AU Member States Validate African Continental Health Data Governance Framework

Validation marks a major step toward a shared continental approach to secure, ethical and sovereign health data governance, ahead of finalisation and consideration through African Union policy processes.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 22 October 2026 – African Union (AU) Member States have validated the African Continental Health Data Governance Framework, paving the way for Africa’s first common continental approach on the lawful, secure, ethical and sovereign governance of health data.

The framework aims to establish an integrated African health data ecosystem in which Member States govern, protect and use health data. It will also guide countries in developing national legislation, policies and governance systems, while enabling secure data sharing to improve disease surveillance, public health responses and healthcare delivery.

Developed through successive consultations with AU Member States and stakeholders since 2025, the Framework has enabled countries to assess its provisions against diverse legal, institutional and digital-health contexts.

Its validation comes as Africa’s health systems become increasingly digital. Electronic health records, health information exchanges and artificial intelligence (AI) offer new opportunities to improve healthcare, strengthen disease surveillance and make better use of limited resources amid declining development assistance.

However, gaps in privacy protection, cybersecurity and legal safeguards increase the risk of data misuse, algorithmic bias and declining public trust. The framework addresses these challenges by establishing common safeguards while allowing countries to retain control over their health data.

Kenya is among the countries advancing digital health through legislation, institutional reforms and investment in digital systems. Its Digital Health Act of 2023 and Data Protection Act provide a legal foundation for managing health information, while the Digital Health Agency is developing an integrated system for securely exchanging health data. These reforms are supporting the transition from paper-based records to digital services, including faster processing of health insurance payments – facilitated by the widespread use of mobile money.

“Our experience shows how digital health can improve healthcare delivery. This framework will provide common safeguards and enable countries to share health data securely while retaining control over it,” said Dr Ayub Manya, Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services (Digital Health) at the Ministry of Health in Kenya.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya said the framework marks a shift towards African ownership and governance of health data, placing Member States at the centre of decisions on how their data is managed, protected and shared.

“For too long, Africa’s health data have been fragmented across disconnected systems. This Framework puts governments in the lead and Member States at the centre of decisions on how health data are governed, protected and used. Health sovereignty begins with owning, protecting and using our own data,” he said.

The framework builds on existing AU instruments, including the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention), the AU Data Policy Framework (2022) and the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030).

A key feature is its proposed federated approach, which would allow countries to share information securely across borders without relinquishing oversight of their national health data systems. This would enable more coordinated responses to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.

With validation now secured, Africa CDC will finalise the framework based on the agreed amendments and advance it through relevant African Union policy processes, with consideration anticipated in 2027. Member States will then lead its implementation, with technical assistance from Africa CDC and Transform Health, a partner supporting the development and validation process.

“Robust legislative and regulatory frameworks that ensure the responsible and equitable collection and use of health data are the bedrock of trustworthy digital health and AI transformation,” said Mathilde Forslund, Chief Executive Officer of Transform Health. “The validation of this Framework by AU Member States demonstrates inspiring regional leadership.”

She added: “By co-creating rules that protect rights, ensure equity, and uphold data sovereignty, Africa is establishing the safeguards for responsible health data governance that can guide global health governance.”

Judith Nguimfack, Head of the Digital Health and Information Systems Division at Africa CDC, said the next priority is translating the continental framework into national action. “This Framework belongs to Member States. Countries across the continent have examined it against their own legal, institutional and digital realities and reached common ground on the principles that should guide health data governance in Africa,” she said.

“With validation completed, the priority now is to finalise the agreed amendments, advance the Framework through the relevant AU policy processes and, most importantly, prepare for implementation at country level,” Ms Nguimfack added.

About Africa CDC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the African Union’s autonomous public health agency. Established in 2016 and launched in 2017, it works with Member States to strengthen public health systems and improve disease prevention, preparedness and emergency response. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, it operates through five Regional Coordinating Centres. For more information, visit: http://www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Media enquiries: Directorate of Communications and Public Information, Africa CDC | Email: communications@africacdc.org

About Transform Health

Transform Health is a global coalition of 230+ organisations across 65 countries. We work to strengthen the enabling environment for the equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and rights-based digital health transformation to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.

Website: transformhealthcoalition.org

Contact: Tejas Tandon, Communications Manager | tejas.tandon@transformhealthcoalition.org

Africa at Risk of Continent-wide Ebola Crisis, Health Chief Warns

Ruben Nyanguila

Reporter, Semafor Africa

Oct 23, 2026, 5:47am EDT

Africa

Travelers next to a banner displayed by a health screening station at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters

In this article:

The Ebola outbreak that began in DR Congo is becoming a continental crisis after authorities initially underestimated its spread, the head of Africa’s public health agency told Semafor as new cases were reported as far afield as Nigeria.

More than 4,600 people have died in the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain which was first detected in DR Congo in May, though health experts believe it had been circulating undetected for weeks. It has now spread further across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak, with cases in the continent’s central, eastern and western regions. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, confirmed its first case of the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no proven vaccine, despite being absent from the agency’s initial list of 15 countries at risk, he said. Kenya has reported nine cases while Uganda, which recorded 20 cases, was declared free of Ebola in August.

“We could see every region of Africa affected, and that is beginning to happen,” Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an exclusive interview. He said the outbreak had initially been viewed as less dangerous and easier to contain, with little expectation that it would spread to other African regions, which had proved to be wrong.

Ebola is changing how African governments organize their response, Kaseya said, with Nigeria’s case prompting stronger solidarity across the continent. Health, finance and transport ministers will meet next week with regional organizations invited, to discuss national and cross-border measures.

Kaseya said he expects a response plan dividing responsibilities among regional organizations and other partners to be ready by then, ahead of a summit of African leaders where he hopes to secure funding commitments.

As Ebola spreads across Africa, Kaseya warned against closing borders to contain it. “We do not recommend border closures,” he said, arguing that the measure had already proved ineffective. “People will start using informal, unofficial routes, and they will still cross.”

The patient diagnosed in Nigeria, a woman who had traveled from Uganda, went roughly 10 days undiagnosed. “The patient was in one private facility, then another, without being tested,” Kaseya said. That delay posed a greater risk of further spread than in Kenya, he said. Kenya isolated its first patient soon after arrival.

The Nigerian government has pledged funding for the response, Kaseya said, without specifying an amount. Africa CDC has sent a team to support Nigeria’s response, where Kaseya said aid partners must report their funding and activities to the government.

Nigeria’s health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, said authorities had found no evidence that the virus had spread into communities. “This is a contained single case, and we are diligently working to ensure that it remains so,” he told reporters at a press conference late on Thursday.

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The spread of the Bundibugyo strain comes against the backdrop of deep cuts to Western aid budgets, which has prompted health experts to argue that a lack of resources reduced the presence of health workers on the ground, slowing the response to the outbreak.

Jullien Harneis, the UN’s senior Ebola coordinator, said the outbreak’s expanding reach required more teams, coordination and logistical support. “Its geographic spread is a real management challenge,” he told Semafor.

Africa CDC warned last week that aid organizations had not reported more than $700 million in donor funding to Congolese authorities. It backed government sanctions, including withdrawing permission to operate, against organizations that continued to refuse to account for their funds.

“We have now traced $450 million,” Kaseya told Semafor. “We will never again manage an outbreak in Africa the way we managed it in DR Congo,” he said, referring to the funding dispute.

This latest Ebola outbreak is the second deadliest in history after the 2014-16 epidemic which killed more than 11,300 people, mostly in West Africa. There is no known vaccine for this species of the virus, known as Bundibugyo, but Ervebo, effective against another species, is being tested. The Ervebo vaccine has been administered to 9,000 frontline workers.

