The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to submit a draft agreement to end the conflict in eastern Congo, in line with a declaration of principles signed in Washington last week. Delegations from Kinshasa and Kigali have been meeting in Qatar to resolve their differences. The draft deal will cover issues such as territorial sovereignty, fighting against armed groups, mineral trade, refugees, and the role of international forces, particularly MONUSCO. Rwanda-backed rebels took control of two provincial capitals in eastern Congo earlier this year, forcing Kinshasa to soften its stance on dialogue with the M23 group.
Kenyan opposition legislator Charles Were was shot dead in Nairobi in a “targeted and premeditated” crime. Were , who was reelected in 2022 to represent the Kasipul constituency for the Orange Democratic Movement party, was in the company of his driver and bodyguard when a motorcycle taxi approached their car. A passenger disembarked and fired at the MP. President William Ruto urged police to conduct a thorough investigation and hold those responsible accountable. Political tensions in Kenya have slowed down since last year’s anti-government protests. Ruto appointed Odinga’s party members to the cabinet and signed a political pact in March.
Uganda has officially declared the end of its latest Ebola outbreak, three months after the first cases emerged in Kampala. The Ministry of Health announced the milestone, stating that 42 days had passed without new infections since the last patient was discharged. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Uganda’s leadership and commitment in overcoming the outbreak, which was caused by the Sudan strain and had no approved vaccine.
Nigeria has granted three months to expired visa holders, allowing them to leave the country without penalty. According to an official statement released by the Nigerian Immigration Service on Friday, overstaying will result in daily fines of $15, up to five years of bans, or permanent blacklisting starting in September 2025. The grace period will end on August 1st, 2025. The government also introduced a mandatory online landing and exit card.
King Mohammed VI met with foreign ministers from the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, highlighting the kingdom’s strong relations with the region. The foreign ministers expressed gratitude for the king’s interest in the Sahel region and his initiatives to promote economic and social development. They welcomed the King’s initiative to facilitate access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel countries and reaffirmed their support for its implementation. The ministers also presented the progress of the Alliance of Sahel States, which serves as a framework for integration and coordination among its three-member countries.
Mali’s military leader, Gen. Assimi Goïta, is set to be declared as the country’s president for the next five years, with the support of key political allies. Goïta, who has seized power twice, was named transitional president after his last coup in 2021. This week, a national conference organized by the regime, which was boycotted by opposition parties, recommended Goïta as president until 2030. However, opposition leader Mohamed Salia Touré criticized the proposal, calling it a “historic error.” Also, Amnesty International denounced the proposal to dissolve all political parties in Mali.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Angolan counterpart João Lourenço met in Cairo and held discussions that focused on enhancing political, economic, and investment ties aimed at strengthening bilateral trade between the two countries. They discussed key African and international issues like water scarcity, climate change, and the Sudan and Gaza wars, and both stressed the need for unified African positions on global challenges. The Egyptian president also praised Lourenço’s mediation efforts in the Congo conflict.
Algeria is set to unveil a military mobilization bill amid growing tensions with Morocco and Mali. The draft law, adopted by the Council of Ministers, aims to shift Algeria’s security policies and establish a full-scale wartime mobilization. The bill would direct military command over civilians, the economy, and institutions. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has referred to it as a legal framework for addressing national crises, not just war. The unveiling of the bill follows Algeria’s recent incident of shooting down a military drone near its border with Mali, marking the first such incident in the region.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an inquiry to determine if previous governments intentionally obstructed investigations into apartheid-era crimes. The move follows a court case launched by 25 survivors and relatives of victims in January, seeking damages. They claim that successive South African governments failed to investigate unresolved crimes during forced racial segregation, despite recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The move aims to address allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering investigations against the ANC party.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s authorities have requested the Senate to strip former President Joseph Kabila of his immunity, allowing him to face trial on charges of supporting a rebel uprising in the country’s east. The justice minister, Constant Mutamba, stated that authorities have amassed clear evidence implicating Kabila in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and massacres of civilians and military personnel in the east.
