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Tag: Africa

  • US Drops Appeal of Order Blocking Trump Plan to Tie State Transportation Funds to Immigration Enforcement

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    WASHINGTON, Jan ‌13 (Reuters) – ​The U.S. ‌Justice Department on ​Tuesday asked a federal ‍appeals court to ​dismiss ​its ⁠appeal of a lower court order blocking President Donald Trump’s administration from forcing 20 ‌Democratic-led states to cooperate ​with immigration ‌enforcement to ‍receive billions ⁠of dollars in transportation grant funding.

    In July, a U.S. judge in Rhode Island ruled the ​U.S. Department of Transportation lacked authority to require the states to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain transportation funding and that ​the condition violated the U.S. Constitution.

    (Reporting by David Shepardson in ​Washington; Editing by Tom Hogue)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Seeks Seventh Term After Four Decades in Power

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    Jan 13 (Reuters) – When Yoweri Museveni seized power in Uganda in 1986, he said “the problem of ‌Africa ​in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but ‌leaders who want to overstay in power.”

    The 81-year-old president and former rebel is seeking a seventh term in office on Thursday after nearly ​four decades leading the East African nation, the vast majority of whose citizens have never known any other leader.

    Museveni came to power on a wave of optimism after leading insurgencies against autocratic governments. That goodwill was soon ‍squandered amid allegations of graft and authoritarianism. 

    “Corruption has been ​central to his rule from the beginning,” Kristof Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp, told Reuters.

    Museveni has acknowledged that some government officials have engaged in corrupt practices but says all those who have been ​caught have been prosecuted.

    The ⁠canny political strategist has also cultivated foreign allies by embracing the security priorities of Western powers, deploying peacekeepers to hotspots such as Somalia and South Sudan and welcoming huge numbers of refugees to Uganda.

    In his own country, his record has been mixed.

    His government won praise for tackling the AIDS epidemic and for beating back the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel group that brutalised Ugandans for nearly 20 years.

    But widespread corruption hollowed out state services and just one in four Ugandan children entering primary school makes it to secondary school, according to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, while well-paid ‌jobs remain largely out of reach for many.

    Born to Christian nomadic pastoralists, Museveni secured admission to an elite secondary school and went on to study political science at ​a ‌university in neighbouring Tanzania.

    There, he founded a ‍militant movement that eventually helped force out ⁠President Idi Amin, with Milton Obote taking over as Uganda’s leader in 1980.

    Obote was toppled in a coup in 1985. The following year, the military wing of Museveni’s National Resistance Movement overthrew Tito Okello, who had become president.

    “This is not a mere change of guard,” Museveni said at his swearing-in. “This is a fundamental change in the politics of our government.”

    His efforts to attract foreign investment, establish order and raise the standard of living were initially applauded by the West. But as Uganda’s economy picked up, so did public anger over corruption.

    Under a privatisation programme, dozens of state enterprises were sold to Museveni’s relatives and cronies at fire-sale prices, according to parliamentary reports which said some of the proceeds were embezzled.

    Kizza Besigye, Museveni’s doctor during his years in the bush, fell out with him, accusing him of presiding over corruption and rights abuses.

    Museveni has won ​all six presidential elections he has contested, including four against Besigye, who was arrested in 2024 and faces treason charges.

    In 2005, parliament scrapped presidential term limits, a move critics said was aimed at letting him keep power for life.

    Museveni’s election opponents rejected election results over alleged irregularities. The authorities denied the allegations and police cracked down on demonstrations by opposition supporters.

    Museveni dismissed criticism from Western powers, saying in 2006: “If the international community has lost confidence in us, then that is a compliment because they are habitually wrong.”

    He also sought to cultivate ties with other countries, including China, Russia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, to reduce Uganda’s dependence on the West.

    The discovery of substantial oil deposits buoyed his status, leading to agreements with energy giants TotalEnergies and CNOOC to build an export pipeline.

    Muzeveni’s main rival in Thursday’s presidential election is Bobi Wine, a 43-year-old pop star. Political analysts say that while victory for Museveni is all but certain, the road ahead is clouded by uncertainty, with the president starting to show signs of frailty .

    “The big question looming over the election is the question of succession,” university professor Titeca said, reflecting on the rapid rise of Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and Uganda’s military chief.

    Uganda’s opposition has ​accused Museveni of fast-tracking Kainerugaba’s military career to prepare him to eventually succeed him, despite the 51-year-old frequently taking to X to make inflammatory remarks, while veteran politicians who once fought alongside Museveni in the bush have sidelined.

    The election outcome could determine Museveni’s next move, with a poor showing potentially prompting him to promote other party members and deflect criticism of an outright dynastic succession, said former newspaper editor Charles Onyango-Obbo.