Ebola: Africa CDC Convenes African Ministers of Health as Ebola Outbreak Spreads Across Three Regions

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 21 October 2026

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will convene a high-level virtual meeting of African Ministers of Health on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, as the ongoing Ebola outbreak poses an escalating threat to health security across the continent.

Five months into the response, the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cases now reported in Kenya and Nigeria. The geographic spread across Central, Eastern and Western Africa demands urgent, coordinated action.

Since Africa CDC declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on 18 May 2026, Member States, frontline health workers and partners have made sustained efforts to contain transmission. The evolving situation now calls for renewed political commitment, intensified response measures and stronger continental solidarity.

The 28 October meeting will provide an opportunity for Ministers of Health to assess the situation, strengthen coordination across borders, accelerate support to affected countries and reinforce preparedness throughout the continent.

“Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership. We have the expertise and the capacity on this continent. We must mobilise them together to stop this outbreak and save lives,” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

The ministerial meeting is also expected to inform preparations for a Heads of State and Government Summit under the leadership of H.E. President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Chairperson of the African Union.

Africa CDC calls on all Member States to strengthen vigilance, surveillance, cross-border cooperation, community engagement and the protection of frontline health workers.

Africa must act together, with urgency and determination, to bring this outbreak to an end.

About Africa CDC

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the African Union’s autonomous public health agency. Established in 2016 and launched in 2017, it works with Member States to strengthen public health systems and improve disease prevention, preparedness and emergency response. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, it operates through five Regional Coordinating Centres. For more information, visit: http://www.africacdc.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Media enquiries: Directorate of Communications and Public Information, Africa CDC | Email: communications@africacdc.org

Africa CDC Calls an Ebola Crisis Summit as Nigeria Records Its First Case

By OPE ADETAYO

12:22 AM EDT, October 22, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — African health ministers were invited Wednesday to an “extraordinary virtual meeting” to discuss the spread of Ebola after Nigeria reported its first case of the disease that has claimed thousands of lives and has spread rapidly since an outbreak began in Congo in May.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the Oct. 28 meeting would “strengthen our collective response.”

On Tuesday, Nigeria reported its first case, linked to a traveler from Uganda who arrived in the country earlier this month.

Uganda, which declared itself Ebola-free in July after recording 20 cases, has denied claims that Nigeria’s first case originated there. Nigerian authorities said they were tracing 44 contacts.

The patient, a foreign national who entered Nigeria on Oct. 5, was initially treated for malaria symptoms but failed to recover, arousing suspicions in the attending physicians, Odianosen Ehiakhamen, an assistant director at the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, told a local media outlet late Tuesday.

He said the 44 contacts are mostly healthcare workers but also the patient’s spouse, a Swiss national.

Nigeria and Kenya, which has recorded nine cases, are the latest countries to report cases linked to travelers who passed through Uganda.

The latest outbreak was first detected in Congo in May after spreading undetected for months, according to the World Health Organization. It has since infected more than 9,500 people and killed nearly half of them, making it the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak in history.

“Ebola is now affecting three regions of Africa. The situation demands urgent action and political leadership at the highest level,” Kaseya said in a post on X.

The WHO said on Wednesday that it had advised “all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness as the DRC outbreak continues to evolve.”

In parts of Congo, including North Kivu, health authorities say the disease is out of control, with most recorded deaths occurring in the community and contact tracing struggling to keep pace with the virus’s spread.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. France has also recorded a case.

Foreign Citizen Beaten to Death During March in South Africa as Afrophobia Tensions Flare

A Malawian migrant jumps over a barricade as the police officer manage the queue for their deportation at a temporary centre, in Durban, South Africa, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

By GERALD IMRAY

7:07 AM EDT, October 22, 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A foreign citizen was beaten to death by a group of around 50 people during a protest march in South Africa’s east coast city of Durban, police said Thursday, as anti-immigrant tensions continue to flare in Africa’s most advanced economy.

Police said the group approached the man, who was standing at the side of a road during a march through the streets of Durban’s city center, and assaulted him.

Police did not immediately give the man’s nationality or details on what the march was related to. They said the victim was in his 30s or early 40s, and they were still trying to identify suspects in the attack.

South Africa has struggled with months of anti-immigration tensions. Marches calling for government action against migrants in the country illegally have sometimes spilled over into violence.

Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi and other countries have said some of their citizens have been killed in xenophobic attacks linked to the anti-immigration protests. South African authorities have disputed some of those claims and said some deaths were related to criminal activity and not the protests.

Tens of thousands of migrants have left South Africa in recent months in one of the biggest mass exoduses in years. Many cite the threat of violence from angry locals, though the government also said that many were deported for not having the proper documents to be in South Africa.

As Africa’s biggest economy, South Africa attracts migrants from many nations on the continent, but that has sometimes brought tensions within communities because of the country’s extremely high unemployment rate and overburdened public services.

Durban, South Africa’s third biggest city of nearly four million people, has become a hotspot for the anti-immigrant tensions that have surged this year.

In June, thousands of migrants mainly from Malawi gathered at a park in the city seeking to be repatriated to their home country. They claimed they were fleeing threats of violence after a protest group demanded undocumented migrants leave South Africa by June 30.

The camp of migrants seeking to leave grew so quickly that authorities had to build more temporary accommodation centers to handle the numbers.

This month, cars were torched and shops were looted in the Johannesburg township of Soweto after a court ruling made it easier for foreign citizens to claim asylum in South Africa, leading to many making applications at government buildings and sparking a reaction from locals.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has denounced violence related to immigration but has also acknowledged failures in the border control system over years that have allowed migrants to travel to and stay in South Africa without documentation.

South Africa’s official government figures show there are around 2.4 million foreign nationals among the country’s population of 62 million, but protesters say there are many more in South Africa without documentation who haven’t been counted.

First Ebola Patients in Nigeria and Kenya Might Have Crossed Paths at Uganda Airport

By OPE ADETAYO

8:26 PM EDT, October 22, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The first Ebola patients confirmed in Kenya and Nigeria might have crossed paths at an airport in Uganda earlier this month, African health officials said Thursday as they race to trace and slow an outbreak that has spread to several African countries.

Both patients are known to have traveled through Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport on Oct. 3, said Dr. Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“One of the issues we are currently investigating has been some sort of interaction between the two cases at the airport,” Mankoula said.

Nigerian Health Minister Muhammed Pate said Nigeria’s case remains contained and that contact-tracing is in progress. “We are trying to contain it so it doesn’t go out to the communities. Hopefully, it won’t get to that and we are working hard to ensure that,” Pate said.

The current Ebola outbreak emerged in Congo in May and the disease has since been detected in three other African countries, becoming the continent’s most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak in history.

Nigeria announced its first case on Tuesday, saying the patient had travelled from Uganda. Ugandan authorities denied the claim that the patient was exposed in their country and said the patient had travelled to Congo — something now disputed by health officials.

The Nigerian patient, who is a Uganda-born wife of a diplomat in Abuja, had vacationed in Uganda for two weeks in September and had arrived in Nigeria in early October, officials said. Nigeria said it is currently tracing 44 contacts. Mankoula said additional contacts have been identified, but declined to give the new figure.

Uganda recorded 20 cases before declaring itself free of the disease in June. However, the country is now believed to be linked to the new imported cases in Nigeria and Kenya. Kenya has recorded nine cases so far, linked to a traveler who had returned from Congo to Kenya through Uganda.

So far there is no indication that the Nigerian patient traveled to Congo, Mankoula said. Officials from the World Health Organization said the same thing at a separate briefing on Thursday.

