MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 16 — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia on Friday pressed Somalia’s federal government and opposition leaders to keep talking and settle on an inclusive electoral model after negotiations in Mogadishu ended without agreement on the main points of contention. The mission said it welcomed the restart of discussions held from May 13 to 15 and recognized the role of international partners in backing the process, but said it was disappointed the meetings failed to produce a…

Saturday May 16, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia is edging back toward famine as drought, soaring food and fuel costs and severe cuts to humanitarian funding leave more than 6 million people facing acute hunger, Oxfam has warned. Fresh data from the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification shows that nearly one in three Somalis is now living with crisis-level hunger or worse, or IPC Phase 3 and above. Within that group, nearly 1.9 million people are already in emergency food insecurity, just one step short of…

From the stage of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, President Paul Kagame delivered a sharp critique of global sanctions, saying they are wielded unevenly and weaponized against weaker states. He argued that the way sanctions are imposed reflects raw power rather than justice, advantaging countries with greater strategic or economic clout. During a session moderated by CNN anchor and correspondent Eleni Giokos, African leaders were pressed on how they are navigating escalating geopolitical strains — from disputed mineral…

Saturday May 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has urged the country’s leaders to use the final days of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term to build an inclusive electoral process that all political stakeholders can accept, warning that failure to do so could deepen instability. In remarks on Friday, Farmaajo said Friday, May 15, 2026, will mark the end of President Hassan Sheikh’s constitutional term, and he emphasized that Somalia now needs broad agreement on the path ahead for…

Friday May 8, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Wednesday said Somalia’s federal government is ready to hear opposition concerns, but drew a firm line against any rhetoric or actions he said could threaten the country’s security and hard-won stability. At a press briefing in Mogadishu, Hamza took aim at recent comments by some former national leaders who have aligned themselves with the opposition, cautioning that political language should not be allowed to deepen national tensions. “I hope those…

Wednesday May 6, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A three-day Somali Civil Society Conference on good governance and political stability wrapped up in Mogadishu on Wednesday, bringing together a wide spectrum of voices in a rare push for political calm and consensus. Held from May 3 to 5, the conference drew scholars, civil society umbrella organizations, women, youth, people with disabilities, media representatives, academics and traditional elders. Over the course of the sessions, participants examined Somalia’s political…

Saturday May 2, 2026 The Kenya African National Union (KANU) has appealed for calm and restraint after a surge of insecurity along the Mwingi–Garissa Road corridor in Kitui County. KANU chairman Gideon Moi said the recent violence was a matter of serious national concern and sent condolences to the families who have lost relatives. “Resource-based disputes must never be allowed to descend into violence, senseless killings, or wanton looting,” Moi said. “The loss of life and destruction of property only deepen divisions and…

Britain has moved to bolster protection for Jewish communities after a fresh attack in north London sharpened fears over antisemitism and security, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer promising immediate support and urging the country to stand together. Under fire from British Jews who say ministers have too often failed to keep them safe, Mr Starmer said funding for synagogues and other community sites would be increased at once, while stressing that the response cannot rest on security measures alone and that the country…

As King Charles continued his visit to the United States, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani injected a charged colonial-era dispute into the conversation, saying the British monarch should return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond to India. "If I were to speak to the king separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor Diamond," Mr Mamdani, who is Indian American, said when asked at a press conference just hours before a ceremony honoring victims of the September 11 attacks. Mr Mamdani and the king later…

Tuesday April 28, 2026 Sa’dia Moalim Ali, a Somali tuktuk driver at the centre of a political storm after her arrest during protests opposing evictions in Mogadishu. Mogadishu (AX) — Amnesty International is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Sadia Moalim Ali, a 27-year-old tuk-tuk driver and social activist who has been held in Mogadishu since earlier this month without formal charges. Ali, widely known as “Sadia Bajaj,” was taken into custody on April 12 in Hodan district by officers from the National…