The African Union convened an emergency meeting on Friday regarding its military mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) after the United States announced it will terminate critical funding by the end of the year. In a letter to the AU, Washington accused Somalia’s government of failing to reform its security sector or sustain progress against Al-Shabaab insurgents. Diplomatic sources warn the mission faces termination without the US-funded United Nations logistical support.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, inaugurated West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State. The facility features a daily capacity of 6,000 metric tons and an annual capacity of 3,000,000 metric tons. Tinubu emphasized a strict national policy shifting from raw mineral exportation to local processing to retain wealth, stimulate industrial ecosystems, and secure over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs
Zimbabwe’s Parliament passed the highly disputed Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 for a second time, sending it to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for assent. The bill alters electoral and succession laws by tasking Parliament with overseeing presidential elections and eliminating automatic vice-presidential succession. Opposition parties and civic groups have strongly criticized the legislation, alleging bribery and demanding a public referendum, while the government maintains Parliament acted legally.
The government of Malawi hosted a stakeholder consultation in Lilongwe to review a new draft Trusts bill aimed at modernizing its legal framework. Solicitor General Gertrude Lynn Hiwa stated that the existing Trustees Incorporation Act lacks a registration regime for settlement trusts, leaving severe gaps in transparency. The proposed bill introduces strict beneficial ownership transparency rules to close loopholes exploited for money laundering and terrorist financing.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, inaugurated West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State. The facility features a daily capacity of 6,000 metric tons and an annual capacity of 3,000,000 metric tons. Tinubu emphasized a strict national policy shifting from raw mineral exportation to local processing to retain wealth, stimulate industrial ecosystems, and secure over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs
The United Nations Human Rights Office announced the permanent closure of its operations in Burkina Faso after its local activities were suspended by the military junta. Burkinabé Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré accused international groups of overstepping national sovereignty and acting like “super police.” Human rights organizations warn that the departure removes a critical, independent international presence capable of documenting widespread abuses and war crimes within the country.
The United States government has committed to providing $1.3 billion to Tanzania under a newly signed five-year bilateral health partnership. The funding agreement is designed to strengthen Tanzania’s domestic healthcare infrastructure, enhance public medical services, and support ongoing national initiatives aimed at combating infectious diseases and managing public health crises.
Algerian citizens voted this week in parliamentary elections heavily overshadowed by widespread public anxiety regarding inflation and the rising cost of living. The political atmosphere surrounding the election has been further strained following the disqualification and banning of numerous opposition candidates, drawing sharp criticism from civil society groups over civic space restrictions. In the Algerian diaspora, which numbers more than 850,000 registered voters, particularly in France, voting took place at consular offices.
The Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, announced that the US has withdrawn most of the forces deployed to support a recent counterterrorism operation in Nigeria. The troops had previously partnered with Nigerian soldiers in the Lake Chad Basin, successfully targeting a top ISIS commander. Despite the partial drawdown, AFRICOM confirmed that the US will continue intelligence sharing and strategic security cooperation as requested by Nigeria.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially initiated documentation to withdraw from the Rome Statute. The three military-led Sahel nations have repeatedly accused international bodies of bias and of violating their national sovereignty after previously breaking away from the ECOWAS regional bloc to form the Alliance of Sahel States.
As the Ebola outbreak intensifies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, medical researchers have launched a vital clinical trial to evaluate effective treatments, including therapeutics like remdesivir and MBP134. Organized alongside the World Health Organization, the study aims to establish standardized medical interventions to curb high mortality rates and support overburdened healthcare teams.