“The information supplied to WHO did not include travel to another country during that period, and other accounts about prior travels were not communicated to us,” said Dr. Pavel Ursu, the WHO country representative in Nigeria.

Congo has been struggling to contain the virus, which has infected more than 9,500 people, killing nearly half of them. The virus has spread to eight provinces and 66 health zones across the country’s eastern region.

According to data from the Africa CDC, only 20% of confirmed cases are among known contacts and about 60% of deaths are within the community, outside of treatment centers. Analysts say the disease in some of the hotspots in Congo is out of control.

_____

Dyepkazah Shibayan contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria.

What to Know About Ebola Outbreak That Has Spread From Congo to Multiple African Countries

By MONIKA PRONCZUK

1:28 PM EDT, October 22, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The deadly Ebola outbreak that began in Congo in May is outpacing efforts to contain it, spreading to two other regions of Africa and taking advantage of gaps in surveillance.

The disease is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. More than 9,700 people have been infected, nearly half of whom have died, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo’s history and the fastest-growing in the world.

Nigeria this week became the fourth country outside Congo to report an Ebola case, in a woman returning from Uganda.

A recurring problem is poor surveillance at entry points, as most initial cases were confirmed long after people arrived from territories where Ebola is active and started showing symptoms.

“Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership,” Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Wednesday.

Experts say investment in regional transportation infrastructure, including roads and airports, has not been matched by equal investment in public health measures.

“The infrastructure that is going to give us the risks has blossomed,” said Dr. Amira Roess, a professor of global health & epidemiology at George Mason University who worked in Guinea during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. “And then in comparison, the resources needed for public health response, for surveillance, for medical care, decreased, if anything.”

She added: “Every outbreak has more of a risk of getting bigger and bigger, because our resources for public health surveillance, for preventing this, are just not adequate.”

Here’s what to know about the outbreak:

5 countries have been affected, and 3 have active cases

Cases linked to Ebola have been reported in Congo, Uganda, Kenya, France and Nigeria. The woman in Nigeria started developing symptoms on Oct. 7 after returning from Uganda.

Uganda, which declared itself Ebola-free in July after 20 cases, has denied that the woman contracted the virus there. And the World Health Organization said it has not been informed if the patient had traveled to Congo.

Kenya has reported nine cases, originating from a man who traveled from Congo via Uganda.

France in June confirmed a doctor traveling back from Congo was infected, making it the first and only country outside Africa with a reported Ebola case. The person recovered and was discharged on July 4, according to the WHO.

Outbreak is unfolding in challenging conditions and across porous borders

The rare Bundibugyo virus was first detected in May, after spreading undetected for months, according to the WHO.

In Congo, it is fueled by mass population movements, rebel violence, mistrust and poor working conditions for front line workers. The provinces where cases have been reported border Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Central African Republic. Local populations cross borders often for work and personal reasons, with little to no oversight from the authorities.

Ebola is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, including blood and vomit, or through contact with contaminated materials and surfaces, such as bedding and clothing.

In parts of Congo, including North Kivu, health authorities say the disease is out of control, with most recorded deaths occurring in the community and contact tracing unable to keep pace with the virus’s spread.

WHO and Africa CDC are calling for a coordinated response

The Africa CDC this week called an Ebola crisis meeting of African heads of state on Wednesday to strengthen the response to the outbreak. “We have the expertise and the capacity on this continent. We must mobilize them together to stop this outbreak and save lives,” Kaseya said.

The WHO said on Wednesday that it had advised all countries in the region to sustain “a high level of readiness” as the outbreak continues to evolve.

The global health body provides guidance for travelers and transport authorities during Ebola outbreaks and advises against general travel or trade bans. But its recommendations are not binding, resulting in a patchwork of national measures which vary from country to country.

“Ebola does not wait. It follows movement, exploits gaps, and tests the strength of our health systems. Today, the test is no longer confined to one place. It is a regional concern that demands regional vigilance and collective resolve,” Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, told reporters on Thursday.

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Millions in Ebola aid re unaccounted for

Africa’s CDC and Congolese officials earlier this month have raised concerns over $700 million in Ebola aid that is unaccounted for and called on organizations on the ground, which include U.N. agencies, international charities and local aid groups, to provide more information about their finances.

The revelations renew long-standing questions about transparency and accountability in Congo. Previous Ebola outbreaks were marked by allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds, which experts said have contributed to the mistrust of local communities, complicating the efforts to halt the spread.

An Austrian and a Swiss Woman Freed in Niger After a Year and Half in Captivity

8:19 AM EDT, October 22, 2026

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Two women from Austria and Switzerland have been freed in Niger after spending more than a year and a half in captivity, officials and local media reported Thursday.

The Austrian woman, an aid worker identified as Eva G, was received by the Austrian crisis team on Thursday, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said in a statement.

She was kidnapped in Niger’s Agadez city in January last year, months before the Swiss citizen was abducted in the same city in April 2025.

Meinl-Reisinger said Austria worked with Switzerland to find “a safe solution” for the women.

“We are all very relieved that Eva G. is free again after more than 21 months. This time was an unimaginable burden for her and her family,” Meinl-Reisinger said.

Swiss media quoted the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs as confirming the release of the Swiss woman.

Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten reported she was on her way home, quoting Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

Officials did not say who was responsible for the abductions or how both women were freed.

The Austrian woman had been working as an aid worker in Agadez, hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from the capital city of Niamey, where she lived for more than 20 years, Nigerien media reported.

The Swiss citizen had also lived in Niger for several years.

Niger has for many years battled a jihadi insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Analysts say the country’s security crisis has worsened since the military toppled the country’s government in July 2023.

Despite their promise to restore peace in hot spots, the junta’s capacity to improve Niger’s security has increasingly been questioned amid more frequent attacks.

Twice a Year, a Golden Sunbeam Illuminates a 3,000-year-old Egyptian Temple

Tourists crowd to watch the sun as it sends a beam of light into the Great Temple of Ramses II's dark inner chamber in Abu Simbel, 870 kilometers (540 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, a rare 3,200-year-old astronomical ceremony that happens twice a year. (AP Photo/Mohammed Salah)

6 of 6 |  Tourists crowd to watch the sun as it sends a beam of light into the Great Temple of Ramses II’s dark inner chamber in Abu Simbel, 870 kilometers (540 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, a rare 3,200-year-old astronomical ceremony that happens twice a year. (AP Photo/Mohammed Salah) 

By HAMZA FAHMY and MOHAMMED SALAH

8:35 PM EDT, October 22, 2026

ABU SIMBEL, Egypt (AP) — Hundreds of tourists from around the world and locals gathered at dawn Thursday at a temple in southern Egypt, with some sleeping outside it overnight to witness a solar phenomenon that has taken place here for millennia.

Twice a year, on Oct. 22 and Feb. 22 — dates believed to mark the ascension of Ramesses II to the throne and his birthday — the sun sends a beam of light into the Great Temple of Ramses II’s dark inner chamber to illuminate the statues of the pharaoh and two gods beside him.

The illumination, a result of the temple’s alignment with the sun, lasts about 20 minutes.

“Today is a very special day, as you can see. It’s a celebration and a historic holiday,” Hisham Khela, a local tour guide for Italian tourists, told The Associated Press.

Egyptology enthusiasts and other visitors stood in a messy single-file line with phone cameras in hand, some with selfie sticks and most with bags under their eyes from waking up so early. Although huge crowds turned up, they looked tiny beside the giant statues lining the temple, which overlooks the Nile.

