First Independent Mena Newspaper
The UN Security Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) through 2026. AUSSOM, which replaced a previous transition mission in January, continues to support Somali security forces in the fight against Al Shabab. In August, Somali forces and AUSSOM recaptured the strategic […]
Somalia has reiterated its steady support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara. This came during a bilateral meeting in Rabat between Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Somali counterpart, Abdisalam Abdi Ali. In a joint statement issued after the talks, Minister Abdi Ali expressed satisfaction with the adoption of UN Security Council […]
At least 18 migrants have died and 18 others remain missing after a boat capsized off the western Libyan city of Zawiya early Tuesday morning, according to Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service. Ninety-two people were rescued from the sinking vessel, while among the dead were four Egyptians and two Somalis. Search and rescue operations are […]
Somalia’s government has firmly denied allegations that it entered into a secret agreement with Sweden to accept deported Somali nationals in exchange for redirected development aid. In an official statement, the Office of the Prime Minister rejected claims that Somalia received $9 million in Swedish aid as part of a covert deal. There is “no […]
In a speech delivered Tuesday (1 Oct) at Marine Corps Base Quantico before over 800 military leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump stunned allies by insisting that it’s not “our job … to police the far reaches of Kenya and Somalia.” He portrayed foreign deployments as misplaced priorities, arguing that the U.S. must instead confront an […]
The European Union has announced a €545 million ($638 million) initiative to accelerate Africa’s transition to clean energy, aiming to expand electrification, modernize power grids, and improve access to renewable power across nine countries. Unveiled by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Global Citizen Festival in New York, the funding forms part […]
More than 42 million people across six East and Horn of Africa countries are facing acute food insecurity in 2025, according to a grim new report from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The Regional Focus of the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, released Tuesday (16 September), reveals that Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, […]
As Somaliland reportedly edges closer to potential U.S. recognition, reports of a controversial deal to resettle forcibly displaced Palestinians from Gaza have sparked widespread outrage and warnings of regional instability. According to Israeli and U.S. media, Somaliland has been in talks with Israel over hosting Palestinians expelled during Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza — an […]
In the shadow of official diplomacy, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a central — but often overlooked — force in Africa’s escalating conflicts, according to observers and experts on the region. “Most people blame the United States, while others are suspicious of China … however, … the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is […]
The United States has launched a sweeping reassessment of Kenya’s Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status, raising alarm over President William Ruto’s growing ties with China, Russia, Iran, and links to extremist groups. Granted in June 2024, Kenya’s MNNA designation made it the first sub-Saharan African country to join an exclusive list of U.S. defense partners. […]