    “This is less about the results that will be announced, and more about the mood on the ground,” said ​Onyango-Obbo, adding that a handover could be some years away.

    “Museveni is more frail now, but he is a workaholic… he will not leave even if he needs to use a walking stick,” he said.

    (Reporting by Ammu Kannampilly, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Russian Drones Hit Two Foreign Vessels Near Ukraine’s Port, Source Says

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    KYIV, ‌Jan ​12 (Reuters) – ‌Russian drones ​on ‍Monday ​hit ​two foreign-flagged vessels ⁠near Ukraine’s southern ‌port of ​Chornomorsk, a ‌person ‍familiar with ⁠the matter told ​Reuters.

    One of the vessels was heading to Italy, the person said.

    (Reporting ​by Yuliia DysaEditing by ​Tomasz Janowski)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • These Gen Zers just raised $11.75M to put Africa’s defense back in the hands of Africans | TechCrunch

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    After five years of building an edtech company, Nathan Nwachuku, 22, realized that Africa was at a crossroads. The continent is undergoing rapid industrialization, he told TechCrunch. There is money, opportunity, and a young, driven population. He figured, soon enough, the continent was on the “edge of an industrial revolution.” 

    “At the same time,” he said, he felt the continent still struggled to address what was one of its biggest Achilles heels. “Terrorism and insecurity.” Africa has more terror-related deaths than any region in the world, and it is this problem that could slow down — or even stop completely — the growth of the region, Nwachuku said. 

    He teamed up with a friend, Maxwell Maduka, 24, and launched Terra Industries, a defense company that designs infrastructure and autonomous systems to help governments and organizations monitor and respond to threats. The company announced Monday that it emerged from stealth with a $11.75 million round led by Joe Lonsdale’s 8VC. 

    Others in the round include Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, and Nova Global. The company previously raised an $800,000 pre-seed round, and Nwachuku said others took much interest in the company after it appeared on CNN. African investors in the company include Tofino Capital, Kaleo Ventures, and DFS Lab. 

    “The goal is to build Africa’s first defense prime, to build autonomous defense systems and other systems to protect our critical infrastructure and resources from armed attacks,” Nwachuku, the company’s CEO, said. Maduka serves as the company’s CTO. 

    The team is stacked with military experience: 40% of its engineers held the same role in the Nigerian military; 8VC’s Alex Moore, who specializes in defense investing, is also on the board, and Nigeria’s Vice Air Marshal Ayo Jolasinmi serves as an advisor. Maduka also served as an enginner in the Nigerian Navy and founded a drone company at 19.

    The company, based in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, took a multi-domain approach to product development, considering how to protect critical infrastructure from the ground, water, and air. For the air, the company produces long-range and short-range drones. On the ground, it has surveillance towers and ground drones. The company is still working on developing maritime technology to help protect infrastructure such as offshore rigs and underwater pipelines. 

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    Terra powers its tech with its proprietary software, ArtemisOS, which collects, analyzes, and synthesizes data in real time. Once threats are spotted, they alert response forces (such as security agencies) so they can intercept them. “We want to geofence all of Africa’s critical infrastructure and resources,” Nwachuku said, adding that the problem is not lack of firepower (many African armies already have that).

    Instead, it’s a lack of sovereign intelligence, as much of the intelligence that African countries depend on comes from Western powers, China, and Russia. 

    “We want to take the defense of our continent’s resources and infrastructure into Africa’s own hands,” Nwachuku continued. “We are the first truly Pan-African defense company.” 

    Terra recently won its first federal contract, though it said it cannot provide more details. The company makes money when governments and commercial customers place orders for Terra systems and then pay an annual fee for data processing and storage. Nwachuku said the company has generated more than $2.5 million in commercial revenue so far and is protecting assets valued at around $11 billion. 

    Commercial revenue comes from protecting private infrastructure, like gold mines or power plants. Terra said it is protecting at least two hydro power plants and several smaller mines, with most of the company’s clientele coming from Nigeria. 

    The company hopes to use the fresh capital to help expand and build more defense factories across Africa. It also wants to further expand its software capabilities and grow its AI team. It will open software offices in San Francisco and London, but the company said manufacturing will remain in Africa, with more factories opening across the continent to boost job creation. 

    “It’s clear Africa today is undergoing what I see as an epic struggle for its very survival,” Nwachuku said. “The only way for us to truly break ourselves from the shackles that have held us back for the last decade or two is ensuring the core resources, the core infrastructures of the continent, are entirely protected.”

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  • Explainer-What Is at Stake in Uganda’s Presidential Election?

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    Jan 12 (Reuters) – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will seek to extend his four-decade rule ‌on ​Thursday in an election that has renewed questions about ‌the 81-year-old leader’s eventual succession. 

