Palestine Conference Exposes Western Rift as US-China Extend Tariff Truce

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, July 30th

© AP Photo/Adam Gray

MOSCOW, July 30. /TASS/. Western intelligence agencies allegedly support Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Valery Zaluzhny as a replacement for Vladimir Zelensky; a UN-led conference on Palestinian statehood revealed growing divisions within the West over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and the US and China have extended their 90-day tariff ceasefire without setting a new deadline. These stories topped Wednesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.

Izvestia: Western intelligence allegedly backs Zaluzhny to replace Zelensky

The potential appointment of former Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny as President of Ukraine would not necessarily lead to a resolution of the conflict, experts told Izvestia. According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the United States and the United Kingdom recently held a closed-door meeting in the Alps with Ukrainian officials, including Presidential Office Head Andrey Yermak, to discuss Zaluzhny’s possible candidacy. The SVR noted that Zaluzhny, currently serving as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, is being considered for the country’s top office. The agency added that this may also shed light on the recent restrictions imposed on Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies.

"According to information received by the SVR, representatives of the United States and the United Kingdom recently held a secret meeting in one of the Alpine resort towns, attended by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andrey Yermak, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Kirill Budanov, and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, now Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valery Zaluzhny. The participants discussed the prospect of replacing Vladimir Zelensky as head of the Kiev regime. All parties to the meeting agreed that the issue was long overdue," the SVR said in a statement.

According to the intelligence service, the US and UK representatives agreed to support Zaluzhny as their candidate for the Presidency of Ukraine. The agency further reported that Yermak and Budanov secured "promises from the Anglo-Saxons" that they would retain their current positions, and that their interests would be taken into account in future personnel decisions. The replacement of Zelensky has effectively become the central condition for a "reset" in Kiev’s relations with its Western partners, primarily Washington, and for the continuation of Western assistance to Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia.

Looking at approval ratings, Zaluzhny’s chances are indeed substantial. His popularity within Ukrainian society is significantly higher than that of Zelensky, former Verkhovna Rada deputy Vladimir Voloshyn told Izvestia.

"Ukraine’s Western handlers clearly understand that any figure must possess a certain degree of legitimacy within the country. And in virtually all criteria over the past year and a half to two years, Zaluzhny has consistently outperformed Zelensky," he said.

Should Zaluzhny ultimately replace Zelensky and become a negotiating partner with Russia, his legitimacy would first have to be fully recognized. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that any agreement can only be concluded with the lawful representatives of Ukraine, political analyst and member of the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations Bogdan Bezpalko told Izvestia.

Izvestia: UN conference on Palestinian statehood exposes deepening Western divide

The conference on the creation of a Palestinian state, which opened at United Nations headquarters with the participation of Saudi Arabia and France, has become the most notable international initiative aimed at Middle East peace in recent years. Despite a boycott by the United States and Israel, representatives from dozens of countries arrived in New York to express their support for the establishment of two states. The forum has underscored the growing rift within the West itself regarding the Palestinian issue, Izvestia writes. Paris has announced its readiness to recognize Palestine as early as September, while pressure is mounting on the British government to follow suit. Washington has dismissed the conference as both pointless and premature, but leaders in Europe and the Arab world argue that the Palestinian question can no longer be postponed.

Palestinian security expert Mohammed al-Masri emphasized the significance of France’s recognition of Palestine but pointed to its limitations without specific actions. "France’s recognition is an important step, but turning it into reality requires international partnerships and concrete pressure on Israel," he told Izvestia. According to him, Paris holds substantial global weight as a member of the UN Security Council and a major player in Europe and the West. However, without practical steps on the ground toward establishing a Palestinian state, the move would remain largely symbolic, he added.

The United Kingdom could also move to recognize Palestine in September should Israel fail to take concrete steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to Politico, one-third of British lawmakers have signed a letter urging the government to grant official recognition.

Amid the renewed push for Palestinian recognition, internal divisions within the Western bloc are widening rapidly. According to Jamal Wakim, professor at the Lebanese University, for the first time in decades, the Palestinian issue has become a dividing line not only between the West and the Global South, but "within the West itself."

