The Associated Press published on 5 May 2026 an article titled "Sudan Recalls Ambassador to Ethiopia over Drone Attack on Khartoum Airport."
Sudan claims it has been targeted on 4 occasions by drones originating in Ethiopia since March 1. Sudan said it intercepted the most recent drone targeting Khartoum airport. It blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and claimed the UAE supplied the drones. Ethiopia issued a statement denying the accusation.
The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies published in April 2026 a study titled "Somalia's Mandate in the UN Security Council 2025-2026."
The study provides a comprehensive assessment of Somalia's performance during its non-permanent term in 2025-2026 on the UN Security Council. It evaluates Somalia's institutional capacity, diplomatic engagement, and strategic positioning within the Council. The study also identifies key gaps and offers practical recommendations to strengthen Somalia's diplomatic effectiveness.
2paragraphs published on 2 May 2026 an article titled "Former U.S. Ambassador to China Says Just 7% of U.S. Ambassadors Are Career Diplomats, 'Our Country Deserves Better'" by Lisandra Gomez-Tate.
In previous administrations, about 70 percent of U.S. ambassadors came from the career Foreign Service. In the second Trump administration, that number is currently just over 7 percent, i.e. minus the zero. Most of the ambassadorial positions are now occupied by friends, family members, and large political donors.
Comment: This statistic demonstrates the low regard the Trump administration and Marco Rubio State Department hold the career diplomatic service. What a waste of talent!
The New York Times published on 4 May 2026 an article titled "'The Death Zone': How Russia Is Luring Africans to Ukraine" by Matthew Mpoke Bigg, John Eligon, and Zimasa Matiwane.
An estimated 1,000 Kenyans went to Russia and ended up in the war against Ukraine. Only 30 have returned to Kenya alive. In addition, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Botswana, Mali, and Cameroon have reported men being falsely recruited into the Russian army.
The Associated Press published on 2 May 2026 an article titled "Taiwan's President Lands in Eswatini, under China's Shadow."
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te finally made it to Eswatini, the only country in Africa that recognizes Taipei, on 2 May. He had to reschedule his original visit when three African countries, reportedly under pressure from Beijing, cancelled overflight permission for his aircraft.
Africa News published on 1 May 2026 an article titled "Rebel Alliance Seizes Key Tessalit Military Camp in Northern Mali."
Tuareg separatists and jihadists have forced the evacuation of Tessalit military base near Mali's northern border with Algeria. Troops from Russia's Africa Corps and Malian soldiers fled south.
Skift, a digital media company and travel website, posted on 1 May 2026 an article titled "China Quietly Cancels a Digital Rights Summit in Africa" by Miguel Neves.
Evidence is mounting that Beijing was behind Zambia's decision to cancel at the last minute RightsCon 2026 involving an estimated 2,000 international participants from over 150 countries. RightsCon bills itself as the "world's leading summit on human rights in the digital age."
Beijing's concern was apparently attendance by civil society representatives from Taiwan. The conference was scheduled to be held at the Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka. China granted Zambia $30 million in 2022 to expand the facility, giving it considerable leverage to influence the cancellation of the summit by the government of Zambia.
Reporters without Borders just published its 2026 "World Press Freedom Index." It ranks 180 countries. The United States dropped seven places to 64 compared to 57 in 2025.
Ten African countries had better scores than the United States. The top five African press freedom countries were Seychelles (35), Ghana (39), Cape Verde (40), Mauritius (42) and Gabon (43). But African countries were also well represented at the bottom of the list. The five worst performers were Eritrea (180), Egypt (169), Djibouti (167), Sudan (161), and Ethiopia (148). Curiously, all five are in northeast Africa.
NAI 500 posted on 29 April 2026 an article titled "8 China-Africa AI Network Plays for 2026" by Jian Wu.
Huawei launched its upgraded Xinghe Intelligent Network in Cairo, demonstrating how China is exporting secure AI-ready connectivity. As African governments, banks, and universities digitize, Chinese companies are building lossless, automated networks that are green, secure, and at China's scale and cost curve.
