Author: admin - Page 2 - African News Today

12Feb

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Africa

African Union Summit 2025

Addressing Conflicts, Resource Competition, and Development Setbacks in Ethiopia The 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit commenced today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations." The summit, a pivotal gathering of African heads of state, ministers, and international delegates, has placed conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), resource competition, and development setbacks at the forefront of its agenda. As the continent grapples with escalating crises, the AU faces mounting pressure to deliver actionable solutions and demonstrate leadership in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The summit opened with a powerful call for unity from Ethiopian Foreign Minister Ged...

Militant Attack in Mali Leaves Dozens Dead

10Feb

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Mali

Militant Attack in Mali Leaves Dozens Dead

- Russian Paramilitaries Involved BAMAKO, MALI—A devastating militant attack in central Mali has left at least 25 civilians dead, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s ongoing struggle with insurgency. The assault, which occurred on February 8, 2025, targeted a convoy of vehicles escorted by Malian military forces and Russian paramilitaries, underscoring the volatile security situation in the Sahel region. The victims, mostly gold miners, were ambushed near the town of Niono in the Ségou region, a known hotspot for militant activity. The convoy, comprising approximately 60 vehicles, was en route to a gold mining site when it came under heavy fire from unidentified gunmen. According to Colonel Major Souleymane Dembélé, a spokesman for Mali’s military, the attackers ...

Rwanda Accused of Fuelling Congo Conflict

10Feb

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Congo, Rwanda

Rwanda Accused of Fuelling Congo Conflict

African Leaders Demand Action The conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a critical juncture, with African leaders convening an unprecedented joint summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on February 8, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The summit aimed to address the escalating violence fuelled by the M23 rebel group, which the DRC and international observers accuse Rwanda of supporting. The meeting underscored the deepening regional divide, with eastern African nations leaning toward dialogue and southern African states condemning Rwanda’s alleged role in the crisis. The leaders called for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of foreign forces from Congolese soil, and direct talks with the rebels—a...

U.S. Freezes Aid to South Africa Over Land Reform Law

10Feb

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Economy, Human Rights, News, South Africa, United States of America

U.S. Freezes Aid to South Africa Over Land Reform Law

- Trump Offers Refuge to White Farmers U.S. President, Donald Trump, has reignited global debates over race, land rights, and international diplomacy, by signing an executive order on February 7, 2025, halting all foreign aid to South Africa. The decision comes in response to South Africa’s controversial new land reform law, which Trump claims discriminates against the country’s white minority, particularly Afrikaner farmers. The executive order also outlines plans to prioritize the resettlement of Afrikaners in the United States as refugees, a proposal that has drawn both praise and sharp criticism. The land reform law, signed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in January 2025, allows the government to expropriate land without compensation in specific cases—such as when the...

Five Years On: What Has become of the AfCFTA?

10Feb

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Africa, Economy, News, Trade

Five Years On: What Has become of the AfCFTA?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was ambitiously launched with the goal of transforming trade across Africa, creating what would be the world's largest free-trade zone by connecting 1.3 billion people and aiming for an additional $450 billion in revenue by 2035. However, five years after its signing in 2019, questions arise about its implementation and overall impact. The Promise of AfCFTA The AfCFTA was designed to dismantle trade barriers, reduce tariffs on 90% of goods by 2034, and foster a single market for goods and services across 55 African countries. It was seen as a pivotal step towards economic integration, promising to elevate intra-African trade, stimulate industrial growth, and enhance economic competitiveness. Early transactions under this framework, suc...

Opinion: Nigeria Strategic Infrastructure Monopoly by Kalu Aja

6Feb

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Economy, Infrastructure, News, Nigeria, Transportation

Opinion: Nigeria Strategic Infrastructure Monopoly by Kalu Aja

Nigeria, the top economy in West Africa, has seven main ports 1. Lagos Port Complex: Lagos State; 94% of exports and 76% of imports according to NBS Q4 2023 2. Tin Can Island Port Complex: Lagos State; 3% of exports and 8% of imports 3. Lekki Deep Sea Port: Lagos State 4. Onne Port Complex: Located in Rivers State 5. Rivers Port Complex: Located in Rivers State 6. Calabar Port Complex: Cross River State 7. Delta Port Complex: Located in Warri, Delta State Nigeria's most important port is the Lagos Port Complex. That single port in Apapa is the key export and import point for over 200m Nigerians. In 2024, it was reported that the “Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had allocated more than $200 million over the past decade to dredging operatio...

4Feb

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Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, News, Niger

Is ECOWAS Finally Facing Disintegration

....as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Withdraw from the regional body It is no longer news that the military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This unprecedented disintegration of the 50-year-old bloc, established in 1975 to foster economic integration and political stability, poses significant questions about the future of regional cooperation and security in West Africa. Background of the Withdrawal The decision to leave ECOWAS was announced by the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all currently under military rule following a series of coups from 2020 to 2023. The juntas cited ECOWAS's "inhumane" sanctions and perceived lack of support in the face of security threats lik...

Kenya Makes Visitation Easier for Africans

23Jan

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Africa, Kenya

Kenya Makes Visitation Easier for Africans

Kenya has announced that it is easing entry requirements for citizens of most African nations in a bid to foster regional integration and boost tourism. The new directive, issued by the Kenyan cabinet, eliminates the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirement for nearly all African visitors, allowing them to enter the country without prior approval. Visitors from most African countries can now stay in Kenya for up to two months, while citizens of East African Community (EAC) member states—Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi—can remain for up to six months under the bloc’s free movement protocols. However, travellers from Somalia and Libya are excluded from the policy due to security concerns. The move comes after Kenya faced criticism for its previous travel policies, particula...

Chinese Firm Targets Nigeria’s £20 Million P&ID Judgement Award as Part of its Assets Seizure

19Aug

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Nigeria

Chinese Firm Targets Nigeria’s £20 Million P&ID Judgement Award as Part of its Assets Seizure

Lagos, August 19, 2024 — The Chinese company Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited is making aggressive moves to seize the £20 million awarded to Nigeria by a United Kingdom appeal court in its long-running battle against Process & Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID). This development comes amid escalating efforts by the Chinese firm to confiscate Nigerian assets in various foreign jurisdictions. Zhongshan Fucheng has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with the Ogun State government in Nigeria since the termination of a joint venture agreement in 2013, which was originally signed in 2007. The partnership was intended to develop a free-trade zone in Ogun State. However, the agreement fell apart amid allegations of misrepresentation and concerns over the capability of...

French Court Seizes 3 Nigerian Jets Amid Dispute with Chinese Company

16Aug

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Nigeria

French Court Seizes 3 Nigerian Jets Amid Dispute with Chinese Company

Paris, August 16, 2024 — A French court has ordered the seizure of three jets owned by the Nigerian government, in an international dispute between the Chinese company Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, and a state in Nigeria. The legal wrangling, which stems from a terminated contract dating back to 2007, is an embarrassment to the Nigerian government and does not help its attempts at attracting foreign direct investment. The controversy traces back to a 2007 agreement between Zhongshan Fucheng and Nigeria's Ogun State government in the southwest. The contract was aimed at developing a free-trade zone that would host a massive industrial park designed to attract international investors. However, the deal unraveled between 2015 and 2016 when the Ogun State government terminated th...