Author: Kudret

The Democratic Republic of Congo has implemented a strict media ban targeting former President Joseph Kabila and his political party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). The country’s media regulator announced that all print, broadcast, and digital platforms are prohibited from covering the party, with suspensions threatened for those who violate the order. Christian Bosembe, head of the media and communications authority, said the ban supports a government embargo directed at Kabila’s party amid allegations of its support for the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. This rebel faction currently controls two provinces in eastern Congo, an area marked by…

General Abdel Mageed Saqr, Egypt’s Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence and Military Production, hosted Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, and his delegation in Cairo on Wednesday, as both nations reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in the face of mounting regional and international security challenges. The high-level meeting, as confirmed by Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Gharib Abdel-Hafez, focused on pressing issues affecting peace and stability across the African continent. Officials discussed recent regional and global developments and how they intersect with the broader security architecture in Africa, particularly amid rising threats…

Algeria has stepped forward to assist Syria in overhauling its crippled electricity sector, unveiling a bilateral initiative that includes technical support, infrastructure planning, and capacity building. The move was confirmed by Algeria’s Ministry of Energy and Mining following a high-level phone discussion between Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab and Syria’s Minister of Electricity, Mohammed al-Bashir. The two ministers outlined a shared commitment to rebuilding Syria’s damaged power grid while charting a broader course for long-term energy cooperation. As part of the agreement, Algeria will dispatch a specialized team from Sonelgaz, the state-owned electricity and gas utility, to assess Syria’s power generation…

Cape Verde is preparing to sign structured labor migration agreements with countries in West and Central Africa as it confronts acute shortages in sectors such as agriculture and construction. Minister for Investment Promotion and Business Development, Eurico Monteiro, announced the government’s readiness to welcome regular labor migration through formal bilateral partnerships, stressing the need for controlled and needs-based immigration. “We are not just considering this path—we have already opened discussions and received interest from institutions ready to engage,” Monteiro said Wednesday on the sidelines of a labor market forum in Praia. The proposed framework aims to facilitate the legal and…

Burundians cast their votes on Thursday in legislative and local elections, marking the first major political test since President Évariste Ndayishimiye took office five years ago. The vote comes at a critical time for the East African nation, as it navigates questions of democratic transition, human rights, and political accountability. Citizens are selecting representatives to fill 123 seats in the National Assembly, the country’s lower house of parliament. Most lawmakers will be elected through party lists under a system of proportional representation, while others will be co-opted to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements on gender and ethnic balance. The ruling…

U.S. President Donald Trump has reimposed a controversial travel ban that will directly impact citizens from several African countries, citing national security concerns. The new directive, announced Wednesday evening through a presidential proclamation, places full or partial travel restrictions on nearly a dozen African nations, reviving a policy that drew widespread criticism during his previous administration. The ban, set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, bars entry to nationals from Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. In addition, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo will face partial limitations, which are…

Namibia’s maritime trade continues to show positive momentum, with the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) reporting a solid increase in cargo throughput for the financial year ending March 31. The authority announced on Tuesday that a total of 8.42 million tons of cargo was handled across the country’s two major ports—Walvis Bay and Lüderitz—marking a 4.8% increase from the previous year’s 8.03 million tons. This rise reflects a broader trend of operational expansion and efficiency within Namibia’s port sector. Namport attributed the growth to deliberate efforts in cargo diversification, significant infrastructure investments, and strengthened partnerships with key players in the logistics…

Ivory Coast’s main opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, has been officially ruled out of the country’s upcoming presidential election, following his exclusion from the final list of approved candidates. The announcement was made on Wednesday by a senior official from the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), the party Thiam currently heads. Thiam, a former chief executive at Credit Suisse and one of the most prominent figures in Ivorian politics, had declared his intention to run for the presidency despite a legal challenge to his eligibility. In April, a court ordered that his name be removed from the electoral roll, citing…

