Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Youssouf, has been elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission. He defeated former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Malagasy Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato for the position. Youssouf has stated that his priorities will be regional security and promoting unity across Africa by bridging linguistic and cultural divides. This is a significant achievement for Djibouti as Youssouf prepares to lead the African Union in addressing the continent’s challenges.
Niger’s military junta is recommending a five-year transition to democratic rule, extending its previous three-year proposal. This comes after national consultations that excluded political parties. The junta-led commission also proposed dissolving political parties and allowing two to five new ones under a new charter, while permitting junta officials to contest future elections. This move follows Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, to form the Alliance of Sahel States. Meanwhile, Niger continues shifting alliances, expelling French and European forces while strengthening ties with Russia amid ongoing security challenges.
Burundi is reportedly withdrawing its troops from eastern DR Congo, weakening the Congolese army’s efforts against the advancing M23 rebels, though Burundi’s military denies the claim. M23, an ethnic Tutsi-led group, has seized key cities, including Bukavu’s airport, and is now advancing further south. The UN has accused the rebels of executing children amid their offensive. Fighting has also intensified in Lubero territory, north of Goma. With regional stability at risk, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi met Angola’s leader to discuss the crisis. If confirmed, Burundi’s withdrawal would further strain Congo’s military, already struggling to contain the rebel advance.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced he will skip next week’s G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Cape Town, an unusual move for a U.S. official, citing obligations in Washington. A senior official will attend in his place. Sources suggest Bessent’s absence could be linked to President Trump’s potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Ukraine war. The G20, which includes the U.S., China, and Russia, addresses global economic challenges like inflation, debt distress, and climate change. Bessent plans to meet his global counterparts at upcoming IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday urged the international community to support a plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinians, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle them and redevelop the enclave into a resort. Arab nations, including Egypt and Jordan, have opposed the plan and are working on an alternative. Sisi emphasized the importance of UNRWA in aiding Palestinians, as its operations face restrictions from Israeli laws. The UAE also condemned the displacement proposal. Leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Qatar will discuss the issue in Riyadh before presenting it to the Arab League in March.
The UN has appealed for $6 billion in aid for Sudan in 2025, a 40% increase from the previous year, to address the world’s worst hunger crisis and mass displacement caused by the ongoing civil war. The 22-month conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has already displaced a fifth of the population and left half facing severe hunger. UN officials warn the situation is worsening, with famine conditions reported in several locations. WFP chief Cindy McCain called Sudan the epicenter of the world’s largest hunger crisis. The requested funds will support nearly 21 million people within Sudan, making it the UN’s most ambitious humanitarian response yet, though uncertainty about US funding due to previous pauses remains.
The Netherlands this week agreed to return 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, marking one of the largest repatriations of looted artefacts. These intricate sculptures, stolen by British forces in 1897 from the Kingdom of Benin, will be returned unconditionally, acknowledging their wrongful acquisition. The Dutch State Collection will release 113 bronzes, while the Municipality of Rotterdam will return the remaining six. Nigeria continues its efforts to reclaim thousands of looted cultural treasures. The artefacts are expected to arrive later this year, with Nigeria’s museum chief calling it the most significant single return of Benin antiquities.
African leaders on Tuesday approved the African Financial Stability Mechanism (AFSM), a new fund managed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), to provide concessional lending to debt-ridden governments. The AFSM will have its own credit rating, enabling it to borrow from international markets. Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war’s impact on developing economies, the fund aims to address sovereign defaults and debt crises. Membership is voluntary and open to all African Union member states.
The UK condemned M23 rebel advances in eastern DR Congo and summoned Rwanda’s High Commissioner over alleged Rwandan support for the group. Rwanda maintains its forces acted solely in response to border security threats. This follows Rwanda criticizing Belgium’s “aggressive campaign” to block its development funding, with Belgium urging the EU to freeze direct aid until Rwanda cuts ties with M23. Rwanda calls this a “political stance” and refuses to be “bullied” on national security. DR Congo’s President Tshisekedi, along with other leaders, has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 in the mineral-rich region.
A pioneering Malian filmmaker and pillar of African cinema, Souleymane Cisse, died this week at 84. Cisse was the first Black African director to win a feature film award at Cannes (1987, *Yeelen*). He also received the Carrosse d’Or in 2023. A two-time winner of FESPACO’s Grand Prize, Cisse was celebrated for his influential contributions and commitment to African storytelling, with tributes pouring in recognizing his legacy.
