2020 in Middle Africa

The following lists events that happened during 2020 in Middle Africa, also called Central Africa. The countries listed are those described are: Angola , Cameroon , Central African Republic , Chad , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , the Republic of the Congo , and São Tomé and Príncipe .

The combined population of the nine countries is 177,533,990 (February 10, 2020)[1]

Countries

Angola

The struggle for independence from Portugal that began in 1961 culminated in the establishment of the independent People's Republic of Angola on November 11, 1975. This was followed by the 26-year Angolan Civil War, becoming the Republic of Angola in 2002. Angola is a member of the African Union (AU), the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPL), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the United Nations (UN). The capital is Luanda.[lower-alpha 1][3]

Cameroon

French Cameroon became independent on January 1, 1960 and British Cameroon federated with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. This became the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and the Republic of Cameroon in 1984. Cameroon is a member of the AU, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and UN. Douala is the economic capital and largest city; Yaoundé is the political capital.[5]

Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) became independent from France in 1960 and was the Central African Empire from 1976 to 1979. The republic was restored in 1979, but it has undergone two civil wars: the Central African Republic Bush War and the Central African Republic Civil War (2012–present). CAR is a member of the AU, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), NAM, International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), and UN. Its capital is Bangui.[7]

Chad

The Republic of Chad became independent of France on 11 August 11, 1960. It fought the Chadian Civil War (1965–1979), the Chadian–Libyan conflict (1978-1987), and currently is part of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against the Boko Haram insurgency. The capital is N'Djamena.[9]

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

The Belgian Congo gained its independence in 1960 and became the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) or (DRC) in 1964. It was known as the Republic of Zaire from 1919 to 1997. It went through the First Congo War (1996-1997) and the Second Congo War (1998-2003) and has faced insurrection in eastern Kivu since 2015. DRC is a member of the AU, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), NAM, and UN. The capital is Kinshasa.[11]

Equatorial Guinea

The former Spanish Guinea gained its independence in 1968 as the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. The mainland area is called Río Muni and the Insular Region consists of five islands in three political jurisidictions. The capital is Malabo, located on Bioko Island. The administrative capital of Río Muni is Bata.[13]

Gabon

The Gabonese Republic gained its independence from France on August 17, 1960. Gabon is a member of the AU, Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (ECCAS and CEMAC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), NAM, OIC, OPEC, UN, and World Bank. The capital is Libreville.[15]

Republic of the Congo / Congo (Brazzaville)

The Republic of the Congo or "Congo (Brazzaville)" gained independence from France on August 15, 1960. It was called People's Republic of the Congo from 1969 to 1992 when it returned to its earlier name but resulted in the Republic of the Congo Civil War (1993–1994). The Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999) brought stability back to the country. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the AU, African Development Bank (AfDB), ECCAS and CEMAC, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), International Coffee Organization (ICO), NAM, and Group of 77 (G77). The capital and largest city is Brazzaville.[17]

São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe consists of two main islands—São Tomé Island, where the capital city São Tomé is located and Príncipe—plus several rocky islets. The country gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. It is a founding member of the CPLP.[19]

Monthly events

January

  • January 19 – A suspected female Boko Haram suicide bomber detonated her explosives in Kaiga-Kindjiria, western Chad, killing nine civilians.[21]
  • January 24 – The Ministry of Health of the Central African Republic declares a national measles epidemic. 3,600 cases have been infected and 53 people have died between February 2019 and January 2020. [22]
  • January 30 – Five new Ebola cases are reported in the Central African Republic.[23]

February

  • February 7 – Twenty-eight people are sentenced to 10 to 15 years of hard labor and five Central African Republic Christian militiamen are sentenced to life terms for war crimes and crimes against humanity. [24]
  • February 9 – 2020 Cameroonian parliamentary election[25]
  • February 11 – Equatorial Guinea Vice-President Teodorin Obiang, 50, is fined 30 million euros ($32.9m) by a French court for embezzling public funds. His assets are seized by he is given a suspended sentence.[26]
  • February 12 – The World Health Organization extends the emergency health status for eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo related to the Ebola outbreak, although they say the situation is “getting better.” [27]
  • February 16 – U.N. peacekeepers and government forces kill twelve members of the Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central Africa in Birao, Vakaga, Central African Republic. [28]
  • February (date unknown) – Festival Amani dance festival in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

