Military Drone Proliferation in Africa Marks Destabilizing Shift in Africa’s Armed Conflicts
As African policymakers and security practitioners grapple with the deployment, mitigation, and implications from the proliferation of unmanned systems, a balanced understanding of their benefits and risks will be needed…In Africa, four key trends are shaping contemporary drone warfare. First is the increasing pace of military drone acquisition and use…Second, middle powers, particularly Türkiye, are asymmetrically expanding their influence in Africa by meeting the continent’s rising demand for drones…Third, African countries are seeking to indigenize drone production capabilities, particularly with the proliferation of small, commercially-made drones that are being modified and integrated into tactical operations…Fourth is the increased use of drones by armed nonstate actors…African governments need to develop a more complex understanding of the risks and limitations of using armed drones and adapt their doctrine accordingly…African governments that use drones must still deploy effective ground forces as drones cannot occupy or govern territory. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Sudan’s Paramilitaries Kill More than 30 in New Attack on Darfur
Paramilitary shelling of Sudan’s besieged city of El-Fasher, in the western region of Darfur, has killed more than 30 civilians and wounded dozens more, activists said on Monday, April 21. The attack, which took place on Sunday, involved “heavy artillery shelling” and targeted the city’s residential neighbourhoods, said the local resistance committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid across Sudan…El-Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur, remains the last major city in the vast Darfur region that the paramilitary group has not conquered. Last week, the RSF launched a renewed offensive on the city and two nearby displacement camps – Zamzam and Abu Shouk – killing more than 400 people and displacing some 400,000, according to the United Nations…International aid agencies have long warned that a full-scale RSF assault on El-Fasher could lead to devastating urban warfare and a new wave of mass displacement. UNICEF has described the situation as “hell on earth” for at least 825,000 children trapped in and around El-Fasher. Le Monde with AFP
Sudan’s Burhan, Turkish Envoy Discuss Projects, Aid, Resumption of Flights
Sudan’s leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, discussed planned Turkish development projects, humanitarian aid delivery, and the resumption of airline services with Turkey’s ambassador, Fatih Yildiz, on Monday. The meeting in Port Sudan focused on strengthening bilateral ties and followed up on talks Burhan held with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month, officials said. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Hussein al-Amin stated in a press release that the talks covered “the course of bilateral relations, ways to enhance them, and the development projects Ankara plans to implement in Sudan in the coming period.” Discussions included the planned restart of Sudan Airways flights from Port Sudan by early June, al-Amin added. The officials also discussed humanitarian aid provided by Turkey and arrangements for delivering assistance via alternative routes into central and western Sudan, areas heavily affected by the ongoing conflict. Sudan Tribune
Turkey Deploys Troops to Somalia to Support Fight Against Al-Shabab
Two Turkish military planes carrying around 500 troops landed at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport this week, marking the first wave of a larger deployment aimed at supporting Somalia’s fight against the al-Shabab extremist group. The troops were transported to the Turkish military base known as Turk-Som, located in the Jazeera area of the capital. The base is Turkey’s largest in Africa and serves as the primary training ground for Somalia’s elite Gorgor forces. More than 300 Turkish military personnel are currently stationed at the Camp TurkSOM, which was opened in 2017. The camp can accommodate approximately 1500 trainees at a time. As of 2023, nearly 5,000 Somali trainees have graduated from the military camp. The deployment is part of a broader plan approved by the Turkish Parliament in July 2024, allowing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to send up to 2,500 troops to Somalia. It remains unclear whether the forces will engage directly in combat operations or conduct airstrikes, similar to U.S. military support in the region…Turkey has been a close ally of Somalia since 2011, investing in infrastructure and training Somali security forces. Garowe Online
Tunisia: Lawyer Defending Ex-ministers Arrested
Security forces in Tunisia arrested lawyer and former administrative court judge Ahmed Sawab yesterday. Sawab is a member of the defence team in the “conspiracy against state security” case and was taken to a security headquarters in the Bouchoucha district in the capital. According to lawyer Sami Ben Ghazi’s Facebook post: “Security forces raided the home of professor and former judge Ahmed Sawab, and then he was taken to the headquarters of the Tunisian National Counterterrorism Commission (CNLCT) in Bouchoucha.” Ben Ghazi explained that a decision was issued preventing lawyers from meeting Sawab “for 48 hours, in accordance with the anti-terrorism law.”…On Saturday, the specialised criminal chamber in charge of terrorism cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance issued preliminary prison sentences ranging from four to 66 years against 40 defendants in the “state security conspiracy case,” including 22 defendants in attendance and 18 in absentia. The defendants’ defence team – which included Sawab – expressed its rejection of the sentences issued in the case. Middle East Monitor
