News That Matters To Africa©️
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Sometimes it’s just a lot easier NOT to let the world know what is wrong.”
HIGHLIGHTS
2 years on, Sudan’s war is spreading
Mali & Algeria face-off over drone downing
SAfr’s GNU coalition endures
French Minister hails ‘new phase’ with Algeria
‘Unprecedented crisis’ in Africa healthcare says report.
TOP NEWS
AFRICA-GENERAL NEWS
EASTERN AFRICA
DRCONGO War/Crisis
Refugee camp in Burundi is closed
Burundi has shut down a transit site sheltering tens of thousands of refugees who have fled violence in neighbouring eastern DR Congo, witnesses and a local official told AFP on Saturday. According to the United Nations Rugombo Stadium has been hosting more than 45,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has been on the offensive for months. In their advance M23 fighters have seized vast swathes of the DRC’s mineral-rich yet restive east, including areas along Burundi’s western border, triggering fears of a regional war. The UN estimates that about 70,000 refugees have fled the fighting to Burundi since January in the “largest refugee influx in decades”, with a local official calling the situation at the Rugombo Stadium “untenable”.
President meets angry crowds as he tours flood-ravaged capital
President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday met angry residents who lost their homes in flash weekend floods in the capital Kinshasa that have killed at least 33 people.
Flooding frequently proves deadly in Kinshasa, which sits on the banks of the Congo River, Africa’s second largest after the Nile. Poor maintenance and inadequate sewerage systems have left drainage pipes blocked by rubbish in many poorer neighbourhoods. Those living in makeshift shacks and quarters with unpaved streets are especially at risk in the overcrowded city, with an estimated population of some 17 million. “Dad, you left your children in the street,” a resident told Tshisekedi, who along with his wife Denise Nyakeru visited some 600 people sheltering in a stadium transformed into an emergency shelter. “They call you a man of concrete but you’re not helping your people,” a resident told him, referring to his nickname in French. The DRCongo leader also faced questions regarding the shambolic infrastructure and sanitation in the megapolis. “Stay healthy and may the Lord protect you,” Tshisekedi said, ringed by members of the Republican Guard, before he left the stadium.
Americans jailed over failed coup handed over as talks on minerals progress
The three Americans convicted for participating in a botched coup attempt in Congo last year have been repatriated to the United States, days after their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, Congo’s presidency said Tuesday. The three will serve their sentences in the U.S. following the repatriation done in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina Salama said on X. The presidency said they left Tuesday morning. The pardon and repatriation came amid efforts by Congolese authorities to sign a minerals deal with the U.S. in exchange for security support that will help Kinshasa fight rebels in the country’s conflict-hit east. U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Africa last week confirmed the countries were in talks on the issue and said it could involve “multi-billion-dollar investments.” The U.S. has estimated Congo has trillions of dollars in mineral wealth, much of it untapped.
ETHIOPIA
PM Abiy appoints new leader of Tigray administration
Lt. Gen. TadeWerWeredee has been named the new interim president of the Tigray region, replacing Getachew Reda. Lt. Gen. Tadesse was the deputy president of Tigray’s interim administration and head of the cabinet secretariat for peace and security. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a statement on social media, noted that extensive discussions were held over the past month, considering the Ethiopian Constitution, the Pretoria Agreement, and diplomatic advice, to determine the leadership transition following the end of Getachew Reda’s term. He expressed confidence that Lt. Gen. Tadesse, having served as Getachew’s deputy for the past two years and understanding the region’s challenges and strengths, is well-positioned to lead Tigray forward, fulfilling the people’s desire for peace and development. “Today marks the peaceful and formal implementation of a leadership transition program—an important step toward cultivating a new political culture,” said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. During the handover ceremony Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede signed a one-page document outlining eight key mandates expected of Tigray’s Interim Administration under his leadership.
Boeing strikes deal to avoid trial over 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash
Boeing has reached a last-minute settlement to avoid a civil trial that was due to start Monday over the fatal 2019 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX plane, the plaintiffs’ lawyers said. The Chicago trial was to feature two plaintiffs who lost family members in the calamity, but both cases were settled on Sunday evening, the Clifford law firm told AFP. The Boeing plane crashed on March 10, 2019, just six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa on its way to Kenya, killing all 157 people on board. Relatives of 155 of the victims had sued Boeing between April 2019 and March 2021 for wrongful death, negligence and other charges. As of late last month, there were 18 complaints still open against Boeing, a source familiar with the case told AFP. Sunday’s deal meant that a further four cases had been settled since then, said multiple judicial source. US Judge Jorge Alonso has split the Boeing lawsuits into groups of five or six plaintiffs, only annulling a potential trial if all the suits settle.
KENYA
Kidnapped Kenyan officials released by Al-Shaabab after 2 months in captivity
Five local Kenyan officials have been released from captivity, Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said, two months after they were kidnapped by gunmen in the northeast of the country. Gunmen believed to be from the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab terrorist group reportedly abducted the village chiefs, who were government-appointed local officials, in Mandera county in February near the border of Somalia, where the group is based. “We decided to work together with the community, and to work with the county government of Mandera… and this process has borne fruit,” Murkomen told journalists, according to footage by broadcaster NTV Kenya seen on X.
