Ethiopia Says Women’s Leadership Indispensable to Africa’s Economic Transformation

Addis Ababa, November 5, 2026 (ENA)— Ethiopia’s Minister of Women and Social Affairs, Shawit Shanka, called on African countries to ensure women’s equal participation in political leadership and economic decision-making, saying the continent cannot realize its full development potential while marginalizing half of its population.

The Minister made the remarks while addressing the joint opening session of the 2nd African Political Parties Summit 2026, which opened alongside the Africa Women Political Leadership Forum 2026 and the African Youth in Politics Forum 2026 in Addis Ababa.

“No continent can realize its potential when marginalizing half of its population,” she said.

Shawit emphasized that women should be recognized not merely as beneficiaries of assistance but as producers, innovators, leaders and agents of peace and development.

She noted that investing in women contributes to economic transformation, democratic governance, social cohesion and sustainable development.

The Minister said Africa was undergoing major changes driven by geopolitical shifts, technological advancements, demographic trends, climate pressures and evolving economic relationships. 

She called on African countries to proactively shape these changes through visionary leadership, resilient institutions and collective action.

She explained that Ethiopia’s development approach is guided by the principle of Medemer, which emphasizes synergy, togetherness and collective contribution. The minister added that women are equal stakeholders, productive agents and co-architects of the country's transformation.

“Women are producers, innovators, leaders and agents of peace and development, not merely beneficiaries of assistance,” she emphasized.

Shawit said advancing women's leadership requires visionary leadership, sustained political commitment and strong institutional action, particularly within political parties.

Political parties, she added, should strengthen women's participation in their structures, leadership positions and candidate selection processes to ensure their meaningful representation in decision-making.

She also highlighted the commitment of Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party-led government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, to women’s empowerment, saying the Medemer philosophy demonstrates that women can lead at every level.

Ethiopia, she noted, is sharing its experience not as a claim of perfection, but as evidence of what can be achieved through political will, an inclusive development philosophy and sustained action.

The Minister stressed that decisions made today would shape the future of generations, urging African countries to build a continent where women are equally represented in political leadership, economically empowered and protected by strong institutions.

She further called for an Africa where every girl can aspire to become a leader, entrepreneur, scientist or policymaker without barriers imposed by gender or circumstances.

Shawit officially opened the joint forum, calling for stronger collective efforts to advance women's political leadership across the continent.

Conflict Continues in Ethiopia’s Moyale as Borana Abba Geda, Somali Elder Harden Stance to ‘Defend’ Territory

November 4, 2026 

The pictures show the route through Malka Mana Waaqaa, which the previous Borana Abba Geda crossed while travelling from Dire to Liban. The area has reportedly been blocked and militarized. The current Abba Geda is expected to travel through the same route in approximately a month as part of the customary Gada journey. Photo: Provided to Addis Standard

Addis Ababa – Clashes in Moyale and surrounding areas along the Oromia-Somali regional states border have continued in seven districts since the conflict erupted in Moyale town on October 18 following a dispute over the raising of a flag and the killing of a 13-year-old girl, with particularly heavy fighting in Areero district around the Dawa River basin, a river flowing within the Borana and Dawa zones of the Oromia and Somali regions, respectively.

The conflict, which has already caused casualties, displaced thousands and disrupted livelihoods, is also threatening to obstruct an important traditional journey of the Borana Gadaa institution, raising concerns among community leaders that the fighting could interfere with the Abba Geda’s scheduled migration from Dirree to Liban next month for customary rituals.

Borana Aba Gada Guyyoo Boruu told Addis Standard that heavy fighting had continued around Dawa River basin, particularly in areas locally known as Malkaa Mana Waaqaa and Eela Orbaa. He said the locations were important because they lie along the route through which the Abba Gaeda is expected to travel to the ritual grounds in Liban.

“We will defend ourselves against the attack launched upon our homeland until the last Borana son is left,” Guyyoo vowed.

His tone hardened when he alleged that the current fighting was part of a broader effort to encroach on Borana territory and disrupt the Gada institution’s traditional journey. “After they spent years preparing to wage war against us, they provoked us by planting a flag inside our land; furthermore, they killed our young girl who had not even fully experienced her youth,” he said.

A Somali elder from Dawa Zone, speaking to Addis Standard, disputed the Borana account of the territorial dispute, arguing that land belongs to the community that has historically settled there. He maintained that the dispute over the flag and questions of territorial identity had hardened his community’s position.

An elder from the Garii Somali clan offered a different account of the flag incident, saying the Somali flag had been displayed in Moyale for years without provoking similar confrontations. He said the latest flag-raising took place after the town mayor inaugurated a new office under a revised administrative structure.

“The Somali flag has been in Moyale for many years without raising any issues, and this flag was raised here as well because the mayor opened a new office as part of a new administrative structure,” he said.

The elder accused Borana residents of opposing the display of the Somali flag not only in Moyale but also in Goofaa, Layee, Qadaduma, Cilaanqoo and Udatti, extending toward Baanasaa. He insisted that the Garii clan considers the disputed areas its “ancestral territory” and would not surrender them.

“The Garii will not yield even a single meter of their land to the Oromo,” he said, adding that defending territorial boundaries was regarded as a religious obligation in Islamic tradition. He described the situation as increasingly critical.

The competing territorial claims have been accompanied by increasingly hardline rhetoric from both sides. Abba Geda Guyyoo said the ongoing conflict was markedly different from previous confrontations, citing the reported use of heavy weaponry and the movement of armed forces across the border, which he said had raised concerns even in neighboring Kenya.

“Our enemy has dug trenches, prepared food and water, and strategically occupied the Dawa river basin,” he said, arguing that removing the Somali flag from what he considers “Borana territory” was the only way to resolve the dispute.

The Garii elder, meanwhile, reiterated that his community would not “relinquish territory” it considers its own. “We will not relinquish any territory,” he said, warning that the confrontation could result in further loss of life.

The conflict has also disrupted efforts to maintain the traditional eight-year cycle of the Borana Geda system, under which the Abba Gada undertakes a customary journey to designated ritual grounds. Abba Gada Guyyoo said the fighting along the route could prevent the scheduled journey to Liban, an event of considerable cultural and institutional significance to the Borana community.

A Southern Oromia security official familiar with developments told Addis Standard that clashes were continuing and had intensified considerably during nighttime in Moyale town. The official also confirmed that the fighting had obstructed the route designated for the Abba Gada’s journey from Dirree to Liban.

The official alleged that preparations for the confrontation had included the advance construction of trenches around key locations, and said the developments threatened the traditional Gadaa journey.

These claims could not be independently verified by Addis Standard.

Attempts to contain the conflict through mediation have so far failed. Guyyoo said he had raised the matter with Oromia and federal authorities, as well as other stakeholders, but that no lasting solution had emerged.

The Garii elder said government security institutions on both sides were involved in attempting to manage the clashes and that the authorities had the power to stop the fighting. “Since the matter is being led from both sides by government security bodies, the government has the full authority to stop or continue the war; however, our objective is to defend our land,” he said.

The Southern Oromia zone security official separately told Addis Standard that efforts had been made to bring representatives of the two sides together at locations where federal military commanders were stationed. However, two attempts at mediated negotiations ended without an agreement, the official said.

With fighting continuing across multiple districts, the competing claims over territory and identity showing little sign of easing, the federal government keeping silent, and mediation efforts yet to produce an agreement, residents fear more clashes, displacement and a growing uncertainty over the prospect of their future. 

Ethiopia Expels Sudanese Diplomats as Regional Tensions Deepen

November 4, 2026 

Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomatic staff members to leave the country within 48 hours, a senior Ethiopian official told Reuters on Wednesday, further escalating tensions between the two neighbors amid competing allegations of support for armed groups and growing fears of a wider regional conflict.

