Digital identity has become economic infrastructure across the globe. For South Africa, which could begin rolling out its own digital IDs for citizens later this year, whether they drive inclusion or exclusion will depend on design, governance and cyber resilience. The core difference between smart IDs, which are currently replacing the green ID book, and…
Global cholera vaccine supply has now increased to a level sufficient to allow the resumption of life-saving preventive campaigns for the first time in over three years, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today. Mozambique is the first country to restart preventive vaccination, following the halt in 2022 caused…
Nairobi — The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) says it is intensifying cooperation with African partners to confront a growing terrorist threat, increasingly linking security efforts with economic development and long-term regional stability. Speaking during a digital press briefing, AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson said militant groups affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaida continue to…
Nairobi — Concerned Governments Should Act Against Abusive Forces, Press for Civic Space Civilians in Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia are bearing the brunt of abusive armed conflicts in which the warring parties frequently and often deliberately target them, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2026. Governments across the region have clamped…
Washington, DC — Today, President Trump signed into law legislation that reauthorizes the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program through December 31, 2026, with retroactive effect to September 30, 2025. “AGOA for the 21st century must demand more from our trading partners and yield more market access for U.S. businesses, farmers, and…
Johannesburg — Regional Bodies Should Press Governments to Respect Rights, Promote Accountability Southern African countries committed serious human rights violations throughout 2025, creating vicious cycles of abuse and impunity, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2026. Security forces in Angola, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe used excessive and at times lethal force, and…
President Museveni on Tuesday met leaders of the African Union-East African Community-Southern African Development Community (AU-EAC-SADC) panel of facilitators tasked with supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process, as regional leaders intensify efforts to resolve the long-running conflict in eastern Congo. The meeting at State House Entebbe brought together a high-level delegation chaired…
Nairobi — Sahel Leaders Solidify Hold on Power; Warring Forces Attack Civilians Leaders in several West African countries increased crackdowns on freedoms as they strengthened their hold on power in 2025, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2026. In Nigeria and the Sahel, Islamist armed groups and government forces and their allies…
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Reportedly Assassinated in Libya Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the 53-year-old son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and once seen as his heir apparent, was reportedly shot dead. His lawyer said a four-man commando unit assassinated him at his home in Zintan, though it was not clear who may have been behind…
First enacted in 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) allows qualifying sub-Saharan African countries to export over 1,800 products to the US duty-free. Export countries include Nigeria and South Africa. US President Donald Trump has signed into law a one-year extension of a trade preference program with African countries restoring duty-free access to the…
