Rwanda, DR Congo Set Goal for Peace Deal Draft amid Lingering Suspicion on both Sides
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo set a goal Friday, April 25, of reaching a draft peace agreement by May 2 and vowed to respect each other’s sovereignty, but mutual suspicion lay deep at a signing in Washington. Two days after Qatar mediated a surprise truce, the United States brought the two countries’ foreign ministers together and voiced an interest in investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s turbulent but mineral-rich east. M23 rebels, who UN experts and the United States say have received military support from Rwanda, have made rapid advances in the eastern DRC since January, seizing key cities in fighting that has killed thousands. A joint declaration signed in the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio committed the two countries to come up with an “initial draft peace agreement” by May 2. The two countries “mutually acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes by peaceful means grounded in diplomacy and negotiation rather than hostile force or rhetoric,” the declaration said. Without naming the M23 rebels explicitly, it said that each country acknowledged concerns of the other and would “refrain from providing state military support to non-state armed groups.”…The joint declaration said the two sides should expect “significant investments” facilitated by the US government and US private sector, including in hydropower and minerals – an area where China has been active in the hunt for resources. Le Monde with AFP
UAE Deploys Israeli Radar in Somalia under Secret Deal
The United Arab Emirates deployed a military radar in Somalia’s Puntland earlier this year to defend Bosaso airport against potential Houthi attacks from Yemen, sources familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye. Satellite imagery from early March reveals that the Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar was installed near the airport. Publicly available air traffic data indicates that the UAE is increasingly using Bosaso airport to supply the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan…The UAE has longstanding ties with Somalia’s government, having provided financial aid and trained Somali soldiers to combat armed groups such as al-Shabab for years. Since 2009, the UAE has also been particularly active in Puntland, which is geographically close to the Emirates and Yemen. The UAE has trained forces in Puntland to combat piracy…The UAE is also active in the breakaway state of Somaliland, making significant investments there as well, irritating Mogadishu. Middle East Eye
Sudan Tribune: Iraq Invites Sudan’s Burhan to Arab Summit, Reactivates Security Pact
Sudan’s military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Saturday received an official invitation to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad, Sudan’s Sovereignty Council said, as officials from both countries agreed to reactivate security cooperation. The invitation to the 34th summit, scheduled for May 17 in the Iraqi capital, was delivered by Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir Kamel al-Shammari, acting as an envoy for Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, the council statement added…During the meeting in Port Sudan, Burhan, who heads the Sovereignty Council and commands the army, discussed bilateral relations and issues of common interest with al-Shammari, the council reported…The interior ministers agreed to activate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2023, focusing on combating organised crime, terrorism, drugs, and extremism, as well as exchanging expertise and training, both sides stated…Al-Shammari also announced that the Iraqi consulate in Sudan would resume operations, citing stabilising conditions and the presence of Iraqi nationals in the country. Sudan Tribune
Mali Political Parties Fear Dissolution by Ruling Junta
A coalition of around a hundred political parties accused Mali’s ruling junta of wanting to dissolve them, in a joint statement to the media in Bamako on Saturday. Such gatherings are highly unusual in the troubled west African state, where the ruling junta has repressed all discordant voices and silenced the opposition. The Sahel country has been grappling with widespread insecurity for more than a decade and the military seized power in back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021…The authorities have been overseeing talks over the past two weeks for reforms that include one proposal to dissolve existing political groups, keeping only a handful of pro-junta parties…The coalition, in a joint statement read out by spokesman Oumar Ibrahim Toure, objected that they had not been invited to the talks, denouncing what it described as “a pseudo-concertation”. The news conference went ahead under surveillance from a significant police presence, an AFP journalist noted. The ruling military junta failed to honour a commitment to oversee a return to civilian rule by the end of March 2024 and has postponed the presidential election to an unspecified date. The junta suspended activities of parties and political associations between April and July 2024, warning of a risk of “subversion”. AFP
Jihadists Kill 14 Nigerian Farmers: Official
