A peace summit in December hosted by Angola will bring together DRC and Rwanda to find solutions to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, with the M23 rebel group and the FDLR militia as key issues.

Namibia’s presidential election sees female VP lead despite widespread opposition complaints.

Chad has terminated its military pact with France, citing its outdated nature and the need for greater autonomy.

African health officials committed Sunday to scaling up health care interventions aimed at curbing new HIV infections during World AIDS Day. The day was marked under the global theme “Take the rights path: My health, my right!” underscoring the link between human rights and health care access. Rwanda’s Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana said while the country has made good progress in diminishing the impact of HIV, reducing new infections by 70% and AIDS-related deaths by 60% since 2010, AIDS remains a serious health challenge. “There are almost 10 new HIV infections in Rwanda every day. It is not a small number. And mostly they are young people 18 to 20 years old. This means we have a lot of work to do,” said Nsanzimana. “In the next months, we should be focused on areas where we can make a big impact. Number one is to make sure young people are well-informed, and communication is key,” he said. In Kenya, World AIDS Day was marked at Nyayo National Stadium with a call to action and a renewed commitment to eliminating HIV as a public health threat. Cabinet Secretary for Health Deborah M. Barasa in a statement highlighted the crucial role of men and boys in the fight against HIV, urging them to challenge stigma, promote health-seeking behaviors and lead community efforts. “The fight against HIV is a collective effort, and men and boys must be champions for change,” she said. Kenya has made significant progress in its HIV response, with 98% of adults living with HIV receiving treatment by the end of 2023 and 97% achieving viral suppression, according to official data. New HIV infections have dropped by 83% over the past decade, while AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 64%. HIV prevalence in Kenya stands at 3.3%. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Africa, said that HIV is a complex health challenge, inseparable from social factors such as poverty and gender inequality and complicated by stigma and discrimination. Protecting human rights is key to achieving universal HIV care, she added. According to the WHO, equal access to prevention tools and education are key to stopping new infections while stigma and discrimination undermine the fight against AIDS. Seven African nations have met the UNAIDS HIV 95-95-95 targets, a global benchmark to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030. The targets seek to ensure that 95% of HIV-positive people know their HIV status, 95% of people who know their HIV-positive status are on antiretroviral therapy and 95% of people on antiretroviral therapy maintain an undetectable viral load to reduce onward transmission. The small southern African nation of Eswatini, once facing one of the world’s worst HIV epidemics, is among the countries which have achieved the global HIV target. Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini said the kingdom will endeavor to put human rights first in the fight against HIV/AIDS while sustaining the gains. “I wish to reaffirm that Eswatini shall continue to engage with this year’s theme and ensure that no one is left behind in accessing HIV prevention services, treatment, care and support services,” he said, speaking in Mahlangatja in Manzini district, where the national commemoration took place. The Africa region has achieved an overall rating of 90-82-76, according to the WHO. In Uganda, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng raised concerns about the high number of new HIV infections registered in the country annually, which may hinder Uganda’s goal to end AIDS by 2030. “New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have been reduced. However, they are not being reduced fast enough to enable us to reach the targets we expected to get in 2025, and that also means that the country is at risk of not achieving the goal of ending AIDS by 2030,” she said during a World AIDS Day commemoration in Buyende District in eastern Uganda. She also said the HIV response is heavily donor-funded, but with shifting priorities, there has been a reduction in funding. The funding contributions for the response from the country’s main donor, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), declined from $426 million in the 2022/2023 financial year to $388 million in the 2023/2024 financial year after Uganda enacted the Anti-Homosexuality law in May 2023.

Pretoria says it will work to tackle inequality, also bring development priorities of African continent, Global South more firmly onto G20 agenda

The incident highlights the dangers of football hooliganism and the need for improved security measures at sporting events.

Since April 2023, the RSF has expanded control across Sudan, including Khartoum and several other regions

The UK has reiterated its “call for a Syrian-led political solution” in Syria. “Following recent developments in Syria, we urge all parties to protect civilian lives and infrastructure to prevent further suffering, the displacement of vulnerable people, and disruption to essential humanitarian aid,” a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. “We reiterate our call for a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict,” the spokesperson said, adding that the Bashar al-Assad regime created the “conditions for the current escalation through its ongoing refusal to engage in a political process and its reliance on Russia and Iran.” “The regime and all actors in Syria’s conflict must support and engage with negotiations as called for in UNSCR (UN Security Council Resolution) 2254,” the statement stressed. After opposition armed groups launched an operation against the regime forces in Aleppo on Nov. 27, the Syrian regime forces allied with the PKK/YPG and ceded certain areas to the terrorist group. The PKK/YPG, reinforced by additional forces from eastern Syria, began fortifying these areas. To counter the PKK/YPG’s move to establish a terrorist corridor between Tel Rifaat and Manbij, the Syrian National Army (SNA) initiated Operation Dawn of Freedom. Following the siege of Tel Rifaat district, the district center was liberated from terrorist control. Syria has been embroiled in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Assad Syrian regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

The country will also work to amplify the voices of the Global South and address pressing global challenges such as climate change and pandemic preparedness.  

Tanzania’s opposition ACT Wazalendo claims its youth leader Abdul Nondo was kidnapped by suspected security agents after contested local elections.

Biden’s Africa trip focuses on promoting a US-backed railway project to challenge China’s dominance in critical mineral exports.

Endangered lemurs and tortoises trafficked to Thailand are being returned to Madagascar to aid conservation efforts.

Africa is emerging as a global leader in renewable energy, thanks to its abundant natural resources

Authorities confirmed 24 survivors, some hospitalized, as divers continue searching, though hopes of finding more survivors are fading

A political deadlock in Ghana’s parliament has delayed budget approval, raising concerns of a government shutdown or reduced spending if the issue is not resolved before the election.

President thanks voters for calm, patience during prolonged electoral period

Panduleni Itula, Namibia’s top opposition candidate, challenges the legitimacy of election results, citing issues in the extended voting period and allegations of irregularities.

East African leaders gathered in Arusha, Tanzania, to discuss regional peace and security, particularly the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo.

Gabon’s Constitutional Court announces final referendum results showing 91.64% approval for a new Constitution, marking a significant step toward democratic elections and political reform.

Requests for comment from Ethiopia’s government and Somalia’s foreign minister were not immediately returned

The African lungfish is often referred to as one of nature’s most extraordinary survivors

Namibia’s elections were extended after technical flaws and delays sparked opposition anger, with calls for calm and hope for change challenging decades of SWAPO rule.

The students were staying in a house near their school when the storm hit.

This training is part of a broader effort by Turkey to strengthen Somalia’s military capabilities.