Gabon is holding a presidential election today, with eight candidates running for the presidency, including interim president Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema. The election marks the first since a 2023 military coup, ending a 50-year political dynasty. Analysts predict an overwhelming victory for Nguema, who has won the hearts of the majority. The election is expected to be a significant step towards ending poverty in Gabon, which has a third of its 2.3 million people living in poverty.
African Union mediators arrived in Juba this week for discussions over resolving the crisis in South Sudan, following the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, a former rebel leader who has been accused of attempting to spark a new rebellion. The recent clashes between the People’s Defense Forces and Machar’s opposition party’s armed wing have raised concerns about a return to the civil war that ended in 2018 with a peace deal. The transitional government has pledged to stop war and form a revitalized government of national unity to restore security and sustainable peace in the country.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have recalled their ambassadors from Algeria following allegations of downing a Malian armed forces surveillance drone. The three countries accused Algeria of violating international law and escalating tensions between Bamako and Algiers. Bamako withdrew from a regional military group and also plans to file a complaint with international bodies. In retaliation, Algeria banned flights to and from Mali for “recurrent violations” of Algerian airspace, escalating tensions.
The US announces the immediate revocation of all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders this week. The announcement made by the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, accused the African nation’s government of not accepting repatriation of its nationals and thus taking advantage of the United States. Also, the US will also prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders. This is the first time such a measure singling out all passport holders from a particular country has been taken since President Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20.
Zimbabwe’s government announces an initial $3m payment to white farmers whose farms were seized under a controversial government program over two decades ago. This is the first payment under the 2020 compensation agreement, which committed to paying $3.5 billion for seized farmland. The payment will cover the first 378 farms out of 740 approved, representing 1% of the total $311 million allocated for the first batch of payments. The remainder will be paid through US-dollar-denominated Treasury bonds.
Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason on Thursday, a day after being arrested at a political rally in Mbinga. The rally was part of a nationwide campaign to mobilize voters and demand reforms for the upcoming elections. The charges will bring new scrutiny to President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s re-election bid, as critics accuse the government of cracking down on the opposition. Lissu pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of publishing false information and is due back in court on April 24.
In the DRC, heavy rains have caused severe flooding in the capital, Kinshasa, this week, resulting in the death of 30 people and the destruction of homes and roads. The Ndjili River, which flows through the city, burst its banks and resulted in submerging the main national road. The flooding comes amid mounting instability, which the eastern part of the country faces, with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels ramping up attacks, resulting in over 7,000 deaths and millions displaced in recent months.
Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, Nigeria, warned that Boko Haram is making a comeback after a series of attacks and seized control of some parts of the northeastern state. He called for more military assistance for soldiers fighting the insurgency. However, the Nigerian government has downplayed Zulum’s fears, stating that security has improved in the past 18 months. Borno State has been at the center of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram, which has forced over two million people to flee their homes and killed over 40,000.
Three US citizens sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a coup attempt have been repatriated after their sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. The repatriation comes amid Congolese authorities’ efforts to sign a minerals deal with the US in exchange for security support to help fight Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the conflict-hit east. The US Department of State confirmed the transfer, expressing condemnation of the armed attacks and seeking consistent, compassionate, humane treatment and a fair legal process.
President Trump has reduced tariff rates on imports from most US trade partners to 10% for 90 days to facilitate trade negotiations with these countries. The move follows stiffer reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US on goods from nearly 90 nations. Over 75 countries have contacted US officials for negotiation, marking a significant change in policy.
The Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched an attack on the Zamzam displacement camp in El Fasher early on Friday morning from the eastern and southern directions. However, the attack was repelled by the Sudanese Army but claimed the lives of 25 civilians, according to the El Fasher Resistance Coordination Committee. The ongoing war in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese Army, has resulted in thousands of deaths and left millions of people displaced.
