The Africa Edition©️Monday 14 July 2025
The Africa Edition: News That Matters to Africa - “Overlooked and Misunderstood”©️
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Poverty exists, not because we can’t feed the poor but because we can’t satisfy…the rich.”
TOP NEWS
EASTERN AFRICA
WEST AFRICA
SOUTHERN AFRICA
NORTH AFRICA
CENTRAL AFRICA
AFRICA-WIDE ISSUES
AFRICAN DIASPORA
EASTERN AFRICA
DR CONGO
How a US mission to push a Trump deal in Congo unravelled
An Israeli-American businessman, a former State Department official and a decorated Green Beret pitched up in the Democratic Republic of Congo in March with a message for President Felix Tshisekedi from the Trump administration. Two days later, they fled the country in fear of arrest. The three envoys had come with an offer from Washington: release three American prisoners on death row and, in return, President Donald Trump will accept your minerals-for-security proposal. The trip started well with a police motorcycle escort from the airport, but a frosty first meeting with Tshisekedi's security adviser, some ill-advised late-night target practice by some of the envoys and a Congolese general with an axe to grind put paid to the mission. The story of the ill-fated venture, which has not previously been reported, provides a glimpse of how the Trump administration is prepared to work through unconventional channels in pursuit of deals to bring Americans home, a top priority for the president... Congo has become a focus of U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the decades-long conflict in the east and help American companies access critical minerals, making the country ripe territory for endeavours such as this mission.
Elon Musk bringing broadband to Congo - right after ravaging its healthcare
The Democratic Republic of Congo is as large as all of western Europe. It’s populated by more than 100 million people, with 17 million in metro Kinshasa, a sooty, sandy megacity of barely-paved streets, open sewers, and lean, desperate people. Broadband isn’t top-of-mind for most Congolese. The great majority of the people here get by on less than $3 a day, and about two-thirds don’t have online access. For those who do, it’s usually lousy - for a 4G connection that delivered 20-megabit downloads when the wind was right. But in May, the Congolese government gave SpaceX the go-ahead to switch on in Kinshasa and nationwide. Starlink’s network of about 8,000 low-orbiting satellites can deliver 100 megabits or more, not just to cushy urban apartments, but to offices, churches, schools, cyber cafes, and community centers. Without running optical fiber through urban slums or untracked forests, millions more Congolese could get online and become full participants in the global economy. But Musk doesn’t give a damn about the Congolese afflicted by a horde of awful diseases. Indeed, he has done everything in his power to hasten their demise. HIV is common in the DRC — about 21,000 new cases each year. Tuberculosis is also common here, and malaria. There’s even leprosy. And for decades, the US Agency for International Development has funded their medical treatments. But in his role as adviser to President Trump, the same Elon Musk who built SpaceX has cheerfully overseen the destruction of USAID.
ETHIOPIA
They fled war in Ethiopia: then American bombs found them.
In April, U.S.-made bombs destroyed a detention facility that held Ethiopian migrants in Yemen, crushing bodies and shredding limbs. Amid official silence, the survivors are left wondering why. The men awoke in the middle of the night to the roar of warplanes. Fanta Ali Ahmed, after civil war reached his home region of Tigray in Ethiopia in 2020, fled along one of the world’s most dangerous smuggling routes. He had hoped to reach Saudi Arabia, across the Red Sea. Instead, as he passed through Yemeni territory ruled by the Houthi militia, he was arrested and sent to a migrant detention center in northern Yemen. For weeks in March and April of this year, he heard American airstrikes nearby, targeting Yemen in a campaign against the Houthis, who are backed by Iran. But this was the closest the planes had ever come. When multiple 250-pound bombs hit the prison on April 28, tearing through the roof, Mr. Fanta fell to the ground, he recalled. At first, he thought he was the only one hurt. He later realized that he was one of the luckier ones. Ten people close to him were killed, while others were left with limbs hanging by shredded skin, he said. More than two months after the attack, which killed at least 60 people and injured 65 more, according to health authorities in the Houthi-led government, few answers have emerged. The Houthis blamed the United States, and an investigation by The New York Times found that at least three U.S.-made GBU-39 bombs — relatively small, guided munitions that are typically intended to reduce collateral damage — had been used, suggesting that the United States was likely to have carried out the bombing. U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the region, has not claimed responsibility...
