Author: Abdihakim Kalale

LG Electronics has provided food, basic supplies, and financial assistance to 54 surviving Ethiopian veterans of the Korean War, as part of its ongoing social responsibility efforts. Ethiopia remains the only African nation that sent ground troops to the 1950–1953 Korean War, participating under the United Nations Command. The Ethiopian Kagnew Battalion fought alongside other UN forces in defense of South Korea during the conflict. Since 2013, LG has awarded scholarships to 230 descendants of Ethiopian veterans. The company also operates the LG-KOICA Hope Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in Addis Ababa, in cooperation with the Korea International…

Once known for its rich marine bounty, Somalia’s coastline is now a frontline of economic hardship. Local fishermen, who for generations relied on the sea for survival, are watching their nets come back empty — victims of unchecked illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by foreign industrial trawlers. “We used to bring home fish every morning. Now we bring nothing,” says Abdi, a fisherman in Puntland, voicing a growing despair shared along Somalia’s shores. According to estimates, Somalia loses up to $300 million annually due to illegal fishing — much of it carried out by vessels from countries that paradoxically…

In a rare and carefully worded speech delivered to his troops in Darfur, Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, extended an unexpected olive branch to neighboring Egypt, signaling a possible easing of tensions between Khartoum and Cairo. “We respect our Egyptian brothers. Whatever problems exist can be resolved through dialogue,” Hemedti said, in stark contrast to his earlier accusations that Egypt had supported the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) with military assistance. Speaking from an undisclosed location in war-torn Darfur, the RSF chief suggested that “criminal elements” were working to sabotage Sudan’s relations with…

In a powerful address at the opening of the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan placed Africa at the heart of the Islamic world’s future, stating: “Africa’s voice is our voice. The powerful voice rising from Africa today signals a multi-centered revival across the Islamic world.” The summit, held in Istanbul under the theme “The Organization of Islamic Cooperation in a Transforming World,” comes amid major global shifts and pressing regional crises — including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and instability across the Sahel. Fidan described…

As Israeli military attacks on civilians continue in Gaza and tensions escalate with Iran, foreign ministers from across the Islamic world — including key African delegations — are convening in Istanbul for the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers. Among the early arrivals is Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, representing his nation at a time when Muslim-majority countries face a growing number of geopolitical challenges. Hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the summit is being held under the theme: “The Organization of Islamic Cooperation in a Transforming World.” The agenda is…

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander General Michael Langley held high-level meetings this week in both Ethiopia and Somaliland, signaling renewed American engagement in the Horn of Africa amid growing regional security complexities. In Addis Ababa, General Langley was received by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, the two discussed “bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest,” with a focus on stability in the Horn and ongoing counterterrorism cooperation. The visit came shortly after Langley and U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Richard Riley led a U.S. delegation to Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa. There, the delegation…

Thirty-two years after achieving its long-sought independence, Eritrea finds itself at a crossroads. Once hailed as a beacon of self-determination and resilience, the country today stands burdened by the weight of unfulfilled promises, prolonged militarisation, and limited political reforms. President Isaias Afwerki, who led the liberation struggle against Ethiopian occupation, has remained at the helm since 1993. In the early years, his leadership inspired hope not just within Eritrea but across the African continent. His vision of building a sovereign nation free from foreign interference resonated with many who had experienced colonialism and external domination. The drafting and ratification of…

In East Africa, democratic freedoms appear increasingly fragile as opposition politicians and human rights activists across Tanzania and Uganda face mounting persecution, unlawful detentions, and torture, raising alarm among civil society groups and international observers. In Tanzania, opposition leader Tundu Lissu, a key figure in the Chadema party, remains in detention under charges of treason and cybercrime-related offenses. His arrest, linked to his public campaign for electoral reforms, was followed by Chadema’s disqualification from the upcoming October 2025 general elections. The government has since intensified its clampdown on dissent, including media blackouts, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances. One Chadema official…

