- The Angolan government has beefed up security along its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo to block hundreds of diamond smugglers entering the country, Security officials have confirmed.
A senior official said the Angolan government has allocated $13 million to increase military patrols on the border and to stop illegal immigrants from Senegal and other mineral rich countries from breaking through into Uganda.
Angola, like many African countries, is battling to keep its mineral resources from being taken out of the country in order to enjoy the revenues they provide.
Last week, Angola’s immigration office reported that over 62,000 illegal immigrants had been deported from Angola's eastern diamond provinces of Malange, the Lundas and Moxico.
Although the government did not specify whether they were diamond smugglers, the neighbours had been at each others necks over trespassing along their border by smugglers.
A number of African states like Sierra Leone had experienced civil conflict with ‘blood diamonds’ being smuggled abroad in exchange for arms and to finance armed conflict in the west African state.
Angola emerged from an almost three-decade long civil war in 2002 to become the world's fifth biggest diamond producer, which allows only companies that partner with state-run firm Endiama to explore for diamonds in a bid to halt illegal diamond smuggling.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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