Boeing settles with a man whose family died in a 737 Max crash in Ethiopia
Boeing reached a settlement Friday with a Canadian man whose wife and three children were killed in a deadly 2019 crash in Ethiopia, averting the first trial connected to a devastating event that led to a worldwide grounding of Max jets. The jury trial at Chicago’s federal court had been set to start Monday to determine damages for Paul Njoroge of Canada. His family was heading to their native Kenya in March 2019 aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 when it malfunctioned and plummeted to the ground. The wreck killed all 157 people on board. Njoroge, 41, had planned to testify about how the crash affected his life. He has been unable to return to his family home in Toronto because the memories are too painful. He hasn’t been able to find a job. And he has weathered criticism from relatives for not traveling alongside his wife and children. Terms of the deal were not disclosed publicly. His lawyer said his client intended to seek “millions” in damages on behalf of his wife and children, but declined to publicly specify an amount ahead of the trial.
KENYA
President orders police to shoot violent protesters in the leg
Kenya's President William Ruto said that police should shoot protesters who vandalise businesses in the leg to incapacitate them, two days after 31 people were killed during nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Last Monday, police blocked off large parts of the capital Nairobi, and used tear gas, water cannon and fired at crowds to disperse them. Some supermarkets, businesses and hospitals were looted, damaged or torched. "Anyone who goes to burn other people's property, someone like that should be shot in the leg, and go to the hospital on his way to court," Ruto said in a speech. "They shouldn't kill the person but they should hit the legs to break them." His interior minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, branded last month's protests as a "coup attempt" by what he called "criminal anarchists". The government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said criminal gangs wielding whips and machetes appeared to be operating alongside police in Nairobi and the Rift Valley town of Eldoret during the protests on Monday. Police have not commented on the commission's observations, but have previously said they do not work with "goons". "Those who attack Kenyans, police officers, security installations and businesses are terrorists. Such criminal acts are a declaration of war," Ruto posted later on Wednesday on X.
MADAGASCAR
Court sentences man to be castrated for raping child
A court in Madagascar has sentenced a man to surgical castration for the rape of a child in 2024, a judicial official said, in the first such measure on the Indian Ocean island. The case arose from the rape and attempted murder of a six-year-old girl in a municipality 30 km west of the capital Antananarivo, the attorney general at the Court of Appeal, said on Thursday. "The person prosecuted in this case was sentenced by the Court to life imprisonment with hard labour, accompanied by castration," the attorney general said in a video statement released to media by the ministry of justice. The punishment was introduced last year as part of a 2024 law in Madagascar addressing rapes of minors aged 10 and below. The government said it introduced the law because the courts had recorded many such cases. Surgical castration has been carried out on some sex offenders in the Czech Republic and Germany with the consent of the defendant. Louisiana last year became the first U.S. state to mandate the procedure for some sex crimes against minors. Chemical castration, carried out via the ongoing administration of drugs and reversible, has been introduced as a punishment for sex crimes in several U.S. states and countries including Poland and South Korea. Britain is considering mandating its use.
Human rights organisations argue that both practices are unethical and that efforts should be focused on encouraging survivors of abuse to come forward, protecting them from retaliation and wider prevention efforts.
SOMALIA
Video: Somalia: America's secret war
SUDAN
ICC cites evidence of ‘war crimes’ in Sudan’s Darfur
War crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, where survivors have described rapes, killings, bombings, kidnappings and deliberate starvation by both sides in the country’s civil war, the International Criminal Court has told the U.N. Security Council. Such crimes triggered a global outcry when the arid Darfur region was the scene of fighting two decades ago, eventually leading to an ICC indictment of then-President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on genocide charges. But the latest crimes, part of a new war between the military and a rival paramilitary, have met a more muted global response amid crises in Gaza and Ukraine...Most of Darfur is held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)...and the areas held by the RSF have been indiscriminately bombed by the military, and non-Arab ethnic civilians there have been subjected to rape and ethnic cleansing by the RSF, the United Nations and other organizations have found. In El Fashir, RSF forces are preventing food from entering the city. An RSF attack on the sprawling Zamzam displacement camp nearby, previously home to 400,000 people, killed 11 aid workers. Doctors Without Borders warned that mass, ethnically based killings of civilians are likely if El Fashir falls...Witnesses report that RSF soldiers spoke of plans to ‘clean El Fashir’ of its non-Arab, and especially Zaghawa, community.” In its fight against the RSF, the military has relied on often indiscriminate aerial bombings that have frequently hit markets, homes and infrastructure. Human Rights Watch found that bombings of the city of Nyala hit residential and commercial neighborhoods and a grocery store, killing dozens of civilians each time.
