A senior Somali official insisted Saturday that Ethiopia will not participate in a new African Union peacekeeping mission starting in January.

The two nations remain deadlocked over a Memorandum of Understanding that Ethiopia signed with the breakaway region, Somaliland, earlier this year.

“I can say that Ethiopia is the only government we know of so far that will not participate in the new AU mission because it has violated our sovereignty and national unity,” Somalia Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur said Saturday in a government-run television interview.

African Union troops from several countries have been operating in Somalia since 2007. They started with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) before changing the mission and its name on April 1, 2022, to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Its mandate ends at the end of this year.

For 17 years, the African Union mission helped Somalia combat al-Shabab, a violent extremist organization that threatened to overthrow the government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The aim of past and upcoming missions is to hand over security responsibility to the Somali National Forces.

The nation is preparing for a third peace support operation, set to begin January 1, 2025, when a new mission, the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), replaces ATMIS.

According to a United Nations report in August, ATMIS has been drawing down troops from about 20,000 to less than 13,000. The new mission is expected to number at least 12,000. AUSSOM is scheduled to operate until the end of 2028.

It is not the first time Somalia has rejected the involvement of Ethiopian troops in a peacekeeping mission in the country.

In August, Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Ethiopian forces would only join AUSSOM once Addis Ababa withdraws from the MoU with Somaliland.

Mogadishu, which sees Somaliland as a part of Somalia, has described the agreement as an assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Analysts say Somalia’s repeated demands that Ethiopia withdraw from the MoU have fallen on deaf ears, which further alienates Somalia.

Professor Sonkor Geyre, a former director of the defense ministry, said Somalia has a right to choose the countries it wants and rejects others.

“Somalia has national sovereign rights to exclude Ethiopia from the upcoming AU mission because it sees Ethiopia’s actions, including its MoU with Somaliland, as a national threat,” Geyre told VOA Somali.

Last month, the leaders of Somalia, Eritrea, and Egypt signed a security cooperation deal seen as an anti-Ethiopia front, and Mogadishu has also boosted its military ties with Cairo, which has offered troops for the new AU mission.

“There is an ongoing procedure that we will share and announce when the time comes regarding the new governments that will join and the previous ones who will not be part of the new mission,” Nur, the defense minister, said.

Under the current AU mission, at least 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers officially operate as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission fighting al-Shabab. Another 5,000 to 7,000 Ethiopian soldiers are stationed in several regions under a bilateral agreement.

Other countries contributing to the current AU forces in Somalia include Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, and Uganda.
…

your ad here

port louis — Mauritius holds a parliamentary election Sunday with incumbent Prime Minister and his main rivals all promising to tackle a cost-of-living crisis in the Indian Ocean archipelago. 

The country of about 1.3 million people markets itself as a link between Africa and Asia, deriving most of its revenues from a flourishing offshore financial sector, tourism and textiles. 

It has forecast 6.5% economic growth this year compared with 7.0% last year but many voters are not feeling the benefits. 

Jugnauth’s Alliance Lepep coalition has promised to raise minimum wages, increase pensions and reduce value added tax on some basic goods. 

It says it will use payments from the U.K. under an October agreement for Britain to cede the Chagos Islands while retaining the U.S.-U.K. Diego Garcia air base. 

Mauritius also receives aid from China. 

“The alliance led by the prime minister is selling the economic prosperity card, with promises of more money to different segments of the population,” said political analyst Subash Gobine. 

The opposition is also pledging to increase pensions as well as introduce free transport and internet services and reduce fuel prices. 

It is dominated by the Alliance du Changement coalition led by Navin Ramgoolam and two other parties running in the Linion Reform alliance whose leaders, Nando Bodha and Roshi Bhadain, plan to alternate as prime minister if they win. 

“It is the youths who will make the difference in these elections,” voter David Stafford, 36, said in the capital Port Louis, explaining that people were looking for economic innovation and job opportunities as much as fiscal changes. 

Just over 1 million people are expected to choose lawmakers for the islands’ 62 seats in parliament for the next five years from a list of 68 parties and five political alliances. 

Last week, Jugnauth’s government blocked social media platforms until a day after the election, when results are expected, citing national security concerns after conversations between public figures were leaked. It lifted the ban a day later after opposition parties criticized the move. 

