DRC: ‘They Shot My Neighbour in the Head’ – The Lakeside City Traumatised by War
Summary executions and rape were among the atrocities committed by the M23 rebel group and Rwandan soldiers during their weeks-long occupation of the lakeside city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an investigation by a leading rights group has found. Human Rights Watch (HRW) says its investigators found evidence of the execution of 53 civilians – 46 men, one woman and five boys – during door-to-door raids in the city’s neighbourhoods after the rebels, widely believed to be backed by Rwanda, captured it in December. … The M23 withdrew from Uvira – the gateway to Burundi, a key military ally of DR Congo – in January following intense diplomatic pressure. The HRW report is the first detailed study of what happened in the city when it was under M23 control. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes when the group seized control of it. HRW says it documented eight cases of rape allegedly committed by the rebels and Rwandan soldiers during the occupation. HRW says it believes the atrocities – which allegedly included abductions, enforced disappearances and forced recruitment – amount to war crimes. BBC
Two Weeks of Clashes in a Southern Sudan Region Kill Dozens, a Local Medical Group Says
Two weeks of intense clashes in southern Sudan have killed over 61 people, including nine children, a local medical group said Wednesday, fighting that is part of the larger war that has gripped the African country since 2023. According to the Sudan Doctors Network, which monitors casualty tolls in the conflict, the fighting erupted earlier this month between forces linked to the rebel group Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North and the Otoro tribe in the town of Kauda, in South Kordofan. Rebel leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, who commands the SPLM-N, has aligned his fighters with the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a group that is fighting the Sudanese military. … The SPLM-N is a breakaway faction of the SPLM, the ruling party of neighboring South Sudan. The Otoro tribe is a minority group in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan. … [The doctors group] also warned that areas around Kauda have seen “systematic burning” and attacks on civilians, with no safe corridors for evacuating the wounded or delivering aid. AP
Sudan: UN and AU Call for End to Foreign Interference
The United Nations and the African Union emphasized the importance of finding political solutions to conflicts across Africa and ending foreign interference while securing permanent funding for peace operations on the war-weary continent. A senior African Union official stated that the crisis in Sudan requires an approach that links security with development. The 10th High-Level Dialogue between the African Union and the United Nations concluded in Addis Ababa on Wednesday with a joint declaration to strengthen cooperation in security, development, and human rights. … African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf highlighted the importance of funding African peace operations, noting that the war in Sudan and crises in the Sahel and Horn of Africa require a nexus between security and development. Youssouf warned against external interference and the instability of funding for African peace missions. Sudan Tribune
Macron Ends Africa Trip in Ethiopia with Focus on UN Reform and Inclusive Governance
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday concluded his Africa visit with talks in Ethiopia that covered, among other issues, the longstanding question of Africa’s representation on the U.N. Security Council. Macron held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and later met with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, and together they discussed inclusive international governance. The leaders “recognized the need for African representation,” according to a readout shared from the meeting. Macron, who visited Egypt, Kenya and Ethiopia during his Africa trip, had called for better representation of Africa in international institutions such as the U.N. Security Council. … After the meeting between Macron and Abiy, a new loan funding agreement worth $63.9 million for Ethiopia’s green energy investment and digitalization program was announced. AP
Ethiopia: Tigray Pre-war Council Elect President Debretsion Appeals to Saudi Arabia for Clemency, Protection of Tigrayan Migrants Facing Execution Risk
Debretsion Gebremichael (PhD) has appealed to the government of Saudi Arabia to halt the imminent execution of hundreds of migrants from Tigray detained in the kingdom, urging authorities to grant clemency and ensure their safe return. In a letter dated 14 May 2026 and addressed to Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Debretsion said the migrants were “innocent citizens” caught in desperate circumstances after fleeing the humanitarian fallout of the war in Tigray. … The appeal comes amid mounting concern from rights groups and regional officials over the fate of Ethiopian nationals detained in Saudi Arabia on drug-related charges. … According to Human Rights Watch, several of the detainees are believed to be migrants who fled the Tigray war and later traveled through Yemen into Saudi Arabia in search of work. The rights group said some of the accused were arrested for transporting khat, which is culturally consumed and legal in parts of Ethiopia and Yemen but banned in Saudi Arabia. It also alleged that at least some migrants were forced by smugglers to carry the substance as part of their journey. Addis Standard
Somalia: Mogadishu Talks Collapse as Election Deadlock Deepens Ahead of Critical Deadline