March

April

  • April 8 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo declares is it is Ebola free. However, two days later a new case is reported.[32]
  • April 12 – Easter Sunday in Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo is somber as the community struggles with both COVID-19 and its second new case of Ebola. The coronavirus is more contagious but Ebola is more often fatal; the struggle against both is hampered by insurrection in the country.[33]
  • April 13 – 14,000 cases of COVID-19 and 788 deaths have been reported across Africa. Cases by country: Cameroon – 820, Central African Republic – 8, Chad – 19, Congo-Brazzaville – 70, DR Congo – 234, Equatorial Guinea – 21, Gabon – 49[34]
  • April 15 – Finance ministers from the Group of 20 agree to put a hold on debt service by poor countries so they can concentrate their efforts on health service and ending the pandemic. 76 countries will be able to participate in the plan, including 40 from Sub-Saharan Africa. $8 billion in private loans and $12 billion in loans from other countries will be frozen for the remainder of 2020 and possibly beyond. Another $12 billion in multilateral loans from organizations such as the World Bank is also under consideration.[35]
  • April 16 – Forty-four suspected members of Boko Haram are found dead in a cell in a prison in Chad, apparently poisoned. The men were among 58 prisoners placed in a single cell in Ndjamena and were not given anything to eat or drink for two days.[36]
  • April 22 – The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the number of malaria deaths in Africa may double this year as efforts to curb the disease wind down.[37]
  • April 24
  • April 30 – At least 25 people are killed and 51 others wounded in clashes in the northeast of the Central African Republic.[40]

May

  • May 8 – Zimbabwe opens its tobacco season after a one-month delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[41]
  • May 13 – Six members of Cameroon’s opposition party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), are arrested for distributing face masks and hand sanitisers in the capital, Yaoundé.[42]
  • May 19 – At least 40 people are killed by Allied Democratic Forces (ADC) rebels in Samboko, Ituri Province, DR Congo. Seventeen were killed in the nearby village of Makutano the day before.[43]
  • May 20: State Unification Day, Cameroon[6] President Paul Biya, 87, addresses the nation after two months of silence. "The number of people infected rises day after day, bringing proof that the fight against the pandemic is complex and difficult," he said. Camaroon has had 3,500 cases including 140 deaths from COVID-19.[44]

June

  • June 1 – Authorities in DR Congo confirm a second Ebola outbreak, north of Mbandaka. There have also been 3,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 72 deaths, while there have been 369,520 measles cases and 6,779 deaths since 2019.[45]
  • June 9 – A statue of King Leopold II of Belgium is knocked over in Ekeren, Antwerp, Belgium by protesters who object to his ties to colonialism in the Congo Free State.[46]
  • June 11 – COVID-19 pandemic: Nobel laureate-winning doctor Denis Mukwege quits the task force in eastern Congo, noting testing delays and organizational problems.[47]
  • June 12 – World Day Against Child Labor: The International Labour Organization and the UNICEF warn that millions of children are likely to be pushed into forced labor because of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.[48]
  • June 27 – DR Congo justice minister, Celestin Tunda Ya Kasende, is arrested in crisis over judicial reforms.[49] He was released hours later.[50]
  • June 30: Independence Day, Democratic Republic of the Congo[12]

July and August

  • July 12
    • Independence Day, São Tomé and Príncipe[20]
    • Thousands of protesters march in Kinshasa, Bukavu, and Kananga; Democratic Republic of the Congo, against the selection of a new election chief aligned with former president Joseph Kabila. Five people were killed in similar protests on July 8.[51]
  • July 20 – Ebola infections in western DR Congo increase to 60.[52]
  • July 25 – Former Central African Republic president François Bozizé announces his candidacy for president in the 2020 Central African general election.[53]
  • August 8 – Chadian President Idriss Deby says that Boko Haram has been driven from Chadian territory, but that the extremist group continues to wrack havoc in the Lake Chad area during nighttime excursions from Nigeria.[54]
  • August 11
    • Independence Day, Chad (from France, 1960)[10] President Idriss Deby Itno is named a marshal in the country's first-ever military parade.[55]
    • Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos resigns from Unitel amidst corruption charges.[56]

Predicted and scheduled events

)[14]

Culture

Fashion

  • May 24 – Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba releases the latest collection for her fashion brand, Hanifa, on Instagram, using virtual models.[57]

Sports

Deaths

January to March

April to June

July to September

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gollark: Embedded HQ9+.
gollark: It will be a while before it manages to emulate me.
gollark: Mine was tapping options on the predictive text suggested words thing.

