African Liberation Day Must Advance the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism, Zionism and Imperialist Militarism 

ALD is more important today than ever in the history of oppressed and working class peoples around the globe

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Saturday May 23, 2026

Political Statement of Solidarity

Note: This statement was presented by the author at the annual African Liberation Day webinar organized by the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (GC). The event was held under the theme “68 Years Fighting Neo-Colonialism: Forward to Pan-Africanism – One Unified Socialist Africa! Defend, Sustain and Advance the Pan-Africanist Character of African Liberation Day/Palestine (Nakba) Day Worldwide!” In addition to the host organization, numerous groups delivered statements from various geo-political regions throughout the globe including the Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team; Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM); Pan-African Society Community Forum (PASCF) of the UK; among others. Tributes were paid to various ancestors in the Pan-African and international people’s struggles such as President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Guinea-Conakry; President Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea-Conakry; Kwame Ture of Africa; Om Kalthoum of Egypt; Miriam Makeba of South Africa and Andree Blouin of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year’s African Liberation Day takes on an added significance as a direct result of the global crisis of imperialism and its impact on peoples across the globe.

The situation on the African continent is marked by the enhanced aggressive policies of neo-colonialism. 

Just recently in the East African state of Kenya, the French imperialists partnering with the regime of President William Ruto held a conference claiming to represent the forward progress of the continent. Paris, which has been under fire in the Sahel region of West Africa through the revolutionary processes taking place in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, is attempting to reconfigure its neo-colonial strategy against African people.

A counter-summit organized by the Communist Party Marxist Kenya (CPMK) was attacked by the police and courts for its condemnation of French imperialism in Africa. During the following week, the transport workers in Kenya went on strike to protest the rising fuel costs precipitated by the United States imperialists unprovoked war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Four people died during the strike which prompted panic among the Kenyan government which is closely allied with United States imperialism.

These developments illustrate the desperate situation of Washington, Wall Street, Paris and other imperialist centers in Western Europe and North America. The administration of President Donald Trump was met with firm resistance by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since February 28. The leading imperialist state in the world and its zionist surrogates in Occupied Palestine failed in their attempts to overthrow the Iranian Revolution.

The Iranian Revolution has been a staunch ally of the African and Palestinian peoples since its inception. When the reactionary regime of the Shah was overthrown by the Iranian masses in early 1979, one of the first revolutionary governmental directives was to place an immediate ban on the export of oil to the racist apartheid regime in operation at the time in South Africa. In addition, the principal foreign policy objective of the Islamic Republic became the assistance to all resistance forces in Palestine and other revolutionaries throughout the West Asia region.

This is the reason behind the hostile imperialist military attacks by Tel Aviv and Washington against Iran. The Axis of Resistance extends from Palestine, Lebanon to Yemen and Iran. The IRGC revealed the vulnerability of imperialism and zionism through the destruction of Pentagon military bases in the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The purported “iron dome” of Tel Aviv was ruptured severely by the IRGC drones and hypersonic missiles which struck at the heart of the settler-colonial regime in Palestine. 

Trump was compelled to halt the bombing of Iran after threatening to destroy their thousand-years civilization. After two months, the Islamic Republic maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz. The Palestinian and Lebanese people are continuing their resistance to the encroachments by the occupation forces. As a result of the events in Iran, the capitalist states are facing inflationary spirals which are hampering the ability of people to afford quality housing, food, education and affordable energy resources.

These events highlight the declining imperialist system. People around the world from Latin America to Africa and Asia are seriously discussing the necessity of de-dollarization. The Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa plus summit (BRICS+) is expanding, now encompassing more than half of the world’s population.

Africa is destined to play its part in the transformation of the world system from capitalism to socialism. There is no viable future under neo-colonialism, which Dr. Kwame Nkrumah described as the last stage of imperialism. Nkrumah also correctly noted that the U.S. capitalist structures are the main impediment to the genuine liberation of Africa and the transition to socialism on a continental scale.

Our Task in the Current Period

It is essential that the Revolutionary Pan-Africanist movement defends the people of Cuba, Venezuela and other states in South America and the Caribbean. The President of the Bolivarian Republic Nicholas Maduro and First Lady Cicilia Flores were kidnapped by the Pentagon and remain in detention in New York. 

The Republic of Cuba is under intense threats of a military intervention and potential targeted assassinations of its leadership. Cuba is an African nation in the Caribbean. The socialist government has been a staunch defender of the people of the continent. Between 1975 and 1989, former leader President Fidel Castro deployed 350,000 volunteers to assist in the struggle to liberate Angola. The defeat of the racist apartheid military forces in southern Angola created the conditions for the liberation of the Republic of Namibia by 1990.

In the same year that Namibia gained its independence, the apartheid regime was forced to release the long-held political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the national liberation movement leading to collapse of the settler-colonial system. 

During 2014, thousands of Cuban healthcare workers were sent to West Africa where they played a monumental role in the arresting of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak which killed thousands of Africans in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Conakry. Cuba has trained physicians to serve people across the developing world including the nationally oppressed peoples of the U.S. 

In addition to the Caribbean and South America, we have no alternative other than defending and assisting the people of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger who are facing destabilization campaigns funded and coordinated by France, the U.S. and its surrogates in Ukraine. The resources and labor of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) belong to the African people themselves. Imperialism is attempting to reclaim this geo-political region for their own benefit.

It is significant that this ALD commemoration is recognizing the pivotal role of women in the historical and contemporary movements for liberation and socialism. The U.S. imperialists have been further exposed through the Epstein files controversy where the ruling class interests and its “rape culture” of teenage women is prompting fissures even within its own political tendencies.

The image of Um Kalthoum of Egypt, who made a monumental contribution to African culture for decades through her voice which spoke to the aspirations of the people in her country and throughout the entire North Africa and West Asia region, is an important recognition.

Miriam Makeba, the legendary South African singer and activist did much to introduce the people of the U.S. and around the world to the struggle against apartheid and settler-colonialism. As a result of her outspoken condemnation of racism, she was banned for decades from returning to her place of birth until 1990.

Andree Blouin through her work in the Central African Republic (CAR), Guinea-Conakry, Algeria and France helped advance the struggle for national liberation, feminism and socialism. Her work further uncovers the role of women in the 20th century efforts of African people to end colonialism and neo-colonialism.

Moving forward we have no other choice than to continue the movement towards Pan-Africanism and Socialism. There is no alternative to the objectives of total liberation and unification of Africa and the adoption of socialism on a global scale.

Free Palestine!

Defend Revolutionary Cuba and Venezuela!

Unite Africa and Its People Worldwide!

Workers and the Oppressed of the World Unite! 

There is Victory for Us!

Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on 1+1 with Youri Smouter, Discussing the History and Contemporary Affairs of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Part II

Watch this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, on 1+1 hosted by Youri Smouter where they review the history and contemporary affairs of the independent Kingdom of Lesotho in Southern Africa. 

To watch this episode just go to the following link: 1+1 E388 Youri Speaks to Abayomi Azikiwe of Pan-African Newswire on Lesotho's history Part 2 of 2 - YouTube

This is part two of the discussion on the Mountain Kingdom which is completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. 

We look back on the history of resistance against the Boers and the British colonialists along with the post-independence situation which has been characterized by sectarian party politics; support for the liberation movements in South Africa; and the development of the phenomenal Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) in cooperation with their surrounding neighbor which is the largest industrial state on the continent.

Dakar Residents React to Sacking of Senegal's PM Sonko

Senegal

Residents of Dakar have been reacting to Friday’s sacking of prime minister Ousmane Sonko.

After months of tensions, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolved government and fired Sonko.

But the former prime minister retains a passionate following among the country’s youth.

"Thank God. For us Sonko supporters, this is what we expected," says Dakar resident Ibrahima Dione.

"Ousmane Sonko has achieved more than any other minister in the history of Senegal. We will be prouder than ever to stand by his side. Bassirou Diomaye Faye behaved immaturely.”