Kenya sees potential benefits from new U.S. tariffs
Kenya has responded to the newly imposed 10 per cent tariff on its exports to the United States, viewing it as both a challenge and a potential economic opportunity. While the tariff increases costs for Kenyan businesses, the government believes it could position Kenya as an alternative sourcing hub in sectors like textiles and manufacturing. In a statement, Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry Lee Kinyanjui assured Kenyans that the government is actively working to mitigate any negative effects while seizing new opportunities. Kinyanjui added that the Kenyan government recognizes that adapting to the tariff changes will require significant investment in infrastructure, technology, and skills development. Despite the challenges, the government remains confident that with the right policies and partnerships, Kenya can turn this situation into a catalyst for economic growth. “This is not the time to panic,” Kinyanjui concluded. “It is the time to be strategic, innovative, and bold in securing Kenya’s place in international trade.”
Kenya’s ambitious plan to turn Kakuma refugee camp into a city
More than three decades after its first tents appeared in 1992, Kakuma houses 300,000 refugees. Many rely on aid to survive. Some recently clashed with the police over shrinking food rations and support. Now, the Kenyan government and humanitarian agencies have come up with an ambitious plan for Kakuma to evolve into a city. Although it remains under the United Nations’ management, Kakuma has been redesignated a municipality, one that local government officials later will run. It is part of broader goal in Kenya and elsewhere of incorporating refugees more closely into local populations and shifting from prolonged reliance on aid. The refugees in Kakuma eventually will have to fend for themselves, living off their incomes rather than aid. The nearest city is eight hours’ drive away. Such self-reliance is not easy. Some question the vision of Kakuma becoming a thriving, self-reliant city. Rahul Oka, an associate research professor with the University of Notre Dame said it lacks the resources — particularly water — and infrastructure to sustain a viable economy that can rely on local production.
High Court gives state 21 days to prove withdrawal of Gates Foundation’s diplomatic immunity
The High Court has given the government 21 days to prove it has withdrawn diplomatic privileges granted to The Gates Foundation under a contested Host Country Agreement. This comes after the foundation announced it had mutually agreed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to terminate the agreement. The dispute began when Kenya granted the foundation special status through a legal notice, number 157, issued on October 4, 2024, by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. The legal notice conferred a range of diplomatic privileges and immunities to the foundation’s expatriates. However, the move sparked legal action from the LSK, which questioned its legality and the transparency surrounding the issuance of such privileges. The court had previously issued conservatory orders suspending the Gazette Notice that conferred these privileges. During the proceedings, the court was informed that the Gates Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had agreed to withdraw from the Host Country Agreement. The foundation’s Africa Director, Dr. Paulin Basinga, confirmed the decision in a statement.
RWANDA
Kagame defiant at 31st anniversary of the 1994 genocide
Rwandan President Paul Kagame delivered a fiery and defiant message during Kwibuka 31, the 31st annual commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, declaring that Rwanda will never again succumb to forces that once brought it to the brink of annihilation. At the Kigali Genocide Memorial, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined thousands across the country and the diaspora in lighting the Flame of Remembrance and laying wreaths in honour of more than one million lives lost during one of the darkest chapters in human history. The genocide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), led by then-commander Paul Kagame, stopped the killings and seized control of the country. But Rwanda was left in ashes—physically, emotionally, and morally. From a nation with no functioning institutions, no economy, and a traumatised population, Rwanda has transformed into one of Africa’s most stable and forward-looking countries. Kagame’s defiance was also directed at international actors who have recently escalated pressure on Rwanda over the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo. “We are not afraid of any sanctions,” Kagame declared. “And I will tell anybody to their face to go to hell.”… The President’s remarks extended to all Africans enduring marginalization and indignity. “My message goes to other Africans who live [in fear] every single day, who are dehumanized and accept it, and they beg. I can’t beg anybody to live. We will fight….If I lose, I lose. But there is a significant chance that if you stand up and fight, you will live and live a dignified life that you deserve.”
Pictorial: How ‘Kwibuka 31’ unfolded around the globe
As Rwanda commenced the 31st commemoration week of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwandan communities abroad were joined by foreign dignitaries and friends of Rwanda to commemoration over the one million lives that were lost in a 100 days.
SOMALIA
Airport and military base targeted by Al-Shabaab
Al-Shabaab militants fired mortars at Mogadishu’s international airport and the nearby Halane military base early on Sunday, wounding two civilians in residential areas, security sources and locals said. At least six mortars struck the Halane compound in the Wadajir district around 6:05 a.m. local time, a heavily guarded facility housing Western embassies, international organizations, and the African Union’s AUSSOM mission, according to witnesses and a security official. Several rounds also landed in nearby neighborhoods, including Kaawo Godey, where a woman and a young man were injured, residents reported…The AUSSOM confirmed the attack but said no personnel at the base were harmed. [Al-Shabaab] is suspected of carrying out the assault. The attack comes a day after mortars hit near the presidential palace, with one striking the National Theatre and injuring several people. Earlier this week, the militants targeted Aden Adde International Airport during a visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, while violence has also surged in the Lower Shabelle region…The latest strike underscores the ongoing security challenges facing Somalia’s capital, which the group continues to target.
SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan blames ‘unfair’ revocation of US visas on a mistaken nationality
South Sudan has criticized the revocation of US visas for all its nationals as unfair and said it was based on an incident that didn’t involve one of its citizens but another African national. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that the decision to revoke all visas for South Sudanese came because the country’s government failed to accept the return of its citizens being removed from the United States “in a timely manner.” On Monday, South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said that the deportee who was denied entry on Friday was found to be a Congolese national and he was returned to the US and all supporting evidence shared with American officials. “The government deeply regrets that despite this history of collaboration and partnership, South Sudan now faces a broad revocation of visas based on an isolated incident involving misrepresentation by an individual who is not a South Sudanese national,” it said in a statement.