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. Angola also includes the enclave of Cabinda.[2]

Citations

  1. Middle Africa Population (LIVE) World0Meter, Retrieved 10 Feb 2020, 3:25 a.m GMT
  2. "Cabinda". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  3. John Kelly Thornton; William Gervase Clarence-Smith (March 11, 2020). "Angola". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  4. CIA Factbook: Angola retrieved 18 Feb 2020
  5. Mark W. DeLancey; George Benneh. "Cameroon". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  6. CIA Factbook: Cameroon retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  7. Tamara Lynn Giles-Vernick; Thomas E. O'Toole; Jan S.F. van Hoogstraten. "Central African Republic". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  8. CIA Factbook: Central African Republic retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  9. Douglas Henry Jones; Alfred Thomas Grove. "Chad". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  10. CIA Factbook: Chad retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  11. René Lemarchand; Ntsomo Payanzo; Dennis D. Cordell; Bernd Michael Wiese (Feb 28, 2020). "Democratic Republic of the Congo". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  12. CIA Factbook: Democratic Republic of Congo retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  13. Ronald James Harrison-Church; René Pélissier. "Equatorial Guinea". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  14. CIA Factbook: Equatorial Guinea retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  15. Jan S.F. van Hoogstraten; Brian Weinstein; David E. Gardinier. "Gabon". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  16. CIA Factbook: Gabon retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  17. Dennis D. Cordell. "Republic of the Congo". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  18. CIA Factbook: Republic of the Congo retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  19. William Gervase Clarence-Smith; Gerhard Seibert. "Sao Tome and Principe". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  20. CIA Factbook: São Tomé and Príncipe retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  21. "Suicide bomber kills nine civilians in western Chad". Al Jazeera. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  22. Central African Republic: Measles Outbreak - Jan 2020 Retrieved Feb 13, 2020
  23. Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo World Health Organization, 30 Jan 2020, retrieved 13 Feb 2020
  24. Five CAR militia leaders get life terms for war crimes Al Jazeera, 7 Feb 2020
  25. Africa Watch: 2020 is election season across Africa by Franck Kuwonu, United Nations.org,Africa Renewal: Dec 2019 to March 2020, retrieved 22 Feb 2020
  26. French court fines Equatorial Guinea vice president 30m euros Al Jazeera, 11 Feb 2020
  27. WHO extends emergency status of Ebola in DR Congo Al Jaxeera, 12 Feb 2020
  28. CAR says 12 rebels killed in clash with UN troops Al Jazeera, 19 Feb 2020
  29. Coronavirus spreads to more African Al Jazeera, 12 March 2020
  30. "Peace Corps announces suspension of Volunteer activities, evacuations due to COVID-19". Peace Corps. March 15, 2020. Retrieved Apr 6, 2020. "U.S. To Evacuate All Peace Corps Volunteers Due To Coronavirus". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. March 21, 2020. Retrieved Apr 6, 2020.
  31. 92 Chad soldiers killed in 'deadliest' Boko Haram attack Al Jazeera, 24 Mar 2020
  32. Ebola case confirmed in Democratic Republic of Congo (in Spanish) Debate/EFE, 10 Apr 2020
  33. "Congo marks somber Easter while battling COVID-19 and Ebola". AP NEWS. 12 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  34. Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban (April 13, 2020). "Coronavirus in 52 African countries: 14,400+ cases, 788 deaths, 2,823 recoveries". Africa News.
  35. "Richest countries agree to freeze poorer nations' debt". AP NEWS. 15 April 2020. Retrieved Apr 16, 2020.
  36. "44 jihadists found dead in Chad prison: prosecutor". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  37. "WHO warns that malaria deaths in Africa could double this year". Reuters. 23 April 2020. Retrieved Apr 23, 2020.
  38. News, A. B. C. "Ambush near Congo's Virunga park kills 12 rangers, 5 others". ABC News. Retrieved Apr 24, 2020.
  39. "DR Congo police arrest sect leader after deadly raid". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  40. "Dozens killed in northeast Central African Republic clashes". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved Apr 30, 2020.
