Africa in the news: New funding to fight COVID-19 in Africa, Somalias prime minister voted out, and political updates in Mali and Cte dIvoire -…

New loans and grants announced across the continent in response to COVID-19

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the largest emergency loan in its history on Monday, providing South Africa $4.3 billion as it deals with its most prolonged recession since World War II. The IMF said that the loan will address the severe economic impact of the Covid-19 shock as well as the challenge of debt sustainability following the pandemic. South Africa had previously received $1 billion from the New Development Bank and $300 million from the African Development Bank, and it hopes to secure up to $2 billion from the World Bank.

The IMF also approved a debt relief package worth up to $24.97 million for Burundiwith the goal of assisting the countrytoservice its debt over the next couple years. The IMF has now awarded $251.24 million in debt relief to 28 developing countriesfrom itsCatastrophe Containment and Relief Trustthis year, fundingthatit hopes will free up fiscal space for public health and economic recovery needs.

Also this week,the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a series of pandemic-related relief packages. The bank will provide $97.7 million to Rwanda and $37.1 million to Djibouti, whilealsoawarding grants (from the banks $10 billion COVID-19 Response Facility) of $69 million to Ghana, $31.6 million to Uganda, and $53.3 million each to Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.In other AfDB news, also this week,an independent probe announced that it has cleared AfDB presidentAkinwumiAdesina of misconduct, verifying the findings of anAfDB-led inquiry earlier this year.

On Saturday, July 25,theparliament of Somalia voted to remove Prime Minister Hassan AliKhairefrom office. One-hundred and seventy of the 178 members backed the motion,which statedthatKhairefailed to pave the way for democratic electionsincludingby improving the unstable security situation posed by alShabaabmilitants.President Mohamed AbdullahiMohamed has namedDeputy Prime Minister Mahdi MohamedGuledto serve as interim prime minister,according to the presidentsoffice.

Somalia has for years set its sights on one person, one vote,or a universal suffrage election, but hasnot been able to implement the policyinthe countrysprevious two elections. In 2012, 135 clan elders chose theparliament, who in turn selectedthepresident. In 2016,14,025 clan-representatives held a run-offelectionin an airport hangar at AdenAddeInternational AirportinMogadishu. Lawmakers had aimed to hold the countrys first fully democratic election in a half century in 2021, but now that goal is shrouded in uncertainty.

Khaire, also a Norwegian citizen and former primary school teacher in Norway, was new to politics when he was named prime minister in 2017. As a memberof theHawiyeclan, he had served to balancepower with theDarod presidentin accordance with the 4.5 clan system, which traditionally has led to theDarodand Hawiye clans each taking one of the highest two positions of office.He had previously worked at the British firmSoma Oil and Gas, where he was thedirector of the Africa department.

In Mali, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)regional bloc continued to work towardbrokering a political agreementbetween President Ibrahim BoubacarKetaand a protestingopposition. Earlier this week, theECOWAS negotiators recommended a dealwherein the 31 candidates elected to the countrys parliament earlier this year under contested circumstances step down and that by-elections be held. The plan also includes an inquiry into the deaths of 11 anti-government protesters earlier this month. Although the protestors are calling forKetasresignation, ECOWAS instead called for the rapid formation of a unity government that includes the opposition. However, theopposition coalition leading the protests, known as M5-RFP or the June 5 Movement, has rejectedthe proposed ECOWAS plan.

In Cte dIvoire,the rulingRally ofHouphoutistsfor Democracy and Peace (RHDP)has nominated current President Alassane Ouattara to run for president again after the recent death of the partys former nominee and current prime minister,AmadouGon Coulibaly.Notably,earlier this year Ouattarahad alreadydeclined to run for a third terminfavorof a successor.As of this writing,Ouattara has not yet accepted the nomination, but plans to give a speech on August 6 during which experts believe he will announce his decision. Notably, theopposition claims that Ouattara is not eligibleto run again.