Latest news with #ADF
Zawya
6 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
AfDB's African Development Fund hopes to start tapping capital markets in 2027
The African Development Bank arm lending to low-income countries will start raising $5bn from capital markets every three years from 2027, a senior bank official said on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 as donor countries such as the US cut support. The Africa Development Fund (ADF) facility has provided $45bn in concessional credit to 37 low-income African countries since it was established in 1972. It counts the United States as its biggest cumulative donor, but President Donald Trump's administration wants to cut $555m in funding. "We have an ambition to go to the capital markets and raise funding, which would help us to diversify the way that we fund ourselves," said Valerie Dabady, AfDB's head of Resource Mobilization and Partnerships, during a briefing. "We believe that we can raise up to $5bn in every three-year cycle. But in order to get there, we have to actually change our charter," she said, adding the process of doing so was already underway. ADF will then seek a credit rating and start undertaking the work of raising funds, following in the footsteps of the broader AfDB, which has issued a range of instruments in international capital markets over the years, Dabady said. The Abidjan-headquartered AfDB is the continent's biggest development bank and it approved a review of ADF's funding mix in December 2022, she said, before the geopolitical shifts that have stoked concerns about attainment of replenishment targets. "It was very prescient and very timely that we should have done this... what it has done, the current geopolitical context, is to give a bit more impetus to what it is we want to do with the market borrowing," Dabady said. The next round of replenishment for the ADF, which is held on a three-year cycle, is scheduled to take place from November, and AfDB had set a target of more than doubling the $8.9bn that was raised in the last round. "We had started off these discussions wanting to reach $25bn, and I think that given the context, that's not something that's going to be possible, given the constrained environment and the like," Dabady said.
The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Military watchdog flags record misconduct complaints
Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. Inspector-General James Gaynor said an increase in cases has been "particularly noticeable" over the past four years. "The consistent increase in the number of new submissions and referrals broadly reflects the level of understanding that ADF members have around their rights to complain," Mr Gaynor wrote. A total of 120 complaints were filed in 2023-24, with nearly half relating to harassment, workplace bullying, sexual misconduct, discrimination, abuse of authority, and domestic violence. Roughly 25 per cent were referred to a defence investigator or another government agency for further action. Two Australian military police officers were removed from duty last year after breaching professional standards, with the watchdog identifying 9 breaches of professional standards by military police. The military justice watchdog took an average of 479 days to complete an inquiry in 2023-24, up from 467 days the previous year. Meanwhile, staffing levels at the agency fell by eight per cent to 156 personnel. A total of 31 service deaths were reported during that period, including the four aviators who died in the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in July 2023. A final report of an IGADF inquiry into the incident is expected at a later date, after public hearings concluded in May. The IGADF acknowledged two ongoing reviews into its conduct and structure, saying the office was "well-placed" to meet future changes to the organisation. A review into the alleged "weaponisation" of the military justice system was launched earlier this year in response to concerns that senior ADF leadership was routinely using military justice to target and intimidate more junior personnel. The inquiry came after former federal court judge Duncan Kerr recommended the IGADF be re-established under new legislation to distance itself from the ADF, citing views that it was "umbilically linked" to chains of command. If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. Inspector-General James Gaynor said an increase in cases has been "particularly noticeable" over the past four years. "The consistent increase in the number of new submissions and referrals broadly reflects the level of understanding that ADF members have around their rights to complain," Mr Gaynor wrote. A total of 120 complaints were filed in 2023-24, with nearly half relating to harassment, workplace bullying, sexual misconduct, discrimination, abuse of authority, and domestic violence. Roughly 25 per cent were referred to a defence investigator or another government agency for further action. Two Australian military police officers were removed from duty last year after breaching professional standards, with the watchdog identifying 9 breaches of professional standards by military police. The military justice watchdog took an average of 479 days to complete an inquiry in 2023-24, up from 467 days the previous year. Meanwhile, staffing levels at the agency fell by eight per cent to 156 personnel. A total of 31 service deaths were reported during that period, including the four aviators who died in the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in July 2023. A final report of an IGADF inquiry into the incident is expected at a later date, after public hearings concluded in May. The IGADF acknowledged two ongoing reviews into its conduct and structure, saying the office was "well-placed" to meet future changes to the organisation. A review into the alleged "weaponisation" of the military justice system was launched earlier this year in response to concerns that senior ADF leadership was routinely using military justice to target and intimidate more junior personnel. The inquiry came after former federal court judge Duncan Kerr recommended the IGADF be re-established under new legislation to distance itself from the ADF, citing views that it was "umbilically linked" to chains of