U.S. Visa Ban Adds to South Sudan’s Mounting Troubles
The Trump administration’s decision over the weekend to revoke visas for all South Sudanese passport holders has added to the mounting political and humanitarian challenges of a country on the brink of civil war, officials and observers said on Monday. Tensions between the two political leaders of South Sudan have escalated in recent weeks, especially after the authorities put the vice president under house arrest in late March. Millions of people are also facing hunger, displacement and disease as violence intensifiesand the United States cuts aid. Observers say the sweeping visa ban shows how Washington is retreating from South Sudan — a nation the United States helped bring into existence nearly 15 years ago — at a time of immense need. The deputy secretary of state, Christopher Landau, said on social media that South Sudan had refused to accept the repatriation of one of its nationals.The Trump administration has not said whether it would seek to deport South Sudanese nationals whose visas had been revoked. South Sudan sends relatively few travelers to the United States. Just 46 nonimmigrant visas were issued to its nationals in January, compared with more than 2,500 to people from neighboring Kenya.
Allies of South Sudan’s arrested Vice President denounce weapons ban
The political movement of a detained South Sudanese vice president on Monday called on followers to ignore army orders not to carry arms in public and instead “remain armed and vigilant”. The army demand came amid fears of renewed fighting in the conflict-wracked country following the March 26 arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, a longtime rival to President Salva Kiir. Along with the weapons ban, the army also told Riek Machar’s SPLA-IO forces to report to government offices or barracks “to resume their normal duties”, according to a SPLA-IO statement…Riek Machar and Salva Kiir entered a power-sharing deal in 2018 that has gradually unravelled, risking a return of the civil war that killed around 400,000 people in the African nation. More than 20 of the vice president’s political and military allies have been arrested since February, with some held incommunicado. AFP
OpEd: South Sudan on the brink of civil war
SUDAN
War/Crisis:
“Catastrophic” conditions in El- Fasher say activists
Civilians trapped in Sudan’s El-Fasher city are facing “catastrophic” conditions, activists warned on Sunday, with their situation rapidly deteriorating amid a months-long paramilitary siege. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have taken most of the vast Darfur region in their war against the regular army since April 2023, but El-Fasher in North Darfur remains the only regional state capital the RSF has not conquered. A local advocacy group, the Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees, said in a statement that residents “bear the brunt of artillery shelling” and live “with the sounds of aircraft and their terrifying and deadly missiles, in addition to the daily suffering of hunger, disease and drought”. Life in El-Fasher and other areas of Darfur “has come to a complete standstill”, the group said, with no food at markets and a “complete halt” in humanitarian aid…There was a sharp rise in prices of basic commodities and “a severe shortage in cash”, it added, warning of an “unprecedented and catastrophic deterioration” in already dire conditions in and around El-Fasher. The RSF-aligned armed group Sudan Liberation Army called on Saturday for civilians in El-Fasher and the nearby displacement camps of Abu Shouk and Zamzan to leave, warning of an “escalation of military operations”.
As Sudan’s army retakes ground, some displaced residents return to ravaged capital
As the army pushes back RSF fighters and regains ground in the capital, a cautious trickle of residents is making the journey home. Abdulilah Mohamed, an elderly resident of Sharg Elnil in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, returned to his family home after fleeing from civil war. The streets, now strewn with debris and remnants of conflict, led him to a structure barely standing after two years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. “They left nothing behind, they took everything and destroyed everything,” he lamented, referring to the RSF as he stood amid the broken walls of his house and the fragments of his family’s belongings. Mohamed is one of millions who once lived in the greater capital area, which includes the cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, and were forced to flee when war broke out in April 2023 amidst a power. Entire neighborhoods in Khartoum were flattened, though some parts of Omdurman managed to retain access to utilities. Now, as the army pushes back RSF fighters and regains ground in the capital, a cautious trickle of residents is making the journey home. But for many, the road home is lined with uncertainty. The return of more residents hinges on the government’s ability to rebuild.
Two years on, Sudan’s war is spreading
Two years into Sudan’s civil war, the country and the surrounding region face a moment of reckoning. The biggest turning point in the conflict to date came in March, when the Sudanese army recaptured Khartoum from its adversary, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF had held the upper hand in the capital since the war’s onset, forcing the army to decamp to Port Sudan in the far east and pushing the state to the brink of collapse. But instead of using this advance to pursue peace, the army appears to want to press on for total victory, while the RSF aims to expand the war to new areas. Both sides are still receiving ample outside support to continue fighting. Further escalation could lead the country to fragment. It also risks destabilising Sudan’s neighbours, especially Chad and South Sudan.
