Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Tanzania has officially surpassed its 2025 tourism target months ahead of schedule, recording 5.3 million tourist arrivals by April—107% of the government’s projected figure. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism confirmed the milestone while presenting its annual budget to the National Assembly. Tourism Minister Pindi Chana said the sector has not only bounced back from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but has set new benchmarks for growth. “We are proud to announce that Tanzania has been recognized by UN Tourism as Africa’s top performer in post-pandemic recovery,” she stated. Tourism revenue soared to over $3.9 billion in 2024,…

Kenya has firmly rejected U.S. concerns over its expanding ties with China, emphasizing that its foreign policy is guided by national interests and does not represent a shift in allegiance. The response follows pointed remarks by U.S. Senator Jim Risch during a Senate hearing that raised alarm over Kenya’s growing alignment with Beijing. Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized President William Ruto’s recent reference to Kenya and China as “co-architects of a new world order,” interpreting it as an endorsement of China’s global agenda and a challenge to traditional U.S.-Kenya relations. He urged Washington to reconsider its…

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed its largest military medical team to date to Ethiopia, marking a significant step in its ongoing health diplomacy and military cooperation with the East African nation. Comprising 14 seasoned military doctors and specialists, the 11th PLA medical aid team departed China this week to begin a year-long mission in support of Ethiopia’s military healthcare infrastructure. The delegation was selected primarily from the First Hospital Affiliated to the PLA Army Medical University and represents a wide spectrum of expertise, including clinical medicine, medical technology, logistics, and hospital management. “This deployment reflects the deepening…

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has strongly cautioned Kenyan human rights activists and legal professionals against interfering in the country’s internal affairs, following their attempts to attend the court hearing of opposition leader Tundu Lissu in Dar es Salaam. The president accused the deported individuals of “meddling” and warned that Tanzania would not allow its peace and stability to be undermined by outsiders. The remarks came after high-profile Kenyan figures, including former Justice Minister Martha Karua and ex-Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, were denied entry or deported as they tried to observe Lissu’s trial. President Samia, speaking during the launch of…

The African Union Commission has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as Sudan’s new civilian Prime Minister, describing it as a significant step toward restoring constitutional order and advancing democratic governance in the country. H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, praised the development as a long-awaited move toward inclusive governance, especially amid the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. He urged all stakeholders in Sudan to build on this momentum and commit to a peaceful, civilian-led, and representative transition process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people. Dr. Idris, a renowned international…

Ethiopia’s healthcare system is facing a nationwide crisis as a full-scale strike by health professionals entered its sixth day on Monday, severely disrupting services at major hospitals in Addis Abeba and regional states. The strike, organized by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement, has escalated into a full work stoppage, affecting outpatient care, diagnostics, and specialized units. At hospitals such as Yekatit 12, Menelik II, and Zewditu Memorial in Addis Abeba, nearly all services apart from emergency and critical care have been halted. Patients waited outside closed wards and labs, with few staff visible and administrative offices shuttered. Similar walkouts have…

Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has named international legal expert Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as the new prime minister, filling a key leadership vacuum for the first time since January 2022. The announcement comes alongside the appointment of two women—Salma Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak and Nawara Abu Muhammad Taher—to the transitional Sovereign Council, signaling a reshuffle aimed at broadening representation in the transitional government. Idris, born in Omdurman, is a prominent Sudanese figure best known for his tenure as Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to 2008. He also served as secretary-general of the International Union…

Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports plunged by over 50% in 2024 following the European Union’s enforcement of tougher regulations on pesticide residue, according to the latest Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The volume of vegetables exported fell from 164,100 tonnes in 2023 to just 74,300 tonnes in 2024 — a 54.7% decline — with export earnings dropping from KSh 50.9 billion to KSh 23.4 billion (roughly USD 340 million to USD 156 million). This comes amid a broader decline in horticultural exports, attributed to increasingly restrictive European market standards and logistical challenges at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International…

A tragic road accident in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State has claimed the lives of 19 people and left 13 others injured, local authorities confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in the town of Gilgel Beles, Metekel Zone, around 9:15 a.m. on 18 May. According to Taye Gurmesa, head of the Gilgel Beles Police Department, the accident involved a heavy vehicle transporting an excavator from Chagni town. The truck, with license plate ET 17196, reportedly lost control due to brake failure as it approached the town’s entrance, ultimately crashing through the fence of a local recreation facility and causing mass casualties…

Families of Ethiopian victims of the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash have expressed deep anger and disappointment following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is considering a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing — a deal that could shield the company from criminal accountability. The 10 March 2019 disaster, which killed all 157 people on board Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, was one of two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max model that exposed serious flaws in the aircraft’s automated flight control systems. The two crashes together claimed 346 lives and led to the global grounding…

The Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied Joint Force units have regained control of the Al-Atrun Oasis, a key location near the Sudan-Libya-Chad border triangle, following a coordinated military operation launched over the weekend. Darfur Regional Governor Minni Arko Minawi, who also heads the Joint Force overseeing the operation, announced the successful offensive on Sunday, hailing it as a significant victory against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “Our heroes in the Armed Forces and the Joint Forces have liberated the strategic Al-Atrun area from the grip of the terrorist RSF militia,” Minawi wrote on social media platform X. “Victory…

Zanzibar will take center stage in Africa’s aviation sector as it prepares to host the prestigious AviaDev Africa summit from June 11 to 13. The high-level event is set to attract over 500 delegates, including representatives from 48 airlines, 20 international airports, global tourism investors, and aircraft manufacturers. Organized by the Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) in collaboration with the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (ZCT), the summit will focus on fostering air connectivity across the continent and unlocking new route development opportunities for both African and international carriers. Mr. Seif Abdallah Juma, Director General of ZAA, highlighted that the event aims…

In a significant show of international unity, the African Union, United Nations, and Arab League have pledged to coordinate their efforts to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, while firmly rejecting any moves to establish a parallel government in the country. During a high-level consultative meeting on the sidelines of the Arab League Summit in Baghdad on May 16, the heads of the three organizations issued a joint statement calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the preservation of Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. The leaders agreed to strengthen coordination based on…

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most influential foreign players, pouring billions into critical infrastructure, energy, and resource-rich sectors across the continent. As traditional powers like the United States and China reduce their financial footprints, the UAE is stepping in — not only as a commercial actor, but also as a strategic powerbroker shaping the continent’s future. From massive port investments in Somaliland and Algeria to renewable energy projects in Ethiopia, Togo, Uganda, and beyond, Emirati firms are securing a long-term presence. Major state-backed entities such as DP World, AMEA Power, and the Abu Dhabi…

At least 20 people were killed and more than a dozen wounded on Sunday morning when a suicide bomber targeted a military recruitment center in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, in an attack claimed by the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab. The blast occurred at the Damaanyo military base in the capital’s Hodan district, where hundreds of youth had gathered to enlist in the Somali National Army. The bomber was intercepted near the entrance before reaching the main crowd but detonated his explosives, killing 15 recruits and five nearby civilians. Local hospitals reported that several of the wounded are in critical condition, with…

Ethiopia arrested at least seven journalists in April 2025, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as authorities enacted new media legislation that critics say expands government control and threatens press freedom. One of those detained is Ahmed Awga, founder of Jigjiga Television Network, who was jailed after airing an interview in which a grieving father blamed police for the death of his teenage son. Awga faces incitement charges and has been held without trial for over three weeks. The arrests come shortly after Ethiopia’s parliament passed amendments to the 2021 media law, giving the government more influence over…