The reported expulsion comes days after Sudan’s army-aligned government said it had lodged formal complaints against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), accusing Addis Abeba of allowing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to use Ethiopian territory to launch drone attacks against civilian infrastructure in Sudan.

According to Reuters, the six staff members were ordered to leave Sudan’s consulate in Assosa, the administrative center of Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State. The Ethiopian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, did not provide a reason for the decision. Reuters said the spokesperson for the Ethiopian prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The move adds another layer to an increasingly volatile diplomatic standoff in which both governments accuse the other of supporting their adversaries. Sudan alleges that Ethiopia is facilitating RSF operations, while Addis Ababa accuses Khartoum of backing Tigrayan rebels involved in renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia. Both sides deny the allegations against them.

The diplomatic escalation also comes amid Ethiopia’s deteriorating relations with Eritrea. On 1 October, Addis Standard reported that Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the closure of its embassy in Asmara and declared 10 Eritrean diplomats in Addis Abeba persona non grata, ordering them to leave within 48 hours. The Ministry cited what it described as Eritrea’s “direct and indirect acts of hostility and belligerence against Ethiopia,” alleging that the diplomats had engaged in activities threatening national security without publicly specifying the incidents.

The measures against Sudanese diplomats and Eritrean officials underscore the mounting diplomatic pressures facing Addis Ababa as security disputes increasingly intersect across the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has also accused Egypt and Eritrea of supporting Tigrayan rebels who launched an offensive against government forces in September. Both countries have denied the allegations.

Sudan’s complaints to the UNSC and AUPSC have further internationalized the dispute, raising concerns that the country’s devastating civil war could intersect with Ethiopia’s internal conflicts and existing regional rivalries.

Amjad Farid, a political and foreign affairs adviser to Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, told Reuters that Khartoum remained committed to defending its territory but was making every effort to avoid an open war with Ethiopia.

Sudan’s war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has displaced more than 14 million people, according to UN figures, creating one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.

While the reported expulsion does not by itself establish Ethiopia’s response to Sudan’s formal complaints, it signals a further deterioration in relations at a time when diplomatic channels are increasingly strained. With accusations of cross-border military support mounting and tensions involving Eritrea and Egypt also intensifying, the risk is that overlapping conflicts could deepen regional instability beyond the borders of either country.

Egypt to Train Somalian Forces as Mogadishu Expands Military Push

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Somalia Today

5 Nov 2026 20:57

Somali military units trained domestically are preparing to travel to Egypt for specialized instruction in commando operations and special forces tactics.

The Somali army is bolstering its deployment in Lower Shabelle with units from the Gorgor Special Forces, coinciding with Turkish military support and a reorganization of the deployment of African forces, while Puntland discusses preparedness for possible security developments.

Several areas in the Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia have seen the arrival of new military reinforcements for the national army, coinciding with a reorganization of the deployment of African forces, while the Puntland presidency announced it was raising its level of security readiness to confront any possible developments in the country.

Local information, as relayed by Somalia Today, reported the arrival of units from the Gorgor commando forces of the Somali army in the areas of Audegle, Mubarak, Shalambood and other locations in the region, as part of moves to strengthen the government’s military presence and redistribute the tasks of field units.

Reorganizing troops

These moves coincide with arrangements to reorganize the deployment of Ugandan forces belonging to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which had been deployed across most of Lower Shabelle, with their presence to be limited to specific locations within the mission’s new operational structure.

Turkey had sent military officers and ships loaded with military supplies and equipment to Somalia to support the capabilities of the Gorgor forces, in particular the 22nd Brigade, which is expected to complete its training in Turkey next Saturday.

In a separate development, the head of the Puntland administration, Said Abdullahi Deni, held a meeting with commanders of the security and military forces, during which he discussed preparedness to deal with possible developments in Somalia’s security situation.

According to the Puntland presidency, the head of the administration urged military and security commanders to closely follow developments and to raise the level of readiness and preparedness for any changes that may occur in the security situation.

Egypt preparing to receive Somali army units for training

A number of military units that completed their training at the Hanaano military center are preparing to travel to Egypt in the coming days to receive additional specialized training in special operations and special forces, Somalia Today reported.

According to the report, the commanders of some of the units were informed of the plan following a visit by the commander of the ground forces of the Somali National Army, Brigadier General Sahal Abdullahi Omar (known as “General Khalid”), to the city of Dusamareb.

The report indicated that these forces had undergone intensive military training inside Somalia over several years, while the upcoming training program in Egypt will focus on developing “commando” skills and special operations.

The units concerned are expected to join Somali special forces formations after completing the training, as part of efforts to develop the capabilities of the national army and enhance the qualification of its military units.

No official details have been announced so far regarding the number of participating units or the date of their travel, and no announcement has been issued clarifying the duration of the training or the Egyptian body supervising it.

Vote Counting Gets Underway in Critical South Africa Local Elections

South Africa

South Africa voted Wednesday in local government elections dominated by anger over failures in water and power supply that are expected to result in a further slide in support for the ANC.

Control of the major cities is at stake in the vote for 257 councils that will gauge the political mood ahead of the next national elections in 2029.

Moses Mashaba, a 27-year-old street vendor from Johannesburg's Soweto township, said he voted because "things have been horrible".

"Sometimes we don't have water or electricity. There is also a high unemployment rate, which has been frustrating," he told AFP.

More than three decades after the first all-race election thrust the African National Congress (ANC) into power, South Africans are fed up with crumbling infrastructure, dry taps, persistent inequality, high crime and unemployment above 30 percent.

Polling stations began closing at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT), after a 14-hour day, but authorities said anyone still in a queue would still be able to cast their ballot.

Counting would start at polling stations soon after the last votes had been cast, with final results due by Sunday, the election authority said.

Of 29.2 million registered voters, 12 million had cast their ballots on Wednesday by 5:00 pm, it said in its latest turnout figure.

Some 2.6 million people were allowed to vote early on Monday and Tuesday but only 1.4 million did so.

Ntando Sithole, 24, who makes a living washing cars, said he had chosen to stay away from the polls because "there won't be any changes" and "most of these political parties are led by old people".

"The streetlights in my area are just for decoration because they don't work. It gets very dark at night, making it unsafe to even walk home," he said.

- 'Democracy is alive' -

Voting was largely orderly across the country, although some logistical hiccups and confrontations between political party followers were reported.

After casting his ballot, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared "our democracy is alive", a reference to the first all-race elections in 1994 at the end of white-minority rule.

"We as government are determined to rebuild our local government structure to ensure that what was promised... becomes a reality," said Ramaphosa, who is also the ANC's leader.

"My life has improved since we were allowed to vote as black people," nursing aide Phumla Zikhali, 55, told AFP in the east coast city of Gqeberha.

"Things were tough before then. My vote is for more change," she said.

While the ANC, which installed Nelson Mandela as the first black president, is still projected to emerge as the largest party nationally, polls point to a further erosion of its support.

Once the dominant force in South African politics, it fell below 50 percent of the vote for the first time in the 2021 municipal elections.

It suffered further losses at the 2024 national vote, securing just over 40 percent and was forced into a power-sharing government with nine other parties.

The liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party, is likely to maintain its control of Cape Town and has also set its sights on Johannesburg, an ANC bastion.

- Coalitions beckon -

Here and in many other centres, no party is expected to win an outright majority, forcing complex negotiations to form coalition councils.

"We will talk to everyone but I don't like to get into coalition negotiations before the votes have been counted," DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis told AFP.

The breakaway opposition uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has mounted a strong challenge for the east coast port city of Durban in a campaign focused on Zulu identity.

Voters are likely to be influenced by "bread and butter issues" such as water, electricity, roads and sewage rather than political loyalties, political analyst Kingsley Makhubela said.

