Author: WAJ Editor

The South African rand approached an all-time low against the US dollar on Wednesday, amid global market tensions over new US tariffs and rising domestic political instability. The rand fell to 19.8225 against the dollar in early trading, nearing a record low of 19.9075 reached in June 2023. At 06:55 GMT, it had gained 0.2% on the day and rebounded slightly to 19.73, but remained down more than 3% for the week. The South African rand, which is usually sensitive to global risk sentiment, has been hit hard by the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff measures. New…

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed a US$7.5 million trade finance guarantee agreement with Bank of Africa Tanzania to boost support for local businesses and SME importers. Under the new facility, AfDB will offer guarantees covering up to 100% of non-payment risks for letters of credit and other trade finance instruments issued by Bank of Africa Tanzania. The initiative is aimed at helping local companies access regional and international markets more easily. Patricia Laverley, country manager for Tanzania at Bank of Africa, said the guarantee will particularly benefit key sectors such as trade, agriculture, manufacturing, and energy. “This facility…

A senior commander of a separatist rebel coalition active in northern Mali has been arrested in Niger, local security sources confirmed on Monday. Inkinane Ag Attaher, a key figure within the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), was detained by Nigerien security forces last week. The FLA, formed late last year from a merger of several mainly Tuareg groups, is seeking to assert control over parts of northern Mali. A Nigerien security official described Attaher as a “terrorist” and revealed that he was carrying passports of both nations at the time of his arrest. The detention reportedly occurred between the Dosso region…

Malawi’s cotton industry has seen a dramatic resurgence during the 2024/25 farming season, providing new optimism for farmers and opening fresh economic opportunities for the country’s struggling textile and agro-industrial sectors. According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Second Round Crop Estimates, cotton production has climbed by an impressive 177.2 percent, jumping from 6,147 metric tonnes in 2023/24 to 17,037 metric tonnes this season. This marks one of the highest growth rates among major crops this year. The surge has been especially significant for smallholder farmers, many based in the Lower Shire and lakeshore districts, where cotton farming is a key…

Gabon is set to hold a crucial presidential election on Saturday, the first since a military coup in 2023 ended the Bongo family’s 56-year grip on power. The country’s new leaders are hoping the vote will legitimize their authority and solidify a new political era. Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the coup last August, is widely expected to win. Initially pledging a return to civilian rule, Nguema took charge of the transitional government and recently confirmed his candidacy for the election. His main opponent is Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, a former prime minister under Ali Bongo, who has launched…

South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s multiparty coalition on Tuesday, despite growing tensions with its main partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA), following a heated budget dispute. The rift deepened after the DA voted against the national budget and launched a legal challenge to block it, raising fears about the stability of South Africa’s first coalition government since the end of apartheid. The fallout has also shaken investor confidence, contributing to a sharp decline in the value of the rand. DA leader John Steenhuisen called for renewed talks on power-sharing with the ANC, saying that…

At least 50 hippos and other large animals have died from an anthrax outbreak in Virunga National Park, the oldest protected reserve in Africa, officials have confirmed. Photographs released by the park show lifeless animals floating along the Ishasha River in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. According to park authorities, the first carcasses were spotted last week. Tests have since confirmed the presence of anthrax, though the exact source of the contamination remains unclear. Park Director Emmanuel de Merode said efforts are underway to retrieve and bury the dead hippos and other animals to prevent further spread of the…

The European Union has announced €150,000 in humanitarian aid to assist communities in Botswana severely impacted by recent flooding, the EU Delegation to Botswana said on Monday. The funds will support the Botswana Red Cross Society (BRCS) in providing emergency relief to over 9,000 people across Gaborone, South-East, Kgatleng, and Ghanzi districts. The assistance package includes multi-purpose cash aid, food, shelter, clean water, health and sanitation services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. The five-month emergency project, which runs until the end of August 2025, will also help the BRCS develop an Early Action Protocol (EAP) for floods,…

South Sudan has reversed its previous stance and agreed to accept Makula Kintu, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), into the country following increasing pressure from the US. The decision marks the latest development in a diplomatic impasse that began when Kintu was denied entry at Juba International Airport on April 5 and 6 following his deportation from the US. Speaking at an unscheduled press conference on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen announced the government’s change of stance, citing the strong ties between Juba and Washington. “In keeping with the spirit of the…

South Sudan has condemned a US decision to revoke visas for all its citizens, calling the move “unfair” and blaming it on a case of mistaken nationality involving a different African national. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Saturday that the United States would cancel visas for South Sudanese nationals, citing the government’s failure to accept the timely return of its citizens facing deportation. However, South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry responded Monday, saying the individual at the center of the dispute was later confirmed to be a Congolese citizen. The person was sent back to the US, and evidence supporting…

An 83-year-old British missionary and his assistant have been released safely two days after being abducted by an armed group in Cameroon, their church organization announced on Friday. The Catholic Mill Hill Missionaries confirmed that Brother Huub Welters and his assistant, Henry Kang, were seized on Tuesday in the town of Bambui while traveling to Ilung to oversee a classroom construction project for underprivileged children. In a statement, the group said the two were freed on Thursday. “We are relieved to report that Brother Huub Welters MHM and his assistant Henry Kang were released from captivity this afternoon, Thursday, April…

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday confirmed an award of 52 million euros (approximately 57 million dollars) to victims of Ugandan warlord Dominic Ongwen, who led brutal attacks as a commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) under fugitive leader Joseph Kony. Ongwen, also known by the alias “White Ant,” is serving a 25-year prison sentence after being convicted of 61 charges, including murder, rape, and sexual enslavement. The ICC had initially ordered the compensation last year, which includes a symbolic payment of 750 euros to each of nearly 50,000 identified victims. Ongwen challenged the reparations order, but the…

Russia has pledged to support the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger by helping them acquire weapons and training for a planned joint force of 5,000 troops, according to a statement released after high-level talks in Moscow. The three West African nations, each led by juntas that seized power in recent years, have formed the Alliance of Sahel States. The group has distanced itself from Western powers, expelling French and other foreign forces and aligning more closely with Russia, particularly relying on fighters from the Wagner mercenary group. They have also withdrawn from the Economic Community of West…

Kenya sees a potential opportunity in the new US tariffs, hoping that the lighter penalties compared to its rivals could give it an advantage in the escalating global trade tensions. But turning that advantage into real gains could be difficult. As governments around the world grapple with President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, Kenya has expressed optimism that it can outpace its Asian textile rivals. Goods from Kenya, which exported $737 million worth of goods to the US last year, face a tariff of at least 10%, compared with higher rates for Vietnam (46%), Sri Lanka (44%) and Bangladesh (37%). “Kenya…

Boeing has struck a last-minute deal to avoid a civil trial set to begin Monday over the 2019 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX jet, according to lawyers representing the victims’ families. The Chicago trial was expected to involve two cases brought by relatives of those killed, but both were settled on Sunday evening, the Clifford law firm stated. The crash, which occurred on March 10, 2019, shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa en route to Kenya, claimed the lives of all 157 passengers and crew. Relatives of 155 victims had filed lawsuits against Boeing between April 2019 and…

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced that the government will deport all foreign nationals found engaging in illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey. Addressing members of the Ghanaian community in Lagos, Nigeria over the weekend, Ablakwa reaffirmed President John Mahama’s commitment to protecting the country’s natural resources. “President Mahama has made it clear that mining activities in river bodies and forest reserves will not be tolerated,” Ablakwa stated. He revealed that a military operation aimed at cracking down on illegal miners will be launched in the coming days. “In the next few days, individuals will be…