To mark the phenomenon, colorfully dressed performers scattered in front of the temple smiled and danced in unison to meditative chimes, the percussion of the tabla and the distinct sound of mizmars, an ancient Egyptian trumpet.

Inside the temple, visitors huddled tightly in near-total darkness in front of the statues of Ramesses II and the gods Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty, lit by a beam of sunlight that traveled about 60 meters (200 feet) into the temple, according to the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.

For first timers, ancient history created modern memories.

Janice Souudi, who traveled from Atlanta, Georgia, said it was her first time in Egypt, and she said it won’t be her last.

“I came here today for the huge temple statues and how well preserved they are. But I was most impressed with the colors of the carvings and hieroglyphics and imagery,” she said. “Beautiful, stunning, worth it!”

In the 1960s, archaeologists carried out a massive project to dismantle and relocate the temple, moving it out of the path of rising waters created by the Aswan High Dam.

Engineers took care to preserve the temple’s alignment with the sun, so that more than 3,000 years after it was built, the light still finds its way inside.

Egyptian Editor Faces Trial After Hours of Questioning

Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of Mada Masr, participates in a panel discussion at cultural center in Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Roger Anis, File)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

5:50 PM EDT, October 22, 2026

The editor-in-chief of one of Egypt’s last independent news outlets, Mada Masr, will stand trial after prosecutors questioned her for more than six hours, her lawyer said early Thursday.

The Supreme State Prosecution referred Mada Masr’s Lina Attalah to trial on Thursday on a charge of establishing and managing a website without a license. She was also questioned on a charge of publishing false news, but that charge was not included in her court referral, according to Mada Masr’s lawyer, Hassan al-Azhari.

She was released Wednesday evening on bail of 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,800), but if convicted, she faces a fine of one to three million Egyptian pounds ($18,000 to $54,000), al-Azhari said.

Under Egyptian media law, the court may also order the outlet closed and its equipment confiscated. Al-Azhari called the speed of the referral, which came just hours after the questioning ended, “unjustified urgency.”

Attalah is due in court on Oct. 27.

Attalah founded Mada Masr in 2013, and its investigative reporting has made it a frequent target of authorities. The site has been blocked in Egypt since 2017. Time magazine named Attalah one of its 100 most influential people in 2020.

The case file included a Mada Masr report published earlier this month in which lawyers described a wave of protests at several prisons and a harsh security response, al-Azhari said. The protests followed parliament’s decision to delay Egypt’s new criminal procedures law by a year.

Mada Masr said it has applied for a license several times since 2018. It says the Supreme Media Regulatory Council never responded and that it learned of the council’s rejection from prosecutors in 2022. The outlet challenged that decision in court. Its latest application has been pending since 2023, Mada Masr said.

The case is the sixth against Mada Masr and its journalists in six years. It comes less than a month after security forces arrested the entire six-person newsroom of Matsadaash, an independent fact-checking and investigative platform, in raids across the country on Sept. 28 and 29. Their families and lawyers did not know where they were for days.

The six remain in pre-trial detention on charges including joining a terrorist group and spreading false news, which they deny. Their detention was renewed for 15 days on Oct. 13.

This week, Mada Masr and seven other Egyptian and Arab outlets launched a temporary joint fact-checking newsroom in solidarity with the detained journalists.

Egypt ranks 169th of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

Britain Deploys Royal Air Force to Support Saudi Monarchy Against Yemeni Resistance 

Prime Minister Andy Burham says the fighter jets are only there for “defensive purposes” while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is facing monumental defeats against the Ansur Allah 

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday October 21, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

As the Yemeni resistance movement, the Ansur Allah, carries on its struggle against the western imperialist-backed Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Labor government in London has sent fighter jets to aid Riyadh.

Both the KSA and the United Kingdom are monarchies while Britain has an elected House of Commons and an appointed House of Lords, their interests converge as it relates to maintaining imperialist hegemony in West Asia.

Although the British Labor party claims that it represents working people in the country, it does not wish to see the weakening of Saudi Arabia which plays a role in protecting both UK and United States military outposts in the region. Moreover, the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf dominated Arab monarchies are essential to the world capitalist system.

The unprovoked war waged by the State of Israel and the US against the Islamic Republic of Iran has been an abysmal failure. Passage through of the Strait of Hormuz has been restricted by Tehran while the also important Bab el-Mandeb Strait could be completely taken over by the resistance forces in Yemen. 

Bab el-Mandeb is an important strait; a regional bottleneck located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. The strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

Cargo shipping vessels going through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have declined precipitously over the last several months. Tracking data for the strategic waterway indicates that there has been a decline of approximately 60% in vessels going through the strait. 

The Kpler data tracking service monitors the number of vessels engaged in international trade. They have clearly documented a drop in the level of shipping taking place in both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb waterway. 

If the western imperialist states cannot reverse the losses of the KSA in the region, it will further weaken the economies of Europe, the UK and others around the world. Prices have skyrocketed for energy services and products. Undoubtedly the ongoing war over the control of the Yemen coast can only worsen the current situation.

One media source reporting on the war between the Yemen resistance and the KSA, says of the crisis:

“The renewed war in Yemen has moved beyond the conventional boundaries of an internal conflict. As of October 2026, the military struggle surrounding Taiz, Mocha and Bab al-Mandab is directly connected to Saudi Arabia’s territorial security, the political future of southern Yemen, Iran’s regional influence and Europe’s ability to preserve commercial access between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. The United Nations confirmed on 9 October that Yemen had returned to full-scale war, with fighting spreading across multiple fronts and strikes affecting civilian and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.” (https://debuglies.com/2026/10/18/yemens-strategic-rupture-the-battle-for-bab-al-mandab-gulf-power-realignment-and-europes-emerging-security-crisis/)

During 2016, the so-called Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) launched a war against the resistance forces in Yemen. This GCC coalition encompassed the KSA and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the principal leaders. 

Nonetheless, the war was clearly backed by the US and the UK and therefore was waged based upon their strategic interests. It was the Pentagon, US intelligence agencies and Britain which supplied the warplanes, ordinance, targeting mechanism and bombing coordinates over a period of six years.

The war against Yemen between 2016 and 2022 created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. A cholera outbreak sickened 2.5 million people resulting in 4,500 deaths. The GCC conducted targeted bombing operations against civilian populations as well as national infrastructure.   

Although there was a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022, the war was never officially concluded. The resumption of fighting is clearly linked with the US and Israeli war against Iran. 

In its present phase, the attempts by the KSA to crush the Yemeni resistance forces has taken on a much broader character. The problems of inflation associated with the policies of the Trump administration makes the world economy far more susceptible to a downturn than what existed in 2016.

This same report quoted above goes on to note that:

“The central strategic assessment is that the conflict now constitutes an interconnected land, maritime and economic security crisis, rather than an isolated military campaign. Control of Yemen’s coastline, the fragmentation of anti-Houthi armed formations, the vulnerability of Saudi infrastructure and the deployment of external military assistance create mutually reinforcing escalation risks. For Europe, the consequences extend well beyond naval security. They encompass the Suez Canal commercial corridor, industrial supply chains, maritime insurance, container shipping, energy transportation, defense expenditure and relations with Gulf partners. European exposure is particularly consequential for Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, although their vulnerabilities and military responsibilities differ significantly.”

Saudis Being Defeated by Yemeni Armed Forces

During the period between 2016 -2022, the GCC, despite its solid backing by the leading imperialist states, failed to defeat the Ansur Allah. Since late 2023 when the Al Aqsa Flood erupted in Gaza, Yemen has become an even more formidable element within the region-wide Axis of Resistance. 