The top Chinese AI infrastructure companies in Africa are China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, ZTE, Inspur Information, JinkoSolar, BYD, and China Communications Construction.
The Washington Post published on 30 April 2026 an article titled "Mali's Junta Asked Russians to Bring Order. Militants Just Stormed In" by Rachel Chason.
Mali's military junta turned to Russia to help in quelling an Islamist insurgency. But in the five years since the arrival of Russian mercenaries with the Wagner Group and subsequently with the Africa Corps, the militants have gained strength, and Mali is now teetering on the edge of collapse.
AEI's Critical Threats Africa File posted on 30 April 2026 an article titled "Somalia" by Michael DeAngelo.
Somali pirates have hijacked 3 vessels in Somali waters off Puntland since 21 April, the most in a 10-day period since 2012. The problem could get worse if the pirates renew ties with the al-Shabaab terrorist organization in Somalia or Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Zambian Observer published on 30 April 2026 an article titled "President Hichilema Cancels World's Largest Digital Rights Conference."
Zambia cancelled at the last minute the world's largest conference (2,000 delegates) on human rights in the digital age organized by Access Now, RightsCon scheduled for May 5-8 in Lusaka. A Zambian official said the "postponement" of the conference was "essential to ensure full alignment with Zambia's national values, policy priorities, and broader public interest considerations."
News Diggers published on 30 April 2026 an article titled "Govt Cancels RightsCon Summit Citing Security Concerns on Some Delegates" by Mwenya Mofya.
In 2025, the conference took place in Taiwan. The News Diggers account reported that the conference was cancelled because the program included Taiwanese delegates who could potentially speak ill of China at a venue donated by the Chinese government.
B & FT Online posted on 29 April 2026 an article titled "Africa-China 2.0 with Paul Frimpong: Zero Tariff, Zero Excuses: Africa's Moment with China Has Arrived."
China's much heralded zero tariff policy for 20 more African countries, raising the total to 53 out of 54 countries on the continent, is an opportunity but will not guarantee significantly more African exports to China. African countries must develop new trade strategies to take advantage of the opportunity and meet remaining Chinese quality and safety standards.
The International Crisis Group posted on 30 April 2026 a 35-minute podcast titled "Somalia's Election Standoff and New Inflection Point" with Alan Boswell and Omar Mahmood.
Issues discussed include Somalia's latest electoral crisis, tensions with federal member states, the future of the African Union mission in Somalia, the fight against al-Shabaab, and the growing role of external powers, especially Türkiye in Somali politics, and Israel in Somaliland.
Omar Mahmood offers an especially clear explanation of the current electoral situation in Somalia. Technically, 15 May is the end of the current government's term, but the situation is actually more complicated. The current government argues it has one more year in power; the opposition says it ends on 15 May. In any event, there will not be elections on 15 May.
Reuters published on 29 April 2026 an article titled "Mali Turmoil Threatens Russian Push for Influence and Mineral Wealth in Africa" by Andrew Osborn and Anna Peverieri.
A series of reversals suffered by Mali's Moscow-backed military government has dented Russia's image and threatens its strategic and economic interests in Africa. Mali's military junta's future is now in jeopardy and Russia's military presence in Mali is also on the line.
Business Insider Africa published on 29 April 2026 an article titled "China Hands Over $56.5 Million ECOWAS HQ in Nigeria, Expanding Influence in West Africa" by Segun Adeyemi.
China gifted and built the new $56.5 million ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria in a ceremony held this week.
Vanguard published on 28 April 2026 an article titled "ECOWAS President Declared China W/Africa's Most Strategic Partner."
The president of the ECOWAS Commission described China at the ceremony "as West Africa's most strategic partner." Nigeria's minister of state for foreign affairs said the headquarters is "a powerful symbol of the deepening ties between Africa and China."
Comment: China buys a great deal of good will and influence in Africa by gifting and constructing key structures such as national parliaments, political party headquarters, presidential palaces, military barracks, and the headquarters for the African Union and ECOWAS.
