East Africa

Mogadishu (AX) – Djibouti's intriguing suggestion as a potential remedy for the ongoing diplomatic rift between Somalia and Ethiopia remains unanswered by Ethiopia, Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf disclosed. In a tête-à-tête with VOA, Youssouf shared that the ball is still in Ethiopia’s court regarding the management and use of the Tojorah port, nestled in Djibouti's northern expanse. This port has been proposed by Djibouti as an alternate maritime gateway for landlocked Ethiopia, heavily dependent on…

The World Health Organization (WHO) is ramping up efforts to provide medical assistance to Rwanda in its fight against the Marburg virus disease (MVD), a lethal hemorrhagic fever that has tragically resulted in nine fatalities to date. According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, authorities have pinpointed around 300 individuals who were in close contact with confirmed cases and are currently under vigilant observation. MVD, a severe virus primarily spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of…

Mogadishu (AX) — At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie stood firm, defending Ethiopia's informal deal with North Western State of Somalia. This agreement, inked earlier in the year, has stirred up a storm of criticism from Somalia. Despite the backlash, Ethiopia insists the deal is all about promoting regional growth and development. During his speech, Taye underlined Ethiopia's unwavering support for multilateralism and regional collaboration, casting the…

President Mohamud lambasted Ethiopia for its audacious moves to dominate Somali waters, accusing Addis Ababa of aiming for military supremacy. "Ethiopia’s ambitions extend beyond acquiring a port," stated Hassan Sheikh. "Their goal is to project military muscle in the Red Sea, which is downright intolerable. They intend to not only construct a port but also establish a naval base. Both these endeavors infringe upon Somalia’s sovereignty and flout international law." Dialogue between Somalia and Ethiopia has hit a brick…

Toronto – Ethiopia has remained rather quiet after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North Western State of Somalia. In contrast, Somalia has vocally sought military and diplomatic support from neighboring regions, asserting that the agreement infringes on its sovereignty.

Djibouti (AX) — The rumors about Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh being gravely ill are just that, rumors. Minister of Economy and Finance, Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, swiftly shut down the gossip following the president's hospital visit on Saturday.Jumping on X (formerly Twitter), Dawaleh reassured the public by saying, "President Guelleh is in fine fettle. Yes, he’s got a bum right knee, but that's it." He didn't hold back, condemning the rumor mill, highlighting the absurdity of such fabrications."Sorry haters,…

At the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park (Gaoqiao Grand Market) in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, African exhibitors showcased their wares during a livestream event on June 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo) In a groundbreaking move, 300 kg of Kenyan dried sea cucumbers arrived at Changsha Huanghua International Airport in central China. This marks the first time China has received such a shipment from Kenya. Sea cucumbers, celebrated for their high protein content,…

"Ethiopia's bid to annex a segment of Somalia, ostensibly to secure sea access, is both illegal and unwarranted," he asserted. "Comparable pacts have been forged by other nations. Thus, Somalia's government stirring up antagonism to mask its internal political strife is uncalled for," he remarked to the General Assembly. Faced with Ethiopia's design, Somalia has vowed to expel Ethiopian troops integrated into an African Union mission fighting Al-Shabaab militants since 2007. Mogadishu has brokered a defense…

The United Nations Security Council has extended the mission of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) up to October 2, 2025, as sanctioned by resolution 2699 (2023).It also reminded Haiti and the MSS leadership to routinely update the Secretary-General and the Council on deployment progress.Working under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, this extension pushed the original end date from October 2, 2024.The Council announced its intent to consider a UN Peace Operation to assist the Haitian National Police (HNP) in maintaining…

Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly, rallying global leaders for a united front on the world's most urgent crises. In his stirring address, Barre tackled everything from ongoing conflicts to climate change, explicitly calling out Ethiopia for infringing on Somalia's borders, and appealed for swift international intervention.