Burkina Faso Expels Top UN Official Over Child Conflict Report
Burkina Faso’s military junta expelled the UN’s top official, Carol Flore-Smereczniak, over a report about children caught up in the jihadist conflict. Flore-Smereczniak was declared “persona non grata” because of her role in drafting the report that came out in March. The report revealed more than 2,000 cases of child recruitment, killings, sexual violence and abuse attributed to Islamist insurgents, government soldiers, and civilians. The military government, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, said the UN had not consulted and that the report contained unfounded allegations. According to the government’s statement, there was no documentation to support the alleged cases of child abuse committed by Burkinabé fighters. Flore-Smereczniak was appointed to replace her predecessor, who had been expelled since July 2023.
Nigeria to Impose Reciprocal Visa Rules on U.S. Citizens
The Nigerian government announced plans to impose reciprocal visa requirements in response to Washington’s new rules, which require Nigerian applicants to disclose their social media activity over the past five years. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria issued the warning via a tweet on its official X handle, saying defaulters could also be denied future entry into the United States. The regulation, introduced under the Trump administration, aimed to strengthen national security by expanding earlier vetting measures. Nigerian Foreign Ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa said the government would adopt the same rules for Americans applying for Nigerian visas, stressing that “anything visa is reciprocal.” Nigeria faces pressure to protect its citizens from restrictive rules on foreign immigration.
Humanitarian Crisis Looms as Cameroon’s Food Aid Runs Out
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned that half a million refugees and vulnerable Cameroonians risk losing humanitarian food assistance in the coming weeks as resources run critically low. Without urgent funding, WFP will have to stop aid at the end of August for over 240,000 people who fled conflict. The organization will also cut nutrition support for more than 200,000 children and mothers and halt school meals for 60,000 children. Assistance had already been reduced in July, including for 26,000 Nigerian refugees in Minawao camp. In 2025, WFP provided lifesaving aid to 523,000 people, including internally displaced families, refugees, and vulnerable host communities. Gianluca Ferrera, WFP’s Country Director in Cameroon, stated that funding gaps would reverse these gains and make food security, education outcomes, and overall community stability worse. An estimated 2.6 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity between June and August 2025, particularly in the Far North and Northwest regions. An additional US$65.5 million is urgently needed to maintain assistance through January 2026.
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South African Govt Hands Over Homes to KwaZulu-Natal Flood Victims
Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane, along with KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Human Settlements and Transport Siboniso Duma and local municipal mayors, led a two-day program to hand over homes to families affected by the 2022 floods. The programme includes site visits to eThekwini, uMsunduzi and Impendle Municipalities to assess progress on disaster recovery interventions. They received updates on temporary and long-term housing plans in the Umgungundlovu District. Simelane introduced a contractor to build permanent homes in Impendle. They handed over newly built houses to flood survivors in uMsunduzi’s Copesville area. The program focused on providing permanent housing and title deeds, supporting the government’s aim of registering and transferring 80,000 title deeds by 2029.
Ugandan Opposition Ready to Challenge Museveni In January Polls
The political atmosphere in the country is heating up ahead of the 2026 presidential election, as candidates flock to the electoral commission headquarters to pick up nomination forms. The secretary general of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) of prominent Ugandan politician Bobi Wine has cautioned against vote manipulation and harassment, which characterized previous elections in the country: “The last time people joined us massively, votes were rigged and irregularities occurred. We are coming back with new energy to continue this struggle.” The NUP official was seen with the leader of the opposition in parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, which observers have said might signal a move to a united opposition.