Jihadists have killed at least 14 farmers in a raid on farmlands in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state, with a local official warning that the toll may rise. The farmers were clearing their land on Saturday near Pulka town in Gwoza district in preparation for the upcoming planting season when they were attacked, said Abba Shehu Timta, the district’s political administrator. Search and rescue teams, accompanied by troops, were combing nearby bushes for more bodies, he added. The town near the border with Cameroon has been repeatedly attacked by jihadists…Boko Haram and its rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have increasingly targeted farmers, fishermen, loggers, herders, and metal scrap collectors in the region, accusing them of spying for the Nigerian military and the local anti-jihadist militia assisting the troops. On Friday, Borno State governor Babagana Zulum lamented “military setbacks” in efforts to defeat the jihadists, who have entrenched themselves in the Lake Chad islands, Sambisa Forest and Mandara Mountains. Boko Haram jihadists have been attacking Gwoza district and surrounding areas since 2014, when the group first seized the town and declared it part of their caliphate during their takeover of large swathes of northern Borno. AFP
Niger Says Jihadists Kill 12 Soldiers Near Mali Border
Niger’s army said Saturday jihadists killed 12 of its soldiers in the west of the country near the Malian border…The attackers struck about 10 km (six miles) north of Sakoira, near Tillaberi, a large city in western Niger…The vast region around Tillaberi near the borders of Mali and Burkina Faso has for years been the scene of deadly attacks by jihadist groups. AFP
African Union Calls for Urgent Action to Tackle Sahel Jihadist Threat
The African Union on Saturday called for urgent cooperation to tackle jihadist violence in the Sahel region, after a recent attack blamed on Islamists killed 54 soldiers in northern Benin. The region, which borders both Niger and Burkina Faso, has seen a recent rise in strikes targeting army positions and on April 17, suspected extremists attacked military posts in a national park. Benin’s government blamed the attacks on a spillover from Niger and Burkina Faso…The AU commission’s chairman, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, condemned the latest attack and called it “cowardly”. The attack “highlights the urgent need for enhanced cooperation between neighbouring states to address the growing threat posed by terrorist groups operating in the Sahel”, a statement read. On Wednesday, Benin criticised the lack of cooperation with authorities in Burkina Faso and Niger, which have been hit by violence from armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State…The April 17 attack was claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims. AFP
Burkina Faso Grants New Gold Mining Licence to Russian Firm
Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta has granted a new gold mining licence to the Russian firm Nordgold, according to the minutes of a cabinet meeting seen by AFP on Friday. Gold production in Burkina Faso, which is moving closer to Russia diplomatically and militarily, accounts for around 14 percent of state revenue, according to official figures…The licence covers 52.8 square kilometres of land, with total expected production estimated to exceed 20.2 tonnes of gold over eight years, the minutes said. The project is estimated to contribute 51 billion CFA francs ($88.7 million) to the state coffers, with another seven billion francs ($12.2 million) going towards the Mining Development Fund, the document said…Gold has become Burkina Faso’s leading export commodity over the past decade, overtaking cotton, with approximately 70 tonnes produced per year by 17 mines…The junta has already granted Nordgold an operating permit for the Yimiougou site, covering 31.4 sq km with a total estimated production of 2.53 tonnes of gold. AFP
Central African Republic Agrees Peace Deals with Two Rebel Groups
The Central African Republic’s government has signed peace deals with two of the five groups in the country’s most powerful armed rebel movement, officials said Friday. The agreements were signed last week in Chad, which acted as mediator…The CAR is among the poorest countries in the world and, since independence from France in 1960, has endured a succession of coups, authoritarian rulers and civil wars. The latest civil war started more than a decade ago. The government has secured the main cities and violence has subsided in recent years. But fighting occasionally erupts in remote regions between rebels and the national army, which is backed by Wagner mercenaries and Rwandan troops. The two predominantly Fulani armed groups that signed peace agreements are the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) and the 3R Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation group…The two groups are part of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), founded in December 2020 with the aim of overthrowing President Faustin Archange Touadera after he was re-elected for a second term. It is headed by exiled ex-president Francois Bozize, who seized power in 2003 in a coup and was in turn ousted by a Muslim-dominated armed coalition called the Seleka. Now living in exile in Guinea-Bissau, Bozize is the target of an arrest warrant issued by a United Nations-sponsored tribunal in the CAR for possible crimes against humanity. AFP
Ethiopia, Morocco Defense Cooperation Eyes Cybersecurity, AI, and Defense Industries
General Mohamed Berrid, Inspector General of Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, is on a four-day official visit to Ethiopia aimed at strengthening military cooperation and expanding collaboration into cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and defense industries. During his stay, General Berrid held talks with Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, Chief of General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, and State Minister of Defense Martha Luigi. The discussions focused on boosting bilateral military ties, with both sides expressing satisfaction over growing cooperation and agreeing on a draft military partnership expected to be signed soon. General Berrid also toured key Ethiopian military installations, including the Cyber Security Directorate, the Artificial Intelligence Institute, and Bishoftu Air Base. His visit follows a similar trip to Morocco by Field Marshal Birhanu Jula in August 2024, signaling both countries’ shared interest to deepening their defense partnership across emerging sectors. Addis Standard
