Egypt: Iconic Steel Company Going Under
CAIRO, 22 January 2021 – The iconic Egyptian Steel and Iron Company, founded in 1954 by Gamal Abdel Nasser, is going under and, with it, a proud history, officials have confirmed. Most of the steel and iron that went into the building of the famous Aswan High Dam came...
SADR: Kenya, Algeria Demand UN Envoy
NAIROBI, 22 January 2021 – Algeria and Kenya have called on the United Nations to appoint a special envoy to help deescalate tensions in the Western Sahara. An envoy would advance consultations and preparations for a UN-mandated referendum, said in a joint statement,...
CAR: 15-Day State of Emergency
BANGUI, 22 January 2021 – Authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) have declared a state of emergency as armed groups knock on the gates of the capital, Bangui. “A state of emergency has been declared across the national territory for 15 days, starting from...
Tanzania: Mining Largest Nickel Sulphate Deposit
DAR ES SALAAM, 21 January 2021 - The government of Tanzania will start developing the world’s largest battery-grade nickel sulphate deposit, a government statement has confirmed. Tanzania has finalized the setting up of a joint company with British mining company...
Kenya-Tanzania-Uganda: Taxing Digital
NAIROBI, 21 January 2021 – Kenya has joined its neighbors Uganda and Tanzania in taxing digital transactions under a Ditigal Service Tax which came into effect on New Year Day. Kenya now charges a 1.5 percent tax on gross income derived from all services on the...
Seychelles: Schools Reopen Remotely
VICTORIA, 21 January 2021 – Schools have resumed, but only remotely, for a new school year across Seychelles as part of measures to stem the rise of COVID-19 infections. In collaboration with public health offcials, the country’s ministry of education says they will...
Burundi: Refugees Get Help from AfDB
BUJUMBURA, 21 January 2021 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it provided basic services to 43,296 refugees in camps across Burundi between 2018 and 2020. The micro projects focused on improving living conditions, including providing water and facilitating...
Cameroon-Ambazonia-CHAN2021: Group B Action
DOUALA, 21 January 2021 – DR Congo scored in overtime to draw, one-one, against Libya and Niger vs. Congo-Brazzaville ended in another one-one draw in Group B of the 2020 African Nations Championship. Libya’s Al Mehdi scored at the sixth minute of their game against...
Ethiopia-Sudan: Border Dispute BlameFest
ADDIS ABABA, 21 January 2021 – Ethiopia and Sudan are blaming each other and an unnamed “third party” for dispute over the al-Fashaga regon on their common border. “Ethiopia does not want to go to war with friendly Sudan but wants to solve the problem peacefully,”...
Eswatini: Stricter COVID Restrictions Extended
MBABANE, 21 January 2021 - Authorities in Eswatini have extended for four more weeks stricter measures, including a ban on the sale of alcohol, in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. The sale of alcohol will be totally banned during the four weeks, the country’s...
Africa: US Travel Ban Rescinded
WASHINGTON, DC, 21 January 2021 – One in five Africans impacted by the US travel ban are relieved after President Joe Biden rescinded the ban in his first hours in office Wednesday. Nationals from three African countries – Libya, Somalia and Sudan – were among the...
Africa: COVID-19 Death Rate Above Global Rate
JOHANNESBURG, 21 January 2021 – Africa’s COVID-19 death rate has surpassed the global average, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The continent’s average death rate now stands at 2.5 percent, compared to a global average...
Ghana: Baby Trafficking Ring Busted
ACCRA, 21 January 2021 – Authorities in Ghana have busted a ring of people suspected of trafficking in new-born babies stolen from unsuspecting mothers in health facilities across the West African nation. Two babies were rescued in a raid which has been in planning...
South Africa: Minister Dies of COVID-19
JOHANNESBURG, 21 January 2021 - South Africa’s minister in the presidency, Jackson Mthembu, has died of complications from the new coronavirus, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Thursday. Mthembu was 62. He was a long-serving member of South Africa’s governing...
Uganda: EU Calls for Election Probe
BRUSSELS, 21 January 2021 - The European Union has called for a probe into alleged abuses and the harassment of opposition candidates in the last legislative and presidential elections in Uganda. The Brussels-based inter-governmental organization says it is very...
Uganda: Archbishop Suspended over Adultery
KAMPALA, 20 January 2021 - An Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda, Stanley Ntagali, has been suspended from priestly duties and ordered to desist from representing the church reportedly over adultery. A statement on the church’s website accuses Ntagali of...
Kenya: 24 million COVID Vaccine Doses
NAIROBI, 20 January 2021 – Kenya’s health ministry says it has ordered and expects to receive 24 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine next month. The supply would be coming from Astrazeneca and Oxford University, according to Kenya’s health minister, Mutah Kagwe, who...
Algeria: France Won’t Apologize for Colonization
PARIS, 20 January 2021 – The French government will not apologize or repent for France’s colonial past in Algeria, Paris has hinted. The lack of remorse was expressed ahead of the scheduled publication Wednesday of a study into France’s role in Algeria during a bitter...
Ghana: Re-run Case Seeks More Time
ACCRA, 20 January 2021 – Lawyers for Ghana’s opposition who seek a re-run of the last presidential election say the date fixed by the supreme court for hearing the matter is too soon. The court on Tuesday asked Ghana’s president-elect Nana Akufo-Addo and runner-up...
Cameroon-Ambazonia-CHAN2021: Group A Action
YAOUNDE, 20 January 2021 – Burkina Faso beat Zimbabwe, three-one, and Cameron drew, one-one, with Mali in the second day of action in Group A of the 2020 African Nations Championship also known as Total African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020). Burkina Faso’s Sosso...
Tanzania: Outbreak of Swine Fever
DODOMA, 20 January 2021 - Tanzania has reported an outbreak of African swine fever in its northern Kahama district in which more than 50 pigs have died. The sale of pork has been banned in the district, according to the district commissioner Anamringi Macha. The first...
Seychelles: Red Carpet for COVID-Inoculated
VICTORIA, 20 January 2021 – Anyone inoculated against the new coronavirus does not have to self-quarantine if they visit Seychelles, authorities in the capital, Victoria have announced. They are, however, still required to show proof of a negative PCR test obtained 72...
Kenya: Pursuing Free Trade Deal with USA
NAIROBI, 20 January 2021 - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says he will continue work to seal a new trade deal with the United States. The agreement, if successfully concluded, would be the first to be reached between the United States and a single sub-Saharan African...
Mali: New Calls for French Troops to Leave
BAMAKO, 20 January 2021 - Malian authorities have banned a protest calling for the withdrawal of French troops from the country, according to media reports. Organizers said French troops who have been deployed for eight years in the country to fight jihadist militants...
Ethiopia: Eritrean Refugees without Basics
GENEVA, 20 January 2021 - Thousands of Eritrean refugees in camps in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray are in dire need of basic supplies like water, the UN refugee has warned. While schools and shelters are intact in two refugee camps that the UN agency has...
