Tuesday May 12, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia has named Greek national Dimitrios Tourikis as its special representative to Greece, a move that signals a fresh push to expand its diplomatic footprint in Europe. Tourikis said Monday in a post on X that he had accepted the appointment and was honored by the role, adding that he would work to strengthen ties between North Western State of Somalia and the Hellenic Republic. North Western State of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not released…

Macron Defends Europe’s Influence in Africa Amidst Rising Chinese Presence During a pivotal two-day economic summit in Nairobi, French President Emmanuel Macron advocated for Europe’s ongoing role in Africa, contrasting it with the expanding influence of China across the continent. Speaking to Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, Macron reflected on his outspoken condemnation of colonialism upon assuming office in 2017. However, he emphasized the importance of not attributing Africa’s contemporary issues entirely to its…

Fresh tension in the Gulf has cast new doubt over US-Iran diplomacy, with Tehran openly questioning Washington’s credibility even as the White House awaits an answer to its latest proposal. US President Donald Trump said yesterday he expected Iran to respond to Washington’s most recent offer for an agreement aimed at prolonging a fragile truce and opening the door to peace talks — “supposedly tonight”. Yet if Pakistani mediators did receive an Iranian reply, no public indication of it emerged. In a call with his Turkish…

The aspirations of former Senegalese President Macky Sall to ascend to the role of UN Secretary-General have hit an impasse following the African Union's (AU) decision to withhold formal endorsement. On March 27, the AU announced that 20 out of its 55 member nations either opposed Sall's candidacy or sought an extension on the tightly constrained 24-hour deadline. Djiby Sow, a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), emphasized that this outcome does not reflect discord among African nations. Instead,…

Kenyan Recruitment Scandal: Promised Jobs Turned into Frontline Dangers A nefarious scheme has been uncovered in Kenya where citizens seeking jobs in Russia ended up being deployed to the front lines in Ukraine. Central to this operation was Festus Omwamba, recently arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. Omwamba arrested near the Ethiopian border, linked to human trafficking. Over 1,000 Kenyans recruited, many finding themselves in dangerous conditions in Ukraine. Ongoing efforts by the Kenyan government to…

AU intensifies push for ceasefires in Sudan and eastern DRC, says Commissioner Bankole Adeoye The African Union has sharpened its diplomatic drive to secure ceasefires in Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye outlining a renewed, African-led strategy to stem escalating violence and restore stability. Briefing reporters after the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Adeoye said AU leaders reaffirmed…

Zelensky says diplomacy needs ‘justice and strength’ as Russia, U.S., Ukraine open Geneva talks GENEVA — Trilateral talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were set to begin in Geneva on Monday as a Russian delegation led by nationalist historian and former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky arrived in the Swiss city around 6 a.m., according to a member of the Russian team. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky framed the diplomatic push as inseparable from sustained pressure on Moscow, saying talks would…

New Leadership in U.S. Africa Bureau Faces Complex Challenges Nick Checker, who stepped into the role of head of the State Department's Africa Bureau earlier this month, brings a unique perspective to the position after spending most of the past decade at the CIA. Unlike his two predecessors—career diplomats who served under President Trump—Checker has only four months of experience at the State Department. As the 'Senior Bureau Official,' a title currently used for acting positions across numerous agencies, Checker is…

Greenland’s opposition leader said Sunday he does not believe the United States will invade the Arctic territory, urging calm after President Donald Trump was quoted threatening to take over the island “the easy way or the hard way.” Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week program, Naleraq party leader Pele Broberg said “people have nothing to fear” and argued an invasion “would not make any sense” from the U.S. or any other power. “I believe that diplomacy and dialogue will win in the end,” he said. His comments followed a rare joint…

In Dhusamareeb, AFI 2025 turned a fragile moment into a political opening for Somalia The 9th Annual Forum for Ideas (AFI 2025) in Dhusamareeb was expected to be another policy conference. It became something else: an improbable stage-setter for dialogue between a wary federal government and a skeptical opposition, and a stress test of Somalia’s political resilience amid a fast-moving geopolitical storm. Organized by the Heritage Institute in partnership with the Galmudug administration, the gathering drew roughly 500…