Our weekly round-up of must-read stories you might have missed: Peru and free solar power; Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni don’t get along; Can the UN intervention brigade bring lasting peace and stability to the war-torn country, Congo?
Peru to Provide Free Solar Power to its 2 Million Poorest Citizens – July 23, 2013
The country of Peru is looking to provide free electricity to over 2 million of its poorest citizens by harvesting energy from the sun. Energy and Mining Minister Jorge Merino said that the National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program will provide electricity to poor households through the installation of photovoltaic panels. The first part of the program aims to provide solar systems to 500,000 extremely poor households in areas that lack even basic access to the power grid. Unsurprisingly, it is a massive opportunity for domestic solar installers, and Merino has said that bidding for the contract will open later this year to fix the rest of the panels. The project was first started in Contumaza, a province in the northeastern region of Cajamarca, where 1,601 solar panels were installed. The energy minister has said that when the project is finished, the scheme will allow 95% of Peru to have access to electricity by the end of 2016…
The open—and hidden—war between Sudan and Uganda – July 25, 2013
The disclosure that Khartoum has filed a complaint with the African Union (AU) and the Great Lakes bloc over Uganda’s alleged support for rebel insurgencies against Sudan is both in keeping in script and an escalation of relations between the two countries, which have over the years enjoyed frosty relations. Sudan’s Foreign Affairs ministry undersecretary Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman Tuesday told journalists in the Sudanese capital that the government was “waiting for the AU’s response to its complaint.” “When we receive the AU’s response, then every session will have a different discussion,” he added, referring to planned cool-down talks. But in rebuttal, Ugandan Foreign Affairs minister Henry Okello said his country had no intentions of overthrowing the Sudanese government and was not supporting any rebel group with the intention of regime change in Khartoum. Mr Okello added that Sudan would have no chance of succeeding if it in retaliation sought to prop up rebels against Kampala…
DR Congo: Peacekeepers at war – July 27, 2013
On March 28, 2013, the United Nations Security Council authorised a 3,000 strong “Force Intervention Brigade” to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – the first of its kind in UN history. Many believe that the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC has failed. The conflict continues and by some estimates 5.4 million are dead, and hundreds of thousands of women are raped every year. And fearing the rising death toll, the UN has broken tactic: the peacemakers are going to war. But is this the way to create internal peace and prosperity in the DR Congo? And is it the way forward for international peacekeeping missions? In a passionate and heated edition of South2North, Redi invites Ambassador Bene M’Poko from the embassy of the DRC in South Africa; American author Jason K. Stearns; and former CEO of Africa Liberty and civil leader Bernard Katompa to debate the past, present and future of the Congo…
