Tens of thousands of people evicted since January 2024 from the Gesco, Boribana, Banco 1 and Abattoir neighbourhoods; Evictions without adequate and reasonable prior notice, some involving violence; children deprived of education; 133 farmers lost their livelihoods; Support measures announced in March 2024 must be urgently implemented for all affected people.

The Ivorian authorities must immediately guarantee the rights of the tens of thousands of people evicted and suspend mass evictions in Abidjan until safeguards are put in place to prohibit forced evictions and to ensure the protection of the rights of people potentially affected, said Amnesty International.

Large-scale operations to demolish neighbourhoods and evict their inhabitants were launched in January 2024, on sites notably considered to be at risk of flooding. The Gesco, Boribana, Banco 1 and Abattoir neighbourhoods were demolished as part of a plan to demolish 176 sites, according to an official communique dated 26 February 2024 of the autonomous district of Abidjan.

Evicted families Amnesty International spoke with shared that they were not meaningfully informed nor consulted on the process of evictions, options for compensation and alternative housing. Additionally, they were not provided with an adequate and reasonable notice prior to the day their homes were to be destroyed. Thousands of forcibly evicted families remained to be rehoused and/or compensated for all losses.

“Whatever the reasons given for the destruction, the authorities have clearly failed to meet their human rights obligations including those deriving from the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), ratified by Côte d’Ivoire (both in 1992). All residents must be protected from forced evictions. They should be genuinely consulted and provided with adequate and reasonable notice prior to the demolitions. They should also receive prior and fair compensation for any losses and adequate alternative housing if needed,” said Hervey Delmas Kokou, Executive Director of Amnesty International Côte d’Ivoire.  

‘More than 10 machines invaded the village without any warning or formal notice’

From 7 to 19 June 2024, Amnesty International visited four neighbourhoods affected by the demolitions: Gesco (Pays-Bas and Rivière sites), Banco 1, Boribana, destroyed in January and February 2024, and Abattoir, destroyed from 1 to 4 June 2024.

The number of people and properties affected by the demolitions is unclear as the authorities did not systematically carry out a census in every neighbourhood. 1,199 families and 203 owners in Gesco, and 600 families in Abattoir have lost their homes according to data shared by the local authorities. The number of affected people in Boribana has been estimated at 28,000 by Colombe Ivoire, a local NGO. According to a dignitary from the community chiefdom, 5,000 people were affected in Banco 1.

All people met by Amnesty International said they were not properly consulted on the conditions of the evictions nor duly notified of the day of the demolitions.

Echo Yapo, secretary general of the Banco 1 chiefdom, said: “We have been surprised on 25 February. More than 10 machines invaded the village without any warning or formal notice, without even a short note from the state… The machines destroyed everything.” Aimée owns a house in Gesco, which was destroyed on 20 February: “We have not been warned. I was out and the neighbours called to tell me that they were destroying the houses. When I came back, my house had already been demolished”.

Several of the residents Amnesty International met were in possession of Arrêtés de Concession Définitif (ACDs), legal documents conferring ownership of land in Côte d’Ivoire. They too have been affected by the demolitions, like Julien, the owner of a building in Gesco. “The ACD is the paper that proves this land belongs to me. But what I built on it has been demolished. Will this land still belong to me, or do they want to take it away from me?”

On 23 February, the National Council for Human Rights issued a statement denouncing the “operations carried out in disregard of fundamental rights” and “without consultation”. 

The right to education also violated

In addition to homes and shops, schools were also destroyed, depriving children and young people of an education, with no solution in sight.

Assita was a student in 4th grade at the Groupe Scolaire Cha-Hélène, a state-approved private school in Gesco with a student body of around 800. She has been out of education since the school was demolished on 19 February. “Our house and my school were destroyed. I was forced to go and live with my aunt in Songon, and I had to drop out of school.” In the Banco 1 neighbourhood, the imam explained that a Koranic school was destroyed: “This school had over 500 students, including my children. Since we were evicted, my children haven’t been to school, they’ve lost a year.”

