In DRC, a Durable Solution Means Addressing Justice
Over the past week, South Africa has paid the high cost for countries whose soldiers take part in a conflict that has turned the lives of millions of Congolese upside down. The South African National Defence Force confirmed on 27 January that three more soldiers had been killed in fighting near the airport in Goma, the capital […]
DR Congo Rebels Announce Ceasefire to Ease Humanitarian Conditions
The Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups including the Rwanda-backed M23, has declared a unilateral ceasefire in eastern DR Congo for humanitarian reasons, effective Tuesday. The ceasefire comes in the wake of intense fighting in Goma—Congo’s largest eastern city—where at least 900 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Although M23 […]
AfDB Proposes Critical Minerals-backed Currency for African Countries
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has unveiled a proposal for a new “gold standard” currency arrangement that would be backed by Africa’s critical minerals—such as cobalt, copper, lithium, and manganese. The AfDB notes that although Africa holds about 30% of the world’s reserves of critical minerals, it attracts only a small fraction of global energy […]
South Africa’s Expropriation Act: Balancing Property Rights and Urgent Land Reform
South Africa’s newly passed Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 replaces the apartheid-era law to align property acquisition with constitutional principles. The act details procedures for expropriation, outlines compensation guidelines, and introduces a controversial “nil compensation” clause applicable only to land expropriated in the public interest. A law professor and scholar, who recently edited a book […]
Rwanda’s Kagame Denies Troop Deployment in Eastern DRC
Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda and commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces, has claimed that he does not know whether Rwandan troops are present in eastern DRC following recent clashes between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese armed forces that killed over 900 people. Despite mounting evidence and international reports suggesting […]
How to Optimize US Foreign Aid for Africa’s Development
The abrupt halt initiated by the Trump administration of US foreign aid risks jeopardizing the lives of millions in low-income countries where up to 60% of health budgets depend on such funding. Gregory Rockson, the co-founder and CEO of mPharma, argues that while there is a humanitarian imperative to protect these lives, the current model […]
Botswana and De Beers Seal 10-year Diamond Sales Deal
Botswana and South African diamond giant De Beers have finalized a new 10-year sales agreement after prolonged negotiations that began in 2019. Under the deal, Botswana’s government will initially be permitted to sell 30% of the rough diamonds mined through their joint venture, increasing to 50% by 2035. This arrangement is expected to help reverse […]
Nigeria Sets Oil Production Target of 2.7 Million Barrels per Day by 2027
Olu Verheijen, the Special Adviser on Energy to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, has revealed that Africa’s largest oil producer plans to increase daily oil production to 2.7 million barrels by 2027. Speaking at an energy conference in Tanzania, she noted that the enhanced security at production and transportation sites will enable Nigeria to achieve this […]
South Africa Renews Call for Taiwan to Move Representative Office
South Africa has once again demanded that Taiwan relocate its de facto embassy from Pretoria, setting an end-of-March deadline for the move. According to the Taiwanese foreign ministry, the embassy will be rebranded as a “trade office” as part of the transition. The ministry attributes the demand to growing Chinese pressure, noting that Beijing’s influence […]
Uganda Begins Testing New Ebola Vaccine Amid Outbreak
Uganda has launched a clinical trial for an experimental vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola following an outbreak that claimed the life of a nurse in Kampala. The trial, initiated just four days after the first fatality, targets health workers and individuals exposed to the virus via a “ring” vaccination strategy—immunizing confirmed contacts and […]