‘I Hope I’ll One Day Be at Peace’: Civilians Seek Mental Health Help in War-ravaged Eastern DRC
Since 24 March, the Saint Vincent de Paul neuropsychiatric hospital, a medical facility for people with mental health issues, has been offering free consultations on a first-come first-served basis for people affected by the fighting. Dozens have lined up to be seen each day…“We have seen that since the clashes at the end of January, the population has been really stressed, and there has been a resurgence of mental health cases,” said Dr Neema Kahatwa, a psychiatrist from the neuropsychiatric hospital in Goma. When the hospital announced the scheme last month, the facility highlighted a number of symptoms that people could look out for and that could necessitate medical attention, including insomnia, difficulty in concentration, unexplained anger, extreme sadness, panic and loss of interest…More than 300 people from Goma and its surroundings have gone through consultations since the campaign started. Stress, anxiety and depression have been among the conditions diagnosed. Although the consultations are free, the patients pay for other services, such as complementary examinations, laboratory tests and treatment. The Guardian
Tanzania Opposition Party Says Its Leader Has Been Moved to Different Prison
Tanzania’s main opposition party said on Saturday its leader Tundu Lissu, who has been held and charged with treason, had been moved to a different prison, a day after the party said his whereabouts were unknown…Lissu, the runner-up in the country’s 2020 presidential election, was charged with treason last week over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt the election due later this year. He was not allowed to enter a plea on the treason charge. Last weekend the election commission said CHADEMA would be disqualified from the election over its refusal to sign a code of conduct as it demands electoral reforms. [President Samia Suluhu Hassan] earned accolades after coming to power in 2021 for relaxing repression of political opponents and censorship of the media that took root under her predecessor John Magufuli, who died in office. But she has received mounting criticism from human rights activists over a series of arrests and unexplained abductions and killings of political opponents. Reuters
ECOWAS Meets in Ghana over Exit of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states will meet in Ghana on Tuesday to discuss the withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. The meeting will take place over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the bloc said member states will discuss the modalities of the countries’ withdrawal and its implications for ECOWAS agencies in the countries…“Key items on the agenda include the modalities of the withdrawal process and the implications for ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies operating in the three countries. The session will also address other related matters of regional importance,” it said. Three weeks ago, the junta-led states, under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), imposed a 0.5 per cent import duty on goods from ECOWAS. The levy applies to all goods from ECOWAS countries entering any of the three nations, except for humanitarian aid. The policy countered ECOWAS’s intention of ensuring free movement of goods between its members and the AES countries despite their official exit from the bloc in January. However, the recently established pact comprising the three countries said it aims to generate revenue to fund the alliance’s activities. Premium Times
Nigeria Taps South Africa’s Mining Expertise in New Minerals Pact
Nigeria and South Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening cooperation in the mining sector, with a focus on investment, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer between the two countries. The agreement was formalized in Abuja by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe. Alake said Nigeria and South Africa will collaborate on a range of mining initiatives, including geological mapping using drones, sharing of mineral data, and joint exploration of agro and energy minerals within Nigeria. Alake emphasised that the bilateral cooperation holds promise for industrialisation, employment generation, and sustainable economic development across the African continent. [Nigeria] boasts over 23 mineral resources in commercial quantities, including gold, limestone, lithium, iron ore, and zinc. Despite this abundance, Nigeria’s mining sector has remained largely underdeveloped, contributing less than 1% to the nation’s GDP. Mining has played a crucial role in the development of South Africa’s economy, Africa’s most advanced and wealthiest. Business Insider Africa