Egypt’s urban consumer price inflation surged to 16.8 percent in May, up from 13.9 percent in April, official figures from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) revealed on Wednesday. The unexpected rise outpaced market forecasts, reflecting complex economic dynamics including a notable base effect. While the inflation uptick signals renewed pressure on prices, it follows a marked easing from a peak of 38 percent recorded in September 2023. The recent downward trajectory was bolstered by a significant $8 billion financial support package secured from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March 2024, which helped stabilize Egypt’s fragile…

On June 3, Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria convened in Algiers to sign a series of 11 cooperation agreements aimed at broadening collaboration across diverse sectors. This event marked a significant milestone during Kagame’s official two-day visit to Algeria, which was extended at the invitation of his Algerian counterpart. The agreements signed encompass key areas critical to both nations’ development agendas. These include air services to facilitate travel and trade, visa exemptions to ease mobility between the two countries, and enhanced communication networks. The accords also cover cooperation in police and security matters, pharmaceutical industry…

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has unveiled plans to launch a wide-ranging political initiative in a bid to resolve Libya’s years-long institutional deadlock, vowing to restructure his government, improve public engagement, and secure conditions for credible national elections. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting in Tripoli on Tuesday, Dbeibeh said the initiative—expected to be formally introduced in the coming days—would rest on three distinct pillars aimed at realigning the country’s fractured political environment and reinforcing the state’s authority. Merit-Based Government Reform At the heart of Dbeibeh’s proposed initiative is a sweeping restructuring of the Government of National Unity (GNU). He emphasized…

In a groundbreaking wildlife conservation initiative, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reintroduced four critically endangered eastern lowland gorillas into Virunga National Park—marking the largest translocation and reinforcement effort for this subspecies in African history. The move signifies a renewed national commitment to protecting biodiversity in eastern DRC, a region long plagued by insecurity, poaching, and ecological degradation. Despite persistent threats from armed groups such as the M23 rebels and ongoing environmental challenges, this operation demonstrates the resilience and determination of both local authorities and conservation partners to safeguard one of the world’s most biologically rich ecosystems. The four…

Senegal is intensifying efforts to enhance tax compliance as part of a broader strategy to increase domestic revenue and lessen its reliance on external financial support, including loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko revealed. The West African nation is currently collaborating with the IMF to address discrepancies arising from previously misreported debt and deficit figures. These irregularities led to the suspension of Senegal’s $1.8 billion financing program with the Fund, halting disbursements for over a year. In a recent address to Senegalese nationals residing in Guinea, Sonko highlighted the critical role of tax reforms in…

Mali has announced a temporary halt to all artisanal gold mining activities during the country’s rainy season to protect miners from the increased risk of landslides. This suspension will be in effect from June 15 to September 30, according to the Ministry of Mines. The ministry’s spokesperson explained that the decision follows meteorological forecasts predicting heavy rains throughout this period. “The reason for this suspension is quite simple—safety,” the spokesperson said in a statement, highlighting the government’s priority to safeguard the well-being of those working in vulnerable mining conditions. Artisanal mining, characterized by small-scale and informal operations often conducted without…

Guinea and Senegal have jointly embarked on a renewed path of cooperation aimed at building a robust South-South development model that prioritizes mutual growth and regional solidarity. This strategic partnership was reaffirmed on Monday by Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah and his Senegalese counterpart Ousmane Sonko after high-level discussions in Conakry, Guinea’s capital. The two nations have identified six primary areas for collaboration: mining, energy, infrastructure, fisheries, cultural exchange, and cross-border security. These sectors are seen as vital pillars not only for bilateral development but also for fostering broader regional integration across West Africa. A statement from the Guinean…

The African Union Peace and Security Council is set to convene on Tuesday, June 4, to discuss how the continent can better coordinate ammunition management with global standards as part of wider efforts to control arms proliferation and bolster regional stability. At its 1281st session, the Council will examine how the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (GFA) can be aligned with Africa’s existing regional instruments on arms and ammunition control. Tanzania’s Ambassador to the African Union, Innocent Shiyo, who chairs the Council this month, is expected to open the meeting. AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security,…