"Some countries, particularly in Southern Europe and Scandinavia, are seeking to revise past policies and adopt a more humane stance, while others, including Germany and the United States, remain firmly committed to their strategic obligations to Israel," the expert told Izvestia.

In 2024, Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia all announced their recognition of the Palestinian state. Prior to that, Sweden and Iceland had taken similar steps. To date, more than 140 countries around the world officially recognize Palestine, including Russia, China, and India.

Vedomosti: US, China extend their 90-day tariff truce

High-ranking representatives of the United States and China held a third round of trade negotiations in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 28-29. The talks resulted in an extension of the current 90-day cease-fire in the tariff dispute triggered in spring 2025 by US President Donald Trump. For now, neither side has specified how long the truce, originally due to expire on August 12, will be prolonged. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti say that, with no comprehensive trade pact and heavily intertwined supply chains, the already punitive US tariff, China’s need for market access, and mutual reluctance to upend long-standing economic linkages mean the truce merely sets the stage for yet more rounds of negotiations.

Washington will keep in place a 30% customs duty on goods from China, while Beijing will continue to levy a 10% duty on American products. The gap persists because Beijing did not respond in kind to the United States’ 20% tariffs, which the White House justifies by what it sees as China’s insufficient efforts to stem fentanyl.

US-China trade relations are likely to remain entangled in ongoing negotiations, Vladimir Vasilyev, chief research fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti. He attributed this to the lack of a comprehensive trade agreement, even though the two countries accounted for one of the world’s largest trade volumes, approximately $690 billion in 2024.

Vasilyev added that the tariff rate maintained in Stockholm is already prohibitive, so there was no practical reason to raise it further. China, for its part, remains ready to keep negotiating, unwilling to forfeit access to the American market.

Both countries understand that overall bilateral relations are deteriorating, yet neither Beijing nor Washington wishes to dismantle production chains, strategic projects, and avenues of cooperation built over many years, according to Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics Vasily Kashin. Despite the general atmosphere of tension, the parties will strive to continue cooperating, he noted.

Vedomosti: EU threatens to suspend funding to Ukraine over rollback of anti-corruption bodies’ independence

The Anti-Corruption Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has endorsed a presidential bill, which seeks to restore the institutional independence of the country’s anti-corruption bodies - the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. Shortly before this, both European and Ukrainian media outlets reported that the European Union had threatened to suspend financial assistance to Ukraine in response to the erosion of the agencies’ autonomy. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti agree that the EU’s financial ultimatum reflects deep concerns over Kiev’s attempt to consolidate power by weakening Western-backed anti-corruption institutions.

At stake is the EU’s share of 17.2 billion euro under the ERA Loans program, a G7-led credit initiative from which Ukraine had hoped to receive funds before the end of 2025. Due to the controversy surrounding the two agencies, Ukraine now risks losing access to those funds, as well as to 12.5 billion euro earmarked under the broader Ukraine Facility program.

According to experts, for Europe, the controversy surrounding the organizations’ independence centers on financial accountability and maintaining checks on Ukrainian elites, with the goal of preventing the emergence of a dominant power center, Vedomosti writes. These institutions, created beginning in 2014 by Western partners, were designed to operate independently of Ukraine’s presidency and executive branch. Now, under pressure, Vladimir Zelensky is making concessions, having not foreseen such forceful pushback, head of the Ukraine division at the Institute of CIS Countries Ivan Skorikov told Vedomosti.

Kiev had anticipated that Brussels would turn a blind eye to the situation, given the EU’s ongoing rivalry with the administration of US President Donald Trump. Political analyst Boris Borodenko told Vedomosti that Zelensky and his inner circle were equally unprepared for criticism from Washington. "The threat of cutting European financial assistance to Ukraine is a serious instrument of pressure, as the country remains critically dependent on external funding," Skorikov concluded.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russia urged to diversify oil exports as sanctions complicate sales to China and India

Further expansion of oil production, both within the OPEC+ framework and beyond, will constrain the potential for oil price growth, according to experts from the Gaidar Institute. According to their estimates, oil prices will stabilize in 2026 at an average of $64 per barrel. Additional drivers of price volatility will include US trade policy, geopolitical conflicts, and declining oil consumption in developed nations. The tightening of sanctions against Russia’s fuel and energy complex will create further barriers for production and exports. Experts told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia must urgently diversify its energy exports by expanding beyond reliance on China and India, and investing in value-added processing to counteract the long-term impact of sanctions and global market shifts.