    While political analysts say Museveni’s stranglehold on Ugandan institutions makes victory for him and his National ​Resistance Movement (NRM) party a near certainty in presidential and parliamentary elections, how the vote unfolds could have important implications for the country’s path forward.  

    WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES? 

    Museveni, who came to power at ‍the head of a rebellion in 1986, is ​aiming for a seventh term in office.

    His main challenger is 43-year-old Bobi Wine, who finished runner-up in the 2021 election with 35% of the vote and is popular with young ​voters. 

    Other notable candidates are ⁠former military chief Mugisha Muntu, an anti-corruption campaigner, and Nandala Mafabi, a lawmaker who was previously the opposition leader in parliament.  

    WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES? 

    Museveni has campaigned on a slogan of “protecting the gains”, touting a record of relative peace and stability.

    He has said he wants to make Uganda a middle-income country by boosting manufacturing, adding value to agricultural exports such as coffee and cotton and capitalising on the start of oil production expected later this year.  

    Wine has focused on restoring political freedoms, accusing ‌Museveni of “40 years of dictatorship”. The government has denied allegations of widespread human rights abuses.

    Wine has also vowed to stamp out corruption, bolster youth employment and review ​production-sharing ‌agreements with international oil firms if they ‍do not favour Ugandan interests.

    Successive elections in Uganda have been marred by violence and crackdowns on government opponents.  

    Security forces killed more than 50 people before the last election in 2021 while responding to protests triggered by Wine’s arrest.  

    Hundreds of opposition supporters have been detained in the run-up to this year’s vote, and at least one was killed at a campaign event.

    Violent youth-led protests in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania over the past two years have underscored the risks to the government of young people’s frustration with political systems they see as corrupt and unresponsive to their needs.

    Last week, Ugandan authorities said they were banning live broadcasts of riots, “unlawful processions” and other violent incidents.

    WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR FOREIGN ACTORS?

    Museveni’s Uganda has been a strategic ally of Western countries, ​sending troops to fight Somalia’s al Shabaab and other militant groups in the region. It also hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa. 

    The United States criticised the 2021 elections as neither free nor fair and imposed visa bans on some Ugandan officials, but Washington is unlikely to weigh in on this year’s poll after U.S. diplomats were instructed in July not to comment on the integrity of foreign elections.

    Museveni’s government has curried favour with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration by entering an agreement in August to take in deportees from the U.S. who are nationals of third countries. 

    Uganda has expanded its economic ties with China and non-Western powers such as Russia and the United Arab Emirates in recent years. China National Offshore Oil Corporation is one of the two lead partners in Uganda’s Lake Albert oil fields, which are due to start commercial crude production later this year.

    WHAT ELSE WILL UGANDA OBSERVERS BE WATCHING? 

    There may be little suspense about the election outcome, but political observers will be watching the vote for what it says about a ​future presidential succession.

    Museveni is widely thought to be lining up his son, military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to succeed him.

    Kainerugaba has fuelled the speculation by openly discussing his presidential ambitions, although Museveni has denied grooming his son to succeed him.

    Political analysts say Kainerugaba’s status as heir apparent is a source of controversy within the NRM and that other party heavyweights are also positioning themselves for Museveni’s eventual departure from the scene.

    One important metric will be Museveni’s margin of ​victory. In 2021, he registered his lowest score in a presidential election with 58% of the vote. Any further slippage could weaken his political standing before a possible succession battle, analysts say. 

    (Editing by Timothy Heritage)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – January 2026

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  • Four Tankers That Had Left Venezuela in ‘Dark Mode’ Are Back in Its Waters

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    Jan 10 (Reuters) – At least four ‌tankers, ​most of them loaded, ‌that had departed from Venezuela in early January in ‘dark mode’ – ​or with their transponders off amid a strict U.S. blockade – are now back ‍in the South American country’s ​waters, according to state company PDVSA and monitoring service TankerTrackers.com. 

    A flotilla ​of about ⁠a dozen loaded vessels and at least three other empty ships left Venezuelan waters last month in apparent defiance of an embargo imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump since mid-December, which has dragged down the country’s oil exports ‌to minimum.

    One of the ships, the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, was intercepted ​and ‌seized by the U.S. ‍this week ⁠when returning to the country; while another, the Aframax tanker Olina with a flag from Sao Tome And Principe, was intercepted but released to Venezuela on Friday, state company PDVSA said.

    Three more of the vessels that had departed in that flotilla, Panama-flagged Merope, Cook Islands-flagged Min Hang and Panama-flagged Thalia III, were spotted by ​Tankertrackers.com in Venezuelan waters late on Friday through satellite images.

    U.S. authorities had said on Friday that Olina -previously known as Minerva M – would be freed. The next step for the country, which remains under strict U.S. supervision after it captured and extracted President Nicolas Maduro last week, would be the beginning of organized crude exports as part of a $2 billion oil supply deal Caracas and Washington are negotiating, they said.