Tunisia: Protesters Urged to end Violence
TUNIS, 20 January 2021 – Officials in Tunisia appealed Wednesday for an end to violence, looting and vandalism that on Tuesday marred a fifth night of street protests in the capital, Tunis. The protests started Friday, the tenth anniversary of the ousting of Tunisia’s...
Zimbabwe: Foreign Minister Dies of COVID-19
HARARE, 20 January 2021 – Zimbabwe’s foreign minister, Sibusiso Moyo, has died from complications from his infection with COVID-19, the government confirmed Wednesday. He was 61. Moyo was the face and spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s ruling party when he announced in 2017...
Africa: Biden to Re-engage Continent
WASHINGTON, DC, 19 January 2021 – The incoming administration of US President Joseph R. Biden has committed to address the genocidal violence in Soutehrn Camerons aka Ambazonia. In response to questions that cited countries backsliding on democracy, President Joe...
Ambazonia-Cameroon-CHAN2020: Group D Action
YAOUNDE, 19 January 2021 – Guinea beat Namibia, three-nil, Tuesday in Victoria-Limbe to take the lead in Group D of the 2020 African Nations Championship also known as Total African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020). Zambia is in second position in the group after...
South Sudan: One of Nine in UN Arrears
JUBA, 19 January 2021 - South Sudan and nine other countries owe more than two years of membership arrears to the United Nations, the world body’s financial reocrds show. As of 13 January 2021, all but one of the ten Member States in arrears – Iran - are African...
Somalia: Eleven People Killed in Two Days
MOGADISHU, 19 January 2021 – Eleven people have been killed in two attacks by al-Shabab militants targeting two convoys Sunday and Monday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. At least five people were killed Monday and several others injured in the Garasbaley...
Somalia-Kenya-Somaliland: Djibouti Mediating
MOGADISHU, 19 January 2021 – Djibouti has ramped up mediation in the diplomatic row between Kenya and Somalia, officials in the capital, Djibouti City, confirmed Tuesday. The Djiboutian diplomatic and military delegation completed a fact-finding mission to Kenya and...
Nigeria: Seeking 10m COVID Vaccine Doses
ABUJA, 19 January 2021 - Nigeria has requested 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from the African Union (AU) from the 270 million vaccine doses the AU has secured for the continent. The 10 million vaccine doses from the AU are expected to be delivered next March,...
Egypt: Revival of Middle East Peace Process
CAIRO, 19 January 2021 - Cairo was the setting Monday for meetings by French, German, Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers to discuss ways of reviving the frozen Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The ministerial group was set up on the sidelines of the Munich...
Ambazonia-Cameroon: Delusional Victory Claims
BAMENDA, 19 January 2021 – An official of the regime of Paul Biya of French-speaking Cameroon on Monday claimed victory in the war against independence fighters of English-speaking Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia. “I am pleased to tell all of you that President Paul...
South Sudan: Soldiers Accused of Killing Three
JUBA, 18 January 2021 – The main armed opposition in South Sudan (SPLA-IO) has accused soldiers of the South Sudanese army (SSPDF) of killing three civilians in an ambush. The civilians were killed Saturday. Soldiers of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF)...
Rwanda: Kigali Schools Closed
KIGALI, 18 January 2021 – All nursery, primary and secondary schools in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, have been closed for two weeks, effective Monday, January 18. In a statement published Sunday, the country’s education ministry said the two-week suspension in...
Rwanda: Airfreight Fees Threaten Horticulture
KIGALI, 18 January 2021 – Hikes in airfreight charges for the transport of horticulture exports could ruin Rwanda’s competitive edge in the sector, exporters warned Monday.. High air transport tariffs without an increase in the price of the product in our destination...
CAR: Election Results Certified
BANGUI, 18 January 2021 - The Constitutional Court in Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday certified the results of the presidential elections of last December 27. Incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadera won re-election with 53.16 percent of the votes cast,...
Cameroon-Ambazonia-CHAN2021: Group C Action
YAOUNDE, 18 January 2021 – Defending champions, Morocco, beat Togo, one-nil, Monday in their first game of the 2020 African Nations Championship also known as Total African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020). Morocco’s Jabrane scored from the penality spoit at the 27th...
Nigeria: Schools Reopen Despite COVID Spike
ABUJA, 18 January 2021 – Schools reopened Monday across Nigeria despite rising cases of the new coronavirus, with students wearing masks and social distancing. It is the first time that schools have reopened since students were sent home in mid-December for Christmas...
Uganda: Internet Back, Social Media Not Yet
KAMPALA, 18 January 2021 – Internet service has resumed across Uganda after being shutdown on the eve of legislative and presidentival elections last Thursday. Social media platforms are still not accessible, leaving Ugandans to turn to Virtual Private Networks (VPN)...
Ethiopia: Starvation Feared in Tigray
GENEVA, 18 January 2021 – The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia’s northen Tigray region is “severe” and there are increased risks of malnutrition, the United Nations warned Monday. The data is based on the findings of needs assessment missions deployed to Tigray by...
Senegal-Mauritania: $4.8bn Gas Project Coming
DAKAR, 18 January 2021 – The first gas from the $4.8 billion Grand Tortue Ahmeyin project will be produced in 2023, according to Senegal’s Oil Minister Sophie Gladima. The oil field straddles the offshore waters of Mauritania and Senegal and the two countries own an...
South Sudan: Split over Winning the Peace
JUBA, 18 January 2021 - Supporters of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit are divided over plans to accommodate a holdout opposition leader and a former army chief. The two are former army chief, General Paul Malong, who leads the South Sudan United...
Liberia: Vanity Vehicle Plates Launched
MONROVIA, 18 January 2021 – Liberia’s ministry of transport has introduced luxury vehicle number plates with an eye on the extra cash these will deliver to the public treasury. Described as “luxury” or “vanity” vehicle plates, the tags will cost owners between $1,000...
Cameroon-Ambazonia-CHAN2020: Group B Action
YAOUNDE, 17 January 2021 – DR Congo beat Libya, one-nil, on Sunday to jump to the top of Group B of the 2020 African Nations Championship also known as Total African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020). Niger and Congo-Brazzaville played a goalless draw in the second...
Sudan: 48 Killed in Darfur Clashes
EL GENEINA, 17 January 2021 - Forty-eight people have been killed in ethnic clashes in Sudan’s Western Darfur state, according to doctors cited Sunday by Sudan’s News Agency. The clashes broke out Saturday in the state capital, El Geneina. Angry mobs of Arab...
Uganda: Bobi Wine Fears for His Life
KAMPALA, 17 January 2021 – The runner-up in Thursday’s presidential election in Uganda, Bobi Wine, says his life is being threatened. The pop star turned politician told the BBC Sunday that his home has been surrounded by Ugandan security forces who are not allowing...
Nigeria: Army Retakes Camp from Jihadists
MARTE, 17 January 2021 - Military authorities in Nigeria have praised soldiers in the far northeastern state of Borno for recapturing an army base seized earlier by jihadist militants. Nigeria’s army chief of staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, praised the air force for...