WEST AFRICA
GHANA
Zelensky: Ghana prepared to finance the production of Ukrainian drones
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ghana is prepared to finance the production of Ukrainian drones, following a phone call with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama. The head of state reported this on the social media platform X, according to Ukrinform. "Ghana is also interested in our technologies, the production of various types of drones, and the experience Ukraine has gained during this war. Ghana is ready to finance our production, and we are ready to help our partners secure their borders," Zelensky wrote. He added that the two leaders also discussed cooperation in the agricultural sector and the creation of a food logistics hub in Ghana. "We discussed areas where we can already deepen our partnership, first and foremost in the agro-industrial sector and the creation of a food logistics hub in Ghana. We agreed to organize a ministerial-level meeting, and a Ukrainian delegation will travel to Ghana in the near future," Zelensky said.
MALI
Mali to take $117M in gold claims Canadian mining firm
The Malian court-appointed administrator of Barrick Mining's Loulo-Gounkoto complex plans to sell one metric ton of gold from the site's storeroom as operations commence again after an almost six-month suspension, two sources have disclosed. Canadian miner Barrick Gold temporarily halted mining operations in January after the Malian government seized gold stocks from the Loulo-Gounkoto complex. A former health minister, appointed as temporary administrator last month, enlisted the state mining company's chairman and former Loulo-Gounkoto executive to help with operations, two different sources said. The site accounted for 15% of gold output from Barrick, the world's third-largest gold miner, before the suspension, which has affected national gold output and reflects a broader conflict between Mali and international miners. Mark Bristow, Barrick's CEO, told reporters the company had received only informal information about the restart and gold shipment. "If it is true, any plans by the administrator to restart operations and sell gold on the site in our view would be illegitimate," Bristow said.
Civilians, foreigners caught in escalating Mali violence
The Kayes region, which borders Senegal and is vital to Mali’s economy, had remained largely untouched by the violence from armed groups that has rocked the country for several decades.
But that changed when armed men waged a string of coordinated attacks on military installations in several Malian towns last week, after which the country’s armed forces launched a counterattack that it said killed 80 fighters. The uptick in violent clashes between armed fighters and the Malian army – who are being assisted by Russian paramilitaries known as the Africa Corps – comes as the country’s political future looks murky, experts say, with the military-led government seemingly determined to permanently extend its rule. For more than a decade, Mali has faced rebellions from separatist movements and armed fighters, including the two most active groups – ISIL affiliate, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), and al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). JNIM claimed responsibility for last Tuesday’s attacks, which Malian officials said targeted seven major towns in the west and centre: Kayes, Nioro du Sahel, Niono, Molodo, Sandare, Gogui and Diboli. At the same time, during the attack on Kayes town, three Indian nationals working at a cement factory were forcibly taken by gunmen as “hostages”, the Indian foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in an incident that could risk escalating the crisis beyond Africa’s Sahel. This month’s attacks are also just the tip of the iceberg, as communities across Mali continue to be caught in the crossfire – at times to violent and even deadly ends.