    In a meeting with top oil company executives on Friday, ​U.S. President Donald Trump said arrangements for the supply had progressed. Global trading houses Vitol and Trafigura received this week the first U.S. licenses to negotiate and carry Venezuela’s exports, and naphtha supplies to ​the OPEC country also are expected, sources said.

    (Reporting by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Julia Symmes Cobb)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • UN Says 53 Congolese Refugees Have Died in Burundi

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    KINSHASA, Jan 10 – More than ‌50 ​refugees fleeing fighting ‌in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have ​died in neighbouring Burundi, the United Nations Refugee Agency ‍told Reuters late on ​Friday.

    Of a total 53 deaths recorded, 25 ​people ⁠died due to a cholera outbreak, the agency said, while six others died from anemia and other complications related to malnutrition, it said.

    The U.N. said it ‌was working with the health ministry and other partners ​to investigate ‌the cause of ‍the ⁠other deaths.

    More than 100,000 Congolese have sought refuge in Burundi since fighting near the border intensified in early December and rebels seized the town of Uvira, the UNHCR said.

    Jean Jacques Purusi, governor of South Kivu province ​where Uvira is located, described the situation in Burundi as “misery” and “a crisis completely forgotten by the international community and media.”

    Congo’s state and social affairs ministry said it was leading a humanitarian mission to help displaced Congolese in Burundi, providing food, medicines, and non-food items. 

    A spokesperson for Burundi’s National Office of Protection of Refugees and Stateless ​Persons did not answer calls or respond to a texted request for comment.

    (Reporting by Congo newsroom. Additional reporting by Clement Manirabarusha in Bujumbura. ​Writing by Portia Crowe. Editing by Tim Cocks and Mark Potter)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Thirty-Nine Dead in Gambia Migrant Boat Sinking, Officials Say

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    BANJUL, Jan 8 (Reuters) – The death toll ‌after ​a boat carrying Europe-bound migrants capsized ‌off Gambia’s coast on New Year’s Eve has risen to 39, ​two government officials told Reuters, as survivors described the vessel as “overcrowded and dilapidated”.

    Gambia’s defence ministry last week ‍put the death toll at seven ​and said more than 200 people could have been on board.

    A total of 112 people ​had been ⁠rescued as of Wednesday, said Sima Lowe, public relations officer for Gambia’s Immigration Department, and a senior defence ministry official who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to press.

    The migration route used by West Africans trying to reach Spain via the ‌Canary Islands is one of the world’s deadliest.

    Survivors interviewed by Reuters after being released from ​hospital ‌in Gambia this week said ‍the boat ⁠had been heading for Europe.

    Their stories highlight the risks and challenges faced by would-be migrants from West Africa who are often fleeing poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunities in their home countries.

    “It’s … desperation driving me to risk my life, seeking better opportunities in Europe due to poverty and lack of prospects at home,” said Sadibou Fatty, who described the journey as “traumatic”.

    “I survived the tragedy but lost friends and ​fellow passengers,” he said, adding that, unlike many others on board, he knew how to swim.

    Of the 39 dead, 24 were recovered in Gambian territory, while 15 were recovered in Senegalese territory, the defence official said.

    Passengers on board included citizens of Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone, the official said.

    “My friends in Europe inspired me to take the ‘back way,’” said Kajali Camara, another survivor, referring to irregular immigration routes via small boats.

    “They’re supporting their families back home, and I wanted a better life too,” he said.

    Gambia’s government said it intercepted more than 2,700 ​would-be migrants in 2025. 

    During the first 11 months of 2025, irregular migration into the European Union along the West African route fell 60%, according to the EU’s border agency Frontex.

    The drop is largely due to stronger prevention efforts by departure countries working ​with EU member states, Frontex has said.

    (Reporting by Pap Saine; Editing by Portia Crowe; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet, Alexandra Hudson)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Rare mountain gorilla twins born in Africa’s oldest national park

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    A pair of twin mountain gorillas has been born in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo – a rare occurrence for the endangered primates, conservationists at Virunga National Park say.

    The community trackers, who discovered 22-year-old Mafuko hugging her newborns on Saturday, said the mother and her two baby sons all appeared to be well and healthy.

    Twin births are thought to account for about 1% of all mountain gorilla births, though exact data is not widely available.

    Virunga, situated in a conflict-prone part of DR Congo, is Africa’s oldest and largest national park and was set up 100 years ago to protect mountain gorillas of which there are fewer than 1,100 left in the wild.

    They are only found in the Virunga and in national parks over the border in Rwanda and Uganda, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which compiles a Red List of threatened species.

    The last birth of mountain gorilla twins in Virunga National Park was in September 2020.

