Sub-Saharan Africa
General Brice Oligui Nguema, Coup Leader to Elected President
April 12, 2025 Gabon election shows previous coup leader General Brice Oligui Nguema to become Gabon’s new elected president. Having won over 90% of votes, many look to him to create a Gabon free of corruption and for a better economy, while others question his character.
A Meningitis Outbreak in Northwest Nigeria Has Now Killed 26 People
The death toll in Nigeria is rising after a meningitis outbreak in January. The response to the spreading disease has been seriously hindered after the cutting of USAID programs.
China’s African Gambit: Investment or Entrapment
China’s investments in poorer countries have long been subject to critique, many of which increasingly target Africa. The question is, are these loans beneficial or hurtful to the nations?
Kenyan Peacekeeper Killed in Central African Republic
On Saturday, March 29, the United Nations condemned the killing of a Kenyan peacekeeper in the east of the Central African Republic. The peacekeeper, a Kenyan soldier serving with the UN stabilization force in the southeast of the country, was killed in an ambush of a patrol group.
How Illegal Gold Mining in Ghana is Leading to Environmental Concerns
Throughout October 2024, protests against “galamsey,” a local term referring to the illegal mining of gold, swarmed Accra, Ghana’s capital. On Oct. 11, hundreds marched to protest the practice.
Rebel and Government Forces Clash in Goma
As conflict continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the death count once again rises.With more violence in Goma, including a shooting in a hospital, questions remain about the future of the peace talks.
UNMISS Helicopter Attacked in South Sudan
On Friday, March 7, a crew member was killed and two others injured on a United Nations helicopter when it was attacked by gunmen.
South African Countries set to Withdraw Support Troops from the Congo
On Thursday, March 13, African leaders announced the withdrawal of thousands of troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The troops, sent from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, were deployed under the name of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a bloc of Southern African countries aimed at bettering the region’s development, economy, and recently peacekeeping operations.
An Unknown Disease Spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A mystery illness is spreading throughout the DRC, having killed 60 people so far, presenting a significant public health threat.
M23 Rebels Accused of Recruiting and Killing Children in Eastern DRC by UN Officials
Decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reached new levels when M23 rebels invaded the city of Goma. After the invasion, concerns of human rights violations rose as the militia group was accused of executing children, among other atrocities.
The M23 Rebel Group Has Advanced Into Bukavu in the DRC
The Rwandan-backed rebel group has gained territory in the DRC’s second largest city, resulting in red flags being raised on human rights concerns.
Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Impeached in Historic Vote
On Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, the move to impeach Kenyan deputy president Rigathi Gachugua passed in the nation’s Senate, making Gachagua the first Kenyan president/deputy president impeached since the adoption of the new constitution in 2010.
Mozambique Holds Its Most Promising Election
Mozambique held its national election Wednesday, Oct. 9, and is on course to be one of the most influential elections since the country gained independence in 1975.
Russia Avoids Western Sanctions in Alliance with Gabon
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian ship fleets have turned to countries outside of the Western economic world to dodge increasing sanctions and oil caps.
45 Found Dead off the Coast of Djibouti Carrying Migrants Crossing the Red Sea
Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, a migrant boat departing from Yemen carrying 310 people sank off the coast of Djibouti; 45 are confirmed dead, with many more still missing. This tragedy brings the ongoing migrant crisis across the Red Sea between the eastern horn of Africa and the Middle-Eastern Gulf States to the foreground. In April 2024, at least 38 people died crossing the sea, and in June, 49 more.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Strengthen Russian Relations in a New Satellite Deal
On Monday, Sept. 23, a partnership was signed between Russia and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a military cooperation including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Ghana Creates Greater Hope for Gender Equality in Sub-Saharan Africa
On Sept. 19, 2024, the Ghanaian government signed into effect a bill that hopes to promote increased gender equality in Ghana. Entitled the “Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill, 2024”, the new law puts a 30% - 50% quota of women representatives in various spheres of life from governmental committees to trade union memberships, which will be in effect by 2030.
Kenyan Government Evicted 700 Indigenous People from the Mau Forest
The Kenyan government evicted 700 indigenous people of the Ogiek tribe, from the Mau Forest Complex on Nov. 2. This move is a violation of the 2017 court ruling that was supposed to secure the Ogiek peoples’ right to live on the land.
Paramilitary Force Captures Sudan’s Darfur Region
The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary faction of the country’s divided military, are nearing capturing Darfur, a province in eastern Sudan, as of Nov. 8.
Ugandan Government Apprehends the Commander of a Terrorist Group Linked to the October Tourist Attack
Deo Akiiki, Ugandan deputy military spokesman, announced on Thursday that the Ugandan government had captured the mononymous Njovu, the commander of the militant group ADF, in a raid on Tuesday. Njovu was the only survivor of the raid in which six members of his squad were killed.