Somalia PM Reshuffles Cabinet Amid Surging Al-Shabaab Attacks
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced a sweeping cabinet reshuffle on Sunday, less than a year before the end of the federal government’s term, as the country faces escalating attacks by Al-Shabaab militants in its southern and central regions. Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, who has served as foreign minister since April 2024 and previously led Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), was appointed defense minister. A close ally of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Fiqi has consistently supported the president’s stance on national unity and opposition to Somaliland’s secessionist ambitions. Abdisalam Abdi Ali, who held the role of second deputy prime minister for just six months, was named the new foreign minister…Jibril Abdirashid Haji, the former defense minister for less than six weeks, was reassigned as second deputy prime minister, replacing Ali. The move signals significant internal shifts within the government. The reshuffle comes at a critical juncture for Somalia’s federal government, which is grappling with intensified Al-Shabaab assaults, internal political disputes, and waning public confidence ahead of the 2026 general elections. Garowe Online
Libya General Killed in Attack on His Tripoli Home
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a Libyan general on Sunday in an attack on his home in the capital that drew condemnation from the Tripoli-based government. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, head of the UN-recognised Government of National Unity, condemned the killing of General Ali Ramadan al-Rayani…According to the Libyan news outlet Al-Wasat, witnesses reported that Rayani killed three of his attackers before he was shot dead…In March, Libya’s minister for cabinet affairs, Adel Juma, was wounded in an attempted assassination in the capital. In April last year, an attack targeted the home and office of Dbeibah’s nephew and adviser, Ibrahim Dbeibah, in Tripoli but left no casualties. AFP
Meta Faces Ghana Lawsuits over Impact of Extreme Content on Moderators
Meta is facing a second set of lawsuits in Africa over the psychological distress experienced by content moderators employed to take down disturbing social media content including depictions of murders, extreme violence and child sexual abuse…It comes after more than 140 Facebook content moderators in Kenya were diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder caused by exposure to graphic social media content…Majorel, the company at the centre of the allegations in Ghana, is owned by the French multinational Teleperformance…Facebook and other large social media companies employ armies of content moderators, often based in the poorest parts of the world, to remove posts that breach their community standards and to train AI systems to do the same. Moderators are required to review distressing and often brutal pictures and videos to establish whether they should be removed from Meta’s platforms…The moderators claim mental health care offered by the firm was unhelpful, was not delivered by medical doctors, and that personal disclosures made by staff about the effects of their work were circulated among managers…Contracts seen by the Guardian show that the base wage starts at about 1,300 Ghanaian cedis a month – just over £64. This is supplemented by a system of performance-related bonuses, the upper range of which amounts to about 4,900 cedis (£243) a month, significantly less than the estimated cost of living in Accra. The Guardian
Nigerian Tribunal Upholds $220 Mn Fine Against Meta
A Nigerian tribunal on Friday rejected Meta’s appeal against a $220-million fine imposed by the country’s consumer protection agency last year for a myriad of consumer data violations. The Facebook and WhatsApp parent company will also have to pay the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) an additional $35,000 for the cost of its original investigation into the company, commission spokesman Ondaje Ijagwu said in a statement. The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal “ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the Commission made findings of violations, were correctly identified, and that the Commission did not err in making those findings”, Ijagwu said…Nigeria had accused Meta of violating the country’s data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp…[FCCPC chief executive officer Adamu] Abdullahi accused Meta of discriminatory practices, abuse of market dominance, sharing Nigerians’ data without authorisation and denying Nigerians the right to determine how their data are used. AFP
Health Workers In Sierra Leone See Surge in Mpox Cases
Sierra Leone is facing an increase in recorded mpox infections, with 177 new cases reported in recent days, a health ministry official told AFP. The west African country, which in January declared a public health emergency to combat mpox, has sent health teams to carry out screening operations in households of people suspected to be infected with the virus. Amanda Clemens, social mobilisation coordinator for the health ministry, said Saturday that health workers had recorded a total of 177 cases over the Friday-Saturday period. Sierra Leone has recorded 763 cases of mpox since January with six deaths and 282 recoveries, according to data from the National Public Health Agency published Saturday…A decade ago, Sierra Leone was one of the countries worst affected by an Ebola epidemic which between 2014 and 2016 killed about 4,000 people, including nearly seven percent of health workers. AFP