Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Türkiye Scholarship committees are visiting over 50 African countries to interview finalists for the 2025 academic year. The program, which offers fully funded higher education in Türkiye, currently supports over 70,000 African students and aims to strengthen Türkiye-Africa ties through education and long-term cooperation. Türkiye’s prestigious government-funded scholarship program has entered its final phase of candidate selection, with official interview committees currently touring over 50 African countries, including Togo and Benin. These visits mark a pivotal moment in the competitive process to identify successful applicants for the 2025 academic year. In Togo and Benin, dozens of shortlisted students recently met…

Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for expelling the majority of its consular staff from Dubai without providing an official reason, calling the move a serious violation of international diplomatic norms. In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry said the incident breaches the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, which guarantee immunity and protection for foreign diplomats. According to Sudanese officials, the diplomats were held for over eight hours at Dubai International Airport after completing exit procedures, during which they were interrogated and had their phones and laptops confiscated. Sudan described…

The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has categorically denied the authenticity of a leaked document that claims USAID is funding political opposition parties ahead of the country’s 2025 general elections. The document, labeled “Mission – Tanzania 2025 Elections Action Plan,” alleges that U.S. development aid is being channeled to Tanzanian opposition parties such as CHADEMA and ACT-Wazalendo under the guise of promoting democracy. It outlines activities including election observation, civic education programs, and a so-called crisis response plan managed by the U.S. Embassy’s Election Working Group. In a statement issued Friday, the U.S. Embassy dismissed the document as false and misleading.…

Somalia is reportedly on the verge of signing a security agreement with Iraq, a move raising alarms over potential Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) involvement in East Africa, regional intelligence sources indicate. A high-level Somali delegation, led by National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Director Abdullahi Mohamed Ali “Sanbaloolshe,” is expected to travel to Baghdad under the diplomatic cover of the Arab League Summit this weekend. Sanbaloolshe, a dual Somali-British national, is reportedly set to hold discussions with senior Iraqi security officials and representatives linked to the IRGC’s elite Quds Force. The proposed agreement, which follows a visit by Iraqi…

Ethiopia’s National Election Board (NEBE) has announced the second phase of its digital polling station registration initiative, a key step in preparations for the country’s 7th general elections, expected in 2026. In a statement issued this week, the Board said the process aims to modernize the electoral framework by utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to digitally register polling stations using precise XY coordinate mapping. This data-driven approach is intended to enhance accessibility, ensure legal compliance, and improve voter experience. “The second phase, launched on May 11, covers over 9,600 polling stations across South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, South-West Ethiopia, and…

As the 34th Ordinary Arab League Summit opens in Baghdad, a growing diplomatic rift between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has cast a shadow over regional discussions, especially on security and cooperation in the Horn of Africa. Sudan is represented at the summit by Lieutenant General Ibrahim Jaber, a senior member of the Sovereign Council and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces. Jaber’s attendance comes in place of Sovereign Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who opted to stay away amid Sudan’s ongoing war and what Khartoum perceives as a lack of regional solidarity. Sudanese officials have expressed…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has accused political opponents of attempting to derail Somalia’s transition to a one-person, one-vote electoral system, warning that a return to indirect voting could plunge the country back into instability. Speaking during Somali Youth Day celebrations in Mogadishu, President Mohamud said the days of “backroom deals” determining national leadership were over. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to implementing direct elections, stating that voter registration had already begun in the capital and electoral frameworks were in progress. “The Somali people now hold the power,” he declared. “We will not revert to a system where political elites…

A growing number of pastoralists in central Somalia are transforming their livelihoods by moving their camels to urban areas, where camel milk sales are proving to be a profitable and sustainable alternative to traditional rural grazing. After enduring years of harsh drought in the Galgadud region, Dahir Abdullahi Ali, 40, relocated his herd of 30 camels from the rural Do’oley area to the outskirts of Adado town. Today, he earns at least $20 daily from milk sales, enough to feed his family of nine, pay off debts, and enroll his children in school for the first time. “This is the…

