UAVs in the Western Indian Ocean Forcing Adaptations in Maritime Security
The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is transforming maritime security across East Africa’s coastal regions. … The WIO faces persistent maritime security challenges, including piracy, trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. … These vulnerabilities are compounded by the growing accessibility of unmanned technologies. This proliferation is reshaping maritime security in the region, transforming both operational practices and the safeguarding of sovereignty at sea. … Maritime access is increasingly exercised indirectly through disruption, risk imposition, and remote targeting rather than continuous territorial presence. UAVs are central to this transformation, enabling destabilizing actors to monitor, threaten, and influence maritime activity without conventional naval dominance. … Meanwhile, governments deploy UAVs to enhance maritime domain awareness through ongoing, low-cost surveillance of vast exclusive economic zones (EEZs). … The expansion of UAVs in the maritime security space, thus, is a double-edged sword. While they enable governments to extend their surveillance and monitoring capacity, they simultaneously advance the capacity of malign actors to conduct reconnaissance, coordinate attacks, and directly target vessels. … A defining feature of UAV deployment in the WIO is the structural separation between detection and enforcement. … Addressing this gap requires integrating surveillance systems with enforcement capacity, legal authority, evidentiary frameworks, and institutional coordination capable of completing the enforcement cycle. Africa Center for Strategic Studies
IOM: Nearly 50,000 Displaced by Conflict in Sudan’s Blue Nile Region
Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Sudan’s Blue Nile region following an escalation in fighting, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday. Since the beginning of the year, an alliance comprising the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the SPLM-N (al-Hulu) has launched attacks on the towns of Kurmuk, Geissan, and Bau. The violence has destroyed infrastructure and paralyzed commercial and agricultural activities in the southeastern region. In its latest report, the IOM stated that 49,512 individuals fled their homes in Kurmuk, Bau, and Geissan after insecurity spiked on Jan. 11. … The Blue Nile region currently hosts a total of 361,000 displaced persons across 252 sites in seven localities, according to March statistics. … The IOM also reported that the region has seen 187,000 returnees, including 137,000 who arrived from outside Sudan. However, a trend unique to Blue Nile is that 67% of these returnees have settled in collective shelters rather than their original homes, unlike returnees in other Sudanese states, who have largely managed to return to their private residences. Sudan Tribune
UN, AU Chiefs to Meet in Addis Ababa over Sudan Crisis
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssef will hold a summit on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Sudan. The United Nations and the African Union are working within the “Quintet Mechanism,” which also includes IGAD, the Arab League, and the European Union. The bloc aims to contain the Sudanese conflict and bridge gaps between political factions to launch a process for the country’s future governance. Diplomatic sources told Sudan Tribune that Guterres and Youssef will meet at the African Union headquarters in the Ethiopian capital. The discussions are expected to focus on the humanitarian situation and various initiatives proposed to end the war. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of increasing restrictions on aid delivery, noting that several relief convoys have recently been targeted by drone strikes. Sudan Tribune
U.S. Announces Visa Restrictions for Individuals Undermining South Sudan Peace
The United States Department of State on Tuesday announced targeted visa restrictions for individuals involved in undermining peace in South Sudan. A press statement signed by Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, the Department’s spokesperson, did not immediately name the targeted individuals, but said the Transitional Government of South Sudan has, for years, impeded implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). … The statement added that there have also been credible reports of human rights violations and abuses, and ethnically motivated killings of the Nuer people. … The sanctions come days after a visit to Juba by Africa Bureau Senior Official Nick Checker, who urged South Sudanese leaders to take urgent steps to restore peace, improve governance, and strengthen cooperation on security and immigration issues. The measures also come amid growing criticism of the government’s move to unilaterally amend the 2018 peace agreement without the participation of key stakeholders, especially the opposition group led by suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who is currently detained and facing treason charges. Radio Tamazuj
Burkina Faso’s Military Rulers Intensify Crackdown on Civil Society Groups
Burkina Faso’s military rulers intensified their crackdown on NGOs and civil society groups on Tuesday, announcing the suspension of a further 247 associations. This brings to more than 900 the number of organisations closed or dissolved by the junta since last month. Those impacted by the latest ministerial decree includes Burkina-based associations working in the fields of health, education, women’s rights, farming, the environment, culture, and sport. In July 2025, junta leader Ibrahim Traore signed a law restricting the workings of rights groups and syndicates. … International NGOs and charities that receive foreign donations are regularly accused by the junta of spying or collusion with jihadists fighting the army. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have expressed their alarm over the moves which further tightens the junta’s control over civil society. Amnesty last month described the dissolution of associations as inconsistent with Burkina Faso’s constitution, which it said guarantees freedom of association and union. The crackdown comes a month after the military government issued a decree dissolving all political parties. Africanews with AFP
‘Blatant Disregard for Rights’: Concern Grows over Gabon’s Social Media Clampdown
Social media had helped citizens convene and stay informed since December, when workers in the education and health sectors protested over pay and the cost of living crisis. The government cited misinformation, disinformation, pornographic content, and incitement to hatred as reasons for the shutdown. Rights groups have urged authorities to follow due process to prosecute any offenders, rather than collective punishment through unconstitutional restriction of freedom of expression. “This sustained intentional interference with access to essential digital communication platforms in Gabon is a blatant disregard for people’s fundamental rights, specifically the freedom of expression and the right to access information,” said Felicia Anthonio, campaign manager at the #KeepItOn coalition — a global alliance of hundreds of human rights groups. … The restrictions were temporarily lifted in April. However, a new regulation passed in February mandates social media users to provide verified names, addresses and ID numbers. Social networks are at risk of 50m central African CFA franc (£66,000) fines and prison terms for non-compliance. The law is one of a number of far-reaching changes to codify a crackdown on dissent including a controversial new nationality code signed in February and published last month. The Guardian
