Author: Abdihakim Kalale

South Sudan has agreed to receive a man previously deported from the United States, easing a diplomatic row that had escalated over visa restrictions. The decision follows Washington’s announcement over the weekend that it would impose sweeping visa bans on all South Sudanese passport holders. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move came in response to Juba’s refusal to accept citizens deported from American soil. Initially, South Sudan’s foreign ministry pushed back, stating the case centered on an individual wrongly labeled as South Sudanese. According to authorities, the man in question is actually from the Democratic Republic of…

Turkish Airlines has received official approval to relaunch direct flights between Istanbul and Mombasa, marking its return to Kenya’s coastal city after a five-year absence. The move is seen as a significant step in revitalizing tourism and expanding international access to Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline. The flight clearance—confirmed by aviation sources and members of the Kenya Tourism Federation—comes as Kenya continues to embrace its open skies policy, which has long aimed to attract more global carriers to destinations beyond Nairobi. Mombasa, a popular hub for beach vacations and safari excursions, is expected to benefit substantially from the airline’s return. Although…

Josephine Kiden, crowned Miss Deaf Africa in 2021, has called on the people of South Sudan to actively learn sign language, stressing its importance in promoting inclusion and empowering the deaf community to take part in the country’s development. Kiden highlighted the communication gap faced by deaf individuals, emphasizing that limited knowledge of sign language among the general population is one of the major barriers to full social and political participation for people with hearing impairments. “Opening more schools that teach sign language would help bridge this gap and create a more inclusive environment,” she said. “Before I won Miss…

More than 100 civilians, including women and children, have reportedly been killed in a series of violent assaults carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Omdurman, near Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. The attacks took place in the Jama’iya area, located in the southern part of the city, over the past week, according to a statement from the Sudan Doctors Network released on Tuesday. Neither the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) nor the RSF have issued public responses to the claims. The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s military and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has caused massive devastation across the…

The number of Sudanese nationals returning from Egypt has seen a sharp increase in the first quarter of 2025, suggesting a possible shift in displacement trends, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Data from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) shows that between January and March 2025, the average monthly return rate was nearly seven times higher than the monthly figures recorded in 2024. Approximately 72,039 individuals returned to Sudan from Egypt during the first three months of the year—almost double the total number of returns (42,418) recorded throughout all of 2024. Since tracking began in January 2024, around…

A coalition of international partners has backed Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s call for a national political dialogue aimed at unifying the country’s efforts against Al-Shabaab and strengthening federal governance. In a joint statement issued on Monday, over 20 international actors—including the United States, United Nations, African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), European Union, and the United Kingdom—described the initiative as essential for Somalia’s future. “A coordinated, inclusive approach is crucial to defeating Al-Shabaab and advancing Somalia’s democratic and institutional development,” the statement read, encouraging Somali leaders to move quickly to finalize a national consensus on key…

Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede has been appointed as the new interim president of Tigray, taking over from Getachew Reda. Tadesse, who previously served as the deputy president and head of the cabinet secretariat for peace and security, is now tasked with steering the region through its current challenges. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his support for the transition, highlighting that Tadesse’s deep understanding of the previous administration’s operations would enable him to effectively manage Tigray’s future. “Today marks the peaceful and formal implementation of a leadership transition program—an important step toward cultivating a new political culture,” Prime Minister Abiy said.…

Kenyan criminal investigators announced on Monday that they have completed their investigation into the 2012 death of Agnes Wanjiru, a young mother last seen with British soldiers stationed in the country for training. The body of 21-year-old Wanjiru was discovered weeks later in a septic tank in Nanyuki, located north of Mt. Kenya. Witnesses had reported seeing her leaving a bar with British soldiers prior to her disappearance. Her family had expressed frustration over the lack of progress in the case, as no charges had been filed until now. The file has been handed over to the office of the…

