Former Cameroonian prime minister, Philemon Yang, on Tuesday assumed the presidency of the UN General Assembly, urging global cooperation to address challenges such as climate change, poverty, conflict, and violence. Speaking to the 193-member body, Yang emphasized the importance of unity in diversity and called for intensified efforts to resolve conflicts in regions like Gaza, Haiti, Ukraine, and Africa’s Great Lakes. He stressed peace and security as key priorities during his one-year term. Outgoing Assembly President Dennis Francis and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for collective action, highlighting the world’s pressing issues and the potential for progress through collaboration. Yang’s leadership begins with the Future Summit, September 22-23, followed by the General Assembly’s annual meeting.
More than 16 months of war in Sudan has claimed over 20,000 lives, with the actual toll potentially much higher, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. During a visit to Port Sudan, he described the crisis as a “perfect storm,” criticizing the insufficient global response. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces, has devastated the capital Khartoum and other cities, crippling healthcare and infrastructure. Over 13 million people have been displaced, with atrocities including war crimes reported. Seasonal floods and a cholera outbreak have worsened the humanitarian crisis.
The collapse of the Alau Dam in northern Nigeria on September 10 worsened the ongoing flooding crisis across West and Central Africa. Located 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital, the dam failed after weeks of heavy rainfall, submerging parts of the city and destroying thousands of homes, displacing around 400,000 people. The disaster has caused at least 30 deaths and added to the already severe impact of flooding in Nigeria, where the UN had reported over 200 deaths and 225,000 displaced as of September 6. Borno State, heavily affected, faces compounded challenges with destroyed infrastructure and halted economic activity.
Six months into his presidency, Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye has called snap elections for November 17th after dissolving parliament. Faye, whose party lacks a parliamentary majority, is seen as likely to secure one in the upcoming vote. However, the opposition platform, Benno Bokk Yaakar, led by former President Macky Sall, has condemned the move, accusing Faye of perjury. Faye, 44, Senegal’s youngest leader, was elected in April shortly after being released from prison alongside Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
The US donated 50,000 doses of mpox vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday to aid in combating a severe outbreak. US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn stressed the importance of vaccines and reaffirmed the US-DRC health partnership, which includes efforts against diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and Ebola. This follows a recent European Commission shipment of nearly 100,000 doses. The DRC, the hardest-hit country, is battling multiple mpox outbreaks, including a new clade Ib variant spread through sexual transmission. The WHO reports that this strain has also appeared in other African countries and beyond. Since early 2024, the DRC has reported over 4,900 confirmed cases and 620 deaths.
This week, the Biden administration overrode human rights conditions on military aid to Egypt, granting the country its full $1.3 billion allocation for the first time during this administration, despite concerns over Egypt’s human rights record. The decision comes as Egypt plays a key role in mediating ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza conflict. Of the total, $320 million is typically subject to human rights conditions. This year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken waived conditions on $225 million, citing national security interests. While some progress was noted on political prisoners, critics argue that Egypt’s human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, remain a major concern.
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced three U.S. citizens to death on Friday for their involvement in a failed coup. The group, led by U.S.-based Congolese politician Christian Malanga, briefly occupied a presidential office in Kinshasa on May 19 before Malanga was killed by security forces. His son, Marcel Malanga, along with his friend Tyler Thompson and business associate Benjamin Zalman-Polun, were convicted of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and other charges. Marcel Malanga testified that he was coerced by his father to participate. The three Americans are among approximately 50 people, including foreign nationals, on trial following the coup attempt. The sentencing, broadcast live, took place at Ndolo military prison in Kinshasa.
A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday visited Kenya on a fact-finding mission following the government’s decision to abandon its planned tax hikes due to deadly protests. President William Ruto shelved the finance bill in June, exacerbating Kenya’s budget deficit and delaying disbursements of IMF funds. The IMF is working with Kenyan authorities to find a balanced solution for the heavily indebted country. Kenya, which has a four-year loan agreement with the IMF worth $3.6 billion, had reached a staff-level agreement in June, but the protests have delayed the release of a $600 million tranche. The IMF has yet to announce a date for further discussions.
Tunisians this week are expected to protest against the turmoil surrounding the country’s upcoming October 6 election. The demonstrations, organized by the newly-formed Tunisian Network for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms, aim to highlight what they call a rise in authoritarianism. Concerns include the arrest and banning of candidates, such as former health minister Abdellatif Mekki, and accusations that the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) is biased in favor of President Kais Saied. The commission’s decision to reject some candidates and disallow election observers has fueled dissatisfaction. Critics argue that recent actions, including Saied’s cabinet reshuffle and repression of opposition figures, undermine the integrity of the electoral process. International organizations, like Human Rights Watch, have condemned the situation, calling for a free and fair election amidst ongoing repression.
The United States on Thursday, announced its support for adding two permanent seats for African countries and a non-permanent seat for a small island developing nation on the U.N. Security Council. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield emphasized that this expansion aims to better reflect contemporary global dynamics and address the underrepresentation of African voices. However, she clarified that the U.S. opposes granting veto power to the new permanent African seats, citing concerns that it could hinder the Council’s effectiveness.
