Gunmen Attack Airport in Niger’s Capital as Explosions, Gunfire Heard
Gunmen attacked the main airport in Niger’s capital of Niamey early Thursday morning, leading to an exchange of fire and explosions, witnesses and a security official said. Security forces were deployed to repel the attack after the gunmen breached the airport security, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation. It was not immediately clear who the attackers were. An Associated Press journalist said soldiers were searching people on the road to the airport in the aftermath of the gunfire. It was the second attack at Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey this year, after the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a similar attack in January that targeted Niger’s drone assets. Niger, led by a military junta since a 2023 coup, has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, including neighbors Burkina Faso and Mali that are also run by military juntas. The airport is a strategic hub that hosts a Nigerien air force base as well as the headquarters of the Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali joint military force. AP
Benin and Niger Formalise Commitment to Reopening Shared Border
Benin and Niger have reaffirmed their commitment to reopening their shared border in a joint communique released on Tuesday. The statement builds on discussions earlier this month during a visit to Niamey by Benin’s newly inaugurated President Romuald Wadagni. Talks with Niger’s junta leader Abdurahmane Tiani resulted in a nine-point plan setting out the leaders’ “commitment to boosting bilateral cooperation” and creating a committee to examine conditions for reopening the border. They also vowed to join forces against “terrorism and banditry” in the region by strengthening security coordination and gradually normalising bilateral relations. The border has been closed since Niger’s 2023 coup, initially due to ECOWAS sanctions. Sanctions were lifted a year later but Niamey kept the border closed after accusing Benin of harbouring “French bases” bent on destabilising Niger. During his inauguration speech at the end of May, Wadagni stressed the importance of rebuilding cooperation with neighbouring countries. He also visited Burkina Faso earlier this month. Africanews
Uganda, Kenya Law Societies Condemn Misprision of Treason Charge against Lukwago
The Uganda Law Society (ULS) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have strongly condemned the charging of former Kampala Lord Mayor and senior lawyer Erias Lukwago with misprision of treason. They described the prosecution as an attack on the legal profession and the administration of justice. In separate statements issued yesterday, the two bar associations questioned the circumstances surrounding Mr Lukwago’s arrest and subsequent prosecution, warning that the case could have a chilling effect on lawyers representing clients in politically sensitive cases. Mr Lukwago, who is one of the lead defence lawyers for opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Obeid Lutale, was charged with misprision of treason and remanded to Luzira Prison until Monday next week when the state is expected to respond to his bail application. The charge followed his arrest on Monday from his home in Wakaliga, Rubaga Division, Kampala, by armed men dressed in military uniform. … “This is classic lawfare: the weaponisation of criminal justice institutions to harass, cripple and neutralise the defence team of political opponents,” [Mr Isaac Ssemakadde] said. … [Lukwago’s] arrest came as he was reportedly preparing to serve court documents on Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba in a separate legal matter connected to Dr Besigye’s ongoing treason case where he alleges death threats against him. Monitor
Sudanese Political Movement Urges El Obeid Protection to Prevent Repeat of El Fasher Atrocities
A Sudanese political movement has called for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian truce in Greater Kordofan, warning that the city of El Obeid is on the brink of a security and humanitarian collapse similar to El Fasher. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Revolutionary Democratic Current (SPLM-RDC) expressed deep concern over the severe deterioration in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State. The group reported that continuous fighting and drone strikes have entered a second consecutive week. Missiles and heavy weapons continue to strike civilian areas, causing widespread casualties and panic among residents. The group stated that the ongoing targeting of residential sectors and critical infrastructure constitutes a full-fledged war crime. According to reports from within El Obeid, recent strikes have targeted civilian zones and vital infrastructure, including two major petrol stations. This has severely exacerbated the local fuel crisis, disrupting civilian movement and essential services. The city is also suffering from severe shortages of drinking water, electricity, and life-saving medicines. The scarcity of daily necessities has driven up commodity prices, sharply declining the livelihood of the local population. The SPLM-RDC noted that El Obeid has experienced ongoing security breakdowns for more than two months. The faction warned that the city houses more than one million civilians whose lives are increasingly threatened by the escalating conflict. Sudan Tribune
Far from the World Cup, a Girls Team Tries to Revive Soccer Dreams for War-ravaged Sudan
With the men’s World Cup unfolding on the other side of the planet, Sudan’s under-17 women’s national team traveled to Morocco last week for qualifying matches on the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The inexperienced squad suffered heavy defeats against Comoros, conceding 30 goals in two matches. Many of the players broke down in tears after the final whistle in front of a dozen cheering fans. They faced an older, fitter, and more experienced opponent. Unable to assemble a senior women’s squad in time, Sudan’s soccer federation entered a younger team to avoid forfeiting its place in the qualifiers. They only started training weeks ago. “The difference between us and the others is huge. We cannot yet compete at the highest level,” Burhan Tia, a veteran Sudanese soccer coach who oversees all of Sudan’s women’s national teams, said after the first match, a 17–0 defeat. “Comoros has many players competing in Europe, our team is mainly made up of schoolgirls.” Sudan’s women’s soccer collapsed when civil war erupted in 2023. For federation officials, debuting this young squad in Casablanca after years of conflict marks an important step in keeping women’s soccer alive in Sudan. AP
Nigeria: How Navy Drone Surveillance Exposed Secret Oil Theft Reservoir in Delta
The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a concealed crude oil storage site containing about 17,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Delta State, following an intelligence-led operation supported by aerial surveillance under Operation Delta Sentinel. The discovery was made by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA during a targeted operation around the Ugbokodo Creek axis after receiving credible intelligence on suspected crude oil theft activities in the area. According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, naval personnel initially found no obvious signs of illegal activity during a ground search of the location. However, further analysis of drone-generated imagery and aerial surveillance footage revealed a large reservoir that had been deliberately concealed beneath leaves, wooden planks, and dense vegetation in an attempt to evade detection. PR Nigeria