Somalia: Nearly all American Troops Out
MOGADISHU, 17 January 2021 – The last of America’s 700-strong force in Somalia were due to leave the Horn of Africa country by the end of this weekend. Officials at the Pentagon (the US Defense Department) have not said if members of the force leaving Somalia this...
Cote d’Ivoire: Opposition Request Ballot Delay
ABIDJAN, 17 January 2021 – The main opposition parites in Cote d’Ivoire have called on the country’s electoral commission to delay legislative elections initially scheduled for March 6. The parties say they would like more time to prepare for the election. Some of the...
Nigeria: Schools Reopen Monday
ABUJA, 17 January 2021 – Schools will reopen Monday across despite a spike in new coronavirus cases across Africa's most populous nation. Nigeria’s education ministry confirmed the resumption date last Friday. The decision is the outcome of wide consultation with...
Ambazonia-Cameroon-CHAN2020: Imminent Danger
VICTORIA-LIMBE, 17 January 2021 – Fans and teams in Group D of CHAN2020 in Cameroon may be in imminent danger from terrorist-style attacks, a campaign on Twitter has warned. “Expect attacks by CamreoUN on players and team offricials playing Group D… in Limbe, Southern...
Cameroon-Ambazonia-CHAN2020: Championship Opens
YAOUNDE, 17 January 2021 – Hosts, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, beat the Warriors of Zimbabwe, one-nil, in the opening game of the 2020 African Nations Championship also known as Total African Nations Championship (CHAN 2020). Cameroonian attacker Banga scored...
The Gambia: UK COVID-19 Variant Hits
BANJUL, 16 January 2021 – The Gambia has detected its first two case of the new COVID-19 variant whose outbreak was first reported in the United Kingdom (UK). The new strain was detected in two people entering the country, according notes from a briefing by Gambia’s...
Rwanda: Ready for COVID-19 Inoculation
KIGALI, 16 January 2021 - Rwanda is now ready to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines, officials said Friday, a day after Rwanda hit its single highest daily cases. One hundred and ninety-four (194) new cases were recorded on Thursday. The lack of capacity...
South Sudan: Rape Convictions Raise Hopes
YEI, 16 January 2021 – The case of two South Sudanese women who sued and won against soldiers who raped them has raised hopes of accountability in the war-torn country. The convictions were handed down last September, but the story is only now getting worldwide...
Ethiopia: EU Alarmed by Ethnic Cleansing
BRUSSELS, 16 January 2021 - Incidents of ethnic targeted killings and possible war crimes are multiplying in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, European Union (EU) officials have alleged. "We receive consistent reports of ethnic-targeted violence, killings, massive...
Uganda: Museveni Wins Re-election
KAMPALA, 16 January 2021 – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has won re-election for a record sixth presidential term, the country’s electoral commission said Saturday. "The electoral commission declares Yoweri Museveni... elected President of the Republic of Uganda,"...
Ambazonia-Cameroon: Outrage over Mautu Massacre
BUEA, 16 January 2021 – The United Nations, Western democracies and rights groups are slamming Cameroonian authorities for the massacre Sunday of at least eight civilians in Mautu village. The victims included a baby, several teenage-age looking boys and an elderly...
Mali: Fourth Peacekeeper Killed
BAMAKO, 15 January 2021 – A fourth United Nations peacekeeper has died of his injuries in Mali after their convoy hit an improvised explosive device. In addition to the four fatalities, five other peacekeepers suffered injuries in the attack believed to have...
Nigeria: Women, Babies Still Held by Gunmen
MANDO, 15 January 2021 - Eighteen people, including four mothers and their babies, remained in captivity Friday in the northern state of Kaduna after being seized by unidentified gunmen from their village. The attackers stormed Mando village on motorbikes during the...
Africa: CAF Honoring Ex-President Hayatou
CAIRO, 15 January 2021 – The Confederaiton of African Football (CAF) is set to honor its former and longestserving president, Issa Hayatou, at an event Friday in his native Cameroon. The 74-year-old Hayatou will be designated President Emeritus of CAF. “This honor...
Guinea: Guinean Wins Right to Stay on in France
PARIS, 15 January 2021 – A Guinean, Laye Fode Traore, will no longer be deported from France after his employer used a hunger strike to win hearts and the right for him to stay. Traore was going to turn 18, the age at which minors who came to France illegally or who...
Rwanda: Central Bank Economist Dies from COVID
KIGALI, 15 January 2021 – The chief economist of Rwanda’s Central Bank, Thomas Kigabo, has died from complications from COVID-19. He is the first senior government official to die from the new coronavirus in Rwanda. Kigabo died at a hospital in the Kenyan capital,...
Malawi: Seeking Funding to Fight COVID
LILONGWE, 15 January 2021 – Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera is seeking $220 million in funding to fight the new coronavirus pandemic in his country. The full appeal is posted on the Malawi government Facebook page. In an interview Friday, Chakwera highlighted the...
Sudan-Ethiopia: No Fly Zone Over al-Qadarif
KHARTOUM, 15 January 2021 – Air transport authorities in Sudan on Thursday banned air travel over al-Qadarif state and al-Fashaga region, according to the Paris-based Sudan Tribune. The "No Fly Zone" was declared by the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority after an...
South Africa: Schools Reopening Delayed
JOHANNESBURG, 15 January 2021 – State-run schools in South Africa will not reopen for another two weeks as the country battles a second wave of the new coronavirus. Schools will now resume next February 15. The revised reopening date was announced Friday by Deputy...
Egypt: TikTok Stars Not Off the Hook
CAIRO, 15 January 2021 – Egyptian judicial authorities are pursuing human trafficking charges against two TikTok female stars who were acquitted and ordered released from prison earlier this week. The decision by the public prosecutor for Cairo effectively means that...
Rwanda: Kenyan Unibrol Antibiotics Suspended
KIGALI, 15 January 2021 – The use of unibrol, an antibiotic imported from neighboring Kenya, has been suspended in Rwanda. Unibrol is administered by mouth and is prescribed to treat intestinal infections, according to its manufacturers, the Kenya-based Universal...
Ethiopia: Ex-Foreign Minister Killed in Raid
ADDIS ABABA, 15 January 2021 – Ethiopian forces killed the country’s former minister of foreign affairs, Seyoum Mesfin, reportedly after he refused to surrender. The former minister was killed in the northern Tigray region where an armed conflict has opposed Ethiopian...
Mozambique: Civilian Hostages Freed
MAPUTO, 15 January 2021 – An operation by Mozambican armed and security forces has rescued 15 women and six children kidnapped by al-Shabab Islamist militants. Soldiers and police participated in the operation, according to the country's police chief Bernadino Rafael....
Uganda: Museveni Leads in Early Results
KAMPALA, 15 January 2021 – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Friday held an early lead in preliminary results following Thursday’s legislative and presidential elections. Friday afternoon Museveni had won 63.9 percent of the vote compared to 28.4 percent to his...
Zimbabwe: Prominent Journalist Denied Bail
HARARE, 15 January 2021 – Prominent Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, who was arrested last week Friday for reportedly publishing a "fake" story was denied bail Thursday. Chin'ono remained in custody Friday. The strop he is accused of disseminating was, in...
