AFP Africa

Burundi warns Rwanda as eastern DR Congo conflict advancesWed, 12 Feb 2025 19:10:29 GMT

M23 fighters and Rwandan troops on Wednesday pushed further into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as Burundi warned Kigali it would respond if attacked.The armed group, which has gained ground against the Congolese army since it re-emerged in 2021, seized two towns on the road to Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu, local …

Burundi warns Rwanda as eastern DR Congo conflict advancesWed, 12 Feb 2025 19:10:29 GMT Read More »

Sudan says ‘no obstacles’ to Russian Red Sea naval baseWed, 12 Feb 2025 18:09:59 GMT

Sudan’s foreign minister said on Wednesday there were “no obstacles” to Russia’s bid to establish a naval base on the country’s Red Sea coast.Moscow has for years had its sights on a base near Port Sudan.It has also backed rival factions in the Sudanese civil war as it strives to advance its influence with governments …

Sudan says ‘no obstacles’ to Russian Red Sea naval baseWed, 12 Feb 2025 18:09:59 GMT Read More »

Uganda opposition figure Besigye on hunger strike: lawyerWed, 12 Feb 2025 11:02:36 GMT

Ugandan former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye has gone on hunger strike, his lawyer told AFP Wednesday, months into his detention by authorities after he was snatched from neighbouring Kenya.Besigye was once President Yoweri Museveni’s trusted personal doctor but has become a government target since joining the opposition 25 years ago and unsuccessfully running for president …

Uganda opposition figure Besigye on hunger strike: lawyerWed, 12 Feb 2025 11:02:36 GMT Read More »

France set to hand over sole military base in Ivory CoastWed, 12 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

In  a few days, France will hand over its only military base in Ivory Coast, its former star colony in west Africa, and both sides say the run up is proceeding seamlessly without any rancour.The 230-hectare (570-acre) Port-Bouet military camp flanking Ivory Coast’s main city has been a fixture in the country’s life for decades …

France set to hand over sole military base in Ivory CoastWed, 12 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT Read More »

Cameroon leader turns 92 after nearly half his life in powerWed, 12 Feb 2025 06:42:33 GMT

Cameroon President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, turns 92 years old on Thursday after more than four decades in power but remains tight-lipped on whether he will run for another term in elections this year.Many people including the deeply divided opposition are in little doubt that the leader, who first won election …

Cameroon leader turns 92 after nearly half his life in powerWed, 12 Feb 2025 06:42:33 GMT Read More »

DRC conflict overshadows African summitWed, 12 Feb 2025 04:39:13 GMT

A dramatic escalation of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and swingeing US humanitarian aid cuts are set to dominate an African Union summit this week, overshadowing the election of its new chairman.The 55-nation body meets from Friday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa with Africa facing devastating conflicts in the DRC …

DRC conflict overshadows African summitWed, 12 Feb 2025 04:39:13 GMT Read More »

Gutting aid, US cedes soft power game to ChinaWed, 12 Feb 2025 01:50:32 GMT

When President Donald Trump froze nearly all US foreign aid, Cambodia was forced to suspend workers removing dangerous mines from the country  — until China stepped in with the necessary funding.In the Cook Islands, traditionally bound to New Zealand and friendly with the United States, the prime minister has announced plans to head to Beijing …

Gutting aid, US cedes soft power game to ChinaWed, 12 Feb 2025 01:50:32 GMT Read More »

Fresh fighting flares in eastern DR CongoTue, 11 Feb 2025 17:42:27 GMT

Fighting erupted Tuesday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, three days after a call by African leaders for a ceasefire and a brief lull in the conflict. Rwanda-backed M23 fighters attacked Congolese army positions in South Kivu province at dawn, local and security sources told AFP. The resurgence comes after east and southern African leaders called on …

Fresh fighting flares in eastern DR CongoTue, 11 Feb 2025 17:42:27 GMT Read More »

US foreign aid halt to have major hit on poorest countries: reportTue, 11 Feb 2025 16:22:05 GMT

A suspension of US foreign aid and possible dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will have a major impact on some of the world’s poorest countries, the Washington-based Center for Global Development (CGD) warned Tuesday.For more than 20 economies, a year-long pause on US aid could mean a loss of over one …

US foreign aid halt to have major hit on poorest countries: reportTue, 11 Feb 2025 16:22:05 GMT Read More »

‘Ridiculous and lame’: South Africans mock Trump proposalsTue, 11 Feb 2025 12:46:17 GMT

On the streets of Johannesburg’s student district, US President Donald Trump’s offer to accept white Afrikaners as refugees landed as both “ridiculous” and “lame”, among South Africans of all races.On Friday, Trump cut off aid to South Africa and claimed, without evidence, that the Pretoria government is seizing white-owned land and persecuting Afrikaners, descendants of …

‘Ridiculous and lame’: South Africans mock Trump proposalsTue, 11 Feb 2025 12:46:17 GMT Read More »