On Tuesday, oil prices retreated following a sharp rise on Monday. By midday, September Brent futures had dropped to $70 per barrel, while WTI fell to $66.7. On Monday, Brent had risen by 2.3% and WTI by 2.4%, driven by news of a US-European Union trade agreement. Prices were also bolstered by statements from US President Donald Trump, who announced his decision to shorten the 50-day deadline he had previously set for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine to just 10-12 days. The American leader also promised to impose 100% duties on buyers of Russian oil and other sanctions if Moscow does not conclude a peace agreement with Kiev by the deadline.

Experts agree that Russia must accelerate diversification of its commodity exports. "Just because since 2022 Russia has no longer been dependent on oil and gas deliveries to a single ‘monoconsumer’, the European Union, does not mean it should seek a new monoconsumer in the form of China, India, or any other country. Although Russia has redirected oil and gas exports to several nations, this does not imply that the geographic scope of exports should remain so limited," lead analyst at Freedom Finance Global Natalia Milchakova told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

The expert believes that Russia can easily scale up volumes to Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan, where domestic oil reserves have been nearly exhausted and natural gas supplies remain very limited. Another option is to expand oil and gas processing, shifting from raw exports to refined, high value-added products.

Pavel Sevostyanov, Associate Professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, also sees potential in strengthening the Asian export direction. "In addition, cooperation with Turkey and Southeast Asian nations via Black Sea terminals and Greek hubs would allow for diversification of supply routes," he told the newspaper.

TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews

Trump Says BRICS Acts Against America, US Dollar

According to the US president, BRICS wants to dent the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency

WASHINGTON, July 30. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said he believes BRICS seeks to counter the US and wants to dent the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency.

"They have BRICS, which is basically a group of countries that are anti the United States, and India is a member of that, if you can believe it," he told reporters at the White House when discussing the tariffs that he wants to impose on India.

Talking about BRICS, Trump also said, "It's an attack on the dollar, and we're not going to let anybody attack the dollar."

The US president said the US is imposing tariffs on India in part due to its BRICS membership and in part due to trade. According to Trump, the US has a huge deficit in trade with the Asian country.

Previously, the American leader threatened on July 8 to impose 10% tariffs on BRICS members. He said the members of the group want to hurt the dollar and stop it from being the standard. Trump then also warned that the US will not allow the dollar to lose its status as the world's reserve currency.

Earlier, in a joint statement following the summit in Rio de Janeiro, BRICS countries spoke out against unilateral trade and financial measures, including tariff hikes and non-tariff barriers, which lead to trade imbalances and contradict WTO rules.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on July 15 that BRICS countries are seeking alternatives to dollar-based settlements in order to insure themselves against US abuses of the dollar’s status, and this process can no longer be stopped. According to the minister, Russia will continue to insist that it is reckoned with and will work honestly and openly, as befits a self-respecting, strong and independent power.

Trump Announces 25% Tariffs for India from August 1

Despite friendly relations between the two countries, the US has done "relatively little business" with India "because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country," the US leader said

US President Donald Trump AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson

US President Donald Trump

© AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson

WASHINGTON, July 30. /TASS/. The United States will introduce 25% tariffs on imports from India since August 1, President Donald Trump said on the Truth Social.

Despite friendly relations between the two countries, the US has done "relatively little business" with India "because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country," the US leader said.

Trump also noted that India "always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia" and is the largest buyer of Russian energy resources along with China.

"India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25%, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August first,"he added.

Nine Moderate Earthquakes Rock Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in Span of One Hour

Nine earthquakes of magnitudes 5.0, 4.8, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, 5.2, 5.0, 5.4 and 6.0 were recorded in Kamchatka over an hour, seismologists said

© Valeria Kosilova/TASS

VLADIVOSTOK, July 30. /TASS/. Nine earthquakes of magnitudes 5.0, 4.8, 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, 5.2, 5.0, 5.4 and 6.0 were recorded in Kamchatka over an hour, seismologists said.

