Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Tuesday declared his candidacy for a second term in the November election amid rising political tensions. The opposition refuses to recognize him, arguing his term ended in February, while the Supreme Court ruled it lasts until September. An ECOWAS delegation left after alleged expulsion threats from Embalo. Following two coup attempts, he dissolved the opposition-led parliament in 2023. Protests and strikes loom as opposition leaders reject his presidency. Meanwhile, Embalo strengthens ties with Russia, meeting President Putin to discuss security and economic cooperation, reflecting Africa’s growing shift away from traditional Western alliances.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit South Africa next month for talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa, continuing Pretoria’s mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war. South Africa maintains a neutral stance and has attempted to broker peace, despite its close ties with Russia as a BRICS member. Zelenskyy’s visit follows his tense meeting with former US President Donald Trump, after Washington halted military aid to Ukraine. European leaders have since reaffirmed their support for Kyiv. Ramaphosa will also meet EU leaders next week, as South Africa, holding the G20 presidency, pushes for inclusive peace talks involving Ukraine.
Sudan this week filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of violating the genocide convention by supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UAE dismissed the case as a “publicity stunt” and vowed to seek its immediate dismissal. Sudan claims the UAE has funded and armed the RSF, which has allegedly committed atrocities against the Masalit community. The conflict, ongoing since April 2023, has killed over 24,000 people and displaced 14 million. The UAE denies involvement and calls for a ceasefire, while the U.S. has sanctioned RSF-linked entities for genocide.
Zimbabwe officially applied to join BRICS, Foreign Minister Amon Murwira announced during a visit to Moscow on Thursday. Speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Murwira emphasized Zimbabwe’s commitment to meeting BRICS’ membership criteria, highlighting the bloc’s principles of mutual respect and sovereign equality. Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen economic ties and global partnerships through BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The country is aligning with BRICS’ conditions and awaits a response based on internal consensus. BRICS has been expanding its influence, with several nations expressing interest in joining the alliance.
Lesotho this week formally protested remarks by US President Donald Trump, who claimed no one had heard of the country while criticizing foreign spending. The government expressed shock and embarrassment, calling the comments insulting. Spokesperson Thabo Sekonyela noted Lesotho’s long history with US Peace Corps volunteers, questioning Trump’s awareness. Lesotho’s foreign minister confirmed the country has taken diplomatic steps to address the issue. Meanwhile, South African-born Elon Musk is seeking a license to expand Starlink internet services in Lesotho, a landlocked nation of 2.3 million people entirely surrounded by South Africa.
Gabon’s military leader Brice Oligui Nguema has announced his candidacy for the April 12 presidential elections, nearly two years after leading a coup that ended over five decades of Bongo family rule. Nguema had previously pledged a transition to civilian leadership. A new electoral code, approved in January, allows military members to run for office. Speaking in the capital, the 50-year-old described his vision as a “Gabon rising from the ashes.” If unsuccessful, he will return to the military, according to an official statement. His candidacy marks a significant step in Gabon’s post-coup political transition.
The ongoing conflict in eastern Congo has forced 63,000 refugees into Burundi, marking the largest influx in decades, the UN reported on Friday. Around 45,000 people are crammed into an overcrowded stadium in Rugombo, near the border, with dire sanitary conditions and limited shelter. Many families, including unaccompanied children, are camping in open fields. The UNHCR is struggling to relocate refugees to Musenyi, a site now 60% full. An emergency appeal for $40.4 million has been launched to support a potential 258,000 refugees. The M23 rebel advance has intensified regional tensions, with Rwanda denying allegations of supporting the group.
France has formally begun withdrawing its military presence from Senegal, handing over two military facilities in Dakar as part of a broader shift in West Africa away from its former colonizer. A joint commission was established last month to oversee the restitution of bases and the withdrawal of 350 French troops by the end of 2025. Senegal follows neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in distancing itself from France, with some turning to Russia for security support. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has emphasized ending foreign military presence, citing sovereignty concerns. France is also withdrawing troops from Chad after a defense pact ended.
Germany announced on friday that it has halted new development aid to Rwanda and is reviewing existing commitments due to Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Berlin urged Rwanda to withdraw its backing for the rebels, echoing accusations from Congo, the UN, and Western powers, which Rwanda denies. Rwanda called the decision “wrong and counterproductive,” accusing Germany of applying one-sided measures. Germany had pledged €93.6 million in aid for 2022–2024. The M23 conflict, rooted in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and Congo’s mineral wealth, has escalated, with rebels capturing strategic areas since January.
The World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday warned that an additional one million people in Somalia could face crisis levels of hunger in the coming months due to a forecasted drought and funding cuts. Currently, 3.4 million Somalis face acute food insecurity, a number expected to rise to 4.4 million. Below-average rains between April and June 2025 could worsen conditions, with 1.7 million children under five projected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including 466,000 at severe levels. WFP has already reduced aid, assisting 820,000 people compared to 2.2 million in 2022. The situation is exacerbated by high food prices, conflict, and potential further aid reductions.