Some students were unable to sit their exams as planned in June. Yaya, a student in his final year at the Groupe Scolaire Cha-Hélène, said: “The conditions for preparing for the exam were challenging. As well as the school, our houses were destroyed and there were documents we couldn’t save. We weren’t physically or mentally ready to take the Bac [exam at the end of the secondary school].”

Waraba, a student at the Université Virtuelle de Côte d’Ivoire, has stopped her studies since the destruction at Gesco: “Our house was destroyed. My father had a stroke and can’t work any more. I had to stop my studies to help my mum run a small business to support us.”

Evicted children and youth must have safe and secure access to education, according to the Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development Based Evictions and Displacement.

‘We are on the streets, in tears. Nothing is being done, nothing is being said’

On 13 March, the government announced the payment of 250,000 FCFA (around 372 euros) per household already evicted from two neighbourhoods, Boribana and Gesco, as well as support for landowners in acquiring plots of freehold land, the provision of plots of land according to family size, the allocation of construction aid of 1 million FCFA per family (around 1,500 euros), and the creation of a development unit for precarious neighbourhoods in the autonomous district of Abidjan, attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, to monitor the evictions.

In the Gesco neighbourhood, 133 farmers saw their enclosures and fishponds demolished on 21 February. A site of almost four hectares had been granted to them by a state-owned company, the Société pour le Développement des Forêts, for the creation of an agro-pastoral zone. The farmers’ association estimates the losses at around 650,000,000 FCFA – around 1 million euros.

Five months after the destruction, at the time of Amnesty International’s visit to the site, no compensation had been paid, according to the farmers, who deplored the lack of information provided by the authorities. Guillaume has lost all his livestock: “We went to ask the district technicians if our site will be affected, and they told us no, so we didn’t think it was necessary to evacuate our animals. To our great surprise, everything was destroyed, and our cattle ran off here and there.”

Konima, who had invested in fish farming, said she lost everything: “I invested nearly 10,000,000 FCFA that I had borrowed from the bank. Eight people worked for me. I’m lost in the face of everything that’s happening.” Since the destruction, “no authority has come to see us”, said Lazare, another farmer. “From 21 February until now, I’ve never been to a meeting with the mayor,” said Sophie, a pig farmer.

While 256 people from the Boribana neighbourhood have been rehoused in the Songon Ahiwayi commune ahead of the evictions according to the NGO Colombe Ivoire, thousands of other people declined the proposed rehousing as the relocation site was forty kilometres away. Alternative housing should be situated as close as possible to the original place of residence and source of livelihood of those evicted, according to the Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development Based Evictions and Displacement.

Aimée, who has been affected by the destruction in Gesco, said: “We’ve been on the streets for six months now, in tears and weeping. To this day, nothing has been done, nothing has been said. We still haven’t been compensated”.

The assistant to the Director General of Technical Services for the autonomous district of Abidjan told Amnesty International on 11 June that the households affected by the destruction of the Gesco neighbourhood had each received 250,000 FCFA in rehousing assistance. At the time of Amnesty International’s visit, households from Abattoir were still waiting for being rehoused as announced by the authorities. People met by Amnesty International from Banco 1 said they had not received any compensation.

Violence reported during forced evictions

Excessive use of force during the destruction of the sites was reported by around twenty witnesses met by Amnesty International. “There were a lot of police cargos. The police ordered us to leave our homes. Some people resisted, but they fired tear gas and there was smoke everywhere,” said a resident of Gesco. “They arrived at 11pm and stayed until 2am,” said a resident of Abattoir. Assita, a student at the Groupe Scolaire Cha-Hélène, said: “The police brutalised the students who tried to intervene during the destruction of the school.”

According to international law, evictions must take place during the day, with respect for dignity and safety of those affected, without resort to excessive use of force. Authorities must ensure that any use of force is strictly necessary, proportionate, and complies with international human rights standards, notably the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

On 25 July, in the Ebrié district of Adjamé, another area affected by evictions, clashes broke out between the security forces and residents, resulting in several people being injured, according to media sources.