NIGERIA
Nigeria says US pressuring Africa to accept Venezuelan deportees
Nigeria's foreign minister said the United States was pressuring African countries to accept Venezuelan deportees, some straight out of prison, but Africa's most populous country could not accommodate them due to its own problems. President Donald Trump's administration this week asked five African presidents visiting the White House to take in migrants from other countries when deported by the U.S., disclosed two officials familiar with the discussions. Yusuf Tuggar, the Nigerian foreign minister, told local Channels TV late on Thursday that Nigeria could not accept that. "It will be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own," noting his nation's 230 million strong population. Since returning to office in January, Trump has been pressing to speed up deportations, including by sending migrants to third countries when there are problems or delays over sending them to their home nations. This week, he hosted the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon at the White House. According to a U.S. and a Liberian official, he presented the plan for African countries to take in migrants from other countries when they are deported by the U.S. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that an internal State Department document sent to the African governments before the meeting called on them to agree to the "dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States" of third country nationals.
Nigeria reports rise in digital fraud cases as financial crimes surge by 45%
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised fresh concerns over the rising tide of financial crimes in the country, revealing a sharp 45% increase in fraud cases over the past year. In a development that points to serious regulatory gaps in Nigeria’s digital economy, 70% of the losses from these crimes were traced to digital platforms, many of which operate outside regulatory oversight. According to the CBN, over $56 billion worth of cryptocurrency transactions took place in Nigeria between July 2022 and June 2023, placing the country at the forefront of digital finance on the continent. However, the rapid pace of innovation is also being exploited by criminal networks, many of which run unchecked on unregulated platforms. At least 30 fraudulent investment schemes mimicking legitimate digital assets have already been flagged by relevant agencies. While digital services have made payments and investing easier for Nigerians, they have also become a new frontier for fraud. The CBN pointed out that scammers are increasingly leveraging digital currencies and tokenized assets to lure the public into Ponzi-style operations. These schemes, often disguised as legitimate investments, not only threaten personal wealth but also put the financial system’s integrity at risk. Echoing the CBN’s concerns, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotiti Agama, warned that virtual asset scams are fast becoming a major obstacle to investor protection. He said that such scams do not merely result in financial loss, they chip away at public trust and create long-term damage to market stability.
Sprinter to switch allegiance to Turkey after repeated Nigerian Athletics Federation failures
Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili is seeking to transfer her sporting allegiance to Turkey, citing years of negligence and mismanagement by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), TVJ News Centre reported. The decision follows an administrative error that resulted in Ofili being excluded from the 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games despite meeting the qualification standard. This marks the second consecutive Olympic Games the 21-year-old will miss due to failings by Nigerian athletics authorities. Ofili, who boasts personal bests of 10.93 seconds in the 100m and 21.96 seconds in the 200m, began the transfer process on May 31st, shortly before the same AFN leadership was controversially re-elected in June. Sources close to the matter confirmed that Ofili submitted a formal complaint to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), highlighting the sustained neglect and inadequate administrative support that led to her decision. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she was barred from competing in the 200m after the AFN and the Nigerian Anti-Doping Committee (NADC) failed to confirm the required number of doping control tests. That error disqualified Ofili and 13 other Nigerian athletes from the Games—an incident that drew international criticism. A track and field journalist reported that Ofili pointed out her decision to represent Turkey was not financially motivated. Instead, she emphasised the emotional and professional toll of being repeatedly let down by her home federation, particularly after years of commitment and performance at the highest levels of global athletics. Ofili has been one of Nigeria’s most promising sprint talents in recent years, reaching the 200m final at the World Championships.
SENEGAL
Senegal blocks LGBTQ-themed event backed by UN, Dutch government
In a move that demonstrates Senegal’s firm stance on LGBTQ matters, the United Nations (UN) and the Dutch government have cancelled a planned event in Dakar after the Senegalese government issued a stern warning, citing opposition to the "promotion of the LGBTQI phenomenon." The event, which included a film screening followed by discussions on LGBTQI issues, had been scheduled by the UN and the Dutch embassy. However, the Senegalese foreign ministry, in a statement published on Friday, announced it had been informed of the gathering and warned that any such activity would face serious consequences. “The government reserves the right to take any appropriate action against any organizers of such activities, and even against participants, whatever their origins, status or rank,” the ministry said, emphasizing that the operations of diplomatic and international bodies must align with Senegalese laws and regulations. Senegal, like several other West African countries with conservative values, maintains laws criminalizing same-sex relations. The law permits punishment of up to five years in prison for what it describes as “acts against nature” between people of the same sex. Following the government’s statement, the UN confirmed the event had been called off.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
LESOTHO
Lesotho declares state of disaster as trade woes deepen economic crisis
Lesotho has declared a national state of disaster s the country reels from soaring youth unemployment and uncertainty over the potential imposition of US trade tariffs. The textile-reliant economy—a major beneficiary of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)—faces a potential loss of 40,000 jobs if the deal isn’t renewed by September. Though a steep 50% tariff imposed by Trump remains suspended, its chilling effect on trade lingers, with US buyers holding back. The disaster declaration, effective until June 2027, allows for emergency measures such as scrapping business fees to revive the struggling economy. Already battered by drought and food insecurity, Lesotho’s latest crisis highlights the fragile balance between aid, trade, and youth opportunity in the region.
