First Independent Mena Newspaper
A sweeping shift in the European Union’s migration policy is drawing fierce criticism across Africa, as the EU proposes linking development aid to countries’ cooperation on border control and deportations. Under the revised Global Europe instrument, nations that fail to prevent irregular migration or refuse to accept deportees could see vital funds slashed. Critics say […]
Somalia has intensified its campaign against terrorism financing, taking decisive action to dismantle the financial infrastructure sustaining extremist group Al-Shabaab. The National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), led by Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh, reported the deactivation of 575 mobile lines and the freezing of 21 bank accounts […]
France has officially ended its 65-year military presence in Senegal, handing over its last two bases in a ceremony Thursday (17 July) attended by high-ranking French and Senegalese officials. The withdrawal marks a symbolic conclusion to decades of military cooperation rooted in colonial legacy. Camp Geille in Dakar and its adjacent airfield were transferred to […]
The European Union and Morocco are negotiating a comprehensive partnership agreement focused on migration management and border control, marking a significant deepening of bilateral relations as Brussels seeks to stabilize irregular migration flows from North Africa. European Commission officials confirmed discussions model the framework on existing agreements with Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, providing financial and […]
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has appealed for the immediate lifting of international sanctions and a United Nations arms embargo, citing their detrimental impact on the country’s progress and security sector reform. Addressing lawmakers at the opening of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly in Juba on Wednesday, July 16, Kiir emphasised that South Sudan’s […]
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing mounting challenges in his bid to rebuild relations with the United States, as the Trump Administration intensifies a hardline stance against Pretoria. Despite Ramaphosa’s efforts, including the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to Washington, the US has refused to grant Jonas a diplomatic visa and […]
A recent U.S. deportation of five convicted foreign nationals to the African kingdom of Eswatini has ignited outrage among human rights groups and African leaders. The individuals — originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos — were expelled after their home countries refused to accept them. All five have serious criminal convictions, including murder […]
Four individuals who were abducted and forcibly conscripted by the Burkinabè military junta to fight jihadists have been released, according to their families and a security source speaking to AFP. Their abductions occurred after they publicly criticised the junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, which seized power in a coup in September 2022. Authorities have […]
The United Nations has issued a stark warning about an unfolding child malnutrition crisis in Sudan’s Darfur region, as conflict-driven hunger and collapsing aid access push the region closer to famine. UNICEF reports a 46% surge in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) cases among children across Darfur’s five states in the first five months of 2025. […]
In a major step toward ending over a decade of conflict, two of the Central African Republic’s (CAR) most powerful rebel groups, the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC) and 3R (Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation), have officially disbanded their political and military wings under a new peace accord with the government. At a symbolic ceremony […]