Eye on Africa

In Hargeisa, Somaliland's election commission plans to hold elections by November 13th. The commission confirmed the presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections will take place on this day. The electoral commission stated that the presidential race will feature Kulmiye, UCID, and Waddani parties. Meanwhile, the parliamentary and local council elections will have these three parties and ten other political organizations. Despite the lack of global recognition, Somaliland has been commended for progressing…

The United States agreed Friday to withdraw its more than 1,000 troops from Niger, officials said, upending its position in West Africa, where the country is home to a major drone base.

Togo's legislators approved a constitutional change to a parliamentary system, despite opposition concerns about President Gnassingbe's continued hold on power. The reform has sparked criticism from dissenting parties.

Kenya mourns as it investigates helicopter crash that killed its defence chief and nine other senior officers. In the Sahel, cocaine seizures have increased from tens of kilos in 2020 to over a ton in recent years, prompting the UN to issue a warning about the impact of drug trafficking on security and development in the region. South Africa is seeing a rise in political satire before upcoming elections, with well-known cartoonists like Nathi Ngubane and Zapiro leading the charge.

On Thursday, three French diplomats were ordered to leave Burkina Faso within 48 hours. The ruling junta deemed them persona non grata due to alleged "subversive activities," a claim Paris refutes. Tensions between the nations have escalated since Burkina Faso's second coup in 2022. France denies allegations of wrongdoing.

Mogadishu, Somalia, April 18, 2024 - The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) celebrates the release of journalist and SYL TV creator, Hussein Abdulle Mohamed, who went missing in the past week after meeting with the director of the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in Mogadishu. Reports indicate Hussein was taken from a hotel near the NISA headquarters around 4:00 PM and quickly transferred to the infamous Godka Jilacow facility after a brief 8-minute meeting at the Habar Khadijo building in Shibis…

President William Ruto confirmed that Kenya's defense chief and nine others perished in a helicopter crash. The tragic incident occurred in a remote part of the country.

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye visited Mauritania, his first trip abroad since March election. The two presidencies confirmed.

Burkina Faso recently ejected three French diplomats for engaging in "subversive activities," as stated in a foreign ministry document obtained by FRANCE 24.

In Garowe, the Hassan Sheikh administration faces a new deadlock amid increasing divides in Somalia. After President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud invited federal state leaders to a meeting, Puntland declared it would not attend. Puntland had previously refused to acknowledge the federal government and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as valid, citing changes to the constitution. "Mogadishu's administration is not recognized by Puntland due to unconstitutional alterations. Until the proper constitution is restored and issues…