Sudan Peace Process Appears Stalled Again

 Source: The Associated Press published on 12 August 2024 an article titled “The UN Says Sudan Is at a ‘Breaking Point.’  Its Military Hasn’t Committed to Peace Talks This Week” by Jamey Keaten and Samy Magdy.

The Sudanese military has not committed to peace talks this week in Switzerland brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Sudan is the world’s largest displacement crisis and starvation now exists in part of Darfur region.

Gulf States Increase Engagement in Africa, Raising New Issues

 Source: The Council on Foreign Relations posted on 8 August 2024 an analysis titled “Africa and the Gulf Are Becoming Closer.  Will It Increase Global Tensions?” by Alexandra Dent and Mariel Ferragamo.

Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia have increased their political, military, and economic engagement in Africa.  They have found willing partners with African governments but also exported Gulf State tensions to the continent.

Source: From Aljazeera,

How far has mpox spread and how can you protect yourself?

Sweden and Pakistan have both reported cases of mpox days after the WHO declared the virus an ’emergency’.

Source; By Edna Mohamed

Published On 17 Aug 202417 Aug 2024

At least two countries outside of Africa have reported mpox cases after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the virus had become a “public health emergency” earlier this week.

A relatively new strain of the virus known as clade 1 has been spreading in African countries since 2022.

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What is mpox and why has WHO declared it a global health emergency?

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Earlier this year, it was reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was experiencing the biggest outbreak of the disease ever recorded, with tens of thousands of people infected as of June. The government of DRC had declared it an epidemic in December 2022.

Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160 percent and deaths have increased by 19 percent.

Here is what we know so far about where the disease has spread, how it affects the human body and how to protect yourself from infection.

To which other countries has the new strain of mpox virus spread?

The Pakistan Ministry of National Health Services confirmed its first case of the virus on Friday, saying the person had come from Saudi Arabia.

Health officials said sequencing is underway to determine the exact strain of the virus the person had been infected with.

On Thursday, Swedish health officials reported the country’s first case of mpox, confirming that it was the clade 1 strain, and said the person had become infected in Africa and is now receiving treatment.

Clade 1 tends to cause a higher number of severe infections and appears to be more easily spread through routine close contact, including sexual contact.

On Friday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) raised its risk alert level to “moderate” from “low” and asked countries to maintain high levels of awareness among travellers visiting from affected areas.

Source: African Union launches continental AI strategy to create jobs, fuel innovation
Saturday August 17, 2024

The African Union has launched its new continental artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, which seeks to leverage AI to drive socio-economic transformation.

Known as the African Union (AU) Continental AI Strategy, it was endorsed by the continent’s ICT ministers in June and adopted by the AU’s Executive Council a month later. However, the official document was only published on August 9.

The AU says AI can “stimulate economic growth, create new industries, drive innovation, generate employment opportunities, generate new businesses for women and youth, and support the preservation of Africa’s cultural heritage.”

It also believes that technology can help solve some of Africa’s most urgent challenges in sectors such as agriculture—an industry that employs 70% of the region’s workforce—education, finance, healthcare, public services delivery, and more.

A separate report by AI4D Africa estimates that AI can add $2.9 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030.

AI is quickly rising in Africa. According to Stanford’s AI Index Report, Kenya ranks second globally for the share of the populace aware of ChatGPT, only behind India. 27% of Kenyans also reported using the chatbot daily, which is the third-highest globally.

African nations are already leveraging AI to offer better services. In Morocco, the judiciary is using the technology to transcribe rulings, conduct research and assist in any other manual and tedious process. In Togo, the government is using AI to identify and target the poorest regions for the distribution of social funds.

Agriculture dominates AI usage in Africa at 49%, with climate action and energy accounting for 26% and 24%, respectively, according to a GSMA report from last month.

While it holds great promise, AI comes with its challenges. The first is a lack of capacity to leverage the technology due to inadequate training for the region’s workforce. One study by the Oxford Martin School found that 85% of Ethiopia’s workforce could have their jobs replaced or degraded by AI automation, the highest ratio globally. Other bigger economies like Nigeria and South Africa also rank highly on this scale, both at over 65%.

