West-Africa

Thursday April 23, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State has moved to tighten its grip on the region’s coastline, announcing a sweeping crackdown on illegal fishing and warning that Somali and foreign operators caught violating maritime rules will face firm legal consequences. In a statement released Wednesday, the Puntland State Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources said it would step up patrols and inspections to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a practice officials say is degrading marine…

Thursday April 23, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and China on Wednesday opened a new research center dedicated to Chinese modernization, a move officials say will broaden cooperation between the two countries and deepen the exchange of ideas. The Center for Research on Chinese Modernization was inaugurated at the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation during a ceremony that brought together senior government officials and diplomats. Permanent Secretary Hamza Haadow and China’s…

By Caolán MageeWednesday April 22, 2026 Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, off the UAE coast Iran has seized two foreign commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and taken them to its coastline, sharpening tensions in a region already on edge just hours after United States President Donald Trump said he would prolong a ceasefire with Tehran. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the ships had breached maritime rules and entered the vital passage without coordination, according to Iranian…

The Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court (OWEC) has raised serious concerns over the deliberate obstruction of its mission by high-ranking government officials. This body, dedicated to creating a judicial framework aimed at holding civil war perpetrators accountable, claims that its efforts are being stifled at a critical juncture. OWEC Executive Director Jallah A. Barbu highlighted the nature of the interference, describing it as a phenomenon surpassing mere bureaucratic hurdles. "What we are…

Wednesday April 22, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Tuesday opened the new headquarters of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources in Mogadishu, presenting the move as part of a broader drive to modernize state institutions and improve public services. At the inauguration, Barre said the new facility would give the ministry stronger institutional backing and better support its work as the government moves to expand access to basic services. “This modern building, equipped to meet the needs…

Wednesday April 22, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Tuesday inaugurated the start of a new Curriculum Development Center in Mogadishu, a project aimed at raising education standards and helping modernize Somalia’s school system. At the ceremony, Barre подчеркнул that education sits at the heart of Somalia’s long-term recovery, describing it as a major force behind economic growth and national stability. He said the government is pressing ahead with reforms designed to strengthen learning…

In a strategic shift within the Federal Executive Council, President Bola Tinubu has announced a minor Cabinet reshuffle that will impact key economic and housing roles. As part of this reorganization, Tinubu has removed Wale Edun from his position as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, alongside Ahmed Dangiwa, who has stepped down as Minister of Housing and Urban Development. Edun will transition his responsibilities to Taiwo Oyedele, who previously held the role of Minister of State in the…

Tuesday April 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) – Somalia’s Northeastern State has lodged a formal complaint with the federal government, accusing a senior United Nations official of interfering with development work and violating key humanitarian principles. In a letter dated Tuesday and sent to senior federal ministers, the regional Ministry of Planning and Development said the conduct of George Conway, the U.N. Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, runs…

Former President of Senegal, Macky Sall, has asserted that achieving lasting global peace hinges on addressing the persistent issues of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. As he positions himself as a contender to replace UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Sall's insights come just ahead of a public inquiry at the United Nations headquarters in New York this week. Introduced in 2016, the public Q&A format aims to foster transparency during the selection process. Nonetheless, the final authority to appoint the…

Tuesday April 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Iran on Tuesday sharply criticized Israel’s decision to appoint an ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, accusing Israel of violating international law and undermining Somalia’s territorial integrity as tensions deepen over the breakaway region. In remarks released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the move ran afoul of the United Nations Charter and amounted to an affront to Somalia’s sovereignty. “This unauthorized measure is in blatant…