The expansion of coalition governments could foster political tolerance in an increasingly fragmented political landscape where, for years, "the language... has been political enemies", he said.

South Africa’s Local Elections Could Continue the Decline of the Once-mighty ANC

By  MOGOMOTSI MAGOME

8:15 PM EST, November 4, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africans voted Wednesday in local elections that were expected to be a tough test for the African National Congress party, which led the country out of white minority rule but has seen a consistent decline in support over the last decade.

The elections will decide who leads South Africa’s eight main city municipalities as well as its 44 district and 205 local councils.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa cast his vote in Johannesburg, lauding what he said was a great turnout of people coming out to vote across the country.

“The turnout of our people, as one looks at the TV screens, the queues that are all over the country, just makes this a very special and historic day.

“My view is that we’ve never really, in years, had a local government election like this, where we have so many parties,” said Ramaphosa after casting his vote.

In total, 546 political parties were vying for votes in the elections.

Voters disgruntled with lack of basic public services

Some voters in Johannesburg told The Associated Press that they were motivated to vote by a decline in basic services.

In Alexandra township, where the road to the River Park Library voting station is filled with potholes, leaking sewage and piles of uncollected waste on the sidewalks, many still came out to cast their ballot.

“When I got my first opportunity to vote, I didn’t think it mattered. But this was important for me, you can see the kind of place we live in. Nothing works here,” said 21-year-old first time voter Karabo Mogano.

In the city of Ekurhuleni, voters at a Methodist Church voting station waited in long queues, saying they hoped their votes would change their local situation.

Parts of the city have been without water for days in the leadup to the elections.

“I started voting in 1994, then it was very exciting. But now I think so many things have changed, even my vote is changing,” said 65-year-old Tembisa resident Raymond Selepe.

Support for the ANC has steadily declined

In the last local elections in 2021, the ANC won less than 50% of the vote for the first time since the apartheid system of white minority rule ended in 1994.

The ANC then lost its 30-year parliamentary majority in national elections in 2024 — a seismic shift for Africa’s biggest economy — and entered into a national coalition with the second largest party, the Democratic Alliance, and other parties. Ramaphosa, the ANC leader, was reelected president of South Africa.

But while the parties are partners in a national unity government, they are fierce rivals in the local elections. DA political veteran Helen Zille’s quest to be mayor of Johannesburg will test if the DA can win ground away from its traditional support in the second biggest city of Cape Town.

These elections will also be the first local vote contested by the MK Party, led by former South African President Jacob Zuma. Zuma resigned as president because of corruption allegations in 2018 and was expelled from the ANC in 2024 for starting his new party.

It made a surprisingly strong debut in the 2024 national elections to become the third biggest party in Parliament and has strong support in Zuma’s home province of KwaZulu-Natal in the east of the country.

Voters do not directly elect mayors but choose members of the councils that run cities and pick the mayors.

UN’s Peacekeeping Mission in Western Sahara Enters Liquidation Phase After Mandate Expires

By  AKRAM OUBACHIR and EDITH M. LEDERER

8:54 AM EST, November 5, 2026

LAAYOUNE, Western Sahara (AP) — The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the disputed territory of Western Sahara will start repatriating personnel, closing a dozen facilities and disposing of equipment as part of a “liquidation phase” following a U.S.-Russia standoff at the Security Council last week.

The mission’s abrupt end after 35 years raises questions about security and stability in the region. Western Sahara is a vast desert nearly the size of Colorado and rich in fisheries and minerals. The contested resource corridor once ruled by Spain is now claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said late Wednesday that the department dealing with operational issues of the U.N.’s far-flung peacekeeping missions wants to ensure an “orderly’’ retreat. “And we count, of course, on the full cooperation of all the parties.”

The U.N. mission, known as MINURSO, was established in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front and organize a referendum on self-determination.

But the vote never materialized, as the two sides failed to agree on who would be eligible to participate. The ceasefire collapsed in 2020, and the U.N. says the region remains marked by tensions and low-intensity hostilities.

During the mission, 20 U.N. personnel lost their lives. The U.N. force was authorized to have 534 personnel, and its 2026-2027 budget was more than $62 million. The top military contributors to the force were Egypt, Ghana and Pakistan.

Morocco’s royal palace, which oversees the country’s foreign policy, welcomed the mission’s end, saying it had failed to monitor the ceasefire. The Polisario Front and Algeria, meanwhile, regretted the decision not to renew its mandate.

Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the U.N., said the liquidation will include “the repatriation of approximately 160 military observers, the drawdown of 180 civilians and affiliated personnel, and the closure of about 13 mission facilities and team sites.”

In Laayoune, the capital of Western Sahara and home to MINURSO’s headquarters, U.N. and Moroccan flags continued to fly side by side on Thursday. U.N.-marked vehicles still move through the disputed city’s streets, where Moroccan flags and portraits of King Mohammed VI are a constant presence. Above the entrance to the mission’s headquarters, a sign reads: “Welcome to the United Nations.” For now, there is no visible indication that the mission is preparing to leave.

The closure serves Morocco’s push for full sovereignty over Western Sahara, while further isolating the Polisario Front, whose international support has dwindled in recent years. But it also leaves the future of the region’s fragile ceasefire uncertain.

“MINURSO peacekeepers helped to keep a lid on escalation,’' Hamish Kinnear, a U.K.-based analyst focusing on North Africa, told The Associated Press. Its “on-the-ground presence meant there was a stronger international stake in maintaining the peace in Western Sahara, even if its key purpose — to arrange a referendum — was becoming increasingly unlikely due to the shifting diplomatic position of key powers.’'

The withdrawal gives Morocco “a freer hand’’ against the Polisario, Kinnear said. He predicted that Sahrawis will increasingly call for alternative strategies.

___

Lederer reported from New York.

Kenya’s Mining Ambitions Raise Fears for Farms and Ancestral Graves

By EUGÉNIE TENEZAKIS

8:15 PM EST, November 4, 2026

MRIMA, Kenya (AP) — Farmers fear losing the land that feeds them. Community elders worry about damage to a forest where their ancestors are buried. Both are demanding answers about Kenya’s plans to mine valuable minerals beneath Mrima Hill, a forested area rich in niobium and rare earth elements.

The proposed development comes as countries race to secure supplies of rare earth minerals used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines and defense technologies, seeking alternatives to China’s dominance of mineral processing.

Residents near Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast and the Tanzanian border say they have received little information about where mining would take place or how it could affect their farms, livelihoods and a sacred site.

“We haven’t been informed about the process at all,” said Justus Mwero, chairman of the Mrima Farm Owners Community-Based Organization, which has about 500 registered farmers. “We don’t know how people are going to be looked after, or what impact the project will have.”

On a recent morning, farmers gathered in a circle beside the main road in Mrima, discussing the mining plans as the wooded hill rose across the street.

“We are waiting to see what is going to happen,” Mwero said.

Kenya’s mining ambitions

Kenya’s Mining Minister Hassan Joho told The Associated Press earlier this week that a technical committee was evaluating five proposals and that an announcement would follow within two to three weeks.

While the ministry has not disclosed the nationalities of the bidders, citing confidentiality, Australian company RareX said its consortium with Iluka Resources — another Australian company — submitted a technical and financial proposal on Oct. 21.

Another company, Nasdaq-listed Critical Metals Corp., said in July that its consortium had been shortlisted for the final stage of bidding to develop the Mrima Hill rare earths and niobium project.

In a Sept. 28 interview with Semafor, a U.S.-based news outlet, Joho said the Kenyan government views mining and local mineral processing as a way to expand Kenya’s economy and create jobs. He said Kenya aimed to increase mining’s contribution to gross domestic product from about 1% to 10% within a decade. That target covers the entire mining sector.

