Author: Abdihakim Kalale

In a landmark move toward sustainable energy development, Turkish energy technology firm YEO Technology Energy and Industry Inc. and Zambia’s GEI Power Limited have officially launched the country’s first solar power project integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The Cooma Solar Project, located in Choma, Southern Province, was inaugurated during a high-level groundbreaking ceremony attended by senior Zambian government officials, traditional leaders, and international stakeholders. Set to generate 60 MWp of solar power and store 20 MWh of energy, the facility aims to provide clean electricity to over 65,000 households and create 150 local jobs during construction. The…

New satellite imagery from March 2025 indicates that the long-stalled construction of a naval base in Berbera, Somaliland—reportedly backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—is now nearing completion. The images confirm that dredging operations in the port’s basin and channel have been finalized, opening the area for potential naval vessel access. The site lies approximately 11 to 12 kilometers from Berbera’s main commercial port. The base is situated in Somaliland, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized. The UAE began developing the Berbera facility in 2017 as part of its strategic interests along…

Tanzania and Mozambique have taken a major step forward in strengthening their long-standing relationship by signing a series of wide-ranging bilateral agreements aimed at boosting trade, energy cooperation, infrastructure, agriculture, and cultural exchange. The agreements were formalized during a joint press conference at the Magogoni State House on Thursday, witnessed by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, who is on his first foreign trip since assuming office. President Samia described the visit as a sign of renewed dedication to regional solidarity, noting that while political ties between the two countries have always been strong, trade volumes…

Tanzania is gaining international recognition for its strides in expanding affordable internet access and boosting digital inclusion, thanks to focused investments and government-led initiatives under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. Speaking during the national celebration of International Girls in ICT Day, Communications and Information Technology Minister Jerry Silaa highlighted that Tanzania now boasts 49.3 million internet users and over 90 million active mobile lines as of March 2025. Silaa attributed this progress to deliberate efforts to expand digital infrastructure across the country, which have enabled millions to connect, learn, and do business more efficiently. He emphasized that digital transformation is…

The Sudanese Armed Forces on Friday announced that it had successfully defended Port Sudan from a sixth consecutive day of drone assaults launched by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the war between the two rivals escalates. The military reported that its anti-aircraft units responded swiftly to unmanned aerial vehicles flying over key sites in central and northern Port Sudan, including the vital Flamingo naval base and areas surrounding Sudan’s primary Red Sea port. According to eyewitness accounts and local reports, the RSF had earlier in the week launched a wave of drone strikes between Sunday and Wednesday, targeting…

Kenyan telecom giant Safaricom has marked a major milestone in its Ethiopian operations, recording 8.8 million customers as of March 2025—more than double the number it had a year ago. This represents a 103.2% year-on-year growth, achieved less than three years since the company officially entered the Ethiopian market in October 2022, becoming the first private operator to compete with the state-run Ethio Telecom. The rapid expansion follows the award of a telecom license in 2021 to the Global Partnership for Ethiopia consortium, led by Safaricom. Safaricom Ethiopia has since expanded its infrastructure to include over 3,100 network sites, while…

Farmed fish from Kenya, including tilapia, will now be eligible for export to the European Union following a new trade agreement between the Kenyan government and the EU, a major breakthrough announced by Siaya’s deputy director of fisheries, David Mboya. Speaking at a fish farmers’ forum in Simenya, Ugunja subcounty, Mboya revealed that the agreement opens doors for small-scale aquaculture producers, particularly those raising fish in ponds, to benefit from international trade opportunities that were previously limited to wild-caught Nile perch from Lake Victoria. “Our fishpond tilapia has been cleared for European markets. This is a major opportunity for local…

Kenya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a series of bilateral agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation in security, trade, infrastructure, and energy, marking a new phase in relations between the two countries. The deals come amid growing scrutiny of the UAE’s expanding footprint across Africa. Seven memoranda of understanding were signed during a high-level meeting at State House in Nairobi, attended by Kenyan President William Ruto and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The agreements span military cooperation, customs enforcement, transportation infrastructure, renewable energy, economic partnerships, and the development of a joint business council. According…

