In commemoration of the Africa Day on Friday, May 25, 2018, citizens and communities in almost 20 countries across the continent mobilised against the fossil fuel economy as part of a continent-wide day of action.

By joining the “Break Free” movement, regular citizens and activists from communities across Africa called on governments and business to put an end to fossil fuels and move towards a just transition to 100% renewable energy for all.

Over 30 events  held in nations, in which those hardest hit by fossil fuels projects and the impacts of climate change made their voices heard by those in power.

Some of these events include:

• A picket in Lephalale where communities called for the cancellation of the local proposed private coal-fired power station, Thabametsi;
• A photo exhibition showcasing the work of anti-coal activists (Lamu);
• Representatives from coal mining affected communities denounced the effects of coal mining (Abuja);
• ACRP updated local decision makers on the realities of climate change and discuss their plans and progress towards shifting to 100% renewable energy (Johannesburg);
• Anti-coal activists mobilised in Bargny, Ngadje beach to oppose the launch of the first coal power plant in (Senegal).

The Break Free movement in Africa was co-ordinated by Greenpeace Africa, African Climate Reality Project (ACRP), 350.org and Earthlife Africa Jhb, in the bid to empower local communities to rise with acts of courage and come together as a global movement for climate action and justice.

Landry Ninteretse, Regional Team leader, 350.org, said: “Funding fossil fuel development will only exacerbate the impacts of climate change. Africa has an opportunity to develop its energy sector using clean, renewable energy. It is this development that banks and financial institutions should support, and break free from financing fossil fuels. It’s time to deCOALonise Africa!”

Nhlanhla Sibisi, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa: “South Africa’s almost complete reliance on coal for electricity has severe consequences for water. To protect our right to clean and accessible drinking water, we must Break Free from coal and irrational water-intensive projects like Thabametsi must be stopped. There are effective alternatives to coal, but there are no alternatives to water.”

Thabo Sibeko, Programmes & Education Officer, Earthlife Africa: “Declaring War against mother earth is suicidal, because no one gives breath best like she does. Coal fired power stations are a great ticking time bomb, waiting to explode.”

Gillian Hamilton, ACRP Branch Manager: “By having more fossil fuels burning in South Africa we expect to see increased climate change impacts in our country – and that’s from a bigger, long term perspective. By developing in water-stressed regions, coal-fired power stations would be undermining a crucial resource that they need to run, while putting extreme pressure on the surrounding communities’ basic needs.”

The escape of three patients infected with the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the hospital where they were being treated is “not unexpected”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday, May 25, 2018, underlining the need to step up efforts to explain the dangers of the deadly disease to affected communities.

Two of the three patients died after leaving an isolation unit in Wangata hospital in Mbandaka city in the last week, WHO spokesperson, Tarik Jasarevic, confirmed.

He said that both of the deceased had been given a safe and dignified burial and added that “it was only human” that sick people wanted to be with their families “in what could be the last moments of life”.

“It is very unfortunate that people fled the treatment centre, but it is not unexpected. We had this in previous outbreaks,” he said.

“It is really important that we redouble our efforts to engage with the community so that everyone understands how Ebola is being transmitted, and that keeping the sick person at home not only decreases the chances of survival for this person, because this person then is not receiving supportive treatment, but is also putting at risk the whole family”, added Mr. Jasarevic.

Latest data from health authorities in the DRC indicates a total of 52 cases of Ebola in the north-west of the country; 31 of these are confirmed, 13 are probable and eight are suspect.

There have been 22 deaths confirmed so far. The overall caseload and death toll have been revised downwards, reflecting the fact that some samples have either tested negative for the haemorrhagic disease, or that any link to Ebola has been ruled out.

But concerns are still high that the disease could spread easily from Mbandaka – a city of over a million people – given its direct link by river, to the capital, Kinshasa.

The outbreak was originally declared on May 8 in Bikoro, a relatively remote region in Equateur Province.

Access there and to nearby Iboko is difficult and efforts are still ongoing to put in place a so-called “cold chain” to maintain Ebola vaccine at between minus 60 and minus 80 degrees Celsius.

Targeted vaccinations have already begun in Mbandaka and 154 people have been inoculated to date, according to Mr Jasarevic, who stressed that it would take time to identify all those who could have come into contact with an infected carrier.

“It’s targeted vaccination. It’s basically getting people who are identified as eligible to receive the vaccine; so contacts; and contacts of contacts…There are a number of challenges; first, epidemiological teams have to identify these people,” he added.

To date, WHO has shipped more than 7,500 vaccinations to DRC; a total of 300,000 are available from pharmaceuticals manufacturer Merck.

As in the previous Ebola outbreak in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, efforts are also under way in DRC to protect youngsters from the disease.

