First Independent Mena Newspaper
Elon Musk’s March 28 acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) by his AI company xAI raises significant concerns for the platform’s 40 million African users, whose data will now fuel the development of AI systems like Grok without explicit consent or compensation. The transaction places users in Nigeria (10 million), South Africa (8 million), and Morocco […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has decided to terminate its six-month $5 million lobbying contract with the U.S. public relations firm Earhart Turner, instead preferring to pursue direct negotiations with the Trump administration. The lobbying contract, signed in March 2025, aimed to enhance Congo’s image in Washington, particularly in the context of a mineral […]
Terrorism continues to devastate Africa, with the Sahel and Somalia remaining epicenters of violent extremism, according to the latest Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025 report. The Sahel region, which is sometimes referred to as the “coup belt” of Africa, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and surrounding areas, now accounts for more than half of the […]
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, faces a landmark lawsuit in Kenya over allegations that its platform played a role in inciting ethnic violence during the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. The Kenyan High Court has ruled that the case, which involves claims of hate speech and violent content promotion on Facebook, can proceed. This landmark […]
The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted by consensus on Thursday a groundbreaking resolution on the role of women in diplomacy and their participation in the defense and promotion of human rights that was proposed by Morocco. The resolution, deemed a new step towards more inclusive diplomacy, was introduced as part of the 58th […]
The creation, at Morocco’s initiative, of an African network on social inclusion, solidarity, and disability was announced Thursday in Berlin during a meeting of several African ministers, held on the sidelines of the 3rd Global Disability Summit (GDS). During this ministerial meeting, it was suggested to hold a regional conference in Morocco to mark the […]
Tunisian forces intercepted 612 sub-Saharan migrants at sea, but instead of providing them with assistance, they abandoned them in the desert at the country’s borders with Algeria and Libya. The migrants were transported in buses to remote desert areas, including near Chambi National Park, and left with no resources. After several days of walking, some […]
Libya’s Internal Security Agency has taken the step of shutting down ten international organizations operating in the country, including the prominent International Relief Organization, accusing them of facilitating the settlement of illegal immigrants without the necessary permissions. The closures were announced on April 2 in a statement monitored by the ‘Libyan Express’, which highlighted concerns […]
Massad Boulos, newly appointed senior advisor for Africa at the US State Department, is set to begin a diplomatic mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda. The trip, which starts on 3 March, aims to foster peace in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels continue their offensive, and encourage increased […]
The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are set to visit Moscow this week to deepen their strategic partnership with Russia, marking a significant shift in the region’s diplomatic and security landscape. The visit, scheduled for 3-4 April, represents the first-ever AES-Russia consultations following the establishment of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) […]