Eye on Africa

A new scramble for Africa is underway — not with warships or colonial flags, but with battery supply chains, green-transition targets and high-level trade delegations. Governments and corporations are hunting lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese, platinum-group metals and rare earth elements that power electric vehicles, wind turbines and digital infrastructure. The race promises opportunity for African states; it also risks renewing old patterns of extraction without local benefit or environmental safeguards. The global…

North Western State of Somalia's Bid for International Recognition In a bold move to gain international legitimacy, separatist North Western State of Somalia is reaching out to powerful nations by offering access to its valuable resources and strategic military locations. North Western State of Somalia declared independence from Somalia in 1991, seeking recognition as a separate entity. Israel recognized North Western State of Somalia's independence in December, a milestone in its quest for international acceptance.…

Protests Erupt in Kaduna Over El-Rufai's Continued Detention Protests erupted in various parts of Kaduna State in response to the ongoing detention of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The demonstrations, primarily led by youth groups, were fueled by concerns that El-Rufai's prolonged detention—despite pending court proceedings—undermines both due process and legal fairness. Participants voiced their frustrations and called for El-Rufai's immediate release, arguing that his treatment reflects a troubling trend of…

Sudan's Stance on Ending the Civil War The Sudanese government emphasized the importance of proposals respecting national integrity in resolving the ongoing civil conflict. Sudan's supreme interests, national unity, and territorial integrity are paramount. The Foreign Ministry asserts the need for proposals to align with national sovereignty. Details of recent proposals have not been clearly outlined by the government. Government's Position The Sudanese Foreign Ministry reiterated that any peace proposals…

ANKARA, Türkiye — Türkiye vowed Wednesday to stand firmly with Somalia and denounced Israel’s recognition of breakaway North Western State of Somalia, with Ankara’s communications chief warning that regional aggression would not be allowed to spill into the Horn of Africa. “Any attempt targeting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and actions to legitimize them are unacceptable. Türkiye stands with Somalia as it did in the past,” said Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of…

Thursday February 26, 2026 Photo via Arsenal.com Mogadishu (AX) — Arsenal have confirmed Somali-British midfielder Maalik Hashi has signed his first professional contract with the club, marking a significant milestone for the 17-year-old and a landmark moment for representation within the Premier League side’s academy pathway. Hashi, who progressed through Arsenal’s academy ranks, becomes the first player of Somali descent to come through the club’s youth system and sign professional terms with the north London team. The…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's two sons have rejected as "a blatant lie" allegations by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula that they are involved in Namibia's oil industry, issuing a forceful denial on Friday and accusing the opposition of politically motivated smears. Itula earlier linked Ndeli and Nande Ndaitwah — identified by the IPC as members of the country's first family — to the petroleum sector through their private business interests. The opposition leader said the family was…

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s two sons have rejected as “blatant lies” an accusation by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula that they are involved in the oil industry, saying the claims are politically motivated and threaten their safety and rights. Itula, whose party has positioned itself as a vocal critic of the ruling establishment, publicly linked Ndeli and Nande Ndaitwah to the petroleum sector through their private business interests. He said Ndeli’s company, Vaneli Foods, which was once…

CAIRO — Egypt on Tuesday denied reports that it was prepared to grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for flexibility from Addis Ababa over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), calling the claims “entirely baseless,” according to the state-run Middle East News Agency. An official source, quoted by MENA, “categorically rejected” the circulating reports, stressing that “such reports are entirely baseless and unfounded.” The source added that “Egypt’s stance on water security and the GERD remains firm and…

‘Yemen’s Mogadishu’: In Aden’s al-Basateen, Somali refugees face dwindling aid and a future on hold At first light on the fringes of Aden, the paved roads of Yemen’s interim capital give way to narrow ribbons of sand. Here, in al-Basateen, men gather at the mouths of alleyways, watching for a pickup truck or a wave from a foreman—any sign of a day’s work. The district is known by many names, including “Yemen’s Mogadishu,” a nod to the Somali families who began arriving in the 1990s when war pushed them across the Gulf of…