command. If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. Inspector-General James Gaynor said an increase in cases has been "particularly noticeable" over the past four years. "The consistent increase in the number of new submissions and referrals broadly reflects the level of understanding that ADF members have around their rights to complain," Mr Gaynor wrote. A total of 120 complaints were filed in 2023-24, with nearly half relating to harassment, workplace bullying, sexual misconduct, discrimination, abuse of authority, and domestic violence. Roughly 25 per cent were referred to a defence investigator or another government agency for further action. Two Australian military police officers were removed from duty last year after breaching professional standards, with the watchdog identifying 9 breaches of professional standards by military police. The military justice watchdog took an average of 479 days to complete an inquiry in 2023-24, up from 467 days the previous year. Meanwhile, staffing levels at the agency fell by eight per cent to 156 personnel. A total of 31 service deaths were reported during that period, including the four aviators who died in the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in July 2023. A final report of an IGADF inquiry into the incident is expected at a later date, after public hearings concluded in May. The IGADF acknowledged two ongoing reviews into its conduct and structure, saying the office was "well-placed" to meet future changes to the organisation. A review into the alleged "weaponisation" of the military justice system was launched earlier this year in response to concerns that senior ADF leadership was routinely using military justice to target and intimidate more junior personnel. The inquiry came after former federal court judge Duncan Kerr recommended the IGADF be re-established under new legislation to distance itself from the ADF, citing views that it was "umbilically linked" to chains of command. If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Australia's military justice watchdog has recorded its highest-ever number of complaints about bullying, sexual misconduct and abuse of justice, while average times to finalise inquiries have stretched to more than a year. The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's latest annual report also shows a 50 per cent increase in potential breaches of professional standards by military police. The oversight body's annual report was publicly released on Wednesday, more than eight months after being handed to Defence Minister Richard Marles in December 2024. A spike in complaints to the IGADF over a seven-month period coincided with the release of a 20-year review calling for sweeping reforms to make the agency more independent. Inspector-General James Gaynor said an increase in cases has been "particularly noticeable" over the past four years. "The consistent increase in the number of new submissions and referrals broadly reflects the level of understanding that ADF members have around their rights to complain," Mr Gaynor wrote. A total of 120 complaints were filed in 2023-24, with nearly half relating to harassment, workplace bullying, sexual misconduct, discrimination, abuse of authority, and domestic violence. Roughly 25 per cent were referred to a defence investigator or another government agency for further action. Two Australian military police officers were removed from duty last year after breaching professional standards, with the watchdog identifying 9 breaches of professional standards by military police. The military justice watchdog took an average of 479 days to complete an inquiry in 2023-24, up from 467 days the previous year. Meanwhile, staffing levels at the agency fell by eight per cent to 156 personnel. A total of 31 service deaths were reported during that period, including the four aviators who died in the MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash in July 2023. A final report of an IGADF inquiry into the incident is expected at a later date, after public hearings concluded in May. The IGADF acknowledged two ongoing reviews into its conduct and structure, saying the office was "well-placed" to meet future changes to the organisation. A review into the alleged "weaponisation" of the military justice system was launched earlier this year in response to concerns that senior ADF leadership was routinely using military justice to target and intimidate more junior personnel. The inquiry came after former federal court judge Duncan Kerr recommended the IGADF be re-established under new legislation to distance itself from the ADF, citing views that it was "umbilically linked" to chains of command. If you are a current or former ADF member or a relative in need of support, contact the Defence All-Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Is ISIL a growing threat in the DR Congo and East Africa?
In the early hours of Sunday, July 27, armed fighters attacked a Catholic church in the Komanda region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where about a hundred people had gathered for a night vigil. Dozens of people were killed and others taken captive in the assault, which drew outrage and condemnation from the United Nations and the Vatican. Women, men and at least nine children were reported to be among the victims of the Saint Anuarite church attack, according to Congolese officials, while several children aged between 12 and 14 were kidnapped. Houses and shops near the church were also attacked and burned, with authorities finding more bodies there. At least 43 people were killed overall. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – an armed group operating in the border regions linking the DRC to neighbouring Uganda, and which has pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS) – has since claimed the attack in a Telegram post. It is one of several recent attacks from a group that experts say is staging a major resurgence in a country already fragile from armed fighting. It also comes soon after the DRC government signed key peace roadmap agreements with both Rwanda and the M23 rebel group that has been advancing in the country's east, raising questions about the timing and motivation behind the violence. 