Reciprocal and Resilient Mineral Supply Chains: Lessons from the Nacala Corridor
Global demand for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth metals has risen sharply due to their importance in advanced digital technologies, defense and aerospace manufacturing, renewable energy systems, and high-performance electronics. However, many of these resources are concentrated in fragile states that are highly prone to political instability. … African governments and citizens are seeking a more balanced mineral supply model. … The Nacala Corridor—a joint project of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia—represents one effort by African countries to capture more value from their resources. Supported by Japanese and African investments, Nacala simultaneously represents a push by China’s competitors to diversify their critical mineral supply chains. … The backbone of this corridor is a cross-border logistics network connecting landlocked Zambia and Malawi to Mozambique’s deepwater Indian Ocean port in Nacala. … The Nacala Corridor model combines innovations that enhance investor profitability and local value capture. … The Nacala Corridor benefits local and international investors and creates an environment for African countries to capture more value while helping to diversify global supply chains. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Congo Copper and Cobalt Miners Cut Chemical Use as Iran War Disrupts Supplies, Sources Say
Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) leading copper and cobalt producers have had some orders for key leaching chemicals cancelled or withdrawn by suppliers this month, forcing miners to cut usage and consider output reductions as Middle East-linked supply disruptions deepen, industry sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The DRC is the world’s top cobalt producer and Africa’s largest copper supplier, making it a key plank in global supply chains for electric vehicles and the clean-energy transition. Copper and cobalt mining in the country depend heavily on sulfuric acid and sulfur-based chemicals such as sodium metabisulfite (SMBS), supplies of which have been hit by shipping turmoil linked to the Iran war. Some miners are already feeling the impact. A 2 000 metric ton SMBS order was cancelled outright, while another 1 800 ton shipment was withdrawn earlier in April after contracts had been signed, a supply chain source said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the commercial sensitivity of contracts. Miners are cutting chemical consumption to stretch available stocks and considering reducing cobalt production, the source and Mining Chemicals Supply Chain Consultant Isabel Ramirez said. Reuters
Sudan Drone Strikes Kill Nearly 700 in Three Months as Civil War Reaches Grim Milestone
Nearly 700 civilians have reportedly been killed in drone strikes in Sudan since January, the United Nations aid chief said Tuesday, decrying that three years of civil war had created the “world’s largest humanitarian crisis”. Now entering a fourth year, the war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 11 million, and thrust several areas into hunger and famine. “In the first three months of this year, nearly 700 civilians were reportedly killed in drone strikes,” Tom Fletcher said in a statement, a day before the three-year anniversary of the start of the war. In recent months, near-daily drone strikes have disrupted life across Sudan, particularly in the southern Kordofan region, now the war’s main battleground, and in RSF-controlled areas of the west, including Darfur. France24
War Pushes 70% of Sudanese Population into Poverty, Reports UN
Around seven in 10 people in Sudan are now living in poverty, a senior United Nations official said on Tuesday, April 14, nearly twice as many as before the war between the army and paramilitary forces broke out three years ago. “Before the war, we were probably looking (at) around 38% of people living in poverty, and now we are estimating about 70%,” said the UN Development Programme’s Sudan representative Luca Renda, as the agency released a new report on poverty timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the war. The figures Renda cited were based on a poverty line of about $4 a day, while at least a quarter of the population is believed to be surviving on less than half that, he said. Conditions are particularly severe in some of the worst-affected areas, including parts of southern Kordofan, now the war’s main battleground, and North Darfur, where as many as 70 to 75% of people are living in deprivation, Renda added. Le Monde
UN Concerned as Opposition Retakes a Strategic Town in South Sudan
The U.N. has expressed concern over violence in the strategic town of Akobo in South Sudan’ s Jonglei State, which was retaken by opposition forces after they ousted government troops. Fighting started over the weekend and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said on Monday that opposition fighters captured the town and took military vehicles and weapons. Government troops, which seized the town in March, withdrew. The public service minister, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, called the attacks “senseless and unjustified,” saying the opposition forces had put civilians in harm’s way. He said the army would provide more details on what transpired, but the army spokesperson refused to comment. The South Sudanese government has been fighting opposition forces since a 2018 peace deal broke down about a year ago. Akobo is one of the last strongholds of the opposition, led by Riek Machar, South Sudan’s detained vice president. … The U.N. Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS, on Monday warned of worsening humanitarian conditions and called for a cessation of hostilities. … UNMISS is due to close its base in Akobo following a reduction in humanitarian budgets. AP
Pope’s First Day in Algeria Marred by Failed Suicide Attack near Algiers
Two men blew themselves up on Monday in downtown Blida, about 40 kilometers south of the Algerian capital, without causing any casualties other than themselves. Leo XIV had arrived just hours earlier in Algiers for the first visit by a pope to the country. The American pontiff carried out his agenda as if nothing had happened, even though, midway through the day, Algeria was rocked by a failed attack in Blida. Around noon, two men detonated explosives in the city, located about 40 kilometers southwest of Algiers. The suicide bombers died, and several people were injured. The event served as a bloody counterexample to the call for reconciliation and peace that the pope had come to share with the Algerian people. The attempted attack appeared to target, according to footage posted on social media, a police station in the city. The two suicide bombers activated their explosive belts before they were able to get close enough to their target, apparently rushing their plan after a police officer on duty spotted their approach. In the hours that followed, Algerian authorities imposed a total blackout on information about the incident. Within the delegation accompanying the pope, news of the event took several hours to circulate, and the Vatican press office made no comment. Le Monde
Cameroon Separatists to Pause Fighting Ahead of Pope Visit