After a brief period of bombing by the Trump administration against Yemen during 2025, a truce was brokered by neighboring Oman. However, the pause in the Pentagon bombing did not shift the overall strategic balance of forces in West Asia.

The failure of the White House and Tel Aviv to destabilize and overthrow the Iranian government has strengthened the resistance forces. Over the last several weeks the advances of the Ansur Allah are further weakening the US and Britain in their long-term influence in the West Asia region.

 On October 21, al-Mayadeen news agency emphasized in a report on the current situation:

“The Yemeni Armed Forces struck a Saudi base in Aden with a ballistic missile, Yemen’s Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yehya Saree announced. In a statement on Wednesday, Saree said the YAF struck a Saudi operations room at Badr Camp in Aden, reporting a direct hit. In a subsequent statement, Saree announced an operation targeting military equipment transported by Saudi Arabia aboard military cargo planes to Al-Rayyan Airport in Mukalla, Yemen.” (https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/yaf-strike-saudi-ops-room-in-eden-deny-attacks-into-saudi-ar)

Trump and his allies who dominate the House of Representatives and the Senate appear to be unwilling to place troops on the ground in Iran and Yemen. The long-range bombing campaigns and efforts to impose a blockade on Iran have proven ineffective as Iran has outmaneuvered Washington.

Britain is suffering from similar social problems which exist in the US. There is high unemployment, impoverishment among the working class and the nationally oppressed. 

If the administration in Washington fails to pull back and downsize its forces in West Asia, the workers and oppressed people of the US and Europe will continue to suffer. Demonstrations, strikes and rebellions in numerous European states are a clear indication of the future prospects for unrest throughout the capitalist countries.

Iran Prepares for All-Out War

Leading up to the midterm elections in the US, the Trump White House has renewed its threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The president has said that he will engage in another round of strikes after the November 3 elections.

Nonetheless, the Iranian government stated on October 21 that it is preparing for any eventuality related to the aggression threatened by Washington. The strategic victories of the Islamic Republic and its allies since February 28 cannot be denied by any objective observers.

An article published by Press TV on October 21 cites an Iranian official saying the government is ready for a joint attack from Tel Aviv and Washington. With this posture coupled by the offensive thrust of the Ansur Allah in Yemen along the coast of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could deepen the already existing economic and political crisis in the imperialist states.

According to Press TV:

“The official further stated that from Iran's perspective, America will not carry out an attack without the Israeli regime, and the regime will not carry out an attack without America. The official characterized the notion of either regime acting independently in a war against Iran as resembling ‘a bitter joke,’ emphasizing the intertwined nature of the American and Israeli war machinery. The official further stated that the explicit threats of American officials and the Zionist regime to attack Iran have provided the legal and moral license for Iran to take necessary defensive measures. These remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region and repeated warmongering by American officials and the Zionist regime to carry out fresh aggression against Iran after the two imposed wars in June last year and February this year. Both the United States and the Israeli regime are heading into elections in the coming weeks.” (https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2026/10/21/778836/Source-Iran-prepared-all-out-multi-layered-comprehensive-war-against-enemy)

Although Britain declined to join with Tel Aviv and Washington in the bombing of Iran, the deployment of RAF fighter jets to Saudi Arabia explicitly reveals its imperialist aims right alongside the US. However, these efforts by Washington and London will only damage the status and social conditions of the majority of those living in these countries.

European Civil Unrest Highlights the Social Crisis in the Western Industrial States

From France, Belgium, Italy, Albania and beyond the existing world system is disintegrating

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday October 21, 2026

Political Economy Review

From early October students have taken the lead in expressing their discontent with the economics of educational administration in France.

The walkouts, strikes and rebellions did not erupt in a political vacuum in France or in the broader European context.

Students in France are serving as a behavioral social barometer which is measuring the pulse of the people living within the capitalist states. The implications for events in France which has spread to several other European countries extends beyond their continent. Events over the last several months have aggravated underlying weaknesses and contradictions internationally.

When United States President Donald Trump took office in his second non-consecutive term, uncertainty became the order of the day regarding economic, political and foreign policies. The imposition of tariffs on countries across the globe defied the fundamental principles of capitalist thinking over the last century.

Severe economic stress was placed on other industrialized capitalist states through the hostility of the Trump administration. This was exemplified through the blatant threats to their neighbors and main trading partner to the north as well as the Kingdom of Norway over territorial claims over Greenland along with the reemergence of a secessionist movement in western Canada. Both of these states are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was founded by the US in the aftermath of the conclusion of World War II in 1949. 

Yet, the price for being members of NATO has risen immensely since January 2025 when Trump unilaterally mandated that other states raise the level of military expenditures up to 5% of their national budgets. Although the impact of US military policy towards Europe is rarely discussed in the corporate and government-controlled media outlets, it is quite obvious that the burgeoning economic problems in the United Kingdom and Western Europe are closely linked to the outdated strategic alliances such as NATO.

In following the US strategic trajectory since the 1990s, the fellow NATO states have faced repeated economic crises. The rising national debt inside the US has its parallels in other European countries including the UK and France. There are the problems of unemployment and underemployment, the deterioration of infrastructure and the rising levels of migration from the Global South which has aggravated racial tensions.

Since the advent of the unprovoked war against the Islamic Republic of Iran during June 2025 and the continuation of these attacks beginning of February 28, 2026, the prices for fuel, shipping, food, energy, education, insurance, fertilizer and other essential resources and commodities has had a devastating impact on various geopolitical regions of the world. Although a pause has been declared in the war against Iran, prices for essential goods and services have not declined.

Imperialist War and National Debt

Billions of dollars in US and Israeli military equipment have been destroyed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Soldiers have lost their lives from the Pentagon and Israel while troops stationed in the Persian Gulf monarchies are posting photographs of the lost weapons, drones and barracks due to the damage inflicted by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

Fortune magazine drew an analogy between the debt crisis in France and the US, noting:

“Start with the debt. French public debt sits at a record 119% of GDP, while U.S. debt held by the public reached 100.2% of GDP at the end of March. Lecornu’s (French Prime Minister) budget, which would cut France’s deficit to 5% of GDP from 5.4%, faces its first critical vote in the National Assembly on Tuesday. Washington ran a $1.992 trillion deficit in fiscal 2026, about 6.2% of GDP based on CBO’s projections. Needless to say, that’s wider than the 5.4% deficit France is rioting over. Bond traders are treating the two countries alike. Bank of America economists Claudio Irigoyen and Antonio Gabriel recently found that the French and U.S. 10-year yields have been moving on nearly the same track, and they say the cause is the same. ‘When interest rates are low, governments have incentives to run bigger deficits financed with cheap debt,’ they wrote in a BofA Global Research report. ‘However, if that ‘cheap’ debt goes to finance a structural increase of the fiscal deficit, when interest rates increase it is politically difficult to implement the necessary fiscal consolidation to put the house in order.’” (https://fortune.com/2026/10/19/why-is-france-rioting-inflation-schools-debt-trump-america/)

Of course, the US president and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have dismissed any connection between unprovoked warfare and the worsening economic situation. However, the costs of maintaining military bases around the world and a posture of consistent threats and destabilization have not benefited the residents of North America and Europe. 

There are similar problems within the education sector in France, other EU member-states and the US. Education in the US is in crisis since it is no longer a priority among the ruling class and the capitalist state. The Trump administration dismantled the Department of Education while harassing colleges and universities over widespread notions of antisemitism and “wokeism.” 

