Authorities in the small southern African kingdom of Lesotho have come under scrutiny from human rights advocates who say excessive force is part of a pattern when security forces arrest and detain suspects. Ahead of general elections planned for next week, the Amnesty International appeal calls on political candidates in…
Senegalese foreign minister Aissata Tall Sall recently called on China to become more involved in the Sahel region, specifically expressing a hope that Beijing will be a “strong voice” in combatting the rising tide of terrorism in the region. The appeal certainly has its logic, given Beijing’s expanding influence in…
On October 7th, Senegal’s Foreign Minister Aissata TALL SALL presided over the official launch ceremony for the seventh edition of the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa. Since 2014, the Dakar Forum, held under the high patronage of Senegalese President Macky Sall, has been one of the…
A 30-year ceasefire in the Western Sahara has been brought to a crashing collapse, as rebel independence fighters the Polisario Front reportedly launched attacks on Moroccan forces over the weekend of November 14 and claim to have caused “human and material damages” since then. The Front, which claims to represent…
While there are new reasons to be optimistic about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the progress remains uneven as Congolese officials and the international community respond to one of the most complex scenarios that anyone could have envisioned when the first case appeared more than a…
While there are quite a few issues confronting participants of the G7 meetings in France – from the wildfires in the Amazon to the “surprise” appearance of the Iranian foreign minister – they haven’t overshadowed the importance of Africa on the agenda. That’s made clear by the number of African…
The UK government has issued a travel warning for Egypt that coincides with the announcement Saturday that British Airways has canceled all flights to and from Cairo for a week. The airline said the decision was made as a security precaution that would allow time for a thorough assessment of…
The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has reached a new milestone, as the number of fatalities reached 1,008 people, according to the Congolese Ministry of Health on Friday. The death toll rose by a sobering 108 victims in a single week. “The frequent armed attacks disrupt our operations,” explained WHO…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo targeted Iran in a speech delivered Thursday at the American University in Cairo, but he was equally forceful in describing the U.S. role and the failings of former U.S. President Barack Obama to confront the threats in the Middle East and North Africa….
Last month, Ethiopia officially announced plans to launch its first earth observatory satellite, with China footing 75% of the $8 million bill and providing technical assistance. Such comprehensive assistance is of course welcome news for Ethiopia’s burgeoning space program, but it’s an open question to what extent the government is aware…
Monica is a freelance journalist based in Kenya
International leaders have again pointed to climate change as a key contributing factor to instability in the Sahel region, and urged action to get at the root causes of conflict and crisis. “These are found in discrimination, human rights violations, weak governance, conflict, and the impact of climate change,” said…
On Thursday, China takes over the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for November and all indications are that African affairs will be a top priority. Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that, according to available information, the situation in the Sahel is a priority topic for Security…
China confirms that it is sending a special envoy to Mali for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta’s inauguration on Saturday. Zheng Jianbang, the Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, will represent President Xi Jinping in Bamako at Keïta’s invitation. “China and Mali enjoy profound…
Michael Keating, the outgoing United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, highlighted the ongoing challenges of the Horn of Africa nation in his final briefing to the UN Security Council on Thursday – including the latest rift between member states and the federal government. “On the day that I arrived in…
A labor union in Spain is calling on its government to address security and working conditions in Ceuta, the enclave belonging to Spain adjacent to Morocco on the North African coast. In a letter sent by the Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), the group appealed for a second border…