Sierra Leone’s President Bio Takes Helm of ECOWAS, Vows to Restore Order
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, the newly elected chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS), promised to focus on restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy in the region. Bio is taking over from Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, under whose leadership the bloc faced major challenges. Tinubu served two terms as the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. Tinubu’s tenure was marked by deepening insecurity, the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and delays in activating the Community’s Standby Force. President Bio said his leadership would focus on restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy, revitalising regional security cooperation, unlocking economic integration, and building institutional credibility.
Rwandan President Kagame Reappears After Two-Week Absence
After a two-week absence that sparked speculation about his health, Rwandan President Paul Kagame reappeared on June 24, hosting former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in Kigali. The leaders discussed regional security, African cooperation, and global issues. Kagame’s absence, which fueled unverified rumours of illness or death, especially among Congolese groups and exiled critics, was dismissed by the government as a personal break. His absence fueled conspiracy theories in a region already fraught with political and ethnic tensions.
U.S. Supreme Court Allows Deportation of Migrants to Countries Not Their Own
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration deporting migrants to countries of which they are not citizens. The decision blocked a federal judge’s order that had protected eight detainees from being sent to South Sudan, a country deemed dangerous for travelers “due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict by the U.S. State Department. The eight men are being held in a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Critics, including immigrant rights activists, condemned the decision, calling it a “blank check” to expel migrants into unsafe conditions. Rights groups said that this latest Supreme Court decision is “another attack on human rights”.
Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Communities Reunite After Five Years of Separation
Communities from Ethiopia and Eritrea met at the border town of Zalambessa for the first time in five years due to the Tigray war and political tensions. The reunion of families and friends took place in the Ethiopian town of Zalambessa in the presence of village elders and religious leaders. Many at the celebration described it as an emotional and long-overdue gathering. People were forced to flee their homes, with more than 55,000 people now living in makeshift shelters in Adigrat, 30km (19 miles) south of Zalambessa, relying on relatives for survival. Cross-border trade resumed informally, though Zalambessa remained in ruins, with broken infrastructure and thousands still displaced. While the event sparked hope for reconciliation, it remains unclear whether this local arrangement will be translated into a broader reconciliation between the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
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Death Toll Reaches 100 in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Floods
The Eastern Cape Provincial Government confirmed that the death toll from the floods reached 100. The numbers are likely to increase, as there are still individuals reported missing by their families, and search operations continue in the affected areas. Most of the deceased are from the OR Tambo District, and among the victims were 37 children, including 22 schoolchildren. The provincial government extended condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and “are now left with a profound and multifaceted impact on their lives”. The floods caused widespread devastation, displacing families, damaging infrastructure, and disrupting livelihoods. The government continues to provide humanitarian support in partnership with NGOs and the private sector.