In 2013, projections put the project’s potential gross revenue at about $62 billion over 23 years, according to mining news website Extractives Daily. The estimate was based on commodity prices at the time, excluded development and operating costs and did not indicate how much Kenya would receive.

A sacred forest and ancestral graves

For members of the local Digo community, Mrima Hill’s value cannot be measured by its minerals alone. It contains a sacred forest known as a kaya, where residents say their ancestors are buried.

“Our traditions and practices are organized around the forest,” said Masoud Suleiman Mwarizo, chairman of the Mrima Hill Digo Community Trust, formed in 2025 to defend the community’s interests in the project. “All our ancestors are buried here. We will refuse any digging of the hill.”

The Mrima Hill Sacred Grove forest reserve was designated a national monument in 1992.

The National Museums of Kenya did not respond to a request for comment.

Consultation and environmental concerns

Farmers around the hill fear that relocation could leave them with less productive land, though it remains unclear whether the project would require residents to move.

“We all rely on farming to survive. This land is fertile, and if we are relocated to less fertile land, hunger could strike us,” Mwero said.

Rama Bindo, treasurer of the Digo Community Trust, said residents without formal ownership documents were particularly vulnerable. “Not all farmers have title deeds to prove ownership of their land, and that makes it easy for land grabbing to happen,” Bindo said.

Joho, the mining minister, told the AP in an interview that the ministry consulted with the community before advertising the tender for developing Mrima Hill, and that once a winner is chosen, the ministry will formally introduce the company to the community so they can reach agreements.

Under Kenya’s Mining Act, a mining licence holder must sign a community development agreement with the community where mining takes place, and cannot start mining until landowners have been compensated.

Harry Kimtai, principal secretary at Kenya’s Mining Ministry, said that once a company is awarded the project, “communities will be encouraged to engage directly with the winner.” If disputes arise, he said, the government will explain residents’ rights and monitor whether the company complies with the law.

The Centre for Litigation Trust, a Kenyan civil society group, has challenged a proposed Kenya-U.S. agreement to develop Mrima Hill’s minerals. Details of that agreement have not been disclosed.

In a June 22 petition, the group said it asked the High Court in Kwale, a coastal town near Mrima Hill, to suspend the agreement until residents and their leaders are consulted. It argued that the bidding process lacked transparency and public participation. The government has not publicly explained how the agreement relates to the tender.

Kenya’s attorney general challenged the court’s jurisdiction, according to the group’s lawyer. The group says a ruling on that objection is scheduled for Nov. 6 and that no court order currently blocks the implementation of the agreement.

Meanwhile, residents and advocates want details about how the minerals would be extracted.

“We don’t know anything about the extraction method. Will it be open-pit mining, and what will be the impact on the environment and on health?” said Fakii Omar of the Kwale Mining Alliance, an advocacy group for mining-affected communities.

The National Environment Management Authority did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about environmental assessment, public consultation and the approval process.

RareX, the Australian rare earths exploration company, said its consortium’s proposal called for securing community support before mining begins and protecting residents, the environment and cultural heritage. It also said it proposed further study to determine whether the deposit could support underground mining.

Mwero said residents want a voice in decisions about their future.

“We want an open forum to discuss our concerns. We are the custodians of this land, and we should be the ones negotiating over it,” he said.

Death Toll Rises to 8 in Nairobi Collapsed Building Tragedy After More Bodies Found

By  EVELYNE MUSAMBI

12:07 PM EST, November 5, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Six bodies were retrieved from the debris of a building in Kenya’s capital on Thursday, two weeks after the deadly collapse, bringing the confirmed death toll to eight as police said recovery operations were nearing completion.

Sixteen people are still believed to be missing since the building fell on Oct. 23.

Four people were rescued alive from the 18-story building, which collapsed along a busy commercial street in Nairobi, while its upper floors were still under construction. The ground and basement floors had been rented out to businesses, including an electronics shop, a grocery store, a textile shop and a butchery.

Nairobi County Gov. Johnson Sakaja said the building had not been approved for construction and that the renting out of the completed floors was also illegal.

He blamed weak enforcement of construction regulations and minimal penalties for developers’ blatant disregard for building laws in the capital.

The developer has since been questioned by investigators, but no arrests have been made. The building was owned by two partners under a joint venture agreement.

Kenya has recorded 98 building collapses over the past five years, resulting in 104 deaths and 80 injuries, according to government data.

The country is currently co-hosting the International Conference on Strengthening Search and Rescue Services in Africa, alongside the United Nations and the Russian government. Participants are discussing innovations that could save lives during building collapses, with the aim of strengthening emergency response capacity across African countries.

Three days after the Nairobi building collapsed, the government partnered with a Chinese company that introduced thermal imaging technology at the site. The technology detected two people trapped beneath the rubble.

French Unions Join Forces for Nationwide Strikes, Increasing Pressure on Macron’s Government

Tens of thousands of French trade unions are joining forces for more nationwide strikes and demonstrations for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement

November 5, 2026 at 7:55 a.m. EST

Protesters walk during a demonstration demanding higher wages and supporting high school protest movement, in Lyon, France, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

By Sylvie Corbet | AP

PARIS — Tens of thousands of trade union members joined nationwide strikes and demonstrations on Thursday to demand higher wages and support the high school protest movement, piling fresh pressure on the beleaguered government.

After more than a month of large, recurring protests across France, major rallies took place again in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and elsewhere, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. Unions said about 260 rallies against rising living costs were planned nationwide.

Students also held fresh protests. About a third of France’s high schools were closed or unable to operate, some because of student blockades and others because teachers were on strike. Public transportation was heavily disrupted. Police in the northeastern city of Strasbourg urged people to exercise extreme caution near certain schools.

The Eiffel Tower was also closed.

The atmosphere was joyful and relaxed despite heavy security at the capital’s Place de la République, where Thursday’s march was due to begin in the early afternoon. Rioters had clashed with police there during protests marred by looting on Oct. 17.

Protesters carrying trade union flags gathered as hundreds of musicians played string, brass and percussion instruments, accompanied by singers.

Police are prepared but violence flares again

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that 70,000 police officers are being deployed, backed by armored vehicles, drones and helicopters. Police have been criticized for injuring protesters with heavy-handed tactics.

Many demonstrations have been marred by violence, much of it committed by masked rioters who do not support the students’ or workers’ demands.

Authorities in the western region of Brittany said “masked individuals” tried to block roads in Rennes on Thursday. They said young people, often accompanied by adults, committed “serious acts of violence,” including throwing steel balls at police.

Unions aim to send a warning

France’s main unions warned that the country is on the brink of recession and that layoff plans are multiplying. “Fuel, food products, rent, gas, electricity … everything’s going up except wages and pensions,” they said in a joint statement.

France is mired in debt and is one of the worst economic performers in Europe, along with Italy and Belgium.

The unions put President Emmanuel Macron’s government and employers on notice.

“Anger is immense,” they said. “The situation in this country is fragile. The pressing social and environmental challenges must be addressed without delay.”

Fabien Villedieu, national secretary of the SUD-Rail union, took aim at the government and the French rail company, SNCF.

“When the government is not reasonable, when the head of the SNCF is not reasonable — bosses in general are not reasonable — and when they’re not reasonable, we simply do what we’ve always done in France, which is to go on strike,” he told The Associated Press at the Paris Gare de Lyon station.

Before the strike action, the government had been negotiating with unions — a familiar scenario in French politics — in hopes of limiting the rioting, which has resulted in France’s worst civil unrest in years.

Protests are drawn into election campaigning

The movement began in September with a protest over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris and spread nationwide. It drew students demanding more education funding and workers seeking better pensions and help with soaring fuel prices and other costs.