The youth in France have set the stage for the spreading of the unrest to other European states. According to a report published on October 19 by Radio France International it says:

“President Emmanuel Macron ordered a security review as the country's interior minister admitted that the police ‘had lost control’ during the weekend's unrest. Undeterred, the Yellow Vests movement which organized the weekend's rallies called for a new round of protests Saturday. Italy, Spain and Portugal, where anger over rising prices has also led to protests, were keeping a nervous eye on the developments after smaller clashes broke out in Milan over the weekend and protests about housing costs persisted in Spanish cities. Some half-a-million people turned out across France to protest the surging cost of living, a culmination of four weeks of protests that began with high school students demanding better conditions at their schools.” (https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20261019-louvre-blocked-as-france-grapples-with-unrest)

Although the US and the UK have not been the scene of civil unrest as of mid-October. However, these states cannot remain immune from the crises sweeping the European continent. 

Leading up to the midterm elections slated for November 3, during October much attention was focused on whether the MAGA Republican tendency would remain in total control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. If there are attempts by the Trump administration and its base within and outside the government to maintain control of the legislative branch irrespective of the election results, these potential developments could very well trigger mass demonstrations, strikes and violent conflicts.

A clear set of circumstances in Europe could portend much for the situation in the US:

“Protests in Italy, Belgium and Portugal over the weekend underline the wider pressures, while significant strike activity is planned in Portugal and Spain in November. ‘Europe is becoming a pressure cooker for social unrest, with squeezed households, rising political polarization and growing discontent with governments proving increasingly fertile ground for disruptive and damaging demonstrations,’ Middleton added. ‘A repeat of the kind of violence seen in France is far from inevitable, but with governments facing difficult fiscal choices and a dense election calendar through to the end of 2027, the potential for disruptive and damaging unrest will remain elevated in Europe over the near term.’ Verisk Maplecroft’s predictive Civil Unrest Index ranks Europe as the world’s highest-risk region by a significant margin. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the UK and Belgium are all among the 10 highest-risk countries globally, alongside the US, India, Mexico and Brazil.” (https://www.cirmagazine.com/cir/c2026102001.php)

The level of repression inside the US has risen sharply since the advent of the Trump administration in its second iteration. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been deployed into the cities, suburbs and rural areas. 

Numerous people have been killed by these federal agencies. Some of those killed were US citizens while others were not.

National Guard units and even the Marines have been ordered into cities such as Washington, D.C., Memphis and Los Angeles. As people continue to organize against these undemocratic measures, the administration wants to quash these forms of resistance to continue its redistribution of wealth and political power from the working class to the wealthiest entities within the US and the world.

Unrest in Albania

During the period of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the socialist project in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union collapsed. With specific reference to Albania, the student demonstrations of 1990 and the 1992 multi-party elections led to the transformation from socialism to capitalism.

Nonetheless, after more than three decades of capitalist rule, unrest has resurfaced on a mass level. The Trump administration bears responsibility due to the plans for a luxury tourist complex coordinated by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the US President. 

The protest against the resort has been deemed the Flamingo Revolution. Youth demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama who is the leader of the Socialist Party of Albania.

The Socialist Party bears little resemblance to the former ruling Party of Labor of Albania which was headed by Enver Hoxha. By shifting its orientation from socialism to capitalism, the Albanian people have been left to the whims of imperialism.

These events illustrate the failure of the reimposition of capitalism in the former socialist states of Eastern Europe. A similar crisis in Western Europe portends much for the future prospects of capitalist development. Until the contemporary crisis of capitalism and imperialism is resolved, unrest will continue throughout the European continent.

Ethiopia Warns Eritrea of 'Severe Consequences' Over Tigray Rebels

By Al Mayadeen English

20 Oct 2026 10:24

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warns Eritrea of “severe consequences” if it continues supporting rebels in Tigray, amid fears of a regional war.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has warned Eritrea that it will face “severe consequences” if it continues to support rebel forces in Ethiopia's Tigray region, amid fears of a regional war.

Rebels in northern Ethiopia's Tigray region launched an offensive against the federal government last month before retreating and losing control of the region. The fighting raised fears of a wider regional war, as the rebels had received support from neighboring Eritrea, which deployed thousands of troops inside Ethiopian territory. They were also forced to retreat after coming under intense drone strikes.

Abiy Ahmed had largely refrained from commenting on the weeks-long fighting in the north. However, in a speech delivered in Tigrinya on Monday, he warned Eritrea against further interference.

“Turning yourselves into a base for Ethiopia's enemies instead of partners in development will bring no benefits. I believe ignoring our calls will have very severe consequences,” he said.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels withdrew from towns across the northern region, which they had controlled for decades, as a new federal government-appointed administration was inaugurated on Friday.

Newly appointed Mekelle Mayor Shishay Amare told Agence France-Presse on Monday that elections would be held within six months.

“Our role is to create the right conditions for elections by ensuring peace and stability throughout Tigray,” he said, as per AFP.

The TPLF previously governed all of Ethiopia before Abiy Ahmed, who hails from the central Oromia region, came to power in 2018.

Tigray, which had remained under rebel control, did not participate in the nationwide parliamentary elections held in June. The vote saw Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party retain power in a landslide victory over a significantly weakened opposition.

“The TPLF did not exist 50 years ago, and its existence is now nearing its end,” Abiy said.

“We will implement development projects throughout Tigray. Until a regular administration is established through elections, our people must preserve their unity and institutions,” he added.

Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions raise fears of regional war

Eritrea is now concerned that landlocked Ethiopia could invade the country to secure access to the Red Sea.

Addressing the issue in his speech, Abiy said, “When Eritrea was part of Ethiopia, its cities were vibrant and beautiful. Today, Eritrean cities look like ghost towns.”

“Good-neighborly relations and partnership are the only way forward,” he added.

Ethiopian forces advance toward Eritrean border

The warning to Eritrea comes as Ethiopia renews its military advance across northern Tigray toward the Eritrean border, raising concerns that the latest fighting could escalate into a wider regional confrontation.

On October 15, Ethiopian government forces and allied Tigray Peace Forces advanced into the historic city of Aksum and captured Fatsi and Zalambessa, two areas near the Eritrean border, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Meanwhile, Tigray Defense Forces associated with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) remained in nearby mountainous areas.

Eritrean forces reportedly withdrew from positions along the border, although the circumstances of their retreat and the extent of any losses remain unclear. Tigray Peace Forces spokesperson Suleiman Haile Mariam said Eritrean forces had suffered heavy casualties and retreated toward the border, a claim rejected by Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel.

Washington urges restraint amid rising tensions

ACLED also documented Ethiopian military convoys carrying tanks and heavy weapons moving from Adigrat toward Fatsi and Zalambessa on Monday night and Tuesday, as government forces and their allies intensified their offensive. The advance followed renewed armed operations by forces associated with the TPLF and clashes across the region, with Ethiopian forces moving through strategic locations including Mekelle, Adigrat, and Adwa before advancing toward Aksum and the Eritrean border.

Washington has also called for de-escalation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday, urging restraint, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the avoidance of cross-border incursions. Rubio warned that the region could not sustain another war and called for dialogue based on the 2018 peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Abiy described the conversation as productive and highlighted cooperation between Ethiopia and the US.

Drone Attack Kills Around 80 in West Kordofan, Sudan

By Al Mayadeen English

20 Oct 2026 16:27

A drone attack near a market in Sudan’s West Kordofan kills around 80 people, according to witnesses and a medical source cited by AFP.

Around 80 people were killed in a drone attack targeting a civilian transport gathering near a market in the al-Dibab area of Sudan’s West Kordofan state on Sunday evening, according to a witness and a medical source cited by AFP. 

The attack struck a location used by civilians traveling to their villages after the end of the market day, resulting in a large number of casualties. A witness said he helped bury 50 people killed in the strike, while 47 injured were transported to the nearby city of al-Muglad for treatment.

