Regional Perspectives

Reports indicate that less than 20 per cent of the entire funding required for the period between January to June 2025 has been mobilised.

Kenya emphasised that it has consistently leveraged its proximity and role within the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to mediate between Sudan's warring factions.

SAMIDRC was deployed on December 15, 2023, to support the DRC government in restoring peace and stability in the eastern region, following the withdrawal of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF).

Last month, Sudan filed a case against the UAE at the World Court. The government's case alleges that the UAE violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming the paramilitary RSF. The court opened hearings last week.

Ethiopia opted to restructure its external debt under the G20's Common Framework in 2021, before it defaulted on its sole Eurobond in December 2023.

Ahmed Moallim Fiqi Ahmed, who previously served as foreign minister and national security chief, was appointed defence minister, replacing Jibril Abdirashid.

The ministers say bolstered numbers are crucial to regaining lost ground. If approved, the request would substantially increase the mission's capacity.

The discussions focused on boosting bilateral military ties, with both sides expressing satisfaction over growing cooperation and agreeing on a draft military partnership expected to be signed soon.

Half of its population is facing extreme hunger, and nearly five million children and breastfeeding mothers are severely malnourished.

The outbreak started in Kampala, a crowded city of about four million that is also a crossroads for routes branching out to eastern Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan.

Worryingly, attacks based on ethnicity are returning in parts of Darfur, echoing the horrors of the 2003 conflict that also left tens of thousands dead.

This latest move marks a de-escalation of tensions after what had initially appeared to be a brewing trade row among the SADC partners.

It raises hopes that the latest cycle of violence in a decades-long conflict rooted in the Rwandan genocide might ease, with both countries hoping to attract significant US investments in minerals.

The meeting in Entebe, Uganda was convened to review security progress under the AUSSOM as well as take stock of gains made in the fight against Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

The RSF, which denies carrying out drone attacks and did not respond to a request for comment, has targeted power stations in army-controlled locations in central and northern Sudan for the past several months, but the strikes had not previously left major death tolls.

The IPO is part of the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's broader plan to expand private investment in the Horn of Africa economy.

The AU forces in Somalia are credited for helping to root out the terrorists from the capital Mogadishu in 2009 as well as other major cities like Kismayo which was liberated by the Kenya Defence Forces in 2012.

While he maintained a quiet presence on Long Island, working as a gardener and tending bees, U.S. investigators say his past is now catching up with him.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has led to widespread planting of mines, especially in contested regions.

The nurse based at Masisi General Referral Hospital is the second MSF staff member to be killed in Masisi town in the past two months and the third to be fatally shot in North Kivu this year.

The summit brought together key leaders from AUSSOM troop-contributing countries, ministers of foreign affairs and defence, as well as representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).

The doctors accused the RSF of violating basic human rights and condemned their continued looting and destruction of homes.

AU Chairperson Mahmoud stressed that the world cannot afford the failure of the AUSSOM peacekeeping mission and called for collective efforts to continue supporting it, to bring lasting peace and stability to Somalia.

Douglas Dunia Masumbuko, the M23-appointed South Kivu governor, told Reuters on Thursday that the death toll at the Luhihi mine had reached 10 "and could rise given the number of injuries."

Al-Shabaab, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2007 to seize power, said in a statement that its fighters had captured the base and Wargaadhi town, something the government denied was the case.

Lamamra, serving as the Personal Representative of Secretary-General António Guterres, delivered a special message to General Abdel Fattah outlining the United Nations’ position and its continued commitment to supporting Sudan.

Chadema party Deputy Chairperson John Heche and Secretary-General John Mnyika were detained as they headed to Kisutu Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam, party spokesperson Brenda Rupia said.

The trade measures include a complete ban on both the export and import of agricultural commodities between Tanzania and the two countries. In Malawi’s case, the action goes even further, with Tanzania also halting the transit of any agricultural goods through its territory en route to Malawi.

Each side released the same statement separately after their delegations departed Qatar earlier in the week, following more than a week of discussions.

For years, many South Sudanese have lived in Sudan's capital alongside Sudanese citizens since South Sudan's separation in 2011.

According to Sudan, Kenya is planning to host the RSF again in Nairobi, following a previous meeting in February, which the Sudanese government claims was used to promote a “parallel government” by the militia.