    Mafuko herself gave birth to twins in 2016, but they both died within a week.

    Young gorillas rely entirely on their mothers for care and transport – and are extremely vulnerable in what can be a dangerous environment where poachers and many armed groups operate.

    The authorities at the park say additional monitoring and protection measures have been put in place to ensure the twins’ survival during this critical period.

    Rangers would closely observe the young family and provide support if needed, they said.

    A gorilla’s pregnancy lasts for about eight-and-a-half months, and females usually give birth to one infant every four years.

    According to Virunga conservationists, Mafuko has had a remarkable history of survival herself.

    Born in 2003 into the Kabirizi family, she lost her mother to armed attackers when she was four years old.

    She joined the Bageni family when she was 10 – and to date has been pregnant and given birth five times.

    Conservationists at Virunga, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site, say her latest offspring represent a significant boost for efforts to protect the endangered species.

    Thanks to anti-poaching patrols and community programmes – supported by the European Union and Unesco – mountain gorilla numbers in Virunga have slowly increased over the past decade.

    This success, which is documented by the IUCN and other partners, led to their status being upgraded from “critically endangered” to “endangered” in 2018.

    Virunga spans 7,800 sq km (3,000 sq miles) and is home to an astonishingly diverse landscape – from active volcanoes and vast lakes to rainforest and mountains.

    More about Virunga National Park from the BBC:

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  • Re-Elected President of Central African Republic Invites Russia’s Putin to Visit, TASS Says

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    MOSCOW, Jan 7 (Reuters) – The ‌newly ​re-elected president of ‌the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, ​has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit ‍his country, Russian state ​news agency TASS reported on ​Wednesday.

    Moscow ⁠has become a key ally of Touadera in recent years, with CAR in 2018 becoming the first West and Central African nation to ‌bring in Russia’s Wagner mercenaries as the chronically ​unstable ‌nation sought to fend ‍off ⁠several rebel groups.

    Touadera, in power since 2016, won a third term in office, provisional results showed this week, securing an outright majority in the presidential election held on December 28.

    In ​a video interview with TASS, Touadera called Putin a “great leader” and said the Kremlin chief was “very attentive” to relations with Bangui.

    Commenting on preliminary election results showing Touadera in the lead, the Wagner Group wrote on its Telegram channel: “We have no doubt that the chosen course of maintaining ​order and peace will prevail.”

    Touadera’s victory is likely to further Russia’s interests in the country, including in gold and diamond ​mining.

    (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy PapachristouEditing by Andrew Osborn)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Central African Republic President Touadéra wins third term

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    Central African Republic (CAR) President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has won a third term in office after securing an outright majority in last month’s presidential election, provisional results show.

    The 68-year-old mathematics professor was widely expected to win after the main opposition coalition boycotted the election, citing concerns about electoral fairness.

    Touadéra campaigned on his security record in the chronically unstable nation after rebels seized power in 2013, a crisis that led the government to enlist support from Russian mercenaries and Rwandan soldiers.

    He has faced heavy criticism after a 2023 constitution removed term limits, allowing him to keep running for office.

    More than 2.4 million people registered for the 28 December general election, which observers described as largely peaceful despite delays caused by late polling materials and problems with the electoral register.

    Touadéra secured 76% of the vote, according to preliminary results announced late on Monday by the election agency.

    His closest challengers, Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra, both former prime ministers, received 15% and about 3% of the vote, respectively.

    Both have called for the results to be annulled, alleging widespread irregularities and electoral fraud.

    On Friday, Dologuélé said there had been “a methodical attempt to manipulate” the electoral outcome.

    The main opposition coalition, known by its French acronym BRDC, boycotted the election, saying it was unlikely to be fair.

    The government has denied the claims.

    The Constitutional Court has until 20 January to rule on any challenges and declare the final results.

    The CAR is one of Africa’s poorest and most unstable countries, even though it is rich in resources such as diamonds and uranium. The UN estimates that about half the population is dependent on humanitarian aid.

    Since 2013, the landlocked country has been mired in conflict after rebels seized power, ousting then-President François Bozizé.

    A 2019 peace deal between the government and 14 armed groups helped ease tensions, though six of the groups later withdrew from the agreement.

    Analysts say Touadéra’s win could bolster interests of Russia, which has exchanged security assistance for access to resources such as gold and diamonds.

    The CAR was one of the first African countries where Wagner, a Russian mercenary group, became active. The group has also been responsible for providing security to Touadéra.

    More BBC stories about the Central African Republic:

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  • Two African nations ban American citizens in diplomatic tit-for-tat following Trump admin move

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    Two West African nations have issued a simultaneous ban on American citizens in a diplomatic tit-for-tat move, amidst heightened tensions with both the United States and Europe, and as Russia seeks to increase its economic and geopolitical influence in the region.