Amid growing fears of renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia, residents of Maychew, a town in southern Tigray, held a large anti-war demonstration on Wednesday, voicing strong opposition to any return to violence in the region. The rally, which included youth, women, and elders, was organized in response to recent statements by a faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led by Debretsion Gebremichael. The group had rejected a decision by Ethiopia’s National Election Board to revoke the TPLF’s legal status and warned of possible military action to “restore Tigray’s sovereignty.” Demonstrators marched peacefully through Maychew, chanting slogans such as…

Kenya’s international trade dynamics reflect its ongoing economic transformation, with imports continuing to play a vital role in meeting local industrial and consumer needs, while exports offer critical foreign exchange and regional trade leverage. According to the latest Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), total imports rose by 3.6% to KSh 2.71 trillion in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. This increase comes amid a broader government expenditure uptick, which reached KSh 3.6 trillion, driven by development and infrastructure goals. Despite the surge in imports, Kenya also recorded a 10.4% rise in exports, reaching KSh 1.11 trillion, suggesting…

A new ranking of Africa’s fastest-growing companies in 2025 has revealed that Nigeria and South Africa continue to dominate the continent’s entrepreneurial landscape, accounting for more than half of the top 130 companies. The list, compiled by Statista in collaboration with the Financial Times, tracks revenue growth between 2020 and 2023 and highlights the resilience and dynamism of the private sector amid global economic headwinds. According to the data, 51 companies from South Africa and 28 from Nigeria made the list, reflecting not only the relative size of their economies but also the deeper pools of capital and consumer markets…

Residents in Ethiopia’s northernmost towns near the Eritrean border say they continue to live in fear as Eritrean forces maintain a presence in several areas of the Tigray region, despite a peace agreement that called for their withdrawal. In Alitena, a small town of roughly 3,000 residents near the Eritrean frontier, locals say Eritrean soldiers remain nearby, with some neighborhoods already under what residents describe as “effective occupation.” One resident, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, told local reporters, “The Eritrean army can raid us anytime. They’ve abducted people, enforced curfews, and even forced some into labor.” He added that reports…

As global economic pressures persist, many African nations continue to rely on financial assistance from multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Recent data released by the IMF highlights the top 10 African countries with the highest outstanding debt to the institution as of May 2025. The rankings reflect not just current borrowing levels but also broader fiscal dynamics and the economic recovery efforts of nations still managing the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation, and domestic financial challenges. At the top of the list is Egypt, which remains the continent’s largest IMF debtor, followed closely by several…

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as a state-backed attempt to dismantle its elected leadership, warning that the move threatens to unravel the 2018 peace agreement with the Ethiopian government and risks pushing the region back toward instability. In a statement released on May 14, ONLF’s Executive Committee alleged a coordinated campaign by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) and the Somali Regional Administration to override the party’s internal structure and install political loyalists. “This is not a technical disagreement. It is a deliberate and reckless effort to erase ONLF’s…

The Sudanese government has formally called on China to take a clear and immediate stance regarding the reported use of Chinese-manufactured drones by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of violating arms agreements and fueling conflict in Sudan. In a statement released Thursday, Sudan’s Minister of Information and official government spokesperson, Khalid Aleisir, said Khartoum is demanding China disable the drone operating systems being used by the RSF in attacks across the country. The request follows a series of drone strikes on civilian and military infrastructure, including power stations, airports, and fuel depots. “We believe…

In an exclusive interview with Jeune Afrique, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan outlined Türkiye’s expanding engagement across Africa, with a strong emphasis on counterterrorism cooperation, regional mediation, and development-focused diplomacy—positioning Somalia as a strategic anchor in its Africa policy. The interview marks Fidan’s first major French-language media appearance since becoming foreign minister in June 2023, and provides a rare glimpse into Ankara’s comprehensive approach to African affairs, one that blends military expertise, intelligence cooperation, and a rejection of traditional power dynamics. Somalia: A Pillar of Türkiye’s African Strategy At the heart of the discussion was Somalia, where Türkiye continues to…