Ghana: Typo Delays Re-Run Court Case
ACCRA, 15 January 2021 – The hearing of the case for a re-run of Ghana's presidential election was delayed Thursday by a typo in the court papers submitted by the applicant, defeated presidential candidate John Mahama. Instead of calling for a re-run between President...
Africa: 270m COVID Vaccine Doses Secured
ADDIS ABABA, 14 January 2021 – The African Union (AU) says it has secured 270 million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses for inoculation programs across the continent. "We have so far secured a commitment of a provisional amount of 270 million vaccines from three major...
Uganda: 18 Million Ugandans Casting Votes
KAMPALA, 14 January 2021 – Over 18 million Ugandans registered to vote are casting their ballots Thursday in legislative and presidential elections. Incumbent president Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power already for 35 years, is seeking re-election for a record...
Africa: World Bank to Invest $5bn in 11 Countries
WASHINGTON, DC, 13 January 2021 - The World Bank Group (WBG) will invest $5 billion in 11 African countries over the next five years in support of climate resilient development. Under the investment, the WBG will improve livelihoods, agricultural productivity and food...
Africa: Horn in the Eye of Desert Locusts
ROME, 13 January 2021 - Another swarm of desert locusts is headed in the direction of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania, the Food and Agriculture Orgaization (FAO) warned Wednesday. The FAO urged governments in the sub-region to do more to control and prevent a...
Kenya: Raila Heckled by Ruto Supporters
NAIROBI, 13 January 2021 - The leader of Kenya’s ODM, Raila Odinga, was heckled Wednesday by a hostile crowd at Burma Market, during an impromptu campaign stop turned ugly. Traders shouted “Ruto”, drowning out the voice of Raila at times, as he tried to address the...
Sierra Leone: Supfrica, an African App
FREETOWN, 12 January 2021 – The App Store is now offering an app, Supfrica, produced by a Sierra Leonean developer, Hafiz Alhassan Kanu, who claims it is faster than WhatsApp. Hafiz Alhassan Kanu, who owns a U.S.-based tech company, says Supfrica is meant to connect...
CAR: Rebels’ Closest Attack to Bangui Fails
BANGUI, 13 January 2021 – Rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) staged their closest attack to the capital, Bangui, repelled thanks to the help of peacekeepers, one of whom lost his life. The attack hit a position manned by United Nations peacekeepers barely 12...
Ethiopia: North Shewa Dam Ground Breaking
ADDIS ABABA, 13 January 2021 – Ethiopian authorities broke ground over the weekend for a new $125 million dam in North Shewa, in the country’s northern Amhara Region. The new dam, to be known as Ajima-Chacha, is expected to be completed in three years. Ethiopia’s...
Egypt: TikTok Stars Freed from Jail
CAIRO, 13 January 2021 – Two female Egyptian TikTok stars are out of jail after an appeal court ruled Tuesday to acquit them. The ruling in appeal reverses jail terms of two years each handed down against the two last year for posting indecent videos. The two – Haneen...
Egypt: Trade, Nuclear & More with Russia
CAIRO, 12 January 2021 – A comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation agreement signed in 2018 between Egypt and Russia entered into force on Sunday. In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry said Monday that the partnership will strengthen political...
Nigeria: COVID-19 Cases Surpass 100,000
ABUJA, 12 January 2021 – Nigeria’s coronavirus infections have surpassed 100,000, according to the Nigeria Cnetre for Disease Control (NCDC). As of Tuesday night, Nigeria had recorded over 101,000 cases with 80,491 recoveries. No fewer than 1,361 Nigerians have died...
Uganda: Social Media Blackout
KAMPALA, 12 January 2021 – Ugandan authorities have shutdown social media and messaging apps ahead of legislative and presidential elections next January 14. Global wire services like Reuters and the French News Agency reported Tuesday that they had seen copies of...
Nigeria: Thirteen Soldiers Killed in Ambush
GAZAGANA, 12 January 2021 - Nigerian armed and security authorities say 13 of their soldiers were killed in an ambush by jihadist fighters over the weekend. The new death toll is a dozen more soldiers killed compared to an earlier report by the military which said...
Malawi: Two Ministers Die of COVID-19
LILONGWE, 12 January 2021 – Two Malawian ministers died Tuseday within two hours of each other from complications triggered by the new coronavirus. Malawi’s local government minister Lingson Belekanyama had hardly been dead two hous than the country’s transport...
Chad: Second Day of Strike Action
N’DJAMENA, 12 January 2021 – Civil servants in Chad on Tuesday entered Day Two of a three-day nationwide general strike, demanding restoration of salaries and a host of benefits cut four years ago. The four biggest trade unions of the country called the strike after a...
Mozambique-Tanzania: In Defense of Gas Projects
MAPUTO, 12 January 2021 – Tanzania and Mozambique are combining efforts to stamp out a cross-border insurgency that threatens gas projects worth about $60 billion. The president of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi returned to Maputo Monday after meetings with his Tanzanian...
Rwanda: Horticulture Earnings Rise
KIGALI, 12 January 2021 – Rwanda’s horticultural exports rose five percent in 2020 compared to 2019, but earnings – in dollar terms - stayed almost flat, according to official data. The country expoerted 37,343 tonnes of horticulture commodities – vegetables, flowers...
Somalia: Al-Shabab Kills 7 Kenyan Soldiers
MOGADISHU, 12 January 2021 – At least seven Kenyan soldiers serving under the peacekeeping mission in Somalia have been killed in a suicide attack in Mogadishu. The attack occurred in the outskirts of Hosingow, Middle Juba near the Somali-Kenya border, according to...
Kenya: Several Die in Harbin Y-12 Crash
NAIROBI, 12 January 2021 - An unknown number of Kenya Defense Forces (KSF) have died after an aircraft crashed Tuesday at Irima Hill situated in the Tsavo East National Park near Voi town in Taita-Taveta County. The KSF Twitter handle confirmed the crash, explaining...
Burundi: Mass COVID-19 Testing Launched
BUJUMBURA, 12 January 2021 – The government of Burundi has launched a campaign to test as many citizens as possible for COVID-19 in the hope that early detection will stem its spread. “We call on the population to voluntarily turn up for the mass testing campaign,”...
Malawi: President Takes Blame for COVID-19
LILONGWE, 11 January 2021 – Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has taken personal blame for the less than successful effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Many Malawians, “including myself”, dropped their guard, failing to adhere strictly to COVID-19...
Nigeria: Human Traffickers Arrested, Children Freed
KADUNA, 11 January 2021 – A gang of seven human traffickers has been rounded up in a security crackdown coordinated by authorities in three Nigerian states. Five children who had gone missing in Kano State were found Monday in Anambra and Enugu states. The Kano State...
Uganda: Internet Acces Needed during Ballot
KAMPALA, 11 January 2021 - Fifty-five organizations have called on the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to keep access to the Internet open during and after the election of next January 14. The main challenger to Museveniu, pop star Bobi Wine, has built an app to...
SADR-Morocco: The Only Path to Peace?
