Last week, 17 judges from the International Court of Justice issued a preliminary ruling in the case of South Africa v. Israel on the question of whether Israel may be committing genocide against the Palestinian people in waging its war against Hamas in Gaza, as well as on whether to uphold South Africa’s request for an injunction against further hostilities. The court’s provisional finding was that it would hear the case and that, while it did so, Israel could continue the war, but should report back in a month to demonstrate that it was not in fact committing genocide. The court noted in paragraph 14 of its ruling how this legal approach limited what it could consider, despite a series of United Nations resolutions drawing attention to other legal dimensions of the case. As law scholar Oona Hathaway explains, there was never any chance that the ICJ would return an immediate genocide ruling. This made it unlikely that the ICJ would issue a one-sided order that Israel stop its attacks on Hamas, as South Africa had asked, when the court—which only has jurisdiction over states—could not order Hamas to do the same.

North African LNG exports in January declined slightly from December despite forecasts of strong gas development in the near term. Analysts at S&P Global see a bullish gas production outlook for Africa. There is available infrastructure in place for drilling activity, particularly for gas, S&P Global analysts said. Egypt and Algeria's gas production outlook is set to continue its upward trend set in 2022 through to 2030, according to data from S&P Global analysts. Platts, part of S&P Global, assessed the LNG Mediterranean marker at $8.367/MMBtu on Jan. 29, up 3.1 cents/MMBtu on the day.

The Red Sea crisis and the mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are forcing vessels into longer and more costly journeys around Africa. If the conflict in Gaza drags on, the trade disruption in the Red Sea could surge inflation. Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping are becoming a big problem especially for Egypt. With many vessels now avoiding Red Sea routes and Egypt’s Suez Canal, Egypt’s government has seen considerable revenue disappear. While in fiscal year 2022-23, the Suez Canal brought Egypt $9.4 billion in transit fees, the escalating crisis means that the income is now down 40% compared to last year, according to Osama Rabie, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority.

Mauritania has received the finance to implement two energy projects that encompass solar power generation, transnational electricity interconnection and rural electrification. It also covers the project to strengthen productive and energy investments for the sustainable development of rural areas (RIMDIR). Mauritania: Clean energy ambitions could be fuelled by green hydrogenThe programme will develop solar power plants and establish a 1,373-kilometer high-voltage power line, with a transit capacity of 600MW between the two countries. The medium- and long-term objectives are to boost solar energy production and provide universal access to electricity in both countries. “Mauritania has significant opportunities to tap its renewable energy resources and accelerate its sustainable development journey in line with the government’s policy priorities,” said IEA Africa Programme Officer Rita Madeira.

Politicians and experts in Germany have called on the European country to continue its involvement in Africa’s Sahel region even after the 2020s did not turn out as expected for Berlin. According to Deutsche Welle, Africa’s Sahel is considered a strategic location for Germany, which has long been a significant player in stabilization and development efforts in the largely francophone region. But after military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, it became obvious that “Europe’s initial security strategy in the Sahel has failed,” says Malte Lierl, a research fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg. However, as Lierl also points out, the current situation is not one of total withdrawal but rather a new orientation of Europe’s engagement in the region. But this recalibration of Germany’s policies in the Sahel region also requires Berlin to take a wider perspective on the entire region, Bergmann added.

02:30 Play video Kapp lights up Bellerive in milestone matchThe win secured a 2-1 series victory, and saw Australia take a 4-2 lead in the multi-format series. Mooney had anchored Australia’s chase as regular wickets fell at the other end. Earlier, Kapp produced a career-best display with the bat, featuring 10 fours and a six, to lead South Africa to their highest total against Australia. AUSTRALIA: Alyssa Healy (c), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown. SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka.

A Harare magistrate has sentenced Sikhala and his co-accused, MP Godfrey Sithole, to a two-year, wholly suspended term for five years. Sikhala, who was the Ali family lawyer, was accused of having used social media to encourage the violence. Convicting the duo, the trial magistrate said evidence showed that Sikhala, then a member of parliament, and Sithole were responsible for the violence. The courts granted Sithole bail after five months in remand, but Sikhala's several applications for bail failed. According to his lawyer, he is still facing charges of disorderly conduct, inciting violence and publishing falsehoods.

Africa and Latin America set to lead high-impact well drilling in 2024, eyeing rebound after poor 2023By Rystad EnergyThe upstream industry hopes 2024 can be a bounce-back year for high-impact oil and gas drilling after a lackluster 2023, with Africa and Latin America likely to spearhead activities. This would be a sizeable jump from the 27 high-impact wells drilled last year, and operators will hope for a better success rate. Only eight of the 27 high-impact wells drilled in 2023 resulted in commercially movable volumes, a success rate of less than 30%, well below the annual average of 42%. These high-impact wells accounted for 20% of the 5Billion BOE discovered by all exploration activities globally last year. In Latin America, a frontier well planned for offshore Argentina would be the first drilled well in the Argentine Basin.

