Fall of Goma is game-changer: World powers’ reluctance to take on Rwanda means it’s going to be harder to push back M23 from Congo
A reluctance by world powers to take on Rwanda, other global distractions and on-the-ground military realities will complicate efforts to defeat the rebels in Goma and across eastern Congo and allow millions of civilians, like Nzambonimpa, to return to their homes, analysts and diplomats say.
Risk of pandemics explosion worldwide rises as Trump orders CDC to stop working with WHO
President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the US from WHO, but that did not take immediate effect. Leaving WHO requires the approval of Congress and that the US meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The US also must provide a one-year notice.
Arrest warrants: Perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Sudan’s West Darfur are on ICC prosecutor’s radar
Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias against populations that identify as Central or East African. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes.
Recognised as a critical pillar, Kenya’s blue economy sector is attracting foreign interest as Vihiga joins fray
Kenya’s fish demand rose to 700,000 tonnes against a production of 120,000 in 2023, according to the latest data provided by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (Kefri). To bridge the deficit the government is aggressively promoting the fish farming as an economic and food security alternative in parts of the country where consumption is traditionally low.
Mysterious death of primary school pupil in Kenya’s Kakamega County rekindles debate on decriminalisation of suicide
In 2020, a report by a national taskforce on mental health also called for decriminalisation of attempted suicide. It also called for a national suicide registry to improve access to mental healthcare, suicide crisis support and data on suicide and suicidal attempts. These recommendations would support the country’s suicide prevention strategy.
Analysts: M23 capture of Goma in eastern Congo likely to open floodgates for illicit gold exports to Dubai via Rwanda and Kenya
A lightning advance in Congo’s mineral-rich eastern borderlands is set to boost the M23 rebellion’s illegal mining revenues, with analysts predicting a further surge in illicit trade in minerals including coltan and gold through neighbouring Rwanda. The Rwanda-backed insurgency entered Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest city, this week,...
Dead bodies strewn on streets in Goma as US, France, Belgium embassy attacked as Kenya’s is looted by mobs in Kinshasa
The Rwandan, French, US, Ugandan, Kenyan, Dutch and Belgian embassies were targeted. Videos posted online and verified by experts showed dozens of people looting the Kenyan embassy, while others showed looting had spread to other locations including a supermarket.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels swarm eastern Congo’s capital Goma in major conflict escalation, new-borns killed
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance that includes the M23, said his forces controlled the city. His claim could not be independently verified amid conflicting accounts of the situation as the sound of explosions, heavy artillery and gunfire resounded all day.
Official: Incidents of gender-based violence in rural Kenya on the rise as little is done to protect women
GBV activists in Elgeyo Marakwet County led by Jackline Koech called for the enactment of a GBV policy in the county saying its lack has affected the fight against the rising cases of GBV. Ms Koech further said the lack of policy has made it impossible to get financial allocation from the county government as there were no guidelines put in place for the same.
Sixty senior career officials at USAID suspected to have been hostile to Trump placed on ‘excused absence’
Those being put on leave comprised career staff in the leadership positions of almost all USAID bureaus based in Washington, with roles ranging from energy security to water security, children’s education and digital technology, two of the sources said. Staff in the agency’s general counsel’s office were among those targeted.