Faye and Sonko’s Pastef party came to power in 2024 promising to fight government mismanagement. But their personal disagreements have been a distraction.

Resident Modou Diaw says he was surprised to hear the news:

"This dismissal is rather unsettling. The announcement was sudden. This is not a good thing for the country. The country needs jobs, not politics.”

But Faye has his defenders. With the country facing a growing debt crisis, some residents welcomed the news of Sonko’s departure, hoping it might offer a return to stability

"Many Senegalese had been waiting for this," says Thierno Sow. "The president is the one who makes appointments. It is his prerogative to dismiss and to appoint. I think that if it is for the good of the country, then this is what we should do.”

Now out of government and expected to run for president in 2029, Sonko could still prove a thorn in Faye's side as he finishes his term in office.

A recent parliamentary change means Sonko - who was barred from standing in 2024 - is now eligible to run for president in 2029, threatening a further showdown with Faye in the near future.

Sonkomania: Senegal's Ousted PM Strikes a Chord with Disaffected Youth

Ousmane Sonko

This isn’t the first time Senegal’s newly ousted prime minister has been fired. A former tax inspector, he was sacked after accusing a high-ranking official of fraud.

He went on to found the African Patriots of Senegal for Labor, Ethics and Fraternity, or PASTEF, party in 2014 and is still known for his anti-corruption message.

The charismatic 51-year-old has a passionate following among Senegal’s disaffected youth. Their response to his pan-African and anti-colonial rhetoric led to the term 'Sonkomania' to describe the fervor of their support.

In 2019, Sonko was the youngest person to ever run for president of Senegal. He came third but established a strong base of support.

Five years later, he was ready to run again but was barred from standing due to a conviction for defamation. Instead he backed his fellow PASTEF member, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, whose first-round victory has been largely attributed to Sonko.

Faye appointed Sonko prime minister but the two soon clashed over the direction of their coalition government and Sonko’s public criticism of the president.

And while Sonko might have the popular support, for now at least, Faye is the one in power. But come 2029, Sonko is sure to prove a fierce rival for the presidency.

Uganda Confirms Three New Cases of Ebola, Bringing Total to Five

Uganda has confirmed three new cases of Ebola, bringing the country’s total to five since the outbreak was first discovered in the country on May 15.

"Three new cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the country," the country's health ministry said, naming the patients as a Ugandan driver, a Ugandan health worker and a woman from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of a deadly outbreak sowing fear in the region.

"The ministry continues to strengthen surveillance, case management, contact tracing and public awareness efforts to contain the outbreak and protect the health and safety of all Ugandans," it said in a statement on X.

Controls are already in place at Uganda’s western border with the DRC and all public transport to the country has been suspended.

The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) has warned of a high risk of spread to eastern African countries that border the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern.”

The WHO also confirmed that the virus involved is the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there’s currently no vaccine.

The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals, including fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates, and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.

Moroccan King Pardons Senegalese Fans Jailed Over Chaotic Africa Cup Final

By AKRAM OUBACHIR

6:13 PM EDT, May 23, 2026

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Morocco’s king on Saturday granted an official pardon to 18 Senegalese soccer fans jailed over hooliganism linked to a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final that saw supporters attempt to storm the field, the Royal Cabinet said.

The 18 Senegalese fans were sentenced in February to prison terms of up to a year on charges including damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event. Some have already completed their sentences.

“Given the long-standing fraternal ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, and on the occasion of (Muslim holiday) Eid al-Adha, King Mohammed VI has graciously granted, for humanitarian reasons, his royal pardon to Senegalese supporters convicted of offenses committed during Africa Cup of Nations competitions,” the Royal Cabinet said in a statement.

During the final game of the tournament in January, Senegalese fans attempted to storm the field and Senegalese players walked off in protest over a late penalty awarded to host Morocco.

Senegal eventually won the game 1-0 and lifted the trophy, but in an unprecedented series of events, the Confederation of African Football stripped Senegal of the title and declared Morocco the champion. Senegal later said it had appealed the decision.

The final and its aftermath prompted senior officials in both countries to call for calm during a surge in what rights groups in Morocco described as “hate speech targeting sub-Saharan residents.” The leaders of Morocco and Senegal pledged to maintain friendly ties and signed dozens of agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment.

In Morocco, the king, as head of state, has the authority to grant pardons and release prisoners. Each year, on some religious and national holidays, he issues royal pardons that free or reduce the sentences of thousands of inmates, including journalists, activists and others convicted of various offenses.

“Our compatriots detained in Morocco (...) will soon be reunited with their families, thanks to the Royal Grace that His Majesty King Mohammed VI has graciously granted,” Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye wrote on X. The Senegalese fans were expected to leave Morocco immediately.

The pardons came less than 24 hours after the Senegalese president dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko following months of tension between the two, leading to the resignation of all the members of the government and its dissolution.

In a recent speech, Sonko said Africa has 55 states, a remark in Morocco that was widely interpreted as a reference to the independence of Western Sahara. Morocco claims the territory, while the Polisario Front, based in Algeria, seeks independence for the region. The dispute remains a central issue in Morocco’s foreign policy. Some observers saw Saturday’s pardons as a gesture of support for President Faye amid his rift with his former prime minister.

“His Majesty the King presents His sincere wishes to His Brother His Excellency President Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to the authorities and to the brotherly Senegalese people,” the royal statement added.

Senegalese authorities had requested a pardon, according to a Senegalese official with knowledge of the matter. One of the lawyers representing the fans told The Associated Press that he separately also requested clemency on their behalf. They both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.

The Senegalese official said human rights commissions in both Morocco and Senegal helped mediate the pardons.

What to Know About the Death of a Congolese Man in Ireland

By BRIAN MELLEY

11:16 AM EDT, May 22, 2026

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of people in Ireland are calling for justice for a Congolese man who died after he was restrained by security guards outside a Dublin department store.

Activists said disturbing video of Yves Sakila in distress as he was pinned to the sidewalk was reminiscent of the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis in 2020.

Sakila, 35, had been chased and detained May 15 by several security guards who suspected him of shoplifting at Arnotts, Ireland’s oldest and largest department store, in the heart of Dublin. He was unresponsive when police arrived and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

“Yves Sakila was a man who did not deserve to die,” Suzie Tansia, of the Congolese Community Ireland, said at a demonstration Thursday. “He was a human being, like you and I. He was somebody’s son, and that could have been any one of us.”

Here are some things to know about the incident.

Video shows man pinned to the ground until he becomes motionless

Attorney John Gerard Cullen, who represents the man’s family, said Sakila allegedly stole a bottle of perfume from the store.

Sakila was pursued by security officers as he fled, knocking over a man in his 80s who was hospitalized with injuries, police said.

Video of the incident, described by the Irish Network Against Racism as “very disturbing,” shows a man said to be Sakila struggling and crying out in distress as he was held down by several men for nearly five minutes.

As he was subdued, another man, wearing a gray suit, appears to kneel on Sakila’s neck, the group said. By the end of the video, he is motionless.

“We are very concerned that this case appears to have the hallmarks of a case of excessive use of force,” said Shane O’Curry, director of the network. “The death of a Black man in such circumstances is extremely worrying, and we urge the authorities to thoroughly investigate all of the circumstances leading to this man’s death, in order to ensure minority ethnic community confidence in the criminal justice system.”

The department store said it was “deeply saddened” by Sakila’s death and was conducting a review of its privately contracted security services. It said it was cooperating with police.

Dual investigations launched

Prime Minister Micheál Martin called for a thorough investigation.

“My deepest sympathies go out to his family, and to the wider Congolese community,” Martin said. “I don’t want to prejudice the outcome of that investigation but I think a lot of people are clearly very concerned about what has transpired here.”

Police are investigating the death but are also the subject of an internal probe by the ombudsman into their response.