    Dozens of Wagner forces were massacred in Mali following ambush by Tuareg rebels on July 27, 2024. (East2West)

    Mali and Burkina Faso made the move in response to the Trump administration’s Dec. 16 expansion of travel restrictions to more than 20 countries. The policy particularly affected the African continent, with Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan also being subject to travel restrictions.

    ‘DEPART IMMEDIATELY’: STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS AMERICANS AS AL QAEDA THREATENS TO OVERRUN AFRICAN NATION

    The Trump administration cited the persistence of armed attacks in both nations as part of the rationale for its decision:

    “According to the Department of State, terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso. According to the Fiscal Year 2024, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report (“Overstay Report”), Burkina Faso had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 9.16 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 22.95 percent.  Additionally, Burkina Faso has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.”

    Regarding its decision to include Mali on the list, it stated:

    “According to the Department of State, armed conflict between the Malian government and armed groups is common throughout the country.  Terrorist organizations operate freely in certain areas of Mali.”

    Burkina Faso and Mali are both currently ruled by military juntas that came to power amidst rising violence and instability, as both nations came under attack from Islamist terrorist groups.

    A mural is seen in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    A mural is seen, March 1, 2023, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Military forces in Burkina Faso killed 223 civilians, including babies and many children, in attacks on two villages accused of cooperating with militants, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Thursday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo, File)

    Both nations have also seen a rise in anti-French sentiment, in conjunction with deepening relationships with Russia, which has pledged to offer assistance in fighting back the Islamist rebels battling the central governments for territorial control.

    MILITARY-LED MALI SUSPENDS ALL POLITICAL ACTIVITY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

    “In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens,” the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

    Malian soldiers check a vehicle in the garrison town of Kati, Mali, Tuesday Aug. 18, 2020. Malian soldiers took up arms and began detaining senior military officers in an apparent mutiny, raising fears of a potential coup after several months of anti-government demonstrations calling for the president's resignation. (AP Photo/Mohamed Salaha)

    Malian soldiers check a vehicle in the garrison town of Kati, Mali, Tuesday Aug. 18, 2020. Malian soldiers took up arms and began detaining senior military officers in an apparent mutiny, raising fears of a potential coup after several months of anti-government demonstrations calling for the president’s resignation. (AP Photo/Mohamed Salaha)

    Burkina Faso’s government cited a similar rationale for issuing its ban on American travelers.

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    Both nations, as well as neighboring Niger and Nigeria, have seen skyrocketing violence in recent years, as chronically underfunded governments struggle to retain control of rural, sparsely-populated desert regions.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    David Unsworth reports on Latin America. You can follow David Unsworth on Twitter @LatinAmerUpdate

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  • Mali and Burkina Faso Announce Reciprocal Travel Ban on US

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    BAMAKO, Dec 31 (Reuters) – Mali and Burkina ‌Faso ​have said they ‌are imposing a travel ban on U.S. citizens ​in response to an equivalent measure announced by the Trump administration ‍earlier this month.

    In separate ​statements issued by their foreign ministries late on Tuesday, ​the two ⁠West African countries said they were acting in the name of “reciprocity” after the White House announced on December 16 that U.S. President Donald Trump was adding them and five other countries ‌to a list of those subject to a full ​travel ban.

    The ‌White House said the ‍expanded ⁠ban, set to take effect on January 1, applied to “countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats”.

    Mali said on Tuesday that Washington’s decision to add it to the ​travel ban list had been taken without prior consultation and that the stated rationale was not justified by “actual developments on the ground”.

    Mali and Burkina Faso are not the first countries to take such measures affecting U.S. citizens after being targeted by Trump’s travel restrictions.

    On December 25 neighbouring Niger announced it would stop issuing visas to U.S. citizens, the country’s state media agency reported, citing a ​Nigerien diplomatic source.

    In June, Chad announced it was suspending visa issuance to U.S. citizens after it was included on an earlier list of 12 countries affected by ​a travel ban.

    (Reporting by Mali newsroom; Writing by Robbie Corey-BouletEditing by Gareth Jones)

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  • US Government Audits Cases of Somali US Citizens for Potential Denaturalization

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    WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) – President Donald ‌Trump’s ​administration said on Tuesday it ‌was auditing immigration cases involving U.S. citizens of Somali ​origin to detect fraud that could lead to denaturalization, or revocation of citizenship.

    “Under U.S. ‍law, if an individual procures ​citizenship on a fraudulent basis, that is grounds for denaturalization,” Homeland Security ​Assistant Secretary ⁠Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that was first reported by Fox News and reposted by the White House on social media.Denaturalization cases are rare and can take years. According to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, about 11 ‌cases were pursued per year between 1990 and 2017.

