Author: Abdihakim Kalale

The head of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has dismissed claims by US President Donald Trump that Christians are being targeted in a genocide in northern Nigeria, warning that such statements risk misrepresenting the complex nature of the conflict. Speaking Thursday at a UN forum in New York alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Youssouf said the AU had already issued a communiqué clarifying its position on the situation in Nigeria’s north. “There is no genocide in northern Nigeria,” he said. “What’s happening there has nothing to do with the kind of atrocities we see in Sudan or…

Kenya said Wednesday that more than 200 of its nationals have joined Russian forces fighting in the ongoing war in Ukraine, warning that recruitment networks targeting Kenyans remain active. “Reports suggest that over two hundred Kenyans may have joined the Russian military, with some being former members of Kenya’s disciplined services,” Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry’s website. He described the situation as “extremely worrying” and urged citizens to be cautious of overseas job offers that appear “unrealistically attractive,” saying many of those recruited had been deceived with promises of high-paying employment…

Foreign ministers of the G7 countries on Wednesday condemned attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on civilians and aid workers in El-Fasher and North Kordofan, urging an immediate and permanent ceasefire. In a joint statement issued after a two-day meeting in Niagara, Canada, the ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, together with the European Union’s High Representative, called on both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to “respect human rights, de-escalate, commit to an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and ensure rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance.” The…

Okowa secured the required majority in both chambers to fill the seat vacated by Somali Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf, who resigned on 30 September, nearly two years before the end of his term. She will serve the remainder of Yusuf’s mandate until 5 February 2027. A respected international law scholar, Okowa previously served as Kenya’s representative to the International Law Commission and has taught at the University of London. Her appointment reinforces Africa’s continued representation at the ICJ, which plays a crucial role in interpreting international law and resolving disputes between states. The next regular ICJ elections for the nine-year term…

The decrees also stripped Bol Mel of his military rank, demoting him from general to private in the National Security Service. No successor has been named for the vice presidency. In a series of leadership changes, Kiir dismissed Paul Logale as SPLM Secretary General, replacing him with Akol Paul Kordit. Addis Ababa Othow was also removed as governor of the Bank of South Sudan, and Simon Akuei was sacked as commissioner general of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, with William Anyuon Kuol appointed to that position. Earlier on Wednesday, Bol Mel’s office dismissed what it called “unfounded rumors” circulating on…

In a report released Wednesday in Nairobi, HRW said police and gendarmes used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse opposition protests challenging the re-election of President Paul Biya, who was declared winner on October 27 with 53.66% of the vote. The rights group documented cases of lethal force, arbitrary detention, and torture in several cities, citing interviews with witnesses, victims’ relatives, and lawyers. UN sources estimate at least 48 people were killed, while opposition groups put the toll at 55. “Ilaria Allegrozzi, HRW’s senior Africa researcher, urged Cameroonian authorities to investigate abuses and release all those detained for peaceful…

A Gabonese court on Wednesday sentenced former first lady Sylvia Bongo and her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin to 20 years in prison after finding them guilty of large-scale embezzlement of public funds and money laundering. The verdict was delivered by Special Criminal Court president Jean Mexant Essa Assoumou, who said the two were convicted of “embezzlement of public funds, usurpation of titles, aggravated money laundering, and criminal association.” Both were tried in absentia after going into exile in London. The court also ordered them to pay 100 million CFA francs (about $173,000) in fines to the state. Sylvia Bongo, 62,…

In North Kordofan, battles have intensified around El-Obeid and Bara. The RSF seized Bara last month, but the army has launched airstrikes targeting its positions along the Bara axis, while the RSF retaliated with artillery fire on nearby villages. In South Kordofan, fierce clashes have been reported around Dilling and Kadugli. On Nov. 7, RSF and its ally, the SPLM-N faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, shelled Dilling, killing several civilians. The army responded with heavy fire northeast of the city. Both Dilling and Kadugli remain under siege, with humanitarian access cut off. In West Kordofan, Babnousa has once again become…