Yet another major roadblock is the need for a regional regulatory framework. While most countries have some laws touching on AI, regional coordination has been minimal. This cuts down on regional AI initiatives and makes it costlier for companies that want to launch Africa-wide solutions, as they must comply with new laws in every jurisdiction.

Still, the AU believes that Africa, with its vastly growing young and tech-savvy population and the rise of smartphone and internet penetration, is well positioned to leverage AI to achieve its sustainable development goals.

UK opens compensation for victims of Liido Beach terror attack

Source: Hiiraan Online, Saturday August 17, 2024



 Residents carry the body of a victim following a deadly terrorist attack at Lido Beach, Mogadishu. The attack, claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabaab, left dozens dead and injured. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

Mogadishu (HOL) — Victims and families affected by the August 2  al-Shabaab terrorist attack at Liido Beach in Mogadishu, which left close to 40 dead and over 200 injured, are now eligible for compensation under the UK’s Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme. The attack, one of the deadliest in recent Somali history, has drawn international condemnation and exposed critical security lapses within the Somali government.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officially designated the Liido Beach attack as an act of terrorism, allowing affected British, EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens, as well as members of the UK armed forces, to seek compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The application process is available on GOV.UK and does not require paid legal representation. Free independent advice is accessible through various charitable organizations.

The attack has led to the arrest of several Somali army officers who were on duty at the time, highlighting severe security failures. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre described the incident as a “barbaric atrocity” that goes against Somali cultural and religious values. He emphasized the government’s commitment to holding those responsible accountable while calling for unified support for the victims.

Following the attack, government-organized protests erupted in Mogadishu, with hundreds of Somalis defying Al-Shabaab’s terror campaign by gathering at Liido Beach. 

The attack also revealed critical blood shortages in Mogadishu’s hospitals, leading to urgent public appeals for donations. The Somali government has acknowledged the need for a national blood bank to better respond to such emergencies.

International bodies, including the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU), have condemned the attack, reaffirming their support for Somalia’s fight against terrorism. The Somali government has urged UN member states and neighbouring countries to adhere strictly to the arms embargo on al-Shabaab, warning that the illegal flow of arms into Somalia poses a significant threat to regional stability.

The Somali Council of Ministers has allocated a half-million-dollar fund to assist in the medical treatment and reconstruction of the lives of those impacted by the attack. Victims and their families are encouraged to apply for compensation through CICA for further assistance.

If you need help applying you can call CICA on 0300 003 3601 (+44 (0)203 684 2517 if outside the UK). The helpline is open 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

CNN — 

Source: CNN, Sudan is at a “breaking point,” a United Nations agency said Monday, as a growing number of people need food, water, shelter and medical care in a country devastated by intensifying war.

Over eight million people have been displaced since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last year, plunging the country into what the UN has called “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory.”

“Without an immediate, massive, and coordinated global response, we risk witnessing tens of thousands of preventable deaths in the coming months,” Othman Belbeisi, the Middle East and Africa director for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said in a statement. “We are at breaking point, a catastrophic, cataclysmic breaking point,” he added.

At least half of the displaced are children in a war tarred by “appalling levels of rights violations, ethnic targeting, massacres of civilian populations and gender-based violence,” the statement said.

Earlier this month, the UN-backed Famine Review Committee said at least one refugee camp in Sudan’s Darfur region is experiencing famine, which the agency has only declared twice in Sudan’s history. In May, the World Food Programme said people in that region had been forced to eat grass and peanut shells to survive.

Related articleDarfur may be on the brink of another genocide. Will the world act this time?

“Over the next three months, an estimated 25.6 million people will face acute food insecurity as the conflict spreads and coping mechanisms are exhausted,” the IOM statement said. “Many other places” in Sudan are also at risk of famine, it added.

Armed forces are also blocking urgently needed aid deliveries to Sudan, and the IOM said it needs additional funding to reach those in need. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, said a key bridge used by aid workers to reach the Darfur region collapsed last week after severe flooding.

“This was the only safe route for humanitarian aid to reach Central & (South) Darfur,” MSF said Monday in a post on X. “This adds another major obstacle to our efforts in delivering life-saving aid to Sudan.”

