Eye on Africa

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shared that Türkiye is planning to hold individual discussions with Ethiopia and Somalia. The aim is to pave the way for new negotiations tackling the contentious deal where Ethiopia agreed to lease North Western State of Somalia's coastline. Türkiye, striving for peace in the region, has already facilitated two rounds of these crucial meetings between the East African neighbors. However, a third round, originally scheduled for Tuesday in Ankara, got derailed and didn't happen.…

On Thursday, a military helicopter transporting international peacekeepers experienced a mishap near the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Remarkably, several military personnel aboard, including three Ugandan soldiers part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), survived the crash, as per security sources.Fortunately, the incident led to no fatalities, a military official disclosed to Anadolu via a phone call. They asked to stay anonymous due to lack of media authorization.At this point, neither the Somali…

A recent study conducted by the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education sounds the alarm on how climate change is intensifying both the frequency and severity of extreme weather phenomena. This escalation is placing the world’s aging network of dams—more than 70,000 in total—under increased threat, particularly in regions marred by conflict where some structures lie neglected and abandoned. Take, for instance, the catastrophic failure of the Arbaat Dam in Port Sudan last August. The region experienced an unprecedented…

Turkish Ambassador to Somalia, Alper Aktas Somalia, Thursday, lavished praise on Turkiye for its steadfast support and solid diplomatic ties. In an event held in Mogadishu, Somalia extended certificates of recognition to Alper Aktas and the Director of Turkish Red Crescent Somalia, Serif Simsek, in acknowledgment of their invaluable service. At the ceremony, Mohamud Moalim, the head honcho of the Somali National Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), echoed the nation’s appreciation of Turkiye and its citizens for their…

Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni in Nairobi on September 18, 2024. Image: HANDOUT Kenya's proposed Sh6.7 billion Mpox response fund has been flagged as insufficient and misprioritized, according to various advocacy groups. Critics have pointed out a glaring omission: there's no budget allocation for vaccine procurement. Speaking in Nairobi, these groups urged the government to reallocate funds towards crucial areas like vaccine acquisition, advanced diagnostics, and community education. The…

Washington, D.C. (AX) – U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the Somali Ambassador Dahir Hassan Arab at the White House, where the ambassador presented his diplomatic credentials. This ceremonial act symbolizes a step toward strengthening bonds between Somalia and the United States.In their dialogue, Ambassador Arab and President Biden explored ways to bolster bilateral ties, particularly zooming in on Somalia's developmental strides, as well as the Somali government's initiatives to uplift the quality of life for its…

On Wednesday, Somalia proclaimed the capture of a top boss from the terrorist faction al-Shabaab in the central Galgadud region.Ali Geelle, a high-ranking leader linked to al-Qaeda's offshoot al-Shabaab, was nabbed by the Somali National Army (SNA) in a military operation in Galgadud, according to a terse Defense Ministry communique.“The operation in Galhareeri district, Galgaduud region, also saw the confiscation of a vehicle, a gun, and some ammo,” the ministry posted on X. They noted that Geelle had been involved in…

Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali Foreign Minister Yusuf Garaad admonished the Somali government to step in regarding recent remarks made by Director of Transport and Aviation Bashir Moalim Ali. Ali sparked an uproar by casting aspersions on the people of South West State during a media engagement. Ali questioned the genuineness of the recent demonstrators in Bakool, alleging they weren't true Somalis but descendants of Ethiopians from the time of former President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. "Hearing Somali citizens labeled as…

Recently, President Hakainde Hichilema left many taken aback with his candid comments regarding the pressing need for constitutional reform during a speech delivered in the Zambian parliament. He articulated concerns that, without necessary adjustments, certain oversights could potentially result in the country facing a dramatic scenario: "a situation where we could have no general election for eight years." This unexpected assertion sparked widespread criticism from various quarters, including former president Edgar…