Peace Talks between Congo and M23 Rebels in Doha Delayed, Sources Say
Peace talks between Congo’s government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels planned for Wednesday in Doha have been postponed, sources from both sides told Reuters this week, with no future date set. The parties had earlier this month billed the meeting as the first direct talks since M23 fighters captured eastern Congo’s two largest cities. The rapid offensive has left thousands dead, forced hundreds of thousands more from their homes and raised fears of a wider regional conflict. It was unclear why the meeting was delayed. Both sides said invitations had not been sent as of Monday…Last month, Qatar brokered a surprise sit-down between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame during which the two leaders called for a ceasefire…A source with knowledge of the talks in Qatar told Reuters on Saturday that representatives of Congo’s government and M23 held a “discreet meeting” in Doha last week, “marking their first direct encounter in a long time.” The source said that meeting helped spur the rebels to withdraw from the strategic mining town of Walikale. Reuters
DR Congo Crisis: 41,700 Refugees Have Fled Violence to Uganda
Some 41,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Uganda since January, many of them having witnessed killings, “sexual violence and other traumatic experience during their flight,” said the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday. Every day since the end of last month, around 600 Congolese have been crossing the border into Uganda – which hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa – bringing the total sheltering there to nearly 600,000, out of a total of 1.8 million…Many of the new arrivals – mostly women and children – come by foot or local transport, while there have been “increasing reports of men traveling separately from their families to avoid being forcibly recruited by armed groups,” said UNHCR. Children are particularly vulnerable, with many arriving in “a weakened state amidst a high prevalence of malaria and malnutrition.” Transit is overwhelmed, with Nyakabande, one of the main transit centres, reaching six times its capacity. Critical shortages of bathing facilities and latrines are putting people at dire risk of deadly diseases, with most already suffering poor health. Since January, up to nine children under five have reportedly died from malnutrition-related anemia in Nyakabande and Matanda transit centres. UN News
Sudan: How Colombian Mercenaries Were Duped into Fighting in a Brutal Civil War
As La Silla Vacía has reported, nearly 300 ex-Colombian soldiers have [been brought to Sudan to bolster the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with promises of a good salary] since last year, many of them tricked into going. They made their way through a transnational mercenary network headed by Álvaro Quijano, a retired colonel from the Colombian army. He runs the operation in partnership with Global Security Service Group, a private security firm based in the United Arab Emirates…La Silla Vacía also obtained classified documents, war footage and geolocated images showing just how involved the Colombians have been – especially in one of the bloodiest parts of the conflict: the battle for El Fasher, a city in North Darfur…Evidence of their presence includes a video showing a mortar strike carried out by Colombians, with geotagged coordinates. A search of those coordinates in Google Maps places the strike inside El Fasher. The video is dated January 2025…What draws many of these retired Colombian soldiers is the pay. Contracts typically offer $2,600 for privates and $3,400 for sergeants. But many report being underpaid or not paid at all. La Silla Vacía
‘No One Recognised Him, even as He Said His Name’: Last Video of Rescued Man Shows Horror of Sudan Torture Camps
In the last video of Alwaleed Abdeen, taken in the school turned prison in which he had been held for six months, he was so emaciated that friends could barely recognise him – even when he spoke his name to the camera held by his rescuers…The video was taken by soldiers from the Sudanese government army, and was among many recorded as they drove the RSF out of the city and made grim discoveries of graves and prisons, revealing the conditions many residents endured under the RSF…Abdeen stayed because his elderly parents refused to leave. He had been briefly detained by RSF forces on several occasions since the war between the RSF and army began in April 2023, before he finally disappeared in October 2024…Abdeen was considered a force in Sudan’s entrepreneur scene, helping co-found the Khartoum edition of Ted Talks and innovation hubs such as 249 Startups, which helped young entrepreneurs. He also won fellowships to study in the UK and US. The Guardian
South Sudan: SPLM-IO Cracks Widen over Juba ‘Consultative Meeting’
The rift in the SPLM-IO party widened further Tuesday as a group of leaders moved to hold a “consultative meeting” in Juba on Wednesday, while another faction led by the party’s acting chairman opposed the gathering…Tensions among opposition officials had been simmering since the house arrest of their leader, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. On Monday, Oyet Nathaniel, the party’s deputy chairman, suspended Stephen Par Kuol—the SPLM-IO’s nominated minister for national peacebuilding under the 2018 power-sharing deal—and three others. They were accused of fostering disunity and conspiring with President Salva Kiir and his SPLM party to replace Machar. Par dismissed the suspension, calling it “the joke of the year.” Following Machar’s detention, several senior SPLM-IO members fled to neighboring countries or went into hiding. Last week, a group of SPLM-IO officials met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Juba to discuss the political deadlock and Machar’s detention. However, party spokesperson Pal Mai said the meeting was not authorized by SPLM-IO leadership. Radio Tamazuj
