US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on African countries as part of his ‘Liberation Day’ strategy, which includes a universal 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the US. The Southern African states of Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, are among the hardest hit, with a tariff of 50%, 47% and 40% respectively. North Africa is also affected, with Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia charging 31%, 30%, and 28% respectively. West Africa’s Côte d’Ivoire is the hardest hit at 21%, with Nigeria subjected to a 14% tariff. Trump claimed that all affected countries already imposed extensive tariffs on the US.
South Africa’s coalition government faces challenges due to divisions between the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) in a crucial vote on the national budget. The DA voted against the fiscal framework, rejecting VAT increases and demanding a cut in spending across all government departments. The ANC, refused to bow to the DA’s demand for an “austerity budget”. The DA challenged the vote, claiming it was procedurally flawed. The top leadership of the coalition is due to meet to decide whether to remain in a government of national unity.
Zimbabwe police have arrested 95 people on charges of promoting public violence for participating in demonstrations calling for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to leave office. The arrests were made during a large police deployment in Harare and other cities. The ruling ZANU-PF party wanted to extend Mnangagwa’s term by two years until 2030. War veterans, led by Blessed Geza, previously supported Mnangagwa but have turned against him, accusing him of seeking to cling to power.
Thousands protested in the Central African Republic against President Faustin Archange Touadera’s plans to run for a third term, supported by Russian-led mercenaries from the Wagner group. Opposition parties organized the rally, which was one of the first instances where Wagner forces have been used to fight rebel groups and restore peace. Wagner forces have also served as personal bodyguards for Touadera, helping him win a constitutional referendum in July 2023, potentially extending his power indefinitely.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have evacuated from the town of Walikale, claiming it as a goodwill gesture ahead of peace negotiations with the government. The rebels have captured two main towns since January, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands more. The violence has sparked fears of a larger regional conflict, as Congo’s neighbors, Uganda and Burundi have soldiers in the area. The Congolese government and M23 plan to hold their first direct talks in Doha on April 9.
Senegal’s parliament has approved changes to its amnesty law, potentially allowing the investigation and prosecution of security personnel and former government members suspected of abuses. The changes remove exceptions for torture, assassination, and murder. The amnesty law was adopted in March, allowing President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to campaign in the election. During political unrest from 2021-2024, 65 people were killed, 51 by gunfire, mostly during opposition-led protests.
At least 89 people have been killed, this week, in a cluster of villages in Omdurman, Sudan, by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to a Sudanese human rights organization. The group carried out random artillery shelling and direct gunfire, causing many to flee to the Jabal Awlia area. The Emergency Lawyer’s Association accuses the RSF of violating human rights and international law, resulting in widespread looting and forced transport of goods.
Congo’s President, Felix Tshisekedi, has commuted the death sentences of three Americans convicted of participating in a botched coup attempt in Kinshasa last year. The pardon came amid Congolese authorities’ efforts to sign a minerals deal with the U.S. in exchange for security support to help fight rebels in the conflict-hit eastern region.
Nigeria has received over 1 million vaccines from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat a meningitis outbreak in the northern part of the country. The northern region has been hit hardest by the disease, with over 800 cases reported across 23 of Nigeria’s 36 states. Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate emphasized the vaccines’ importance for Nigeria’s long-term health security and preventing future outbreaks. Meningitis affects the brain and spinal cord, a significant public health challenge in Africa’s most populous country, which is also battling malaria.
