The war has rolled on to other battlefields, but the bombs it left behind still wait patiently in the capital’s ruined streets. In eastern Khartoum’s Burri neighbourhood, authorities recently sealed off an area after an explosion blamed on a landmine triggered by burning waste. Sudanese deminers in bright orange vests moved in, probing the debris with the grim patience their work demands. It was a stark reminder that even as fighting shifts elsewhere, the explosive legacy of Sudan’s civil war continues to claim civilian lives. Since the Sudanese Armed Forces retook much of Khartoum in 2025, teams from the United…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Indigenous representatives from around the world convened in New York this week for the 25th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, calling for stronger protections of their rights and greater inclusion in global decision-making. Opening the session, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the vital role Indigenous peoples play in preserving culture and protecting the planet. He described them as “guardians of nature” and warned that global crises, from environmental degradation to inequality, are disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities. Guterres stressed that despite contributing the least to global challenges, Indigenous peoples often bear…
By Rédaction Africanews and Agencies Civil rights groups say Mali is responsible for abuses committed by Russian mercenaries. Mali is facing charges of violating its citizens human rights over the conduct of its armed forces and that of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group. Civil society organisations argue that authorities in the West African nation are responsible for abuses committed in the country and for failing to investigate or sanction those responsible, according to a case filed before the African Union’s human rights court on Monday. The case was brought by three civil society groups: TRIAL International, The Pan African Lawyers…
By michael oduor The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), James Swan, began his first field visit to eastern DRC today (20 Apr) in Beni since taking office. The first day of the visit focused on assessing the security situation in the Grand Nord, reviewing efforts to protect civilians, and strengthening dialogue with provincial authorities. Upon arrival in Beni, Swan and his delegation received a security briefing before proceeding to Force Headquarters, where they were…
South Africa’s police chief has been formally charged with failing in his duties to provide proper oversight in his role following a health contract that has become the subject of a criminal investigation. General Fannie Masemola, 62, was summoned to court over his alleged part in the awarding of a controversial $21m (£15.5m) tender, which has since been cancelled. He has been charged with violating part of South Africa’s Public Finance Management Act, which governs how public finances are managed. The case comes amidst a national inquiry examining allegedly widespread corruption involving police officers and politicians. Masemola told journalists after…
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for fairer global trade rules that support developing countries in their transition to low-carbon economies while protecting their growth, speaking at the Spain Business Forum in Madrid on Friday. Ramaphosa said emerging economies support climate action but warned that new regulations should not unfairly burden countries that contributed little to historical emissions. “South Africa supports climate action. We are committed to the just transition towards a low-carbon economy,” he said. “But new regulatory frameworks, including the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, must not become instruments that inadvertently punish emerging economies for emissions they did not…
By Sarah Miansoni with AFP Togo presented its new geopolitical and security strategy for the Sahel during a high-level meeting in Lomé on Saturday. The summit brought together representatives from both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), as well as international envoys, including from France and the European Union. The initiative aimed at fostering dialogue with the governments of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which have distanced themselves from ECOWAS and their Western partners in recent years, in favour of Russia. “Togo is ready to put its mediation expertise and its regional foothold at the service of…
By Rédaction Africanews The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congo River Alliance rebel coalition made progress on a protocol on humanitarian access, judicial protection, ceasefire oversight and the release of prisoners. The parties met in Switzerland this week for five days of negotiations with international mediators including Qatar, the United States, Togo and the African Union. The meetings aimed at securing the implementation of the framework peace deal signed in Doha in November. In a joint statement on Saturday, the DRC and the rebels said they would facilitate the passage of humanitarian personnel and convoys. The parties…
The first group of deportees from the United States has arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital under a new bilateral agreement, according to government and airport sources. Fifteen individuals—seven women and eight men, mostly Latin American migrants from Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador—landed at Ndjili International Airport after a roughly 26-hour flight routed through Dakar and Accra. The plane originated from Alexandria, Louisiana. A lawyer in contact with the group described the journey as exhausting. Congolese officials said temporary housing has been arranged in Kinshasa while longer-term integration plans are finalized. The arrival marks the first implementation of a…
Members of one of Sudan’s most influential bands, Aswat Almadina, are scattered across the world, clinging to the hope that their music will be an inspiration for peace in a nation ravaged by war. Timon was among the six members of the band who left Sudan two months after the conflict started in 2023, traumatised by the sight of dead bodies, destroyed buildings and burnt-out cars in the streets of the capital, Khartoum. “It was like something out of a zombie movie,” Timon tells the BBC Focus on Africa podcast. More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict, and about…