Voting starts at 0300 GMT on Sunday and closes at 1400 GMT. Whichever party or coalition gets more than half the seats in parliament also wins the prime minister’s post. 
…

your ad here

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Thousands protested in Mozambique’s capital on Thursday and security forces responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets, as weeks of post-election unrest continued in the southern African country.

The protests were sparked by a vote last month that will keep the ruling party in power for more than a half-century amid allegations of rigging.

Opposition parties and many citizens have rejected the results of the October 9 presidential election as fraudulent and growing protests in the capital, Maputo, and other cities have been met by deadly force from police. Thursday’s protest was the biggest yet.

International rights groups say at least 20 people have been killed by police since the unrest began nearly a month ago, while local groups say the death toll is more than 50. Authorities are threatening to deploy the army as protesters set fires on the streets and burn ruling party offices.

The internet is being restricted and social media sites have been blocked, according to Human Rights Watch. Neighboring South Africa has shut its border post with Mozambique and heightened security around it.

What happened in the election?

The candidate for the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique, Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner of the presidential election on October 24. That keeps the party that has governed Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975 in power for another five years.

Even before the results were announced, opposition parties claimed fraud, accusing the ruling party, known as Frelimo, of ballot stuffing, manipulating voter lists and staffing polling stations with officials loyal to it. Frelimo has long been accused of rigging elections in the country of around 34 million.

The European Union’s observer team said there were irregularities in the election, including the altering of some results. Mozambican media has reported that the Constitutional Council, the supreme body for election law, has asked the commission that ran the election to explain discrepancies.

Senior opposition figures killed

Independent candidate Venancio Mondlane, who was second behind Chapo in the official results, has led criticism of the vote. He called for a national strike and for people to stay at home in the days after the election in protest at the alleged tampering. But the mood changed when two senior opposition figures were killed in their car in a late-night shooting by unidentified gunmen on October 18.

The men who were killed were the lawyer for Mondlane and the official spokesperson for the political party that supported Mondlane in the election. Mondlane said they were assassinated and he and opposition supporters gathered near the site of the killings the day after to protest. Police fired tear gas canisters at Mondlane, his aides and journalists who were interviewing him, forcing them to flee.

Growing protests

Since then, there have been waves of protests across the country. In one city, protesters toppled and cut the head off a statue of current President Filipe Nyusi, who is stepping down after serving a maximum two terms.

Mondlane said on social media that he had gone into exile in fear for his life after the killing of his lawyer. His whereabouts are unknown, but he has called on social media for more protests “so that we can then be freed from these shackles that have held us up for 50 years.”

Authorities have said little other than the protests have been violent and needed to be quelled. They have not given information on the number of people killed or injured in the protests.

Rights groups accused the police of shooting at peaceful protests in the days after the election and said children were among the victims. Anger among opposition supporters has swelled. The presidential palace is under heavy guard.

A history of civil war and violence

Mozambique is still in the shadow of a bloody 15-year civil war the leftist Frelimo fought against rebel group Renamo after independence. The country only held its first elections in 1994 and this was the first vote where there were no armed groups connected to political parties after a process to disarm militias.

The country, which has rich natural resources including large, newly discovered natural gas fields, was already struggling with a yearslong insurgency by an Islamic State-affiliated group in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

Mondlane, who broke away from Renamo, has support among Mozambique’s disaffected youth and he and the new Podesa party that is backing him have become the biggest challenge to Frelimo’s long rule. 
…

your ad here

YAOUNDE, CAMEROON — Chadian military airstrikes killed scores of Boko Haram fighters and injured several dozen more in the Lake Chad Basin, President Mahamat Idriss Deby said Friday.

Chad planned the operation against the Islamist militant group after Boko Haram fighters killed 40 Chadian soldiers in an attack on a military garrison last month.

About 700 Chadian soldiers celebrated as air force fliers returned to Kaiga Kindira, an island in the Lake Chad Basin near the border with Nigeria. Top military officials and Deby were there to greet them.

Deby said he was happy because Haskinite, an operation he launched to search for and eliminate Boko Haram members hiding in the Lake Chad Basin, had begun successfully with the strikes carried out Thursday night into Friday.

Military officials said the air attacks targeted five Boko Haram hideouts but did not identify locations.

