John Mahama this week was sworn in for a second term as Ghana’s president, succeeding Nana Akufo-Addo after winning 56% of the vote in the December 9 election. The inauguration, held at Accra’s Black Star Square, was attended by 20 African leaders, including Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kenya’s William Ruto. Mahama, 66, called for a national reset and unity in his address, while Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang was sworn in as Ghana’s first female vice president. The ceremony was marked by vibrant celebrations, with supporters waving flags, dancing, and chanting to drums and vuvuzelas in the colors of the NDC.
Senegal and Mauritania this week also commenced gas production from the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) field, which lies along their shared maritime border. British company BP, alongside US-based Kosmos Energy, Mauritania’s SMH, and Senegal’s Petrosen, is involved in the project. Senegal’s Oil Minister hailed the launch, six years in the making, as “historic.” The field is expected to produce 2.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually, marking a significant step for the region.
The United States accused Russia of funding both warring sides in Sudan’s conflict, escalating previous claims of Moscow exploiting the war for political gain. The war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has caused the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfieldon Monday criticized Russia at the U.N. Security Council for blocking resolutions and alleged Moscow’s involvement in Sudan’s gold trade to support the conflict. Russia denied the accusations, calling them Western fabrications.
Tensions between Algeria and Mali this week escalated following Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf’s opposition to Mali’s plan to reclassify northern separatist groups, including signatories of the 2015 Algiers Agreement, as terrorist organizations. Attaf argued these groups should remain central to peace talks, emphasizing that “a military solution is not the answer.” Mali has rejected this stance as an infringement on its sovereignty, deepening the rift between the neighbors.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola held strategic talks in Cairo on Wednesday with Egyptian parliamentary leaders, including Hanafy El Gebaly and Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq, to strengthen EU-Egypt relations amidst Middle Eastern geopolitical challenges. Discussions focused on migration management, macro-financial aid, and regional stability, underscoring Egypt’s role as a key partner in fostering peace, security, and sustainable development.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his Africa tour in Nigeria, pledging Beijing’s unwavering support and $136 million in military aid to the continent. During talks with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar in Abuja on Thursday, Wang emphasized China’s commitment to helping Africans address their challenges independently. He announced plans to train 6,000 troops and 1,000 police officers across Africa. Highlighting Nigeria’s strategic role, Wang urged regional unity and cooperation for security. China, a major trade partner, imported $22.6 billion in gas and oil from Nigeria in 2023, while exporting manufactured goods.
Parts of Guinea’s capital are under lockdown this week as opposition groups protest the junta’s failure to meet its deadline for transitioning to democracy. The military government, led by Col. Mamadi Doumbouya since 2021, missed its promised December 31, 2024, deadline to initiate a democratic transition. Instead, Doumbouya vaguely pledged to sign a decree for a constitutional referendum without setting a timeline. Opposition leader Aliou Bah was jailed for two years for criticizing the junta, sparking condemnation as a blow to democracy.
More than 100,000 people have been displaced in eastern Congo since the start of 2025 due to a new offensive by M23 rebels, according to a United Nations report released on Friday. The rebels seized the town of Masisi on Monday, sparking a mass exodus as they captured two other strategic towns in less than a week. This new displacement adds to the 2.8 million already displaced in North Kivu, which represents over a third of the province’s population.
An attack on Chad’s presidential palace on Thursday left 18 assailants dead and six in custody, while one soldier was killed and three others wounded, according to state media. The assault occurred Wednesday night while President Mahamat Deby Itno was inside the palace but was swiftly brought under control. Foreign Affairs Minister Abderaman Koulamallah described the attackers as local youths, disorganized and under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Although rumors suggested a possible Boko Haram connection, authorities dismissed this, stating the incident was not terrorism-related. The attack coincided with a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who praised the government’s stability.
French President Emmanuel Macron defended France’s military intervention in Africa’s Sahel region, stating he was still awaiting thanks from Sahel states for Paris’s role in preventing militant control. Speaking to French ambassadors on Monday, Macron emphasized France’s 2013 intervention against Islamist militants, asserting that those countries would not have sovereign states without French military support. Despite recent withdrawals from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast due to military coups, Macron dismissed claims that France had been forced out, insisting the pullback was part of a strategic reorganization rather than retreat. “France is lucid and reorganizing itself,” he stated.
