Trump announces 90-day tariff suspension in most countries
US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day “suspension” on trade tariffs on all countries except China. He said more than 75 countries contacted the US to negotiate a solution. The tariffs were adjusted to remain at 10% for three months, providing relief to major exporters set at 50% for major exporters such as South Africa, Nigeria, Madagascar and Lesotho. Lesotho reportedly is $264 million more than it was imported in 2022, exported primarily through diamonds and apparel, and is leviing a 99% tariff on US goods. However, China was removed from the suspension of tariffs, and the US increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 125% following China’s retaliation tariffs of 84%.
Seven Ethiopian journalists detained interviews
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJs) has urged Ethiopian authorities to stop investigating at least seven journalists from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Services (EBS) detained on the March 23 episode of Addis Meiraf. The broadcast claims that Birtukan Temesgen, who claimed to have been accused of being raped and accused of being accused of being accused of being accused of being raped by a man in a military uniform in 2020, was repeated in state media later. After her withdrawal, EBS apologised and acknowledged that the allegations were manufactured, but police accused journalists of inciting violence and trying to overthrow the government in cooperation with Amhara’s militants. The CPJ condemned the use of anti-terrorism laws and argued that journalistic errors should be addressed through media regulation instead.
Spaza shop that receives up to R300,000 with government support
The South African government has officially launched an application for a R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF) aimed at boosting the participation of local spaza shops in townships and rural economies. Tau, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, has announced that the fund will offer up to Rs 300,000 through subsidies and low interest rate loans, covering the purchase of stocks, infrastructure upgrades, business tools and adoption of points of sale (POS) systems. Through the fund, shopkeepers will be provided with assistance in meeting hygiene and regulatory standards to ensure the provision of safe and high quality products. The fund, jointly managed by the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEFDA), also includes training in health, safety and regulatory compliance.
Rwanda orders Belgian schools in Kigali to close
Rwanda’s Ministry of Education has directed Ecole Belgi de Kigali to suspend the Belgian education program by September 2025 following the government’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Belgium. The directive, outlined in a letter on April 8, alongside an announcement from the Rwandan Governance Commission, prohibiting all faith-based government and non-governmental organizations in the country from working with Belgium and its affiliates. Minister Joseph Nusengimana advised the schools to begin preparing for the transition to an alternative curriculum for the 2025-2026 school year. The school said it was too early to comment on the next step.
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Former President Kabila announces his return, citing worsening security in eastern Congo
Former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, announced on April 8 that he would return to exiles a year later, following six years of silence and a year of exile as security situations in eastern Congo. He halted research in South Africa in March, focusing on the crisis. There, the AFC/M23 rebels, which now control Goma and Bukabu, have been fighting government forces for over three years. Kabila, who took office in 2019, mistreated the conflict and accused President Felix Zisekedi of relying on foreign intervention rather than internal dialogue. Kabila said he met with various presidents and former presidents of the region, as well as politicians in the Congolese, and that he will return to his country through the East, which has been unstable for 30 years. The conflict in the eastern Congo escalated in January after AFC/M23 rebels took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, before seizing Bukabu, the capital of South Kivu in mid-February.
