Central Africa

Somalia seeks $40 million to launch new shilling notes in push to end counterfeit era MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government says it is $40 million short of the cash it needs to print a new series of Somali shilling banknotes — a long-promised overhaul officials argue is essential to restoring confidence in the currency and curbing the counterfeit notes that dominate everyday transactions. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre told reporters the total cost of the rollout is about $70 million. Somalia has secured $30 million in…

Congo's Tragic Waters: A Tale of Bereavement and Neglect In the heart of Africa, where the Congo River snakes through lush provinces and communities depend on its waters for survival, tragedy has struck once again. Nearly 500 people were aboard a wooden boat when it caught fire and capsized, adding another chapter to a grim series of maritime disasters in the northwestern part of Congo. In the wake of this calamity, authorities have somberly reported 107 dead and 146 missing. A Disastrous Week on Congolese Waters This…

Legal Battle Highlights Tensions Between Equatorial Guinea and France In a world where power dynamics frequently shift like sand, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently cast its judgment, reinforcing France's hold over a luxury Parisian mansion previously owned by the son of Equatorial Guinea's long-time president. This legal dispute has not only unearthed questions of sovereignty and legality but also raised broader issues about international corruption and governance in African politics. A Property with a…

Arrest of Puntland State Football Figure Deepens Rift in Somali Soccer Puntland State’s already fraught football politics spilled into public view on Saturday when security forces detained Mohamed Ali Isse, widely known as Ciiro, at Garowe’s airport as he prepared to board a flight out of the city. Authorities have not announced charges or publicly explained the arrest. Local outlets and football insiders say it may be tied to a leadership struggle inside the Puntland State Football Association, or to alleged political links…

Egypt prepares to join new African Union mission in Somalia after six-day assessment What happened In Mogadishu, on a humid Friday where the sea breeze barely cuts the dust, the African Union’s top envoy in Somalia closed the door on a week of quiet but significant diplomacy. Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and head of the AU Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), met an Egyptian military team at the end of its six-day visit — a final check…

Guinea brush past Somalia in Kampala to keep 2026 World Cup push alive Guinea kept their World Cup dream humming on Friday with a professional 3–0 win over Somalia at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, a tidy night’s work that moved the Syli National to 10 points and kept them within touching distance of Group G’s frontrunners as Africa’s qualifiers tilt into their decisive stretch. Serhou Guirassy struck early, an own goal midway through the second half doubled the cushion, and a stoppage-time tap-in from Ousmane Camara…

Rekindling Hopes for Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo In a world where peace often feels just a shade more elusive than conflict, the commitment by key players in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to uphold a U.S.-brokered peace agreement offers a flicker of hope. This agreement, emerged from months of tireless U.S.-led mediation, aims to end decades of turmoil that have plagued the nation, a country rich in resources yet burdened by strife. But as the complexities mount, promises made may soon find themselves…

Echoes of a Deadly Past: The 16th Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo As the sun sets over the dense forests and bustling villages of Kasai province, the shadows grow longer, casting a pall over a region that has been gripped by fear and uncertainty. Once again, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) finds itself in the throes of an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak—the 16th in its troubled history. The country, often in the international spotlight for its ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, now faces a renewed threat…

Somalia inches up the Global Peace Index — but the peace dividend remains out of reach In Mogadishu, markets open before sunrise, as vendors arrange tomatoes beneath corrugated roofs and scan their phones for security alerts with the same routine as checking prices. That small, practiced caution has defined Somali life for a generation. This week, a global metric offered a sliver of encouragement: Somalia has improved slightly on the 2025 Global Peace Index, edging to 151st out of 163 with a score of 2.983 — its first dip…

Somalia’s New Tax Law Is About More Than Money In a packed hall in Mogadishu this week, government officials and business leaders did something that once sounded abstract in a country battered by conflict and aid dependence: they debated tax brackets, compliance, and what a fair state should ask of its citizens. Somalia introduced a new tax law at its annual tax forum, pitched by officials as the backbone of a modern state and a path away from foreign aid. The timing is not an accident—and the stakes are high. Why this…