Eye on Africa

Vincent Meriton of Seychelles will compete against Raila Odinga of Kenya, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, and Fawzia Yusuf Adam of Somalia for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson position, currently held by Moussa Faki since March 2017. Seychelles joins Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti in the race for the AUC Chairperson position, making it the fourth country from the Eastern Africa region to announce its candidacy. The Seychelles government officially endorsed Vincent Meriton for the AUC Chairperson position,…

Somalia: SNA Eliminates Al-Shabaab Leaders in Operation In Mogadishu, the Somali National Army (SNA) successfully took down nine Al-Shabaab leaders in central regions, as confirmed by the government. This operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat the militants who have been causing chaos in the unstable Horn of Africa nation. State media reports that the armed forces, with support from international partners, carried out the operation, resulting in the death of nine Al-Shabaab militants. Ten others were wounded and…

Dolow (AX) - A tragic incident occurred when a civilian vehicle struck a landmine on the road between Baled Hawo and Dolow districts in Gedo region. Two individuals lost their lives, while five others sustained injuries in the Thursday afternoon blast. Witnesses mentioned that the blast caused significant damage to the car carrying the civilians. As soon as the explosion occurred, government troops arrived at the scene to conduct a prompt investigation. However, no arrests were made during the initial inquiry. Thus far, no…

The Bangladeshi bulk carrier MV Abdullah's crew has finally returned home to Bangladesh after a harrowing ordeal at the hands of Somali pirates. The vessel, captured off the coast of Northeastern State in March, safely docked in Chittagong on Monday evening, bringing all 23 crew members back. The MV Abdullah was en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates with a load of coal when pirates attacked in the waters near Somalia. The crew and ship were held captive for 33 days while negotiations took place between the…

In Mogadishu, Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw-Ali Firdhiye from SSC-Khatumo attended the National Consultative Council summit. The council, made up of federal and regional leaders, heard from Firdhiye about the situation in SSC-Khatumo areas and stressed the importance of SSC gaining constitutional rights within the Federal Government of Somalia. They commended the SSC-Khatumo administration for its work in maintaining the unity and independence of Somalia. During the summit, leaders discussed various topics such as politics, security,…

Leyla Mohamed (Ugbaad), a phone user, tells the story of Ahmed Hussein Ali's family in Elasha-Biyaha, who fell into poverty overnight due to losing savings to an online scam called Trade Bot. Ahmed invested his entire $400 savings into Trade Bot after falling for their promises of wealth. Unfortunately, the website went offline shortly after, leaving Ahmed with nothing. He regrets not being more cautious and wishes he could go back to running his roadside stall. The family now relies on relatives for food, as they used to…

A digger is shifting earth at the site where search and rescue operations are ongoing for individuals feared to be trapped under a landslide following heavy rainfall in the Matathia region of Kimende Escarpment, situated in Kiambu County, Kenya on May 15, 2024. Reuters photographer Monicah Mwangi is offering to sell licensing rights for this image. Residents claim that a minimum of five people were carried away by the landslide, spurred by severe rainfall in central Kenya. The Red Cross has pledged to lend a helping hand in…

Health Cabinet Susan Nakhumicha and Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai launched the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa on May 15, 2024, in Nairobi. The World Bank will invest $1 billion (approximately Sh130 billion) to support Kenya and seven other African countries with emergency projects and launching human vaccine production in Kenya by 2027. Kenya is building infrastructure at the Biovax Institute in Nairobi's Industrial Area. Kimtai…

In Manama, Bahrain, Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre met with Dr. Abdul Latif Rashid, the President of Iraq, to discuss strengthening their countries' relationship. They also talked about enhancing cooperation in security and exchanging experiences in that field. The meeting focused on mutual interests in security, economy, culture, education, and health, aiming to benefit both nations. Prime Minister Barre highlighted the longstanding relationship between Somalia and Iraq, united in combating terrorist groups within…

The Foreign Minister of Somalia, Ahmed Moalim Faqi Ahmed, emphasized the crucial need for Arab unity to support Somalia against foreign meddling. He particularly condemned the agreement between "North Western of Somalia" and Ethiopia.As per Somali media reports today, Faki Ahmed led an Arab ministerial group to back Somalia against threats to its sovereignty. This came before the start of the "Preparatory Meeting of the League of Arab States Council" for the 33rd Arab Summit in Manama, Bahrain.During a speech to the…