UN concerned over Sudan’s Blue Nile displacement, aid access blocked
The United Nations voiced grave concern on Monday for thousands of civilians displaced by insecurity in Sudan’s Blue Nile state and lamented the lack of humanitarian access to reach them due to fighting and bureaucratic obstacles. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said local authorities estimate 4,000 people fleeing Ullu and other towns in the southeastern state’s Bau locality were heading northeast towards the state capital Ed Damazine, some 230 kilometres away. About 600 people have already arrived in Ed Damazine and are taking shelter at a displacement site, Dujarric told reporters. “Ongoing insecurity and bureaucratic constraints have prevented humanitarian partners from reaching impacted areas,” he said during a regular press briefing…He also noted that the situation was further complicated by the recent arrivals of people fleeing from neighbouring South Sudan into other parts of Blue Nile State. Sudan Tribune
Sudanese refugees flee to Chad amid deadly airstrikes
The first stop for many Sudanese refugees fleeing deadly ground attacks and airstrikes in Sudan is a remote mobile medical clinic along the border with Chad, operated by Doctors Without Borders. Sudan’s civil war is entering its third year, and increasing airstrikes have been a driving factor for many refugees now fleeing the country for safety in neighboring Chad…“As the Sudanese Armed Forces have made progress in Khartoum, we’ve seen more [R.S.F.] moving towards Darfur,” said Kate Hixon, advocacy director for Sub-Saharan Africa Amnesty USA. “Wherever the R.S.F. is, we’ve seen burning of villages, blocking of aid, conflict related sexual violence, and we expect an increase in that in the coming weeks.” While Ms. Hixon notes an expected increase in ground attacks as the R.S.F. regroups in its Darfur stronghold, she said airstrikes from both sides of the war had been a driving factor of recent displacement. In recent months, the influx of refugees to the region prompted Doctors Without Borders to scale up its services along the more rural northern border regions of Chad. Survivors who recently fled the Darfur region described to The New York Times how airstrikes by Sudan’s military would follow shortly after R.S.F. fighters infiltrated their villages or marketplaces. The New York Times
Khartoum protests ‘no invitation’ to conference on Sudan hosted by UK
The Sudanese government has officially objected to the UK’s decision to host an international conference on Sudan on April 15 without inviting Sudanese authorities to attend. Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yusuf conveyed this stance in a letter to his British counterpart David Lammy last week, according to a Sudanese Foreign Ministry statement. The ministry said Yusuf’s letter expressed “Sudan’s objection to Britain holding a conference on Sudan without extending an invitation to the Sudanese government.” He criticised “the British government’s approach, which equates the sovereign Sudanese state — a UN member since 1956 — with a terrorist militia (the Rapid Support Forces RSF) committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and unprecedented atrocities against civilians.”
UGANDA/SOMALIA
Museveni to host summit on AU operation in Somalia
President Yoweri Museveni announced that Uganda will host a summit on April 25 to discuss the ongoing AUSSOM operation in Somalia, which began in January 2025. Leaders from countries contributing troops to the mission, as well as Egypt, which is set to join the operation, are expected to attend…The AUSSOM operation, involving 11,000 troops from various countries, supports the Somali government in stabilizing areas previously controlled by Al-Shabaab. The operation is set to last for one year, during which Somali forces will receive assistance to enhance their capabilities. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with Museveni in Kampala on April 5 to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, regional security, and the fight against Al-Shabaab. Uganda has had troops in Somalia since 2007, becoming the first country to send forces there. Currently, over 4,000 Ugandan soldiers are stationed in key areas, including the Aden Adde International Airport and the port, contributing to several operations aimed at pushing Al-Shabaab out of strategic locations in Mogadishu.
UGANDA
ICC to pay 52m euros to victims of LRA
The International Criminal Court Monday confirmed the award of 52 million euros to victims of a Ugandan warlord who pressed a brutal reign of terror as part of the Lord’s Resistance Army commanded by fugitive Joseph Kony. Dominic Ongwen, whose nom de guerre was “White Ant”, is currently serving a 25-year jail sentence for 61 charges, including murder, rape and sexual enslavement. ICC judges had last year ordered 52 million euros in damages, including a “symbolic” payment of 750 euros for each of the near 50,000 victims identified in the case. Ongwen had appealed the award but ICC appeals court judges unanimously rejected the challenge, according to presiding judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, who also comes from Uganda…ICC judges ruled Ongwen personally ordered his soldiers to carry out massacres of more than 130 civilians at the Lukodi, Pajule, Odek and Abok refugee camps between 2002 and 2005. While the court acknowledged he had been kidnapped as a “defenceless child”, judges said this did not mitigate his guilt. The court’s Trust Fund for Victims will arrange for the reparations to be made as Ongwen — currently serving his sentence in a Norwegian prison — was unable to pay.
WEST AFRICA
BURKINA FASO
Govt warns against online terrorism incitement
The military regime of jihadist-hit Burkina Faso on Monday warned people against liking or sharing content online “inciting terrorism”. The West African nation has been ruled by a military junta since a September 2022 coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who has promised to restore security. Dissenting voices have been regularly silenced, detained or kidnapped in the name of the war against jihadists…Videos or accounts of jihadist attacks targeting the Burkinabe army and civilian populations are regularly relayed on social media, often contradicting stories of military success shared by the junta…Under Burkina Faso’s penal code, advocating for terrorism and spreading fake news can result in prison sentences of one to five years. For fear of reprisals, some media outlets restrict comments under sensitive publications on social media. Several journalists have recently been kidnapped and conscripted into the army to fight the jihadists.