SOUTH AFRICA
US tariffs on South Africa set to hit white farmers Trump has embraced
U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened 30% tariff on South African exports is set to deal an economic blow to a community he has vocally and controversially championed: white farmers. Citing false claims that white South Africans are being persecuted, Trump has cut aid to the country, publicly berated its president in the Oval Office and invited Afrikaners - descendants of early European settlers - to come to the United States as refugees. But for white farmers who remain rooted in their homeland and aspire to keep making a living from the land, the tariffs due to come into effect on August 1 are an assault on those ambitions. "It doesn't make sense to us to welcome South African farmers in America and then the rest that stays behind ... to punish them," said Krisjan Mouton, a sixth-generation farmer in Western Cape province's citrus heartland. "It's going to have a huge impact," he said, standing among rows of trees heavy with navel oranges on his farm near the town of Citrusdal. "It's not profitable to export anymore to the USA." After a three-month pause, Trump escalated the global trade offensive he launched in April, announcing tariffs on more than a dozen countries on Monday, including South Africa. Its citrus fruit, along with wine, soybeans, sugar cane and beef, had previously benefited from duty-free access to the U.S. under the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act. Helped by that trade initiative, South Africa, the world's second-largest citrus exporter after Spain, generates $100 million annually from the U.S. market. The new tariff ends that preferential treatment. And with three-quarters of South Africa's freehold land white-owned, white farmers will face the immediate economic fallout though they will not be the only casualties.
Coalition turmoil: DA files criminal case against Police Minister
Tensions in South Africa’s coalition government are escalating as the Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed criminal charges against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. The DA accuses Mchunu, a close ally of President Ramaphosa, of lying to parliament and obstructing a probe into political assassinations. This move follows claims by a top police official that Mchunu seized over 120 case files and tried to disband the team charged with investigating targeted killings. The scandal underscores deepening friction between the DA and the ruling African National Congress, with earlier clashes over corruption and cabinet accountability. As violent crime and organized corruption continue to grip the country, pressure mounts on Ramaphosa, who’s expected to address the nation about the issue on Sunday.
Caster Semenya wins court battle, reignites global debate on athletes’ rights
The South African runner Caster Semenya has called for athletes’ rights to be better protected after Europe’s top human rights court ruled that she had not been given a fair trial when she contested a policy that required her to lower her testosterone levels in order to compete in women’s sport. The decision, handed down on Thursday by the European court of human rights, was the latest twist in the two-time Olympic gold medallist’s extraordinary legal battle. The middle-distance runner – who won gold in the 800m at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and has always been legally identified as female – was born with what sporting officials describe as “differences of sex development”, meaning her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than most women. The governing body for track and field has long maintained that Semenya must take drugs to reduce her testosterone levels in order to compete as a woman. The policy was upheld by the Lausanne-based court of arbitration for sport in 2019, and then by a Swiss federal tribunal in 2020, leading Semenya to take her long-running battle against the regulations to the European court. The decision does not change the rules that effectively ended her career after she won two Olympics and three world titles. The court said it could not uphold an earlier finding by a lower chamber that Semenya had been the victim of discrimination, deeming the complaints inadmissible as they did not fall under Switzerland’s jurisdiction.
ZAMBIA
Zambia’s cyber laws: protection or a path to digital repression?
