Overcoming Challenges to Reform the African Union
The African Union (AU) has been criticized for a lack of robust leadership on major crises like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the two Sudans, Cameroon, and the Sahel. The AU is likewise actively engaged with facilitating intercontinental economic integration to unblock unrealized synergies of expanding markets and trade within this continent of 54 countries and 1.5 billion people. Africans, moreover, look to the AU to provide a compelling and collective voice to represent African interests in international forums or when swift and coordinated African responses are required…Yet, progress on longstanding calls for AU reforms on peace and security, improving organizational efficiency, economic cooperation, and global representation has been protracted…While disorganization and inconsistent implementation of decisions persist, the AU still has an opportunity to become a more effective, influential, and institutionally sound continental political union as envisioned by the Founding Fathers. However, there is a pressing need to reevaluate its operations and functions to give it revitalized meaning and purpose. This will require political will, a shared mission, power-sharing between key institutions, and a sense of renewed urgency. Most of all, it requires strong citizen participation and ownership, as grand projects of this kind depend greatly on bottom-up pressure from below. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Nigerian Garrison Town Offers Haven For People Fleeing Jihadists
From the air, Monguno looks like a fortress, with deep trenches slashing into the sand around this garrison town in northeast Nigeria’s volatile Borno State. These defences have kept the Monguno largely secure despite the region witnessing a recent surge in attacks on military bases by jihadists fighting a grinding 16-year war. Fighting in Borno may have eased since the conflict’s peak in 2015, as jihadists have been forced back. But militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province group or its rival, Boko Haram, have attacked or temporarily overrun a dozen army bases this year in Borno and neighbouring Yobe state. Monguno itself fell briefly to the jihadists in 2015…Monguno has become a refuge for the people of Borno thanks to the presence of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which groups troops from three Lake Chad countries: Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin. The vast base houses the force’s Nigerian sector command…But despite a reinforced trench system and aerial surveillance, the country “still has great difficulty attacking jihadists in the heart of their territories in more remote areas”, he said. The resurgence of attacks is all the more worrying given that the groups now have new means at their disposal, as demonstrated by the first use of drones on December 24 against the Wajiroko military base in northeast Nigeria. AFP
Gunmen Kill 27 in Restive Central Nigeria
Gunmen killed 27 people in north-central Nigeria’s Plateau state, in the latest bout of violence in the restive region, local sources told AFP on Tuesday. Plateau and parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, has suffered deadly farmer-herder clashes over land and natural resources, as well as violence meted out armed criminals known as “bandits”. Resident Haggai Gankis told AFP the attackers stormed the settlement of Jebu-Rahoss, in the Riyom local government area, on Monday evening, armed with guns and machetes…For years, heavily armed bandit gangs have intensified their assaults in rural areas in northwest and central Nigeria. At the same time, Plateau state has been riven by conflicts between herders and farmers over dwindling land and grazing space…Land grabs, political and economic tensions between locals and those considered outsiders have heightened divisions in recent decades, as has an influx of hardline Muslim and Christian preachers…Much of the violence in Plateau occurs in areas with little police or government presence, giving criminals a sense of impunity as killings almost always go unsolved, researchers say. AFP
‘Tired of This Regime’: Togo Youth March for Change
Togo’s ruler Faure Gnassingbe took power in 2005 following the death of his father Eyadema, who had ruled the country for 38 years himself. Gnassingbe’s government has ramped up its crackdown on the rare demonstrations to hit Togo in recent years, with activists blaming the police for the deaths of several marchers in the June unrest…Sixty percent of Togo’s eight million-strong population is under 25 years old, while 43 percent live in poverty, according to official figures…The June protests were sparked by the arrest and detention in a psychiatric hospital of popular Togolese rapper Aamron. Authorities in late May detained the rapper — who has since been released — after he posted an ironic call on Facebook to celebrate Gnassingbe’s birthday. In the wake of Aamron’s arrest, dozens of outraged young people took to the streets of the capital on June 5, inspired by posts on social media…Many are also angry over a 2024 constitutional reform, swapping Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, which critics have branded a power grab by Gnassingbe to tighten his grip on the country…The protests have also been supported by critics of Gnassingbe living abroad, such as popular investigative journalist Ferdinand Ayite. The government has since announced international warrants for its critics in exile. AFP