Bafana Bafana take on Morocco in a crunch Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash in San Pedro on Tuesday night, seeking to book a quarterfinal clash with Cape Verde. South Africa's first ever meeting with Egypt came in the 1995 Four Nations Cup and brought about a 2-0 victory … eventually. South Africa had already qualified so they rested a few key players. They were looking for back-to-back Nations Cup titles when they met Egypt in the final of the 1998 tournament in Burkina Faso. Morocco won 2-1 at home despite Lyle Foster giving Bafana an early lead, before South Africa claimed the reverse fixture by the same scoreline in Soweto.

These projects encompass solar power generation, transnational electricity interconnection, and rural electrification. The initiative aims to construct solar power plants and install a 1,373-kilometer high-voltage transmission line with a capacity of 600 MW, enhancing solar energy output and ensuring electricity access for all in both nations. Mauritania secures funding through a $272 million loan from the African Development Fund and a $1.5 million grant from the Green Climate Fund, marking the largest financing ever provided by the African Development Bank to Mauritania. The RIMDIR initiative, supported by a $16 million grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), focuses on rural electrification in 40 localities in southeastern Mauritania. For over fifty years, the African Development Bank has been engaged in Mauritania across key development sectors such as agriculture, governance, water and sanitation, energy, mining, private sector, transport, and social welfare.

January 30, 2024 07:22 am | Updated 07:22 am IST - RomeAfrican leaders gathered at a Rome summit on Monday to hear Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s much-hyped plan for the continent, aimed at transforming Italy into an energy hub — and stopping migration. Far-right leader Meloni, who came to power in 2022 on an anti-migrant ticket, has vowed to reshape relations with African countries by taking a “non-predatory” approach inspired by Enrico Mattei, founder of Italy’s state-owned energy giant Eni. The so-called Mattei Plan hopes to posit Italy as a key bridge between Africa and Europe, funnelling energy north while exchanging investment in the south for deals aimed at curbing migrant departures across the Mediterranean Sea. Ms. Meloni said the plan would initially be funded to the tune of 5.5 billion euros, some of which would be loans, with investments focused on energy, agriculture, water, health and education. There was no reference to Italy’s colonial past in Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and what is now Somalia.

AdvtAdvtJoin the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis. Download ETEnergyworld App Get Realtime updatesSave your favourite articles Scan to download AppNew Delhi: The OPEC Fund for International Development has ramped up its funding efforts in 2023, committing a record $1.7 billion across 55 projects globally, it said on Monday. This marks a significant increase in the fund's support for addressing climate change, energy transition, and boosting sustainable growth. "In 2023, the OPEC Fund increased its impact through the delivery of development support in a challenging global environment," Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa , the OPEC Fund's Director-General, said in a statement. The Fund, established 48 years ago and based in Vienna, has expanded its lending program in response to strong demand from partner countries and successful capital market fundraising.The 2023 commitments by the OPEC Fund show a diverse geographical spread, with 42 percent of the investments allocated to Africa, followed by 20 percent each to the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and 18 percent to Asia and the Pacific.

Networking and Relationship Building: Marketing activities, including international events and promotional campaigns, offer invaluable opportunities for networking and relationship building. Contributing to Long-Term Development: Beyond immediate gains, continuous marketing efforts contribute to the long-term development of a region. In terms of international public relations and marketing efforts in North African countries, Morocco appears to lead the way. While Tunisia has some experience in international public relations, its efforts are notable in promoting itself as a key player in the regional food industry. In contrast, Algeria lags behind in giving importance to international marketing and public relations.

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bruno Lemarquis, expressed deep concern over the recent surge in violence in North Kivu province. Parties to the conflict are reminded of their duty to protect civilians, who should never be targeted by the hostilities, and their right to safely access humanitarian assistance. Despite growing access constraints, humanitarian partners remain committed to providing the necessary aid and support to affected communities. “Support for ongoing political processes is essential to achieve lasting peace and stability in eastern DRC, where populations have endured decades of hardship and rightly aspire to live safely,” reminded Bruno Lemarquis. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke over the phone with King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein. President El-Sisi renewed Egypt’s condemnation of the terrorist attack, which targeted a post located on Jordan’s border with Syria. This was highly appreciated by H.M. King Abdullah II, given the historical and brotherly relations the two countries and their peoples share. President El-Sisi and H.M. King Abdullah II discussed efforts underway toward restoring calm in the Gaza Strip and ensuring access for urgent humanitarian aid and relief to the people of the sector. President El-Sisi and H.M. King Abdullah II confirmed that reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause is the only guarantor for restoring regional security and peace.