This week, the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, and Rwanda, Paul Kagame, formally endorsed a Peace Agreement and a Regional Economic Integration Framework in Washington, D.C. under the facilitation of the United States. The agreement, which was initially signed in June, aims to end decades of conflict between the two nations and stabilize the eastern DRC region. The US President hailed the deal as a diplomatic victory, stressing that it recommits the parties to the peace process. However, the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) noted that fighting continues on the ground, and that the implementation, requiring Rwanda to withdraw its forces from Congo and the DRC to crack down on armed groups, will be essential for achieving lasting peace. The agreement also reflects the U.S. priority of securing access to critical minerals in the region.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sent a high-level delegation to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, for mediation talks with the military leaders who seized power last week in a coup. The delegation, led by the President of ECOWAS and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, arrived in Bissau to press the military authorities to fully restore constitutional order. The regional bloc had previously condemned the takeover and suspended the country’s membership. Despite the talks, the army has tightened its control, banning all demonstrations and strikes. The engagement by ECOWAS signals a commitment to resolving the crisis following the coup, which occurred just before the announcement of closely contested election results.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swore in retired General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as the new Minister of Defence on Thursday, following his expedited confirmation by the Senate. General Musa’s nomination came quickly after the resignation of the previous Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, on Monday, due to health concerns. The new Defence Minister, who was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1991 and retired as CDS in October 2025, has vowed to immediately set up a full-scale investigation into recent high-profile security lapses. His appointment is seen as a move by the Tinubu administration to leverage his extensive military experience and champion inter-service security collaboration to consolidate security gains and fast-track reforms aimed at achieving peace nationwide.
The Governments of the United States and the Republic of Kenya signed a landmark five-year, $2.5 billion Health Cooperation Framework on Thursday, in Washington, D.C. The agreement outlines a comprehensive plan to strengthen Kenya’s health system and combat major infectious diseases. Under the framework, the U.S. plans to provide up to $1.6 billion over the next five years to support priority programs, including the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and polio eradication. Kenya has pledged to co-invest $850 million over the period, demonstrating its commitment to gradually assume greater financial responsibility for its health sector. Kenyan President William Ruto praised the partnership, stating that the framework adds momentum to his administration’s goal of achieving universal health coverage.
The government of Burkina Faso, on Thursday, adopted a draft bill to reform its Penal Code, which includes reinstating the death penalty for certain crimes. The decision comes seven years after the death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes in the West African nation. The new bill aims to bring back capital punishment for offences such as “high treason,” “terrorism,” and “acts of espionage,” according to the government. Amnesty International immediately condemned the plan, calling the death penalty “the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment” and an “irreversible denial of the right to life,” urging the Burkinabe government to halt the reintroduction of the measure.
Cameroon’s top opposition leader, Anicet Ekane, died on Monday, at the age of 74, after being detained for several weeks following protests over the presidential election. Ekane, who led the African Movement for New Independence and Democracy party and was a prominent rival of President Paul Biya, was arrested in late October on charges of insurrection. His lawyers and family alleged that he did not receive proper medical care despite struggling to breathe and suffocating for a week while in the custody of the paramilitary gendarmerie, calling his death a “murder.” Cameroon’s defense ministry confirmed Ekane’s death, stating he died “following an illness,” but confirmed that President Biya has ordered an investigation into the circumstances leading to the opposition leader’s death.
Libyan authorities announced on Tuesday, that they would significantly ramp up the repatriation of irregular migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, amid increasing pressure from European nations to curb arrivals. Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi stated that a national repatriation program has been ongoing since October, with goals this month to “return thousands of migrants,” including many to Chad, Somalia, and Mali. Libya plans two repatriation flights per week, prioritizing women, children, and elderly people. Trabelsi emphasized that Libya refuses to allow migrants intercepted at sea to settle on its land, urging the European Union and African Union for more financial and logistical support, noting that some three million irregular migrants are estimated to have lived in Libya over the past 15 years.
Authorities in Gabon ordered the detention of Tourism Minister Pascal Ogowé Siffon, this week, placing him under house arrest following an internal investigation that found he is suspected of embezzling nearly $18 million intended for the development of the tourism sector within his ministry over the past two years. The detention of the Minister follows similar arrests and convictions of several high-profile figures associated with the overthrown Bongo regime, including the former First Lady and her son. The detention of Ogowé Siffon, who was a high-ranking official within the former government, further signals the military junta’s commitment to rooting out endemic corruption that was widespread before the 2023 coup.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), centered in the Kasai Province, was officially declared over on Monday, after 42 consecutive days passed without any new cases. The outbreak, the 16th recorded in the DRC to date, began on September 4, 2025, and resulted in 53 confirmed cases and 34 deaths among confirmed cases. The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (Africa CDC) commended the DRC government for its “exceptional determination and exemplary coordination” in managing the crisis. Success was attributed to intense surveillance, strong community engagement, and the deployment of over 48,000 vaccines, with the health ministry urging communities to remain vigilant during the post-outbreak monitoring phase.
A small turboprop airplane belonging to the evangelical Christian aid group Samaritan’s Purse was hijacked by a gunman in South Sudan on Tuesday. The armed man snuck on board the Cessna Grand Caravan, which was en route from Juba to deliver medical supplies, and subsequently threatened the pilot, demanding the aircraft be flown to Chad. The pilot managed to land the plane in Wau, in the northern part of South Sudan, after convincing the hijacker they needed to refuel. No one was seriously injured in the incident. Following the landing, the gunman, identified by police as Yasir Mohammed Yusuf, was immediately taken into custody by the National Security Service. The aid group praised the security forces for their “swift action” in safely resolving the situation.