News reports said the first officers on the scene handcuffed Sakila before realizing he was unresponsive and performing CPR.

An autopsy has been completed, but police have not released the cause of death, citing operational reasons.

Cullen said Sakila’s family is frustrated at the little information they have been provided.

Police have asked for witnesses to come forward.

A vigil and protests held in Dublin

Sakila had moved from Congo to Galway as a teen and lived in Ireland more than 20 years. He had worked in the technology industry but was homeless in recent years. Cullen said Sakila struggled with drug abuse.

Walter Kabangu, the director of the Congolese Chamber of Commerce in Ireland who went to school with Sakila, described him as a “very down-to-earth young man.”

A vigil was held Tuesday outside Arnotts and hundreds of protesters peacefully gathered Thursday outside Parliament.

They held signs that said “Black lives matter here too,” and shouted, “Justice for Yves, dignity for all,” and “No justice, no peace.”

Before the protest, the Black Coalition Ireland held a news conference and announced five demands: a transparent investigation of the death; racial training for police; laws against excessive force in civilian detention; an end to “demonizing rhetoric” against ethnic communities; and equal treatment for all in practice — not just on paper.

“We are demanding this because our lives matter,” said Yemi Adenuga, a Meath County councilor who is a spokeswoman for the coalition. “It would be sad to see this happen again on the streets of Dublin.”

A Second Ebola Treatment Center is Set Ablaze in Eastern DR Congo, With 18 Suspected Cases Fleeing

By JUSTIN KABUMBA and WILSON MCMAKIN

6:51 PM EDT, May 23, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Angry residents of a town at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo attacked and burned a tent that was part of a health center where people are being treated for the virus, the staff there said Saturday. It was the second such attack in the region in a week.

No one was hurt in the attack, according to initial reports but as patients ran out to escape the fire, 18 people with suspected Ebola infections left the facility and are now unaccounted for, a local hospital director said.

The angry residents had arrived at the clinic in the town of Mongbwalu on Friday night and set fire to a tent set up for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases by the Doctors Without Borders humanitarian group, Dr. Richard Lokudi, director of the Mongbwalu hospital, told The Associated Press.

“We strongly condemn this act, as it caused panic among the staff and also resulted in the escape of 18 suspected cases into the community,” he said.

On Thursday, another treatment center, in the town of Rwampara, was burned down after family members were banned from retrieving the body of a local man suspected to have died of Ebola.

Burials of Ebola-victims stir anger, frustration

The bodies of those who died of Ebola can be highly contagious and lead to further spread when people prepare them for burial and gather for funerals. The dangerous work of burying suspected victims is being managed wherever possible by authorities, which can be met by protests from families and friends.

A communal burial for Ebola patients in Rwampara took place on Saturday under tight security as tensions between health workers and the local community ran high, said David Basima, a team leader with the Red Cross overseeing burials.

Armed soldiers and police monitored the burials as Red Cross workers clad in white protective suits lowered sealed coffins into the ground. Crying family members stood at a distance.

Basima said his team, after arriving at the scene, “experienced a lot of difficulties, including resistance from young people and the community.”

“We were forced to alert the authorities so that they could come to our aid, just for safety,” said Basima.

Authorities in northeastern Congo on Friday banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

The outbreak is a high risk to Congo, WHO says

The World Health Organization has said that the outbreak now poses a “very high” risk for Congo — up from a previous categorization of “high” — but that the risk of the disease spreading globally remains low.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in Congo, but that the outbreak is believed to be “much larger.”

There is no available vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, which spread undetected for weeks in Congo’s Ituri province following the first known death, while authorities tested for another, more common, Ebola virus and came up negative. There are now 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, though more are expected as surveillance expands.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a response to the outbreak must include building trust with communities.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Saturday that three of its volunteers had died from the outbreak in Mongbwalu. The agency said it believed the three healthcare workers contracted the virus on March 27 while handling dead bodies as part of a humanitarian mission unrelated to Ebola.

If confirmed, this would significantly push back the timeline of the outbreak from the previous first confirmed death in late April in the town of Bunia, the capital of Ituri.

The US bars green-card holders from Ebola-stricken countries

U.S. federal health officials said on Friday night that they are banning green card holders who have been in Ebola-affected countries from returning to the U.S.

Green card holders are people who are not U.S. citizens but have been granted authorization to live and work permanently in the United States.

According to a Federal Register notice on Friday, the U.S. government is enacting a rule that restricts green card holders who have recently been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan from reentering the United States.

It’s unclear why South Sudan was on the list as the country has not confirmed any Ebola cases so far in this outbreak.

Such a ban will help ensure that Ebola screening, contact tracing, quarantine monitoring, and medical monitoring will be available to U.S. citizens, according to the notice.

Federal law provides for a period before such decisions become final but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can argue that the order can take effect immediately in certain circumstances.

The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

___

McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal. AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe in New York contributed to this report.

Ugandans Rue Link to Bundibugyo, the Ebola Virus Type Named After a District of Cocoa Farmers

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

5:00 AM EDT, May 23, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Boon-dee-BOO-joh.

Before it became the somewhat easy-to-mispronounce name of a rare type of Ebola virus, Bundibugyo is a mountainous district in western Uganda that even some locals would struggle to pinpoint on a map.

It’s home to roughly 200,000 people. Many are cocoa farmers who search for whatever cultivable land they can find in the impossibly steep landscape of hills and valleys marking Uganda’s border with Congo. As an example of the classic village idyll, Bundibugyo is a beautiful place.

Yet it now trends for an unpleasant reason, making some Ugandans rue Bundibugyo’s association with the current Ebola outbreak, which has infected hundreds of people in eastern Congo. There are 160 suspected Ebola deaths in two provinces.

Virus type discovered in 2007

The Ugandan district’s connection to the Bundibugyo virus stems from an Ebola outbreak there nearly two decades ago that was flagged as a new species of Ebola, a viral disease that usually manifests as hemorrhagic fever.

The outbreak wasn’t the Sudan virus, named for the area in present-day South Sudan where that type was first identified. It also wasn’t the type known as Zaire, as present-day Congo was known when Ebola — itself the name of a Congolese river — was first discovered in 1976.

So the November 2007 outbreak in a remote part of western Uganda came to be known as Bundibugyo, one that scientists even now haven’t studied as much. That is why Ebola specialists say it is particularly dangerous. Moreover, it was spreading in Congolese villages before health authorities there identified it as the cause of sickness in a growing number of people.

The Ebola outbreak started weeks ago, officials believe. Here’s a timeline of what we know:

The 2007 outbreak in Bundibugyo killed at least 37 people but had been contained by the end of the year. A second outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, also relatively small, came in 2012 in Congo’s northeast.

Initial cases in those outbreaks were identified early, allowing for a quick public health response, according to Dr. Tom Ksiazek, a University of Texas Medical Branch virologist who directed the group within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that first identified the Bundibugyo virus.

Ugandans upset about the name

This time, while there is no Ebola in Bundibugyo, a lingering connection to the picturesque Ugandan district is hurtful, said Ugandan government spokesman Alan Kasujja, who has urged global health authorities to clarify that Uganda isn’t the epicenter of the latest outbreak.

“Bundibugyo is too beautiful to be the name of a disease,” he said on X. “We need to take back its name from this madness.”

The World Health Organization is responsible for the taxonomic descriptions. As was seen with the global mpox outbreak — the disease’s name was changed in 2022 from monkeypox — the United Nations agency is sensitive to the use of descriptors or tags that may expose whole communities to stigmatization.

With Ebola, however, the trend has been to name viruses for the places where they were first identified.

Ugandan health authorities have experience dealing with Ebola, one reason they are adamant there is “no Ebola” in this East African country and want WHO to be more specific in its updates on the toll of the outbreak now deemed to be of global concern.

