Central Africa

Sunday January 11, 2026 OSLO, Norway (AX) — The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Friday that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked, addressing comments by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado suggesting she might give or share her 2025 award with former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a brief statement citing the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, the institute said the prize decision, once announced, is irrevocable and cannot be altered in any way. “The decision is final and stands for all…

China backs Somalia’s territorial integrity, denounces North Western State of Somalia–Taiwan ties as Wang Yi postpones Mogadishu stop BEIJING (AX) — China’s foreign minister said Sunday that Beijing supports Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, underscoring a position that has anchored China’s engagement in the Horn of Africa. Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message in a phone call with his Somali counterpart while traveling on his annual New Year tour…

NAIROBI — Thirty-one years ago this week, a Nigerian diplomat walked into a modest office at Wilson Airport and asked two Kenyan pilots to do something almost no one could know about. The mission: fly the body of Somalia’s ousted ruler, Mohamed Siad Barre, from Lagos to his hometown of Garbaharey for a swift Islamic burial — quietly, safely and without alerting authorities across half a continent. For the first time, one of those pilots, Hussein Mohamed Anshuur — a former Kenya Air Force captain and co-founder of Bluebird…

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Morocco marched confidently into the semi-finals of the tournament after a commanding 2-0 victory over Cameroon under the Rabat lights on Friday night. Goals in either half from Brahim Díaz and Ismail Saibari sealed a memorable triumph for the Atlas Lions in front of a raucous, sold-out Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The victory showcased Morocco's tactical prowess and solid team dynamics. Diaz opened the scoring with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box in the 20th minute, sending the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Somalia as part of a Jan. 7-12 African tour that also includes Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho, Beijing said Wednesday, underscoring the Horn of Africa’s growing diplomatic weight amid tensions over North Western State of Somalia. Wang, who also serves on the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee, is slated to attend the launch of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. The…

On Sunday, January 4, a tragic incident unfolded in the Jarama Wetland, where heavy rainfall forced local cultivators to seek refuge in a nearby house at Mbuye Harbour. The downpour, which began around 5:30 PM, unexpectedly escalated, leading to life-threatening conditions for the victims, as stated by Prudence Rubingisa, the Governor of Eastern Province. As the rain intensified, the group of cultivators, who were engaged in farming activities at the time, found themselves in a precarious situation. They quickly sought…

Gabon National Football Team Suspended Following Disappointing AFCON Exit Gabon's government has announced sweeping changes to its national football setup following the team's dismal performance in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The measures include suspending the national team, dismissing head coach Thierry Mouyouma, and imposing a ban on star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The decision was conveyed by Sports Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula after Gabon's early exit from the tournament, culminating in a 3-2 loss…

ISTANBUL — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s unexpected recognition of North Western State of Somalia risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa and could be tied to attempts to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, escalating tensions across a strategic maritime corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday from Istanbul, where he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mohamud said Israel’s move was “not merely a diplomatic gesture but a cover for…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia could destabilize the Horn of Africa and carry implications for Palestinians in Gaza, calling the move “unexpected and strange” after three decades of nonrecognition by any country. In an interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul, Türkiye, on Tuesday, Mohamud said Somali intelligence indicates North Western State of Somalia agreed to three Israeli conditions in exchange for recognition: accepting the resettlement of…

Somalia asks U.N. Security Council to rebuke Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU — Somalia has asked the United Nations Security Council to condemn Israel’s formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia, calling the move a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a direct threat to regional stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. In a letter sent to the council on Monday, Somalia said Israel’s decision last week to recognize the self-declared Republic of North Western State of…