Daily News on the Issues Affecting Africa for November 5th

Continue reading for a summary of recent news stories relating to some of the most pressing issues on the continent. We draw on a wide range of respected news sources, both from Africa itself and around the world. The themes of today's In the News post are updates on the surrender of the M23, the European pledge to aid the Sahel region, the murder of two French journalists in Mali, US non-action in Ethiopian displacement crisis, genetically modified foods in Tanzania, challenges in East African integration, and better farming technology across Africa.

DR Congo M23 rebels 'end insurgency'
The M23 rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo says it is ending its insurgency, hours after the government claimed military victory. In a statement, the movement said it would adopt "purely political means" to achieve its goals and urged its fighters to disarm and demobilise. The government said the last remaining rebels had either surrendered or fled the country overnight. The army says it will now pursue other rebel groups that do not disarm. – BBC
To read more, please visit the BBC site here

UN, EU pledge $8.25 billion to Africa's Sahel region to fight poverty, hunger, instability
The World Bank and the European Union on Monday pledged $8.25 billion to boost economic growth and fight poverty in Africa's Sahel region. The announcement came on the eve of an historic trip to the Sahel by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. The EU is donating $6.75 billion over seven years. The World Bank is contributing $1.5 billion over two years. – Washington Post
To read more, please visit the Washington Post site here

Fabius: 'Assassiner un journaliste, c'est toujours commettre un double crime'
Une minute de silence a été observée, à l'Assemblée nationale, mardi 5 novembre, en hommage à Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon, les deux journalistes de Radio France internationale (RFI) tués samedi au Mali. "Assassiner un journaliste, c'est toujours commettre un double crime", a déclaré le ministre des affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, après ce moment de recueillement à l'ouverture de la séance des questions au gouvernement. – Le Monde
Pour en lire plus, veuillez visiter le site Le Monde ici

Aiding and Abetting: UK and US complicity in Ethiopia's mass displacement
The US-based think tank, the Oakland Institute, recently accused the UK and US governments of aiding and abetting the eviction of thousands of people from their land in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley. The accusation was not new – it had been made before by Survival International and Human Rights Watch amongst others. What was new about this report was that it made use of transcripts of interviews conducted by officials from the UK Department for International Development (DfID) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), during a field visit to the lower Omo in January 2012. – Think Africa Press
To read more, please visit the Think Africa Press site here

Tanzania becomes latest battleground for GM food supporters and opponents
Scientists are developing drought-tolerant corn, something that could ease hunger across Tanzania and sub-Saharan Africa. But the corn can't be planted here because it was genetically modified. Opponents of genetically modified crops have made a stand in Africa – and now villages like Engaruka are squarely in the middle of a global ideological war over agricultural technology. –The Guardian
To read more, please visit the Guardian site here

DRC conflict hinders East African Integration
As the majority of East African Community countries signed an agreement paving the way for a single tourist visa in the region from 2014, some believe that Tanzania's hesitance to agree to this integration is largely due to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The EAC comprises Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. But on Aug. 2 only Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda signed an agreement, which introduces a single visa that can be obtained at any entry point effective from January 2014. "The visa will cost 100 dollars [for non-citizens of the three signatory countries] for up to 90 days. The country of entry will collect the fee," Peter Okota, an immigration officer in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, told IPS. Each country will receive 30 dollars from this fee, while the remaining 10 dollars will go towards technical operations. – IPS News
To read more, please visit the IPS News site here

Africa: Smartphone app offers cheap aflatoxin test for farmers
A smartphone application could offer a cheap way for African farming communities to manage cancer-causing toxins produced by a fungus that grows on crops while building a 'big data' set to assist research on outbreaks. The Lab-on-Mobile-Device (LMD) platform can detect aflatoxins as accurately as a laboratory test, but can be carried out anywhere at a fraction of the cost using a smartphone camera. – allAfrica
To read more, please visit the allAfrica site here