The rallies come as the campaign to succeed Macron as president next May heats up, with political parties seeking to capitalize on the movement. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the favorite to win.

Some candidates, including veteran far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon , propose radical solutions that appear difficult to implement, said Paul Smith, an associate professor of French history and politics at the University of Nottingham in England.

“There is a sense of absolute frustration at the government’s failure to operate,” Smith said in an interview. “Whoever wins the presidential election is going to have a stack of problems to cope with.”

“It’s very difficult to see exactly where things go,” he said.

___

Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.

North Kordofan Struggles Under Sudan War’s Economic Fallout

04/11/2026 15:14 EL OBEID

El Obeid market before the war (Archive photo: Supplied)

Residents of El Obeid, the capital of Sudan’s North Kordofan, are facing worsening living conditions as fuel shortages, inadequate drinking water supplies, and soaring prices of essential goods deepen the economic crisis. Petrol costs more than SDG 30,000 per litre, disrupting transport and forcing many residents to travel on foot.

The continuing war and attacks on fuel stations and vital infrastructure are intensifying the economic and livelihood crises facing residents of El Obeid, leaving people struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

Resident Hassan Ibrahim Hassan described the hardship facing the city’s population, where fuel shortages, inadequate drinking water supplies, and rising prices of essential goods have combined to create an overwhelming burden.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, he said the fuel crisis was particularly severe. Petrol prices have exceeded SDG 30,000 per litre, while diesel has risen above SDG 35,000 per litre. A gallon now costs more than SDG 120,000 for petrol and SDG 140,000 for diesel.

The shortages have had a direct impact on transport and commercial activity, with public transport services disrupted by the lack of fuel and residents increasingly forced to travel on foot.

He added that the price of milk had also risen to more than SDG 12,000 per litre.

Drinking water supplies have also been affected, with the efficiency of the northern and southern water stations declining. This has forced residents to resort to salty water, which is unsuitable even for washing clothes or bathing. Despite its poor quality, the price has exceeded SDG 500 per litre, with four litres costing between SDG 1,500 and SDG 2,000.

Bread prices soar

The cost of bread, another basic necessity, has also risen sharply. Two small loaves, each weighing less than 40 grammes, now cost SDG 1,000. This consumes a substantial proportion of the already modest salaries earned by government employees.

The highest government salary does not exceed SDG 150,000, while some employees receive as little as SDG 40,000.

Prices of other essential commodities, including maize, millet, and meat, have also reached record levels, putting them beyond the reach of many wage earners.

A keila of millet now costs more than SDG 160,000, while a kilogramme of meat exceeds SDG 50,000.

These hardships are compounded by insufficient rainfall and the accumulated effects of the seasonal autumn crises, raising fears of a severe economic and humanitarian catastrophe for the people of El Obeid, already bearing the brunt of war and soaring living costs.

Drone Attacks Kill Civilians and Cripple Sudan’s Power Infrastructure, UN Warns of Growing Humanitarian Toll

04/11/2026 16:00 

EL SUNUT LOCALITY / ED DAMAZIN / EL ZAHOUR / KHARTOUM / ABYEI

Smoke rises over El Obeid following a drone attack in June 2026 (File photo: supplied)

Drone attacks across Sudan have killed at least 14 civilians and injured several others, while strikes on electricity infrastructure have triggered widespread power cuts and disrupted clean water supplies, prompting warnings from the United Nations and the Arab League.

The latest attacks killed eight people in Um Dibo, in El Sunut locality, West Kordofan, on Monday evening. Residents told Radio Dabanga that a drone strike also wounded three people.

On Tuesday, at least four people were killed and more than 10 injured when a drone struck a fuel station in the middle of the market in El Abbasiya Tagali, South Kordofan. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the injured were taken to the town’s hospital. The strike also damaged the station and several vehicles. Other sources reported that the same drone hit facilities in nearby Rashad, although the targets and extent of the damage remained unclear.

In Ed Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile region, drone attacks on several neighbourhoods killed a woman and a young man and wounded others on Tuesday evening, according to local sources. The strikes hit El Zahour, the Sudanese Armed Forces barracks area and El Ziraa El Aliya neighbourhoods, damaging a home.

The Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative identified the woman as Ilham Ali Shikan, a mother of three, and said another woman, Amal Bashir, was wounded. The initiative blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, for the attack and called for an end to strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Blue Nile governor Ahmed El Omda also condemned the attacks, describing them as an assault on civilians and civilian property.

‘UN warns of growing humanitarian toll’

The latest incidents come amid a wider campaign of drone strikes against electricity and fuel infrastructure across Sudan. The Arab League condemned repeated attacks it attributed to the RSF on energy facilities in Khartoum, El Gezira, Sennar, El Gedaref, River Nile, and Red Sea states.

The organisation said the strikes had severely damaged power facilities, knocked several out of service and cut electricity to large areas, worsening conditions for civilians. It warned that deliberately targeting power stations and other civilian infrastructure that does not constitute a military objective violates international humanitarian law and could amount to a war crime.

The United Nations also warned that continued drone attacks on critical energy infrastructure were disrupting essential services. UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was deeply concerned about the attacks and their impact on people across several states.

According to reports cited by the UN, drones targeted two power stations in Kassala state and a substation in Merowe on Tuesday. Earlier attacks hit electricity facilities in River Nile state on Monday, a substation in Red Sea state on Saturday, and sites in North Kordofan and El Gezira.

UN humanitarian partners warned that power cuts and fuel shortages had disrupted clean water supplies, forcing residents to rely on untreated sources and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Dujarric said the secretary-general strongly condemned the escalating drone attacks by parties to the conflict. In a statement issued two days earlier, the secretary-general said drone strikes had killed hundreds of civilians, including women and children, across Sudan and the Abyei area, in what he described as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

He also condemned attacks on civilians and the critical infrastructure they depend on, including healthcare facilities, and urged the warring parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and engage in mediation efforts led by his personal envoy to Sudan, Pekka Haavisto.

The Arab League reiterated its support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Its secretary-general also appointed Zaid Al-Sabban as his personal envoy for Sudan.

Sudanese Security Forces Summon Striking Teachers in Khartoum

5 November 2026

Teachers protest against military rule 21 October 2021, Sudanese Teachers Committee photo

November 5, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee said on Thursday that security forces summoned two of its members in Khartoum State’s Umbadda locality.Sudan travel guide

The summons coincides with an ongoing teachers’ strike in the state, which is now in its third week.

Teachers are protesting poor professional and living conditions while demanding better terms of service and union rights.

In a statement, the committee said security officers summoned teachers Al-Nayer Al-Tarifi Hamad Al-Nil and Mohammed Adam over their involvement in the strike movement.

Adam has been bedridden for over a month with a broken leg, the committee noted.

Despite his condition, authorities took him to the General Intelligence Service headquarters in Umbadda, accusing him of inciting the strike.

The union accused authorities of using security measures instead of addressing catastrophic conditions in the education sector.

It described the actions as a deliberate attempt to restrict union activities and undermine the ongoing strike.

Holding the authorities responsible for its members’ safety, the committee demanded an immediate end to security harassment.

It also called on the government to respect the right of teachers to organize and strike.

The committee urged teachers to remain united and committed to their demands, vowing to continue their strike.

Bread Prices Double in Sudan After Currency Hits Record Low

By Al Mayadeen English

Sudan imports most of its wheat and fuel, so the pound’s fall to a record low of over 10,500 per dollar feeds straight into the price of bread. UN-backed reports warn famine could reach eight cities by 2027.

The price of a loaf of bread in Khartoum has doubled from 250 to 500 Sudanese pounds in a week, following a record depreciation of the currency and shortages of fuel and flour, which have closed most bakeries in the capital, AFP reported.