Deby said he also has ordered close to 1,000 infantry and navy troops to eliminate Boko Haram fighters and protect civilians, who are constantly harassed, raped, maimed and killed by militants in the Lake Chad area.

Military officials said soldiers have seized many weapons and destroyed boats used by Boko Haram fighters to attack civilians and government troops.

Deby said the attacks on Boko Haram will continue until the group is eradicated.

Deby, who spoke on state TV, has been in areas of the Lake Chad Basin — shared by Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Chad — since October 28, when Boko Haram fighters attacked a military garrison, killing 40 soldiers and injuring scores of others, on the island of Bakaram, near the border with Nigeria.

Chad’s government called on its citizens to support the ongoing operation by reporting strangers to soldiers, government officials and traditional rulers.

Passale Kanabe Marcellin, Chad’s water and sanitation minister, told officials at the Lake Chad Basin Commission meeting in N’djamena on Friday he is happy villagers who live in fear of Boko Haram are assisting government troops by contributing food, water, first aid equipment and money.

He said Deby wants all countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to assist Chadian troops fighting Boko Haram by allowing soldiers to cross into Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger in pursuit of the militants.

Boko Haram launched an insurgency against the Nigerian government in 2009. Fighting spread into Cameroon, Chad and Niger, where the militants established bases and hideouts. The United Nations says the fighting has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over 3 million.
…

your ad here

Nairobi — Amnesty International is calling on the Mozambican government to stop its crackdown on protesters challenging the results of last month’s elections. At least 20 people have been killed in post-election violence, according to human rights groups.

Demonstrators rallied again on Thursday, burning tires and blocking streets. Police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters in the capital, Maputo.

Cidia Chissungo, who works with Amnesty International, said tensions are high in Mozambique.

“There are cases of people that have already been shot. We cannot confirm how many died this morning. We still have to analyze all the evidence we are receiving,” Chissungo said. “There are dozens of people being arrested not only in Maputo but also in Nyambane province. We have cases of police using rubber bullets, as well. So, there is massive tension today, and nobody knows how this will end.”

The October 9 vote extended the rule of the Frelimo Party, which has led the southern African country for 50 years. Frelimo candidate Daniel Chapo was declared the winner of the presidential election with more than 70% of the vote.

Opposition parties, civil society groups and electoral observers said the election was unfair and rigged in favor of Frelimo — allegations that Frelimo denies.

Chissungo said security forces must halt violent crackdowns against demonstrators and address their grievances.

“Police should respect people’s right to protest. There are cases of people just standing on the streets, and police decided to take them, and there are hundreds who have been arrested,” Chissungo said. “If people are demanding and are criticizing the government, and they are saying they need clarification over the election, it is for the authorities to listen and respect people’s rights to speak out if they think there is something wrong, and not shoot at protesters.”

Human Rights Watch has called for the government to lift internet restrictions, which have further fueled a perception that authorities are trying to stifle the protests.

Allan Ngari, HRW’s Africa advocacy director, said lack of internet access and social media networks hinders people’s rights.

“Sometimes it is working, sometimes it is not working. So, it is not an entire shutdown, but it is, rather, restrictions. And we [are] of the view that this violates multiple rights, including rights to freedom of speech, peaceful protests and from access to information,” Ngari said. “But also, the internet has become a source of employment, business for people, and those who are impacted then by this restriction cannot make a living anymore.”

Mozambique’s internet was working Thursday, to the surprise of many after days of interruptions.

But as tensions rise, South Africa closed its main border crossing with Mozambique on Wednesday for security reasons. The South African government also warned its citizens not to travel to Mozambique.
…

your ad here

GABORONE, BOTSWANA — Three out of 28 female candidates were elected to Botswana’s National Assembly in last week’s general election, as women’s rights activists called on the new administration to increase female representation in the nation’s politics.

Helen Manyeneng of the new ruling party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, is one of the three female members of parliament in the 61-seat assembly.

The UDC defeated the Botswana Democratic Party, which had held power since the country gained independence in 1966.

Manyeneng said women face many challenges, including poverty, in their efforts to win political office.

“We have very low socio-economic status in Botswana as women,” she said. “The past government showed no political will to assist. I think as a newly elected female MP, I am going to advocate for women economic empowerment.”

Manyeneng said the patriarchal nature of Botswanan society, in which men have greater control over money and decision-making, restricts female participation in politics even though women are interested and capable.

“The issue is, who is supposed to elevate them?” she said. “Who is supposed to assist them? If you allow yourself to be under a man … who is assisting you financially, he will not allow you to stand for political position. The majority of men want to control. They don’t want to be controlled or don’t want to share that control with you.”

The regional nonprofit organization Gender Links released a report on Botswana before the October 30 election. It raised concerns about “missing women’s voices in politics.”

Gender Links consultant Pamela Dube said Botswana has done too little to empower women.

“It is a sad situation,” Dube said. “It has been like this for a very long time. Fifty-eight years later [since Botswana’s independence from the U.K.], we only have three women in parliament.”

Botswana’s “patriarchal society,” she said, “does not believe women can lead, particularly in areas like politics.”

On Wednesday, newly elected President Duma Boko used a special dispensation to name three more women to the National Assembly.

“We wanted to reach out as broadly as possible to bring in young women, in particular, with skills and visibility in society,” he said. “And then of course, we had to look at increasing the number of women [in parliament].”

The special appointments mean Botswana’s parliament has 9% female representation, still well below the Southern African Development Community target of 30%.
…

your ad here

washington — President-elect Donald Trump put immigration at the front of his campaign agenda, pledging to bring what he calls “unprecedented order” to the southern border and launch the nation’s largest mass deportation operation of undocumented immigrants on his first day in office.

Throughout his campaign, Trump called immigration a crisis and vowed to move swiftly to implement a series of controversial policies to clamp down on illegal immigration and curb new arrivals.

“We are going to fix our borders. … We want people to come back in, but we have to let them come back in. They have to come in legally,” Trump said during his victory speech in Florida on Tuesday.

However, managing the re-entry of possibly millions of people presents formidable legal and logistical challenges.

“There’s this belief that there’s a line and people should stand in line. Oftentimes, there’s not a line,” Mark Hetfield, CEO of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, told VOA.

A Migration Policy Institute report makes the same point, saying there are multiple visa pathways, each with distinct backlogs and wait times, governing how long individuals wait for permanent residency.

Annual limits and country quotas create extensive delays, with some applicants facing waits lasting decades.

Many undocumented immigrants may have no way to join these lines because of restrictive re-entry policies.

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act blocks re-entry for immigrants with a history of “unlawful presence” in the U.S. If they leave and want to re-enter legally, those with more than 180 days but less than one year of unlawful presence face a three-year re-entry ban. Those with more than one year of unlawful presence face a 10-year ban.

Unlawful presence generally includes overstaying or entering without inspection.

Largest deportation campaign in US history

Trump has vowed to surpass deportation numbers from his first term.

With plans to use the National Guard to round up undocumented immigrants, Trump has also invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law that allows the president to deport noncitizens from nations deemed hostile to the United States.

Trump aims to drastically reduce the undocumented population, something his supporters see as a step toward restoring order, though opponents argue it will lead to legal battles and logistical hurdles.

Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the American Immigration Council, wrote in an email to VOA that should any president choose to pursue mass deportation, it would come at an extraordinary cost to the government while also devastating the economy.

“It’s critical that policymakers and the American public understand what this would involve: tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, already-strained industries devastated, millions of people locked up in detention, and thousands of families torn apart causing widespread terror and chaos in communities across the country,” Robbins wrote.

Travel ban, birthright citizenship and more

The Remain in Mexico program, a program initiated in the first Trump administration, is expected to be renewed. The policy forces migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed. Also expected to be renewed is a policy to quickly expel migrants and curb immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Another central promise Trump made during his presidential campaign is to roll back initiatives under the Biden administration that have allowed specific groups of migrants to enter the U.S. legally.

Under Biden, up to 30,000 migrants per month from four countries — Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — were allowed to come to the U.S. legally if they met certain conditions. Trump has pledged to end these pathways.

In an effort to intensify scrutiny of those entering the U.S., Trump has promised to renew and expand travel bans aimed at a broader list of countries and introduce an “ideological screening” to bar individuals whom Trump describes as “dangerous lunatics, haters, bigots and maniacs.”

Trump’s campaign says this measure will enhance national security, though it has sparked concerns over discrimination and civil liberties.

Trump also said he plans to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country illegally. This would require a reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment and is expected to face intense legal challenges.

While Trump’s immigration plans have the support of his base, they face steep opposition from advocacy groups and legal experts, who argue that mass deportations and travel bans could lead to human rights violations and extensive court challenges.

Hetfield of HIAS told VOA that advocates are concerned about what a new Trump administration will do to legal immigration.

“We will likely litigate if he tries to close down the [refugee] program and oversteps. … But the bottom line is, the president has a lot of discretion when it comes to the refugee program. … And for asylum, [he’s] going to make it impossible to apply at the border as he did with Title 42 and his Remain in Mexico policies,” Hetfield said.

Michelle Ming, political director at United We Dream, the nation’s largest immigrant youth-led organization, said they will be ready to “protect” immigrant families.

Ming anticipates a significant amount of “know your rights” events throughout Trump’s second term in the White House.

“Once Trump takes office, we’re going to remind him that we are here to fight back against any kind of policy that he tries to implement to hurt our communities,” Ming said.
…

your ad here

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigerian army chief Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has died, according to a statement Wednesday from the country’s president.

On the social media platform X, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced Lagbaja’s death and expressed condolences to his family and Nigeria’s armed forces.

Lagbaja, 56, died in Lagos on Tuesday night after a period of illness, authorities said. They did not elaborate on his illness.

Two weeks ago, Nigerian defense authorities denied rumors suggesting the army chief had died after his prolonged absence from the public and active duty.

The Nigerian army has been fighting various adversaries across the country, including bandits and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Lagbaja is not the first Nigerian army chief to die while on active duty in recent years. In 2021, Ibrahim Attahiru died in a military air crash along with 10 other high-ranking officials.

Tinubu appointed Lagbaja in June 2023, shortly after taking office. Lagbaja launched a campaign seeking to repair the reputation of the military, which is often accused of mistreating civilians and extrajudicial killings.

Last week, Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede as acting army chief and, on Tuesday, promoted him to the rank of lieutenant general.
…

your ad here

Abuja, Nigeria — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate release Monday of some 29 minors detained during anti-government protests in August after their court trial sparked outrage and widespread condemnation.

The protesters faced treason charges punishable by death according to Nigerian law.

But human rights groups saaid recent suppression of protesters is an attempt by authorities to stifle dissent.

Nigeria’s information minister, Mohammed Idris, told reporters that Tinubu ordered the immediate release of all minors arraigned in connection with the anti-government protests in early August.

He said Tinubu also called for a probe of the security operatives involved in their arrest and ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to help rehabilitate the minors.

The children were among 76 protesters who had been detained since early August. They appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, most of them looking frail and sick. 

Their arraignment sparked widespread condemnation of the government by human rights groups including Amnesty International.

Amnesty said putting underage protesters on trial shows the government’s disregard for the rule of law, and it called for the minors to be released unconditionally and immediately. 

Among the charges they face are treason and attempting to destabilize the government. 

Under Nigerian law, treason is punishable by a possible death sentence.

“Any form of trial that has a child as a defendant is illegal, unconstitutional and null and void,” said Marshal Abubakar, a lawyer for the protesters. “We have informed the court through our notice of criminal objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try those children.”

Abubaker said the proceedings were a violation of the children’s fundamental human rights.

Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission also criticized the trial, accusing authorities of manipulating state institutions to punish citizens. 

In early August, many Nigerians took to the streets to denounce government policies they said had increased the cost of living. 

 

The so-called “Ten Days of Rage” protests aimed to pressure the government to abandon unpopular economic policies. However, security forces cracked down and quelled the demonstrations.  

Nigerian police accused the protesters of attempting to foment violence.  

Before the minors were ordered to be released, Nigerian police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the protesters were criminally liable even if they were underage.  

“Once you’re more than 7 [years old], you can be charged to court,” said Muyiwa Adejobi of the national police. “The only thing is that you need to follow certain procedures to do that. The youngest should be 13. So, we have charged them to court on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, because these are those who actually leveraged on the protests, they hijacked the protests, and they’re so violent.” 

Last year, Tinubu introduced several reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which he says will boost Nigeria’s economy.  

But citizens facing higher living costs have been pushing back against the policies and have blamed the government for their hardship.

Abubakar said the government wants to curb demonstrations of any kind.

“Over the months this government has shown that they are interested in curtailing the civic space and denying Nigerians of their fundamental human rights to dissent and to demand for a better life for themselves,” Abubakar said.

