Egypt officially inaugurates it’s long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), located just two kilometers from the Pyramids of Giza, this week. The event, which included cultural performances and a dazzling laser and fireworks display, was attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the First Lady, and high-level delegations, including royalty and dignitaries, from dozens of countries across the globe. The massive $1 billion megaproject is now the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization and houses over 100,000 artifacts. Crucially, the opening marks the first time that the complete collection of over 5,900 artifacts belonging to Tutankhamun is displayed together, providing an unprecedented exhibition experience for visitors. President El-Sisi emphasized the importance of the museum as a symbol of Egyptian heritage and a major new pillar of the tourism sector, reflecting the nation’s vision to establish the GEM as a “fourth pyramid” in its own right.
Almost 240 people were charged with treason in Tanzania on Friday, following violent protests that erupted after President Samia Suluhu Hassan secured her re-election in a disputed poll. President Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner of the October 29 election with a landslide 98 percent of the vote, but the opposition, which was barred from participating, labeled the result a “sham.” Hundreds of the accused appeared in court in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. According to judicial sources, the charge sheet accused them of “conspiracy to commit treason” and treason itself, alleging they intended to obstruct the election and intimidate the executive by damaging government property. The opposition party, Chadema, claimed that the election violence led to approximately 800 deaths, while security sources suggest the toll could be even higher. Treason is a non-bailable offense, meaning those charged will remain in custody until their next hearing. The government has declined to release an official death or injury toll from the unrest, which was also marked by a multi-day internet shutdown.
President Paul Biya was sworn in for an eighth term as President of Cameroon on Thursday, following his victory in the contested October 12 election. The 92-year-old leader, who has ruled the central African nation for 43 years, took the oath of office at a ceremony in parliament in Yaounde for a new seven-year mandate. In his inaugural address, President Biya called for unity and focused on a new economic agenda for the country. His priorities include a special plan for youth employment with new financing and tax incentives, continuing major infrastructure projects, and modernizing public governance. The inauguration took place against a backdrop of post-election tensions, including reports of deaths and infrastructure damage following protests that were violently suppressed by security forces.
This week, the US President Donald Trump made a controversial and highly aggressive statement, threatening potential military action in Nigeria. In a post on his social media platform, Trump alleged that the Nigerian government was failing to rein in the persecution of Christians. He stated that if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians,” the US would immediately halt all aid and assistance to the country and “may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists.” Trump further instructed the Pentagon to prepare for “possible action.” The threat came a day after Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom violations. Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu immediately pushed back on the claims, stating that to label the country as religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality” and that Nigeria has constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.
Sudan’s paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), announced on Thursday, that it has agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by the U.S.-led mediator group known as the Quad. This comes shortly after the RSF seized the city of El Fasher, the last Sudanese military stronghold in the western Darfur region. In its statement, the RSF expressed its readiness to implement the agreement and immediately begin discussions on arrangements for a cessation of hostilities and the fundamental principles guiding Sudan’s political process. However, a military official with the rival Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), while welcoming the Quad’s proposal, stated that the army would only agree to a truce if the RSF completely withdrew from civilian areas and surrendered its weapons, aligning with previous peace proposals. The war, which began in 2023, has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced 12 million, with millions more facing acute food insecurity.
Mauritania’s Supreme Court confirmed the 15-year prison sentence for corruption imposed on former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. The court’s decision, finalized on Wednesday, marks the end of the legal road for the former leader, who had appealed a lower court’s ruling. Abdel Aziz, who came to power in a 2008 coup and ruled for a decade until 2019, was found guilty of economic crimes, including illicit enrichment and abuse of power while in office. His defense team had previously argued that only a high court of justice was qualified to try a former president. This landmark judgment is seen by many in the anti-corruption movement as a major victory for the rule of law and accountability in the West African nation, which is strategically important in the fight against Islamist militancy in the Sahel region.
The campaign period for Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election, scheduled for November 23, officially kicked off on November 1, under a cloud of political tension. Notably, the campaign began without the participation of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the country’s dominant opposition force since independence in 1974, following a disqualification by the Supreme Court in September for failing to meet a candidate registration deadline. This historic exclusion, coupled with allegations of an “institutional coup” against the opposition-controlled parliament by President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, has heightened instability in the politically fragile nation. The election is now seen as a major test for democratic stability, with civil society groups urging for a peaceful and transparent process.
Kenya is currently engaged in follow-up discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in efforts to secure a new financial program after its previous $3.6 billion program expired earlier this year. Finance Minister John Mbadi confirmed this week that the government is seeking a new agreement, primarily to help anchor its mounting external debt repayments and finance critical infrastructure projects. A key sticking point in the ongoing negotiations revolves around the classification of securitized debt, a method Kenya is using to borrow against future revenues. While Nairobi views this as a way to avoid accumulating more conventional debt, the IMF insists that this additional borrowing must be classified as normal sovereign debt. Minister Mbadi expressed confidence that an agreement on this matter would be reached, emphasizing the importance of securing the new loan deal to boost investor confidence and ensure economic stability.
Guinea’s military leader, General Mamady Doumbouya, has officially entered the presidential race, submitting his candidacy for the December 28 election. Doumbouya, who took power in the September 2021 coup, arrived at the Supreme Court on Monday, to formally file his papers, reversing an earlier pledge that neither he nor any member of the junta would run for office. This move was made possible by a new constitution that was pushed through by the military government and approved in a September referendum, which specifically removed the ban on junta members contesting elections. The opposition alliance, the Living Forces of Guinea (FVG), immediately condemned the candidacy as a “disastrous turning point” and accused the general of “trampling on solemn commitments” to restore civilian rule without participating.
Mali’s military leader, General Assimi Goita, addressed the nation’s severe fuel crisis on Monday, marking his first public comment on the issue since it began in September. The crisis stems from a sustained blockade on fuel imports imposed by the al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Speaking at an event in the south of the country, General Goita acknowledged the deadly consequences, stating, “During the escort of the fuel tanker convoy, people are dying; there are ambushes on the roads and tankers are catching fire with people inside them, who are burning to death.” The blockade, which has left hundreds of fuel trucks stranded and caused price increases of up to 500% in some areas, has brought the economy to a near standstill, led to school closures, and triggered severe electricity shortages. Goita urged Malians to reduce unnecessary journeys to help alleviate the impact, while the military continues to prioritize the deployment of troops to escort fuel convoys into the capital, Bamako.