'These targeted attacks against defenceless civilians, particularly in places of worship, are not only appalling, but also in violation of all human rights standards and international humanitarian law,' Vivian van de Perre, acting head of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, said in a statement following Sunday's assault. Pope Leo, too, expressed sorrow a day after the attack on the parish, which had been celebrating its 25th anniversary. 'His Holiness implores God that the blood of these martyrs may be a seed of peace, reconciliation, brotherhood and love for all the Congolese people,' wrote Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, in a telegram to DRC's Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu. Making of the ADF Sunday's attack represents just one of several deadly ADF assaults in the DRC's east in recent months. The ADF, also referred to by some experts and institutions as ISIS-Central Africa (IS-CA), originally began as a rebel group in Uganda in 1994, where it accused the government in Kampala of persecuting Muslims. In 2002, the ADF crossed the border into eastern DRC after offensives by the Ugandan army saw it lose its footing. The group attacked civilians in both countries from its base in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, with researchers noting that its tactics became more violent over the years. Jamil Mukulu, the group's founder, was arrested in Tanzania in 2015, leading to internal disruption. Under a new leader, 48-year-old Musa Seka Baluku, the ADF declared allegiance to the global armed network, ISIL, in 2019. Although ISIL no longer has the ability to hold ground or control a caliphate in the Middle East, experts say it has devolved its structure, focusing on regional affiliates, particularly in parts of Africa. A UN Experts Group report found that ISIL central financially supports the ADF, whose force of about 1,000 to 1,500 members is usually armed with small arms, mortars, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The ADF reportedly controls camps with internal security services, clinics, prisons and schools for children. 'The group intends to advance extreme Islamic ideology,' Nico Minde, an analyst with the Institute for Security Studies, told Al Jazeera. 'It is [also] believed that it is seeking revenge for military offensives by the Congolese army, Ugandan forces and MONUSCO peacekeepers,' he said. It is unclear how many civilians have died in ADF attacks, but experts agree it likely runs into the hundreds, if not thousands, in its nearly 30 years of existence. The United States, which designated ADF/IS-CA a 'terror' organisation in 2021, describes it as 'one of the most lethal terrorist groups in Africa' based on the number of civilian deaths linked to its members. An earlier reprisal assault by the ADF between July 8 and 9 saw 41 civilians killed in Irumu territory, Ituri, according to MONUSCO. In May, it was North Kivu's Babili sector that was attacked, with 18 civilians killed. The group also claimed a separate attack in January on the town of Lubero in North Kivu, with 41 people killed and 11 kidnapped. Multiple armed groups in the eastern DRC The ADF is one of a multitude of armed groups – some experts say about 100 – operating in the mineral-rich but poorly governed eastern DRC. The region is one of the most complex conflict zones in the world. ADF's attacks in July came as the DRC was enjoying some relief from the M23 rebels, arguably the strongest of all the armed groups. M23, the UN says, is backed by Rwanda. Aiming to take power in Kinshasa, it launched lightning offensives in January and seized vast swaths of territory in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. Thousands died and hundreds of thousands were displaced in the six-month war. In July, the US and Qatar brokered DRC peace efforts with Rwanda and M23, respectively, leading to a ceasefire. Minde of the ISS said the ADF is likely taking advantage of the military resources diverted to confront M23, resulting in more frequent attacks since January. 'Strategically, this allows them to freely move in Ituri and North Kivu while attention remains fixed on the M23 conflict,' he said. The group's focus on rural communities, Minde added, was to foster fear and dependence, facilitate control over land and illicit resources, and to find more recruits. Combined, M23 and the ADF have wrought the most havoc in eastern DRC, with some research suggesting that there might have been a non-aggression pact between the two at some point. The Armed Conflict and Location Event Data Project (ACLED) noted in a June report that M23 and ADF/IS-CA action between January and March 2025 killed 1,600 people, making that quarter the deadliest since 2002, when the DRC was in the throes of a civil war. Uganda's stakes in the ADF battle Uganda poses the main challenge to the ADF. Some 2,000-4,000 Ugandan soldiers have deployed in the DRC since November 2021, where they lead Operation Shujaa, which also involves the Congolese army and MONUSCO forces. Kampala's decision to deploy followed a series of bomb attacks in Uganda that year. Since 2021, two leaders of separate ADF factions – Salim Mohammed and Benjamin Kisokeranio – have been captured. However, there are concerns that Uganda is expanding into territory not affected by ADF attacks. Due to the DRC's civil war history, which saw countries neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda take over Congolese territory and reportedly steal minerals, foreign armies on DRC soil remain a testy subject in Kinshasa. In June, the Ugandan army spokesperson, Felix Kulayigye, defended his government's stance while speaking to Al Jazeera, admitting that the country needed to protect commercial interests in the DRC. Uganda exports goods like palm oil, cement, and refined petroleum to the DRC, and is Kinshasa's biggest trading partner in the sub-region. 'Who is consuming Uganda's products?' Kulayigye asked Al Jazeera at the time. 'Can commerce take place where there is instability? If we have commercial interests in eastern DRC, are those protectable or not?' Already, Uganda has a negative reputation in the DRC. Kampala allegedly backed the M23 armed group by allowing the group passage into Congolese territory, according to a UN expert group report. President Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda's Paul Kagame are longtime allies. Back in 2022, the Ugandan army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also President Museveni's son, openly expressed support for M23 on the social media site, X. The ADF's increasing attacks could lead to rising insecurity in the fragile DRC, and across the sub-region, Minde of ISS said. '[ADF] might want to take advantage of the pacifist moment following the US and Qatar-brokered peace deal, to remind the world of its existence,' he added.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Pope Leo XIV condemns brutal machete attack that killed 49 Christians during prayer in Congo