Anglophone separatists in Cameroon have announced a period of “safe travel passage” and halted fighting ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the conflict‑hit region this week. Leaders of several armed and secessionist groups said the three‑day measure was in recognition of the “profound spiritual importance” of the papal visit, which starts on Wednesday, and the need to safeguard civilian life. In a statement from Unity Alliance – which brings the groups together – they said they would facilitate the movement of those celebrating the visit. The government is yet to comment. A near-decade of violence in the English-speaking regions has left at least 6,000 dead and many more forced from their homes. Pope Leo is currently in Algeria for a second day as part of his 11-day tour of the continent, in which he will also visit Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Peace is one of the major theme’s of his visit. … The Pope’s second country stop is Cameroon, where he will visit Bamenda, the capital of the country’s North-West region. The city is regarded as the centre of Cameroon’s conflict between Anglophone separatists and state forces. Yahoo/BBC
Benin’s Finance Minister Wins Presidential Election with 94%
Benin’s Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni has won Sunday’s presidential election in a landslide victory with 94% of the vote. That’s according to preliminary results based on more than 90% of counted votes, the electoral commission, CENA, said on Monday. Wadagni, 49, is the candidate of the alliance between the Progressive Union Renewal (UPR) and the Republican Bloc (BR). … Wadagni’s only other opponent was Paul Hounkpe, the leader of relatively small opposition party FCBE. … [A]nalysts noted before the election that Talon had systematically restricted political participation during his presidency with a variety of measures. The largest opposition party, Les Democrats, wasn’t on the ballot, for example. Constitutional changes enacted last last year meant the party failed to win any seats in January’s legislative election. … “Given the barriers to opposition party participation, the 2026 contest begins with a tilted playing field,” [according to] an analysis by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. DW
Nigeria Police Arrest 33-Member Gang over Kwara Church Abductions
Nigerian police have arrested a 33-member gang over a November attack in which 38 people were abducted from a church in central Kwara state, police said on Tuesday, as part of a nationwide crackdown on violence. Federal police spokesperson Anthony Okon Placid said the gang carried out the November 18 attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku town and was also responsible for other kidnappings, cattle rustling, and armed robbery across the region. The 33 suspects were arrested in coordinated raids across Kwara and neighbouring Kogi state following human and technical intelligence, part of a wider operation that has detained 50 suspects since January, Placid said in a statement. Nigeria has long grappled with insecurity, from mass kidnappings for ransom to banditry and militant attacks. Reuters
Somalia Enters Political Uncertainty as Parliament Term Expires
The four-year term of Somalia’s 11th parliament expired on Tuesday, pushing the Horn of Africa nation into a sensitive political phase amid mounting tensions over elections and constitutional changes. Despite the parliamentary mandate ending, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud still has about one month remaining in his term, a situation the officials say could further complicate the political landscape. The development comes after the federal government approved controversial constitutional amendments extending the mandates of state institutions to five years — a move that has divided political actors. Opposition figures, backed by some federal member states including Puntland and Jubbaland, said parliament’s mandate has formally ended and called for increased international pressure to secure an inclusive electoral process. They warned that any steps taken beyond constitutional timelines could deepen the rift between the government and its critics. Meanwhile, Mohamud’s administration is focusing on plans to hold regional elections in South West, Galmudug and Hirshabelle, which officials view as a pilot toward eventual nationwide one-person, one-vote elections. … Somalia now faces a challenging political transition, as international partners and citizens alike await a negotiated solution that could pave the way for stability and consensus. SMN
Somalia President Meets Chinese Delegation to Boost Security, Trade Ties
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met a senior Chinese delegation on Tuesday to discuss security, peace and trade, in talks aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation as Somalia seeks to stabilize security conditions and attract foreign investment, according to officials familiar with the discussions. The Chinese delegation, led by Beijing’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, shared China’s vision for supporting peace and development in the region, highlighting Somalia’s strategic importance in the Horn of Africa. SMN
Burundi Court Partially Acquits Jailed Journalist after Two Years
A Burundian appeals court has partially acquitted journalist Sandra Muhoza, ending a nearly two-year detention that has raised fresh concerns about press freedom in the country. Muhoza, a reporter with La Nova Burundi, had been accused of sharing sensitive information in a private WhatsApp group. The court cleared her of undermining national unity but upheld a conviction for racial hatred — a charge carrying a lighter sentence of up to two years. The journalist was released on parole on March 4 after appearing visibly weakened during earlier court hearings. Her lawyer, Eric Ntibandetse, welcomed the acquittal on the main charge but described the case as baseless, arguing the remaining conviction was equally unfounded. Relatives say the prolonged detention for what ultimately amounts to a lesser offence highlights serious concerns over judicial fairness. “Nearly two years in prison for a six-month sentence raises questions of human dignity,” a family member said. … The case underscores ongoing tensions between state authority and independent journalism in Burundi. AfricaNews
Seychelles Beefs Up State House Security after Breach
Seychelles authorities have launched a review of State House security procedures following an 11 April incident in which a vehicle forced its way through the main gate, police confirmed Monday. The breach, which damaged the facility, prompted immediate activation of security protocols and a rapid police response. Authorities said the review will strengthen protective measures at State House, including enhancements to operational systems and closer coordination with police to ensure effective responses to future incidents. The suspect, who was remanded for 14 days after appearing in court on Monday, is under investigation for multiple offences including criminal trespass, reckless driving, cybercrime and potential terrorism-related charges. Preliminary findings suggest the individual was intoxicated and filmed the act for social media. … President Patrick Herminie condemned the breach as a serious affront to national institutions but assured the public that there was no threat to himself or staff and that State House operations remain unaffected. APA