Kenya’s main opposition coalition has announced plans to submit evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing President William Ruto’s administration of extrajudicial killings and unlawful suppression of protests. The coalition alleged that recent anti-government demonstrations in Nairobi were met with disproportionate force by the National Police Service, resulting in the deaths of unarmed demonstrators. According to the opposition, these incidents form part of a broader pattern of human rights violations under what they call an increasingly repressive government. In a joint statement, opposition leaders cited the alleged use of masked officers without identification badges, live ammunition against peaceful protesters,…

As Sudan’s devastating conflict drags into its third year, a toxic combination of mass displacement, systematic sexual violence, and deadly disease outbreaks is pushing millions of civilians—especially women and children—into the margins of survival. Rights experts and humanitarian agencies warn that the scale of human suffering in the country now ranks among the world’s gravest crises. In a report released to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, United Nations experts sounded the alarm over what they called a “pattern of weaponized rape and terror,” placing overwhelming responsibility on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).…

Sudan’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Kamil Idris, has unveiled a 22-member technocratic cabinet aimed at restoring governance through merit and expertise — signaling a sharp departure from previous power-sharing arrangements that involved political and armed group quotas. In a nationally televised address, Idris emphasized that his administration would be independent, professional, and free from political favoritism. “We will remove political quotas and nepotism from the structure of our government,” he stated, pledging to focus on competence, integrity, and technical know-how. Idris was appointed to office on May 19 by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, marking the return of a civilian…

Somaliland leader Abdirahman Irro received a high-level delegation from the United States this week, led by Ambassador Richard Riley (U.S. Ambassador to Somalia) and AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley. The discussions reportedly focused on strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in the area of regional security and strategic cooperation. The visit included a stop in Berbera, where the U.S. delegation inspected a military facility that is reportedly under development. This visit comes amid growing speculation about the establishment of a U.S. military base in the area — a move widely interpreted as part of Washington’s efforts to secure its interests along the…

Sudan’s Prosecutor General, Al-Fateh Tayfour, has officially disclosed staggering figures on human rights violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the ongoing civil conflict. Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tayfour revealed that at least 28,613 civilians were killed, 43,575 injured, and 14,506 forcibly disappeared or arbitrarily detained. A national investigation committee has so far identified 965 mass graves, allegedly containing victims of extrajudicial killings by the RSF in multiple regions, including West Darfur, Al Jazirah, Omdurman, North Kordofan, and North Darfur’s Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps. Formed in August 2023 by Sudan’s Sovereign Council,…

Kenya’s tea industry is bracing for potential economic shocks as the Israel–Iran conflict casts uncertainty over one of its key export markets. Iran has long been a crucial destination for Kenyan tea, with trade between the two countries valued at over KSh 5.9 billion in 2023. However, renewed hostilities in the Middle East threaten to disrupt ongoing negotiations aimed at expanding this trade partnership. Just days before the conflict escalated, Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had met with Iran’s Ambassador to Kenya, Dr. Ali Gholampour, to explore ways of strengthening tea and oil trade. Those talks now hang in…

Over the past decade, Ethiopia has become an unexpected player in the global footwear industry — thanks in part to major foreign investments like the one from China’s Huajian Group. Founded by former soldier and shoemaker Zhang Huarong, the company has played a pivotal role in transforming Ethiopia’s leather export landscape. However, behind the success story lies a more complicated reality. A Fast Track to Expansion Huajian entered Ethiopia in 2011 after an invitation from the Ethiopian government. Within just three months, the company set up its first factory, trained over 100 Ethiopian workers in China, and began production. Today,…

Tanzania has rejected recent allegations from United Nations experts and human rights groups accusing the government of increasing repression ahead of the country’s general elections in October 2025. Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tanzania’s Permanent Representative Dr. Abdallah Possi described the claims as “erroneous, misleading and misconstrued,” reaffirming the government’s commitment to constitutional rights and democratic principles. The response follows concerns raised by the UN and regional human rights organizations about reported media censorship, police brutality, and enforced disappearances. UN experts cited over 200 cases of disappearances since 2019, along with recent incidents involving foreign activists…