Cases in Uganda linked to Congo

Uganda has reported five cases, all linked to the outbreak in Congo. One of them, a 59-year-old Congolese man, was admitted to a hospital in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, on May 11 and died three days later. On Saturday, Ugandan health authorities said a driver and a health worker — both Ugandans — exposed to that Congolese patient have since tested positive. The others are two Congolese women who sought medical care in Uganda before Congo declared an outbreak on May 15.

This outbreak is on “the Congo side” mainly, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Thursday, urging local tourism authorities to fight the perception that Ebola is spreading in Uganda.

Museveni urged Ugandans to “stop shaking hands” as part of measures to avoid infection. He also ordered the postponement of an annual religious event that attracts thousands of pilgrims, from Congo and elsewhere, who converge around a Catholic basilica just outside Kampala by June 3.

Other measures announced Thursday include the suspension of all public transportation and flights between Congo and Uganda.

Contact tracing is key

The risk stemming from cross-border commerce is high, said Dr. Emmanuel Batiibwe, who led efforts to stop an Ebola outbreak in 2022 that killed at least 55 people.

Stopping the current outbreak from spreading into Uganda will require “enhanced surveillance at all points of entry,” he said.

Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that killed more than 200 people. There was an outbreak in Kampala last year.

All available vaccines and treatments for Ebola don’t work for Bundibugyo patients. Tracing contacts and isolating them is seen as especially key to stopping the spread of this virus, in addition to getting healthcare workers proper protective equipment.

A family of fruit bats is believed to be the natural hosts of the viruses that cause Ebola, according to WHO. Ebola is spread by contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.

How South African Scientists Identified Hantavirus on a Cruise Ship Thousands of Miles Away

By MICHELLE GUMEDE

9:49 AM EDT, May 23, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — When South African infectious disease specialist Lucille Blumberg checked her email on the morning of May 1, while the country was celebrating the Labor Day holiday, an urgent message caught her attention.

A U.K.-based colleague had written about a passenger from a cruise ship sailing thousands of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean who had been evacuated and admitted to a Johannesburg hospital with suspected pneumonia. Others aboard the vessel were also sick.

The colleague, who monitors diseases in remote British overseas territories in the South Atlantic Ocean, asked Blumberg to follow up on the passenger, who had been evacuated from the ship in one of the territories, Ascension Island.

Blumberg and other experts at South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases were suddenly thrown into the race to identify the cause of an outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius.

“Even though it was a public holiday, we moved, we moved really fast,” Blumberg told The Associated Press. “It was busy. There were many conversations. There were online discussions, and there was laboratory testing happening at the time.”

Within 24 hours, they had determined that the man’s illness was caused by hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne virus. While he is improving, three other passengers have died and others have fallen sick.

A process of elimination to identify the disease

The elderly British man had arrived at a private hospital in Johannesburg days earlier and was seriously ill, but health workers weren’t sure of the underlying cause.

By the time he was evacuated from the ship, two elderly Dutch passengers who had been on board the MV Hondius cruise liner had already died, but there had been little alarm. Ascension Island health authorities had reported a cluster of illnesses on the ship that appeared to be pneumonia to the World Health Organization.

At first, Blumberg and her colleagues thought it might be Legionella, a bacterium that causes a serious form of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease. Or maybe bird flu.

“I called my infectious disease colleagues, and we had a caucus, and we discussed the usual ones,” Blumberg said. “Legionella is well described in outbreaks in hotels and on cruise ships, and influenza certainly is. These people had visited islands where avian influenza is well documented.”

Tests on all those were negative. The experts also ran an extensive panel of tests for other respiratory diseases. Also, all negative.

The team then began looking more closely at where the ship came from — Argentina — and the fact that passengers on board were avid bird watchers and had reportedly been to parts of South America where there were birds, but also rodents.

Collaboration with experts in South America and the US

That pushed the South African disease experts toward another theory: the rare, rodent-borne hantavirus infection, which is found in parts of South America.

“It’s a well-described, not common, but it’s a well-described virus in Chile and Argentina,” Blumberg said. She added that their work was aided by collaboration with hantavirus experts from South America and the United States, facilitated by the WHO, the U.N. health agency.

“You can get onto a Zoom (call) online and ask your questions and get advice. This is not something every day. So that was quite extraordinary,” Blumberg said.

By then, it was Saturday morning. Blumberg called the head of the only laboratory in South Africa that can test for hantavirus.

“I said, we want to do hanta, and she said, ‘yeah, I’m coming.’”

The tests, carried out on the sick man’s blood samples, came back positive for hantavirus that afternoon. The team did a second set of tests to be sure, Blumberg said.

Finally, there was a ‘wow moment’

Those positive tests, which also identified the Andes strain of hantavirus, allowed the WHO to inform the cruise ship what it was dealing with and announce an outbreak on board. While hantavirus is not easily spread from person to person, the WHO says the Andes virus can be transmitted between people.

The test results also led Blumberg to rush to collect blood samples from a Dutch woman — one of the first two cruise passengers to die — who had disembarked from the ship with her husband’s body on the island of St. Helena and flown to South Africa, where she died.

A posthumous hantavirus test on her was also positive.

“It was a bit of a wow moment,” Blumberg said. “And at least once you know what you’re dealing with, it’s much easier to respond.”

The British man who was the first confirmed case of hantavirus infection from the cruise ship is improving in hospital, South Africa’s health ministry has said. Meanwhile, the ship has arrived at the Dutch port of Rotterdam, where it was disinfected, and the remaining crew members disembarked.

“I’ve been doing outbreaks for 25 years. That’s what we do. We do them every day,” she said. “I think the important thing was to respond immediately to a question that clearly was urgent and then to take it from there.”

India, African Union Delay Summit Over Ebola Concerns

By Al Mayadeen English

21 May 2026 17:08

India and the AU postponed the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi due to concerns surrounding the evolving Ebola situation in parts of Africa.

India and the African Union have postponed the Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit, which had been scheduled to take place in New Delhi later this month, citing concerns linked to the evolving Ebola situation in parts of Africa, India Today reported on Thursday.

The summit, known as IAFS IV, was originally expected to run from May 28 to 31 and bring together African leaders and senior officials for discussions on trade, development, health cooperation, and political coordination.

In a joint statement, the two sides said the Government of India and the African Union had remained in close contact while preparing for the gathering and had reviewed “the evolving health situation in parts of Africa.”

The statement stressed the importance of continued collaboration on public health preparedness and response efforts across the continent, including support for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and national health bodies.

India lends a helping hand

India also expressed support for African-led efforts to address the outbreak situation, saying it remained ready to assist initiatives coordinated through Africa CDC “in line with the shared commitment to an Africa-led response.”

According to the statement, consultations took place between Indian authorities, the chairperson of the African Union, and the African Union Commission to assess whether the summit and related events could proceed while ensuring broad participation from African leaders and stakeholders.

“Following the consultations, both sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” the statement said.

New dates for the summit and accompanying meetings will be announced after further consultations, the two sides added.

India and the African Union also reaffirmed what they described as their longstanding partnership rooted in solidarity, mutual respect, South-South cooperation, and a shared commitment to peace, development, and prosperity.

Ebola summit disruption

The postponement comes as health authorities monitor a growing Ebola outbreak centered in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in Ituri Province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which no approved vaccine currently exists.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency earlier this month after cases spread across multiple areas in Congo and imported infections were reported in Uganda. Aid organizations and local responders have also warned of shortages in medical supplies and protective equipment amid ongoing instability in eastern Congo.

Several governments have since tightened health monitoring measures for travelers arriving from affected regions, raising concerns over large-scale international gatherings involving multiple African delegations.

Sudan's Genocide Leaves Thousands Buried in Unmarked Graves: AP

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Associated Press

22 May 2026 19:23

Three years of war in Sudan have left more than 8,000 people missing, with tens of thousands buried in unmarked graves. Families search endlessly for answers, enduring years of agonizing uncertainty.