RABAT, 11 January 2021 – A senior American diplomat has claimed that Washington’s support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara is “the only path to peace”. According to the US Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer, “every US administration since Bill Clinton”...
Ethiopia-Sudan: Killing Farmers is Unacceptable
ADDIS ABABA, 11 January 2021 – Ethiopia has accused the Sudanese army of “killing and displacing” Ethiopian farmers on their common border, describing the attack on the farmers as “unacceptable”. The farmers killed and displaced where living along the border between...
Morocco: Designation as USAID Hub
RABAT, 11 January 2021 - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will open an office for the brand new, continent-wide Prosper Africa program in Morocco. The Morocco office will serve as one of several hubs or satellite offices across Africa for the new...
South Africa: Ramaphosa to Speak on COVID-19
JOHANNESBURG, 11 January 2021 – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will Monday night address fellow South Africans on actions taken by his government to tackle the new coronavirus pandemic. The address will focus on “the unfolding pandemic in the country and on...
Sudan-Egypt-Ethiopia: Nile Dam Talks Fail, Again
KHARTOUM, 11 Jnauary 2021 – The African Union-facilitated talks between Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt on their years-long dispute over the Mega Dam on the Blue Nile have failed, again. The focus of the negotiations is threefold. First, agree how much water Ethiopia will...
Algeria: President off to Germany, Again
ALGIERS, 10 January 2021 – The Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has gone back to Germany to pursue medical treatment for post-COVID-19 complications, his office said Sunday. "A short while ago, the president... left for Germany for treatment of complications to...
Algeria: Ex-PM Admits Corrupt Act
ALGIERS, 10 January 2021 – Algeria’s former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia has admitted to receiving gold bars from Gulf donors and selling them in the black market. It is the first admission by Ouyahia, who is facing trial on corruption charges, that some of the...
Djibouti: Guelleh to seek Re-election
DJIBOUTI CITY, 10 January 2021 – The president of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, will run for re-election in April 2021 under the banner of the ruling Popular Rally for Progress (RPP). His candidacy was approved Sunday at the end of an extraordinary congress of the...
Ethiopia: Fifteen Killed, Eight Captured
ADDIS ABABA, 10 January 2021 – Ethiopian military authorities said Sunday that they had killed 15 members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and captured eight others. The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) said those captured included Abay...
DR Congo: Six Park Rangers Killed
KINSHASA, 10 January 2021 – Six park rangers have been killed in an ttack at the Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The attack on Sunday morning has been blamed on the Mai Mai militia. The group, which is only one of several...
Seychelles-Guinea: First to Start COVID Inoculations
PRAIA, 10 January 2021 – Seychelles on Sunday started inoculating its population against the new coronavirus, becoming the second African country to do so after Guinea. Last month, Guinea secured a very limited supply of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and started...
Burundi: Borders Closed to Fight COVID-19
BUJUMBURA, 10 January 2021 – The government of Burundi announced Friday that it will shutdown the country’s borders effective Monday, January 11 at 12.01am. “All land and maritime borders will be closed for circulation of people, except transport of goods,” Burundi’s...
Algeria: Sentenced for Mocking President
ALGIERS, 10 January 2021 – An Algerian court has sentenced a man, Walid Kechida, to three years in prison with a fine for mocking Algerian authorities and religion. One of his lawyers, Moumen Chadi, confirmed the sentence, adding that the defense intended to appeal...
Ghana: Schools Reopening
ACCRA, 10 January 2021 – Primary schools and tertiary education institutions are reopenin this weekend and next in Ghana, in keeping with a calendar announced by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo. Schools were orderd to close last March after Ghana reported its frst...
SADR-Algeria-Morocco: Plunder of SADR
ALGIERS, 10 January 2021 – Companies from Spain, France, Germany, China, Britain and USA are leading the plunder of the disputed Western Sahara, a recent report says. The report by the French-Saharan Center for Studies and Documentation accuses 28 Spanish, 16 French,...
Egypt: Futuristic Capital Almost Ready
CAIRO, 10 January 2021 – The government of Egypt on Sunday started delivering residential units at the new Administrative Capital (NAC) of the country. Pictures of the first flat buildings delivered were posted on social media Sunday by Hani Younes, a spokesperson for...
South Africa: 1.5m COVID Vaccine Doses
JOHANNESBURG, 10 January 2021 – South Africa will receive 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by end February, the country’s health ministry said Thursday in a statement. The intial one million doses from the Serum Institute of India (SII) will become available this...
South Sudan: School Closure Threatened
JUBA, 10 January 2021 – The government of South Sudan has threatened to shutdown any schools that violate COVID-19 safety guidelines. A report commissioned by the country’s education ministry concluded that only four schools in Juba Muncipality are abiding by basic...
Tanzania: Thanks for Not Masking Up
DODOMA, 9 January 2021 – Tanzanian President John Magufuli has thanked visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for not wearing a mask, claiming it proves Tanzania is COVID-19 free. “I want to thank minister Wang Yi. He knows in Tanzania we don't have Corona. That’s...
Mauritania: Ex-President Won’t Self-Incriminate
NOUAKCHOTT, 9 January 2021 - The former president of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz refused Friday to answer questions or to counter-sign judicial paperwork by investigators indicting him for corruption. Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz refused to sign the minutes attesting...
Somalia: Five al-Shabab Fighters Killed
MOGADISHU, 9 January 2021 – An airstrike by American troops in Somalia has killed five al-Shabab fighters, including a senior commander, the US military said Friday. AFRICOM, the US military operation, has said no civilians were injured or killed in the airstrike. The...
Uganda: Bobi Wine Before Military Court
KAMPALA, 9 January 2021 – Forty-nine staff of Bobi Wine, the most formidable challenger of President Yoweri Museveni in next week’s presidential election in Uganda, have been charged with illegal possession of ammunition. The charges, brought Friday by a military...
Algeria-USA: Polisario, Libya & Sahel Discussed
ALGIERS, 9 January 2021 - The US delegation visiting Algeria discussed the disputed Western Sahara, the ceasefire in neighboring Libya and anti-terror operations across the Sahel, according to Algerian officials. The three top US officials in the delegation are Air...
Mauritania-Algeria: Defeating Cross-Border Terrorism
NOUAKCHOTT, 9 January 2021 – Algeria and Mauritania are seeking ways of strengthening cooperation on efforts to fight cross-border counter-terrorism. We committed to improve intelligence sharing and committed to boost military cooperation. The two countries look to...
Egypt: Oxygen Failure Kills Entire ICU
CAIRO, 9 January 2021 - All coronavirus patients in an intensive care unit in Egypt died after the oxygen supply to the ward failed, health officials have confirmed. The confirmation came only after video shot and posted on social media by the relative of one of the...
Ethiopia: Tigrayan Leaders Killed in Raid
ADDIS ABABA, 9 January 2021 – Ethiopian forces say they killed two top officials of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in a raid last Thursday. Addis Ababa claims that those killed in the raid include TPLF S[pokesperson Sekoture Getachew and the former head...