  41. News, A. B. C. "Troubled Zimbabwe hopes for some relief in tobacco sales". ABC News. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  42. "World News - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  43. "At least 40 killed in latest DR Congo massacre". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  44. "Cameroon president breaks media silence after two months of pandemic". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  45. News, A. B. C. "Congo now faces 2nd Ebola outbreak in northern province". ABC News. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  46. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Belgium: King Leopold II statue removed in Antwerp after anti-racism protests | DW | 09.06.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  47. News, A. B. C. "Congo doctor quits COVID-19 task force, notes testing delays". ABC News. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  48. Schlein, Lisa (13 June 2020). "Africa: UN Agencies Warn COVID-19 Could Plunge Millions of Children into Forced Labor". allAfrica.com. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  49. "DR Congo justice minister arrested in crisis over judicial reforms". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  50. "Congo's justice minister released hours after arrest". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  51. "Thousands in DR Congo capital defy protest ban". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  52. "Western DRC Ebola cases up to 60 as WHO warns of funeral risks". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  53. "Central African Republic's ousted leader Bozizé to run for president again". France 24. 25 July 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  54. MARIN, Ludovic. "Chad says Boko Haram wreaking havoc despite offensive". news.yahoo.com. AFP. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  55. MASBEYE BOYBEYE, Renaud. "Chad president is named a marshal on independence anniversary". news.yahoo.com. AFP. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  56. RIOPA, Miguel. "Under-fire Angolan billionaire Dos Santos quits Unitel". news.yahoo.com. AFP. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  57. CNN, Aisha Salaudeen. "Fashion designer showcases the future of the runway with 3D models". CNN. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  58. Cameroon drawn to face Ivory Coast in World Cup qualifying AP, 21 Jan 2020
  59. Disparition : Aloïse Moudileno-Massengo a tiré sa révérence (in French)
  60. Décès de Bertrand Zephirin Teyou, l’homme qui « déshabilla » la Première dame du Cameroun :: Cameroon (in French)
  61. Léon Mokuna s'est étaint à l'âge de 91 ans (in French)
  62. Mad Mike Hoare, the Legend Has Died
  63. Le Professeur Donatien Mavoungou est mort à 72 ans de chagrin (proche) (in French)
  64. André Neles na Seleção da Guiné Equatorial (in Portuguese)
  65. Adamou Ndam Njoya dies at 77
  66. COVID-19:Congolese music legend Aurlus Mabele dies
  67. Cameroun : décès de l'industriel Victor Fotso (in French)
  68. Manu Dibango: African saxophone legend dies of Covid-19
  69. Décès ce samedi, à 86 ans, du père des Jeux Africains (in French)
  70. Coronavirus : décès de l'ex-président congolais Yhombi Opango (in French)
  71. Muere por coronavirus Miguel Jones, otra leyenda del Atlético de Madrid (in Spanish)
  72. Congo : Décès de François Luc Macosso (in French)
  73. Gabon-Nécrologie : Simplice Guédet Manzela n’est plus, est mort à 71 ans (in French)
  74. Coronavirus - Death of Samuel Wembe, businessman, administrator of FECAFOOT and ex-president of Racing club de Bafoussam (in French) 12 Apr 2020
  75. RDC: l’oncle du président Tshisekedi, Gérard Mulumba Kalemba, meurt du coronavirus (in French)
  76. Veteran Congolese musician Kasongo wa Kanema dies
  77. Cameroon separatists kill mayor in restive southwest region
  78. Mazza, Ed (21 May 2020). "Pastor Who Claimed To Cure Coronavirus With Faith Dies Of Coronavirus". HuffPost. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  79. Roma, morto Joseph Perfection. Il giovane talento stroncato da un infarto (in Italian)
  80. "DR Congo judge died by being 'stabbed in the head'". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  81. Gabon: l’ancien premier ministre Issoze Ngondet est mort ! (in French)
  82. Another Super Mazembe star Dodo Doris dies
  83. Musique: L'artiste Claude Ndam a joué ses dernières notes (in French)
  84. Cameroonian Artist Mama Nguea is No More
  85. Top Congolese Opposition Member Dies of COVID-19
  86. Fallece Santiago Nsobeya Efuman Nchama, Vicepresidente Primero del Congreso de Diputados de Guinea Ecuatorial (in Spanish)
  87. Cameroun - Carnet Noir: Décès de Gladys Ejomi, première femme camerounaise médecin* (in French)
  88. Nécrologie : Delphine Tsanga n’est plus (in French)
  89. Former Defence minister Kundi Paihama dies
  90. Cameroon's Italia '90 captain Stephen Tataw dies
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