Uganda and DR Congo Sign Six New Bilateral Agreements
Uganda and the Democratic Republic are looking to strengthen their cooperation with the signing of six new bilateral agreements on Monday. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi travelled to Kampala for the 9th session of the two countries’ Joint Standing Committee, ahead of his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday. The six Memoranda of Understanding tackle various key sectors including trade, security, diplomatic relations and tourism. … The new deals are set to boost trade between Kampala and Kinshasa. The DRC remains Uganda’s largest trading partner and one of its biggest export destinations, according to Irene Batebe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. … Batebe said Uganda’s exports to the DRC were valued at over $800 million in 2025/26, with “total bilateral trade amounting to approximately $1 billion.” The two neighbours also sought to pursue their security partnership. Since 2021, Ugandan and Congolese forces are both engaged in Operation Shujaa, a military offensive against the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern DRC. Africanews
Authorities in East Libya Say 120 Migrants Recovered from Trafficking Dens
Authorities in eastern Libya say they have found and deported 120 migrants who were being held captive by people traffickers south of Benghazi, and have recovered the bodies of three other migrants from the Mediterranean shore. A statement by the security directorate in the city of Ajdabiya said an Egyptian migrant who had escaped and was found lost and exhausted in the coastal town of Bishr had led security services to the locations where the other migrants were being held. The Egyptian had been held with compatriots and migrants of other nationalities “inside a den used to torture migrants and blackmail their families”, according to the statement, which was released late on Monday. Since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe via dangerous routes across the desert and over the Mediterranean. The oil-dependent Libyan economy is also a draw for impoverished migrants seeking work, but security throughout the sprawling country is poor, leaving migrants vulnerable to abuse. Reuters
South Africa’s Ramaphosa Turns to Courts to Stall Impeachment
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to challenge a decision by the country’s top court reviving an impeachment inquiry against him, shifting the fight from a hostile parliament to the courts and easing pressure on the country’s fragile coalition government. His late-night televised announcement came days after South Africa’s Constitutional Court ordered lawmakers to restart scrutiny they halted when they binned a report that found evidence of wrongdoing in Ramaphosa’s handling of the 2020 theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala game farm. … Parliament had already outlined steps to set up an impeachment committee to probe Ramaphosa further. His lawyers are expected to argue that lawmakers cannot move ahead with that process if the report they are meant to rely on is under legal challenge. They may also ask the courts to temporarily block the legislature from acting until the review is complete — a process that could stretch for months. The Phala Phala incident became public in 2022 after a former intelligence chief accused Ramaphosa of trying to cover it up. In response, parliament set up a panel led by a retired chief justice, which found that Ramaphosa had a case to answer: It said that Ramaphosa’s farming business exposed him to a conflict of interest, that he may have broken anti-graft laws by failing to report the crime, and that he abused state resources with off-the-books investigations to track down suspects. But the legislature, then dominated by the governing African National Congress, voted to stop the process. Last week, the Constitutional Court ruled that vote was unlawful and ordered parliament to restart the inquiry, setting off the latest political confrontation. Semafor
Ghana to Evacuate 300 Citizens from South Africa after Xenophobic Attacks
Ghana will evacuate 300 citizens from South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks targeting migrants from other sub-Saharan African countries, a post by the foreign minister said on X. Foreign minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the citizens had registered for assistance with the Ghana High Commission. Some South Africans are protesting against illegal immigration from other sub-Saharan African countries. South African authorities have said illegal immigration is a problem while condemning the violence and vowing in April to crack down on xenophobic attacks. Ghana has protested over videos of violent incidents circulating on social media and promised to look after its citizens at home and abroad. Other African countries including Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe have warned their citizens in South Africa to exercise caution and stay indoors amid attacks targeting foreigners. Nigeria has said at least 130 citizens have asked to be flown home. Reuters
Ivory Coast Will Send Officials to Calm Protests by Cocoa Farmers, Source Says
Ivory Coast’s Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) will send officials to the centre-eastern part of the country to calm tensions among farmers who protested last week over unsold cocoa stocks they say are rotting, despite a council pledge to buy the beans, a source close to the council told Reuters. Farmers have not been paid for beans sold during the main crop, fuelling protests and discouragement that could weigh on the next harvest, farmers and cooperatives told Reuters on Tuesday. CCC managers will travel to the centre-eastern town of M’Batto, where police tear-gassed dozens of farmers last week as they blocked roads while demanding payment for their cocoa. …Unsold cocoa stocks built up in Ivory Coast, the world’s top producer, from November to December after global prices fell sharply below local prices, which are set twice a year by the CCC. The government launched a programme to collect the unsold beans, but many farmers and cooperatives say they still have not been paid for main-crop cocoa harvested between October and March. Reuters
Africa CDC and Aspen Pharmacare Aim to Boost Vaccine Output in Africa
The African Union’s public health agency and South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare are in talks on a long‑term framework aimed at boosting vaccine production on the continent, after the COVID‑19 pandemic exposed its overreliance on imports. Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the continent’s largest pharmaceutical company said on Tuesday the talks are focused on building viable markets for vaccines produced in Africa as part of efforts to improve health security and reduce the continent’s reliance on imports. … Africa currently imports the vast majority of the vaccines it uses despite consuming more than 1 billion doses a year. The proposed collaboration seeks to address that dependence by exploring a multi‑year arrangement to support local manufacturing capacity and supply security. Reuters