Libya: HRW Demands Probe of Atrocity Crimes
NEW YORK, 9 January 2021 – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Libya’s UN-backed government to probe reports of atrocity crimes committed in Tarhuna city by Kaniyat militia. The militia engaged in kidnappings, detention, torture, murder, extrajudicial killings and...
Niger: Over 10,000 People Flee Violence
NIAMEY, 9 January 2021 – Over 10,000 villagers have been internally displaced by the violent raids last January 2 on two villages in Niger’s Tillaberi region in which 105 people were killed. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)...
Sudan: $2 Billion from US Treasury, EXIM
KHARTOUM, 9 January 2021 – Sudan’s government Friday sealed a $1 billion deal with Export Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), a day after it sealed another $1 billion deal with US Treasury. EXIM funds will be devoted to building energy, water, agricutlrue and...
Kenya: Others Can be President, Too
NAIROBI, 9 January 2021 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged citizens of Kenya’s big ethnic groups to recognize that othergroups can rule the country, too. Kenyatta made the remarks at a gathering with his supporters in Msambweri after Tanga Tanga politicians...
South Sudan: Fierce Fighting in Maban
JUBA, 9 January 2021 – South Sudanese government forces on Saturday attacked a base of the armed opposition SPLA-IO in Maban County in the country’s Upper Nile. “Heavy fighting has been on since midnight (Friday) until the morning hours (of Saturday) between the SSPDF...
Ethiopia: Eritrean Forces Fought in Tigray
ADDIS ABABA, 8 January 2021 – A senior Ethiopian military commander has contradicted denials by Addis Ababa that Eritrean forces were not deployed to the northern region of Tigray. “An alien army, we didn’t want, came in,” said Maj. Gen. Belay Seyoum in remarks...
Somalia: Prison Official Survives Attack
MOGADISHU, 8 January 2021 – Senior Somali government officials survived an explosion in the capital, Mogadishu that targeted the convoy they were traveling in. General Mahad Abdirahman, the senior official in charge of Somali prisons and other government officials who...
Mozambique-South Africa: Borders Closed
MAPUTO, 8 January 2021 – Mozambique on Thursday closed its borders to travelers from South Africa, responding tit for tat to a similar move by its neighbor. South African authorities accused travelers from Mozambique arriving at border crossings in South Africa of...
DR Congo: Laurent Kabila “Assassins” Released
KINSHASA, 8 January 2021 – Twenty-four people imprisoned for allegedly being behind the assassination of President Laurent Kabila have been released, 20 years after they were jailed. Family members overcrowded the entrances of the main prison in the capital of the...
Uganda: Bobi Wine Aides Still Detained
KAMPALA, 8 January 2021 – Dozens of campaign staff working for the main challenger in Uganda’s upcoming presidential ballot remain in custody despite a court order releasing them. The workers have been held nine days in a military barracks in the capital, Kampala,...
Cameroon: Boko Haram Kills 14 People
MAROUA, 8 January 2021 – An attack Thursday by Boko Haram militants has killed 14 people in the town of Mozogo in Cameroon’s Far North Region. Villagers took to their heels, taking refuge in nearby bushes, as soon as they released that the insurgents were marching on...
Rwanda: Renowned Priest Dies at 65
KIGALI, 8 January 2021 – A renowned Catholic priest, Ubald Rugirangoga, died Friday morning in Utah State, USA, from respiratory complications brought about by the new coronavirus. He was aged 65. Rev. Fr. Ubald Rugirangoga, who survived the 1994 Genocide Rwanda and...
South Sudan: Militia Commander Returns
JUBA, 8 January 2021 – A notorious South Sudanese militia commander, General Ochan Puot, has been appointed commander of special forces in Maiwut County in the Upper Nile State. Maiwut is a stronghold of the armed opposition to President Salva Kiir Mayardit who...
Tanzania: China Asked to Forgvie Debt
DODOMA, 8 January 2021 – Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Friday appealed to China to forgive part of Tanzania’s bilateral debt. The Tanzanian leader did not say the total amount in debt his country is seeking forgiveness for from China. Magufuli has made similar...
Algeria: US Envoy on Regional Tour
ALGIERS, 8 January 2021 – US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker was in Algiers Thursday, one stop in his regional tour to discuss regional conflicts. The Algerian foreign ministry said the visit allowed the two countries to discuss...
Dijibouti: $350 for Djibouti Port Revamp
DJIBOUTI CITY, 8 January 2021 – China’s biggest port operator, China Merchants Group, has sealed a $350 million deal to transform Djibouti Port into a world class business hub. China Merchants Group was the leading developer of the southern Chinese port of Shekou in...
Egypt: Religious Harmony at Best Level
CAIRO, 8 January 2021 – Egypt’s two biggest religious groups – Muslims and Chrstians - are enjoying the best level of social peace, harmony and solidarity and understanding, a new report says. The Egyptian Cabinet issued the report Wednesday, making reference to the...
CAR: Elections Over, Rebels Fight On
BANGUI, 7 January 2021 – The incumbent president of the Central African Republic (CAR) Faustin-Archange Touadera has won another five-year term, but rebels reject the outcome. Touadera was re-elected in the December 27 ballot with 53.9 percent of the votes cast,...
Burundi: COVID-19 Cases Skyrocket
BUJUMBURA, 7 January 2021 – Burundi has recorded 40 COVID-19 cases, the highest number of infections in any 48 hours since the first case was detected in March 2020. The surge in cases is being blamed on gatherings over the festive end-year season. Health officials in...
Tanzania: $1.32 Billion Rail Deal with China
DAR ES SALAAM, 7 January 2021 – Tanzania on Thursday signed a $1.32 billion contract with two Chinese firms selected to build a section of the new standard-gauge railway network. The Chinese firms are China Civil Engineering Construction (CCEC) and China Railway...
Nigeria: IPOB Slams Governor Umahi
OWERRI, 7 January 2021 - The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has slammed Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, for arresting activists who shared video exposing alleged atrocities by Fulani herdsmen in the state. IPOB says Governor Umahi is offering support to...
Ghana: $17 Billion to Revamp Economy
ACCRA, 7 January 2021 - Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has unveiled his plans to invest about $17 billion (100 billion Ghana cedis) to revitalize the country’s economy. In an address to parliament, Akufo-Addo said the funds will restore the economy to better...
Sierra Leone: African Americans Get Citizenship
FREETOWN, 7 January 2021 – Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio has granted citizenship to 22 African Americans who traced their origins to the West African country. The 22 traveled from America to the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, for the ceremony in the...
DR Congo: UN Accuses Burundi, Rwanda of Meddling
NEW YORK, 7 January 2021 – Neighboring Burundi and Rwanda carried out military operations in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), the UN says. The 200-page report by a United Nations Panel of Experts alleges that “from late 2019 to early...
Kenya: Mombasa Fires 86 Doctors
MOMBASA, 7 January 2021 – The Mombasa County Government in Kenya has fired 86 doctors after they failed to report to their work stations. The doctors given pink slips were terminated simply for one reason: they dared to stage a strike. The biggest union of doctors and...