According to the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the 5.0-magnitude earthquake occurred 350 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the first 4.8-magnitude earthquake occurred 273 kilometers away, the second 212 kilometers away, the 5.3-magnitude earthquake 230 kilometers away, and the 6.0-magnitude earthquake 402 kilometers away. The first quake's epicenter was at a depth of 64.8 kilometers, the second at a depth of 10.8 kilometers, the third at a depth of 66 kilometers, the fourth at a depth of 56.5 kilometers, and the fifth at a depth of 33 kilometers.

As for the recent series of earthquakes, the 5.2-magnitude earthquake occurred 248 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the 5.0-magnitude earthquake occurred 204 kilometers away, the 5.4-magnitude earthquake 297 kilometers away, and the 6.0-magnitude earthquake 402 kilometers away. The first quake's epicenter was at a depth of 38.7 kilometers, the second at a depth of 13.7 kilometers, the third at a depth of 88 kilometers, the fourth at a depth of 56.5 kilometers, and the fifth at a depth of 77.1 kilometers.

On the morning of July 30, a powerful earthquake occurred off the coast of Kamchatka. It was the strongest since 1952. According to the authorities, its magnitude reached 8.8. However, the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that it was 8.7. A series of aftershocks followed, with a magnitude of 5. According to the regional Health Ministry, one person was injured. The earthquake triggered a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean, as announced by authorities in Japan, the United States, and the Philippines.

As Trump’s Tariff Deadline Looms, a Clothing Factory in the Tiny African Nation of Lesotho Goes Dark

By RENATA BRITO

11:47 AM EDT, July 30, 2025

MASERU, Lesotho (AP) — The deafening roar of hundreds of sewing machines has gone silent. Spools of thread in every color are covered in dust. The warehouse is dark and empty.

In the tiny African nation of Lesotho, clothing manufacturer Tzicc’s business has dried up in the face of tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. A few months ago, work was steady. The factory’s 1,300 employees have made and exported sportswear to American stores, including JCPenney, Walmart and Costco.

But when Trump announced sweeping new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners in April, Lesotho found itself topping the list, with a rate of 50% — higher even than that of China, where the economy is 8,000 times larger. Officials here and economic experts said they were baffled.

Since then, Trump backed off — temporarily. During a monthslong pause for trade talks, the U.S. has charged a baseline 10% tariff and announced new rates for dozens of countries starting Friday. Lesotho’s rate will be set at Trump’s whim, with aides suggesting that tariffs charged on goods from smaller African countries could top 10%.

Many nations have received letters laying out a new tariff. With the pause set to expire Friday, Lesotho officials say they’ve not received one and they find themselves among the countries where Trump says officials simply don’t have time for one-on-one negotiations. Leaders — and the 12,000 people employed by garment factories exporting to the U.S. market — are still waiting.

The damage has already rippled through Lesotho’s economy, where textile manufacturing comprises the largest private industry with more than 30,000 workers in 2024.

For Tzicc and its customers, the threat and apparent singling out of Lesotho were enough. Management decided to rush to deliver preexisting orders before tariffs resumed. But American buyers stopped placing new orders. With no work left, virtually all the factory’s employees were sent home — potentially permanently.

“Well, unfortunately, we finished,” factory compliance manager Rahila Omar said, pointing out the irony of the strategy as she walked among rows of silenced and covered machines. “That is why now we don’t have any work.”

Omar is one of a handful of employees left in the eerily quiet factory. A few remain in the accounting department; others empty leftover stock to a warehouse elsewhere.

Officials and workers fear this may be a sign of what’s to come for other factories in Lesotho, where poverty is widespread among the population of 2 million and most textile workers single-handedly support their families.

Lesotho’s tiny economy was threatened with giant tariffs

In March, a month before slapping Lesotho with the 50% tariff, Trump described it as a place “nobody has ever heard of,” struggling to pronounce the nation’s name in a speech criticizing U.S. foreign aid.

It’s true Lesotho is a “very minuscule economy,” as its own trade minister, Mokhethi Shelile, described it.