More than 8,000 people have disappeared during three years of genocide in Sudan, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, as families endure the agony of not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or dead, with many believed to lie in unmarked graves across the capital, Khartoum.

Fahmy al‑Fateh, a 38‑year‑old farmer and merchant, joined the Sudanese army when the war began. One morning last January, he left his home before sunrise to help retake the capital from the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces. He called his wife, Azaher Abdallah, to say he was finished for the day and would stop at the market on his way back. He never arrived.

Abdallah has since searched hospitals, morgues and army units, but no trace of her husband has been found. His three‑year‑old son now shouts at every passing motorcycle, believing his father might be riding it.

"He was the most precious thing in my life," Abdallah told the Associated Press, sobbing into her hands. "I would feel more at peace if I knew something. It's better than not knowing what happened to him, whether he's alive or dead."

Tens of thousands buried in makeshift graves

In Khartoum state, authorities have moved nearly 30,000 bodies that had been hastily buried near houses, in sports fields and beside roads while fighting raged. About 10 percent of those remains are unidentified.

Soccer fields and cemeteries are overflowing with the dead, the Associated Press reported after a tour of the capital.

Hisham Zienalabdien, director general of the forensic medicine department for Khartoum state, said officials are saving DNA samples from unidentified bodies in the hope of someday matching them with relatives.

'I haven't lost faith in finding you'

Sulafa Mustafa's son, 18‑year‑old Suleiman Abdalsid, went to a friend's house near Khartoum two years ago and never came home. She has walked the streets under shelling, knocked on countless doors, visited hospitals and prisons, and shown strangers his photograph. She even rented a microphone to call out his name.

"I haven't lost faith in finding you," she said, covering her face with her hands.

The ICRC told the AP that it has resolved more than 1,000 cases of missing persons but declined to say how many were found alive. Psychologists warn that such "ambiguous loss" can cause years of profound distress for families.

Nathalie Nyamukeba, a psychologist with the ICRC, said: "Families of missing persons experience additional layers of vulnerabilities due to hostilities, displacement and ambiguous loss."

A delayed burial adds to the pain

For Abubakar Alswai, the anguish was different. He waited over a year to move his 73‑year‑old brother Mohamed from where he had been buried in front of his house to a public cemetery. The paramilitary RSF had killed Mohamed and waited three weeks before allowing a neighbour to bury his decomposing body, contradicting Islamic tradition, which calls for burial as quickly as possible.

Alswai wiped tears from his eyes as gravediggers exhumed his brother's remains. At least now, he said, Mohamed would receive a dignified burial and the family could have some peace.

"What happened had left a mark on my heart," he said.

Sudan Police Fire Tear Gas at Electricity Protest in Northern Sudan

Sudan police fire tear gas at electricity protest in northern Sudan

May 22, Abri — Sudanese police dispersed hundreds of protesters in Abri, Northern State, with tear gas on Friday, as demonstrations against prolonged power cuts turned confrontational, with reports of arrests and assaults on women and children.

A protester told Sudan Tribune that security forces used tear gas to break up the crowd, including inside residential neighbourhoods and homes. A number of demonstrators were arrested, according to the same source.

The “Abri Today” movement condemned what it described as the “barbaric behaviour” of security and police forces toward peaceful protesters, holding the authorities fully responsible for the safety of those detained and injured. The movement said previous negotiations with the acting local executive director had failed, and dismissed prior government pledges as attempts to “absorb public anger” rather than address the crisis.

Abri and surrounding villages have been suffering severe daily power cuts for extended hours amid rising temperatures and growing public frustration. The movement warned that the closure of the commercial road linking Wadi Halfa to Dongola — which protesters had previously blocked — “was not a random choice but a legitimate weapon,” and threatened to reimpose the blockade on a wider scale if the security crackdown continues and the electricity crisis is not addressed at its roots.

Sudan’s electricity infrastructure has sustained severe damage during the war, with the National Electricity Corporation estimating that some 15,000 transformers were destroyed and approximately 150,000 kilometres of cable looted from Khartoum for their copper content. Total national generation capacity stands at around 3,000 megawatts from a combination of hydroelectric and thermal sources, but war-damaged thermal plants — particularly in Khartoum’s Bahri district — have significantly reduced available supply.

RSF Defections Erode Combat Core as Tribal Rifts and Battlefield Losses Deepen Internal Crisis

May 19, Nyala — A wave of defections from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has shaken the paramilitary group’s ranks in recent months, with analysts and military experts saying the departures are taking a measurable toll on its battlefield capabilities and internal cohesion after nearly three years of war against the Sudanese Armed Forces.

The most prominent defection came in April, when Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as “Al-Nour Al-Qubba” — described as the RSF’s third-ranking field commander — broke ranks and was formally received by Sovereignty Council Chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Sources inside the RSF told Sudan Tribune that Al-Qubba had been placed under surveillance by the RSF leadership following the fall of El Fasher in October 2025, after his communications with a senior security official and a Sovereignty Council member were intercepted, leading to his questioning before he eventually chose to leave.

Ali Rizqallah Al-Savana speaks in press conference in Khartoum on May 16, 2026

In May, Brigadier General Ali Rizqallah, known as “Al-Safna,” announced his own defection and joined the army. Earlier defectors include field commander Bishara Al-Huwaira, who left in January, and Abu Aqla Kaikal — commander of Sudan Shield Forces — who defected in October 2024 and has since fought alongside the army in Gezira, Khartoum, and Kordofan.

Tribal fractures

Crisis management expert Brigadier General Amin Ismail, of the Centre for Research and Strategic Studies, told Sudan Tribune that the RSF’s attack on the Mustaraha pastoral area in North Darfur in February was a turning point. The assault, which targeted the home territory of Musa Hilal — paramount chief of the Mahariya clan from which many RSF commanders originate — triggered the defections of Al-Qubba and Al-Safna, both of whom belong to the Mahariya.

“The attack on Mustaraha was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Amin said, adding that grievances over medical care, salaries, and the favouring of Mahariya rivals over other tribal groups had further deepened discontent. He warned that the current trajectory could give rise to intra-tribal civil conflict distinct from the existing armed insurgency, which would seriously undermine the RSF’s influence over allied communities.

Sudan analyst Mohieddin Mohamed Mohieddin told Sudan Tribune that the defections are not isolated incidents but reflect deep structural fractures within the RSF, which had relied heavily on the Mahariya and Mahariya sub-groups as its core fighting base. He noted that many of the defecting commanders brought their own forces with them — fighters who had received professional training, including in operations outside Sudan — making their departure a significant qualitative loss.

“The RSF has begun to crack from within,” Mohieddin said. “The harder core is gone. What remains are less-trained elements who will be less effective, especially in offensive operations.”

He also noted that the defections are deepening the isolation of the Dagalo family, which controls the RSF leadership, and predicted that other tribal communities — including some Misseriya factions in Kordofan who feel politically marginalised — may follow.

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, also known as “Hemetti,” delivering a video statement, January 31, 2025.

Mutual exhaustion

Retired Colonel Mohammed Nour, Secretary-General of the Tadamon Central High Command, offered a broader reading of the situation, arguing that both parties to the conflict have reached a stage of mutual exhaustion. He said the defections reflect the RSF’s difficulty sustaining its political and social support base, which any militia relies on to continue fighting.

Nour said the defections carry a significant morale cost for the RSF but acknowledged they could also help clarify internal factional lines. On the operational level, he cautioned that the impact of losing individual commanders may be limited in areas where the RSF is conducting defensive rather than offensive operations, which require less firepower density.

He nonetheless said that the warm official reception given to defectors in Khartoum could encourage further departures among those with weaker loyalty to the RSF leadership.

Sudanese Civilian and Armed Groups Open Nairobi Talks on Ending the War

22 May 2026

May 22, Nairobi — A broad coalition of Sudanese political, civil, and armed movements opened talks in Nairobi on Friday aimed at finding a path to end the war and achieve peace and stability in Sudan.

