East Africa

President William Ruto recently expressed his admiration for the more than eight million Kenyans who diligently fulfilled their tax responsibilities by June 30. These citizens not only met but exceeded the set targets by an impressive 26%. He specifically recognized Lillian Nyawanda and Risper Muthoni Simiyu for their outstanding achievements in surpassing tax collection benchmarks. During the Taxpayers’ Day Awards ceremony held at State House in Nairobi on November 2, 2024, Ruto took a moment to celebrate these top…

Ethiopia: Unresolved Elements in Pretoria Agreement, TPLF Voices Concerns ADDIS ABABA - On the milestone marking two years since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, better known as the Pretoria Agreement, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) expressed their dissatisfaction with numerous unresolved matters. Many issues are still dangling in limbo despite the deadlines set in Pretoria and later restated in Nairobi. The TPLF, entangled in its own internal disputes, recognized the agreement's significant…

Mogadishu (AX) — On Saturday, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi engaged in a pivotal conversation with James Swan, the Acting Special Representative of the United Nations, in Mogadishu. Their discussion revolved around the newly inaugurated United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), which has taken over from UNSOM. This meeting came just a day after UNTMIS’s official debut on November 1. The dialogue centered on Somalia’s evolving role within the UN Security Council, along with critical security…

Mogadishu (AX) — On Saturday, Somali law enforcement apprehended a dozen individuals following a well-orchestrated clan-driven assault on a police precinct close to the Ex-Control Afgoye crossroads in Mogadishu, as reported by Police Spokesperson Colonel Abdifatah Adan Hassan. This brazen attack saw armed factions and government forces from various military divisions engaging in conflict, seemingly influenced by clan affiliations. Colonel Abdifatah elaborated that the Somali Police Force was collaborating with the Hodan…

FILE - On January 1, 2024, North Western State of Somalia's President Muse Bihi Abdi and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came together in Addis Ababa to ink a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) granting Ethiopia access to a North Western State of Somalia port. As tensions swirl around the maritime dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed asserted on Thursday that his nation is pursuing access to the Red Sea "through peaceful avenues.” During a parliamentary session where lawmakers pressed him for…

On November 1, 2024, in a ceremonial event brimming with significance, President William Ruto entrusted the Kenyan constitution to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki following Kindiki's oath of office. Nairobi — Kithure Kindiki stepped into his role as Kenya’s deputy president on a Friday, mere hours after a judicial verdict lifted restrictions that had been preventing his nomination. He was chosen to succeed the impeached Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, who is currently pursuing legal avenues to reclaim his former…

Pursuing enhanced security across the western Indian Ocean, a collaborative maritime exercise unfolded between the EU and Kenya. Image credit: Operation Atalanta.This week, the Kenya Navy and Coast Guard took significant strides in maritime safety through joint drills with the European Union's naval task force.During the final week of October, a simulated search and rescue (SAR) operation was conducted, featuring the ESPS Santa Maria (F81), currently serving as Operation Atalanta’s flagship. Alongside Kenyan naval assets and…

Mogadishu (AX) — The Somali government has warmly greeted the United Nations Security Council's collective choice to morph the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) into a provisional mission over the coming two years, stepping up on November 1, 2024.

Mogadishu (AX) — On a balmy Wednesday evening in the heart of Mogadishu, Somali Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre welcomed Speaker Dileita Mohamed Dileita of Djibouti's Parliament and his team to discuss fortifying the ties between their two nations.The Prime Minister underscored the crucial partnership between Somalia and Djibouti, emphasizing shared goals like development, mutual admiration, and maintaining peace. He extended heartfelt thanks to Djibouti for its unwavering backing in Somalia's journey of…

Somalia has tagged an Ethiopian diplomat in Mogadishu as unwelcome and sent him packing.Somalia's Foreign Affairs ministry on Tuesday pointed a finger, accusing the diplomat of "actions not suitable for his diplomatic duties."The diplomat in the hot seat, Ali Mohamed Adan, who serves as a counselor at the Ethiopian embassy in Mogadishu, was given the boot and must depart Somalia within the next 72 hours.The specifics of Ali's alleged misconduct weren't disclosed, but the statement mentioned a "breach of the Vienna Convention…