The warning comes as a new round of ceasefire talks led by the US and Saudi Arabia are expected to begin this week in Switzerland, the AP reported Monday. The RSF, which evolved from the Janjaweed militia that spearheaded the Darfur genocide in the early 2000s, has agreed to attend the talks, but Sudan’s military has not.

A Sudanese government delegation met over the weekend with US officials in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah in a bid to convince the military to attend Wednesday, but no breakthrough was achieved, according to the AP.

“We’ve had extensive engagement with the SAF,” Tom Perriello, the US special envoy for Sudan, told reporters Monday, according to the news agency. “They have not yet given us an affirmation, which would be necessary today for moving forward.”

“We have not given up hope that SAF will attend the talks,” he added.

CNN’s Christian Edwards, Eyad Kourdi, Nimi Princewill, Stephanie Busari and Louis Mian contributed.

Magical Policy Thinking on Ending Conflict in Sudan

 Source: Just Security published on 12 August 2024 an analysis titled “The Year(s) of Magical Thinking on Sudan” by Payton Knopf, former US deputy special envoy for Sudan.

Three fallacies have contributed to the current crisis in Sudan.  First, power-sharing between civilian and military actors or exclusively military actors is a basis for a stable political order.  Second, ceasefires end violence or are a prerequisite for doing so.  Third, political legitimacy is less important than coercive force.  Belief in these fallacies has resulted in US policy that constitutes magical thinking

News|United Nations

Officials at UN Security Council push for a permanent seat for Africa

Source: 12 August, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges reform, says the African continent is underrepresented in a changing world.

Published On 12 Aug 202412 Aug 2024

The United Nations chief has called for the UN Security Council (UNSC) to reform its outdated structure and assign Africa a permanent seat at the table, stressing that the continent is underrepresented.

Addressing the council on Monday during a high-level debate, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the composition of the UNSC has failed to keep pace with a changing world.

“We cannot accept that the world’s preeminent peace and security body lacks a permanent voice for a continent of well over a billion people … nor can we accept that Africa’s views are undervalued on questions of peace and security, both on the continent and around the world,” he said.

The 15-member UNSC consists of five permanent members with veto power – China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom – while the remaining 10 nonpermanent seats are allocated regionally.

The 10 seats include three seats for African states; two each for Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and other states; and one for Eastern Europe.

In May, the UNSC called for the role of African countries to be strengthened in addressing global security and development challenges.

Is landlocked Ethiopia starting another war over ports in Horn of Africa?

Ethiopia’s tone on access to a seaport is seen as either a distraction from domestic policy failures or the start of another regional war.

Source, Aljazeera, : By Zecharias Zelalem

Published On 7 Nov 20237 Nov 2023

Since 1991 when Eritrea gained independence from neighbouring Ethiopia, one of the world’s oldest countries and Africa’s second most populous country, has been landlocked.

With Eritrea in control of the Assab port that had serviced Ethiopia for decades, access to ports became a major talking point in Ethiopia, and just a year after the end of a war fought together as allies, the topic has dragged both countries into a fresh dispute.

On October 26, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denied reports that his government was planning to wage war to gain access to a seaport. It was his second attempt in as many weeks at reassuring neighbouring states in the Horn of Africa that his pursuit of a new import gateway for Ethiopia would stay peaceful.

“Our army has never taken the initiative to invade another country in its history, and we won’t start now,” Abiy said during festivities marking the 116th anniversary of the Ethiopian army’s establishment, in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

“On certain issues that Ethiopia seeks dialogue over, it is being said that a military invasion is a possibility. I’d like to make it clear that there is nothing that we seek to accomplish using force or an invasion.”

But it is unclear if his latest remarks will cool months of uneasiness felt across the region. During another televised speech earlier this month, the prime minister cited demographic ties and maps dating back to the third-century kingdom of Aksum to invoke Ethiopian territorial claims to Red Sea ports in Eritrean territory, and said the question of Red Sea access was “an existential issue”.

Turkey Agrees to Support Somali Navy

 Source: The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats published on 8 August 2024 an analysis titled “Turkey Prepares to Ship Out to Somalia” by Liam Karr and Lilya Yatim.

