First Independent Mena Newspaper
At a hearing on Thursday, the United Arab Emirates contested the jurisdiction of the United Nations’ highest court over a genocide claim filed by Sudan. The UAE argued that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had no authority to rule on the case, in which the Gulf country is accused of violating the Genocide Convention […]
Militant Islamist violence continues to escalate in the Sahel, shifting southward and westward to increasingly threaten security of coastal West African nations, according to a new report by Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS). Countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain at the epicenter of this violent surge, with fatalities and militant activity hitting […]
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 […]
The Trump administration has reaffirmed its commitment to the $4 billion Lobito Corridor rail project in Africa, aiming to strengthen United States-Africa economic ties while countering China’s growing influence in the region. The initiative, which connects Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is seen as a vital trade route for transporting minerals […]
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 […]
Algeria has closed its airspace to Mali as relations worsen between the two neighbors with Mali accusing Algeria of backing terrorist groups. Mali together with its Sahel allies, Niger and Burkina Faso, all recalled their ambassadors after Bamako accused Algiers of protecting separatists by downing a Malian drone. Algeria has doubled down on its provocations […]
US president Donald Trump has unveiled a controversial new tariff policy, imposing sweeping duties on imports from over 180 countries, including 51 African nations. The tariffs, which include a baseline 10% on all imports and higher duties on certain countries, are part of Trump’s strategy to combat what he describes as unfair trade practices that […]
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 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have agreed to direct peace talks, set to take place on 9 April in Doha, Qatar. This marks a significant step towards resolving one of Central Africa’s most enduring and violent conflicts, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused widespread […]