Officials from Tanzania and South Korea participated in the Tanzania-South Korea Critical Mineral Roadshow held in Seoul, where discussions centered on minerals essential for future industries, including lithium, graphite, nickel, and rare earth elements. The event was organized by the Tanzanian Embassy in Seoul and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), following a June 2024 agreement aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the mineral resources sector. The agreement also included the launch of negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement to strengthen trade relations. A delegation from Tanzania — including representatives from the Ministry of Minerals, Geological Survey…

Avraham Neguise, Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia, was removed from the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa after his attempt to participate in a commemoration of the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. His attendance was rejected by several AU member states, prompting his removal. This incident is not the first of its kind. In the past, senior Israeli diplomat Sharon Bar-Li was also removed from the AU’s annual summit in Ethiopia, due to concerns that she was not properly accredited as the ambassador to the host nation. Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the action, expressing disapproval of the incident and stating…

Honey Exports: Significant Increase in Production and Revenue Tanzania has achieved remarkable growth in its apiculture sector, generating 69.1 billion shillings from honey exports between 2021 and 2024. The country exported a total of 6,016.67 tonnes of honey, with an average of 1,504.17 tonnes per year. The increase in honey production and export was attributed to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts to boost the sector, alongside contributions from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the Tanzania Forestry Services (TFS), and other stakeholders. During this period, Tanzania produced 128,588 tonnes of honey and 7,615 tonnes of wax. The country’s honey…

Government officials warn that the blockade, which has lasted for nearly a year and intensified in recent weeks, has created life-threatening conditions. Food supplies have dwindled, prices have skyrocketed, and aid convoys remain blocked, placing entire communities at risk of starvation. On Saturday, a high-level Sudanese delegation led by Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jabir met with UN officials, including Deputy Resident Humanitarian Coordinator Kristina Hamburg. Also present were key Sudanese figures such as the Information Minister, the Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretary, and the Acting Humanitarian Aid Commissioner. In a statement, Information Minister Khalid Aleisir said Sudan had formally requested the UN…

The Shuwalid Festival is currently being celebrated in Ethiopia’s historic city of Harar, drawing local and regional participants to honor a centuries-old cultural tradition that was recently recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage. The festival, observed annually by the Harari people, marks the end of six days of voluntary fasting after Ramadan and involves communal prayers, spiritual songs, traditional dances, and exhibitions of Harari crafts, jewelry, clothing, and cuisine. The three-day celebration is centered at the revered shrines of Aw Shulum Ahmed and Aw Akebara, located at the main gates of the ancient walled city of…

Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially objected to an upcoming international conference on the Sudan crisis scheduled to take place in London this month, expressing frustration at being excluded while countries it accuses of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been invited. The high-level conference, jointly organized by the European Union, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, is set to take place in mid-April. It aims to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Sudan and mobilize international support for the United Nations humanitarian response plan, which targets assistance to over 20.9 million people affected by the conflict. In…

Five Kenyan chiefs who were abducted in February while en route to a security planning meeting ahead of President William Ruto’s visit have been released, local authorities confirmed. The officials, taken near the Mandera-Somalia border, were freed on Sunday evening after negotiations between regional elders and the abductors reportedly succeeded. The captives were dropped off by unidentified individuals after being held across the border in Somalia for nearly two months. The chiefs—drawn from Wargadud East, Qurahmudow, and Chachabole administrative areas—were seized between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki while travelling to Elwak Town. Their abduction triggered national security concerns, with President…

In a comprehensive report released ahead of the transition, Nur highlighted the key achievements of his time in office, which saw sweeping reforms in the military, increased international cooperation, and a notable rise in the operational strength of the Somali National Army (SNA). Strengthening the SNA and Combatting Al-Shabaab Under his leadership, the Ministry of Defence facilitated the training of more than 20,000 soldiers in areas such as modern warfare, ethics, human rights, and technical skills. This marked a significant step toward professionalizing Somalia’s armed forces. Minister Nur also led numerous high-level military operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group. His…