Turkey has agreed to deploy an unspecified number of naval forces to Somalia to build the Somali navy’s capacity.  This will improve Somalia’s ability to compete with Ethiopia’s goal to develop a naval base in Somaliland.  The Somali-Turkish naval agreement could also complicate Ankara’s relations with Addis Ababa and give added incentive for the UAE to strengthen relations with Ethiopia.

Somalia economic growth a mixed bag, says AfDB report

Source_ EastAfrican. Tuesday August 13, 2024
By LUKE ANAMI

Horn of Africa country is likely to immensely benefit from its membership to the East African



Somalia’s economy is projected to recover to 3.7 percent growth this year and 3.8 percent in 2025 as it reaps the benefits of East African Community (EAC) membership, a new African Development Bank (AfDB) report says.

According to the 2024 Country Focus Report on Somalia released by the lender, Somalia’s GDP growth will be driven by a recovery in livestock, services, private consumption, remittances and investment. The country’s strategic location at the Red Sea and Indian Ocean positions it as a regional export hub to the Gulf.
But AfDB warns that the growth could be impacted by its dispute with Ethiopia over the latter’s deal with breakaway state Somaliland on the use of its Red Sea port, insecurity posed by Al Shabaab and climatic shocks amid low domestic revenues.

Somalia qualified for a $4.5 billion debt relief following the achievement of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Completion Point in 2023, improvement in debt sustainability from debt-distress. Admission to the East African Community (EAC) positions Somalia to benefit from regional trade and EAC security,” said Nnenna Nwabufo, Director-General for East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office at the AfDB during the virtual report launch.

The report assessed Somalia’s economy and its resilience to multiple shocks, in the face of slow structural transformation.“GDP growth recovered to 2.8 percent in 2023, from 2.4 per cent in 2022, driven on the supply side by the agricultural sector’s recovery from drought and by services and on the demand side by growths in household consumption and investment,” the report says.

Over 80 per cent of Somalia’s export revenue comes from unprocessed agricultural products, mostly livestock exported to the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, oilseeds and bananas, thus exposing the country to the volatile commodity markets.

Livestock export to the Middle East, mostly to Saudi Arabia, constitutes over 70 percent of total exports.

Through 2020 to 2023, Somalia relied on grants funding only due to its debt classification of being in high risk of debt distress.

The country has been receiving Official Development Assistance mostly from European countries and international financial institutions. It also relied on remittances from Europe and the United States, thus exposing it to the global geopolitical conditions, especially in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.

But it is the entry of Somalia into the EAC that could change its economic fortunes for the better.“Somalia’s EAC membership grants its private sector regional markets access to their products, while the Comesa membership presents an opportunity for accelerated multilateral regional trade,” the report says.

The EAC Common Market policy on free movement of people and goods and its Single Custom Territory is a catalyst for Somalia’s 18.7 million people’s appetite for business.

Dr Abdullahi Ali, founder and CEO of Gateway Community Services, said the move positions the entire Horn of Africa well for regional trade.“Having Somalia in the EAC especially at this time when the debt has been forgiven, the (arms) embargo has been lifted and where the current administration has been investing and improving relations with the neighbouring countries, there is a chance to create opportunities,” Dr Ali said.

No face-to-face meeting as Somalia, Ethiopia hold indirect talks in Turkey

Source: VOA, Tuesday August 13, 2024


Top to bottom: Turkish President Erdoğan, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and  Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,

Ethiopian and Somali officials are holding indirect talks in Ankara, Turkey as the two sides attempt to end the diplomatic dispute over Ethiopia’s deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland that has been simmering between the two countries since the beginning of this year.

Diplomatic sources told the VOA Horn of Africa Service that delegations from the two countries have not had face-to-face meetings. Instead, Turkey has been playing the intermediary role between the two countries.

Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan separately met his counterparts from Somalia, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, and Ethiopia’s Taye Atske Selassie.

According to an official close to the talks, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity surrounding them, Fidan met twice with each side Monday to narrow their differences.

Key issues under deliberation are thought to include the fate of the controversial memorandum of understanding, or MOU, that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland on January 1, and Ethiopia’s quest for sea access.

As part of the deal, Somaliland would lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of land along its coastline to Ethiopia to establish a marine force base. In return, Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland’s independence.

