Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez concluded a three-day West African tour aimed at enhancing cooperation to control irregular migration to Spain’s Canary Islands. In Dakar, Sánchez met with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, where they signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen circular migration and expand collaboration in areas like training and capacity building. Emphasizing the importance of orderly migration, Sánchez condemned irregular migration as exploitative. His tour began in Mauritania, focusing on renewing security cooperation to combat human smuggling. In Gambia, Sánchez and President Adama Barrow agreed to collaborate on security and legal migration.
South Africa’s state logistics company, Transnet, secured a 5 billion rand ($283.53 million) loan from the BRICS New Development Bank on Friday. The loan, guaranteed by the South African government, is aimed at supporting Transnet’s turnaround plan as it struggles with about 130 billion rand in debt. Years of under-investment have left Transnet grappling with equipment shortages and maintenance backlogs, hindering its ability to provide adequate freight rail and port services.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plans to sue Rwanda at the East African Court of Justice on September 26, accusing it of violating Congolese sovereignty, committing atrocities, and breaking international law in the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, along with U.S. and U.N. experts, alleges that Rwanda is providing military support to the M23 rebel group, a claim Rwanda denies. However, Rwanda has admitted to having troops in eastern Congo for security reasons. This legal move follows pressure from Congolese Deputy Minister of Justice Samuel Mbemba, as Rwanda also faces charges at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The DRC is calling for accountability and urging the International Criminal Court to expedite its investigation into Rwanda’s actions.
Nigeria and Niger signed a new security cooperation agreement on Thursday despite strained relations following Niger’s 2023 coup. The agreement, announced by the Nigerian army, was signed by defense chiefs in Niamey, Niger’s capital. The coup, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, had strained ties between the two nations and created divisions within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Although ECOWAS threatened military intervention, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali withdrew from the bloc, criticizing its lack of support against Islamist violence and forming the Alliance of Sahel States. Despite reduced participation, Niger remained in the Nigeria-led Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) combating Boko Haram. This new agreement highlights Niger’s renewed commitment to security cooperation within the MNJTF framework.
Denmark announced plans to close its embassies in Mali and Burkina Faso, shifting its focus as part of a new strategy for African cooperation. The Danish Foreign Ministry cited the military coups in both countries, which have limited action in the Sahel region, as the reason for the closures. Denmark will instead open new missions in Senegal, Tunisia, and Rwanda, while increasing its diplomatic presence in Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana. A special representative will be appointed for the Great Lakes and Sahel region. Relations between Mali and Burkina Faso and the West have worsened since their respective coups, with both countries turning to Russia and the Wagner group for support. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen emphasized that the European Union must position itself as Africa’s “preferred partner” amid rising Chinese and Russian influence, with Denmark’s strategy focusing on trade and water development initiatives.
The United States has imposed visa restrictions on members of the South Sudanese government and others obstructing humanitarian aid by taxing shipments, the State Department announced on Friday. South Sudan, still grappling with the aftermath of its civil war from 2013-2018, faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises due to ongoing conflict, natural disasters, and poverty. U.N. missions reported that South Sudanese authorities are holding up fuel tankers over a tax dispute, jeopardizing aid deliveries. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticized the government’s failure to reduce the high costs and bureaucratic hurdles hindering aid efforts, questioning its commitment to the 2018 peace agreement that promised to facilitate humanitarian assistance. The visa restrictions render those responsible ineligible for entry into the U.S.
The U.S. government this week says it plans to expand the Lobito Corridor, a railway project connecting Angola to Zambia through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), extending it to the Indian Ocean via Tanzania. This ambitious infrastructure project, supported by the European Union, African financial institutions, and governments in the region, aims to boost regional trade and economic growth. U.S. Acting Special Coordinator Helaina Matza emphasized that the project is about providing high-quality, sustainable infrastructure for lasting economic benefits. The railway, funded by $250 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, will facilitate exports from Angola, the DRC, and Zambia, with shipments already reaching the U.S. East Coast. The project also includes a 1,300-kilometer extension from Zambia to Tanzania, with completion expected by 2029.
The United Nations mission in Libya expressed deep concern late Thursday over reports of increasing military mobilization in Tripoli and threats of force amid a crisis over control of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL). Stephanie Koury, the mission’s deputy head, informed the U.N. Security Council that the political and military situations in Libya have rapidly deteriorated in recent months, with armed factions displaying military power in densely populated areas, threatening civilian safety. The tensions arose from political factions attempting to remove CBL head Sadiq al-Kabir, leading to rival factions mobilizing on either side. Mohammed al-Shokri, the proposed replacement for Kabir, stated he would only accept the role if endorsed by both rival legislative bodies. Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising, Libya has remained unstable, split between eastern and western factions, and heavily influenced by external actors like Russia and Turkey.
The collapse of the Arbaat Dam in Sudan’s eastern Red Sea state over the weekend resulted in flooding that killed at least 30 people and affected about 70 villages, with 20 completely destroyed, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Heavy rains caused significant damage to the dam, leading to the flooding of homes, destruction of 50,000 residences, and the collapse of over 80 boreholes. Additionally, 10,000 livestock are missing, and 70 schools have been damaged or destroyed. The flooding has impacted more than 317,000 people, with 118,000 displaced. This disaster compounds the ongoing humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the 500-day conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has displaced over 10 million people and devastated the country’s infrastructure. Médecins Sans Frontières criticized the inadequate international response and severe restrictions on aid delivery, while CARE highlighted the war’s catastrophic impact on Sudan’s healthcare system, with over 75% of facilities destroyed.
Africa this week received its first batch of mpox vaccines, with Nigeria being the first country to receive 10,000 doses donated by the U.S. and produced by Danish firm Bavarian Nordic. The vaccines aim to combat the ongoing outbreak across the continent, where Nigeria has reported 40 confirmed cases this year, with estimates suggesting over 700 cases. DR Congo, heavily impacted by over 18,000 suspected cases and 615 deaths, is set to receive 50,000 doses from the U.S., though delivery dates are not yet confirmed. The delayed vaccine rollout has faced criticism, particularly concerning the World Health Organization’s slow regulatory processes. The WHO is expected to issue emergency licenses for mpox vaccines in September.
Writer and researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.