GABON
Preparing for first presidential election since the 2023 military coup
Gabon is preparing for its first presidential election since the 2023 military coup that ended the Bongo family’s 56-year rule. General Brice Oligui Nguema, leader of the coup and head of the transitional government, has announced his candidacy. The election is scheduled for Saturday, with results expected the same night. Nguema, who initially promised to hand power back to civilians, declared himself head of the transitional government and last month announced his candidacy for Saturday’s vote. His main challenger is Bongo’s former prime minister Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, who has created his own movement, Together for Gabon, in an effort to distance himself from the Bongo regime. Nguema is tipped to win, given his advantages as incumbent and his popularity as the architect of the end to Ali Bongo’s unpopular rule. However, he also has a tight hold on power in which the senate, national assembly and constitutional court are stacked with loyalists, political analysts said. He has talked of a Gabon that “rises from the ashes” and described himself as someone who will “build the nation”.
GAMBIA
Another Jammeh associate faces trial in US for atrocities
Another of former Gambian strongman Yahya Jammeh’s men is facing trial for past atrocities that prosecutors say helped put the West African leader in power through the suppression of dissent. The trial of Michael Sang Correa begins later on Monday in Denver, United States, and could reveal the extent of the methods used to maim or kill Jammeh’s opponents. Correa is a former Gambian soldier and faces charges under a rarely used law that prosecutes crimes committed outside the US…According to the [Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission] report, Correa was individually culpable for the unlawful killing of a total of 11 people, besides participating in other acts of torture. His victims included Gambia’s most famous journalist, Deyda Hydara, who was shot dead in 2004, and two young Gambian-American businessmen suspected of staging a coup. Correa was first detained in the US in 2019 for overstaying his visa. Subsequent investigations led to his charging in 2020 by the US Department of Justice with torture and conspiracy to commit the torture of at least six people, according to a citation by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Correa is the first non-US citizen to be charged under the Extraterritorial Torture Statutes since they were enacted in 1994. He will be the third person to be tried under the law…Correa’s trial has rekindled hopes for Jammeh’s victims amid doubts about the commitment of President Barrow’s administration to justice.
MALI/ALGERIA
Sahel trio to withdrawn Ambassadors after Algeria is accused of shooting Malian drone down
Mali accused neighbouring Algeria of shooting down one of its surveillance drones near their shared border in a statement read out by the security minister on national TV on Sunday. The West African country and its allies Burkina Faso and Niger will recall their ambassadors from Algeria for consultations over the incident, they said in a separate joint statement on Sunday. Mali said the drone wreckage was found 9.5 kilometres south of the border with Algeria after it was shot down in the night between March 31 and April 1…The three Sahel countries said in their joint statement that they energetically condemned the “irresponsible act by the Algerian regime.” Algeria’s Defence Ministry on April 1 said the army had shot down an “armed surveillance drone” that violated the North African country’s airspace near Tinzaouaten, a community that straddles the border, without providing further details. Mali’s army said in a statement at the time that one of its unmanned aircraft had crashed while on a routine surveillance mission.
Algeria and Mali block each other’s flights after drone shot down
Algeria and Mali have each closed their airspace to flights from the other country, as the row over a drone that was shot down close to their common border escalates. Algeria was the first to ban flights to and from Mali, then Mali later said it was doing the same to all Algerian flights “in reciprocation”. Sunday’s strongly worded statement from Mali’s foreign ministry had challenged Algeria’s earlier explanation that the unmanned surveillance aircraft had violated its airspace. The statement described the downing of the drone as a “hostile premeditated action”. Algeria described the allegations regarding terrorism as “lacking in seriousness [and they]… warrant no attention or response”. Mali’s armed forces are fighting ethnic Tuareg separatists in the north. They have a stronghold in the town of Tinzaoutin, which straddles the Mali-Algeria border.
The shooting down of the drone raised diplomatic tensions, as Mali, along with its allies Niger and Burkina Faso, recalled their ambassadors from Algiers. “Due to the repeated violations of our airspace by Mali, the Algerian government has decided to close it to air traffic coming from or to Mali, effective today,” Algeria’s defence ministry said on Monday.
MALI
Separatist commander arrested in Niger
A commander of a separatist rebel coalition operating in Mali’s volatile north was arrested in Niger last week, local security sources told AFP on Monday. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) was created late last year in a merger of several predominantly Tuareg groups seeking to seize territory in northern Mali. A security source confirmed that Nigerien security services arrested Inkinane Ag Attaher, who the FLA says is a “commander within the Azawad army”, in charge of training fighting units. Bamako may soon request his extradition, according to a Malian source. Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, three countries governed by military juntas, have formed their own confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), set up initially as a defence pact in 2023. Attaher deserted from the Malian army and, in 2012, joined the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a group of separatist rebels who ousted the army from several regions in northern Mali. Several Sahel observers consider him to be very active in the FLA’s international networks, particularly those connected to Ukraine.
Thousands attend funeral of star Amadou Bagayoko
Thousands of people gathered in Mali on Sunday for the funeral of musician Amadou Bagayoko, of the world-renowned duo Amadou & Mariam. Friends, relatives, fans and fellow artists flocked to the ceremony in the capital, Bamako – including musician Salif Keita and former prime minister Moussa Mara. One of the most successful African musical acts of the 2000s, husband and wife duo Amadou & Mariam achieved global fame by combining West African influences with rhythm and blues. Their breakthrough album, 2004’s Dimanche à Bamako, sold half a million copies worldwide and led to collaborations with Blur’s Damon Albarn, as well as appearances at the Glastonbury and Coachella festivals. Bagayoko had died on Friday in Bamako at the age of 70.