Cape Verde: USA Wants Maduro Official Extradited
PRAIA, 7 January 2021 - The government of Cape Verde can now legally extradite to the United States a Colombian businessman who was the special envoy of the Venezuelan government. A court in Cape Verde handed down a ruling clearing the way for Praia to surrender Alex...
Sudan: $1.2 Billion Loan Deal with USA
KHARTOUM, 7 January 2021 – The United States has extended a short-term loan of $1.2 billion to help Sudan clear its arrears with the World Bank, US Treasury has said. American Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin made the announcement during his first visit to Khartoum....
Burkina Faso: Six Killed in Attacks
OUAGADOUGOU, 7 January 2021 – Six people have been confirmed killed in an attack in the northern region of Burkina Faso by suspected jihadists. Local officials confirmed the death toll Wednesday. They identified two of the victims and the three others injured as...
Mali: France Denies Airstrike on Wedding
BAMAKO, 6 January 2021 – France has denied accusations that its forces launched the airstrike which hit a wedding party in a remote village in Mali over the weekend, killing more than 20 people, including children. Eyewitnesses of the incident which occurred in...
South Africa: COVID-19 Vaccines Coming Soon
JOHANNESBURG, 6 January 2021 – The first doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive South Africa by the end of the first quarter of 2021. The doses are being purchased through COVAX, the global vaccine-sharing initiative set up by the World Health Organization...
Nigeria: COVID-19 Vaccines by end-January
ABUJA, 6 January 2021 - The Nigerian government says it expects to receive its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of January 2021, health officials in Abuja confirmed Wednesday. Nigeria purchase its first 100,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through...
South Africa: Tourists Slammed for Breaking Ban
JOHANNESBURG, 6 January 2021 - Police in South Africa have slammed mostly European tourists for defying a ban on going to beaches along the scenic Garden Route in Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. Public health officials in South Africa have blamed gatherings...
Tamzania: Jailed Rights Lawyer Released
DAR ES SALAAM, 6 January 2021 - A Tanzanian human rights lawyer, Tito Magoti, has been released from jail after spending a year behind bars. The court that set him free on Tuesday also fined him 17.3 million Tanzanian shillings (an estimated $7,500). Amnesty...
Algeria: France Funding Terror Unwittingly?
ALGIERS, 5 January 2021 – Algeria accused France Monday of indirectly funding terror by making ransom payments to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) fighters. The accusation follows confirmation by security officials that the Algerian army seized $98,000 in a raid...
Nigeria: Ex-Presidential Aspirant Detained
ABUJA, 5 January 2021 - Former Nigerian presidential candidate, activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has been ordered remanded in prison custody by an Abuja court. Sowore and four other activits were brought before the magistrate court in Abuja on charges of...
Niger: National Mourning for 100 Killed
NIAMEY, 5 January 2021 – Niger has declared three days of mourning in loving remembrance of over 100 people killed Saturday in attacks by gunmen in two villages near the border with Mali. Niger's Prime Minister Brigi Rafini confirmed the higher death toll after an...
Uganda: Regional Bar Threatens to Sue
ARUSHA, 5 January 2021 - The East African Law Society (EALS) has threatened to sue Uganda over gross violations of human rights ahead of that country's presidential elections scheduled for next January 14. EALS presidents for Uganda, Rwanga, Tanzania, Burundi,...
Libya: 265 Africans Migrants Reach Sicily
SICILY, 5 January 2021 – Two hundred and sixty-five migrants rescued at sa off the coast of Libya have safely disembarked after arriving Sicily, Italy. Those rescued include 13 women and seven children, the proactive Open Arms non-governmental organization confirmed...
Morocco: Investing More in Africa
CASABLANCA, 5 January 2021 – Eighty percent of Moroccan companies surveyed in 2020 said they are prioritizing exchanges with and prefer to invest in other African countries, up eightfold from 2015, a new study shows. According to the fourh editon of International...
Algeria: Ex-PM Gets 7 Years in Prison
ALGIERS, 5 January 2021 – Algeria’s former prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison on corruption charges. The Sidi M’hamed court in the capital, Algiers, also sentenced Algeria’s former ministers of tourism and transport,...
Tanzania: Australian Charged with Blasphemy
DAR ES SALAAM, 4 January 2021 - Judicial authorities in Tanzania have charged an Australian woman with blasphemy for her work providing assistance to women who renounce Islam. Zara Kay, who was born in Tanzania and later naturalized Australian, was placed in custody...
Sudan-Ethiopia: Curbing COVID19 Among Refugees
ALTINDEBA, 4 January 2021 - Sudanese authorities on Sunday opened a new camp, moving refugees from fleeing violence in Tigray into it, to avoid the spread of COVID19. The new camp in Altindeba area of Gedaref state, opens following confirmation of an outbreak of cases...
Uganda: Bobi Wine App for Elections
KAMPALA, 4 January 2021 – The top challenger to Yoweri Museveni’s record setting sixth re-election bid has launched an app to monitor the results of the 14 January 2021 presidential ballot. Pop star Bobi Wine whose real names are Robert Kyagulany says the app will...
Rwanda: Peacekeepers, More than 30% Female
KIGALI, 4 January 2021 – At least 30 percent of Rwanda peacekeepers around the world are female, according to military command sources in the capital, Kigali. Rwandan forces contributed to United Nations missions inlcude a female-dominated Formed Police Unit (FPU)...
Sudan-Egypt-Ethiopia: More Talks on Nile Dam
KHARTOUM, 4 January 2021 – Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia will resume talks later this month to resolve a dispute over the management of Ethiopia's huge dam on the Blue Nile. Sudan’s water ministry confirmed in a statement Sunday that the trio intend to resume where...
Libya: Support for UN Role in Ceasefire
LONDON, 4 January 2021 – The United Natons is getting high praise for its proposal to send a team to help enforce the ceasefire between warring factions in Libya. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs to the European Union, Joseph Borrell, calls it concrete...
Mali: Ex-Malian PM Keita Dies at 78
BAMAKO, 4 January 2021 – Former Malian Prime Minister Modibo Keita died Saturday at the age of 78, according to a statement issued Sunday by incumbent Prime Minister Moctar Ouane. The cause of death is unknown and was not discussed in the statement by Moctar Ouane. On...
CAR: Rare Access to Rwandan Force
BANGUI, 3 January 2021 - The New Times newspaper has gained rare access and reported on the activities of Rwanda’s “force protection troops” deployed earlier this month to the Central African Republic (CAR). The 850 troops under this unit arrived CAR last December 20...
Algeria: Seven Die in Capsized Boat
MOSTGAGANEM, 3 January 2021 - The bodies of seven migrants and a destroyed fshing boat were discovered Saturday morning on the coast of Mostaganem rejected by waves. Security services at Mosaganem said the victims were migrants trying to sneak into Europe. The boat...
CAR: Rebel Forces Seize Towns
BANGASSOU, 3 January 2021 – Rebel forces have seized the southeastern town of Bangassou in the Central African Republic (CAR) in a dawn raid on Sunday. The rebels are everywhere in the town, UN officials said. Locals told government and UN officials that fighting was...