Zambia’s recently enacted Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Acts have sparked national debate, pitting digital safety against fears of government overreach. While officials claim the laws protect citizens from online fraud and identity theft, critics argue they stifle free expression and enable sweeping surveillance. The legislation allows for monitoring private communication, including calls and emails, and imposes harsh penalties for perceived violators. This has caused concern among journalists, activists, and young internet users. President Hichilema, once a vocal critic of similar laws, now faces accusations of reneging on his commitment to digital rights. As Zambia joins a growing list of African nations tightening control over cyberspace, many wonder whether the real goal is safety or silencing dissent.
NORTH AFRICA
LIBYA
Libya remains on edge as Oil Majors return
Editorial: We continue to watch Libya unravel as rival power centers attempt to reassert territorial and institutional control, but international oil majors are re-engaging nonetheless, and analysts like to opine that their big oil money could help stabilize the country. That is a possibility; however, the reverse is currently more likely unless Benghazi and Tripoli find a way to split the spoils (as the only thing that would prevent another civil war). The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), led by interim Libyan PM Dbeibah, is now in a direct standoff with the Special Deterrence Force (RADA) militia group, which it has accused of sheltering over 120 wanted individuals, including an ICC-indicted commander. In a public ultimatum, Dbeibah has demanded that RADA relinquish control over Mitiga Airport and its adjoining prison facilities. RADA has responded by declaring a "war of survival," signaling a willingness to escalate militarily if challenged. This new confrontation, which comes after a resurgence of violent militia clashes in Tripoli in May, tells us that Dbeibah is losing his grip on the GNU. RADA is not a militia that is traditionally aligned with the Haftar camp, Dbeibah's eastern rival. Instead, this is a sign of Dbeibah's weakening control and his dwindling ability to enforce chain-of-command. His call for RADA to vacate Mitiga is not a confident assertion of power, it's a provocation that risks showing how little control he has.
TUNISIA
Tunisia president's far-reaching clampdown targets opponents
Tunisian President Kais Saied enters his fifth year of authoritarian rule by sentencing politicians to lengthy jail terms. The latest mass trial in Tunis' primary court has ensured that President Kais Saied won't have to worry about dissent from 21 of his fiercest political opponents for many years to come. On Tuesday, politicians and officials, including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, were variously sentenced to 12 to 35 years in prison. Ghannouchi, the 86-year-old leader of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda party and former speaker of the parliament, refused to appear in court, where he was given a 14-year sentence for forming a "secret security apparatus." By staying in his cell, where he has been since April 2023, he upheld his boycott of Tunisia's judiciary, which he deems politically manipulated. Together with the latest verdict, his prison time now adds up to 27 years. Ten of those convicted for charges of terrorism, violence, or attempts to overthrow the government are already in jail. The other 11 convicted politicians have already left the country. Among them are Tunisia's former Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, former Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem, Nadia Akacha, Saied's former chief of staff, and Tasnim and Mouadh Ghannouchi, the children of Rached Ghannouchi. However, as they would be arrested upon return, the verdicts essentially bar them from entering the country or becoming politically active in Tunisia for decades... Saied's increasing crackdown on Tunisia's opposition stands in stark contrast with his views when he became president in 2019. At the time, the politically independent former law professor garnered a majority of 72% and broad public support for his vows to tackle corruption, and to modernize the state while upholding Tunisia's democracy. However, after two unremarkable years, Saied developed a taste forpower consolidation . Since then, the now 67-year-old has dismantled most democratic bodies, including the country's judiciary.
REGION
Greece passes North Africa asylum ban amid rights groups' opposition
Greek lawmakers voted on Friday to temporarily stop processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea in a bid to reduce arrivals into Europe's southernmost tip, a move rights groups and opposition parties have called illegal. The ban comes amid a surge in migrants reaching the island of Crete and after talks with Libya's Benghazi-based government to stem the flow were this week. It marks a further hardening of Greece's stance towards migrants under PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right government, which has built a fence at its northern land borders and boosted sea patrols since it came to power in 2019. Human rights groups accuse Greece of forcefully turning back asylum-seekers on its sea and land borders. This year, the European Union border agency said it was reviewing 12 cases of potential human rights violations by Greece. The government denies wrongdoing. The law, which received 177 votes in favour and 74 against, halts asylum processing for at least three months and allows authorities to quickly repatriate migrants without any prior identification process.