NIGERIA
Gunmen kill at least 52 people in Nigeria’s Plateau state
Gunmen have killed at least 52 people and displaced nearly 2,000 others over several days of attacks in Nigeria’s northern Plateau state, which has a history of violence between farmers and cattle herders, the national emergency agency said. The reason for the attacks in six villages in Plateau’s Bokkos district last week was not immediately known but it is the worst outbreak of violence since December 2023, when more than 100 people were killed in the same district. Plateau is one of several ethnically and religiously diverse hinterland states known as Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where inter-communal conflict has claimed hundreds of lives in recent years. The violence is often painted as ethno-religious conflict between Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers. But climate change and the reduction of grazing land through agricultural expansion are also major factors.
Nigerian court adjourns Binance, executives’ tax evasion trial to April 30
A Nigerian court has adjourned a tax evasion case against Binance to April 30 to allow the local tax authority to respond to a request by the cryptocurrency exchange to annul an order for court documents to be served on it by email, a lawyer for Binance said on Monday. The lawyer, Chukwuka Ikwuazom, asked the court to set aside the order because the tax authority did not obtain a leave from the court to serve court documents on Binance outside Nigeria. Binance does not have a physical office in Nigeria. Nigeria has filed a lawsuit seeking to compel Binance to pay $79.5 billion for economic losses it says were caused by its operations in the country and $2 billion in back taxes, according to court documents. Authorities blame Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, for Nigeria’s currency instability and detained two of its executives in 2024 after cryptocurrency websites emerged as platforms of choice for trading the local naira currency. The inland revenue service alleges that Binance has a “significant economic presence” in Nigeria and is therefore liable for corporate income tax. It is seeking a court declaration that Binance pay income taxes for 2022 and 2023, plus a 10% annual penalty on unpaid amounts.
Nigerians protest over cybercrime act, economic conditions
Many Nigerians on Monday participated in nationwide protests over the misuse of the Cybercrime Act and the worsening economic hardship in the country. The protests, organized by the Take It Back Movement, were held in various states of the country despite repeated warnings by the police. Since the Cybercrime Act was signed into law in 2015, many media outlets and journalists have witnessed massive cyberattacks from authorities for publishing critical reports. Protesters wielding placards with various inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” among others, cited high inflation, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies in May 2023, and endemic corruption as key reasons for their actions. The coordinator of the protest in Lagos, Juwon Sanyaolu, said that the protest was necessary to resist the “increasing authoritarianism of the government and to demand relief for Nigerians amid inflation and insecurity.”
Outcry over emir’s summons prompts U-turn from Nigerian police
Nigerian police have withdrawn a summons issued to one of the country’s most respected traditional leaders after it was widely condemned. The emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, is engaged in a tussle for the crown with his cousin Aminu Ado Bayero, who is said to enjoy the support of the national government. Prior to the recent Eid al-Fitr celebration, police in Kano banned the annual horse parade, or durbar, fearing trouble between supporters of the rival claimants. However, Sanusi chose to ride on horseback after Eid prayers, accompanied by local vigilantes. This led to clashes between rival groups which saw one man stabbed to death, prompting the police to order Sanusi to appear at the national police headquarters in the capital, Abuja. However, this prompted an outcry with many Nigerians saying it showed a lack of respect to the emirate, which is one of the oldest institutions in the country. Traditional leaders in Nigeria hold few constitutional powers but are able to exert significant influence as they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition.
ECOWAS Says Africa Loses $88.6 Billion Yearly to Illicit Financial Flows
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said that illicit financial flows cost Africa a whopping $88.6 billion yearly. Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace, and security, said this during a training on financial investigation for anti-corruption institutions across its member-states…Mr Musah, who was represented by Ebenezer Asiedu, the commission’s head of the democracy and good governance division, according to TheCable , also linked the fragility of democracy in the region to corruption, which is a key driver of illicit financial flows…Illicit financial flows refer to the movement of money across borders. Such flows are illegal in its source—as in corruption and smuggling; its transfer, as tax evasion; or its use, as in terrorist financing. Weak laws, regulations and law enforcement activities, bribery and corruption, weak tax and anti-money laundering regimes contribute significantly to the capital hemorrhage through illicit financial flows out of Africa…He expressed concern on the increasing adoption of crypto-currencies and other emerging forms of online financial systems, saying that it has introduced new risks and vulnerabilities across member states as the financial industry evolves in West Africa.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
MALAWI
Malawi owns just 15% of its own uranium mine
When a nation discovers a natural resource as valuable as uranium, it should be a moment of transformation. A turning point. A chance to rewrite the story of poverty into one of prosperity. But Malawi, instead, is rewriting its history in the ink of exploitation. At the heart of Karonga District lies Kayelekera—a uranium-rich mine capable of reshaping Malawi’s economic landscape. Yet, while the world scrambles for uranium amid a global energy shift, Malawi has locked itself into a deal that gives it only a 15% stake—while Australian multinational Lotus Resources Limited walks away with 85%. In July 2024, Malawi’s government signed a new Mining Development Agreement (MDA) with Lotus. The same lop-sided shareholding from 2009 was simply rubber-stamped by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Mining, and Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, who described the deal as a “fair split.” …Additionally, the 54 Australian expatriates at Kayelekera collectively earn US$5.45 million annually. 441 Malawians share US$2.21 million annually. That means the average Australian worker earns nearly 46 times what a Malawian does—on Malawian soil, from Malawian resources.
