Below are some points of interests for a global audience.
This is the second time that Cameroon will be hosting the competition as the 1972 edition was in that country.
It at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon that a Nigerian first became an executive committee member of CAF when Oyo Orok Oyo won a seat at the General Assembly.
Both Cameroon and Burkina Faso playing the opening match have also played the final match in the past. Cameroon played the final matches in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2017. Burkina Faso were losing finalists to Nigeria in 2013.
● This will be Cameroon and Burkina Faso’s third encounter in the Africa Cup of Nations. Both previous meetings came in the group phase: Cameroon won 1-0 in the 1998 before a 1-1 draw in 2017.
● Cameroon are making their 20th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, a tally only bettered by Egypt (25), Cote d’Ivoire (24) and Ghana (23). Egypt (7) are the only team to have won the tournament on more occasions than The Indomitable Lions (5).
Cameroon are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time, 50 years after it was first held in the country, in 1972 – they finished third. Egypt are the last team to win the AFCON as hosts, it was in 2006.
● This is Burkina Faso’s 12th appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations. In their previous 11 participations, they have either been eliminated in the group stages (8 times) or at least reached the semi-finals (3 times), including the final in 2013 (0-1 v Nigeria).
● Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar has scored only one goal in his eight AFCON appearances (18 shots), although that was the winning goal in the 2017 final against Egypt (2-1).
For the first time in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, all 52 matches of the competition will use Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in Cameroon starting on Sunday.
The competition will kick-off with hosts Cameroon playing Burkina Faso at 17h00 local time (16h00 GMT) at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon. The final match will be played on 06 February 2022 at the same venue.
Previously, CAF has used VAR starting from the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2019. However, with CAF advancing with plans not only to improve the image of refereeing but also produce world class match officials in Africa, the implementation of VAR in all 52 matches in Cameroon is a step in the right direction.
Alist of 63 top match officials including women top referees Salima Mukasanga (Rwanda), Carine Atemzabong (Cameroon), Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco) and Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco) will officiate the Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021 matches.
The list consists of 24 referees, 31 assistant referees and eight video assistant referees from 36 countries. The roster includes two referees from the CONCACAF as part of our inter-confederation skills exchange program
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