More than 10 million people in Ethiopia are gravely short of food, including 3 million displaced by conflict and extreme weather conditions, as well as refugees from war-torn neighbouring Sudan, according to the WFP.

The raid on Addis Standard — known for its critical reporting and editorial independence — is being closely watched by both local and international press freedom advocates.

Of Kinshasa’s two flood risks, the impact of Congo River flooding can be observed in large cities located along major rivers, and typically peaks around January.

WFP has warned that its life-saving operations are severely hampered by significant funding shortfalls, with 3.6 million of the most vulnerable individuals at imminent risk of losing access to food aid. This includes vital malnutrition treatment for 650,000 women and children.

Cairo's entry into AUSSOM marks a strategic shift. Under previous mission structures—AMISOM and ATMIS—Egypt remained on the periphery for years.

Tadesse convened his first cabinet meeting with members drawn from the previous administration on April 10 and pledged to address what he described as “pressing challenges” through a public conference, and indicated the impending restructuring of a new cabinet.

Machar's detention under house arrest, for trying to stir up a rebellion through his supposed support for the White Army militia in Upper Nile, has ignited international fears of renewed conflict along ethnic lines.

The extension comes as the country moves toward holding its first one-person, one-vote local elections in over five decades. The elections are scheduled to take place in late June 2025.

The team is expected to work closely with the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure a "legal, orderly, and dignified return process."

The Daraawiish forces recaptured key positions, including strategic command posts previously held by the terror group.

The interior ministry announced that activities of the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), which Kabila still leads, are "suspended across all the national territory."

The session turned chaotic after opposition lawmakers introduced a motion of no confidence against Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur Madoobe.

Nearly 12.5 million people have been forced from their homes, including over 3.3 million who have fled across borders in search of safety.

According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, total goods trade between the United States and Uganda reached 238.9 million US dollars in 2024, with Uganda exporting 132.6 million dollars’ worth of goods to the US and importing 106.3 million dollars.

The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River

About 1 million people, mostly of the Tutsi community and moderate Hutus, were killed by Hutu extremists within 100 days during the genocide in 1994.

Lissu, who was the runner-up in the 2020 presidential election, was charged with treason last week after allegedly urging the public to rebel and disrupt upcoming elections.

On April 11, the RSF and their allied armed groups stormed Zamzam, Sudan's largest displacement camp, which used to host at least 500,000 people near El Fasher, after months of an increasingly tight siege on the area.

The Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group - two years into its conflict with Sudan's army - seized the massive camp in North Darfur a week ago in an attack that the United Nations says left at least 300 people dead and forced 400,000 to flee.

Sources revealed that Kabila travelled through Kigali, Rwanda, before reaching Goma. The former president, who has been officially residing between Zimbabwe and South Africa since 2023, had earlier announced his return to the DRC.

With millions displaced and countless more in dire need of humanitarian support, UNHCR says current aid funding stands at less than 10 per cent of what is required, leaving critical gaps in food, shelter and medical assistance.

UN Special Representative Nicholas Haysom warned that the current conditions are "darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 conflicts, which took over 400,000 lives," referring to the brutal civil wars that followed South Sudan's independence in 2011 and devastated the young nation.

If successfully enacted, the new law could allow the government to take Besigye back to a military court martial.

An armed conflict erupted in mid-April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over tensions linked to a planned political transition. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 15 million, and left Sudan facing what the United Nations calls one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Lissu, runner-up in the country's 2020 presidential election, was charged with treason last week over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to launch a rebellion and disrupt the election. He was not allowed to enter a plea on the treason charge.

Adalbert Rukebanuka, Director General of Planning, Policy, and Risk Reduction, confirmed the fatalities and added that 107 people had been injured in the incidents.

Khartoum seeks a ruling that would compel the UAE to cease its alleged military support for the RSF and provide reparations for victims, including compensation.

Local rains combined with runoff from torrential rains coming from neighbouring Congo Central Province quickly overwhelmed the city’s small urban tributaries. The Ndjili River and its tributary (Lukaya), which run through the city, overflowed and flooded homes on either side.

In Oromia and Somali regions, major opposition parties like the Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front withdrew from fielding candidates due to repression.