CENTRAL AFRICA
CENTRAL AFRICA REP.
Rwanda and Russia look to lock in influence as CAR president eyes third term
When Central African Republic (CAR) goes to the polls in December for its first election since a referendum paved the way for Faustin-Archange Touadéra to run for president an unlimited number of times, the likelihood of him winning another term will not be the only thing on the minds of opposition leaders. Concerns are also mounting that the Russian and Rwandan interests that have swelled under Touadéra’s presidency will be further entrenched. Touadéra came to power in the chronically unstable country in 2016 against a backdrop of three years of unrest spearheaded by rebel groups that had left thousands dead. In 2018, the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner arrived and has since become so embedded that sources in CAR say it and its 36-year-old head of civilian operations, Dimitri Sytyi, operate independently of Africa Corps, Moscow’s newly centralised apparatus for managing its military footprint across Africa. Since 2014, Rwandan troops have been stationed in CAR as part of the UN peacekeeping force Minusca. An additional 1,000 special forces were deployed following an attack on the capital in 2021. According to the International Crisis Group, their arrival “kept alive a peace process [between CAR’s government and insurgencies] that was deeply weakened”. Initially, tensions ran high between the Russians and Rwandans owing to unclear mandates and overlapping zones of operation in the economic and security sectors. Kigali and Moscow are expected to support the incumbent, motivated by a desire to protect their strategic interests. Many of the country’s traditional western partners remain hesitant about helping finance the election and some fear a disruption of electoral activity in areas where armed groups are still active... Kigali and Moscow are expected to support the incumbent, motivated by a desire to protect their strategic interests. Many of the country’s traditional western partners remain hesitant about helping finance the election and some fear a disruption of electoral activity in areas where armed groups are still active.
AFRICA-WIDE ISSUES
Lobbyists linked to Donald Trump paid millions by world’s poorest countries
Somalia, DRC, Haiti and Yemen are among 11 countries, trying to offset US cuts to foreign aid, signing significant lobbying deals with figures tied directly to the US president. Many states have already begun bartering crucial natural resources – including minerals – in exchange for humanitarian or military support, the investigation by Global Witness found... The DRC is primed to sign a mineral deal with the US for support against Rwanda-backed rebels, providing American companies access to lithium, cobalt and coltan. The DRC – a former top-10 USAID recipient – signed contracts worth $1.2m with the lobbyists Ballard Partners, lobbysts for Trump well before the 2016 US election and were a leading donor to the US president’s political campaign. Somalia and Yemen signed contracts with BGR Government Affairs– $550,000 and $372,000 respectively. A former BGR partner, Sean Duffy, is now Trump’s transport secretary, one of myriad links between the US president and the lobbying firm. Documents show that within six months of last November’s US election, contracts worth $17m (£12.5m) were signed between Trump-linked lobbying firms and some of the world’s least developed countries, which were among the highest recipients of USAID. That agency officially closed its doors last week – a situation that now means that deal making in Washington could become “more desperate and less favourable to low-income countries”
Chinese nationals in Africa ‘vulnerable to kidnappings’ as cases rise
Chinese nationals are being targeted by kidnappers in African countries as more investors are drawn to the continent in areas ranging from infrastructure development to minerals extraction. Cases of kidnapping for ransom are being seen across Africa. China’s embassy in South Africa issued a warning on Sunday about a rise in kidnappings of Chinese women. In Somalia and Ghana, piracy cases targeting Chinese fishing vessels have involved ransom demands. And the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have also seen armed robbery and abduction cases involving Chinese in recent months. Analysts say Chinese traders are being targeted because of a perception that they operate their businesses outside the formal banking system and that they might be carrying around large sums of cash... preference for underground banking channels – known as “feiqian” in China or “hawala” in Africa and the Middle East – made Chinese nationals more attractive to kidnappers. It meant kidnappers could receive ransom payments quickly and discreetly, he said, and the victim’s family did not have to make large bank withdrawals or send wire transfers that could draw the attention of authorities.