Russia Scales up Propaganda Operations across Africa, Ukrainian Intelligence Says
Russia is actively increasing its influence across African countries, using propaganda networks such as the Russian state information agency TASS and state-owned news outlet RT, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said on July 13. As of July 13, the channel, widely acknowledged as a Kremlin propaganda machine, is broadcast in more than 40 African countries in six languages, according to HUR’s statement on social media. In June 2025, RT began to produce content in Portuguese for the markets of Mozambique and Angola. By the end of the year, the channel plans to launch broadcasting in Amharic for the audience in Ethiopia, HUR says…Over the past 2 years RT has increased the number of its African partner TV channels twofold, — from 30 to 60. RT had also implemented educational programs for local journalists, training over a thousand media professionals according to Russian standards in 2024, according to HUR…TASS also plans to develop its networks by opening correspondent bureaus in Ethiopia, Senegal, Algeria, Congo, and other African countries. According to the statement, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) controls the recruitment of personnel for the bureaus. Kyiv Independent
Tanzania: Another Delay for Tundu Lissu Treason Case as He Cries Foul
Incarcerated Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu on Tuesday lamented being “sick and tired” of delays after a magistrate adjourned his treason case for the fourth time. The magistrate postponed the case until July 30 to give state prosecutors more time to implement comprehensive protection procedures for witnesses once the hearing begins at the High Court. Principal resident magistrate Franco Kiswaga at the Kisutu Court in Dar es Salaam dismissed an impassioned plea by Lissu, who is defending himself in the high-profile case, for the proceedings to be fast-tracked. The ruling means Lissu, who has already spent more than three months in detention since his arrest in early April, will remain in prison for at least another two weeks, even as Tanzania steps up its preparations for the general election in October. Treason is a capital offence for which bail is not available in Tanzania and carries an automatic death penalty for those found guilty. Lissu was indicted for leading a campaign by his political party, Chadema, for electoral reforms that he argued would prevent rigging during the upcoming election…Shortly after his arrest, Chadema was disqualified from participating in the election, a move which most political observers agree has effectively killed off any meaningful opposition to the ruling CCM party’s dominance in the election. The East African
Sudan Exhumes Grave Holding RSF Victims, Christians at University
Sudanese authorities on Monday began exhuming a makeshift cemetery at a university that holds the remains of people killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Christian civilians, a prosecutor said. The exhumation of 26 graves on the Al-Nashisheiba campus of the University of Al Jazirah follows a legal complaint filed by the university after its grounds were used for burials. Omer Yousef Adlan, a public prosecutor, said the graves contained victims of the RSF, civilians whose families were prevented by the RSF from using the city’s official cemeteries, and some RSF members. He added that the remains of Christians would be reinterred in Christian cemeteries…The Sudanese Armed Forces recaptured the city of Wad Madani from the RSF earlier this year. During its year-long occupation of Al Jazirah state, the RSF was widely accused of atrocities, including mass killings, forced displacement, sexual violence, and widespread looting. Adlan condemned the RSF for blocking families from burying their dead, describing the militia’s actions as a violation of “human nature and religious teachings.” The exhumation was overseen by police officials and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. Sudan Tribune
Blast Kills Three Kenyan Soldiers on Road near Somali Border
A blast has killed three Kenyan soldiers patrolling a road in the east of the country near the Somali border, the military said. The Islamist group al Shabaab said on its website at least two Kenyan soldiers were killed and others wounded in a blast that targeted a convoy in a similar area on Tuesday, but it did not directly claim responsibility. The patrol hit an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on Tuesday morning on the road between Sankuri and Kiunga, a coastal town 12 km (7.5 miles) from the Somali border, the army said. Al Shabaab controls large swathes of southern and central Somalia and frequently makes cross-border attacks on military and civilian targets, which security analysts say are aimed at pressuring Kenya into withdrawing its troops from peacekeeping missions in Somalia. Reuters
Ethiopia Arrests 82 Suspected Members of Islamic State Group
