Three African countries joined members of the European Union this week in Paris to discuss a major plan of action against human trafficking.
Over 120,000 migrants, including refugees, will enter Europe this year alone by way of the Mediterranean sea and the desert, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Chad President Idriss Deby emphasized creating a mechanism to identify legitimate migrants fleeing war and persecution.
“We are all committed to reducing the damage, the death of Africans in the desert, the death of Africans crossing the Mediterranean,” Deby said.
During the meeting, plans to use the United Nations to register those fleeing in Niger and Chad as a means to prevent people from being exploited by traffickers were also discussed.
Though the meeting did not outline any specific financing, the leaders said that stabilizing Libya, where thousands of migrants go before embarking toward the Mediterranean sea to Europe, would be key to a long-term solution.
Kenya’s Supreme Court Rules for Second Presidential Election
Though presidential elections have come and gone for Kenya, the country’s recent Supreme Court decision could lead to another vote.
In a 4-2 decision by Kenya’s high court, officials ruled that the Aug. 8 presidential elections were not conducted in accordance with the Constitution and thus were invalid.
The court said the ruling that Kenyans deserved free, fair and credible — not just “good enough,” the court said in a statement.
One of the main problems surrounding this election was a reported ignorance for many aspects of the constitution and electoral law, where varied parties were accused of “picking and choosing” which parts of the constitution to obey.
Now that the courts have officially been involved, Kenya has the opportunity to have a second election within the next 60 days, though it may be expensive in terms of money and time, but may be worth it to many if it sends a clear message that democracy does matter.
BP Selects First Female CEO
BP recently welcomed South Africa’s Priscillah Mabelane as the new face of the billion-dollar company.
With over 20 years of experience in the field, Mabelane has been chosen as the first woman in the history of the country’s oil industry to head a multi-national company.
“Given her proven track record in her previous executive roles, we are confident that Priscillah will be a strong leader for our business, especially as we continue to explore new areas of growth and development,” BPSA chairperson Orleyn said.
“Priscillah’s appointment reinforces BPSA’s pioneering role and strength of commitment to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce that will breed creativity and ensure we meet, even exceed customer expectations.”
Prior to joining BP, Mabelane worked at Airports Company of South Africa as CFO and accounting firm Ernst and Young as a tax director.