Thousands of demonstrators peacefully assembled in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to demand the reinstatement of opposition leader Tidjane Thiam on the country’s presidential electoral list. Thiam, the former CEO of Credit Suisse and leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, was recently disqualified from running in the forthcoming October presidential elections. The rally was conducted near the Independent Electoral Commission headquarters amid heavy rain. Thiam, who is presently outside the country, addressed the audience in a Facebook video, claiming that the demonstration represents a fight for democracy in Ivory Coast. The exclusion of opposition candidates has provoked widespread outrage in the West African country.
Togo has halted transmissions from two French state-owned networks, Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24, for three months due to perceived bias in their reporting. The ban comes after numerous failures in impartiality, rigor, and fact-checking, according to the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication. The High Authority emphasizes that press freedom is not synonymous with disinformation or meddling. This move comes as President Faure Gnassingbé faces growing criticism over recent constitutional revisions that could keep him in office indefinitely.
Sudan’s Prime Minister, Dr. Kamil El-Tayib Idris, has ordered that universities in Khartoum reopen following attacks on academic buildings and research facilities. Idris also authorized the National Center for Curricula and Educational Research to incorporate lessons on peace, national unity, and hate speech into their path to national recovery and reconciliation. The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has had a significant impact on the country’s education sector, with numerous buildings destroyed or rendered unusable.
A Kenyan police officer shot an unarmed bystander at close range during protests over the killing of a blogger in police custody. The incident occurred during a confrontation with two officers on a Nairobi sidewalk. The man, believed to be a vendor, was treated at Kenya’s largest referral government hospital, where he suffered gunshot wounds. The officer was arrested, and at least 10 other people were injured in the demonstration. The incident sparked public fury and demands for accountability, as hundreds of men on motorbikes attacked protesters in downtown Nairobi.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have both agreed on a peace deal draft, aimed at ending decades of conflict and violence, through a mediation carried out by the United States and Qatar. The peace accord intends to disengage, disarm, and conditionally integrate armed groups in eastern DRC, calling for a coordinated security mechanism to prevent future flare-ups. The agreement is scheduled to be signed next week. The decades-long conflict has recorded a casualty of over a thousand deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has urged security forces to track down the perpetrators of a weekend attack that killed at least 150 people in Benue State, the north-central area of the country. The violence took place in the Yelewata settlement, when locals were assaulted and homes were set on fire. In order to calm down the situation and guarantee justice to the affected victims, the Nigerian leader paid a visit to the state five days later, visiting a hospital to check on the injured and meeting with local officials to discuss putting an end to the killings.
Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s family has delayed the return of his body from South Africa for the second time, citing a disagreement with President Hakainde Hichilema over burial arrangements. Lungu, who died in a South African hospital on June 5, was going to be honored with a state funeral, which President Hichilema was scheduled to preside over. However, Lungu’s family lawyer stated that it was Lungu’s request that Hichilema not be there when his body is buried. The family had planned to return Lungu’s body last weekend, but conflicts over the funeral program caused the delay. President Hichilema has sent his condolences to the family and voiced hope for unity and togetherness.
Morocco is prepared to revise its 2004 trade deal with Turkey due to a huge bilateral trade deficit, which increased by 22.8% to $12 billion in the first four months of 2025. Moroccan Trade Minister Omar Hjira will travel to Turkey to negotiate steps to rebalance the relationship, which could result in increased Turkish investment in Morocco. Moroccan firms believe that Turkish goods provide competitive advantages such as lower pricing, great quality, and timely delivery. In reaction, Moroccan authorities placed emergency taxes on Turkish textiles, and Malaysia issued a negative list of over 1,200 articles.
South Africa declared a national disaster on Thursday following extreme weather in the country last week, with the Eastern Cape region around Mthatha being the most affected. The death toll from flooding in the region has risen to 92, with the figure expected to rise as cleanup efforts continue. According to officials, 31 children died, and at least two schoolchildren are among the unverified missing. Authorities have asked communities to report missing persons so that authorities can better assess the number of people who are still missing. Heavy rains have left around 4,000 individuals homeless.