Africa in Review 2025 III: Challenges for Unity and Genuine Growth

As the United States administration stages fake “peace agreements” in the DRC while enabling the further partitioning of Somalia, Africa must continue the political trajectory towards progress and development

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Monday January 12, 2025

Political Review

Since taking office for the second time, United States President Donald Trump has sought to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yet his tenure in office during 2025 was marked by uncertainty, instability, repression and military conflict. 

In one of the most historically oppressed and exploited states in the world, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has been severely impacted by the Atlantic Slave Trade, colonialism and neo-colonialism since the 16th century, remains a focal point for imperialist domination and intrigue. The country in the 21st century is a treasure trove for strategic and critical natural resources which are indispensable to the international capitalist system. 

Since its independence in June 1960, the country has known very little peace. The first Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, a mythical figure even after sixty-five years since his martyrdom, was the victim of imperialism led by the U.S. and the former colonial power of Belgium. The imposition of military surrogate Mobutu Sese Seko who ruled the country for more than three decades in conjunction with corporate interests undermined the aspirations of the masses for a genuinely independent society.

Facing the regional conflict which overlaps with the neighboring states of Rwanda and Uganda has been fueled by the multi-national mining firms. There have been numerous attempts in recent years to foster a sustainable peace agreement in the eastern DRC. These efforts have emanated from the African Union (AU) and other regional organizations. 

Therefore, when the Trump administration announced that it was in essence imposing an accord on Rwanda and the DRC without the involvement of the M23 rebel grouping along with many other similar formations in eastern region of the country, could not have been taken seriously. The series of peace agreement signings involving the foreign ministries and head-of-states of Kigala and Kinshasha has not resulted in the stabilization of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. 

These purported peace agreements are tied to greater access to critical resources in the DRC by the U.S. mining firms. However, the U.S., Western Europe and multinational corporations have always dominated the mining industry since the late 19th century. Millions died between 1876-1908 when the so-called Congo Free State was completely ruled by King Leopold of Belgium. The subsequent civil wars and internecine conflict since the late 1990s have been credited with the deaths, injuries and displacement of millions more. 

M23 is just one of several rebel organizations operating in the eastern DRC. Successive groupings have engaged in military activities in areas which are well endowed with critical minerals and metals.

Consequently, the Trump administration utilizing his Secretary of State Marco Rubio have not done anything to resolve the internal and regional problems in Central and East Africa related to political stability, economic growth and cooperation. African problems must be resolved through indigenous solutions which are grounded in the interests of the majority of workers, farmers and youth on the continent.

Somalia and Zionist-Imperialist Balkanization

The Horn of Africa state of Somalia has suffered from extreme insecurity and impoverishment over the last three-and-a-half decades. This instability in Somalia has provided a rationale for imperialist intervention since the early 1990s.

Between late 1992 until early 1994, Somalia was occupied by U.S. Marines under the guise of bringing humanitarian assistance to the people. The occupation began under former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Sr. in his last days in office. This situation was inherited by President Bill Clinton who took office in January 1993.

Tensions escalated for several months resulting in a series of massacres of the people until an organized resistance movement known as the Somalian National Alliance (SNA) headed by Mohamed Farrah Aided, took on the challenge of driving both the Pentagon and the UN troops out of the country. In early October 1993, nearly 20 U.S. Marines were killed by resistance fighters. In the aftermath of the attacks on the Marines, the Clinton administration began to withdraw its forces from Somalia. Later the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, which had been there before the Marines, also followed by exiting Somalia.

Yet, by early 2007, the U.S. under President George W. Bush, encouraged the-then governments of Ethiopia and Kenya to intervene on their behalf. U.S. and British warplanes began to engage in bombing operations to ostensibly wipe out the Union of Islamic Courts. The Islamic Courts had been successful in bringing together various groupings in the capital of Mogadishu during 2006. The prospect for a united Somalia was perceived as a threat to imperialism.

Since 2007, the U.S. and its allies have maintained a direct and indirect presence in this Horn of Africa state. Under the current administration of President Donald Trump, Somalia is still being bombed periodically claiming the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are going after the ISIS-linked rebels. 

Even during 2025, Trump ordered the Pentagon to bomb Somalia under the false pretenses related to security. Yet, a major controversy was unleashed when the Trump administration said it was contemplating the recognition of the northern breakaway region of Somaliland which declared its independence from the central government in Mogadishu after a ten-year rebellion against the formerly U.S.-backed regime of General Mohamed Siad Barre between 1981-1991. 

Somaliland has never been recognized as an independent state by the United Nations and the African Union (AU). Now, the closest ally of U.S. imperialism, the State of Israel, has recognized Somaliland. This political maneuver has been met by condemnation throughout Africa and other geo-political regions of the world. Inside of Somalia itself, demonstrations against Israel have attracted hundreds of thousands of people. 

This is an attempt to revive the so-called “Abraham Accords”, whose aims are to undermine the solidarity with the Palestinians by having West Asian and African states accept the occupation of the Arab people in perpetuity. However, the arrogance of imperialism and zionism has done nothing accept driving more people into the Palestine solidarity movement. 

Women in Power: Tanzania and Namibia of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

After the death of Republic of Namibia President Hage Geingob in February 2024, Vice-President Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was eventually elected as the first woman head-of-state representing the ruling South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which served as the sole and legitimate liberation movement during the period of the struggle for independence. SWAPO fought a decades-long armed and mass struggle against the former racist apartheid regime in South Africa.

After its independence on March 21, 1990, SWAPO has maintained political power inside the country. President Nandi-Ndaitwah is attempting to further modernize Namibia while continuing its overall politically stable atmosphere. 

The SWAPO government continues its legacy of revolutionary politics through support for the Palestinian cause as well as the Western Sahara. Namibia is a firm member of the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), perhaps the most unified regional organization on the continent. 

In the United Republic of Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan was elected during 2025 amid much international interest. Hassan had served as Vice-President under the former President John Magafuli. After his death in office, Hassan took over the country becoming the first woman leader of Tanzania which has experienced political stability since it became independent in 1961 under President Julius Nyerere. 

Nyerere is still considered one of the icons of the movements for national independence and Pan-Africanism. He voluntarily left office in 1987 after serving more than a quarter-century in office. 

Nyerere was a co-founder of the Tanzania African National Union (TANU), the party of independence. The party’s name was changed in 1977 to the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania). 

Hassan was accused by the opposition parties of suppressing political participation. Riots erupted during the elections resulting in an undetermined number of deaths and injuries. This was the most tumultuous period in the country since its independence in the early 1960s.

However, the unrest did not appear to destabilize the state. Tanzania remains a staunch member of SADC, the AU and proponent of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Its political positions are still progressive and in line with the ideals and aspirations of the people of Africa and the Global South.

Pan-Africanism and Economic Growth

These internal and external struggles in Africa have continued to hamper the efforts aimed at genuine independence, sovereignty and qualitative growth. The consolidation of African states and their unification cannot occur until imperialism and neo-colonialism are defeated decisively.

Under the current western imperialist leadership in North America and Western Europe, the movement for Pan-Africanism and socialism will inevitably continue. Africa must be on constant guard for destabilization and outright military intervention.

Events in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a cause for alarm for the AU member-states and its 1.4 billion people. Those states and leaders are subject to invasion, abduction, assassination and the reimposition of direct colonial rule.

Consequently, the imperatives of the unification of Africa are more important today than in any other period in post-colonial history. Absent of political, economic and military consolidation, the continent cannot realize its objectives aimed at achieving its greatest potential.