South Sudan: Morobo Fortifies Ebola Preparedness after Suspected Case in Nearby DRC
The health authorities in Central Equatoria State’s Morobo County said they have reinforced measures to deal with Ebola after a suspected case was registered in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Ingbokolo area, just 20 kilometres away. On Monday, a suspected Ebola patient died within 24 hours after developing symptoms consistent with the disease in Ingbokolo. James Malish, the county’s health director, told Radio Tamazuj that they were alerted about the death of the suspected Ebola patient and that it puts residents at risk due to the proximity of the area and porous borders. … “We have done our assessment, formed our committee headed by the commissioner, and created a Rapid Response Team. We identified at least eight points of entry at which we are supposed to put people who can screen travellers to identify suspected cases,” he said. … Meanwhile, Morobo County Commissioner Joseph Mawa appealed for support. … “As the leadership of the county, we have taken measures to stop the spread, and with help from the WHO, we have an Ebola Task Force which is working, and they have set up screening points at entry points to DRC and Uganda,” he said. “We also have porous entry points like Kaka, Odotla, and Bazi, which IOM will soon cover. The staff is already prepared to set up the screening points.” The commissioner urged travellers to move through authorized entry points so that they can be screened, saying this will check the spread of Ebola. … Although South Sudan has not recorded any Ebola cases linked to the current outbreak, health authorities classify the country as being at high risk due to its proximity to affected areas and the movement of people across borders. Radio Tamazuj
South Sudan to Host Global Logistics Convention in August for First Time
South Sudan will host the Global Logistics Convention (GLC) for the first time in August, bringing together about 1,000 trade, transport and logistics stakeholders from Africa and beyond to discuss investment, regional integration and trade facilitation, organisers said on Wednesday. The three-day event, scheduled for Aug. 25–27 in Juba, is expected to attract freight forwarders, policymakers, investors, researchers and development partners seeking to strengthen transport and logistics networks across the continent. “This is our time to shine as the South Sudanese business community,” said Deng Daniel Ayuen, president of the South Sudan Freight Forwarders Association, during a media briefing in Juba. Ayuen said the convention would provide a platform for governments and the private sector to explore trade opportunities, address logistical bottlenecks and develop policies to boost cross-border commerce. He said participants would also discuss ways to improve regional trade corridors, including export routes from South Sudan to neighbouring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The convention is being organised in partnership with the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), a regional body representing customs agents and freight forwarders across East Africa. Radio Tamazuj
15 Countries in Kenya Adopt the Mombasa Declaration to Fight Illegal Fishing
Fifteen countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific adopted a declaration on Wednesday to step up efforts to combat illegal fishing, a practice that experts say costs the world economy up to $50 billion annually. The Mombasa Declaration, named after the Kenyan city hosting the 11th Our Ocean Conference, calls on governments to improve access to information on fishing vessels, ownership and licensing, and to strengthen data sharing to better track fishing activities and enforce regulations. Out of the more than 30 countries represented in the summit, Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia and South Korea signed the agreement. The signatories said in a statement the measures are intended to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, also known as IUU fishing, which threatens marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fisheries. … The declaration builds support for the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, a set of 10 policy principles aimed at improving governance through low-cost reforms, including modernizing vessel registries and publishing fishing authorizations. AP
Senegal Court Declines to Hear Challenge against Sonko’s Return to Parliament
Senegal’s Constitutional Council on Wednesday declined to hear a challenge against former prime minister Ousmane Sonko’s recent reinstatement to parliament, where he now serves as speaker after a falling-out with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The decision cements Sonko’s perch atop the National Assembly, where he could become a serious counterweight to the president’s ability to govern. Faye dramatically fired Sonko as prime minister in late May after months of tension and growing disagreement between the former allies. Sonko was subsequently reinstated to the National Assembly, where he was immediately and overwhelmingly elected speaker. The Constitutional Council’s decision had been expected and is final, with no further recourse available for the opposition, which brought the challenge. … The two men, both members of the pan-Africanist Pastef party, fell out over disagreements on how Senegal should battle its massive public debt and other policy issues. Africanews
Nigeria’s Dangote Secures $600M for Fertilizer Arm
The Dangote Group’s fertilizer arm secured $600 million from the African Finance Corporation to drive the urea producer’s expansion plans. Dangote’s plant in Lagos produces 3 million metric tonnes of fertilizer annually, making it a key supplier for Africa as the continent seeks to wean itself off imports in the wake of the Iran war, which laid bare its reliance on supplies transported through the Strait of Hormuz. AFC’s financing is part of Dangote’s $7 billion expansion plan to triple fertilizer output from its Nigeria plant, and set up a new one in Ethiopia. It is one of several major expansion projects in the Dangote ecosystem: The firm also plans to double production from its Nigerian oil refinery and build a facility in East Africa. Semafor
DR Congo Shocks Portugal with a 1-1 Draw in Its First World Cup Appearance since 1974
Just two days after Cape Verde was able to tie Spain 0-0, another African side scored a surprising point against a European power. DR Congo, making its first World Cup appearance since the nation was Zaire in 1974, scored its first World Cup goal in a 1-1 draw with Portugal in Houston on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa scored the game-tying goal with the last play of the first half off a DR Congo corner. … Before Wednesday’s game, DR Congo was most known for one of the worst World Cup losses ever. In 1974, Zaire lost 9-0 to Yugoslavia, a game that is still tied for the biggest margin of victory in tournament history. Now, the country has a legitimate chance of making it to the Round of 32 in a group that also includes Colombia and Uzbekistan. Yahoo Sports