The opening session of the meeting of the “Sudanese Declaration of Principles Forces for Building a New Homeland” brought together political party leaders, civil society figures, armed movement commanders, and public personalities.

Addresses were delivered by Sudham Alliance “Sumoud” chairman Abdalla Hamdok, Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) leader Abdelwahid Mohamed al-Nur, and other leaders including Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party-Original chairman Ali al-Rayah al-Sanhouri.

The meeting’s agenda centres on the current political situation, the continuation of the war, and the further development of the declaration, according to SLA spokesman Mohamed Abdelrahman, who spoke to Sudan Tribune ahead of the session.

The coalition had signed the Declaration of Principles in Nairobi in mid-December 2025, asserting that “there is no military solution in Sudan” and calling for pressure on the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces, and their armed allies to commit to the roadmap proposed by the Quad mechanism countries in September 2025.

Participants stressed the importance of dialogue, coordination, and joint action among Sudanese across political divides, and reaffirmed the need to unify national efforts toward a comprehensive political solution that ends the war and fulfils the aspirations of the Sudanese people for peace, democracy, and stability.

Among those attending are Hamdok, Abdelwahid al-Nur, Sudanese Congress Party chairman Omar al-Digair, National Umma Party Secretary-General Al-Wathiq al-Barir, SPLM-N Revolutionary Democratic Current leader Yasir Arman, Federal Gathering Executive Office chairman Babiker Faisal, Ba’ath Party-National chairman Kamal Boulad, and Professionals and Unions Coordination chairman Taha Osman.

No Golf, but Roelf Meyer, SA's New Ambassador to US, Will Walk the Course

SA Embassy

Roelf Meyer, South Africa's new ambassador to the U.S.

22 May 2026

Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)

By Victoria O'regan

The most pressing issue for South Africa is improving trade relations between Pretoria and Washington, says new SA ambassador to the US, Roelf Meyer.

Veteran political negotiator Roelf Meyer presented his credentials to President Donald Trump on Thursday, making him the new South African ambassador to the US at a time when political relations between the two countries have been frosty.

Meyer (78) replaces Ebrahim Rasool after more than a year of tension between Pretoria and Washington that followed Trump's return to the White House. Rasool was expelled after insinuating in a public webinar that Trump was a white supremacist.

Ambassador Roelf Meyer begins new chapter for SA-US relations May 20, 2026  Meyer is regarded as one of the foremost architects of South Africa's democratic transition and, before his appointment to the US, served as director of the Transformation Initiative, which engages in peace initiatives around the world and negotiates complex processes in South Africa.

Speaking to the SABC's Oliver Dickson after presenting his credentials to the US President, Meyer said: "We were, altogether, 12 ambassadors from different countries who were received today, and we handed our credentials, on behalf of our respective heads of state, to President Trump personally."

Pressed by Dickson for details of the ceremony, Meyer added: "He [Trump] did ask...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Liberia: Boakai Sends War Crimes Court, Anti-Corruption Bills to Legislature

President Joseph Boakai

22 May 2026

The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)

By Gibson Gee

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has formally submitted legislation to the House of Representatives seeking to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court and a National Anti-Corruption Court, advancing what supporters describe as the most consequential accountability reforms Liberia has attempted since the end of its civil wars.

The communication, addressed to House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, was read during plenary session on Capitol Hill and referred to the Committees on Judiciary, Good Governance, and Ways, Means and Finance. The committees have two weeks to review both bills and report back to the full House.

"I am pleased to submit, for your consideration and enactment, two landmark bills essential to advancing justice, reconciliation, and sustainable development in our Republic," Boakai wrote in his letter to lawmakers.

The proposed War and Economic Crimes Court would address crimes committed during Liberia's years of political instability and armed conflict between 1979 and 2003. The bill draws heavily from the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which called for criminal accountability for gross human rights violations, war crimes, and economic crimes committed during the civil conflict. It also references Liberia's obligations under international law, including the Geneva Conventions.

Liberia's civil wars left more than 250,000 people dead and thousands more displaced, injured, or psychologically traumatized. Despite decades of pressure from victims' groups, civil society organizations, and international human rights advocates, no formal accountability mechanism has ever been established. Supporters of the initiative argue that the prolonged absence of justice has allowed a culture of impunity to take root inside the country's political and governance systems.

The proposed court would hold jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and economic crimes linked to the conflict years. The inclusion of economic crimes carries particular weight for many Liberians, who have long argued that the systematic looting of state resources and illegal wartime commercial activity contributed directly to the collapse of national institutions and the prolongation of suffering during the wars.

The companion legislation would create a specialized National Anti-Corruption Court focused exclusively on corruption-related offenses. Boakai told lawmakers that existing judicial structures have proven inadequate in combating corruption and protecting public resources.

"The devastating impact of corruption on socio-economic rights and national development" demands stronger judicial intervention, the communication stated. The anti-corruption court bill would define acts constituting corruption and establish penalties for those convicted.

Boakai framed both measures as inseparable from Liberia's broader development agenda, arguing that they would rebuild public confidence in governance and bring the country into alignment with international standards on justice and transparency.

"The enactment of these bills will provide accountability for past atrocities and economic crimes, strengthen Liberia's fight against corruption and impunity, enhance public trust in governance and the rule of law, and align Liberia with international standards of justice and transparency," he stated.

The submission has drawn immediate national attention, with many Liberians treating the legislative referral as a historic inflection point, and a direct test of whether the Boakai administration will convert years of rhetoric on justice reform into enforceable law. The two-week committee clock is now running.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.

Nigeria Police Deny Rescue of Abducted Oyo Students, Teachers

Premium Times

Oyo State on the Nigerian map.

22 May 2026

Vanguard (Lagos)

By Adeola Badru

The Oyo State Police Command has debunked reports claiming that abducted students, pupils and teachers in Orire Local Government Area have been released, insisting that rescue operations are still ongoing.

In a press statement issued by the police public relations officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the command said security agencies were continuing intensive efforts to secure the safe rescue of the victims and apprehend those behind the abduction.

"The Oyo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the abducted students, pupils, and teachers in Orire Local Government Area are yet to be released, as intensive efforts by security agencies continue to ensure their safe rescue and the arrest of those responsible for the criminal act," the statement read.

The command dismissed as false the rumour currently circulating that the victims had been rescued and urged residents to remain calm while supporting ongoing security operations.

"The Command hereby debunks the rumour currently circulating that the victims have been rescued. Members of the public are urged to remain calm, support the ongoing efforts of the joint security team, and verify every piece of information before sharing it," the police stated.

The police further warned that the spread of misinformation was capable of undermining rescue operations and creating unnecessary panic among residents.

"The spread of fake news and misinformation only creates unnecessary panic, heightens tension, and diverts limited security resources that are critically needed for the ongoing operations," the statement added.

The Command assured residents of the state that verified updates would be made available as events unfold and advised members of the public seeking authentic information or clarification to contact the Police Public Relations Officer or the Command's control room.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

 As Ebola Resurfaces in DR Congo, So Do Critical Questions About How to Respond

WHO bolsters Ebola disease outbreak response in Uganda.

22 May 2026

The New Humanitarian (Geneva)

By Lebon Kasamira

Bunia & Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo — "It's going to be a real race against time."

A large-scale response has begun to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that went undetected for up to two months and has already become one of the largest on record, with 671 suspected cases and 160 suspected deaths.

But funding limitations for the Congolese government and international responders, political and security dynamics in the outbreak zone, and troubled responses to past Ebola epidemics in DRC are raising concerns about efforts to contain the spread.

"We are trying to fight the disease with the equipment and resources available in order to save our people, who have already suffered from insecurity for a long time and now face a new ordeal," said Chérubin Radjabu, a nurse in the outbreak area.

The epidemic, centred in Ituri province but with cases in North Kivu, South Kivu, and neighbouring Uganda, involves the extremely rare Bundibugyo variant, for which there have been only two past outbreaks and are no approved vaccines or treatments.