Speaking before the UN Security Council, peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the situation has taken a “dangerous turn,” with renewed clashes among signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and widespread aerial bombardments. “The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic,” Lacroix said, noting that 7.5 million people face severe food insecurity while floods and displacement continue to worsen. More than 1.2 million returnees from Sudan have poured into South Sudan, straining already-limited resources. Civilians continue to face sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and killings with little accountability. Lacroix urged political leaders to recommit to dialogue, warning that credible elections in 2026 appear increasingly…

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that Sylva and several others are being investigated over the alleged diversion of about $15 million meant for a refinery construction project. The agency published a public alert on social media asking citizens to report any information about his whereabouts. Sylva’s spokesperson, Julius Bokoru, dismissed the notice, saying the former minister is currently in the United Kingdom for medical treatment and has not been contacted directly by investigators. He insisted that the refinery initiative was fully compliant with regulations and backed by traceable documentation. “The project is legitimate and verifiable,” Bokoru said,…

Officials at Brazil’s COP30 confirmed on Monday that participating nations have agreed in principle to select Addis Ababa as the host city, with formal adoption expected on Tuesday. Diplomats say no objections are anticipated. Ethiopia launched its campaign in September, competing with Nigeria for the African nomination. Sources told Reuters that the Bureau of African Countries ultimately endorsed Ethiopia unanimously, reflecting a continent-wide push to elevate African voices on climate justice, adaptation financing and loss-and-damage priorities. Hosting COP32 would position Addis Ababa—home to the African Union—as the centre of global climate dialogue at a time when African nations are demanding…

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) alleges AVZ and two of its senior executives withheld critical information from investors about an escalating ownership battle with Congolese authorities. The regulator said the company engaged in “misleading and deceptive conduct” by authorising exchange filings that did not fully reflect the seriousness of the conflict. AVZ, operating through its subsidiary Dathcom Mining, claims a 75% stake in the Manono lithium project — a site widely regarded as hosting some of the world’s richest hard-rock lithium reserves. However, the project has been entangled in legal and political disputes in the DRC since 2022,…

The woman, identified as Mariam Cissé, had built a significant following on TikTok, where she regularly posted short clips praising Malian soldiers and calling for unity during the country’s ongoing security crisis. She had close to 100,000 followers on the platform. According to ORTM, armed men seized Cissé in broad daylight at the town market on Thursday. She was later executed in a public square. Details about the exact time of the killing differ, with some local accounts saying it occurred on Friday and the state broadcaster reporting it happened on Saturday. Two residents of the area, who requested anonymity…

IOM Director General Amy Pope arrived in Sudan on Monday to review the situation on the ground and meet with agencies responding to the crisis. In a statement shared on X, Pope warned that the humanitarian burden is reaching catastrophic levels. “Over 30 million people need help. Nearly 10 million are displaced inside the country,” she said, stressing that the scale of the crisis demands faster and more coordinated global action. Sudan’s war, now in its third year, pits the national army against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Attempts at mediation by regional and international actors have so far failed…

The proceedings opened at the Durban High Court, where state prosecutors accused Zuma-Sambudla of using social media posts to mobilize acts of violence during the July 2021 disturbances. The unrest erupted shortly after the imprisonment of her father for ignoring a court directive linked to an anti-corruption inquiry, later expanding into widespread looting and destruction across parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Authorities estimate that more than 300 people died during the turmoil, which also caused economic losses estimated at around 50 billion rand. Zuma, who served as president from 2009 to 2018, attended the court session in support of his…

Doumbouya, who assumed leadership in 2021, had previously stated he would not seek the presidency. However, a new constitution endorsed in a nationwide referendum in September created eligibility for his participation. He registered his candidacy last week and will run as an independent. The court approved nine candidates in total. Some prominent political figures, including former President Alpha Condé and former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, did not qualify due to age and residency provisions set by the new constitutional framework. Doumbouya will face several lesser-known contenders, among them Abdoulaye Yero Baldé, a former minister of higher education and former…