Somalia denounced the MOU with the breakaway region as infringing upon its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The official who spoke to the VOA Horn of Africa Service confirmed that the sticking points are the “language to withdraw the MOU and language of modalities to access the sea.”

Ahead of the talks, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to the leaders of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, to urge reconciliation.

In his conversation with President Mohamud, Erdogan posted on X, formally Twitter, that he voiced his expectations of “concrete results in the second round of the negotiations.”

And in his phone call with Prime Minister Ahmed, Erdogan hinted on X that he urged Ethiopia to take steps that would eliminate Somalia’s concerns regarding its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ahmed wrote on X about the importance of providing Ethiopia access to the sea in a “mutually agreeable approach.”

Meanwhile, Mohamud said on X that Somalia is ready to “engage in economic and development cooperation with Ethiopia” but insisted, “such partnerships must always respect Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and adhere to international law and norms.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Aug. 5, 2024. Fidan separately met his counterparts from Somalia and Ethiopia, Aug. 12, 2024, to narrow their distances to end the diplomatic dispute.

Turkish President Erdogan speaks over phone with Somali counterpart, discusses Ethiopia tensions

Source: AA, Serdar Dincel
Monday August 12, 2024

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke over the phone on Sunday with his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, discussing tensions between the African country and its neighbor Ethiopia.

Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia, Erdogan said Ankara would continue its efforts to resolve tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, the Turkish Communications Directorate said on X.

He also said concrete results toward easing tensions are expected from an upcoming second round of Somalia-Ethiopia talks to be held in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on Monday.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global developments, the directorate added.

This came after another phone call between Erdogan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali earlier on Saturday, during which reconciliation was also on the agenda.

Ties between Ethiopia and Somalia have worsened since Ethiopia struck a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland on Jan. 1.

Türkiye has been working to ease tensions between the two countries. An initial round of direct talks between the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Somalia took place in Ankara in early July.

Sexual Violence in Sudan

 Source: Human Rights Watch published on 28 July 2024 a report titled “Khartoum Is Not Safe for Women! Sexual Violence against Women and Girls in Sudan’s Capital.”

The warring military factions in Sudan, especially the Rapid Support Forces, have committed widespread acts of sexual violence in areas of Khartoum over which they exercise control.  These acts constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.  Human Rights Watch calls on the African Union and United Nations to deploy a civilian protection force in Sudan’s capital.  

New Weapons from What Countries Fuel Sudan Conflict?

 Source: Amnesty International posted on 29 July 2024 a report titled “New Weapons Fuelling the Sudan Conflict.”

The existing United Nations arms embargo on Darfur is completely ineffective.  Recently manufactured weapons and military equipment from Russia, China, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates are being imported in large quantities into Sudan and then diverted to Darfur.  Recently transferred small arms and ammunition from Serbia, Yemen, and China are being used on the battlefield by various parties to the conflict.  All states are prohibited from transferring or permitting private actors to transfer weapons to a party to an armed conflict where there is a clear risk it would contribute to the commission of international humanitarian law violations.

Sudan Factions Hinder Humanitarian Access So Innocent People Suffer

 Source: The New York Times published on 26 July 2024 an article titled “As Starvation Spreads in Sudan, Military Blocks Aid Trucks at Border” by Declan Walsh and Ivor Prickett.  

In an effort to prevent arms from reaching its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from across the Chad border, the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) has instructed the United Nations not to send humanitarian relief trucks through check points controlled by the RSF.  They must make a 200-mile detour to a border crossing controlled by a local militia allied with the SAF, significantly complicating the distribution of humanitarian aid.  

Kenya’s ancient coastal town added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Source: Xinhuanet, Sunday July 28, 2024

This photo taken on April 15, 2023 shows a view of the ruins of Gedi in Kilifi County, Kenya. The historic town of Gedi in the coastal region of Kenya has been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) said on Saturday. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

The historic town of Gedi in the coastal region of Kenya has been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) said on Saturday.

According to the NMK, this recognition underscores the historical and cultural significance of Gedi, cementing its place as a vital part of Kenya’s rich heritage and scenic attraction.