High-stakes negotiations between the Somali Federal Government and the opposition “Council of the Future” collapsed on Wednesday following a heated debate over the country’s stalled electoral process, sources close to the talks said. The meeting, held under heavy security at the fortified Halane base, ended without an agreement as both sides remained sharply divided on key issues. Despite hours of intense discussions, the parties failed to find common ground and have scheduled further talks for Thursday. According to insiders, Villa Somalia is pushing for the creation of technical committees to handle the disputed points. However, opposition figures view this move as a stalling tactic designed to bypass the critical May 15 deadline, when the government’s current mandate faces a significant constitutional test. … The opposition Council of the Future has so far rejected the proposal for technical committees, demanding a more immediate and concrete political settlement. … The breakdown in talks comes as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud faces mounting pressure to secure a consensus-based electoral model. Garowe Online
Cameroon Uncovers More than 200 Illegal Gold Mines, Mostly Foreign-owned
An investigation into Cameroon’s gold sector has uncovered more than 200 illegal artisanal mining companies, most of them foreign-owned, the country’s mines ministry said on Wednesday. The investigation was launched after huge discrepancies emerged between Cameroon’s official gold exports and far higher import figures reported by other countries, in particular the United Arab Emirates. “About 200 illegal companies have been identified in the east and Adamawa regions, more than 95 percent of them foreign firms,” the ministry said in a statement. According to a list published by the ministry, many of the companies are run by Chinese nationals. Authorities have called on the firms to “immediately halt mining activities” but did not mention possible sanctions or legal action. Africanews with AFP
South Africa: Jacob Zuma’s Arms Deal Trial to Proceed as Court Rules against ‘Stalingrad’ Delays
The KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg ruled on Thursday that the long-delayed arms deal corruption trial against former president Jacob Zuma and French arms company Thales must proceed. Delivering his judgment in the state’s “Stop Stalingrad” application, Judge Nkosinathi Chili ordered that the trial move forward despite various pending interlocutory challenges from both legal teams. In a blow to the defence’s efforts to stall the merits of the case, Chili noted he was “unable to point to any injustice if the trial proceeds while there are pending interlocutory proceedings”. The ruling paves the way for the NPA to finally bring the decades-old charges of racketeering, corruption, and money laundering to trial. News 24
Cape Verde Elections 2026: Is Democracy on the Line?
As Cape Verde heads to the polls on May 17, voters face a defining choice between continuity and change. Economic frustration, youth unemployment, and democratic decline dominate the campaign. Cape Verdeans vote on May 17 in a pivotal election for all 72 seats, with over 400,000 voters and a contest between ruling MPD and opposition PAICV. Campaigns highlight stability versus renewal, amid rising living costs and youth unemployment. Analysts see limited policy differences and warn of democratic decline. The outcome will test unity, institutions, and leaders’ ability to deliver jobs and restore trust across the islands and diaspora communities. DW
Africa’s Energy Producers Race to Boost Output
Countries across Africa accelerated plans to boost their energy independence as the Iran war galvanized efforts across the continent to reduce reliance on imported fuels. Senegal is courting $7.5 billion in investment to develop a major gas field discovered around a decade ago that could help ease the country’s costly energy subsidies. Morocco and Nigeria, meanwhile, have vowed to jointly develop a $25 billion pipeline. While some African countries are major oil and gas producers, the continent imports the vast majority of its fuels, leaving it badly exposed to foreign energy shocks. In response, Africa’s richest man has vowed to upgrade the continent’s refining capacity. Semafor
South Africa Declares Natural Disaster as Flooding Kills at Least 10
At least 10 people are dead with many homes destroyed in flooding caused by torrential rains across six provinces in South Africa that have hit informal settlements especially hard. South African authorities have declared a natural disaster for the flooding, thunderstorms, high winds and even snowfall that have affected parts of the Western Cape, North West, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces since May 4. The declaration enables the government to use emergency funds and other resources to respond. Cape Town was badly affected, and the Western Cape provincial government has ordered the temporary closure of schools and parts of the city’s Table Mountain tourist attraction. Local officials there on Tuesday said at least 26 informal settlements around the city had been affected by flooding, with over 10,000 structures damaged. … Experts have said severe floods across Southern Africa are intensifying, driven by extreme weather patterns. Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe experienced unusually heavy rains in recent months, with the region’s worst flooding in years. AP
Remains of Second US Soldier Who Went Missing during Military Exercises in Morocco Have Been Recovered
The remains of the second US army soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered, the army said on Wednesday, ending a multinational search operation that deployed air, naval and artificial intelligence assets. The soldier was identified as Spc Mariyah Symone Collington of Taveres, Florida, the US Army Europe and Africa said in a statement. She was 19 years old. … Collington served as an air and missile defense crew member and was assigned to Charlie battery, fifth battalion, fourth air defense artillery regiment, 10th army air and missile defense command, US Army Europe and Africa said. … The two soldiers were reported missing on 2 May after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise held in Morocco. … African Lion 26 is a US-led exercise launched in April across four countries – Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Senegal – with more than 7,000 personnel from more than 30 nations. Since 2004, it has been the largest US joint military exercise in Africa. AP