    Since taking office in January, ​Trump ‌has pursued a hardline ‍immigration policy ⁠involving aggressive deportation drive, revocations of visas and green cards, and screening of social media posts and past speeches of immigrants.

    Human rights groups widely condemn Trump’s policies, saying they curb rights like due process and free speech. Trump and his allies say the policies aim to improve domestic security.

    Federal officials in recent weeks have portrayed ​Minnesota’s Somali community as a hotspot for fraud involving millions of federal dollars intended for social services. Immigrant-rights advocates say the administration is using the fraud investigations as an excuse to target Somali immigrants more broadly.

    FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday the bureau has “surged” investigative resources and personnel to Minnesota in the latest instance of the Trump administration’s fraud investigations that have targeted the state’s Somali immigrants.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services separately said on Tuesday it has ​frozen all child care payments to Minnesota. It said that going forward all payments from the department’s Administration for Children and Families nationwide “will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send ​money to a state.”

    (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Michael Perry)

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  • China Opposes Recognition of Somaliland, Affirms Support for Somalia

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    BEIJING, Dec 29 (Reuters) – ‌China ​opposes any ‌attempt to split territories ​in Somalia, the foreign ministry ‍said on Monday, ​affirming Chinese ​support ⁠for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the East African country.

    “No country should encourage ‌or support other countries’ internal ​separatist forces ‌for its ‍own selfish ⁠interests,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a regular press conference, urging authorities in Somaliland to ​stop “separatist activities and collusion with external forces”.

    Israel became the first country on Friday to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, seeking immediate cooperation with ​Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.

    (Reporting by Eduardo Baptista, Writing by ​Liz Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

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  • Guinea Votes in Presidential Election Expected to Cement Doumbouya’s Rule

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    Dec 28 (Reuters) – Guinea votes on Sunday in a presidential election widely ‌expected ​to hand Mamady Doumbouya, who seized ‌power in a 2021 coup, a seven-year mandate, completing the West African nation’s transition back ​to civilian rule.

    The former special forces commander, believed to be in his early 40s, faces eight other candidates in a fragmented field ‍with no strong challenger. Ousted president ​Alpha Conde and longtime opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo remain in exile.

    Guinea holds the world’s largest bauxite reserves and the richest ​untapped iron ⁠ore deposit at Simandou, officially launched last month after years of delay.

    Doumbouya has claimed credit for pushing the project forward and ensuring Guinea benefits from its output.

    His government this year also revoked EGA subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation’s license after a refinery dispute, transferring its assets to a state-owned firm.

    The turn toward resource nationalism – echoed in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – ‌has boosted his popularity, as has his youth in a country where the median age is about 19.

    “For ​us young ‌people, Doumbouya represents the opportunity ‍to send the old ⁠political class into retirement,” said Mohamed Kaba, a mechanic in Conakry. “There is a lot of corruption right now, but I hope these things will be sorted out.”

    DOUMBOUYA EXPECTED TO ENTRENCH POWER

    If elected, Doumbouya “will likely utilise his position to further entrench his power and that of the military over Guinea,” said Benedict Manzin, lead Middle East and Africa analyst at risk consultancy Sibylline.

    “In particular he is likely to position his allies and associates to benefit from the expected economic boom associated with the launch of production” at Simandou, ​Manzin added.

    A transition charter adopted after the coup barred junta members from contesting elections. But in September, Guineans overwhelmingly backed a new constitution removing that clause, extending presidential terms to seven years and creating a Senate.

    Provisional results showed turnout at 86.42%, though opposition figures disputed that. 

    OPPOSITION ACTIVITY RESTRICTED DURING CAMPAIGN

    Political debate has been muted under Doumbouya. Civil society groups accuse his government of banning protests, curbing press freedom and restricting opposition activity.

    The campaign period “has been severely restricted, marked by intimidation of opposition actors, apparently politically motivated enforced disappearances, and constraints on media freedom,” U.N. rights chief Volker Turk said Friday. These conditions “risk undermining the credibility of the electoral process,” he added.

    The government did not respond to a request for comment.

    Doumbouya kept a low profile during the ​campaign, leaving surrogates to make his case.

    At a closing rally on Thursday in Conakry, he skipped a speech although he danced with his wife while Congolese star Koffi Olomide performed. 

    He wore a white baseball cap and track jacket emblazoned with the name of his movement: “Generation for Modernity and Development.” 

    About 6.7 million people are registered ​to vote, with provisional results expected within 48 to 72 hours of polls closing.

    (Reporting by Guinea newsroom; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Louise Heavens)

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  • African regional bodies reject Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

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    Africa’s regional governance bodies on Saturday rejected Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation, a day earlier.

    Somaliland, a territory of more than 3 million people in the Horn of Africa, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid a descent into conflict. Despite having its own government and currency, it had never been recognized by any nation in the world until Friday.