‘A Cancer’: UN Warns Asia-based Cybercrime Syndicates Expanding Worldwide
In a report released on Monday, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) detailed how Chinese and Southeast Asian gangs have been raking in tens of billions of dollars annually targeting victims in an array of cybercrimes, including fake investments, cryptocurrency, romance and other scams…The report said the syndicates have established footholds in African nations, including Zambia, Angola, and Namibia, as well as Pacific island nations, including Fiji and Vanuatu…Cryptocurrency mining – typically referring to the creation of new cryptocurrencies and the validation of transactions – has become a key tool for obscuring illicit funds, according to the report. In one instance, in June 2023, Libyan authorities raided an illegal crypto mining operation in a militia-controlled area, arresting 50 Chinese nationals. Recent crackdowns in Myanmar, backed by China, also freed about 7,000 trafficked workers…New technologies have further complicated the situation, with criminal networks operating self-contained digital ecosystems, using encrypted messaging, payment apps, and cryptocurrencies to evade law enforcement, the report said. The UN agency further warned of “potentially irreversible spillover has taken place…leaving criminal groups free to pick, choose, and move … as needed”. It urged countries to collaborate and intensify efforts to disrupt criminal networks’ financing. Al Jazeera and News Agencies
How Big Tech Hides Its Outsourced African Workforce
A new dataset, visualized as maps, reveals the extent to which African workers are indirectly employed in the tech sector, doing content moderation, customer service, and data annotation for AI models, among other jobs. One of the maps shows the flow of data and knowledge out of 39 African nations to subcontractors, mostly located in the United Arab Emirates, North America, and Europe, with four outsourcing firms in Africa. From there, it goes on to clients such as Meta, OpenAI, and Samsung. The research was conducted by the African Content Moderators Union (ACMU) and Switzerland-based nonprofit, Personaldata.io. A second map shows some clients of the outsourcing firms that employ African digital workers. While there may be additional clients in other regions, including within Africa, this map highlights that the primary beneficiaries remain Western companies. Subcontractors can profit from hiring workers in countries where rights are less strictly enforced, Jessica Pidoux, director of Personaldata.io, told Rest of World. Rest of World
Four Convicted in Guinea-Bissau Cocaine Bust Transferred to US
Four foreign nationals convicted of trafficking 2.63 metric tons of cocaine in Guinea-Bissau last September have been transferred to the United States to face another trial there, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday. Ramon Manriquez Castillo, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Mexican citizen Edgar Rodriguez Ruano; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito from Ecuador and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto from Colombia were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas and Guinea-Bissau between November 2023 and September 2024, the statement said. The four men were each sentenced in January in Guinea-Bissau to 17 years in prison following a record bust known as “Operation Landing”…They appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Thursday, charged with distributing large quantities of cocaine while using a U.S. registered airplane with an American citizen on board, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida said…They were transferred on Wednesday to a U.S. prison under a mutual agreement with the U.S., Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Cissoko Embalo told reporters on Thursday…Drug smugglers often use West African countries as a transit point to ship cocaine from South America to Europe. Reuters
Mauritania and Morocco Seal Historic Deal to Launch Nouakchott Stock Exchange
In a major step toward financial modernisation and regional integration, Mauritania and Morocco have signed a landmark agreement to establish the country’s first stock exchange in Nouakchott. The deal, signed on Thursday between the Central Bank of Mauritania (BCM) and the Casablanca Stock Exchange, underscores growing South-South cooperation and deepening economic ties between the two Maghreb neighbours. The agreement, formalised in the presence of Moroccan Ambassador Hamid Chabar, marks what officials described as a “decisive step” in Mauritania’s drive to build a “robust, transparent, and resilient” financial ecosystem. It follows a high-level meeting between Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El-Ghazouani in December…With almost a century of experience, the Casablanca Stock Exchange—Africa’s second-largest—will offer technical, operational, and strategic support. This includes assistance in building market architecture, regulations, quotation systems, and training programmes to develop local expertise. Mauritania, rich in iron ore, gold, copper and natural gas, has struggled to diversify its economy. The new stock exchange is expected to help mobilise national savings, support local businesses, and attract vital foreign investment. Middle East Monitor