Amnesty International has released new findings indicating that advanced Chinese-made weaponry, originally supplied to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is being used by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in violation of a United Nations arms embargo on Darfur. According to the rights group, weapons including GB50A guided bombs and AH-4 155mm howitzers have been observed in video footage and images of recent RSF military activity, particularly in Khartoum and the Darfur region. The footage, Amnesty said, provides compelling evidence of the use of re-exported arms by the paramilitary group. “These are sophisticated systems, and their deployment on Sudanese soil strongly…

The Ethiopian government has lifted a controversial entry ban on three archbishops of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church who had been denied access to their home country for over a year. The Government Communication Service announced that “conditions have been arranged” for the return of the clergy members, enabling them to attend the church’s Holy Synod meeting in Ethiopia. The archbishops—Abune Petros, Abune Yaqob, and Abune Theoflos—serve dioceses in the United States and had previously been barred from entering the country. Archbishop Abune Petros, head of the church’s jurisdiction in New York, was deported upon his arrival at Addis Ababa…

Drone strikes targeting Port Sudan continued into a several consecutive days, with Sudanese army anti-aircraft units responding to fresh attacks near key military and civilian infrastructure. Residents reported hearing multiple explosions early in the morning near the Flamingo naval base, a strategic facility located on the northern edge of Port Sudan. According to local sources, this marks the third time the base has come under drone fire since the latest escalation began on Sunday. Military air defenses were observed actively intercepting drones above the base for the first time, and plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area, witnesses…

In a fresh turn of diplomatic events, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced his intention to visit Kenya in the coming weeks, signaling a renewed push to deepen ties between Nairobi and Washington. The news emerged following a high-profile meeting between Rubio and Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, held in Washington, DC. Their discussions spanned regional peace efforts, trade relations, and enhanced diplomatic cooperation. “I had a productive session with Secretary Rubio in Washington, where we focused on expanding trade, investment, and advancing peace and security across the region,” Mudavadi said in a…

The United Arab Emirates has stated that it does not recognize the decision by Sudan’s Security and Defense Council to cut diplomatic relations, claiming that the Port Sudan-based administration does not represent Sudan’s legitimate government. In a statement released through state media, the UAE rejected the Sudanese council’s remarks as “regrettable” and accused it of attempting to derail peace efforts. The diplomatic fallout comes a day after the International Court of Justice dismissed Sudan’s case accusing the UAE of breaching the Genocide Convention by allegedly arming the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group at war with the Sudanese army…

The Sudanese conflict took a dangerous turn on Thursday after drone strikes allegedly carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) set ablaze fuel depots in the southern city of Kosti, threatening vital energy supplies in White Nile State. According to a military source who spoke under condition of anonymity, “three drones targeted the fuel storage facilities that supply the state, causing major fires and disrupting fuel distribution.” The RSF has not claimed responsibility, but Sudanese authorities blame the group for the coordinated attack. Meanwhile, in Port Sudan, the country’s critical humanitarian and governmental hub, aerial attacks continued into…

Explosions echoed across Port Sudan for a fourth consecutive day as drone strikes targeted the coastal city, dealing a fresh blow to a nation already grappling with war and hunger. The Sudanese army has blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attacks, which have sparked renewed fears over the stability of one of the last remaining aid corridors into the country. The city, once considered a haven from Sudan’s civil war, now finds itself on the frontlines. On Wednesday morning, military sources reported drone strikes near the port area, prompting anti-aircraft fire from army units. Key infrastructure, including…

A Kenyan court has sentenced four individuals, including two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan accomplice, to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 each for attempting to smuggle thousands of rare ants out of the country. The case, described as a landmark in wildlife protection enforcement, highlights a growing trend of trafficking lesser-known but ecologically vital species. The suspects — Belgian nationals David Lornoy and Seppe Lodewijckx, Vietnamese citizen Duh Hung Nguyen, and Kenyan national Dennis Ng’ang’a — were arrested in April at a guesthouse in Naivasha with more than 5,000 live ants in their…