Mideast War Presents ‘Serious Risk’ For Africa: Report
The Middle East war “presents a serious risk to Africa”, the African Union and the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a report seen by AFP Saturday. The conflict threatens to increase the cost of living and curtail growth on the continent, the report warned. The Middle East accounts for 15.8 percent of Africa’s imports and 10.9 percent of its exports, the report noted. “The conflict, which already has triggered a trade shock, could quickly turn into a cost-of-living crisis across Africa through higher fuel and food prices, rising shipping and insurance costs, exchange rate pressures, and tighter fiscal conditions,” it added. … “A loss in output growth of 0.2 percentage points on Africa’s GDP is projected for 2026 if it (the conflict) exceeds six months,” it said. … The report was compiled by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). … Some countries could see some short-term gains, such as Nigeria for its oil exports or Mozambique for its LNG. The rerouting of ships around Cape of Good Hope could benefit ports in Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and Mauritius. Kenya is establishing itself as a logistics hub in East Africa, while Ethiopian Airlines, the leading carrier in Africa, is serving as an “emergency air bridge” between the continent, Asia, and Europe, the report noted. But these gains are likely to be uneven and will not offset the consequences for inflation, budgets, and food security in Africa, they warned. AFP
Senegal Limits Foreign Trips for Officials as the Fallout from Iran War Deepens
The Senegalese government has banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers as part of cost-saving measures triggered by the energy crisis linked to the Iran war. Senegal, like many African countries, imports most of the petroleum products it consumes, leaving its economy vulnerable to supply disruptions such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent the price of crude soaring. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said Friday that his office was taking steps to limit public expenditure, pointing out that the country’s initial budget forecasts were based on an oil price of $62 per barrel, which is now almost double as a result of the Iran war. … He added that he canceled several trips, including to Niger, Spain and France. AP
Nigerian Military and Officials Say at Least 26 Killed in 3 Weekend Attacks on Civilians and Police
At least 26 people have been killed in three separate Easter attacks in northern Nigeria, according to the Nigerian military and local officials. At least 17 were killed on Saturday when armed men attacked the Mbalom community in the Gwer West area of Nigeria’s north-central Benue State. Benue State Gov. Hyacinth Alia confirmed the attacks on Sunday, but did not specify how many people were killed in the attack. Residents gave the figure of 17. … In a separate attack early Saturday morning against a police headquarters in Borno State in the northeast of the country, four police officers were killed after a protracted gunfight with an Islamic State-affiliated group, according to Borno Police Public Relations Officer Kenneth Daso. On Sunday, at an Easter service in Ariko village, in Kaduna state, gunmen killed five people according to the army. The identity of the gunmen is unknown. The army said the assailants were forced to abandon the abduction of 31 hostages after troops responded to a distress call. AP
Sudan, Libya Military Officials Discuss Security Ties in Tripoli
A Sudanese military delegation held talks on Sunday with the Chief of General Staff of the internationally recognised Libyan government in Tripoli, agreeing to enhance intelligence sharing and security coordination. Sudanese authorities maintain close relations with the Tripoli-based administration, which controls much of western and southern Libya. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have previously accused eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar of fuelling Sudan’s internal conflict by facilitating the transit of weapons from the United Arab Emirates to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Sudanese military officials also allege that Haftar hosts RSF elements at his bases, specifically citing the Ma’tan Al-Sarra base as a training and logistics hub for the paramilitary group. The Libyan General Staff said in a statement that Lieutenant General Salahuddin al-Namroush received the Director of Sudanese Military Intelligence, Lieutenant General Mohamed Ali Sabir, to discuss bilateral cooperation. … The two sides discussed specific mechanisms to activate information exchange and security protocols to address shared border challenges. They also agreed to expand military training programmes and the exchange of expertise to improve the readiness of both forces. Sudan Tribune
African Union Delegation Visits Sudan to Discuss Reopening Khartoum Office
An African Union delegation arrived in Sudan on Sunday to discuss arrangements for reopening the continental bloc’s office in the capital, Khartoum. The move comes days after United Nations agencies began relocating their operations back to the capital, having managed activities from Port Sudan since the conflict erupted three years ago. Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem received the AU delegation, led by Special Envoy Mohamed Belaiche, at his office in Port Sudan. Belaiche told reporters that the purpose of the visit was to assess conditions on the ground as a precursor to reopening the African Union office in Khartoum as soon as possible. Salem said he briefed the delegation on the evolving situation in Sudan, including the government’s return to Khartoum, which was immediately followed by several UN organizations. Sudan Tribune
Cameroon Lawmakers Revive Vice Presidency, Handing Aging President Sweeping Control over the Post
Cameroon’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the vice president position, a move the opposition says will further strengthen President Paul Biya’s grip on power. … The widely criticized bill, which Biya is expected to sign into law, was approved Saturday in a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate and boycotted by the main opposition party; 200 voted in favor, 18 against and 4 abstained. The newest amendment gives the aging president absolute authority over the office of the vice president, as he can appoint and dismiss them at will and the deputy can only exercise powers delegated by Biya. If the president dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated, the vice president will serve as interim president for the remainder of the seven-year tenure. … The opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) said in a statement that the amendment “fails to guarantee democratic legitimacy, inclusiveness, and proper institutional balance.” … The Cameroon Bar Association also warned the amendment “erodes the democratic legitimacy (of) the presidential office” and undermines the country’s constitution. AP
Zimbabwe’s ‘Crocodile’ Leader Eyes Role as President for Life
