First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group have resumed negotiations in Qatar, aiming to revive a faltering truce signed in July. Despite the Qatari-brokered agreement, fighting has intensified in eastern Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu, displacing over two million people this year alone. Talks in Doha focus on a […]
Former President Joseph Kabila is facing the death penalty in a dramatic trial unfolding in absentia, as Congo’s military prosecutor accuses him of treason, war crimes, and backing the Rwanda-aligned M23 rebel group that has overrun eastern regions of the country. Kabila, who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 2001 to 2019, is […]
Uganda has confirmed a temporary agreement with the United States to accept third-country nationals denied asylum in the U.S., marking a significant shift in migration policy that has sparked controversy both at home and across the continent. The deal, confirmed last week (21 August) by Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, excludes individuals with […]
The United Nations has confirmed that at least 319 civilians — including 48 women and 19 children — were brutally killed by M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 9 and 21 July, marking one of the deadliest episodes since the group’s resurgence in 2022. According to UN Human Rights Chief Volker […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the latest battleground in a deepening strategic rivalry between the United States and China over control of critical minerals, as a new US-brokered peace deal with Rwanda raises both hope and concern. Signed in June 2025, the agreement aims to end decades of conflict between the DRC […]
Hailed as a step toward peace, the 19 July ceasefire signed in Doha between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group has been met with deep skepticism — and renewed bloodshed. While the Doha Declaration was hailed by the United States, United Nations, and the African Union as a diplomatic breakthrough, on the ground, […]
In a rare diplomatic move, President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of five West African nations — Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau — at the White House on Wednesday (9 July), declaring a shift in U.S. policy from aid to trade. The meeting comes amid deep cuts to U.S. foreign aid following the dissolution […]
Africa’s nuclear power ambitions are receiving renewed momentum, as rising energy demands, climate goals, and investor interest converge. At the recent Africa Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, leaders and experts emphasized nuclear power — particularly S Modular Reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors — as a promising low-carbon solution for the continent’s energy deficit. International […]
The African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), an ambitious initiative to unify the continent’s electricity grids, is making substantial strides, according to African Union (AU) officials at a high-level technical meeting in Addis Ababa. AfSEM aims to create a seamless, affordable, and reliable continental electricity market, interconnecting all 55 AU member states. Kamugisha Kazaura, AU Commission’s […]
At least 120 children have been abducted in recent days by Islamist insurgents in Mozambique’s northern oil-rich Cabo Delgado province, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported, adding that they were reportedly being forced into labor, used to transport looted goods, and in some cases turned into child soldiers or forced into marriage. The kidnappings mark […]