Author: WAJ Editor

Moussa Idriss, a former Boko Haram combatant, is ready to rebuild his life. Idriss surrendered to the Cameroonian military in 2017 and is now undergoing rehabilitation at a center for disarmed fighters in the Far North region. “Today, I am prepared to return to my family and live peacefully within the community,” Idriss said, expressing optimism about his future. Since 2018, Cameroon has established two deradicalization centers in Mora and Meri, where over 3,000 former fighters have received training in trades to facilitate their reintegration into civilian life. According to regional administrator Evariste Atangana Zoua, 600 of these individuals have…

George Eastham, a former England midfielder and member of the country’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has passed away at the age of 88. Eastham, renowned not only for his footballing achievements but also for his social activism, leaves behind a legacy that extends beyond the pitch. Stoke City Football Club confirmed his death on Friday, describing Eastham as a “club legend” and expressing deep sorrow at his passing. The cause of death was not disclosed. Although Eastham earned 19 caps for England, his international career ended before the 1966 World Cup, where he was the only Arsenal player in the…

Somalia’s foreign policy has drawn criticism for what analysts describe as an inconsistent and risky strategy that risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa. Despite recent diplomatic efforts like the Ankara Declaration to ease tensions with Ethiopia, Somalia’s growing alignment with Egypt appears to be creating new frictions in an already volatile region. Somalia’s recent diplomatic engagements have raised eyebrows due to their contrasting focus. On one hand, the Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi held high-profile discussions with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, signaling strengthened ties between the two nations. On the other, a comparatively low-key visit to Ethiopia was…

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has rejected the six-month withdrawal timeline proposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The AES claims the timeline is part of a broader scheme to undermine their sovereignty and destabilize the newly-formed alliance. At a summit held in Abuja, Nigeria, last week, ECOWAS proposed a transitional period lasting until July 29, 2025, allowing the three nations to reconsider their decision to leave the bloc after their official departure date at the end of January 2025. In a strongly-worded communiqué, the AES heads of state dismissed…

With graceful pirouettes and precise pliés, young ballet dancers brought the festive spirit to Kibera, one of Africa’s largest urban slums in Nairobi, Kenya. On Saturday, the narrow, dusty streets of the bustling neighborhood were transformed into an open-air stage, drawing cheers from hundreds of residents. The dancers, dressed in Santa hats and colorful costumes, performed as part of an annual Christmas show organized by the Kibera Ballet School. The institution, which offers free ballet lessons to children who would otherwise lack access to such opportunities, showcased months of rigorous preparation. Practicing in modest community halls, the children balanced demanding…

Ardogreen Energy Limited is advancing plans to secure a Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) for the Olua Field under Petroleum Prospecting Licence 203. The company aims to achieve this milestone by the second quarter of 2025. In collaboration with its parent companies, Ardova Plc and Petrodev Oil and Gas Limited, Ardogreen has signed a Risk Service Agreement with HSI Energies Limited. The agreement outlines the drilling of two oil wells—Olua-1 and Olua-2—along with the establishment of field processing and transportation infrastructure to convert the prospecting license into a mining lease. HSI Energies Limited, a fully integrated energy company with expertise in…

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia has issued a heartfelt pastoral message for Advent, urging faithful Christians and people of goodwill to embrace hope, peace, and reconciliation as the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of war, economic challenges, and social divisions. Meeting during their 57th annual plenary in Mojo, the bishops emphasized the significance of Advent as a time to prepare for the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace, by engaging in prayer, charity, and acts of compassion. The bishops expressed deep concern over the ongoing hardships faced by Ethiopian communities, including displacement, loss, and the destruction…

Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister Amr el-Geweili met with Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the State Department of Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’Oei, on Sunday to outline priorities for next year’s multilateral negotiations addressing international peace and security. The discussions focused on efforts to promote peacebuilding, disarmament, and tackling pressing global challenges such as digitization, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, food security, immigration, and refugee issues. A key topic was the reform and expansion of the United Nations Security Council, a longstanding priority for African states seeking greater representation in global decision-making. Geweili highlighted Kenya’s plans to host several high-level multilateral meetings, including the third…