Emmerson Mnangagwa — Zimbabwe’s president since 2017 and a man whose guile and ruthlessness earned him the sobriquet “the Crocodile” — looks determined to keep a reptilian grip on the leadership. Last week parliament began hearings on draft legislation, approved by the ruling Zanu-PF cabinet last February, to change the constitution to extend Mnangagwa’s second term by two years to 2030. If so-called Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 — which could be subject to a referendum — becomes law, it would contain a yet more consequential provision: the president would be elected through parliament rather than by popular vote. … The bill is subject to a 90-day period of public consultation ending on May 16, but many who have debated it have been silenced. … The constitutional court must now decide whether a referendum on the proposed changes is necessary. One political observer in Harare, who spoke anonymously because of fear of reprisal, said that with or without a referendum Zanu-PF would find it easier to pick the president through a pliant parliament than through a fractious electorate. “If this constitutional amendment goes through, it’s very difficult to see a world when there will ever be a president from the opposition,” the person said. Financial Times
Algeria’s Electoral Reform Could Tighten President’s Grip on Power
Algeria’s parliament has adopted electoral reforms that the government says will modernise the country’s institutions and encourage broader participation in democracy. Yet political experts fear the overhaul will only reinforce President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s hold on power. The package of constitutional amendments, approved unanimously on Tuesday evening, hands the government key roles in organising elections and changes the criteria for who can run either locally or nationally. … The reforms mark the sixth time Algeria has revised its constitution in 12 years, pointed out Kader Abderrahim, a political scientist at Sciences Po university in Paris. … Notably, the reform reverses changes brought in after 2019 protests that toppled long-standing leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Algeria’s National Independent Election Authority (ANIE), created that year to remove elections from executive control, will have key powers withdrawn. Now, the organisation of ballots, voting material and staffing of polling booths will be handed back to the Interior Ministry. … “This is primarily an attempt by the executive to consolidate its power in the face of other political and historical forces that play a significant role,” argued Abderrahim. … Another major change concerns the eligibility criteria for local and national elections. Candidates will no longer have to gather as many signatures of endorsement to qualify. … In theory, this could broaden access and promote pluralism. But in practice, it could also fragment Algeria’s opposition further. RFI
Uganda: Free Political Rivals, Bishops Ask Museveni
Religious leaders across Uganda used the Easter celebrations yesterday to reflect on the 2026 General Election and condemned human rights violations and called for the release of political prisoners. … [T]he clerics urged the nation to embrace peace, reconciliation, and unity. … In Busoga Diocese, Bishop Grace Lubaale warned that political competition should not be criminalised but embraced as a cornerstone of democracy. Delivering his first Easter sermon as the fourth Bishop of Busoga Anglican Diocese at Christ’s Cathedral in Bugembe, Jinja City, Prof Lubaale highlighted the importance of inclusivity in governance. “Competing with the State [regime] is not a crime, but democracy. Politics is when citizens are free to engage in fair and open competition, primarily through free and fair elections. Both the majority and minority should be given space to participate in national affairs,” he counseled. Monitor
Russian Crypto Payment System Expands into Africa
A recent vacancy posted on a Russian recruitment site sought a project manager to build a business “from scratch” in Togo, West Africa. The employer would be A7, a Russian cryptocurrency network under western sanctions, run by a fugitive oligarch and a state defence sector bank. The advert is the latest sign that Moscow is seeking to build an alternative payments system after its banks were cut off by the west in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The company’s eye on Africa tracks with Moscow’s expanding influence across the continent. Russia has strengthened its presence in several African countries in recent years, making new political inroads following a string of coups in the Sahel region and in Madagascar, and signing a series of trade and military deals. … The payments network opened an office in Nigeria last autumn, videos showed, and also announced a new branch in Zimbabwe. … Founded in 2024 by fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Șor and Russian defence sector lender Promsvyazbank (PSB), both under western sanctions, A7 uses an array of creative methods, from stablecoins to promissory notes, to keep roubles flowing around the world. Russia’s response, after being cut off from the Swift interbank messaging system and hit by western sanctions on many of its major banks, was to build a workable alternative. Financial Times
Ethiopia Says Reaches Resolution with China on Debt Treatment
Ethiopia’s finance ministry said on Friday it had reached an agreement with China on debt treatment, reaffirming both nations’ commitment to progress within the G20 Common Framework to formalise a bilateral deal. Ethiopia faces mounting legal challenges from bondholders planning to sue the government following resistance from bilateral creditors to a preliminary arrangement to restructure the nation’s $1 billion Eurobond. The dispute could prolong Ethiopia’s emergence from external debt default. The finance ministry said in a post on Facebook that the resolution was reached during a meeting between Ethiopian and Chinese finance ministers held in China. Discussions included “debt restructuring, implementation of ongoing projects, and new financing opportunities,” as well as plans for the development of a new Bushoftu International Airport. Reuters
Ethiopia: Tigray Pro-independence Oppositions Sign MoU to Form Unified Front
Salsay Weyane Tigray and the Tigray Independence Party have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint political front, in a move aimed at consolidating pro-independence forces in Tigray, both parties confirmed to Addis Standard. In a joint statement, the two parties said the agreement is intended to transition their separate political efforts into a more coordinated and structured platform. They noted that a joint committee has been formed to oversee the process of establishing the front, including the preparation of its program, bylaws, and leadership structure. The parties added that the front will be formally constituted once requirements set by the National Election Board of Ethiopia are fulfilled. Until then, both organizations said they will continue coordinating their political activities through jointly defined tasks. The MoU comes amid what parties described as a complex political environment in Tigray, marked by divisions and competing political agendas. They said the planned front is intended to create a unified platform for nationalist forces and strengthen collective political engagement. Addis Standard