Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | His family has ruled Togo for more than 50 years but President Faure Gnassingbe has in the last week faced unprecedented public pressure to step down. He and his country stand alone in West Africa in resisting calls for constitutional reform, even as parliament begins …
Read More »Togo postpones Africa-Israel summit
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo on Monday cancelled an upcoming Africa-Israel summit, citing lack of time to prepare, after days of anti-government protests targeting President Faure Gnassingbe. The summit was due to have been held in the capital, Lome, late next month and was billed as a chance for …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Opening the Pandora’s Box
THE LAST WORD: How the nullification of the presidential elections in Kenya has put that country on a slippery slope Andrew M. Mwenda | THE LAST WORD | The Kenya Supreme Court annulled the election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ordered a re-run because the balloting and transmission of results …
Read More »‘African extremism driven by poverty, bad governance’
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Poverty, marginalisation and bad governance are more important factors in the radicalisation of young Africans than religion, according to a new study published on Thursday. The UN came to the conclusion after interviewing 495 former members of organisations such as Nigeria’s Boko Haram, the …
Read More »‘Migration cannot be stopped, but can be managed’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The 4th International Conference NOW in Kampala on “African Youth and Migration” concluded on Tuesday with a call to the African (AU) and European Union (EU) to try to develop common concepts of managing – not stopping – migration. “The AU and EU should work …
Read More »Draw moves Nigeria closer to World Cup 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa | Nigeria survived a late Cameroon onslaught to draw 1-1 in Yaounde Monday and move closer to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Moses Simon put Nigeria ahead on 30 minutes and substitute Vincent Aboubakar equalised from a 75th-minute penalty at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo to spark …
Read More »Museveni’s dilemma, Africa’s crisis
THE LAST WORD: How the obsession with our internal weaknesses has obscured the international dimension of Africa’s problems Andrew M. Mwenda | THE LAST WORD | Now in his 32nd year as president, Yoweri Museveni faces a dilemma. Uganda is still a very poor rural agricultural economy in spite of …
Read More »Besigye, African opposition leaders united on Kenya
Besigye, Africa’s opposition leaders take heart in Kenya election ruling Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Opposition leaders across Africa, long frustrated in their campaigns to topple firmly entrenched leaders, are hailing the shock overturn of last month’s presidential vote in Kenya, calling it an example for their own countries to …
Read More »Thousands urged to evacuate Niger capital after rains
Niamey, Niger | AFP | Authorities in Niger urged thousands of residents on Sunday to evacuate homes threatened by heavy rains that lashed Niamey, following floods that have killed 16 people in the capital since June. “I am calling on all residents to evacuate the flood zones and immediately leave homes …
Read More »ANALYSIS: How will ISIS setbacks impact Africa?
Denys Reva | ISS TODAY | The recent liberation of Mosul in Iraq is just one of many setbacks for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Military upsets, territorial losses and financial pressures have reportedly decreased the number of active fighters in the group from an estimated …
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