Al-Shabaab Releases Kenyan Chiefs Abducted in Mandera
Al-Shabaab militants have released five Kenyan chiefs abducted in February, ending the frantic search that shook the entire security department in the country given the circumstances leading to their abduction. The five chiefs were abducted while traveling to a presidential function in Mandera, leading to concerns about the safety of Kenyans — including local administrators. President William Ruto was on a development trip within the Horn of Africa nation. According to reports, the five were dropped by suspected Al-Shabaab militants on Sunday, with local authorities confirming negotiations that were going on behind the scenes. They were kidnapped around Wargadud on their way to Elwak…The government has been in active efforts through the local elders to rescue the administrative officers. Garowe Online
Thousands Rally against Russian Wagner Mercenaries in Central African Republic
Thousands took to the streets Friday in the Central African Republic to protest President Faustin Archange Touadera’s plans to run for a third term with the backing of Russian-led mercenaries from the Wagner group. The rally was organized by opposition parties that object to Touadera’s third term as president…Wagner forces have served as personal bodyguards for Touadera, helping him win a constitutional referendum in July 2023 that could extend his power indefinitely. “We’re here to say no to a third term for Faustin Archange Touadera. But more than that, we want to protect our sovereignty, which Touadera and the Wagner have trampled upon,” said a member of the opposition, Justin Winè…“The Wagner have raped and killed without any justice. This is not normal. To put an end to their reign, Touadera must go,” he said…Locals and the government have credited Wagner forces with preventing rebels from taking control of Bangui in 2021. AP
Nigerian Troops Arrest Dozens in Week-long Oil Theft Crackdown
Nigerian troops arrested 43 suspected oil thieves and seized more than 254,000 litres of stolen fuel in a series of operations across the oil-rich Niger Delta, the army said on Monday. The week-long operations between March 31 and April 6 targeted illegal refining sites and transport networks used by oil thieves, acting army spokesperson Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said in a statement. Troops also destroyed 14 artisanal refineries and demobilized 14 boats during the operations. Oil theft and illegal refining are rife in Nigeria’s oil-rich delta as impoverished locals and more sophisticated criminal gangs pilfer pipelines to make fuel to sell for profit. Seizures were made in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states. In a large, illegal bunkering site in the Sapele area of Delta, thousands of litres of stolen crude oil and refined products were recovered, along with vehicles and equipment, Danjuma said. Reuters
Nigeria: Governor Zulum Laments Spate of Boko Haram Attacks, Says Borno Losing Ground
Governor Babagana Zulum has lamented the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Borno State, saying it signals that the state is losing ground to the jihadists. Mr Zulum made this known on Tuesday at a Special Expanded Security Meeting (ESM)…Expressing frustrations that the attacks were becoming frequent, Mr Zulum said his administration had been supporting the military’s fight against terrorism. Recently, Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified attacks against military formations and civilians in some parts of Borno State…Mr Zulum described these attacks as a setback for Borno and the North-east generally, saying they call for serious concern. The governor commended the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, praising his fight against insecurity. However, Mr Zulum called for more efforts to curtail the resurgence of violence threatening some parts of the Sahelian Borno sharing international borders with three countries — Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Premium Times
Giorgia Meloni’s Charm Offensive in Africa
[Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni]’s rightwing government, which came to power vowing to stop unauthorised migration into Italy, has been fiercely criticised by human rights groups for hardball tactics…Yet Meloni has said Rome also wants to tackle the underlying factors that drive people abroad…Italy is funding initiatives in 14 African countries through the Mattei plan. Projects range from €320mn in financing for the Lobito Corridor, which links copper mining regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo with a port in Angola, to small-scale investments in human capital development, which includes technical upskilling…Outside the development co-operation of the Mattei plan, Meloni’s government continues cultivating relations with some of Africa’s most unsavoury regimes. Italy has been criticised for freeing a Libyan warlord, who was sought by the International Criminal Court for the alleged murder, enslavement and rape of detainees in Libya. Rome’s efforts to forge closer ties in the Sahel, the semi-arid land south of the Sahara once largely colonised by France, has also put it at odds with allies. In Niger, where French troops were ousted following a 2023 coup against a pro-western president, Italy has remained willing to work with the regime, maintaining a military presence training Nigerien special forces alongside Turkish and Russian instructors. Italy has also lobbied successfully for the EU to extend a police training mission in junta-ruled Mali, which was due to end in January. Financial Times