The Sentry published in April 2026 an alert titled "$24M Property Safe Haven in Dubai Linked to the RSF."
A network of family members, sanctioned individuals, and entities linked to the leadership of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) owns a $24 million real estate portfolio in Dubai consisting of over 20 properties. These properties, while legal, shed further light on the RSF's relationship with the UAE.
News Directory 3 published on 27 April 2026 an article titled "China Expands Direct Shipping Routes to Africa Boosting Trade Ties" by Ahmed Hassan.
Qingdao and Yantai ports in China have become key direct commercial shipping connections with ports in Africa in an effort to expand trade. Africa is becoming an important market for Chinese goods. More Chinese ports are likely to establish direct shipping links with African ports.
Ethiopia Insight published on 27 April 2026 a commentary titled "Abiy Is Quietly Dismantling Tigray" by Asmelash Yohannes Teklu, former senior advisor at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front bears responsibility for its internal fractures, which the federal government is using to its advantage. As a result, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has secured outcomes through quiet, calculated maneuvering that advance his strategic interests while avoiding the scrutiny that a return to war would incite. Tigray remains deeply divided.
Ecofin Agency published on 27 April 2026 an article titled "China-Africa Trade in 2026: Cooperation, but Not on Equal Terms" by Idriss Linge.
As exports to the United States fall sharply, China is turning increasingly to Africa to export its consumer and industrial products. During the first quarter of 2026, China-Africa trade reached $92 billion, up 27 percent year on year. But while Chinese exports to Africa rose 32 percent, African exports to China increased by only 18 percent. Africa's trade deficit with China for the quarter reached $29 billion, nearly $10 billion higher than a year earlier.
The zero-tariff policy announced for Africa by Xi Jinping beginning 1 May 2026 is largely cosmetic and will make little difference in the trade relationship because 95 percent of African exports to China already enter the country duty free.
BBC News posted on 27 April 2026 an article titled "Pirates Seize Another Vessel off Somali Coast as Threat Level Increased" by Harry Sekulich.
After a long period of inactivity, at least 4 vessels have been targeted by pirates off northern Somalia in the past week. Pirates seized an oil tanker with an international crew and a Somali-flagged fishing vessel.
The Global Affairs Forum of the Africa Governance Centre, an independent think tank based in Accra, Ghana, is hosting a panel discussion on 7 May dealing with the implications of the Iran conflict for global stability and African strategic interests. It begins at 9:00 am Eastern Time in the United States and Canada. You can register for the event at this link.
The panelists are:
--Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for Silencing the Guns, African Union
--Amb. David Shinn, adjunct professor of international affairs, George Washington University
--Dr. Isaac Olawale Albert, professor of African history, peace and conflict studies, University of Ibadan
--Dr. Victor Kofi Afetoriom Doke, research fellow and lecturer, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre
--Dr. Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, postdoctoral fellow, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
The Taipei Times published on 26 April 2026 an article titled "Lin Chia-lung Visits Eswatini as Envoy."
Following the cancellation of overflight permission by Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar for the president of Taiwan to attend the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's accession to the throne, Taiwan's foreign minister arrived in Eswatini as his country's special envoy at the celebration.
Addis Ababa's Capital newspaper published on 26 April 2026 an article titled "Addis Ababa Hosts Inaugural China-Africa Entrepreneurs Summit, with AU Calling for Youth-led Growth" by Groum Abate.
The African Union in Addis Ababa hosted the inaugural China-Africa Entrepreneurs Summit focused on trade, investment, industrial cooperation, and entrepreneurship. Remarks by Ethiopia's president and the AU Commission Chairperson underscored the importance of yet another formal link between China and Africa.
The South China Morning Post published on 25 April 2026 an article titled "China and Mozambique to Map Critical Minerals in Insurgency-Hit Cabo Delgado" by Jevans Nyabiage.
During a state visit to China, Mozambique's President Daniel Chapo signed a wide-ranging joint communique dealing with cooperation on critical minerals, natural gas, and rare earths. China also agreed to provide more support, not spelled out, for combatting an insurgency in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado region.
