This week, Somalia announced its plans to significantly boost the teaching of the Swahili language in its schools and universities. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made the declaration at an East African Community (EAC) summit on Tuesday, stating that Swahili will be taught alongside the country’s official languages, Somali and Arabic, as well as English. President Mohamud emphasized that adopting Swahili, which is the lingua franca of East Africa, is “important for our integration into the region.” This marks the language’s first official adoption within Somalia, though many Somalis in neighboring Kenya and Tanzania already speak it.
Police authorities in Madagascar’s capital have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of youth-led protestors who returned to the streets, demanding an end to crippling, repeated water and electricity cuts. Despite President Andry Rajoelina sacking his government and apologizing for his administration’s failures in a televised address, the demonstrations have continued. The protests have spiraled into violence, with reports of looting, arson, and demonstrators setting fire to the homes of lawmakers and senators appointed by the president. The youth are demanding fundamental improvements to public services, citing daily power cuts that can last up to 12 hours and blaming corruption and mismanagement for the dire situation in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu granted a presidential pardon and clemency to a total of 175 persons, following the endorsement of recommendations from the National Council of State. Among those pardoned posthumously were nationalist Herbert Macaulay, who was convicted by colonial authorities in 1913, and the late Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, a poet and former military officer executed in 1986 for treason. The clemency also included the formal pardon of the Ogoni Nine, who were executed in 1995. Additionally, former lawmaker Farouk Lawan and three other living individuals were pardoned after demonstrating remorse and a readiness for social reintegration.
Burkina Faso’s military-led government formally rejected a proposal from the United States to accept foreigners being deported as part of a US immigration crackdown. Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore openly stated that Burkina Faso refused multiple approaches by the US administration to take in third-country deportees, calling the request “unworthy and indecent.” The minister declared unequivocally that “Burkina Faso is not a land of deportation,” arguing that the country’s traditional hospitality, exemplified by a recent decision to lift visa fees for all Africans, should not be exploited by a third country looking to “get rid of certain populations that it considers undesirable.”
The Congolese government and the M23 rebel group are reportedly set to hold a sixth round of Qatari-mediated talks in Doha next week, despite ongoing clashes and the M23’s continued westward advance in North and South Kivu provinces. The negotiations are focused on finalizing a mechanism for a permanent ceasefire and discussing how the agreement will be enforced on the ground, including expected conduct from all sides and who will guarantee the peace. A significant point of tension and a key issue in the talks is the role of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission, towards which the M23 has voiced strong distrust regarding its involvement. Qatari mediators have prepared a draft peace agreement that will also be a part of the discussion.
Seychelles’ recent presidential election failed to produce an outright winner, necessitating a rerun election between the two leading contenders. The first round saw no candidate clear the 50 percent threshold required for an outright victory. Opposition leader Patrick Herminie of the United Seychelles Party secured the highest number of votes with 48.8 percent, closely followed by the incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan at 46.4 percent. The runoff election is scheduled to be held between October 9 and 11, pending final electoral arrangements. The electoral results also saw Ramkalawan’s coalition lose its parliamentary majority, raising the significant prospect of a divided government should he win the presidency.
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest head of state at 92, made a rare public appearance for his first official campaign rally as he seeks an eighth presidential term in the upcoming election. Biya addressed a crowd of supporters at a stadium in the Far North town of Maroua, which accounts for a significant 20% of the electorate. In his speech, the president acknowledged the region’s challenges, promising to step up security against extremist attacks, curb high youth unemployment, and improve road infrastructure and social amenities if re-elected. The outing was particularly noteworthy because iya has been noticeably absent from the campaign trail.
Sudan’s River Nile state recently faced devastating floods following a significant rise in the water levels of the Blue and White Nile rivers, leading to a worsening of the country’s already dire humanitarian situation. The authorities have confirmed that the flooding has killed more than 30 people and left thousands of others stranded, destroying hundreds of homes and large swathes of farmland. Beyond River Nile state, other regions, including Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, and Khartoum, have also been severely affected by the rising waters. Meanwhile, Egypt has pointed the finger at Ethiopia, suggesting that its newly opened dam on the Blue Nile could be a contributing factor to the rising water levels.
Tensions have begun to escalate in the Horn of Africa after Ethiopia formally accused Eritrea of forging a new military alliance with a hardliner faction of the banned Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to “wage war.” Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos detailed the allegations in a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, claiming that the alliance, allegedly named “Tsimdo,” is “actively preparing to wage war” and is also funding and directing armed groups in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Eritrea has swiftly dismissed the Ethiopian claims as “provocative saber-rattling.”
The European Union has committed to a substantial investment package of €11.5 billion ($13.3 billion) in South Africa, targeting key sectors including clean energy, infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals. The massive investment is part of the EU’s Global Gateway Investment Package and is designed to accelerate South Africa’s transition to renewable energy. Specific areas of focus for the clean energy portion include upgrading the national power grid, introducing energy storage solutions, and implementing green hydrogen projects, such as the Coega Green Ammonia Project. Beyond energy, the funds are also aimed at boosting the production of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals in South Africa for the African continent. This financial pledge is a major boost for Africa’s largest economy as it attempts to attract investors to improve its flagging growth, combat high unemployment, and mitigate the impact of external economic pressures.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a 21-country regional trade bloc representing over 640 million people, has launched a new Digital Retail Payments Platform (DRPP) designed to significantly streamline and cheapen cross-border trade. The system is currently being piloted on the Zambia-Malawi corridor, with plans for a full rollout across all 21 member states, including major economies like Kenya and Egypt. The DRPP enables traders to settle transactions directly in their local currencies, shielding businesses from currency volatility, easing pressure on dollar reserves for major economies, and ultimately unlocking billions in trapped value to deepen Africa’s economic integration.