标签： Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In a significant display of naval cooperation, warships from China, Russia, and Iran commenced joint maritime exercises with South Africa’s navy on Friday. The week-long drills, occurring off the strategic Cape Town coast where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge, underscore evolving geopolitical alliances amid heightened tensions with Western powers.

The maneuvers, organized under the BRICS framework of developing nations, were originally scheduled for November but postponed due to diplomatic considerations during South Africa’s hosting of the G20 summit. South African military officials describe the operations as focusing on maritime security protocols and anti-piracy tactics, emphasizing their goal to ‘deepen cooperation’ among participating nations.

Notable vessels participating include China’s 161-meter destroyer Tangshan and Russia’s Stoikiy warship accompanied by a support tanker from the Baltic Fleet. The exercises mark the second consecutive year of such cooperation, following similar drills in 2023.

The participation occurs against a complex backdrop: Iran joins despite ongoing domestic protests against its leadership, while all participating nations face varying degrees of Western sanctions. The BRICS bloc, which expanded in 2024 to include Iran alongside core members Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has frequently served as a platform for criticizing American foreign policy.

These developments have exacerbated strains in U.S.-South African relations, with the Trump administration previously accusing Pretoria of supporting ‘bad actors on the world stage’ and specifically citing its Iranian ties when cutting aid. The Biden administration further escalated tensions in 2023 by alleging South Africa permitted a sanctioned Russian vessel to load weapons for Ukraine conflict at Simon’s Town naval base—charges South Africa denies.

Domestically, the governing coalition faces criticism from the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party, which condemns the hosting of ‘heavily sanctioned’ nations and characterizes the BRICS branding as a ‘political trick’ masking military alignment with controversial regimes.

In a significant move against international financial corruption, the Government of Jersey has formally agreed to repatriate $9.5 million (£7 million) in illicit funds to Nigeria. The restitution follows a landmark ruling by Jersey’s Royal Court, which determined the assets were “more likely than not” derived from a corrupt scheme involving Nigerian officials.

The funds, held in a Jersey-based financial institution, were identified as proceeds from a corruption network where third-party contractors systematically diverted government money for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates. His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, finalized the restitution process through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with Nigerian authorities in December.

This agreement represents the third major asset repatriation arrangement between Jersey and Nigeria, following previous agreements that facilitated the return of over $300 million in stolen assets. The latest recovery underscores Jersey’s robust anti-corruption framework and its commitment to international judicial cooperation.

Nigerian Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi confirmed the returned assets would be allocated according to the MOU’s provisions, specifically supporting the completion of a critical highway infrastructure project connecting Nigeria’s capital with its second-largest city. Fagbemi emphasized that the successful recovery demonstrates Nigeria’s effective collaboration with international partners in combating illicit wealth transfer to foreign jurisdictions.

Attorney General Temple highlighted the case as evidence of Jersey’s powerful civil forfeiture legislation, which serves as an essential tool in the global fight against corruption. The restitution sets another precedent for international cooperation in tracking and returning illicit assets to their rightful owners.

A powerful weather system named Storm Goretti descended upon Europe on Thursday, bringing a dangerous combination of extreme winds, heavy snowfall, and freezing temperatures. Meteorological agencies across the continent issued severe warnings, predicting significant disruptions to daily life and infrastructure from Britain to Germany.

In the United Kingdom, the Met Office took the rare step of issuing its highest-level red wind alert for southwestern England, including the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. Forecasters warned of potentially catastrophic wind gusts reaching 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), accompanied by dangerously large coastal waves. Simultaneously, an amber snow warning covered Wales, the Midlands, and northern England, with predictions of up to 30 centimeters (11 inches) of accumulation. The severe conditions prompted National Rail to advise against all non-essential travel for the next 48 hours as train services faced inevitable disruptions.

Across the Channel, northern France prepared for similar onslaught, particularly in the Manche department where schools were ordered closed for Friday. Authorities issued urgent safety directives across 30 northwestern regions, advising residents to seek shelter and avoid vehicle use while ensuring emergency supplies of lighting and drinking water.

Germany’s meteorological service (DWD) reported approaching heavy snow and powerful winds expected to cripple transportation networks and public services. Northern regions braced for up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) of snow, while southern areas faced hazardous icy conditions. The cities of Hamburg and Bremen preemptively canceled school for Friday as public transport networks already experienced significant delays on Thursday. Deutsche Bahn mobilized over 14,000 employees to combat the expected infrastructure challenges.

Meteorologist Andreas Walter of the DWD noted the exceptional nature of this storm compared to recent milder winters, directly linking the pattern shift to climate change. While cold snaps with substantial snowfall remain possible despite rising global temperatures, Walter emphasized such events would become increasingly rare in the future.

Adding to the extraordinary weather patterns, Norway’s Meteorological Institute reported that only one region in the entire country recorded temperatures above freezing on Thursday: the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.

Three decades ago, a clandestine operation unfolded across African skies to repatriate the body of Somalia’s former ruler Mohamed Siad Barre. On the 31st anniversary of this extraordinary mission, the key participants have broken their silence, revealing previously undisclosed details about the politically sensitive undertaking.

In January 1995, Kenyan pilots Hussein Mohamed Anshuur and Mohamed Adan of Bluebird Aviation received an unexpected visit from a Nigerian diplomat at Wilson Airport near Nairobi. The official presented them with an unprecedented request: secretly transport Barre’s body from Lagos, Nigeria, to his hometown of Garbaharey in southern Somalia—a 4,300-kilometer journey across multiple national borders.

The mission was fraught with political complications. Barre, who had ruled Somalia from 1969 until his overthrow in 1991, died in exile at age 80. Having fled to Kenya initially, he eventually received political asylum in Nigeria under military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida after pressure mounted on the Kenyan government led by President Daniel arap Moi.

Anshuur, a former Kenyan Air Force captain, described the moment they received the request: ‘We knew immediately this wasn’t a normal charter.’ The pilots spent a day deliberating, weighing the considerable risks against the lucrative financial offer. They demanded guarantees from the Nigerian government, including full political responsibility if anything went wrong and the presence of two embassy officials on board.

The operation required meticulous planning. On January 11, 1995, their Beechcraft King Air B200 took off from Wilson Airport with a flight manifest falsely listing Kisumu, Kenya as their destination. Instead, they diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, exploiting limited radar coverage across the region. After refueling, they continued to Yaoundé, Cameroon, where Nigerian diplomats awaited, before finally reaching Lagos.

The Nigerian government provided a military call sign ‘WT 001’ to avoid suspicion when entering Nigerian airspace. In Lagos, Barre’s family including his son Ayaanle Mohamed Siad Barre joined the aircraft for the final leg. The secrecy, according to Barre’s son, was necessary to comply with Islamic burial traditions requiring prompt interment, not to conceal illegal activities.

The return journey retraced the route through Cameroon and Uganda, with the pilots maintaining the fiction of a routine flight. As they approached Kenya, they diverted directly to Garbaharey’s small airstrip, which couldn’t accommodate military aircraft. After attending the burial, the pilots returned to Wilson Airport, reporting a false origin from Mandera, northeastern Kenya, to avoid detection.

Reflecting on the mission, Anshuur noted that technological advancements in aviation surveillance would make such a covert operation impossible today. At 65, he acknowledges he wouldn’t undertake a similar mission now, but remains proud of having fulfilled what he saw as a humanitarian duty to ensure a former leader received proper burial in his homeland.