West-Africa

Tuesday April 28, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a pointed appeal during a state dinner at the presidential palace on Monday, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pressed Somalia’s traditional elders to throw their weight behind universal suffrage as the country moves through a fraught political transition. The event brought together elders from across Somalia at a moment when debate over the voting system and the shape of future governance has become increasingly intense. Hassan Sheikh lauded the elders for their longstanding…

Tuesday April 28, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A new report handed to Somalia’s top human rights watchdog on Monday paints a stark picture of the pressures facing the country’s media, with the National Union of Somali Journalists warning that abuse of reporters remains widespread and rarely punished. NUSOJ presented its 2025 State of the Media Report to the National Independent Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), saying it had verified 72 violations of media freedom between January and December 2025. The union said the findings point…

Monday April 27, 2026   Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s political tensions deepened on Sunday after Senior Presidential Advisor on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Abdullahi Mohamed Nor resigned, saying his departure stemmed from disagreements with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over the country’s political course during a fraught transition. In a statement, Abdullahi said the split with the president reflected growing differences over how the government is managing the ongoing political process and the broader…

Monday April 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — North Western State of Somalia authorities say they have intercepted weapons they allege were shipped from abroad and meant to stir clan violence in the western regions of Awdal and Salal. Interior Minister Abdalle Mohamed Arab told North Western State of Somalia state media in an interview aired Sunday that the territory has been under persistent foreign pressure, especially since North Western State of Somalia gained diplomatic recognition. He said the alleged interference has taken…

Monday April 27, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Israel has named its first ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, moving ahead with diplomatic ties months after becoming the first country to recognize the self-declared republic, the foreign ministry said Sunday. Michael Lotem, who currently serves as Israel’s roaming economic ambassador to Africa, will take up the post in North Western State of Somalia. He has previously represented Israel in Kenya, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Israel formally recognized North Western State of…

Monday April 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has renewed calls for political talks in Somalia, urging the country’s traditional elders to step into the center of efforts to ease the worsening standoff. In a statement released Saturday, Farmaajo said the elders could help narrow the rift and reduce the risk of further turmoil, joining similar appeals made by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. “The presidents’ call highlights the important role that…

Monday April 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A family in Indonesia is pressing its government to step in after Somali pirates seized an oil tanker off the country’s coast last week and took an Indonesian captain hostage. Ashari Samadikun, 33, is among 17 crew members captured when armed men hijacked the UAE-flagged tanker Honour 25 about 30 nautical miles offshore, security officials in Puntland State said. The vessel was traveling from Oman to Mogadishu when it came under attack. Speaking from their home in Gowa regency,…

Airlines are sounding the alarm over a relentless shortage of jet fuel that is leading to significant travel disruptions, with an alarming number of delays and cancellations. The situation has escalated in recent days, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded and prompting many to reconsider their upcoming journeys. Key travel hubs, particularly in Lagos and Abuja, are experiencing severe impacts, as passengers face extended wait times on well-traveled domestic routes. In a notable operational adjustment, Air Peace has…

Monday April 27, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — As Somalia grapples with a widening political standoff, civil society groups are urging that traditional elders be brought to the forefront of efforts to bridge the divide between the federal government and opposition leaders. At a press conference in Mogadishu on Sunday, Osman Moalim Shatax, chairman of a coalition of non-state actors, said civil society supports recent appeals from both government and opposition figures for elders to take part in mediation. Shatax said the country’s…

In a gathering that could signal a shift in Liberia's political landscape, opposition leaders convened at the private residence of former President George M. Weah for the reburial ceremony of his late father. This event was attended by notable figures, including Senator Amara Konneh, a prominent supporter of the ruling Unity Party, alongside other influential lawmakers. The ceremony unfolded against a backdrop of growing discontent with the government, particularly in light of its recent demolition operations, soaring…