Special envoy of the United Nations Secretary General to the Great Lakes Huang Xia urges the international community not to let up on its support for the region.

Huang Xia says the number of coronavirus infections in the Great Lakes approaches 5 000. COVID 19 has killed 131.

The strict travel restrictions and quarantine has brought agriculture, mining and transportation to a standstill in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan. 

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Kenyan farmers are posting pictures of swarms like the Biblical plague, so large that they block out the sun.

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The desert locusts have hit  eight African countries where at least 20 million people are food insecure because of the three deadly ‘C.s’ : conflict, climate change and COVID 19.

In addition to Kenya they include Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan,

They have stayed and produced a new generation because of favorable conditions including above-average rainfall.

Pesticide to eradicate or at least thin them has been blocked by the coronavirus lockdown.

The swarms generally number 150 million per square kilometer, devouring every leaf where they land. Driven by the wind they can travel 150 kilometers a day.

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Rawdans will, therefore spend the Easter holiday as home, permitted to leave only to buy food medicine or essential supplies.

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Rwanda has 82 confirmed COVID 19 infections. The figures went up by eight overnight.

It’s the highest in a region where Kenya has 81, Uganda 44, Tanzania 19 and Burundi two.

South Sudan has no recorded cases but also has no record of testing.

The heavy-handed Rwanda President has had not trouble enforcing the lockdown which has closed land borders and airports.

How he restores the economy driving prosperity and change in his crowded, mountainous country is a problem for another day

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They include a pop star-turned MP and a football-champion-turned President.

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The list of battle hymns will doubtless grow as it does in times of turmoil.

But right now Liberia’s President George Weah, Ugandan MP Bobi Wine, Congolese singer Fally Ipupa and Senegalese musician Ye’n a Marre all have recorded songs on how to beat COVID 19.

Weah, the former football player of the year, began his before the countries went into lockdown. He speaks through most of his song.

Bobi Wine must be wondering how his arch enemy Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni – who has never wasted an opportunity to crack down on him – will react.

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His foundation says the money will go the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization that’s appealing for $76-million to eradicate the pests threatening the food security of millions.

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Bill Gates’ contribution to fighting the locust outweighs that of his government.

Visiting Africa last week, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave $8-million to fight the infestation from Yemen that has wrecked the harvests in eight countries in East Africa and the Horn.

Uganda’s has 2 000 soldiers drying to eradicate the many billions of pests who fly 150 km a day and consume their own body weight.

The operation takes place at night when the locusts are stationary and is described as dangerous and unending.

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Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Paul kagame have signed an extradition treaty aimed at stopping subversive activities by their respective nationals.

Presidents Joao Lourenco of Angola and Felix Tshisikedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo witnessed the signing of the extradition treaty.

The four leaders’ summit agreed that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will verify Rwandan claims of hostile activities on their border.

Within 15 days of  Museveni publishing his findings, he’ll be back at Gatuna/Katuna with Rwandan President Paul Kagame to talk about opening borders and normalizing relations.

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Talks in Washington, aimed at preparing for final agreement by heads of state at the end of this month are not making progress.

Brokering  the talks, the US is trying to put a brave face on the crawling negotiations.

Treasure Secretary Steve Mnuchin says technical experts are doing their job.

But he can’t point to any concrete progress.

The Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile will turn Ethiopia into Africa’s power generating giant.

But Sudan and Egypt downstream fear their vital interests are at stake.

Matters are complicated by  a latest report of Uganda planning a dam across the Nile.

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A pledging conference in Rome next week will try to raise $70 million to pay for the impact of the swarms.

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Unusually heavy rains late last year provided ideal breeding conditions for the destert locusts in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

The hoppers grew into locusts making the worst swarms in a quarter of a century.

The increase in numbers and density means theiy could increase 500-fold by mid year.

There are fears the swarms will move westward from the Horn of Africa into Uganda and other countries. 

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It’s calling on the Kinshasa authorities to investigate the attacks and look to providing reparations, medical and psychological help for the victims.

The United Nations Joint Human Rights office says at least 701 people have died between December 2017 and September 2019 in clashes between Hema and Lendu tribes in the DRC.

The Hema have been the major victims of  beheadings, rape and torture.

Attacks are mostly mounted at harvest time in June and are designed to drive the Hema off their land.

More than half a million have been internally displaced and  57 000 have fled into neighboring Uganda.

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In the settlement of Apetina Sana, near the city of Beni, fighters of the Uganda-based Allied Democratic Forces hacked civilians – including a  number of children – to death with machetes.

The attacks took place in what has become known as the triangle of death in which more than 200 people have been slaughtered since October.

Regional players are putting increasing pressure on Uganda to stop allowing the rebels to shelter there after incursions.

The attacks are making it nearly impossible to conduct vaccinations against and treatment  for the EBOLA  outbreak in the Beni region.

The World Health Organization fears it might be slipping out of control. 

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