But its relationship with Washington dates back decades. The U.S. was the first country to open an embassy in the capital, Maseru, after Lesotho declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. The military received U.S. training, and hundreds of millions in U.S. funds were sent to Lesotho to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic via the now defunct USAID office and the PEPFAR program.

As textiles grew to become Lesotho’s main export, some 75% of its product went to the U.S. Lesotho became known as Africa’s denim capital. If an American purchased jeans from a U.S. brand such as Wrangler or Levi’s, they may have been “Made in Lesotho,” as tags still note.

In 2000, the U.S. signed the African Growth and Opportunity Act, allowing Lesotho and other African nations to export goods to the U.S. duty free.

Shelile said he was in the process of negotiating AGOA’s September renewal when he was awakened in the middle of the night by texts from aides bearing news of the 50% U.S. tariffs.

“No, this cannot be real,” Shelile remembers thinking. “What did we do to deserve this?”

According to the Trump administration, Lesotho charges a 99% tariff on U.S. goods. The government here said it doesn’t know how the U.S. calculated that.

In theory, the tariff decision was based on trade deficit: Lesotho’s exports to the U.S. were around $240 million last year — mainly clothing and diamonds — and imports from the U.S. were only $2.8 million. But in practice, the math is more complicated than that. And in reality, Lesotho simply cannot afford to import more U.S. products. Nearly half the population lives below the poverty line.

“The trade deficit that exists between Lesotho and the U.S. is a natural trade deficit that can happen when you have these types of disparities between two economies,” Shelile said. “It cannot be breached and certainly cannot be breached by imposing tariffs.”

Lesotho declared a state of emergency over unemployment

Last year, Lesotho’s overall unemployment rate was about 30%, national data shows. For those 35 and younger, it was nearly 50%.

The threat of tariffs has exacerbated the national unemployment troubles, prompting the government to declare a state of disaster this month.

“No matter how we slice it, we’ve already had a lot of losses,” Shelile said. “People have lost quite a lot money. And to claw back and come back to where we were before this is going to take time.”

Most of the 12,000 people hired by Lesotho’s 11 factories exporting to the U.S. are women with children to feed and school fees to pay.

Of those, 9,000 jobs are directly in the line of fire and an additional 40,000 will suffer indirectly from the U.S.-imposed tariffs, Shelile said.

“We’re talking people in real estate that are leasing some rooms,” he said. “We’re talking people in transport, whether it’s long-distance haulage to the port, or it is a taxi driver taking people to work in the morning. They are going be affected.”

Mapontso Mathunya used to work on Tzicc’s cutting room floor and is now unemployed. Her husband also is out of a steady job. With two young children, Mathunya was the family’s breadwinner. She now tries to sell snacks and cigarettes on the street but finds it a daily struggle to bring home even a few cents.

“Our financial burden has been heavy,” she said. “Things are bad.”

The future of this factory and others remains in limbo

The future of the Tzicc factory depends on what happens Friday, compliance manager Omar said.

Owned by a Taiwanese national, the factory has been open since mid-1999. In a peak month, it made up to 1.5 million pieces of clothing for JCPenney.

Key U.S. customers for Tzicc — JCPenney, Walmart and Costco — did not reply to AP to comment.

Pivoting to the neighboring South African market, one of the solutions proposed by the trade minister and industry consultants, wouldn’t be enough to even cover the employees’ payroll, Omar said.

And even if American buyers return, it’s unlikely the factory could rehire all its 1,300 workers, she added.

Today, just a few blocks away, former employees try their luck looking for work at other factories that are still operating. Most are turned away.

“Life is difficult,” former worker Mathunya said. “There is nothing, nothing at all. People don’t have money.”

______

Pascalinah Kabi in Maseru, Josh Boak in Washington and Anne D’Innocenzio in New York contributed.

Angola’s Fuel Price Protests Leave 4 Dead and Lead to Hundreds of Arrests

People have been killed and more than 500 arrested during two days of protests in the Angolan capital of Luanda sparked by a rise in fuel prices, police said Tuesday.

7:22 PM EDT, July 29, 2025

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Four people have been killed and more than 500 arrested during two days of protests in Luanda, the capital of Angola, sparked by a rise in fuel prices, police said Tuesday.