A medical source said 30 of the injured later succumbed to their wounds, bringing the reported death toll to around 80.

Al-Dibab is located in West Kordofan, a state under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). 

Information circulating after the attack suggested that Somali nationals may have been among those affected. However, no reliable data has established their identities or the number of Somali nationals killed or injured, and no official confirmation has been issued by the relevant Somali authorities.

Sudan army vow to continue fight

As hostilities resume, Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman and army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan affirmed that the Sudanese Army will continue its military campaign against the RSF until it reclaims “every inch” of Sudanese territory, as displacement continues in Blue Nile State and civilians are killed in an RSF attack in West Kordofan.

Speaking at a public gathering in the Fifth Village in Merowe locality in Northern State in early October, al-Burhan said the “armed forces will continue their operations until the entire territory of the country is reclaimed,” reiterating the government and army’s rejection of negotiations with the RSF under the current conditions.

The Sudanese government maintains that any ceasefire or negotiating process must include the RSF’s withdrawal from cities and public facilities, the surrender of its weapons and the assembly of its forces in designated camps, in addition to holding those accused of committing violations accountable.

Al-Burhan’s position comes as international efforts to push for a ceasefire continue. A US proposal had called for a 90-day truce followed by a political process, but officials close to the army criticized the proposal, saying it did not adequately address the RSF’s withdrawal from cities.

Egypt’s Civil Democratic Movement Rejects Involvement in Regional War

By Al Mayadeen English

19 Oct 2026 20:42

The Civil Democratic Movement in Egypt rejects any involvement of the Egyptian armed forces in a regional war as parliament postpones its debate on troop deployment to October 26.

Egypt’s Civil Democratic Movement rejected any involvement of the Egyptian armed forces in a regional war on behalf of any side, insisting that Cairo make its decisions independently of foreign influence.

The movement said Monday that no outside party should dictate Egypt’s position, arguing that the country’s most important role lies in pursuing “wise mediation to establish peace.”

Turning to domestic affairs, the movement called on civilian opposition groups, its own members included, to begin preparing for the presidential election scheduled for 2030. The call follows President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s recent statement that his presidency will end in 2030 and that the matter of constitutional changes to alter that timeline is “completely settled.”

Parliament postpones debate on troop deployment

The statement comes as Egypt’s parliament has yet to take up a proposal to authorize the president to send troops abroad. Lawmakers adjourned an emergency session devoted to discussing support for Saudi Arabia, and deliberations were due to resume on Monday. The debate was postponed again on Monday, this time until October 26.

The session was convened at el-Sisi’s request after he said Cairo would take any action Saudi Arabia asks of it to defend its security and sovereignty. 

Yemen’s Sanaa-based Parliament Speaker Yahya Ali al-Ra’i had urged Egypt’s parliament on Saturday not to let the country be drawn into the Saudi escalation, saying such a step would contradict Egypt’s historical role in defending Arab causes.

Yemeni scholars welcome Al-Azhar initiative

Separately, Al-Azhar urged the urgent formation of a mediation committee bringing together respected figures from across the Muslim world. It said the committee should start work immediately to end conflicts and wars in the Arab region, defuse crises, and bridge differences between the parties involved.

The Association of Yemeni Scholars, in turn, reaffirmed its commitment to engaging constructively and in good faith with the invitation extended by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, expressing appreciation for the Islamic values and principles it conveyed.

The association also declared Sanaa’s readiness to host the committee proposed by the Grand Imam, comprising respected and wise figures from across the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Ivory Coast: 12 Charged Over Gendarme’s Killing Amid Lingering Election Tensions

Ivory Coast

One year after deadly election-related violence in Ivory Coast, twelve people have been charged and remanded in custody over the killing of a gendarme.

Prosecutor Oumar Braman Koné announced the charges on Tuesday in connection with the death of Second Lieutenant Daniogo Klênon Lacina, who was shot by armed individuals on October 20, 2025, while patrolling a road near Agboville.

Authorities say the suspects admitted involvement, with the alleged shooter confessing to opening fire on the security forces.

The accused face serious charges, including murder, terrorist acts, conspiracy against state authority, and participation in an insurrectionary movement. The case is now before Abidjan’s anti-terrorism division.

The investigation comes amid lingering political tensions following President Alassane Ouattara’s disputed fourth-term election victory last year. Eleven people were officially reported killed during the election unrest.

Meanwhile, opposition party PPA-CI has accused the government of anti-democratic actions, while authorities insist the prosecutions are unrelated to political affiliation.

Prized Wild Pepper at Risk in Madagascar's Shrinking Forests

By AFP

Madagascar

A rare wild pepper endemic to Madagascar and prized by international chefs is facing an uncertain future, victim of its own success and the destruction of its forest habitat.

With its subtle, aromatic flavour, Voatsiperifery pepper grows on vines that reach into the canopy of the island's natural forests, which shrank 27 percent between 1990 and 2025, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

To reach the peppercorns without having to climb, harvesters often tear down the vine and, in many cases, the trees supporting them, contributing to the relentless retreat of Madagascar's forests.

"At times, I tell myself I should never have made it known," acclaimed French chef Olivier Roellinger, who first encountered the spice 30 years ago, told AFP.

"This pepper blew me away right from the start with that piperine punch that brings out a note of peat, resin, even citrus; it's incomparable," he said. "On a fruit salad, it's absolutely delicious."

Madagascar pepper sells for 150 to 200 euros ($169 to $225) per kilogram in France, its main export market.

Roellinger, the founder of the Epices Roellinger spice boutique, is collaborating with efforts to certify authentic pepper based on strictly regulated harvesting zones in Madagascar.

But he was "under no illusions" about the risk these rules could be circumvented, he said.

Bush fires

The village of Ambongamarina, northeast of the capital Antananarivo, was at the centre of a rush two decades ago for the pepper, which has a characteristic woody tail, a remnant of its stem.

From a ridge on which the village sits, farmer Maminiaina Rabearison pointed into the distance.

"Until 2010-2012, it was still covered in natural forest," he told AFP.

"People used to go into the forest and, for 10 to 20 weeks a year, at least 100 kilogrammes were sold every week at the market to a trader," the 45-year-old said.

That trader has not visited in a long time. Harvests have dropped as the forest has been consumed by bush fires, charcoal production and slash-and-burn agriculture, or torched in protests against the distant central government.

The destruction of the vines has also forced harvesters to go deeper into the forest to find the plant, which in Malagasy is called tsiperifery, meaning "that makes wounds not exist", a reference to its medicinal use for generations.

Now, "you have to walk almost a full day to find pepper in the forest," said 51-year-old Herinaina Randrianarimanga, another farmer from the village, which is only 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the capital but takes five hours to reach in a four-by-four vehicle.

'A real boon'

There is no national system to track the distribution, harvesting and export of this precious pepper, said Mima Chateauneuf, co-founder of bulk export company Jacarandas.

"Today, we have no idea whether the resource is becoming scarce," she said, calling for "traceability" to determine export volumes.

In the absence of a regulatory framework, Jacarandas is turning towards organic pepper, which has grown to make up one-third of its exports. "For organic products, traceability is mandatory," Chateauneuf said.

As research into the Voatsiperifery plant advances, French-Malagasy entrepreneur Olivier Ramaherison has been experimenting with domestic cultivation on land inherited from his father.

Between 500 and 1,000 vines -- the result of thousands of trials -- grew in terraces carved into the Mandraka forest, 60 kilometres east of the capital.

There are no support trees here: the plants, laden with fruit just a few weeks from maturity, cluster close to the ground.

