Social distancing was enforced as the envoys made short speeches expressing wishes of broadening and deepening bilateral relations with South Africa before presenting the president with the letters from their heads of state.

Some of the ambassadors managed to make powerful use of the two minutes allotted to them.

Sweden’s Håkan Joholt recalled how he’d become an anti-apartheid activist at age 25 before serving 23 years as a member of parliament.

“I have come here to build bridges and to forge people-to-people ties between Swedes and South Africans,” he said. “What we can do together is fight for democracy, human rights, peace and a sustainable environment,” he said.

Entering his second term as ambassador of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Mohammed Beissat said Polisario and the ANC forged ties as liberation movements at the most difficult times for their countries.

He recalled how Oliver Tambo visited the Western Sahara and returned to South Africa with apartheid-built tanks captured by the Saharawi from the Moroccan.

“Now Mr President the Western Sahara faces fresh aggression from Morocco,” he said referring to the kingdom breaking the 30 year old truce signed under UN auspices that ended the war that followed Morocco’s 1975 invasion of the former Spanish colony.

“We are confident we can overcome yet another challenge from the illegal occupier, especially since we are assured of your support and the solidarity of your government and people,” said the ambassador.

Braving a heatwave that took the mercury into the thirties, the ambassadors were greeted by a guard-of-honour before entering the guest house to have their exchange with the President.

In addition to the Western Sahara and Sweden, Ramaphosa received credentials from the ambassadors of 

Vietnam, North Korea, Iran, Botswana, Cote’Ivoire, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Egypt, China, Sweden, Mauritius, Pakistan, Sudan and South Sudan, Slovenia, Finland.

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His opponent Kaïs Saïed is among those who have said keeping Karoui behind bars jeopardizes the credibility of the the election.

Nabil Karoui has made several unsuccessful bail applications since being detained in August. 

Nevertheless he ran second to Kaïs Saïed in the presidential poll.

Last Sunday his Heart of Tunisia party was second to Ennahda in the  parliamentary election.

Former Mauritian President Cassam Uteem, who headed the observer team of the Electoral Commission for a Sustainable Democracy  in Africa, called for Karoui to be allowed to participate farly.

Whether he will appreciably improve his performance after being released remains to be seen.

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The Johannesburg based organization shared international observation of the Tunisia poll with the European Union and the Carter Center.

Former Mauritian President Cassam Uteem, who headed the EISA observer mission in Tunisia has glowing praise for the poll.

“We consider that this has been one of the best elections that we have been given to observe,” says Uteem. “Personally, if Imay speak for myself, this has been one of the best elections that we have observed so far.”

He says more needs to be done to motivate young people to become involved in the democratic process.

By staying away in droves, disenchanted with the country’s stagnating economy, young people drove the participation in the Tunisia’s second democratic election below 50 percent.

No single candidate among the 26 contestants is expected to emerge with an outright majority, meaning Tunisians will vote in a run-off election next month. 

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The watchdog group wants the pontiff to talk about human rights to heads of state, civil society representatives, diplomats and community leaders he will see in Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius.

Amnesty International says Pope Francis should use the pomp of his visit to cast the spotlight on human rights.

AI says there are serious violations in Mozambique where journalists and human rights defenders have been assaulted.

In Madagascar it lists prolonged pretrial detention in inhumane conditions.

The Pope arrives in Maputo tomorrow and moves on to Antananarivo on Thursday and Port Louis next Monday 

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He will not, however, travel beyond the capitals of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius.

ends intro

Pope  Francis is adamant that the authorities in the three countries he’s visiting should not splash out on hosting  him. He wants only the most basic requirements.

Nevertheless the Mozambique government has spent R5-million getting ready for the papal visit.

Campaigning is underway for elections there in a fortnight.

Smaller parties have started slowly because money they are due from the electoral commission is late.

Residents of Beira, still recovering from cyclone Idai that killed more than 600 people six months ago are disappointed they will not get to see the Pope. 

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Recent events at the International Court of Justice in the Hague and the United Nations General Assembly remind us there is another: Britain’s continued administration of the Indian Ocean Chagos Archipelago.

Holding sway over the empire upon which the sun never set, Britain began calling the shots on  developments in the Indian Oceans around Mauritius from 1814.

Before giving that country independence in 1968, Britain paid four million pounds for the Chagos Archipelago and called it the British Indian Ocean Territory

In the mid sixties it leased one of the islands, Diego Garcia to the United States.

The Pentagon build a strategically importnat military base there, secure in the knowledge that it has tenure until 2035.

At Washington’s behest, Britain moved the  1800-odd islanders  off their home. They have never been allowed to return.

This type of behaviour might have been generally accepted in a bygone era of colonial administration..

It does not wash today – certainly not from a  country that has long passed the twilight of its global power.

Britain has set aside 40 million pounds to assist the displaced Chagoans who are mostly in Britain, the Seychelles and Mauritius.

Still not good enough.

The matter was brought to the United Nations’ top court that found in February that Britain had acted illegally by hiving off the archipelago to continue its occupation. The ICJ ruled this should end as soon as possible.

In the General Assembly this week, an African-sponsored motion was passed by 116 votes to six giving Britain six month to get off Chagos.

Britain’s ambassador to the world organization Dame Karen Pierce said candidly that this would not happen.

Britain is determined to continue its control of Chagos at least until 2036.

Not surprisingly the United States was one of the half-dozen opponents of the resolution.

It reminded the international community that operations from Diego Garcia protect the region from terrorists and pirates. The base is also used for humanitarian purposes like reducing tsunami victims.

Diego Garcia is not used to house terror suspects  but it is used as a refueling stop in transitioning them from points of capture to places of incarceration.

It was also used for US bombing raids on Iraq and Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington 18 years ago.

Neither the ICJ ruling nor the UNGA resolution is binding.

General Assembly resolutions cannot be enforced.

However the strongly reflects international opinion.

Flying in the face of it brings into question Britain’s commitment to the multilateral system of  governance.

With its military power having waned, Britain, like most other countries, has to rely on moral clout.

Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth urged countries to support the General Assembly resolution, saying failure to do so would be endorsing colonialism.

He maintains the United States can lease its military base from his government, adding that Mauritius would find it deeply offensive if Washington did not regard it as a trusted security partner.

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Prime Minister of the Indian Ocean state Pravind Jugnauth said before the vote in the General Assembly that not supporting the call for Britain to quit would be an endorsement of colonialism.

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Britain’s chief envoy to the United Nations Karen Pierce says London is disappointed with the General Assembly vote but does not intend leaving the Chagos archipelago.

The resolution, sponsored by African states, was passed by 116 votes to 6 and calls on Britain to quit within six months.

The archipelago houses the important US military base on Diego Garcia that has been leased from Britain until 2036.

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He’ll be in South Africa on Friday.

Modi’s first visit  to the African mainland reflects India’s desire to further strengthen and reinvigorate bilateral ties with the continent.

ends intro

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s African  tour will include Tanzania and Kenya.

Last year he called on Mauritius and Seychelles.

India’s ties with Africa were renewed by the Africa India Forum Summit last October attended by no fewer than 41 of the 54 African leaders.

India’s pushing hard to to get solid African backing for it’s desire to get a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Modi will see the leaders of all four countries he’s visiting this month.

His South Africa itinerary includes visits to Johannesburg. Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

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