SOUTH AFRICA
GNU coalition endures | ANC refuses to expel DA over VAT increase opposition
The African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee (NWC) has decided to maintain its working relationship with the Democratic Alliance (DA) within the Government of National Unity (GNU). This decision comes despite intense opposition related to the recently approved 0.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) hike proposed by the National Treasury. The decision to raise VAT by 0.5% has ignited considerable backlash, particularly among opposition parties. The DA has condemned the hike, arguing that it disproportionately burdens low-income individuals and the working class, exacerbating existing economic inequalities. The DA has initiated legal proceedings to contest the VAT increase in response to what they view as an injustice. Despite opposing the VAT increase, the DA has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to the alliance.
South Africa’s citrus industry is under threat following US tariffs
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 31% tariff on imports from South Africa, the Citrus Growers’ Association warns 35,000 jobs tied to the citrus export sector would be jeopardized. SA, the world’s second-largest citrus exporter after Spain, ships between 5% and6% of its produce to the US, earning more than $100m (R1.95bn) annually. The new tariff would place an additional $4.50 (R87.80) cost on each carton, making S’s fruit less competitive in the US market. With farmers starting to pack citrus destined for the US market this week, growers have called on the government “to prioritise immediate negotiations with the US on tariff reductions or exemptions on citrus”. Africa’s most advanced economy has said it will not retaliate against the US, its second largest bilateral trading partner after China. Instead, SA said it will seek to negotiate exemptions and quota agreements.
Zelensky headed for state visit to South Africa
President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit South Africa on April 10 to meet with the country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and discuss efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on March 7. “The visit is a continuation of ongoing engagements held by President Ramaphosa with President Putin and President Zelensky on an inclusive peace process that will provide a path to peace between Russia and Ukraine,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya. South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, has maintained a neutral stance in the war while deepening its economic and political tiers an with Moscow. The country is a member of the BRICS group alongside Russia and China and conducted joint naval drills with both nations while resisting Western calls to distance itself from the Kremlin. Ramaphosa previously led a peace initiative in 2023 alongside leaders from five other African nations, but the effort failed to yield concrete results. During a visit to Kyiv on June 16, 2023, he presented a 10-point peace plan as part of the African Peace Mission.
MTN & Synamedia to launch streaming platform rivalling Netflix and Showmax in Africa
MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has formed a strategic partnership with UK-based video software company Synamedia to create a new streaming platform designed specifically for mobile and fibre users across the continent. Since its launch in 1994, MTN has evolved far beyond traditional voice and data services. The company has repositioned itself as a tech-driven media player, expanding into fintech, digital services, and entertainment to meet the changing needs of its users. MTN Group, which serves 291 million customers across 16 African markets, aims to tap into the continent’s growing demand for video streaming, fueled by the rapid rise in smartphone usage and improving telecom infrastructure. The upcoming streaming service will use Synamedia’s cloud-based technology to offer both live TV and on-demand video content. With this move, MTN enters the streaming space, going head-to-head with established players like MultiChoice’s Showmax, alongside global giants such as Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.
NORTH AFRICA
ALGERIA
French Minister hails ‘new phase’ with Algeria
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot expressed hope on Sunday, April 6, for a “new phase” in relations with Algeria, during a visit aimed at mending a major diplomatic rift. After a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Barrot said that “we expressed the shared desire to (…) enter a new phase” and “rebuild a partnership of equals.” Relations between Paris and Algiers came under strain last year when France recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara, where Algeria has long backed the pro-independence Polisario Front. Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris in protest of the policy shift it has viewed as favoring its North African rival. Relations soured further in November when Algeria arrested French-Algerian writer Boualem…The top diplomat met with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf and announced a resumption of security cooperation with an upcoming meeting of senior intelligence officials from both countries. Barrot said that “we will have a strategic dialogue on the Sahel” region, plagued by a transnational jihadist insurgency and where a series of coups saw countries turn away from former colonial power France. France and Algeria will also resume cooperation on migration and visa issues “within the framework of existing agreements,” Barrot said.
EGYPT
Italian police say they disrupted migrant smuggling ring, 15 Egyptians arrested
Italian police said on Tuesday that they had dismantled a migrant smuggling network, leading to the arrests in several countries of 15 Egyptians involved in using sailing boats for dangerous illegal sea crossings from Turkiye to Greece and Italy. According to an Italian police statement, the network facilitated the illegal entry into Italy of at least 3,000 migrants since 2021, earning more than $30 million by charging them $10,000 each. The Italian police said that the arrests were made simultaneously in multiple countries and that the smuggling network had been led by an Egyptian who ran operations from Istanbul. “The organisation had set up a system that involved recruiting professional skippers [ships’ captains], almost all Egyptian, providing logistical support in Turkiye while the migrants waited to leave, and transporting them in sailing boats to the Greek and Italian coasts,” said Italian police. Crossings departing from the Turkish ports of Bodrum, Izmir and Marmari took up to a week, with dozens of migrants crammed on board 12-15 metre boats with no life-saving equipment, the police explained.
The Maltese Falcon Poachers: How European hunters brought death and destruction to Egypt’s migratory birds
A 15-month-long investigation has exposed the cracks in international conservation efforts around the hunting of Maltese falcons and other species in Egypt. Millions of euros have flowed from EU conservation funds to protect these species, only for them to be gunned down by Europeans in Egypt. Evidence was everywhere. In Malta, freezers filled with bird skins and carcasses were confiscated in raids, many tied directly to hunting expeditions in Egypt. From Aswan, the investigation went deep into Egypt’s rural heartlands, tracing a shadowy trail to Fayoum and beyond. There, investigators uncovered the digital footprints of Maltese hunters flaunting their prized trophies. At the core of this grim enterprise lay taxidermy: rare birds, hunted and smuggled, are meticulously stuffed and mounted to serve as coveted status symbols adorning Maltese living rooms. With exclusive accounts from conservationists and hunting trip organizers, alongside public records of raids and arrests, this investigation highlights the urgent need for international cooperation to uphold global conservation commitments.