The death toll from stampedes during two Christmas food distribution events in Nigeria has risen to 32, police confirmed on Sunday. The victims, including at least four children, were caught in chaotic crowd surges as people scrambled for food amid the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis. In Okija, a town in southeastern Anambra State, 22 people died during a food distribution event organized by a local philanthropist on Saturday, according to police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga. Meanwhile, 10 others lost their lives in Abuja, the capital, during a similar charity event hosted by a church. The incidents come just days after another…

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has commended the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) for achieving the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) designation for medicines regulation. This milestone establishes Egypt as the first African country to achieve this status for both medicines and vaccine regulation, underlining its leadership in health security and regulatory excellence across the continent. Egypt’s pharmaceutical sector is a beacon of health resilience, producing over 90% of its medicines locally and exporting to more than 100 countries. This achievement highlights the crucial role of local manufacturing in building self-reliant and robust…

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have detained 17 Chinese nationals accused of operating an illegal gold mining site in Karhembo village, South Kivu province. The arrests are part of a government crackdown on unlicensed mineral extraction in the mineral-rich but conflict-prone region. The arrests followed an unannounced visit by a provincial delegation to the mining site on Thursday. According to Bernard Muhindo, South Kivu’s acting mines minister and finance minister, the detained individuals failed to provide any company documentation, certificates, or identification. “We demanded the company’s documents, but there was nothing—no certificates, no legal status, no national identification,”…

Somalia has assumed the chairmanship of the East African Standby Force (EASF), marking a historic milestone as the country leads the regional security organization for the first time since its establishment in 2005. The transition took place during the 33rd Annual Policy-Making Conference of EASF Heads of State in Kigali, Rwanda. Somalia’s Defense Minister, Abdulkadir Nur, received the EASF flag from his Rwandan counterpart, Juvenal Marizamunda, symbolizing the handover of leadership. About the EASF The East African Standby Force is one of five regional components of the African Standby Force (ASF), encompassing military, police, and civilian elements. It was created…

The number of fatalities caused by Cyclone Chido, a powerful storm that hit northern Mozambique last weekend, has risen to 94, with 768 people reported injured, according to the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD). Cyclone Chido made landfall on December 15, bringing heavy rains and fierce winds that left a trail of destruction across Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa provinces. The disaster has impacted over 622,000 people, representing more than 123,000 families, and damaged or destroyed over 140,000 homes, the INGD reported. Public infrastructure also suffered heavily, with damage reported to 250 schools, 89 public buildings,…

France has started withdrawing its military personnel from Chad, following the country’s decision last month to end a longstanding defense agreement with Paris. According to Chad’s defense ministry, 120 French soldiers departed from a military airport in the capital, N’Djamena, on Friday, marking the beginning of the troop pullout. This comes 10 days after French fighter jets left Chad. Chad had been a key partner in France’s military presence in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, which had been impacted by a series of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, forcing the withdrawal of French forces from those…

West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has approved an exit timeline for Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, following nearly a year of mediation efforts to prevent the disintegration of the 15-nation grouping. In a historic move, the military juntas of these three nations announced in January their decision to leave ECOWAS, citing the bloc’s “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coups and its failure to address their internal security crises. Security consultant Patrick Agbambu stated that while threats and ultimatums are unlikely to reverse their decisions, dialogue and compromise are essential. He emphasized that these countries are vital to the…

More than 40 million people in West and Central Africa are struggling with hunger, a number expected to rise to 52 million by mid-2025, according to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). In a report released on Friday, the WFP revealed that 3.4 million individuals are currently experiencing “emergency levels of hunger,” marking a 70% increase since the summer. The report identifies conflict, displacement, economic instability, and severe climate shocks as the main contributors to the region’s food insecurity. Ongoing violence in the Sahel and Sudanese civil war have displaced over 10 million people, while massive flooding in Nigeria…