More than 80 suspected members of the Islamic State group have been arrested across Ethiopia, state media said, claiming they intended to carry out a “terror mission”. The 82 individuals were trained in neighbouring Somali Puntland region, according to state outlet Fana Media Corporation, which cited a statement from the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS). Ethiopia shares a long border with Somalia, which for months has been experiencing a resurgence of attacks by the Islamist Al-Shabaab group. Fana said late Tuesday the suspected Islamic State group members were “identified and arrested”, but did not give any further details. The suspects “had been recruited for a terror mission”, Fana said, noting the arrests took place in several regions across the country, including capital Addis Ababa. AFP
Medical Charity MSF Accuses Ethiopian Soldiers of ‘Targeted Killing’ of 3 Staffers in Tigray in 2021
International aid organization Doctors Without Borders on Tuesday released a report describing the gunning-down of three staffers in Ethiopia’s Tigray region four years ago as an “intentional and targeted killing” by members of Ethiopia’s military. Ethiopia’s government hasn’t commented on the new report and didn’t immediately reply to questions from The Associated Press. María Hernández Matas, a 35-year-old Spanish coordinator, local colleague Yohannes Haleform Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam were shot dead in June 2021, forcing the medical charity, also known by its French acronym, MSF, to stop its services in Tigray despite conflict there…The new MSF report accuses the Ethiopian federal government of not following through on its promise to investigate and release its findings, despite pressure from the families of the deceased and the humanitarian organization…The report says Ethiopian troops were on the road where the MSF staffers were killed, and some civilian witnesses overheard a radio exchange between a commander and his troops as he gave an order to shoot. AP
CPJ, 180 Partners Call for René Capain Bassène’s Release in Senegal
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 180 journalists, civil society organizations, and academic researchers in a joint letter urging Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye to end the prolonged detention of journalist and writer René Capain Bassène, who has been behind bars since January 2018 and convicted of complicity in murder. A CPJ investigation found Bassène could never have committed the crime, yet Senegal’s Supreme Court dismissed Bassène’s final appeal of a life sentence on May 3, 2025. Bassène was finalizing a fourth book on the separatist conflict in southern Senegal at the time of his arrest. “As a son of Casamance, I wrote out of duty, for posterity so that the history of this conflict would not disappear from the collective memory and that it would never happen again,” said Bassène from the Aristide Le Dantec hospital in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, where he underwent a June 4 to repair an eardrum perforated during his arrest. He added, “I thank from the bottom of my heart all the signatories who believe in my innocence and are fighting for my release.” CPJ
WAFCON Is Thrilling Fans but Faces Familiar Problems
The rescheduled women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is underway in Morocco, a year later than planned. The tournament sees some of the best players in the world fighting for glory, but as players and nations emerge, familiar problems linger that threaten to prevent the tournament from reaching its full potential…As a result of the delay, scheduling for the tournament only came out at the end of May, leaving promotion somewhat last minute, especially compared to the Euros. Furthermore, with three stadiums in Morocco being renovated for the men’s tournament, three smaller grounds are now being used, affecting attendance numbers. Beyond the elusive recognition that many of these teams deserve is the question of fair financial compensation…The prize money on offer is also a contentious issue. On the face of it, the CAF announcement that the prize fund for this year’s WAFCON had been increased by 45% was positive, with the winners now receiving €853,000 ($1 million). But that total is less than the winners of the other two women’s competitions this summer — the Euros (€1.75 million) and Copa America Femenina (€1.3 million). DW
Prioritizing African Publishing Could Double Its Value, UNESCO Report Says
Africa’s $7 billion book industry could be worth $18.5 billion if governments invested in local publishing and reduced their reliance on foreign players, a UNESCO report argued. Educational publishing is particularly lucrative in countries such as Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, UNESCO said. The continent could also better reflect Africa’s linguistic diversity by prioritizing local publishing houses over European ones, the authors wrote. Their argument echoes the stance of legendary Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who championed writing in African languages and died in May, aged 87. In recent years there has been growing financial interest in developing Africa’s publishing industry. In 2023, for instance, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) introduced the CANEX Book Factory, a digital platform, to highlight Africa’s book value chain alongside launching the CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa. Semafor