“We are deeply honored by this inscription, which highlights the importance of preserving and promoting our cultural heritage,” Mary Gikungu, director general of the NMK, said in a statement released in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

“The recognition of Gedi as a World Heritage Site not only elevates its status on the global stage but also reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding our national treasures for future generations,” Gikungu added.

An archeological site that attracts hordes of tourists and anthropologists annually, Gedi town, which is now in ruins, showcases Swahili culture that thrived along the Indian Ocean coastline from the 13th to 17th centuries.

The ruins of Gedi include a series of stone houses, a palace, and a mosque sandwiched by a lush indigenous forest. The site reflects the rich and sophisticated architecture of Swahili civilization.

It is expected that this designation will revitalize conservation efforts at the historic site, unlocking new opportunities for sustainable tourism, research, and international cooperation, said the NMK. Likewise, there will be concerted efforts to enhance visitors’ experience at the site through improved infrastructure, educational programs, and community engagement initiatives.

The eight World Heritage Sites hosted by Kenya include Lake Turkana National Park, Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest, Lamu Old Town, Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests, Fort Jesus, Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, Thimlich Ohinga Archeological Site in western Kenya, and now the Gedi ruins, according to the NMK.

Boat carrying 45 refugees capsizes off Yemen

Four survivors found after boat capsized off coast of Taiz governorate due to strong winds and overcrowding, UNHCR says.

Source: Aljazeera, Published On 25 Jul 202425 Jul 2024

Only four survivors have been located after a boat carrying at least 45 people capsized off the coast of Yemen, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The agency announced the incident on Thursday, saying the boat had overturned the previous night off the coast of the Taiz governorate. It cited “strong winds and overloading” as the cause.

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“This highlights the perilous journeys between Yemen and Africa,” the agency said in a statement on X.

It added that it was working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners to assist survivors and “address protection needs”.

No further details were immediately provided and it was not clear from where the boat had originated.

The waterways between Yemen and the Horn of Africa have become a common route for refugees and migrants travelling in both directions. The area saw a spike in Yemenis fleeing the country after a civil war broke out in 2014.

Houthi rebels and government forces reached a truce deal in April of 2022 that has resulted in a decrease in violence and the easing of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, some of those fleeing conflict in Africa, particularly in Somalia and Ethiopia, have sought refuge in Yemen or have sought to travel through the country to the more prosperous Gulf countries. The route remains one of the “busiest and most perilous” migration routes in the world, according to the IOM.

Last year, 97,000 migrants arrived in Yemen from the Horn of Africa. That far outpaced the 2023 figures of 73,000 migrants arriving in Yemen.

The journey is often deadly. Since 2014, the IOM has recorded 1,860 migrant deaths and disappearances along the route.

France and Djibouti renew defense partnership

Source: AFP, Friday July 26, 2024

 
Emmanuel Macron and Ismail Omar Guelleh sign the agreement. (X/@LiveDjib)

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron and his Djibouti counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh agreed Wednesday to renew the defense partnership between the two countries, following two years of negotiations.

According to a statement from the French presidency, they signed an agreement on “the ambitious reform of the Defense Cooperation Treaty which unites France and Djibouti.”

The accord, signed at Macron’s office, governs the 1,500 French troops based in the small but strategically located East African country.
French troops have recently closed military bases in Mali and Niger following military coups in both countries, but there has never been any question of abandoning Djibouti, France’s largest permanent overseas base.

The country is located opposite Yemen, near an opening to the Red Sea, where a large part of the global trade between Asia and the West passes.

The discussions had been held up by Djibouti’s demands that France greatly increase the rent it pays, according to a source close to the negotiations.

The defense agreement was first signed in 1977 when the former French colony won independence, and was renewed in 2011.

But France only began to pay rent in 2003, following the opening of a US base in the country.

Washington Post Journalists Visit Sudan

 Source: The Washington Post posted on 19 July 2024 an article titled “Inside Sudan, Devastating Warfare Forces Desperate Choices” by Katharine Houreld and Hafiz Haroun.

Washington Post journalists visited 5 Sudanese cities accompanied by Sudanese officials.  They interviewed numerous war survivors and provided a variety of photographs.  

Labels: Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, civil war, famine, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Omdurman, Resistance Committees, RSF, SAF, Sudan