West Africa

Somalia is often framed through conflict and crisis. But the country’s most consequential emergency lies in the quiet, daily erosion of women’s safety, dignity and power. Gender-based violence is not a subplot to Somalia’s turmoil; it is a central driver of its fragility—and the clearest test of whether recovery is real or rhetorical. Strip away the headlines and a pattern emerges. Historically, wealth flowed through livestock held by men; women’s labor—processing and selling milk and ghee—sustained families but rarely…

Lagos State Government Plans $10 Million Investment to Regenerate Makoko Amid Protests The Lagos State Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to invest approximately $10 million in revitalizing Makoko, a densely populated waterfront community facing significant challenges. This announcement comes as residents and civil society groups express their outrage over recent demolitions, which have displaced families and ignited calls for accountability from both law enforcement and government officials. In this multifaceted…

U.S. says Somalia policy unchanged after Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia Mogadishu (AX) — The United States on Monday reiterated that its policy on Somalia remains unchanged, reaffirming support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Israel moved to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state late last year. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the BBC that Washington maintains a “good working relationship” with North Western State of Somalia and other Somali…

Somalia’s minister of endowments and religious affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, visited the King Fahd Qur’an Printing Complex in Madinah on Tuesday to review Saudi Arabia’s efforts to print, translate and disseminate the Holy Qur’an worldwide. During the visit, Sheikh Mukhtar received a detailed briefing on the complex’s mandates and specialized production lines, including its work across editions of varying sizes and recitations, as well as translations of the meanings of the Qur’an into multiple languages. Officials…

Trump threatens Insurrection Act to quell Minneapolis protests after immigration crackdown shootings MINNEAPOLIS — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minnesota, aiming to quell persistent protests over a federal immigration crackdown that has roiled the Twin Cities after two shootings involving immigration officers this month. The warning came a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who authorities say was attacked with a shovel and broom…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State authorities on Tuesday executed a woman convicted of murdering a 14-year-old girl after the victim’s family chose retributive justice under Islamic law, a rare application of the death penalty against a woman in the semi-autonomous region. Officials said the execution was carried out in Galkacyo, a divided city in central Somalia, after courts found Hodan Mohamud guilty of killing Sabirin Saylaan Abdille, a minor who had been working as a domestic helper. Judges ruled that Sabirin died as…

Ghana Pauses Citizenship Applications to Enhance Accessibility for Diaspora Ghana has announced a temporary pause on citizenship applications for members of the African diaspora, aiming to simplify and make the process more user-friendly for applicants. Since 2016, individuals able to demonstrate African ancestry, particularly descendants of those impacted by the transatlantic slave trade, have been eligible to apply for Ghanaian nationality. This initiative has seen over 1,000 individuals, including notable figures like…

Somalia, EU sign €102 million budget-support deal to sustain reforms MOGADISHU — Somalia and the European Union on Friday signed a €102 million ($110 million) financing agreement that provides direct budget support and development funding to help stabilize public finances and keep reforms on track, Somali officials said. The deal, finalized in Mogadishu after high-level talks, signals continued European confidence in the government’s state-building agenda after decades of conflict and institutional collapse. EU officials…

Mogadishu — Yemen’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has accused Eritrean forces and Somalia’s Puntland State administration of deadly attacks, arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions targeting Yemeni fishermen operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In a statement issued Monday, the ministry said Eritrean forces carried out a direct armed assault on civilian fishermen working in Yemen’s territorial waters in the Red Sea. The incident, according to the ministry, involved multiple types of…

Somalia parliament descends into chaos as opposition blocks constitutional debate in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia’s lower house erupted into chaos Monday as opposition lawmakers shut down the opening of a debate on sweeping constitutional amendments, occupying the speaker’s seat, blocking entrances to the chamber and forcing the suspension of proceedings. The confrontation came as Parliament prepared to take up proposed changes to chapters five through nine of the provisional constitution — a politically charged package…