    The African Union Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said any attempt to undermine Somalia’s sovereignty risks peace and stability on the continent.

    He said that the commission “firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity, recalling that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

    Somalia’s federal government on Friday strongly rejected what it described as an unlawful move by Israel to recognize Somaliland, reaffirming that the northern region remains an integral part of Somalia’s sovereign territory.

    It was not known why Israel made the declaration at this time or whether it was expecting something in return.

    Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Israel had approached Somaliland about taking in Palestinians from Gaza as part of U.S. President Trump’s plan at the time to resettle the territory’s population. The United States has since abandoned that plan.

    Netanyahu’s office said on Friday that he, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, signed a joint declaration “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”

    That initiative, which started in 2020, established commercial and diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Mr. Trump sees it as key to his plan for bringing long-term stability to the Middle East.

    “I’ll communicate to President Trump your willingness and desire to join the Abraham Accords,” Netanyahu told Abdullahi in a video call celebrating the diplomatic breakthrough.

    However, Mr. Trump was less willing to join ally Israel in recognizing the independence of Somaliland, telling the New York Post that he has to “study” it.

    “We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions and they turn out to be correct,” he said.

    The foreign ministry of Egypt — a major mediator in the Israel-Hamas war — said on social media that it rejects Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and stressed full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

    East African governing body IGAD, in a statement on Saturday, said Somalia’s sovereignty was recognized under international law.

    “Any unilateral recognition runs contrary to the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and the Agreement establishing IGAD,” the statement read in part.

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  • Israel Recognises Somaliland, Somalia’s Breakaway Region, as Independent State

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    (Fixes ‌spelling ​in “breakaway” in ‌headline)

    Dec 26 (Reuters) – ​Israel ‍has ​recognised ​Somaliland, a ⁠breakaway region of Somalia, ‌as an “independent and ​sovereign state,” ‌Israeli ‍Prime Minister ⁠Benjamin Netanyahu said on ​Friday, making Israel the first country to do so.

    (Reporting by Maayan Lubell ​and George Obulutsa, Editing ​by Louise Heavens)

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  • US Launches Strike Against Islamic State Militants in Northwest Nigeria

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    (Refiles to fix hyperlinks in paragraph 4)

    By ‌Trevor ​Hunnicutt, Idrees Ali and Simon ‌Lewis

    PALM BEACH, Florida, Dec 25 (Reuters) – The United States carried out ​an airstrike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria’s government, U.S. ‍President Donald Trump and the ​U.S. military said on Thursday, claiming the group had been targeting Christians in ​the region.

    “Tonight, ⁠at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, ‌and even Centuries!,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

    The U.S. military’s ​Africa Command ‌said on X the ‍strike was ⁠conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and killed multiple ISIS militants.

    The strike comes after Trump starting in late October began warning that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.

    Reuters reported on Monday the U.S. had been conducting ​intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.

    Nigeria’s government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and U.S. claims that Christians face persecution do not represent a complex security situation and ignore efforts to safeguard religious freedom. But it has agreed to work with the U.S. to bolster its forces against militant groups.

    The country’s population is split between Muslims living primarily in the north and Christians in the south.

    The president issued his statement on Christmas Day while he was at his ​Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago Club, where he has been spending the holiday. He had no public events during the day and was last seen by the reporters traveling with him on Wednesday night.

    (Reporting by Idrees Ali and ​Trevor Hunnicutt; additional reporting by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; writing by Simon Lewis; Editing by Chris Reese)

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  • Rescue helicopter crashes on Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, killing all 5 on board

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    Five people died when a rescue helicopter on a mission on Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, crashed on Wednesday night.

    The crash happened on one of the most popular tourist climbing routes in Tanzania. Police said the helicopter was on a rescue mission to pick up patients on the mountain.

    Two foreigners, who police said had been picked up in a medical evacuation, were among those killed. Tanzanian media reports said they were Czech nationals.

    A local doctor, a tour guide and a pilot were also killed in the crash, police said.

    The crash happened between the mountain’s Barafu Camp and Kibo Summit at an altitude of more than 13,100 feet.

    Kilimanjaro regional police commander Simon Maigwa told journalists the aircraft belonged to the Kilimanjaro Aviation company, which conducts medical evacuation services, among others. The company has not yet commented on the accident.

    Police said more information would be provided later. It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

    The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority on Thursday said investigations had started in line with international safety regulations “to determine the circumstances and probable cause” of the accident.

    Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, is nearly 20,000 ft above sea level. While the ascent is not considered technically difficult for mountaineers, altitude sickness is a problem for many climbers. Around 50,000 tourists climb Kilimanjaro annually. 

    Aircraft accidents on Mount Kilimanjaro are rare, with the last recorded incident being in November 2008, when four people died.

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