China’s CMOC Boosts Cobalt Output at Congo Mines despite Export Ban
CMOC Group boosted cobalt production at its mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first three months of this year even after local authorities imposed a temporary halt to exports of the battery metal. CMOC’s cobalt production rose almost 20.7% to 30,414 metric tons in the three months to March, it said in a statement. Copper output rose 15.7% to about 171,000 tons. Congo, the world’s biggest cobalt supplier, in February banned exports of the metal for four months to curb market oversupply that it said was depressing prices. The price of cobalt on China’s Zhonglianjin trading platform has risen by more than 25% since the DRC government banned exports, closing at 219,000 yuan a ton on Tuesday…The company is the world’s biggest cobalt miner and last year more than doubled output of the metal to about 114,000 tons from about 56,000 tons as it ramped up copper production at its Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu mines in Congo. The Congo government has said it could either extend the ban or adopt new measures to curb the flow of cobalt on the market to boost prices. Reuters
Uganda, Singapore Sign Deal to Fight Corruption
The Ugandan government has intensified its fight against corruption in the public sector by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG) based in Singapore…Mr Dunstan Balaba, Permanent Secretary in the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President, signed on behalf of the Ugandan government. He noted that the MOU is aimed at strengthening public sector performance, accountability, and integrity through the implementation of an integrity scorecard…Mr Balaba added that the partnership would focus on several areas, including leadership development initiatives for the public sector, capacity building, training, and benchmarking visits between the two countries…The partnership will also facilitate international exchange programs for public service employees, starting with benchmarking visits by permanent secretaries to Singapore before the end of the current financial year…The agreement also covers the development of research, analytical reports, and knowledge publications. Monitor
Tanzania, Angola Sign Pact to Boost Trade, Investments
Tanzania and Angola are poised to boost trade and investment ties under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), aiming to unlock opportunities in sectors like agriculture, tourism, industry and the blue economy. The two nations have pledged to deepen their economic cooperation, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan and President João Lourenço announcing new initiatives yesterday in Luanda, during President Samia’s official visit to Angola. In a joint press briefing, President Samia revealed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and Angola’s Agency for Private Investment and Promotion of Exports (AIPEX), a step aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment. The Citizen
Tanzania, DR Congo Ink Dry Port Construction Deal
Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have concluded negotiations for the handover of land to develop dry port infrastructure in both countries as part of a broader strategy to enhance regional trade. The Tanzanian government announced that the move follows a significant 180 percent increase in cargo destined for DRC through the Dar es Salaam Port over the past four years…Speaking at the event in Lubumbashi, DRC, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, the Ministry of Transport Permanent Secretary, Prof Godius Kahyarara, described the agreement as a milestone in implementing the 2022 bilateral infrastructure development pact. Under the agreement, Tanzania will receive land for dry port development in Kasumbalesa, Kasenga, and Kalemie in DRC, while DRC will be allocated dry port sites in the Kwala Coast and Katosho (Kigoma Region) in Tanzania. The agreement aims to improve trade and enhance cargo transport efficiency through Dar es Salaam Port. The dry port project, which will be completed in the next 18 months, will operate under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The Citizen
Ivorian Digital Bank Reaches 1M Users
Ivorian digital bank Djamo said it now has 1 million active users, four years after it began operations to take on Francophone West Africa’s established commercial banks and mobile money providers. The Abidjan-based startup, which also operates in Senegal, raised $17 million this month, one of the largest venture capital rounds by an Ivorian startup, from a range of investors including Janngo Capital and Partech. It will deploy the new funding towards expanding on the spending, saving, investing, and borrowing services offered on its mobile app. Financial services in French-speaking West Africa have long been dominated by banks like Societe Generale, Orange, and Ecobank. But increasing smartphone and internet access have brought competition from upstarts, notably the billion-dollar Senegalese mobile money startup Wave. Semafor