The severity of the situation led World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to fast-track the declaration on 17 May of a public health emergency of international concern, which allows for greater mobilisation of resources.

A zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans, and then between people, Ebola is less transmissible than many other infectious diseases, spreading through direct contact with an infected person's blood or body fluids.

WHO says the outbreak does not pose a pandemic threat, but still presents a severe national and regional health risk, given the up to 50% fatality rate of Bundibugyo, and the lack of vaccines and therapeutics, which are available for other strains.

To deal with the threat, treatment centres are now being set up, isolation tents installed in hospitals, and medical supplies shipped to the outbreak zone, alongside responders from the Congolese health ministry and international organisations.

DRC has contained 16 previous Ebola outbreaks and has world-leading expertise, but past responses have also struggled, most notably to a 2018-2020 North Kivu-centred flare up, which was the first to unfold in an active conflict zone and became the second-worst outbreak in history.

The current epidemic is also unfolding in conflict-affected areas, as well as amid global aid cuts and a fraught political situation in the country, all of which could significantly complicate the response.

"A race against time"

Of chief concern is tracking cases and determining the true extent of the outbreak, with modelling by Imperial College London suggesting there could already be more than 1,000 infections.

Though it is unclear who patient zero is, the first known case died at a medical centre in Bunia, the Ituri capital, on 24 April. He was then buried 70 kilometres away in Mongbwalu, where mourners touched the body, unaware he had died from Ebola.

By the time an outbreak was declared on 15 May - following prolonged testing delays and transportation mishaps - people had been travelling around for weeks, making it difficult to figure out who had contact with those infected.

"Unfortunately, this was addressed very late," said Claire Nicolet, an emergency coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). "It's going to be a real race against time to try and trace the contacts who may have travelled and even crossed borders."

Mongbwalu, the current epicentre, is a mining town that hosts thousands of artisanal diggers who work to extract small amounts of gold. A growing number of fatalities have been recorded there in recent days.

"There have been many deaths; today, I've seen several funerals, all without any protective equipment," Daniel Mupenda, a miner who works in the town, said on 17 May in a telephone interview.

Issa Hassan, a Bunia resident who is secretary to the Ituri governor, said fear has taken hold over many people in his city - a commercial hub of hundreds of thousands of people - and he is wondering if his children should be attending school.

"The authorities are taking this very seriously, and the minister of health came from Kinshasa to assess the response capacity," Hassan said. "But we are going to need the help of international partners."

Other residents of Bunia have still been going about their daily activities. Churches have been full, roadside vendors are at work, and motorcycle taxis continue to carry passengers and goods.

In health facilities, however, the strain is more visible. MSF has reported that isolation wards are full, leaving some patients behind in the community and increasing the risk of further transmission.

Kahongya, the nurse who specialises in infection control in Bunia, said health workers are facing multiple challenges: insufficient protective equipment, a lack of funding, and transport and access constraints in some affected areas.

Still, he said local health facilities have the capacity to deal with the situation "thanks to the experience gained during previous Ebola outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic".

Serge Kambale Sivyavugha, a researcher and general practitioner, cautioned that there is a lack of a "sufficiently resilient health system prepared to deal with this type of epidemic" because past responses have not built enough capacity on the ground.

"When interventions are managed exclusively from the central level and rely mainly on external teams, they do not strengthen the local system," he said. "On the contrary, they create a dependency that becomes problematic as soon as these actors disperse."

A limited toolkit

The second major concern is how to manage the outbreak without a licensed vaccine and approved treatments -- key tools that have significantly improved responses to other Ebola strains.

Speaking to journalists including The New Humanitarian in Bunia on 21 May, Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said "a major vaccine research programme" is now underway with international partners.

Still, responders will be relying for now on core public health measures to break transmission, such as early case detection, isolation, contact tracing, and safe burials. These measures have controlled many previous outbreaks in DRC.

Some fear global aid cuts could hamper the response, just as they may have weakened DRC's ability to prepare for the outbreak. The WHO is under particular strain after the US ceased funding and withdrew from the agency.

Pledges have still been made: The UK is providing $26 million, South Africa $2.5 million, the US $23 million, and the UN has allocated $60 from an emergency fund. However, this is well short of the nearly $1 billion mobilised for the 2018-2020 outbreak.

Stewart Muhindo, a researcher who studied the 2018-2020 epidemic, which also affected North Kivu and Ituri, said the funding cuts may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

He said the scale of the spending in 2018-2020 created problems and detached the response from local realities. He gave the example of responders using large convoys to transport patients to treatment centres as an example of the disconnect.

At the time, communities questioned why a large-scale government and international response materialised for Ebola, but not for years of massacres or preventable diseases such as cholera and malaria. Some believed ulterior motives were at play.

The huge influx of money into the local economy also created incentive structures that led some individuals and groups to develop an interest in prolonging the outbreak, leading to what was locally referred to as "Ebola business".

"By capitalising on the lessons learned from past experience and leveraging existing resources, it's possible to compensate for this lack of funding," Muhindo told The New Humanitarian.

Coordination concerns

The third critical issue is that the epidemic is unfolding in an unstable security context. There are multiple armed groups present in Ituri, and fighting has escalated over the past decade, involving different militias and the Congolese army.

Nearly a million people are displaced in the province - which has limited infrastructure and a poor road network - with many living in overcrowded camps. About 100,000 people were displaced in the first quarter of 2026 alone.

Dozens of armed groups also operate in North Kivu and South Kivu, including the Rwanda-backed M23, which has set up a parallel rebel administration headquartered in Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC.

The fragmented control of territory could have major implications for coordination between the state administration in Ituri and M23-run parts of North Kivu and South Kivu, with both sides already seeking to capitalise from the situation.

Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said on 19 May that if Kinshasa is to mount an effective and urgent response to the epidemic, Rwandan forces and their M23 allies must withdraw from Congolese territory.

Rather than focusing on coordination, Muhindo said he had also heard M23 members "boasting that it is the government-controlled areas that will endanger us, but we are being rigorous".

"There is a real risk that the response will be politicised, and we all know that when it is politicised, unfortunately, it leads to very significant damage," Muhindo said.

One way to reduce politicisation, the researcher added, is to ensure that response efforts are integrated and coordinated through local health structures "rather than managed by political authorities".

Sivyavugha, the researcher and general practitioner, echoed that view. He said the management of the outbreak should fall under the purview of competent national health bodies and not "actors driven by political considerations".

Jacinthe Maarifa, a humanitarian worker with the local NGO AGIR-RDC, said both sides - the government and the M23 - have a "moral obligation" to work together, and expressed hope that UN mechanisms, including those of the WHO, will help.

One place to start, Maarifa said, would be reopening Goma airport, which is needed to bring in supplies and personnel but is non-operational due to the conflict and ensuing disrepair. The M23 says it would allow it to reopen if it is placed under its control, but Kinshasa would be reluctant to permit flights into rebel-held airspace.

Learning from the past

Although DRC has been battling Ebola for decades, and in some cases with great success, a fourth concern lies around the possibility of responders replicating mistakes from the 2018-2020 outbreak.

Seeking to prevent a repeat of the West Africa epidemic - the largest in history, with more than 11,000 deaths - responders and donors deployed a "no regrets" policy that saw hundreds of millions of dollars spent.

But the influx of resources and outside experts - whether from non-outbreak areas in DRC or abroad - was viewed with suspicion by many who had long experienced neglect or direct violence by the state and international organisations.

That wariness was exacerbated by the creation of a parallel health system, which saw treatment delivered outside of better trusted local health structures. Separate treatment centres were built and then largely dismantled when the outbreak ended.

"I remember, for example, that in all the areas where Ebola is currently raging, there were Ebola treatment centres, but they were built with tarpaulins," Muhindo said. He called for responders to build more durable infrastructure "integrated into the local health system".

