Eye on Africa

Kenya and the United States advanced a new partnership framework to support Universal Health Coverage after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale held bilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Dec. 6, Duale said the discussions reaffirmed the two countries’ long-standing collaboration in public health and aligned with Kenya’s drive to strengthen primary care and expand access…

Benin Military Ousts President Talon in Sudden Coup In a shocking turn of events, the government of Benin was upended early Sunday morning as military personnel took to public television to declare the removal of President Patrice Talon. The self-proclaimed Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) announced that Talon would be replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, who will now lead the committee. The military's dramatic announcement has sent ripples through West Africa, raising concerns about stability in a region…

HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Information Minister Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle resigned late Saturday, saying he was tasked with delivering a “bitter decision” to allow a book launch celebrating Xeer Ciise that preceded deadly unrest in the Awdal region’s Borama town. Ayaanle said President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi assigned him to announce the authorization for the ceremony, which triggered clashes between residents and security forces that left 10 people dead, according to local authorities and community…

Somalia says it maintains direct contacts with North Western State of Somalia, seeks political solution amid rising Horn of Africa stakes MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government is engaging in direct and regular contact with authorities in North Western State of Somalia and pursuing a negotiated political settlement, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said in an interview published Saturday. Speaking to Doha News, Balcad reaffirmed the federal government’s position that North Western State of Somalia remains part…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s federal government moved to clarify its position on the Western Sahara dispute, saying statements circulating in media do not reflect its official stance and emphasizing that policy is communicated only through formal government channels. In a press statement issued Saturday, authorities urged media outlets and the public to rely on verified government communications on international affairs. The clarification comes amid heightened regional scrutiny of diplomatic alignments across Africa and renewed…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalis reacted with anger and disbelief Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump described Somalis as “garbage” and said “we don’t want them in our country,” remarks delivered during a cabinet meeting a day earlier that drew condemnation across Mogadishu and beyond. Trump, who has a long record of inflammatory language, also said Somalis “just run around killing each other” and declared “their country stinks,” intensifying a wave of rhetoric he has aimed at immigrants following last week’s shooting…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday accepted the credentials of eight newly appointed ambassadors, signaling renewed momentum in Somalia’s diplomatic outreach during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu. The envoys represent Egypt, Indonesia, Sweden, Cuba, Canada, Finland, Norway and Spain. In welcoming them, Mohamud underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and urged close coordination with Somali institutions to support peace, trade and regional…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday issued a formal warning to district administrations across the Banadir region, ordering them to ensure an open campaign environment and unhindered distribution of voter cards as the election period intensifies in Mogadishu and its surrounding districts. In a directive circulated to local officials, the Commission said political organizations and candidates are legally entitled to campaign without interference, and citizens must be able to…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has extended the free period for obtaining the National Identity Card until Jan. 31, 2026, the agency’s deputy director general announced Thursday. Deputy Director General Abdirahman Said Ahmed said the decision is intended to widen public access to the ID program and ease pressure on registration sites as demand grows. “The National Identity Card issuance service has been extended for two months for the benefit of the Somali…

Kenya signs $2.5 billion health pact with U.S., first under Trump-era overhaul; data privacy questions follow NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has signed a five-year, $2.5 billion health agreement with the United States, the first such government-to-government pact since President Donald Trump overhauled U.S. foreign aid, U.S. and Kenyan officials said Saturday. Washington cast the deal as a model for a series of agreements with developing countries, signaling a deeper pivot to direct funding of public sectors over traditional aid…