The Sudanese pound has lost about 25 percent of its value against the US dollar over the past month, and since Sudan imports most of its wheat, the price of flour follows the exchange rate. 

The currency reached a record low of more than 10,500 pounds to the dollar before recovering to about 10,200 on Wednesday, compared with 500 to the dollar in 2023, when the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began.

Households cut back on bread

AFP reported that some families in Khartoum now spend close to their entire income on bread. Sawsan Mahmoud, a 44-year-old mother of three, said she and her husband set aside 900,000 pounds ($88) a month for it, almost the sum of their two salaries. “The situation has become unbearable,” she told the agency, adding that the family now eats bread with one meal a day.

Meat has become harder to afford as well. A kilogram costs between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds, shopper Al-Muradi Awad told AFP, so a buyer who once took two kilograms now takes 125 grams.

Bakeries forced to close

On the other end, bakers in the capital described a market with almost no flour. Mohammed al-Fateh, who runs a bakery in Khartoum, said many bakeries have shut because flour is unavailable, and that people can spend a day or two at a distribution center and return with nothing.

Another baker, Mutawakil Ahmed Babiker, said the price of flour has doubled and power cuts force him to buy fuel for a generator. He sells a loaf for 500 pounds, below its cost, and cannot raise the price given his customers’ circumstances. He said he will most likely close the bakery.

Residents of the capital are again lining up at public kitchens for free meals, AFP reported. Many of these kitchens had stopped operating after the army retook Khartoum and drove out the RSF in March 2025.

The Ombada Emergency Room, which coordinates community kitchens in Omdurman, warned that need is spreading to thousands more families and displaced people, and that food shortages and rising prices are putting even one meal a day out of reach.

Fuel shortages

Khartoum and parts of eastern Sudan are suffering widespread power outages after repeated RSF drone attacks on power stations, AFP reported.

Fuel is also scarce. A civil servant, Yasser Mohammed, told the agency he had waited outside a gas station since 6 am and still had no petrol by 4 pm, which cost him a day of work. 

Sudan imports most of its fuel, and the weaker pound has reduced the government’s capacity to pay for it.

Famine warnings widen

The central bureau of statistics put the poverty rate at 80 percent and last year’s inflation at 99 percent. International organizations have warned that famine, already declared in parts of the country, could spread, while about 20 million people face severe food insecurity.

UN-backed reports say more than 200,000 people in South Kordofan and North Darfur are experiencing famine, and warn it could reach eight cities by 2027.

Outside Khartoum, most wheat arrives as aid, but fuel shortages, rising prices, and road closures caused by the fighting block deliveries.

The army controls Khartoum and central and eastern Sudan, while the RSF holds the Darfur region in the west and parts of the south.

US Prepares to Establish New Military Base in Somalia's Puntland

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 19:23

US military cargo aircraft have reportedly arrived in the coastal city of Bosaso as Washington prepares to establish a new military facility and train local security forces, amid reports of a US withdrawal from another base in southern Somalia.

The United States has begun preliminary preparations to establish a new military facility in the coastal city of Bosaso in Somalia's northeastern Puntland region, Somali media reported, following the arrival of US military cargo aircraft at the city's airport in recent days.

The reported move comes amid indications of a broader restructuring of the US military presence in Somalia.

According to local sources cited by Baidoa Online, the aircraft movements are linked to preparations for the facility, under an alleged understanding reached between Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni and US officials to expand security and military cooperation.

The sources said preliminary activities related to the project had begun, although Washington has not officially confirmed the start of construction or disclosed the facility's nature, size, or intended functions.

US reportedly plans to train Puntland security forces

Meanwhile, Garowe Online reported that Puntland authorities had begun selecting around 100 personnel from different security units to undergo US military training in Bosaso.

The outlet said the arrangements form part of security understandings involving the training, equipping, and financing of local forces to strengthen their capabilities against armed groups.

In August, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni held talks with officials from the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) on expanding security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts, alongside plans to develop the US military presence in Bosaso.

The discussions reportedly addressed efforts against ISIS and Al-Shabaab in the mountainous areas of the Bari region, as well as cooperation on maritime security and counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Reports of US withdrawal from Balidogle base

The developments coincide with reports that US military personnel have left the Balidogle airbase in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region in the south of the country.

Washington had used the facility to train the Danab special forces and support military operations against Al-Shabaab.

Bosaso holds strategic importance due to its location on the Gulf of Aden and its proximity to maritime routes leading to the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The surrounding mountainous areas of Puntland are also sites of activity by armed groups.

Previous US reports have pointed to plans to expand intelligence activities and air operations from Bosaso airport, potentially strengthening surveillance of armed groups and counterterrorism operations.

US forces allegedly continue to conduct airstrikes against ISIS and Al-Shabaab in Somalia, in coordination with the federal government in Mogadishu, according to publicly stated arrangements.

Western Sahara: UN ‘Stands Ready’ to Keep Supporting Peace Efforts as MINURSO Mission Ends

Three UN peacekeepers prepare for a practical training on UXO marking in a desert landscape, with UN vehicles in the background.

1 November 2026 

Peace and Security

The UN remains committed to supporting a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution in Western Sahara that provides for the self-determination of its people, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday, as the UN peacekeeping mission there began to wind down.

The departure of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) “does not abrogate” the people’s “inalienable right to self-determination”, his statement said, delivered by his Spokesperson. 

It called on all parties “to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara.”

The mission’s mandate expired at midnight on Saturday, after the Security Council failed on Friday to agree on its future. 

A draft resolution from the United States was vetoed by Russia, while a rival Russian text failed to win the nine votes needed for adoption.

Although MINURSO’s operations have now ended, the UN will keep working towards a peaceful resolution through the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura.

Orderly withdrawal

Mr. Guterres recognized the “central role” MINURSO has played since 1991 in helping to monitor the ceasefire and in creating conditions for the pursuit of a political solution.

He expressed his “deepest gratitude” to the mission’s personnel, including the Special Representative for Western Sahara, Alexander Ivanko. Mr. Ivanko led the mission through a “particularly challenging period" after hostilities resumed in 2020.

The UN chief also paid tribute to the 20 MINURSO personnel who lost their lives during the mission’s 35 years in the territory.

When its mandate ended, the mission was headquartered in Laayoune, with nine team sites – four west of the berm and five east of it – and a liaison office in Tindouf. 

It had some 160 military observers and around 180 civilian and affiliated personnel, as well as a dedicated mine action capability.

Sunday marks the start of a liquidation period. A smaller team reporting to the UN Department of Operational Support will oversee the disposal of UN equipment.

Mr. Guterres called for the full cooperation of the parties so the process can be completed in an orderly way as soon as possible.

‘Maximum restraint’

The Secretary-General said he remains concerned about the security situation throughout the territory and the risk of hostilities escalating.

He urged all concerned “to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from actions that could further increase tensions or undermine regional stability.”

Divided council

The US delegate in the council on Friday said his country’s draft would have supported the principle of self-determination and “moved the 50-year conflict forward”, calling the status quo unacceptable.

Explaining the veto, the Russian delegate said the text would have imposed one-sided solutions, describing his vote as “a life-saving veto, so to speak”.

Russia’s alternative, a one-year extension of the mandate to 31 October 2027, failed to attract enough support from the 15-nation body.

MINURSO was established under Council resolution 690 (1991), in line with UN-Organization of African Unity settlement proposals accepted in 1988 by Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO. 

These provided for a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco. While the referendum never took place, MINURSO continued to carry out the tasks entrusted to it by the council.

In 2007, Morocco put forward an Autonomy Proposal as a basis for negotiations. It envisages the territory as self-governing under Moroccan sovereignty.

In closing, the statement said that while MINURSO’s peacekeeping operations had concluded, “the United Nations stands ready to continue supporting efforts to advance dialogue and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict.”

