Author: WAJ Editor

On December 16, 2024, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) approved the intergovernmental agreement for the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, now officially named the “Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline” (AAGP). The approval marks a significant milestone for the region’s energy future, with the pipeline set to enhance energy security and drive industrial growth across West Africa and beyond. The project will connect 13 Atlantic coast countries, including Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, along with three non-coastal nations like Mali and Burkina Faso, forming a vital energy corridor spanning over 5,600 km. The pipeline will transport Nigerian gas to…

Tanzania has rejected claims by the European Union that its national airline, Air Tanzania, has been banned from flying in EU airspace. The EU’s decision to add Air Tanzania to its Air Safety List, citing safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), was met with a strong response from the Tanzanian government. Genson Msigwa, Tanzania’s chief government spokesperson, clarified that Air Tanzania was not operating in EU airspace to begin with, and thus there is no issue of a “ban.” He explained that the airline is currently working with European authorities to obtain the necessary permissions…

Mali has taken a major step in its economic development with the commissioning of the Goulamina lithium mine, located in the Bougouni region. The mine, inaugurated on December 15, 2024, by General Assimi Goita, president of Mali’s transitional government, positions the country as a significant global player in lithium production—a critical resource for electric vehicle batteries and green technologies. The Goulamina mine, one of the world’s largest lithium deposits, is projected to produce 500,000 tons of spodumene concentrate annually over its 23-year lifespan. This output places Mali at the forefront of lithium production in West Africa, catering to the rapidly…

Botswana’s recent decision to lift its ban on vegetable imports from South Africa is expected to alleviate food inflation and provide households with access to affordable produce. Under the leadership of President Duma Boko, the policy change aims to address the high cost of vegetables in Botswana, where inflation rates for these goods have reached double digits, compared to a 2.6% deflation in South Africa’s vegetable prices in November. The lifting of the ban will occur in two phases. Effective immediately, restrictions on importing vegetables like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, green peas, eggplants, and mushrooms have been removed. Phase two, scheduled…

A Ugandan court has directed the government to compensate victims of former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo, awarding up to $2,500 to each victim. The ruling comes after Kwoyelo was convicted in August for his involvement in numerous crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, torture, and kidnapping, committed during his time with the LRA. Kwoyelo, sentenced to 40 years in prison in October, was found unable to provide compensation to his victims, prompting the court in Gulu, northern Uganda, to hold the government accountable. The judges stated that the atrocities committed were a result of the government’s failure,…

Benin has introduced a groundbreaking law granting citizenship to individuals who can trace their ancestry to victims of the transatlantic slave trade. The initiative, championed by President Patrice Talon, reflects the West African nation’s ongoing effort to confront its historical role in the slave trade. The law, enacted in September, is open to applicants over 18 who do not already hold African citizenship and can provide evidence, such as DNA tests or authenticated family records, proving their ancestors were enslaved and deported from sub-Saharan Africa. Successful applicants receive a provisional nationality certificate valid for three years, during which they must…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute crimes committed during the military rule of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh. The decision, hailed as a historic milestone, was announced during a summit of regional leaders in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday. The tribunal will address human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings, that occurred during Jammeh’s rule from 1996 to 2017. Despite losing the 2016 presidential election, Jammeh initially resisted stepping down before going into exile in Equatorial Guinea. The push for accountability gained momentum after a…

Cyclone Chido has devastated the French overseas territory of Mayotte, with initial reports estimating “several hundred” fatalities, a number that may climb to thousands. Prefect François-Xavier Bieuville described the cyclone as the worst to hit the island in 90 years. The storm’s high winds, exceeding 220 kph (136 mph), caused widespread destruction, flattening neighborhoods, uprooting trees, and leaving vast areas without electricity. Mayotte, home to over 300,000 people, saw its poorest communities—composed mainly of informal metal shacks—suffer the worst damage. Emergency responders face challenges in obtaining accurate casualty figures, with the official death toll currently at 11 and more than…

