Axadle - Breaking news and analysis from Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and across Africa.

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The global trading order is under siege, World Trade Organization director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned as delegates convened for the WTO ministerial in Yaounde, calling the disruption the most severe the system has faced in eight decades. "The world order and the multilateral system we used to know has irrevocably changed," she said, stressing: "We cannot deny the scale of the problems confronting the world today." With 166 member states represented, the WTO meets in the Cameroonian capital amid stark divisions among…

Trump floats 'taking control of Iranian oil,' says Tehran eager for deal US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s leaders are “begging to make a deal” to halt the ongoing Middle East war, pushing back on suggestions that Washington is chasing talks. He claimed Tehran signaled its willingness to negotiate by allowing 10 oil tankers to move through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, describing the passage as a…

by Frankline Oduor Thursday March 26, 2026 Kenya Navy officers conducting a joint maritime operation in the Western Indian Ocean, March 18, 2025. Photo KDF As fighting in the Middle East continues to unsettle major sea lanes, the government is weighing a tougher response: using military-supported maritime security to protect Kenyan exports bound for the region. Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana said in an interview on NTV on Tuesday that the State is considering special escort arrangements for cargo vessels…

In a significant move towards enhancing its digital landscape, Burkina Faso is prioritizing local languages in its Artificial Intelligence development strategy, underscoring a commitment to digital sovereignty. The initiative was unveiled in Ouagadougou during an event hosted by the Ministry of Digital Transition. Officials introduced a program focused on formalizing local languages and establishing a "comprehensive data corpus for Large Language Models." This session gathered an array of stakeholders—including…

Thursday March 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A sudden shake-up at the top of Somalia’s prison service has taken a new turn, with former Somali Custodial Corps Commander General Mahad Abdirahman Aden reportedly placed under house arrest without a court order just days after being removed from his post, according to sources familiar with the matter. Those sources said General Mahad’s personal security detail has been pulled and that his movements are now being watched. Federal authorities have not released any public statement to…

Somalia and Spain have taken a formal step to deepen ties, signing a memorandum of understanding in Madrid that charts closer political dialogue, security cooperation and economic engagement, Somalia’s state media reported. The agreement was formalized in Madrid during a ceremony attended by Ali Mohamed Omar and Diego Martínez Belío, Spanish State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs. "Honoured to meet H.E. Diego Martínez Belío, Spanish State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs. Somalia and Spain are opening…

Matt Brittin, the former head of Google's European operations, has been appointed Director General of the BBC, the corporation has confirmed. The 57-year-old, who spent nearly 20 years at Google after an early career at McKinsey, rose to become president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa before announcing his departure from the company last year. Tim Davie, who had led the broadcaster since 2020, stepped down in November 2025 following a controversy over a Panorama edit of a speech by Donald Trump; his resignation was…

Uganda’s top military commander signaled Wednesday that Kampala could be pulled into a wider Middle East war — and would back Israel — even as he urged an immediate end to the fighting. “We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it. But any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war — on the side of Israel,” Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defense forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, wrote on the US social media company X. His warning comes as regional tensions…

In a call to action, Human Rights Watch (HRW) is pressuring Nigerian officials to prioritize civilian safety in high-risk areas and to improve early warning systems in response to the tragic bombings that recently shook Maiduguri. The deadly attacks on March 16, 2026, targeted bustling public spaces—including a market, a post office, and the entrance to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital—resulting in the loss of 23 lives and leaving 108 others injured. HRW highlighted that the indiscriminate nature of these…