"The idea was to try to find a solution to make it easier to pick," said Ramaherison, head of Essentialys, a company that produces aromatic plants, essential oils, coffee and pepper.

By chance, his team discovered that cuttings taken from the horizontal branches of the vine no longer tried to climb.

"If, like at the Piper nigrum (black pepper) plantations in Vietnam or Brazil, we manage to produce hundreds of tonnes of wild pepper, it would be a real economic boon for the country," he said.

Nigeria’s Dangote Group Buys Stake in Kenya’s Oil Pipeline Network

Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote

Kenya

Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote, said on Wednesday that his company has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Kenya Pipeline Company which transports petroleum products.

In a speech on Tuesday, Kenyan President William Ruto had mentioned an investment in the network by private investors without revealing their identity.

Last month, Dangote laid the foundation stone in Kenya’s Lamu port for a $16 billion oil refinery project with a capacity of 700,000 barrels per day.

At the time, he said he saw this as part of efforts to stop the continent exporting raw materials and start selling finished products.

Dangote already operates a refinery of similar capacity near the Nigerian city of Lagos. His vast business empire also includes activities in fertilizers, cement, sugar, and other sectors.

Tunisia Jails 10 Environmental Activists Over Anti-pollution Protests in Gabes

Tunisia

A Tunisian court has sentenced ten environmental activists over a protest against pollution linked to a major phosphate-processing plant in the southern coastal city of Gabes.

The activists took part in demonstrations in 2020, demanding action over pollution and health concerns that residents associate with the facility.

Eight activists received six-month suspended prison sentences, while two others were handed one-year jail terms, according to defence lawyer Hamida Chaieb.

The case was brought by the state-owned factory, which accused the protesters of obstructing its operations.

Campaigners say they believed the case had been dropped after their initial arrests and subsequent release. However, they later discovered they had been sentenced in absentia in 2023, prompting a retrial.

The controversy comes amid growing concerns over the plant’s environmental impact. Researchers have reported that some of its industrial waste and emissions contain radioactive substances and may pose serious health risks.

In February, a court rejected calls to suspend the facility’s operations.

Meanwhile, Tunisia plans to increase phosphate production more than fourfold by 2030, as President Kais Saied seeks to revive a sector considered vital to the national economy.

Burundi Marks 33 Years Since Ndadaye’s Assassination Amid Concerns Over Democracy

A demonstrator holds the Burundi national flag and makes the victory sign as he and others celebrate what they perceive to be an attempted military coup d'etat.

Burundi

Burundi has commemorated the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of former President Melchior Ndadaye, with tributes to the slain leader renewing debate over the state of democracy in the country.

The commemorations took place at the Heroes of Democracy Square, where President Évariste Ndayishimiye and other participants laid wreaths in honour of Ndadaye and his close associates. A mass was also held to remember the victims of the coup d’état of October 20–21, 1993.

Political leaders used the occasion to reflect on Burundi’s democratic progress, with some expressing concern over what they described as growing restrictions on political pluralism.

Olivier Nkurunziza, president of the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), said that although peace had been achieved, democracy must become a genuine reality to prevent a return to one-party rule.

Gabriel Banzawitonde, president of the APDER party, also warned of democratic setbacks, arguing that the ruling party had increasingly consolidated its control over the country.

However, Jean De Dieu Mutabazi, president of RADEBU, said Burundi had made progress in establishing democracy and political pluralism, while acknowledging that democratic principles were not always fully respected.

Ndadaye was assassinated just three months after taking office in 1993. His death helped plunge Burundi into years of civil war and interethnic violence, leaving thousands dead and forcing many others into exile.

 

ECOWAS, AES Commit to Cooperation and Mutual Respect Despite Split

Tue, Oct 20, 2026

Africa

By Paul Ejime

AT their just-ended first ministerial consultative meeting on cooperation in Dakar, Senegal, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its breakaway Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have agreed to pursue relations guided by the principles of good neighbourliness, mutual respect for their sovereignty, and the dignity and well-being of the people of West Africa.

This was one of the major decisions they reached at the 16-17 October meeting,  to lay the foundations for their cooperation.

ECOWAS, a 15-nation regional economic bloc with an estimated combined population of 400 million, was formed in May 1975 through the Treaty of Lagos, revised in 1993, to promote economic development and regional integration.

AES countries – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – withdrew their membership in January 2025, accusing ECOWAS of succumbing to Western influence and deviating from the ideals of its founding fathers.

Following unconstitutional changes of government through military coups in the three countries now ruled by juntas, ECOWAS, acting in line with its 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, suspended the three countries and imposed sanctions on them.

The regional bloc had also announced an unpopular decision to invade Niger and restore constitutional order. It later walked back on that decision, lifted the sanctions and attempted diplomacy/dialogue, but the AES juntas ruling the three countries have been adamant and continued to consolidate their alliance.

The ECOWAS delegation at the Dakar meeting was led by Cheikh Niang, Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad, who is also Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

The AES delegation was led by Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso and Chair of the AES Ministerial Steering Committee.

Both ministers co-chaired the meeting, with both delegations “welcoming the spirit of fraternity, mutual respect, and openness that prevailed throughout their discussions,” the Final Communiqué said. “They also recalled the deep historical, sociocultural, and economic ties that unite their peoples.”

According to the Communiqué, the two parties also agreed “to establish joint thematic working groups to conduct technical discussions, with the ultimate goal of concluding a framework cooperation agreement between ECOWAS and the AES Confederation. The outcomes of these efforts will be submitted for review by the Ministers before their next session.”

The date and venue for the next meeting will be determined through diplomatic consultations.

“The parties affirm their commitment to achieving a balanced and realistic cooperation framework that safeguards the interests of their respective peoples,” the Communiqué added.

The two sides held the first official consultations in Bamako, Mali, in May 2025, on areas of common interest for future structured discussions.

Despite the populist public image of the junta leaders, their governments have been pursuing bilateral collaboration, including exchanges of strategic interest visits, with selected ECOWAS Member States. For instance, Niger, after accusing Nigeria of alleged acts of destabilisation in December 2024, still turned to Abuja for fuel supply to ease its severe shortages in 2025.

Also, while the three AES countries have partially or completely severed diplomatic and military ties with their former colonial power, France, they still belong to the eight-nation West African Monetary and Economic Union, UEMOA, using the CFA franc, controlled by France, as their national currency.

The three nations are also deepening military ties with Russia, while terrorism and insurgency persist.

Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, led the delegation from Nigeria, the regional hegemon, to the Dakar meeting.

A statement by the ministry said the minister’s “presence underscores Nigeria’s dedication to ensuring that the exit of the AES Member states does not negatively impact the age-old cultural and geographical ties between brother West African countries.”

Apart from their obvious affinities and geographical proximity, many of the countries in the Sahel and the ECOWAS region share common development challenges, including poverty and vulnerable economies.

The Sahel is considered the epicentre of global terrorism, and AES countries also belong to the regional Multinational Task Force against terrorism.  ECOWAS-AES cooperation is therefore imperative to address the serious security and sundry challenges facing the region.

This cannot prevent the three countries from pursuing their common goal/s if they choose to make their withdrawal from ECOWAS permanent.

Members of other organisations such as UEMOA, Mano River Union and Conseil de l’Entente (Council of Accord or Understanding) still belong to ECOWAS.

Arguably, the AES countries have more to gain by cooperating with ECOWAS, and they need ECOWAS more than ECOWAS needs them.

At the same time, ECOWAS, as the bigger and more established organisation, should reposition and reinvent itself to remain relevant, having blazed the trail in achievements among Africa’s eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs).