West Africa

Somalia and Djibouti deepen defense ties as EASF ministers convene in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia and Djibouti on Wednesday reinforced their security partnership as Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met his Djiboutian counterpart, Hassan Omar Mohamed, in the capital ahead of a key regional defense summit. The Djiboutian minister is in Mogadishu for the 35th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Defense and Security of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), a regional forum that brings together defense…

In a significant shakeup within Nigeria's petroleum regulatory landscape, President Bola Tinubu has replaced the heads of two pivotal agencies following the resignation of their chief executives. The changes affect the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), marking a notable turn in the country’s oil and gas governance. The resignations of Farouk Ahmed, head of NMDPRA, and Gbenga Komolafe, head of NUPRC, come in the wake…

MOGADISHU — Somalia and the United Nations on Wednesday signed a 2025 Implementation Guide, a strategic “Roadmap” to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflict, marking a fresh milestone in the country’s effort to prevent grave violations and reinforce accountability across its security sector. The agreement was formalized in Mogadishu by Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan; and UNICEF Representative Sandra…

South West regional security forces say they have seized 10 landmines allegedly bound for Mogadishu, thwarting what authorities described as an Al-Shabaab plot to hit the capital ahead of local council elections. Lieutenant Colonel Abdirahman Mohamed Munye, commander of the October 14 Brigade, said Wednesday that his unit intercepted the explosives in the area known as Number 50 after receiving actionable intelligence. “Thank God, we were able to thwart the Khawarij’s plot to harm civilians. Our forces intercepted 10…

BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Somali intelligence forces, backed by international partners, carried out a planned operation in the Tardo area of central Hiiraan region on Tuesday afternoon, killing up to nine Al-Shabaab fighters and destroying an illegal checkpoint, authorities said. In a statement released Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the strike targeted a roadblock allegedly operated by the militant group to extort money from public transport vehicles using the route. “The operation…

Somali university group warns against using schools as polling stations Union cites student safety, disruption to learning and political neutrality as key risks in election planning MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Union of Somali Universities on Tuesday urged authorities to drop plans to use schools, institutes and university campuses as polling stations in upcoming elections, warning the move could jeopardize student safety, disrupt learning and erode the political neutrality of education. In a statement, the union called on the…

ANKARA, Turkey — Somalia finalized a wide-ranging cooperation pact with Turkish industrial group OYAK on Tuesday, launching a program to expand and modernize the Horn of Africa nation’s fisheries while strengthening maritime security and creating jobs along its coast. Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy Ahmed Hassan Adan signed the Cooperation and Marine Production Development Partnership at a ceremony in Ankara, calling it a step-change for the country’s blue economy. The agreement, he said, will channel direct…

Trump Expands Travel Restrictions, Targeting 15 Additional Countries President Donald Trump has expanded United States travel restrictions to include an additional 15 countries, predominantly in Africa, a move that is poised to exacerbate tensions in U.S.-Africa relations and disrupt travel, education, and business connections across the continent. Among the newly added countries, 11 are African: Angola, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This…

Ankara, Turkey — Somalia signed a sweeping cooperation agreement with Turkish industrial group OYAK on Tuesday, launching a multi-year push to modernize the country’s fisheries and blue economy while tightening maritime security and creating jobs along its coastline. The pact, finalized by Somali Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy Ahmed Hassan Adan in Ankara, formally establishes the Cooperation and Marine Production Development Partnership. The initiative is structured to protect Somalia’s marine environment and unlock…

BAIDOA, Somalia — South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen met Tuesday with a Turkish military delegation led by Brig. Gen. Sebahattin, commander of Turkey’s Turksom Military Training Academy, to deepen security cooperation and expand training for Somali forces operating in the region, officials said. The talks at the presidential palace in Baidoa centered on accelerating military training programs, improving operational capacity and sharpening coordination between Somali units and Turkish trainers.…