The 2018-2020 response, led by the government and the WHO, also alienated communities by working openly with already distrusted soldiers and police who implemented draconian measures, such as forcibly transporting people to treatment centres.

In some cases, the WHO allegedly engaged local militias to provide security, yet this meant feeding into a volatile conflict ecosystem. Militias excluded from jobs launched attacks on health centres in an effort to secure a share of resources.

Women recruited to work in the response were, meanwhile, abused en masse, especially by WHO staff who made job offers contingent on sex. The situation, revealed by The New Humanitarian, snowballed into one of the worst sexual abuse scandals in UN history.

Already in the current outbreak, a hospital near Bunia was attacked by protesters seeking to retrieve the body of a young man who had died of Ebola. A well-placed medical source in the area said two tents were burned, an ambulance was damaged, and patients fled, including some who had tested positive.

Muhindo said he believes communities today do want to collaborate with responders but that the government and its partners will have to avoid past failures that "saw a lot of militarisation and a significant focus on money rather than on people".

Maarifa, of AGIR-RDC, said the response must not give the impression of a centralised, external operation arriving to "to tell people how to live". If it does, he added, "it will once again face ingrained [distrust] and accusations of profiteering."

Sivyavugha agreed that it is critical not to militarise the response and instead to trust communities and their "significant knowledge" of disease management. An effective approach, he said, must be built with communities, not imposed upon them.

Above all, Sivyavugha added, the response should be designed to sustainably strengthen the health system, which means investing in local infrastructure such as diagnostic laboratories, and in local staff, rather than bypassing them as was done before.

"For me, managing an epidemic like Ebola can only be effective if measures are anticipated, rather than implemented only after the outbreak has been declared," he said.

Edited by Andrew Gully.

Read this report on The New Humanitarian. The New Humanitarian puts quality, independent journalism at the service of the millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the world.

Women More Likely Than Men to Die During an Ebola Outbreak: UN Body

UN Women

UN Women delivered Chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp addressing a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

22 May 2026

allAfrica.com

By Peter Kenny

Geneva — History has repeatedly shown us that women are more likely than men to die during an Ebola outbreak, the chief of humanitarian action of UN Women has said in Geneva.

"This is not because the disease is more deadly for women once they are infected," Sofia Calltorp addressed journalists at a UN press conference during the 2026 session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), taking place in Geneva. "It is because women are more likely to be infected in the first place."

Virus hits women as caregivers

Calltorp said this was evident during the 2018–2019 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where women and girls accounted for around two-thirds of reported cases. "We saw it in Liberia in 2014 where, in some communities, women accounted for up to three-quarters of Ebola deaths; and 50 years ago in the DRC, where women accounted for 56 per cent of those who died." She said that was because Ebola transmission follows social realities.

"The virus spreads along the lines of caregiving, domestic labour, front-line health work, and burial practices," said Calltorp. "Because when people are sick, women look after them."

World Health Assembly debates continue

During debates on several issues, some delegates said the annual management meeting of the World Health Organisation, the WHA, should not be politicised.

Still, political issues were prevalent in several debates, including an annual debate on Taiwan's presence at the assembly that was not accepted by a majority of those voting.

Peter Kenny

Eswatini Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula addressing a side event organized by Taiwan during the 2026 World Health Assembly.

The United States withdrew from the WHO on January 22, so it was not present at the proceedings.

Among countries that voted on a WHA motion condemning Iranian attacks in the  Gulf region, amid global health supply disruptions, Tunisia voted in favour, while Angola, DRC, Ghana, Mali, Namibia and South Africa abstained.

Tom Fletcher, the UN Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said on Friday (May 22) his section was allocating up to $60 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to accelerate the response in the DRC and the wider region.

Taiwan makes case with HealthTech Expo

Taiwan was absent from the May 18-23 WHA Assembly for the tenth consecutive year due to China's powerful lobbying influence.

So, Taiwan made its case in Geneva with the 2026 Taiwan Smart Medical and HealthTech Expo as a mini assembly of its own at the Geneva hotel.

The only African country to support Taiwan's presence at the WHA held at the UN in Geneva was Eswatini. The landlocked southern African country, which borders South Africa, also took part in an event showcasing innovations from 9 Taiwanese hospitals and 21 companies across the medtech, biotech, and life sciences sectors. Eswatini's health minister, Mduduzi Matsebula, thanked Taiwan for its support.

Taiwan's health minister Shih Chung-liang said at a press conference before the WHA that Chinese pressure may have impacted attendance at events organized by his country. Shih said, "Taiwan has submitted an official letter of protest to WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urging the organization to allow Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer."

Mali Eid Celebrations Dimmed by Insecurity, Shortages and Surging Costs 

Eid al-Adha

Hemmed in by a jihadist blockade of the Malian capital, Muslims in Bamako have been forced to spend Eid away from their families this year.

Originally from the central city of Mopti, Alpha Amadou, 40, has had to give up his usual journey home for the major holiday, known locally as Tabaski.

"For the first time in 30 years living in Bamako, I'll be celebrating Eid here this year," he told AFP.

Since late April, fighters from Al-Qaeda's Sahel branch have imposed a road blockade on the main routes into Bamako, torching dozens of buses and freight trucks.

Though the blockade is only partial, images of charred vehicles have deterred many transport services from operating and travellers from heading back to their villages.

In Mali, Tabaski goes far beyond religion. It is a major social tradition, one of the few times when families, often scattered by work for months, come together.

But in Bamako's bus stations, the usual pre-holiday rush has given way to an eerie calm. Alongside insecurity, fuel shortages have also hit the transport sector.

"Not only do we lack diesel to keep running, but we've also lost buses in recent incidents. It's a huge economic blow," said the owner of a local travel agency, speaking anonymously.

"Normally, we could transport more than 50,000 people from Bamako to other regions in a week for Tabaski. This year, we're not planning any trips," added a manager at another transport company.

For Wara Bagayoko, the ritual has always been the same: pack up the family car and head to Segou in central Mali to celebrate together.

But this time, he will stay behind, as even private cars have become targets.

"It will be the first time in 30 years I won't celebrate in my village. The road is too dangerous," he said.

"Before, about 20 of us would travel together on motorbikes to Sikasso (in the south) to celebrate," added Oumar Diarra. "This year, we'll stay in Bamako."

A few minibuses still slip into the city, taking backroads or travelling with a military escort.

- Sheep in short supply -

The disruption to transport is also choking the livestock trade, which is essential for the traditional Tabaski sacrifice.

Because of the blockade, herders and traders are struggling to bring animals to Bamako, the country's main consumer market.

The cost of transporting one animal, usually around 2,500 to 2,750 CFA francs (almost $5), has jumped this year to between 15,000 and 18,000 CFA francs ($26-$31), said transporter Alassane Maiga.

As a result, sheep are scarce and far more expensive in a country where the monthly minimum wage is just 40,000 CFA francs.

"Many trucks of sheep have been burned by jihadists... Normally, I'd have more than 1,000 animals, but today, not a single one," said Bamako vendor Hama Ba.

"Sheep we used to buy for 75,000 francs are now going for 300,000. Before, there was plenty to choose from, but now they've almost vanished from Bamako," said Iyi, who was searching for one he could afford.

- Power cuts -

The security crisis is creeping into daily life, as basic services break down in the city.

Bamako is struggling with prolonged power outages and major shortages of drinking water.

Festive outfits known as "Selifini" remain unfinished in tailors' workshops, held up by the frequent power cuts.

"We tried using a small solar panel," said dressmaker Alou Diallo. "But it can't replace electricity."

Families are also worried about storing food for the celebration.

"How are we supposed to keep meat without electricity? Buying an expensive sheep only to lose it within 24 hours due to power cuts is a real fear," said a mother on the outskirts of Sirakoro.

In recent days, authorities have announced the arrival of hundreds of fuel tankers in the capital, offering some hope of relief.

But for many, the road home for Eid has already shut.