“Children are still at risk,” said Christophe Boulierac, spokesperson for UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who added that that staff are raising awareness of the dangers among 13,000 children in the three affected zones and installing handwashing facilities in more than 270 schools.

Measures are also in place to protect the mental well-being of youngsters, Mr Boulierac continued, adding that other Ebola outbreaks had “demonstrated the need for social workers to identify and assist vulnerable children”.

A total of 22 psychosocial agents have been trained by UNICEF and partners, Mr Boulierac said, adding that the agency is supporting 23 children and their families who have relatives infected with Ebola by supplying household kits and food rations.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has, in collaboration with the World Bank Group, launched the “Global Preparedness Monitoring Board”, a mechanism that will regularly monitor and report preparedness level to tackle all health emergencies globally.

The launch was carried out on the side lines of the 71st Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) holding in Geneva, Switzerland.

The organisation said that the mechanism would strengthen global health security by ensuring that relevant organisations were always ready to tackle outbreaks, pandemics and other emergencies with health consequences.

WHO said that the current outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo was a reminder that outbreaks could happen anytime and anywhere hence the need for the new strategies.

According to the UN organisation, the board will be co-chaired by Dr Gro Brundtland, a former Prime Minister of Norway, and Mr Elhadj Sy, Secretary General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

It said that political leaders, heads of UN agencies and world-class health experts would also be part of the board.

“Part of being prepared to tackle any disease outbreak is having a means of assessing progress made at all levels by actors, identifying any gaps including financing and ensuring everyone works together.

“We have allowed a cycle of panic and neglect when it comes to pandemics; we ramp up efforts when there is a serious threat then quickly forget about it when the threat subsides.

“The Global Preparedness and Monitoring Board will break that cycle and ensure preparedness for pandemic is always at the top of the global agenda,” it said.

WHO said that the board would monitor preparedness across governments, UN agencies, civil society and the private sector, and report annually on adequacy of financing, progress on research and development.

It said that from the report generated, the board would advocate at the highest levels for preparedness and ensure all stakeholders across all sectors include the issues to the political agenda.
The organisation said that it would hold all stakeholders accountable for making the world better prepared to respond to outbreaks and emergencies with health consequences.

The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, and the World Bank Group President, Dr Jim Young Kim, co-led the creation of the board.

The WHA is the decision making body of WHO and is attended by delegations from WHO member states.

The assembly focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.

It is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

A British judge ruled on Thursday, May 24, 2018 that Nigeria’s Bodo community, which has been involved in a protracted legal battle with Shell over the clean-up of two 2008 oil spills, should retain the option of litigation for another year.

Lawyers for Bodo had accused Shell of trying to kill off the legal case by seeking a court order that would have meant the community had to meet onerous conditions before it could revive its litigation, which is currently on hold.

A London High Court judge, Mrs J. Cockerill, ruled that the litigation should remain stayed until July 1, 2019, with no conditions attached should the Bodo community’s representatives seek to re-activate it before then.

“We are delighted the court has rejected Shell’s attempt to restrict the community’s legal rights,” said Dan Leader, the Bodo community’s lead UK lawyer.

“The message is clear – Shell must clean up this appalling oil spill and the Bodo community will keep on with its legal case until they are confident that it will do so,” he said.

The 2008 oil spills devastated the lands and waterways of Bodo, which is just one of numerous communities in the oil-producing Niger Delta that have suffered environmental harm and profound economic and social dysfunction linked to the industry.

In 2015, Shell accepted liability for the spills, agreeing to pay £55 million ($83 million at the time) to Bodo villagers and to clean up their lands and creeks.

After years of delays, the clean-up is currently underway, under the auspices of the internationally recognised Bodo Mediation Initiative (BMI).

Shell’s lawyers had argued at a hearing on Tuesday that the community should only be able to re-activate the legal case should Shell fail to comply with its obligation to pay for the clean-up.

But Bodo’s lawyers had countered that the community should have unfettered access to the London courts if the clean-up was not completed to a high standard.

Arguing that the pressure of litigation was a key factor in pushing Shell to implement the clean-up, they had asked the judge to keep the legal case on hold until May 2020.

A spokeswoman for Shell said she had no immediate comment on Thursday’s ruling.

Oil spills, sometimes due to vandalism, sometimes to corrosion, are common in the Niger Delta, a vast maze of creeks and mangrove swamps criss-crossed by pipelines and blighted by poverty, pollution, oil-fuelled corruption and violence.

The spills have had a catastrophic impact on many communities where people have no other water supply than the creeks and rely on farming and fishing for survival.

At the same time, oil companies have run into problems trying to clean up spills, sometimes because of obstruction and even violence by local gangs trying to extract bigger payouts, or to obtain clean-up contracts.