According to a statement issued by Somalia’s Ministry of Information, both vessels and the weapons on board were destroyed, along with an unknown number of individuals. The exact location of the strike was not disclosed.

To spearhead the lobbying effort, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has deployed former President Jakaya Kikwete as a special envoy, highlighting the high-level importance Tanzania places on the race.

All three countries — Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa — are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), raising concerns about growing tensions within the regional economic bloc.

In an interview with Addis Standard, a resident of Gorba Guddina kebele, who is related to the family of the victims by marriage, described how the harrowing series of attacks unfolded between 07 and 12 April, 2025, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 civilians. He revealed that the area where the attack took place is the birthplace of a recent “suspected defector from OLA”, whom the militants allegedly accused of having “involvement” in the killing of their former member, Shode.

This latest operation is part of intensified military efforts by the Federal Government of Somalia, working closely with international allies, particularly the United States, to dismantle Al-Shabaab networks and prevent destabilisation in liberated areas.

In Yoweri Museveni’s Uganda, the High Court in Kampala has denied bail to veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajj Obeid Lutale, citing the grave nature of the charges against them and concerns that their influence could interfere with ongoing investigations.

The meeting, which included African and European diplomats, had already drawn criticism from Sudan's military leadership, particularly over the presence of Kenya, the UAE, and Chad — countries Khartoum has accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

The town attacked on Wednesday, Adan Yabaal, lies around 245 kilometres north of Mogadishu and has been used as an operating base for raids on Al-Shabaab.

The opposition party has long complained that the composition of the electoral commission and systems favours the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.

In recent weeks, heavy rains caused River Rugumba to overflow, flooding large parts of the Kalemie and Nyunzu territories. The water destroyed homes, schools and farmlands, forcing many to flee with nothing.

Senior diplomats and aid officials from the UK, Germany, France, the European Union and the African Union gathered at the one-day conference hosted in London, where they called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Sudan is now facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with half of its 30 million people in urgent need of assistance.

The program is designed to provide participants with practical tools and strategies to improve preparedness, response, and recovery during outbreaks.

CHADEMA failed to sign an election code of conduct document, making it ineligible to contest the presidential and parliamentary polls expected in October.

What began as a political power struggle has now shattered lives, decimated infrastructure, and pushed 30.4 million people into urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Past elections were indirect, with elders and clan representatives selecting leaders. Until now, civic leaders in Mogadishu were appointed by the president.

Specifically, Sudan wants the court to compel the UAE to stop all forms of assistance to the RSF, which it argues has enabled the militia to carry out mass killings, displacement, and other crimes against humanity.

The RSF seized control of the camp on Sunday after a four-day assault that the government and aid groups have said left hundreds dead or wounded.

The measures target individuals accused of playing critical roles in financing and supporting Al-Shabaab’s operations, including fundraising, enforcing illegal taxation, and facilitating attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Sudan's foreign minister has written to Lammy to complain, saying Sudan should have been invited, while criticising the presence of the UAE and Kenya.

This marks a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the highly anticipated election scheduled for October 2025.

The plan is detailed in Rwanda’s recently approved space policy, which prioritises reducing the country’s reliance on foreign providers for satellite imagery and communications.

This latest disaster highlights Somalia's vulnerability to climate extremes, where cycles of drought and flooding regularly compound the challenges of a nation recovering from decades of conflict.

The Somali government continues its offensive against the militants on multiple fronts, with international partners providing critical support to security forces.

Mudavadi is expected to reiterate Kenya's official stance supporting "a unified Sudan for the people of Sudan" while rejecting military solutions and advocating for "a Sudanese-owned political process with the supportive role of external actors."

Tens of thousands of camp residents have fled to al-Fashir on foot, overwhelming shelters, and are now sleeping outdoors without food, water, or medicine, SLA spokesperson El-Sadiq Ali El-Nour said on Sunday.

The electoral commission said it has completed all logistical preparations for the upcoming elections, including the provision of election materials and the designation of polling stations across the country.

The RSF now controls most of Darfur and parts of southern Sudan, while the army maintains its grip on the north and east, including the recently recaptured capital, Khartoum.

Starlink operates in over 140 countries globally, with Somalia now becoming its 21st African market.

Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum.