Sudanese paramilitary organization announces rival government
Two years after Sudan’s brutal civil war, the Paramilitary Sprint Support Forces (RSF) announced the formation of a rival government, deepening the country’s crisis. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo said he is building the only viable future for Sudan, which has pledged to provide services such as education and healthcare across the country. The announcement coincided with a high-level conference in London, and to mark the second anniversary of the conflict, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged the “path to peace.” The battle was furious and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee the Zamzam refugee camp, saying that the Army had bombed the RSF’s position outside El Fasher city. The conflict killed more than 150,000 people, expelled more than 12 million people, and created a state of hunger likeness of over 700,000 people. Both the Sudanese Army and the RSF face charges of war crimes, including genocide and massive amounts of sexual violence. Despite calling for an immediate ceasefire, the African Union has rejected the country’s potential division.
Nigeria declares a national food security emergency
President Bora Tinubu declared a national emergency on food security and urged improvements in irrigation and water management at the 6th Africa Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja. Tinubu described the conference’s theme as “Africa’s irrigation development and addressing the water management crisis” as a demand for action for sustainable agriculture and economic resilience. He urged African countries to adopt innovative strategies in addressing the challenges of irrigation and water management on the continent. The president said Nigeria is located mainly around strategic river basins such as Niger and Benue, and owns more than 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land, which is important to achieve national food self-sufficiency, in order to unlock the possibilities of these lands.
Dr. Congo Flood Dr. expels thousands and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis
The severe flooding caused by heavy rains in Tanganyika province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) drove nearly 10,000 people, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported. The Lugumba River defeated the banks, infiltrating a wide area of the territory of Karemy and Nyntz, destroying homes, schools and farmland. Thousands of people remain homeless and unable to make a living. Major crops such as cassava, corn and peanuts have been wiped out, causing even more food insecurity. Stagnant, contaminated water also raises fear of disease outbreaks, with cholera cases already six times higher than last year. UNHCR spokesman Eujin Byun described the “double crisis” as floods exacerbated existing displacements from the conflict.
The arrest of opposition leaders raises concerns over Tanzania’s election process
Tanzanian authorities arrested opposition presidential candidate Tundu Lis for what is widely considered to be a forged accusations, accusing him of treason and spreading misinformation online, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports. His detention was linked to his support for Chadema’s “no reform, no election” campaign. His party, Chadema, was disqualified from future elections after refusing to sign the 2025 Code of Election Ethics. Chadema said he would not sign the code until the government takes on election reform. The death penalty and refusing to bail was used to silence the squirrel, whom Chadema officials believed was intended to undermine the campaign, HRW said. The crackdown follows a pattern seen in past elections, including former President John Magufuli, in which the government imprisoned opponents and restricted media, according to international human rights groups.
Lesotho grants Starlink license amid US trade tensions
Lesotho granted Starlink Lesotho, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a 10-year license to operate its domestic satellite internet network after putting pressure amid rising tensions over US trade tariffs. The decision comes after Prime Minister Samuel Matekane announced the removal of barriers to US investment. This has threatened thousands of jobs following the administration of President Donald Trump’s administration’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Lesotho’s exports to the US, but tariffs have been suspended for 90 days and 10% tariffs are in place. The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) approved the Starlink license and called it a step towards digital transformation despite opposition from local stakeholders. Citizen Group Section 2 accused the decision of betrayal, saying that Starlink’s foreign ownership undermined national interests and local participation.
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United Nations Forum seeking emergency reparations for colonialism and slavery
A speaker at the UN Permanent Forum on the Fourth Session of African Descent said the call for compensation justice cannot be ignored. They called for greater cooperation between governments, civil society, and local organisations to establish a system to compensate Africa and its diaspora for the long-term effects of colonialism, enslavement, apartheid and genocide. Calcom’s representative, Hilary Brown, dealt with the devastation of Africa during 300 years of exploitation. She praised the growing partnership between CARICOM and the African Union (AU). She called for “clear, diplomatic and advocacy strategies to advance the agenda through joint action in the United Nations, the Commonwealth and other intergovernmental agencies,” and a high-level forum on remedial justice.