Why a US-Russia Showdown Left Morocco Celebrating

Basma El Atti

Morocco claims Western Sahara as part of its territory

Morocco has welcomed the end of a decades-long UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, after a diplomatic showdown between the US and Russia left the Security Council unable to agree on its future.

The council failed on Friday to renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) after Russia vetoed a US-backed proposal. A rival Russian draft to extend the mission also failed to secure enough votes.

The decision raises questions about the future of Africa's longest territorial dispute and the fragile ceasefire between Morocco, which claims Western Sahara, and the Polisario Front which has been fighting for the territory's independence for more than 50 years.

Here is what you need to know.

Why is Western Sahara disputed?

Western Sahara, on Africa's north-west coast, was a Spanish colony until 1975. It has significant phosphate reserves and valuable fishing grounds along its Atlantic coast.

As Spain prepared to withdraw, both Morocco and Mauritania claimed the territory.

The International Court of Justice found historical ties of allegiance but no territorial sovereignty that overrode the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.

Morocco's then King Hassan II responded by organising the Green March. On 6 November 1975 about 350,000 Moroccan civilians entered the territory in a mass demonstration intended to put pressure on Spain.

Days later, Spain signed the Madrid Accords with Morocco and Mauritania, agreeing to transfer administrative control. Morocco took the northern two-thirds and Mauritania the southern third. The agreement did not settle the question of sovereignty.

The Polisario Front, an independence movement founded in 1973, opposed the deal. It saw it as replacing Spanish colonial rule with Moroccan and Mauritanian control.

Mauritania renounced its claim in 1979, but Morocco continued fighting Polisario.

Map showing the sand wall or "berm"

Algeria became Polisario's main regional ally, providing military support and hosting its leadership and thousands of Sahrawi refugees in camps near the city of Tindouf.

The North African country says its position is based on the right to self-determination, while Morocco sees Western Sahara as an integral part of its territory.

Morocco and Algeria fought a brief border war in 1963 over disagreements about territory inherited from French colonial rule. Their relationship has remained tense, with Western Sahara at the centre of their dispute.

What was the UN's mission role?

After 16 years of fighting, Morocco and Polisario agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991, with the territory divided by a sand wall, or berm, to keep the rival forces apart.

The UN established Minurso to monitor the ceasefire and organise a referendum on the territory's future. Sahrawis were meant to choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

The vote was scheduled for 1992 but never took place. The two sides could not agree on who would be eligible to participate, with disputes over voter identification becoming a major obstacle.

In 2007, Morocco put forward a proposal for autonomy, which would see Sahrawis managing their internal affairs, while Rabat retained control over defence and foreign relations.

The Polisario Front and Algeria rejected the plan, insisting on a referendum that included independence as an option.

Years of UN-sponsored negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough.

The ceasefire broke down in November 2020, when Polisario said it was resuming armed struggle.

But following a long diplomatic campaign by Morocco, the UN Security Council voted in 2025 in favour of a resolution backing the autonomy plan as the "most feasible" solution for the disputed territory.

While most Sahrawis live in the part of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco, tens of thousands are estimated to be in refugee camps in Algeria.

What happened at the UN?

The US proposed extending Minurso's mandate for another year, but its draft went beyond the usual renewal.

It would have removed the word "referendum" from the mission's name and made Morocco's autonomy proposal the sole basis for further negotiations.

The draft received the support of 11 of the Security Council's 15 members, including France and the UK but Russia vetoed it, arguing that it was too favourable to Morocco.

Russia then proposed extending Minurso's mandate without changing its terms. That draft also failed, receiving only two votes in favour.

Minurso's mandate expired at the end of Saturday, 31 October. The UN said the following day that the mission had entered a liquidation period, with a reduced team overseeing the transfer of military equipment and other assets.

The UN mission has been in Western Sahara since 1991

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination must be respected and warned of the risk of renewed hostilities.

The Polisario Front condemned the US proposal. Its representative, Sidi Omar, thanked Russia for vetoing it, saying it would "torpedo the foundations of the UN peace process" and threaten regional and international peace.

Morocco, meanwhile, said the mission's personnel and equipment should leave the territory in the coming days, arguing that Western Sahara issue should no longer be considered by the Security Council.

Minurso had 155 military personnel and was expected to cost $62m (£46m) in the financial year beginning in June, according to a UN report.

Why is Morocco celebrating the end of the UN mission?

Morocco's royal palace welcomed the failure to renew Minurso's mandate.

In Laayoune, the territory's largest city, footage showed people celebrating, waving Moroccan flags and displaying portraits of King Mohammed VI.

"The decision is an opportunity for Rabat to challenge what it sees as an international mechanism that has failed to resolve the dispute," Issam Laaroussi, a Moroccan expert in international relations, tells the BBC.

He said Morocco would now have more room to push its autonomy proposal and shift negotiations away from a referendum on independence towards autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

The decision does not, however, change Western Sahara's legal status or amount to international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty.

Western Sahara remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories, while the African Union officially recognises its independence, as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

But the decision comes after several countries backed the position of Morocco, which in recent years has made securing international support for its claim a central part of its foreign policy.

In 2020, the US recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara as part of an agreement to establish diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel.

France also backed Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for resolving the dispute in 2024.

Thousands of Sahrawis live in refugee camps in Algeria

Morocco rejoined the African Union in 2017, more than three decades after leaving its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, in protest at the SADR's admission.

Since returning, Rabat has sought to build support for its position from within the organisation. At least 10 African countries have opened diplomatic missions in the territory in support of Rabat.

"Morocco is not necessarily seeking to abandon the UN process, but to change the framework for negotiations and draw greater support from regional organisations," says Laaroussi.

Addressing a special joint session of parliament on Monday, House of Representatives Speaker Ahmed Touizi hailed the end of Minurso as a victory for the country's diplomacy.

He said the country should now move from "managing the dispute to implementing its autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, while pressing ahead with development projects in the territory."

Could this lead to a renewed war?

The fear is that Minurso's departure could lead to renewed fighting.

The mission has monitored military developments and helped reduce the risk of escalation.

Aid organisation Oxfam warned that losing its monitoring and de-escalation role could undermine stability, with serious consequences for civilians.

Laaroussi admits that the mission's departure could create security gaps.

"Minurso's departure does not create the original conflict, because the conflict is already there, but it could aggravate an already fragile security environment," he says.

The UN decision has also fuelled nationalist rhetoric online.

Several Moroccan users have shared AI-generated images of themselves in military uniform, declaring their readiness to fight for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.

In Morocco, Western Sahara is widely regarded as a national cause. Political parties that are often divided on other issues are united in supporting the country's claim to sovereignty over the territory.

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has said the end of the mission does not mean the end of the ceasefire, and that Rabat remains committed to it "within respect of its security and sovereignty."

Polisario has not said what it will do next.

And resumption of fighting could well draw in Algeria, as tensions with Morocco remain high.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), both countries significantly increased military spending last year, with SIPRI citing their dispute over Western Sahara as a key driver.

Algeria spent an estimated $25.4bn, more than four time Morocco's $6.3bn.

After 35 Years, UN Pulls the Plug on Western Sahara Mission

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 10:32

The UN’s MINURSO mission in Western Sahara ends after 35 years as the Security Council fails to renew its mandate.

The United Nations will wind down its long-running peacekeeping presence in Western Sahara, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Sunday, after the Security Council did not extend the operation’s mandate.

Western Sahara, a vast and mineral-rich territory once colonized by Spain, has long been contested between Morocco, which controls most of the region, and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks full independence.

Morocco, which regards the disputed territory as its own, praised the outcome. The Polisario Front expressed concerns.