John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s president-elect, has announced plans to rejuvenate the nation’s cocoa industry and reform the state-run Cocoa Marketing Board (COCOBOD). Speaking on Friday, Mahama criticized the current structure, claiming COCOBOD often competes with farmers for profits instead of supporting them. The board oversees all aspects of cocoa production, from seedling distribution to export logistics, making it a central but controversial player in the world’s second-largest cocoa-producing nation. Mahama’s plans aim to boost efficiency and encourage growth in the sector, which recently hit its lowest production levels in decades. Challenges such as climate change, tree diseases, and illegal mining…

Opposition to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) continues to grow, as activists and local communities in Uganda and Tanzania voice strong resistance to reports of potential Chinese financial involvement in the project. Protesters in Kampala and Dar es Salaam have called on Chinese embassies to prioritize renewable energy investments over fossil fuel projects like EACOP. They argue that the pipeline threatens local ecosystems and livelihoods, urging Chinese financial institutions to withdraw support. The Ugandan government claims that Chinese banks, including Sinosure and China Exim Bank, are set to finance the pipeline. However, the silence from these institutions has…

In a significant operation against illegal activities, Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) confiscated 379 diamond stones of various carats in Lucapa and Xá-muteba municipalities, Lunda-Norte Province. The seizure, carried out on Saturday, targeted illegal possession and trafficking of the gemstones. According to an official SIC statement shared on Sunday, the diamonds were found in the possession of four foreign nationals from India, Guinea Conakry, and Sierra Leone, aged between 38 and 56. The operation, described as a “micro-operation,” aimed to address several illicit practices, including diamond smuggling, fuel trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal immigration. Authorities also confiscated 200,000 kwanzas, two…

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has made a renewed appeal for international food assistance to address one of the country’s worst food shortages in decades, which is affecting over 5.7 million people—more than a quarter of Malawi’s population of 20 million. Speaking in a televised address on Wednesday, Chakwera highlighted the dire situation in rural areas, where some villagers have resorted to eating wild plants like buffalo beans to survive. “We are not out of the woods yet,” Chakwera said. “This is why I continue to lobby for international support to address the humanitarian crisis we are facing.” Earlier this year,…

Peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, aimed at ending the M23 insurgency in Eastern Congo, collapsed on Sunday, according to a statement from Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi’s office. The talks, held in Angola, faltered after Congo rejected Rwanda’s demand for direct negotiations with the M23 rebel group. “Further negotiations would not have resulted in an agreement without consensus on the M23 issue,” the Rwandan government stated, adding that it remains open to participating in future summits focused on resolving the conflict. Congo’s government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, accused Rwanda of engaging in “bad faith” negotiations. The summit,…

A fire extensively damaged the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) headquarters in Harare during the early hours of Sunday, December 15, 2024. The blaze occurred at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks, formerly known as KG6, but no casualties were reported, according to officials. The fire broke out around 2:50 AM and was promptly contained by firefighters, ZNA spokesperson Colonel Alphios Makotore confirmed. “Firefighters were dispatched and successfully contained the blaze. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported,” he said. The extent of the damage is significant, with buildings and valuable property affected, according to George Charamba, spokesperson for the presidency, who shared…

The Polisario Front, fighting for Western Sahara’s independence, has vowed to escalate military operations as Morocco seeks to consolidate control of the disputed region with backing from the United States and France. Morocco has accelerated green energy, tourism, and infrastructure initiatives in the resource-rich territory, which it considers an integral part of the kingdom. These developments, supported by US and French recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, are rejected by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which resumed conflict in 2020. “The continued support from Paris and the possibility of another Trump presidency will embolden Morocco and force the Sahrawi people to intensify their…

Malawi and Zambia have temporarily suspended fuel imports through Mozambique’s Beira port due to unrest following allegations of fraud in the country’s general elections on October 9. Puma Energy Zambia instructed its trucks to remain in secure locations in Mozambique in early November, while Malawian fuel companies partially halted their imports via Beira, according to local sources. Raymond Likambale, spokesperson for Malawi’s National Petroleum Company, stated that fuel will now be sourced from Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port despite the significantly longer transport distance. The change is expected to exacerbate fuel shortages in southern Malawi, particularly in Blantyre, which already…