Mali: Two More French Soldiers Killed
BAMAKO, 3 January 2021 – Two French soldiers were killed in an improvised explosive device Saturday in Mali’s eastern regon of Menaka. The victims met their demise when their armoured vehicle hit the explosive. France has lost “two of its children,” tweeted Florence...
Niger: Dozens Killed in Attack
NIAMEY, 3 January 2021 - Unidentified gunmen have killed dozens of people in raids on two villages in Niger’s Tillaberi region. About 49 people were killed 17 others injured in the Tchombangou and another 30 people were killed in the village of Zaroumdareye. Tillaberi...
DR Congo: Kabila Alleged Killers Pardoned
KINSHASA, 3 January 2021 – President Felix Tshisekedi has pardoned two men who were convicted over the assassinaton of Laurent Kabila 20 years ago. Kabila was shot and killed by his bodyguard but the two pardoned – Col. Eddy Kapend and Geogre Leta, were found guilty...
Algeria: Ex-President’s Brother Acquitted
ALGIERS, 3 January 2021 – The younger brother of Algeria’s former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been cleared of charges of conspiracy. Said Bouteflika was serving a 15-year prison sentence for reportedly planning to declare a state of emergency and firing the...
Libya: Army Says “No” to Guterres
TRIPOLI, 3 January 2021 - The army in Libya has expressed opposition to a proposal by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to send international forces to monitor and support the country’s ceasefire. The proposal constitutes unacceptable interference according to...
Africa: World’s Largest Free Trade Launch
ADDIS ABABA, Janaury 2021 – The world’s biggest trade bloc by number of member countries launched on New Year Day. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) brings together all 54 sovereign African countries which, together, have a GDP of $3 trillion. The pact...
Niger: Presidential Runoff in Feb. 2021
NIAMEY, 3 January 2021 – A presidential runoff is inevitable in Niger because no candidate won a majority of the votes cast in the first round of voting. The runoff will be organized in February 2021. Niger’s Independent Electoral Commission says the runoff will...
Nigeria: Dozens of Boko Haram Fighters Killed
ABUJA, 3 January 2021 – Dozens of Boko Haram militants have been killed in a series of air strikes launched by the army in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. Armed forces “attacked the hideouts of Boko Haram near (Tomboon Jenny) in Borno state last Wednesday,” said...
Mali: Warrant for Arrest of Ex-PM
BAMAKO, 3 January 2021 - Judicial authorities in Mali say a search is underway for former Prime Minister Boubou Cisse accused of “conspiring and infringing on state security”. Boubou Cisse was prime minister of the government of ex-President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita...
Libya: Over 5,000 Migrants Deported
TRIPOLI, 3 January 2021 – More than 5,000 migrants were deported from Libya in the course of 2020, according to data released by Libya’s interior ministry. Tripoli said it deported 5,360 migrants in all as of 29 December 2020. Two global agencies – the International...
Egypt-Tunisia: Egyptian Fishing Boats Seized
CAIRO, 2 January 2021 - Tunisian authorities have seized two additional Egyptian fishing boats, accusing them of illegally fishing in Tunisian territorial waters. A fortnight ago, 17 Egyptians onboard another boat were arrested by Tunisian border guards for the same...
Africa: COVID-19 Harming Malaria Fight
NAIROBI, 2 January 2021 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is deeply concerned that the focus on the new coronavirus may lead to missed targets in the fight against malaria. “If we remain on our present course, we will miss the global targets for 2030,” said...
Algeria: Twenty-One Killed in Car Accident
ALGIERS, 2 January 2021 – No fewer than 21 people were killed in a road accident Friday night in a border town on Algeria’s border with Mali and Niger. The victims, who include children, were killed after a pickup truck, overloaded with people, overturned instantly...
Algeria: New Constitution Signed into Law
ALGIERS, 1 January 2021 – Algeria’s new Constitution adopted in a referendum last November was signed into law Friday. Algerian President A bdelmadjid Tebboune campaigned for its passage, calling it the “cornerstone of the new Algeria” he pledged to build during his...
Africa: Nigeria Still Africa’s Top Economy
WASHINGTON, DC, 1 January 2021 – Nigeria remains Africa’s biggest economy, according to latest rankings published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). With a nominal GDP of $442.97 billion, Nigeria outpaces Egypt ($361.87 billion) and South Africa $282.58...
Burundi: State-owned Airline to Launch
BUJUMBURA, 1 January 2021 - The government of Burundi says it will relaunch a state-owned airline company in the course of the new year 2021. Burundi will hold an overwhelming majority of the shares in the venture: 92 percent. A Belgian company has said it will take a...
CAR: Opposition Demands Election Re-run
BANGUI, 1 January 2020 – Ten opposition parties in the Central African Republic (CAR) have called for a re-run of Sunday’s election, claiming it was marred by insecurity and fraud. The alliance of parties known as the Democratic Opposition Coalition (COD-2020) says...
Sudan: AU-UN Mission to Darfur Ends
ZALINGEI, 1 January 2020 - The Joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s western region of Darfur (UNAMID) officially ended operations Thursday. The Government of Sudan will take over responsibility for the protection of civilians, UNAMID...
Liberia: U.S. Sanctions Shipping Companies
MONROVIA, 1 January 2021 - Twelve shipping companies flying the Liberian flag as a flag of convenience have been sanctioned by the Congress of the United States The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) did not give details on the dealings by the...
Guinea: Opposition Leader Canot Leave Country
CONAKRY, 1 January 2021 – Authorities in Guinea have prevented the West African country’s main opposition leader, Cellou Dalein, from leaving the country. Police at the international airport in the capital, Conakry, prevented Cellou Dalein, who was runner-up in...
Mali: Deadly 2020 Natural Disasters
BAMAKO, 1 January 2021 – Natural disasters claimed thousands of lives in Mali in 2020, according to a report on civilian protection released Wednesday in the capital, Bamako. Road accidents killed no fewer than 655 people in the 14,731 incidents reported to police in...
Tunisia: State of Emergency Extended
TUNIS, 31 December 2020 - The Tunisian presidency has extended, for another six months, a state of emergency it first put in place in 2015. The initial state of emergency was decreed shortly after 12 presidential guards were killed in an attack by armed insurgents of...
Senegal: Record Deaths from COVID
DAKAR, 1 January 2021 – Senegal on Thursday experienced its deadliest day of COVID-19, with eight fatalities, the highest number of victims since the virus first hit. The first coronavirus case in Senegal was detected last March 2. Health officials in the country said...
The Gambia: APRC Awaits Yahya Jammeh
BANJUL, 31 December 2020 – The former ruling party in The Gambia, APRC, said Thursday it is rescheduling its congress for March 2021. The postponement, according to APRC officials, is meant to allow for the return from exile of the former Gambian and APRC leader Yahya...
Togo: Calls for Ketochou’s Release
LOME, 31 December 2020 – Rights groups have called for the immediate release of Togolese journalist Carlos Ketochou who was arrested and taken away from his home Tuesday. The Association of Journalists for the Defense of Human Rights (JDHO) called Thursday, in a...