“We call on the authorities to put an immediate end to forced evictions in Abidjan to prevent any violence and to ensure that those whose rights have been violated are provided with access to justice and effective remedies. We also call on them to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the allegations of excessive use of force, and to bring to justice those suspected to be responsible,” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

On 19 July 2024, Amnesty International sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, offering the opportunity to respond to the main conclusions presented in this publication. As of 5 August, no response had been received by Amnesty International.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $10 million junior equity investment in the KawiSafi (www.KawiSafi.com) II Fund to help local businesses create and expand climate projects that aid vulnerable communities. The approved financing will be deployed from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) (https://apo-opa.co/3YKeVDx), a catalytic financing facility managed by the Bank Group. 

KawiSafi II is a $200 million venture equity fund to address investment gaps in energy transition, productivity, mobility and logistics in sub-Saharan Africa. It includes a $10 million technical assistance facility to maximise climate impact and ensure better management of environmental, social, and governance risks.

KawiSafi II is a follow-on from KawiSafi Fund I, a $67 million off-grid energy fund established in 2016, which benefited from a strong sponsor, Acumen Fund (https://Acumen.org). Acumen has over 20 years of experience investing in transformational companies to solve global poverty challenges, including in the renewable energy space. KawiSafi Fund I successfully invested in companies such as D.light (www.Dlight.com), Bboxx (www.Bboxx.com), and BioLite (www.BioLiteEnergy.com), among others.

“The African Development Bank’s investment into KawiSafi II, our innovative climate fund, is catalytic for helping us reach a first close and attract the significant private capital that is urgently required to support Africa’s climate innovators,” said Amar Inamdar, Managing Director of KawiSafi Ventures. “As the leading development finance institution on the continent, the Bank’s catalytic commitment will leverage investments into breakthrough African start-ups addressing climate change through renewable energy, clean mobility, and other key sectors crucial to achieving our climate goals.”

The KawiSafi Funds are prime examples of the patient and risk-tolerant capital required to support growing African climate businesses seeking to penetrate new markets against the backdrop of a significant shortage of equity capital in the market.

João Duarte Cunha, Manager of the Bank Group’s Renewable Energy Funds Division, which oversees SEFA, said, “The KawiSafi Fund II presents an opportunity to avail more venture and growth capital to emerging businesses linked to energy access and energy transition, at a time when such capital is most needed in the market.”

The African Development Bank’s investment through SEFA in KawiSafi II demonstrates its ongoing commitment to promoting a just energy transition and combating climate change via strategic partnerships with the private sector and investments in innovative solutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact: 
Toluwalope Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

SEFA technical contact:
João Duarte Cunha
Manager of the Renewable Energy Funds Division in charge of SEFA
sefa@afdb.org

About SEFA: 
SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and Sustainable Development Goal 7.

About the African Development Bank Group: 
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org  

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made a significant step forward in enhancing aviation’s role as a catalyst for sustainable development in Africa. During the AFI Week held in Gabon, ICAO signed four pivotal capacity building and implementation support agreements with Member States, each aimed at strengthening their aviation sectors and alignment with international standards.

Gabon’s Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile entered into a Management Service Agreement (MSA) with ICAO. This comprehensive agreement will provide Gabon with access to ICAO’s expertise, project management and procurement services, and customized training packages. A key focus of this collaboration is the potential development of a Civil Aviation Master Plan, which will chart the strategic growth of Gabon’s aviation sector, ensuring efficient, safe, and sustainable development of infrastructure and services.

Chad’s Autorité de l’Aviation Civile partnered with ICAO for a preliminary assessment of training needs. This crucial project will evaluate the technical and general skills of ADAC’s staff responsible for overseeing civil aviation safety and security. By optimizing human resources, Chad aims to significantly enhance the operational efficiency of its civil aviation authority.

Uganda’s Civil Aviation Authority and ICAO agreed to develop a comprehensive 15-year Air Navigation Plan. This strategic framework will not only guide the implementation of air navigation services and infrastructure but also ensure Uganda’s alignment with international aviation standards, in order to facilitate a safer, more efficient, and higher capacity air navigation system for the East African nation.

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority signed a Declaration of Intent to host the next Global Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Summit. Set for February 2025 in Johannesburg, this summit highlights South Africa’s commitment to nurturing the future leaders of the aviation industry.