 
…

your ad here

gabarone, botswana — Botswana’s newly elected leader, Duma Boko, says Africa can draw vital lessons from his country’s smooth transfer of power. Boko spoke after the Botswana Democratic Party, which had ruled the country since independence in 1966, suffered a crushing defeat in last week’s elections.

Addressing the media after an official handover of office Monday, Boko praised outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi for ensuring a seamless transfer of power.

Boko’s party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, will form the next government.

“Botswana today, sends a message to the whole world and says democracy is alive here, democracy is in action,” Boko said. “This is democracy in motion; this is democracy exemplified, sent as an abiding lesson to the whole world to say to the African continent — it must happen, it can happen and when it does, it is one of the most beautiful experiences a country can go through.”

Masisi’s former ruling Botswana Democratic Party was soundly beaten, winning only four out of 61 National Assembly seats. Analysts blamed mounting economic grievances, particularly among young people, for the party’s downfall.

The former president said he had a duty to ensure that the first change of government since 1966 was seamless.

“I knew I had a responsibility to make sure we set a standard, because we have never had a change of government as in a different party taking over in this country,” Masisi said. “So the onerousness of the responsibility on me was massive and I had to lead.”

Masisi, who served only one out of a possible two five-year terms, said he will not run for political office again.

Piers Pigou of the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria said the smooth transition in Botswana was expected.

“The fact that we have had an expedited and smooth transfer of power should really surprise no one given Botswana’s pedigree,” Pigou said. “Of course, there are many lessons for the region where such reflections of such pluralism are largely absent. One hopes there will be lessons learned.”

Pigou said Botswana has always been a shining example of democracy in the region, backed by independent public institutions.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Botswana has been ruled by one party for almost six decades until this recent election, it is nevertheless held out as an example of democratic practice, strong independent institutions for the most part in the southern Africa region,” he said.

“There have been concerns of late of compromising those institutions, corruption and so forth under the Masisi administration. But I think by and large what this election has showed is that the institutions have held firm.”

Masisi said his hands are clean and is prepared to defend himself if called to answer for any supposed improprieties while in office.
…

your ad here

KAMPALA — Fourteen people were killed in a lightning strike in a refugee camp in northern Uganda, police said Sunday. 

The incident happened Saturday in the remote district of Lamwo. Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said 34 other people were injured. The victims have not yet been identified, he said. 

The residents of the Palabek settlement camp, which primarily houses refugees from South Sudan, had been attending a prayer service in the makeshift metallic structure when the lighting struck. 

Deadly lightning is commonly reported in this East African country during the wet seasons. Rusoke said there was no report of fire breaking out following the strike. 
…

your ad here

Nairobi — Turkey on Sunday said it was committed to deepening relations with Africa, which it and called on to back diplomatic support for Palestinians, as it held its latest African summit in Djibouti.  

Turkey has invested heavily across Africa in recent years, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan carrying out 50 visits to 31 countries during his two decades in power.   

Fourteen African countries attended the latest ministerial meeting in the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti this weekend.   

They included Angola, Chad, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Libya, Mauritania, Nigeria, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who presided over the summit, said trade with the continent surpassed $35 billion last year and Turkey’s direct investments now totaled $7 billion.   

“Turkey is employing a comprehensive and holistic approach in terms of enhancing our trade and economic partnership with the continent,” Fidan said in a speech.  

Turkey has become the fourth largest arms supplier to sub-Saharan Africa and helped train armed forces in many countries.   

In recent months, it has attempted to mediate a feud between Ethiopia and Somalia, and struck a mining deal with Niger.   

Fidan reiterated support for the African Union to become a permanent member of the G20, and for reform of the United Nations Security Council.   

“We should continue our efforts to make the UN more relevant and capable of confronting the complex challenges of the century. Security Council reform is critical in this sense,” he said.  

Fidan also called for greater African involvement in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.   

“We believe that Africa can play an instrumental role in supporting the Palestinian cause and in stopping Israel,” he said.   

“We appreciate the African countries that stand with Palestine,” he added, highlighting South Africa’s recent move to file evidence of “genocide” committed by Israel to the International Criminal Court.   

The next Turkiye-Africa Summit is due to be held in 2026. 
…

your ad here