East Africa

Despite differences, optimism was recorded in Somalia's difficult political talks MOGADISHU, Somalia - There has been some optimism in Somalia's ongoing negotiations in Mogadishu, and the international community continues to put pressure on various actors who have pulled the country back and forth in the midst of stalemate before the election. Leaders from all member states, the…

Somalia: Lower House meeting postponed after Saturday's chaos MOGADISHU, Somalia - The House of Commons has postponed a meeting scheduled for today , just a day after a chaotic session triggered by suspicion and counter-complaints over the intent, a move that led to the suspension of 15 MPs. A circular issued Sunday indicated that speaker Mohamed Mursal had postponed the meeting…

Dozens of people were killed in coordinated extremist attacks in northern Mozambique's Palma city, the government said on Sunday, four days after the raid was launched, forcing the evacuation of thousands of survivors to safety in the provincial capital Pemba. Seven people were killed in an ambush during an operation to evacuate them from a hotel where they had sought refuge, it is said. "Last Wednesday, a group of terrorists sneaked into ... Palma and launched operations that resulted in the cowardly…

Al-Shabaab calls for attacks on Djibouti to host Western interests MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Shabaab could carry out deadly attacks in Djibouti, the Horn of Africa, where the United States and France have unlimited influence ahead of the long-awaited election in the Red Sea country, which hosts the U.S. Africa Command Team. Ahmed Omar Abu Ubaydah accused Djibouti in the latest sound…

National Day of Mourning in Madagascar. Former President Admiral Didier Ratsiraka died on Sunday at the age of 84 at the military hospital in Antananarivo. His relatives indicate that he gave up for cardiac arrest while he had been in hospital since Tuesday for a "routine check-up due to a small flu". Tributes to this symbolic figure in Malagasy political life have followed one another. In a blue suit, the serious face, the current head of state, who had asked for his condolences in the morning on his Facebook page,…

In Rwanda, observers close to Paul Kagame's government welcome progress on the conclusions of the Duclert report on the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. But they emphasize that this is not necessarily enough. Jean-Paul Kimonyo is a researcher and former adviser to President Paul Kagame. He believes that the Duclert report clarifies the dynamics between the French decision-makers at the time and what happened in Rwanda. However, he emphasizes a gap between the content of the report and its conclusion, which excludes the idea of…

The leader of the Somali jihadist group for the Shebabs released a second message in a month on Saturday night. In a speech to his supporters, Ahmed Diriye attacks Djibouti in particular this time, targeting "American and French interests" in the country. And he also accuses the Djibouti president. This is not the first time the Shebabs have attacked Djibouti. Their targets are the many foreign military bases - French and American, but also Italian, Japanese, Turkish and Chinese - which the country hosts. Their latest…

The city of Palma in northeastern Mozambique is being evacuated following the terrorist attack that began on Wednesday, March 24. The jihadists from the Al-Shabab group, affiliated with the Islamic State group, had taken control of this city with 75,000 inhabitants in the province of Cabo Delgado. Mozambican security forces are now there, facing "terrorist pockets", according to a national television bulletin. According to the Mozambican government, dozens of people have been killed since Wednesday in Palma. Dozens of…

Salaam Somali Bank has provided free microfinance to small businesses in the country's central city of Abudwak in the Galgadud region as part of the second phase Qardu Hassan, which aims to boost the economy. On Sunday, the bank's branch in the city offered free microfinance to small Somali traders, including women, with the aim of helping to expand their business amid the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. On the occasion, the recipients of Salaam Somali Bank's free microfinance said they were grateful to the bank for the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Mohamed Mursal, speaking for the lower house, on Saturday suspended 15 MPs who were mainly allied with the opposition for five sessions, something that has activated a political storm in the country, which is also trying to resolve a crisis before the election. Mursal said MPs were behind riots in the assembly during the stormy session on Saturday, triggered by suspicions that lawmakers allied with outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo were eager to illegally extend the government's term.…