These agreements represent ICAO’s commitment to supporting African Member States in developing sustainable aviation sectors. By focusing on areas such as strategic planning, human resource development, and infrastructure enhancement, these initiatives are set to improve aviation safety, efficiency, and capacity across the continent.

The collaborative efforts between ICAO and these African states are expected to yield significant benefits, not only for the aviation sector but also for the broader economy. As aviation acts as a multiplier for economic growth, these agreements are poised to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, improve connectivity, and foster economic opportunities in the region.

As these projects unfold, they will serve as examples of how targeted ICAO support and collaboration in the aviation sector can drive sustainable development and economic growth in Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.

This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes, empowers the organization to lead and coordinate responses to significant health emergencies. The statute mandates Africa CDC to “coordinate and support Member States in health emergency responses, particularly those declared PHECS or Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as well as health promotion and disease prevention through health systems strengthening, addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental health, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.”

The declaration will enable the mobilization of resources across affected countries, unlocking essential funding, strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), boosting surveillance and laboratory testing efforts, and enhancing human resource capacities to respond effectively to Mpox through a One Health approach.

Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of swift and decisive action: “Today, we declare this PHECS to mobilize our institutions, our collective will, and our resources to act—swiftly and decisively. This empowers us to forge new partnerships, strengthen our health systems, educate our communities, and deliver life-saving interventions where they are needed most. There is no need for travel restrictions at this time.”

At least 13 African countries, including previously unaffected nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have reported Mpox outbreaks. So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Suspected cases across the continent have surged past 17,000, a significant increase from 7,146 cases in 2022 and 14,957 cases in 2023. This is just the tip of the iceberg when we consider the many weaknesses in surveillance, laboratory testing and contact tracing.

Dr. Kaseya underscored the gravity of the situation stating “This is not just another challenge; it’s a crisis that demands our collective action. Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes mandates us to lead and coordinate the response when there is a declaration of a public health emergency of international concern.”

From May 2022 to July 2023, Mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO. However, Africa did not receive the support it urgently needed during this period. As global cases began to decline, the escalating numbers in Africa were largely ignored. Dr. Kaseya emphasized the need for a change in approach: “We urge our international partners to seize this moment to act differently and collaborate closely with Africa CDC to provide the necessary support to our Member States.”

He continued, appealing to global partners: “We call on you to stand with us in this critical hour. Africa has long been on the frontlines in the fight against infectious diseases, often with limited resources. The battle against Mpox demands a global response. We need your support, expertise, and solidarity. The world cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this crisis.”

He explained that the emergency declaration follows wide consultations, including a unanimous decision by the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group (ECG), chaired by Professor Salim Abdool Karim, head of CAPRISA, an AIDS research program based in Durban, South Africa.

Prof. Karim highlighted that limited surveillance and evidence suggest the situation could be more severe than currently understood. “The number of cases has significantly increased compared to 2022 when WHO declared Mpox a public health emergency. It’s clear that we’re facing a different scenario with far more cases, resulting in a higher burden of illness,” he said. He also raised concerns about the rising fatalities, particularly the potential link between HIV and Mpox. “Our concern is that we may be seeing more fatalities in Africa due to the association with HIV,” he noted.

Cross-border transmission to previously unaffected countries was also a concern, prompting the ECG to urge the strategic distribution of the limited vaccines available. The lack of diagnostic capabilities was identified as a critical issue requiring urgent attention, and the ECG encouraged the development of response plans, promising to provide input and support.

To address the Mpox outbreak in Africa, Africa CDC has set up a 25-member Incident Management Team based at the epicenter of the Mpox epidemic with mandate to support affected and at-risk countries. Africa CDC has also signed a partnership agreement with the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and Bavarian Nordic to provide over 215,000 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine—the only FDA and EMA-approved Mpox vaccine. Africa CDC will oversee the equitable distribution of these vaccines, prioritizing local needs across the affected Member States.

MPOX SYMPTOMS, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT

Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, with two distinct clades: Clade I and Clade II. Common symptoms include a skin rash or mucosal lesions lasting 2–4 weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infectious person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).