By AP The violence that followed the killing of a cartel leader in Mexico is fueling fears that the bloodshed could hurt tourism ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year. Guadalajara is slated to be one of Mexico’s host cities for the competition. It was one of many places in Mexico that was marked by violence over the past few days. Jalisco, in western Mexico, was already facing scrutiny. The state has been plagued by some of the starkest examples of cartel violence in recent years, including the discovery of a cartel killing site at a ranch last…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on a rare visit to Ukraine on Wednesday urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to release two Ghanaian prisoners of war who were captured fighting for Russia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drawn in mercenaries and foreign fighters on both sides of the conflict, including from several African countries. Ukraine said Wednesday that more than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries – including Ghana – had been identified among Russia’s ranks, and that some of them had been captured. “We are quite optimistic that this visit will be very…
A court has heard recordings of a former Nigerian oil minister allegedly confronting two oil tycoons from whom she is accused of accepting bribes, after their relationships had broken down. Prosecutors allege that Diezani Alison-Madueke was provided with “a life of luxury” in the UK, which they say was paid for by those who sought lucrative oil contracts from the Nigerian government. In one conversation recorded on her phone, Alison-Madueke, 65, could be heard saying: “I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself.” She denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Zimbabwe has abruptly pulled out of talks with the United States over a new health aid deal meant to replace a program dismantled under President Donald Trump. The agreement would have provided $367 million over five years, supporting 1.2 million Zimbabweans receiving HIV treatment. Officials say the negotiations were halted because the terms threatened national autonomy, with concerns that the pact could shift control of disease response and grant Washington broad access to health data. The US has been pursuing similar agreements across Africa under its “America First” strategy, partly to counter China’s influence on…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP In the rugged hills of Somaliland, officials say vast treasure lies beneath the earth. The breakaway territory in northern Somalia claims it holds abundant critical minerals and potentially billions of barrels of oil, resources that could transform its economic future. “We have gemstone minerals and industrial minerals,” said Mohammad Ali Adam, an expert at Somaliland’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals. “We also have highly sought-after minerals like lithium, cobalt, carbide, and titanium. We expect this will improve the lives of our people.” Authorities say Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December could be a game changer,…
Strategic leadership appointment underscores BCG’s long-term investment in Africa and commitment to developing top local talent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) today announced the appointment of Mandisa Mazibuko as Managing Director and Partner (MDP) for South Africa. Her appointment reinforces BCG’s sustained commitment to strengthening its leadership presence on the continent and expanding the firm’s impact across Africa’s most critical growth markets. Mandisa Mazibuko Mandisa Mazibuko brings almost two decades of experience in strategy advisory, transformation leadership, and marketing & sales excellence across African markets gained by working extensively with clients in consumer industries, banking, and telecom. “Mandisa’s appointment strengthens our leadership team at a crucial time…
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for helping to secure the return of 17 South Africans allegedly tricked into joining the Russia-Ukraine war. Last November, the South African government said it had received distress calls from the group of men who had joined mercenary forces in the conflict. The men believed they were going to Russia for bodyguard training but instead ended up on the front line of the war in Ukraine. Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that four of them had returned last Friday, 11 others would be “on their way home soon” and another…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Egypt on Tuesday urged the international community to better support Lebanon’s armed forces as the country moves forward with a plan to disarm the militant group Hezbollah and bring all weapons under state control. Speaking at a preparatory meeting in Cairo ahead of next month’s Paris conference in support of the Lebanese army, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty praised “the success of the Lebanese army in completing the first phase of the plan”. “This achievement reflects the efficiency of the military institution and requires intensifying international support to complete the remaining phases of the plan,”…
By AFP The number of people in Somalia experiencing crisis-levels of food insecurity has nearly doubled in the past year to 6.5 million people, UN-backed experts warned Tuesday. The Horn of Africa country has been plagued by conflict and suffered two consecutive failed rainy seasons, as well as a drop in the amount of food aid available amid international funding cuts. The population classified as being in a “crisis or worse” situation “has nearly doubled between February–March 2026 to a staggering 6.5 million people since early 2025,” according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC), a UN-backed group…
France has returned the historic Djidji Ayôkwé “talking drum” to Côte d’Ivoire, more than a century after colonial troops seized the artifact in 1916. The extraordinary artifact—more than three meters long—was used by the Ebrie tribe to transmit messages over long distances and will be permanently displayed in a new museum under construction in Abidjan. Ivorian Culture Minister Françoise Remarck described the handover ceremony in Paris as an emotional milestone, reflecting growing efforts to reclaim heritage taken during colonial rule. The restitution comes as France prepares new legislation to speed up the return of African artifacts, responding to mounting requests from former…