Background

The force, called MINURSO, was deployed in 1991 to oversee a UN-negotiated ceasefire. The Polisario has campaigned for an independent state in the territory ever since Spain, the colonial ruler, pulled out in 1976.

According to Guterres, the mission’s “liquidation phase” began on November 1, and its equipment will be shipped back to the countries that supplied troops.

How the mandate lapsed

The decision follows a Security Council vote a year earlier, when members approved a US-written resolution describing Rabat’s proposal of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the “most feasible” path to resolving the dispute.

Russia held back from voting on that measure. This time, it used its veto against a new American-backed text that would have reinforced the preference for Morocco’s plan while shrinking the peacekeeping contingent. A rival draft submitted by Russia was then voted down, so the mission’s authorization simply ran out.

MINURSO’s responsibilities went beyond watching over the truce. It was also meant to arrange a referendum on the territory’s future, but that vote never happened because the parties could not agree on who should be allowed to take part.

Reactions

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told state media that the “R” in the mission’s name, which stands for referendum, was outdated, calling it an “anachronism”.

He said Morocco had been warned in advance that Russia would block the American draft and viewed the situation as a chance to “review certain rules of the game.”

Morocco’s royal palace described the lapse as a “significant development” that moves the issue closer to being taken off the Security Council’s agenda.

On its part, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry voiced “deep regret” on Saturday, accusing Washington of “excessive bias” in favor of Morocco.

The Polisario said it was “concerned at the deadlock in the Security Council meeting.”

US-led push and international reactions

The resolution marks the latest step in Washington’s backing of Morocco’s sovereignty claim. In 2020, during his first term, Trump formally recognized Moroccan control over Western Sahara after Rabat agreed to normalize relations with “Israel”, an arrangement that advanced strategic goals for both sides.

Since then, several European powers, including Spain, France, Britain, and Germany, have voiced support for Morocco’s stance on the territory.

Libya’s East and West Army Chiefs Set for Paris Talks

Martyred Pan-Africanist Leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi assassinated by imperialism in 2011.

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Anadolu Agency

4 Nov 2026 16:42

The planned meeting would follow talks in Luanda in June and Sirte in July, as efforts to unify Libya’s divided military institution continue.

Libyan military sources have told Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency that an unannounced meeting is expected between the chiefs of staff of western and eastern Libya, under French sponsorship, to discuss the latest developments in efforts to unify the country’s military institutions.

In further detail, Salah al-Din al-Namroush, Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s Government of National Unity, and Khaled Haftar, Chief of Staff of the forces of the General Command in the east of the country, have reportedly arrived in France, with talks between them expected under French sponsorship on unifying the divided military institution.

Meeting to discuss several files

The Government of National Unity said in a statement on Tuesday that French Chief of the Defense Staff Fabien Mandon received al-Namroush, in the presence of a number of officials and officers, at the start of an official visit to France.

The statement said the visit falls within the framework of consultations between the two countries and the discussion of several files and issues of mutual interest, reflecting the importance of communication and coordination between the two sides.

At the same time, Haftar arrived in the French capital on an official visit, during which he is expected to meet the French chief of the defence staff, according to Benghazi TV, which is close to the General Command in eastern Libya.

The channel said the planned meeting would address military cooperation and ways to strengthen coordination and exchange expertise in defense fields, as well as security issues of mutual concern amid the challenges facing the region.

Both Chiefs arrive in France ahead of expected talks

Libyan military sources also told Anadolu that talks between al-Namroush and Haftar are expected in Paris, under French sponsorship and with Mandon in attendance.

The sources said the meeting would review the latest developments in the file on unifying Libya’s divided military institution and follow up on practical steps taken to that end. They stressed that the meeting would not be official, giving no details on when it would take place.

Al-Namroush and Haftar have met twice already this year. The first meeting took place in Luanda last June, on the sidelines of the African Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, where they also held a meeting with the commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson.

A push to unify Libya’s military

The second meeting was held in the Libyan city of Sirte last July, with the participation of members of the Joint Military Commission (5+5) and the (3+3) committee, to discuss steps to unify the military institution and strengthen security coordination.

Efforts to unify the military institution are being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, through the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which comprises five military representatives, each from eastern and western Libya.

It is worth noting that the UN mission is reportedly leading efforts to end the political division and hold long-delayed elections, with the aim of renewing the legitimacy of institutions and unifying them.

Libya Political Settlement Faces Hurdles Over UN-backed Dialogue

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 19:46

Libya's Mohamed al-Menfi and Mohamed Takala discuss efforts to reach a political settlement and hold elections amid disputes over the UN-backed 4+4 agreement and US warnings.

Libya's Presidential Council head Mohamed al-Menfi met with High Council of State President Mohamed Takala to discuss efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement that would pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections, amid continued disagreements over a UN-backed dialogue committee agreement and US warnings against obstructing the political process.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Presidential Council said the meeting addressed political developments and efforts to create conditions for reviving the political process, with the aim of reaching a national settlement that would end institutional divisions and enable elections.

Al-Menfi and Takala stressed the importance of protecting the judiciary and preserving its independence from political interference and alignments, describing it as a constitutional pillar of state stability and a safeguard for rights, freedoms and the rule of law.

The two officials also emphasized the need to preserve the unity and independence of sovereign institutions and respect their legally defined responsibilities to prevent competing decisions and the use of state institutions in political disputes.

Disagreements persist over '4+4' agreement

The meeting comes as disagreements continue among Libyan institutions over an agreement reached by the UN-sponsored "4+4" mini-dialogue committee on August 30, aimed at overcoming the political deadlock and establishing arrangements for elections.

Al-Menfi previously expressed reservations about the committee's working mechanisms and the level of representation of Libyan institutions within it. The High Council of State, under Takala's leadership, rejected the agreement on October 5, arguing that it bypassed the constitutional, legal and consensus-based frameworks governing the political process.

Under the agreement, the committee proposed restructuring the board of the High National Elections Commission and addressing disagreements over the constitutional and legal framework for elections. It also set out a plan to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within no more than 24 months, under a single executive authority and unified institutions.

At its latest meeting in London last week, the committee agreed to expand consultations with various components of the judicial institution to address divisions and safeguard the judiciary's independence and role in facilitating elections.

Committee members also agreed to maintain contacts with political parties to broaden support for the August agreement, with another meeting scheduled in two weeks.

Security Council extends UN mission mandate

The latest political discussions follow the UN Security Council's adoption on Friday of Resolution 2835, extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until October 31, 2027. Thirteen members supported the resolution, while Russia and Greece abstained.

The resolution reaffirmed support for UN Secretary-General's Special Representative Hanna Tetteh in leading an inclusive political process. It called on Libyan parties to participate in negotiations without preconditions, work toward unifying state institutions and establish a unified executive authority to prepare for nationwide elections.

Al-Menfi welcomed the extension, stressing that the political process must remain Libyan-led and Libyan-owned and rest on broad national consensus involving all relevant institutions and political forces.

He warned that agreements reached without national consensus would not ensure a sustainable political settlement, rejecting efforts to restrict negotiations to a limited group of parties.

Washington warns against obstructing political process

US President Donald Trump's adviser Massad Boulos warned that Washington would not hesitate to take strong measures against parties deliberately obstructing initiatives aimed at resolving Libya's crisis.

Speaking on Saturday, Boulos said the extension of UNSMIL's mandate complemented the US initiative to unify the executive authority and strengthen the sovereignty of the Libyan state.

He also pointed to measures outlined in Security Council Resolution 2174, which provides for sanctions against individuals and entities involved in obstructing or undermining Libya's political transition.

Libya continues to face political and institutional divisions, with two rival governments operating in the country. The Government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, is based in Tripoli, while a rival administration led by Osama Hammad operates in Benghazi under an appointment by the House of Representatives.