Top 10 African countries with the lowest reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Low reserves are a major vulnerability for African countries, both economically and politically. This susceptibility is reflected in rankings such as the Global Firepower Index, which assesses national power by integrating military capability with key financial and economic factors, such as a country's reserves. Low foreign and gold reserves expose a country to unexpected financial shocks. Many African economies rely significantly on exports like oil, minerals, and agricultural products. When global prices for these items fall, countries with insufficient reserves struggle to meet critical imports such as food, fuel, and medicine. Without sufficient reserves, governments are unable to successfully manage currency volatility or fulfill external debts. This lack of financial cushion can result in balance-of-payments crises, in which a country is unable to meet its international commitments. Such crises frequently force governments to make difficult policy decisions, such as currency depreciation, subsidy cuts, or emergency borrowing, measures that harm ordinary residents and damage national confidence. While gold is commonly regarded as a symbolic store of wealth, it also plays an important role during periods of economic turmoil. When global markets are volatile or fiat currencies devalue, gold holds its value. Countries with limited or no gold reserves have fewer options during currency crises or inflationary periods.
Africa’s four richest men hold $57.4 billion, now wealthier than half the continent
The report, Africa’s Inequality Crisis and the Rise of the Super-Rich paints a stark picture of growing inequality in Africa. It notes that four of Africa’s richest men control $57.4 billion, a fortune greater than the combined wealth of 750 million people. That Africa's billionaire count rose from zero in 2000 to 23 today, with their wealth increasing over 50% in the last five years. Africa remains one of the most unequal regions globally, with poverty rising and the gap between rich and poor growing wider. According to the report, nearly half of the world’s 50 most unequal countries are on the continent. Even more concerning, seven out of every ten people living in extreme poverty today are in Africa. While the majority struggle, many African governments are doing little to close the gap. Instead of investing more in healthcare, education, and social safety nets, budgets are being cut. And while ordinary people pay more through taxes like VAT, the ultra-rich are taxed at some of the lowest rates in the world. Africa collects just 0.3% of GDP in wealth taxes, far behind Asia (0.6%), Latin America (0.9%), and OECD nations (1.8%). That already small share has declined by nearly 25% over the past decade. Meanwhile, for every dollar African governments raise from income or wealth taxes, they get nearly three dollars from indirect taxes like VAT, making life even harder for everyday people. Oxfam estimates that introducing a modest 1% wealth tax and a 10% income tax on the richest 1% could raise $66 billion a year. That’s enough to provide free, quality education for all, and ensure universal access to electricity. Some countries are already proving it can be done. In Morocco and South Africa, property taxes bring in over 1% of GDP, among the highest in Africa.
PBS documentary 'Made in Ethiopia' looks at Chinese investment in Africa - Audio
The new PBS documentary "Made in Ethiopia" explores China's increasing investment footprint in Africa through three women whose lives are deeply affected by the largest industrial park in Ethiopia.
OpEd: Trump’s African summit was a masterclass in modern colonial theatre
To dodge Trump’s tariffs and wrath, five African presidents played the role of loyal colonial subject, and left their dignity behind.
AFRICAN DIASPORA
Descendants of enslaved Africans find connection in Ghana
Northern Ghana was historically a center for the trade of human lives: captives from northern communities like Nok, now part of Togo, were taken to slave markets. Nok is where the Moba people sought refuge from the Tchokosis, who were slave raiders targeting their neighbors to sell to European traders. Salaga, a northern town steeped in trade history, has long been known for its commerce, dealing in items like salt, cola nuts -and human lives. Africans abducted from areas around Nok were enslaved after capture and forced to march in chains for days to the Slave Market in Salaga. Those who perished along the way were discarded, while survivors were displayed like livestock for European and American buyers. Chains, shackles, and Danish firearms are remnants of slavery preserved by locals in a small museum. Slavery was only abolished here in the late 19th century following the invasion by British colonialists. Just outside Salaga, oral history recounts that historic slave wells are another remnant of the trade. These wells were used to cleanse slaves brought to the Salaga Slave Market. The Ghana Tourism Authority renovated them in 2024 and as descendants of slaves are making their way back home, decades later, some even drink from these wells, claiming it connects them to the spirits of their ancestors who were torn apart by the cruel slave trade.