conference

Munich — European leaders used the Munich Security Conference to step up calls for greater defense autonomy while seeking to stabilize transatlantic ties as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepared to address the gathering, aiming to reassure allies after months of strain under President Donald Trump. Leaders pledged to shoulder more of NATO’s shared burden, casting the push as essential to counter a hostile Russia and to keep the alliance credible. NATO chief Mark Rutte said “a strong Europe in a strong NATO means that…

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed Thursday for the Munich Security Conference, vowing to press European allies on defense burden-sharing while striking a less confrontational tone than Washington deployed a year ago. Rubio will lead the U.S. delegation to the annual security and defense forum, which runs through Sunday in the Bavarian capital. The trip comes amid a delicate moment in transatlantic relations following a bruising year of rhetoric from Washington and a high-profile dispute over Greenland that rattled…

KISMAYO, Somalia — A high-stakes conference of the Somali Future Council opened Thursday in Kismayo, drawing more than 700 delegates and senior political figures to chart a path toward a consensus-based election model as Somalia nears pivotal votes. The gathering, hosted in the interim capital of Jubaland under heightened security, convenes amid plans to hold one person, one vote local council elections in Mogadishu’s Benadir region on Dec. 25. Organizers and participants say their goal is to avoid political conflict by…

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 KISMAYO, Somalia — Somalia’s opposition leaders began arriving in Kismayo on Tuesday ahead of a four-day Somali Opposition Conference set to open Wednesday, with organizers saying the gathering will finalize the structure of a new Somali Future Council and assess the country’s political transition. The first delegation was led by Mohamed Aden Koofi, secretary-general of the Somali Salvation Forum. The group landed at Sayid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan Airport and was received by Jubbaland’s Minister of…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s push toward a unified, secure and inclusive digital identity gathered fresh momentum as government leaders, development partners and technology stakeholders mapped the next phase of the national ID rollout at the 2nd Somali National ID Conference, held Nov. 24-25 in the capital. Convened by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation, the conference underscored how the country’s digital ID program has…

West Africa Media and Development Conference Kicks Off in Abuja The third edition of the West Africa Media and Development Conference (MDC 3.0) is underway in Abuja, bringing together approximately 300 journalists, policymakers, researchers, diplomats, and technology leaders from across more than a dozen African countries. In his opening remarks at the conference on Monday, Dapo Olorunyomi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and Publisher of PREMIUM TIMES,…

Ghana's Cost-Cutting Measures Ahead of the UN General Assembly As the world prepares to gather for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, Ghana's government is taking a distinctly cautious approach, urging its officials to temper their travel plans. In a recent directive from Julius Debra, the Chief of Staff to President John Mahama, stringent guidelines have been put forth regarding attendance at the event, a move framed as part of the nation's broader cost-cutting strategy dubbed "Resetting…

Aden Duale, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, is representing Kenya at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, which kicks off today.This significant gathering has attracted a slew of world leaders, environmental gurus, policy buffs, and activists, all eager to tackle the thorny issues of climate change revolving around adaptation, resilience-building, and financial strategies. Kenya sees tackling climate change as a do-or-die affair. President William Ruto is…

Out of 197 delegates from 57 different nations attending the event, only 21 were men. Earlier this week, the event's group photo sparked a wave of skepticism online from Somalis. Many argued that women's issues aren't prioritized by the government. Social media brimmed with snapshots from the conference: General Jama appeared alongside his adviser, former MP Abdullahi Godah Barre, and in another image, they conversed with another gentleman, identified by the BBC as an aide. "He wasn't the sole male minister; the…

During a gathering of international donors focused on Lebanon held in Paris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin emphasized that Israel must be made to answer for any violations of international law. In a commitment to support the ongoing refugee crisis, Martin announced an additional €5 million pledge. "I seized the moment to address the ongoing situation," he remarked, highlighting what he termed "systematic and incessant violations of international humanitarian law" carried out by Israel, Hezbollah, and Hamas throughout these…