North-Africa

By: OMAR M ELMI, EconomistSaturday May 2, 2026 North Western State of Somalia sits on one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors, along Somalia’s Gulf of Aden coast where the Bab el-Mandeb strait opens into the Red Sea. | Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images As tensions mount across the Red Sea, North Western State of Somalia is nearing a turning point that could reshape not only its diplomatic ambitions but also its security outlook. For more than 30 years, the self-declared republic has pressed for international…

Saturday May 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali pilgrims have begun their journey to the holy sites as the first Hajj flights from Mogadishu and Hargeisa touched down in Saudi Arabia, signaling the opening of this year’s pilgrimage season for nationals from the Horn of Africa. According to Somali officials, the initial flights arrived Friday at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport with 432 pilgrims on board. Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow Ali oversaw the launch ceremony in Mogadishu,…

By Shola LawalFriday May 1, 2026 A fresh wave of hijackings off Somalia is rattling shipping lanes and reviving memories of the piracy crisis that once made the Horn of Africa one of the world’s most dangerous maritime corridors. At least three vessels have been targeted this week, according to reports, prompting fears that the region may be sliding back toward the turmoil that plagued global trade in the early to mid-2000s before an international naval response helped bring the threat under control. According to the World…

The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation has sounded the alarm over a widening wealth gap across the continent, warning that economic gains are increasingly captured by a small elite while large numbers of workers grapple with rising living costs and shrinking opportunities.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said at least 17 Sudanese refugees have drowned after a boat sank in the Mediterranean, in one of the latest deadly attempts to reach Europe. The craft reportedly held 33 people; authorities have confirmed seven survivors and listed nine others as missing. Since the 2023 outbreak of war in Sudan, over 500,000 Sudanese have crossed into Libya in search of safety. Experts caution that for many migrants, Libya functions less as a destination than as a "waiting room" before attempting the hazardous…

Friday May 1, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali National Army units have taken part in a multinational military exercise held in Turkey over the past several days, according to the Turkish Ministry of National Defense. The expansive drill drew troops from a wide roster of countries, including Somalia, the United States, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Cameroon, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. According to a statement from the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, the exercise highlighted a broad spectrum of…

Tuesday April 28, 2026 A cargo ship is seen in a port in central Mogadishu Suspected pirates have seized a cargo vessel off Somalia, according to officials and maritime security groups, in what appears to be the latest sign that insecurity is returning to waters once notorious for such attacks. The reported hijacking on Monday was the second off Somalia in less than a week. The target was the Sward, a St Kitts and Nevis-flagged ship carrying cement from Suez, Egypt, to the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. The incident comes at…

by Maxwell Amunga Monday April 27, 2026 Emergency responders at the aircraft accident scene on March 5, 2024 (left) and parts of the plane after the accident. Photo Aviation News Kenya has launched a formal inquiry into a string of aircraft accidents involving its planes in Somalia and South Sudan, with Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir appointing a special investigation team to dig into the incidents. CS Chirchir gazetted the Aircraft Accident Investigation Team in a notice dated April 24, relying on the…

Friday April 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia brought home 174 young nationals from Libya on Thursday in a government-led repatriation effort aimed at rescuing citizens trapped abroad, many of them after facing detention, abuse and difficult conditions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the return operation is part of continuing efforts to assist Somalis in distress and reduce the dangers linked to irregular migration and human trafficking networks. Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Mohamed…

Friday April 24, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A boat carrying Somali migrants capsized between Algeria and Spain, killing at least 17 people, Somalia’s ambassador to Algeria said Thursday. Ambassador Yusuf Ahmed Hassan told state media that 12 men and five women drowned after the vessel overturned during the crossing. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were aboard. “I was reached by parents who were looking for their children and wanted to know their whereabouts,” Hassan said. He said he later spoke with Algerian…