The Pope, the United Nations and a leading Christian group have all condemned a new major attack on Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which the U.N. says left at least 49 dead. In the latest attack in a tragic long string of mass murders by Islamist terrorists in both Nigeria and the DRC, the U.N. said rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a sanctioned rebel group allied to Islamic State with roots in Uganda, burst into a church in the Eastern town of Komanda and set about hacking Christians who were worshipping inside with machetes and other knives. The congregation was attacked at 1 a.m. last Sunday morning, while they were on a night vigil, reportedly praying for peace. The rebels also burnt nearby homes. Nine children are said to be among the dead. Several villagers have been abducted. "May the blood of these martyrs become a seed of peace, reconciliation, fraternity, and love for the Congolese people," Pope Leo XIV stated from Rome. A Vatican Cardinal added that the Pope "learned with dismay and deep sorrow of the attack." The U.N.'s Stablization Mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, expressed "deep outrage at these heinous acts of violence, which constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and infringements on human rights." "The killings are strategic," Illia Djadi, senior sub-Saharan researcher for Christian charity Open Doors, who support and speak up for Christians persecuted for their faith, stated. He added, "The ADF have a very clear aim: they want to turn a large part of DRC into an Islamic caliphate, like the horrific one instigated in Iraq and Syria in 2014 by Islamic State." Contacted by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Djadi said, "The presence of Islamic State groups across the region means that sub-Saharan Africa has become the new epicenter of jihadism." Muslims are in the minority here; it's said that Christians account for between 80-95% of the population. 70 Christians were reported beheaded, again in a church in the DRC, in February. The killings of Christians are worse in Nigeria, with Pope Leo XIV telling crowds at the Vatican that "some 200 people were murdered, with extraordinary cruelty" on June 13 in Yelewata, in Nigeria's Benue State. According to Open Doors International's 2025 World Watch List (WWL), of the 4,476 Christians killed worldwide in WWL's latest reporting period, 3,100 of those who died (69%) were in Nigeria. Djadi told Fox News Digital that despite President Trump's brokered peace deal in the DRC, Christians in the East of the country are still at risk. "There has been a lot of attention paid to the DRC recently, with Donald Trump spearheading a peace initiative between the DRC and Rwanda, whose rebel fighters the M23 have taken a large proportion of territories in the east of the DRC." "However," Djadi added, "while government forces are trying to contain the M23 in the urban regions, the rural areas are left undefended. It has left a security vacuum, meaning that the ADF are free to slaughter hundreds of innocent civilians with impunity, with Christians especially at risk. "It is the primary responsibility of (the) Congolese government to protect the whole nation, regardless of their religious faith or ethnic background. What would happen if the ADF continues its killing unopposed is too awful to contemplate."
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
At least 21 killed in attack on east Congo church by Islamic State-backed rebels, civil leader says
Kinshasa, Congo AP — At least 21 people were killed on Sunday in an attack on church premises in At least 21 people were killed on Sunday in an attack on church premises in eastern Congo by Islamic State-backed rebels, according to a civil society leader. The attack was carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) around one am inside the premises of a Catholic church in eastern Congo's Komanda. Several houses and shops were also burnt. 'More than 21 people were shot dead inside and outside and we have recorded at least three charred bodies and several houses burned. But the search is continuing,' Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, told The Associated Press. Earlier this month, the group killed dozens of people in Ituri in what a United Nations spokesperson described as a bloodbath. A spokesperson for the Congolese army in Ituri province, where Komanda is located, confirmed 10 dead. 'What we know this morning is that there was an incursion by armed men with machetes into a church not far from Komanda, where about 10 people were killed and massacred and some shops were set on fire,' Lt. Jules Ngongo, the DRC Army's spokesperson in Ituri, said. The ADF, with ties with the Islamic State, is a rebel group that operates in the borderland between Uganda and Congo, has routinely conducted attacks against civilian populations. 'We are truly disappointed because it is incredible that such a situation could occur in a town where all the security officials are present,' Duranthabo said. 'Some citizens have started fleeing the area and are heading towards Bunia. 'We demand military intervention as soon as possible, since we are told the enemy is still near our town.' The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with Yoweri Museveni. In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to neighboring DRC and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The ADF's leadership conceives of an Islamist government in the East African country. The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) has long struggled against the rebel group, and it has now been grappling with a complex web of attacks since the renewed hostilities between the Rwanda-backed M23.
