First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tensions have intensified in South Sudan since the beginning of 2025, with a marked increase in confrontations between the South Sudanese Army, loyal to President Salva Kiir, and forces aligned with Vice President Riek Machar. The latest friction points have emerged in the Western Equatoria region, where the two factions are locked in a bitter […]
Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) paints a bleak picture of corruption worldwide, with many African countries showing their worst results in over a decade. The report, released on Tuesday (11 February), reveals that 47 countries out of 180 surveyed scored their lowest marks since 2012, signaling an alarming global rise in corruption. On […]
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, now entering its second year, has led to what the African Union (AU) has called the “worst humanitarian crisis in the world.” The conflict between Sudan’s military government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced millions and left hundreds of thousands of children malnourished, with dire shortages […]
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed on February 11 two of his Vice-presidents, the nation’s spy chief, and several senior officials, with no explanation provided for the moves. The shake-up, announced through a series of presidential decrees read on State television, comes amidst ongoing tensions in the country, which has struggled to implement the […]
The United Kingdom has voiced grave concerns over the escalating humanitarian and political crises affecting South Sudan, particularly in the wake of the Sudanese conflict. Between 11 and 15 January, civilian attacks, including those on South Sudanese nationals in Wad Madani, Sudan, triggered widespread unrest in South Sudan on 16-17 January. This violence has exacerbated […]
The sudden halt in USAID funding by US president Donald Trump has sparked a growing crisis for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and healthcare workers across Africa, who are now scrambling to cope with the financial and logistical fallout. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) last week announced the suspension of its programs in several African […]
Authorities in South Sudan have imposed a suspension on major social media platforms for at least 30 days after videos circulated online purporting to show the killings of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan’s El Gezira state. The footage prompted widespread outrage and led to deadly revenge attacks, including riots in several South Sudanese cities where […]
The government of Eastern Equatoria, a state in South Sudan, has deployed armed forces along its border with Uganda to deter disputes that arose following alleged livestock theft and encroachment by Ugandan forces into South Sudan territory. According to Eastern Equatoria’ state minister of local government and law enforcement, Peter Lokeng, the deployment of the […]
The South Sudanese government and key oil companies have jointly announced the resumption of oil production and export at its Blocks 3 and 7 in the Upper Nile State with an initial output target of 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day. In a joint statement Tuesday (7 January), they said that normal operations have […]
The Horn of Africa countries should turn to trade as a solution to persistent conflict and political instability, says a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), that suggests that the lack of intra-regional trade, as well as poor infrastructure, has fueled conflict and violence by perpetuating poverty and a sense of marginalization. […]