LIBYA
Trial of former President Sarkozy sheds light on France’s back-channel talks with Libya’s Gadhafi
The monthslong trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign is shedding light on France’s surprising back-channel talks with the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Family members of terrorist attacks sponsored by Gadhafi’s regime have told the court they suspect that Sarkozy was willing to sacrifice the memories of their loved ones in order to normalize ties with oil-rich Libya almost two decades ago. The trial, which started in January, ends Tuesday with Sarkozy’s lawyers’ closing arguments. The verdict is expected at a later date. French prosecutors requested a seven-year prison sentence for the 70-year-old former leader. Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012, has denied all wrongdoing. Key moments in the trial focused on talks between France and Libya in the 2000s, when Gadhafi was seeking to restore diplomatic ties with the West. Before that, Libya was considered a pariah state for having sponsored attacks.
Libya to offer 22 areas for oil exploration, with attractive terms for investors
Libya is set to offer 22 areas for oil exploration in its first bidding round for such investment in more than 17 years, with new and attractive terms for investors, the country’s top oil officials told a Libya Bid Round Roadshow in London on Monday. The new bidding round comes in as Africa’s second-largest oil producer and member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) seeks to raise its oil output. The country’s current crude production has reached over 1.4 million bpd, about 200,000 bpd short of its pre-civil war high, according to its National Oil Corp (NOC). The bidding will involve acreage in the Sirte, Murzuq and Ghadamis basins as well as offshore Mediterranean, oil minister Khalifa Abdulsadek said at the event. Foreign investors have been wary of putting money in Libya, which has been in a state of chaos since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Disputes between armed rival factions over oil revenues have often led to oilfield shutdowns.
Italy’s Eni to invest $26 billion in North Africa over next four years
Italian energy group Eni will invest around 24 billion euros ($26.24 billion) in Algeria, Libya and Egypt over the next four years to help boost energy production, CEO Claudio Descalzi said on Tuesday. The investments would coincide with the Rome government’s efforts to relaunch its economic and political ties with Africa as part of its so-called Mattei Plan. Eni is already a major foreign investor in North Africa’s energy sector. Descalzi said the three countries can play an important role as hydrocarbon suppliers for Europe, but need outside investment to expand their energy production and meet rising domestic demand. “Internal demand in these countries – because of demographic growth – is increasing at about 7-8% every year, this means they need gas … they need investment,” he told an energy conference in the Italian city of Ravenna.
AFRICA-GENERAL NEWS
‘Unprecedented crisis’ in Africa healthcare: report
Members of the African Union pledged in 2001 to allocate at least 15 percent of national budgets to health, but only three countries — Rwanda, Botswana and Cabo Verde — have consistently met or exceeded the target, the CDC said in a new report. The continent faces a multi-pronged crisis, with many countries struggling under massive amounts of debt and now facing huge cuts to aid from the United States and other Western countries. It also comes as public health emergencies are surging — rising from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024, according to the CDC — as outbreaks of Mpox, Ebola, cholera and other diseases are reported. “Without decisive action, Africa CDC projects the continent could reverse two decades of health progress, face two to four million additional preventable deaths annually, and a heightened risk of a pandemic emerging from within,” it said. The report highlighted Africa’s heavy dependency on foreign assistance, with over 90 percent of vaccines, medicines and diagnostics being externally sourced, leaving countries vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. “This is not just a sectoral crisis — it is an existential threat to Africa’s political, social and economic resilience, and global stability,” said the CDC report, titled “Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era”.
India counters China with first joint African naval drill
India and 10 African countries will stage their first joint naval exercise in April in the Indian Ocean, marking a significant expansion of military cooperation aimed at enhancing maritime security and countering China’s growing influence in the region. The six-day drill, known as the Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), will be co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defense Force (TPDF). It is scheduled to begin mid-April off the coast of Dar es Salaam and is expected to become a biennial engagement, officials said. The inaugural edition will include naval forces from Tanzania, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa. India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to inaugurate the event…India has also established coastal surveillance radar stations in Seychelles, Mauritius, and the Maldives, reflecting its long-term strategy to secure critical maritime routes and challenge Beijing’s presence in the region. Defense analysts say India’s growing naval cooperation with African countries comes at a time when the Indian Ocean region is becoming a theatre of geopolitical competition.
African Union expels Israeli Ambassador from Rwanda commemoration
The Israeli ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, was expelled from the African Union headquarters after member states refused to participate in an annual meeting in his presence, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said today. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the necessary diplomatic steps with the relevant parties to make clear the gravity with which we view this event,” Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said. the African Union (AU) joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in February and has declared that Israel “is committing genocide” against the Palestinian people “and must be prosecuted internationally.” “We call for an end to cooperation and normalization with Israel until it ends its occupation and aggression against Palestine,” the final statement of the AU’s 38th summit held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from 15-16 February. An Israeli delegation was ejected from the AU’s annual summit in Ethiopia in February 2023.
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