The protests erupted Monday over the government’s decision earlier this month to raise the price of diesel by more than 30%, which resulted in large price hikes by minibus taxis that are the preferred method of transport for many Angolans.

A police statement said hundreds of arrests were made in connection with rioting, vandalism and looting of shops. Cars and buses were damaged and roads were blocked.

Four people were killed in the unrest, police spokesperson Mateus de Lemos Rodrigues said Tuesday. The police statement said order had now been restored in most parts of the city.

Similar protests against the fuel hikes were held earlier this month, when Human Rights Watch accused the police of excessive force against what was a largely peaceful demonstration.

Security forces have often been accused of clamping down on protests in Angola, where the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola party has been in power for 50 years since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

SPLM-RDC Suspends Participation in Somoud’s Executive Bodies, Exposing Internal Rifts

Former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok speaking in London on October 31, 2024

July 14, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – A key faction of Sudan’s civilian-led coalition has suspended its participation in the alliance’s executive bodies, a move that reveals widening rifts within the pro-democracy bloc.

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Revolutionary Democratic Current (SPLM-RDC) announced its decision in a letter to the leadership of the “Somoud” (Steadfastness) alliance, seen by Sudan Tribune.

The “Somoud” coalition was formed earlier this year to replace the Coordination of Civilian Democratic Forces (Taqaddum). The split follows disagreements over the potential formation of a parallel government involving the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In his lettre to the coalition’s head, former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, the SPLM-RDC stated that the current crisis is an extension of political disputes that plagued the previous “Taqaddum” alliance.

The faction, led by Yasir Arman, demanded a resolution to outstanding organizational issues based on a clear political vision, accusing the current leadership of centralizing the decision-making process.

The move comes amid ongoing disagreements over the representation of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which has been demanding a vice-presidency position in the alliance.

Al-Radi Dao al-Bait Adam, the SPLM-RDC’s Secretary-General, clarified that the faction would limit its involvement to the leadership council “to allow more opportunity for political dialogue,” while freezing its membership in all executive and specialized committees of the “Somoud” alliance.

Adam called for a new political vision focused on civilian protection as the primary entry point to resolving the nation’s crisis. He advocated for building an “organic alliance” of independent civil forces as a fundamental condition for a sustainable solution.

He stressed the need to prioritize the humanitarian catastrophe and civilian protection over the political process, warning that such an approach requires broad regional and international solidarity.

“Putting the political process before addressing the humanitarian disaster and protecting civilians only prolongs the suffering of the people and will not stop the war,” Adam warned.

The secretary-general criticized the coalition’s leadership for failing to learn from past mistakes, noting that the momentum from the founding conference of the previous “Taqaddum” alliance in Addis Ababa had been wasted. He cautioned that the new alliance was following the same path of “political bargaining” instead of building a genuine “organic alliance.”

Critics argue that the extensive role of trade unions and civil society groups in Sudan’s political alliances allows some factions to gain disproportionate leverage and to secure key decision-making roles.

U.S. Scraps High-level Meeting on Sudan Conflict, Sources Say

July 29, 2025 (WASHINGTON) – The United States has cancelled a high-level Quad meeting on the Sudan conflict that was scheduled for Wednesday, a media report said on Tuesday, a move that came without a public explanation.

The meeting of the Quad group – comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – was called off despite intensive preparations, the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported, citing unidentified U.S. State Department sources.

The talks had been intended to launch a political dialogue between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and to issue a joint statement calling for an end to hostilities and improved humanitarian access, the report said.

Egypt’s ambassador to Washington, Moataz Zahran, told reporters there was a “possibility the Quad meeting could be postponed until next September,” adding that the group remained focused on pressuring the warring parties

The setback follows a British-hosted meeting in April 2025 that also aimed to forge a unified international approach. That effort failed to produce a final declaration due to disagreements between Egypt and Saudi Arabia on one side, and the United Arab Emirates on the other..

The cancellation comes as Sudan’s army and the RSF continue to take escalatory actions. Peace talks mediated by Washington and Riyadh were suspended indefinitely in December 2023 after both sides failed to implement confidence-building measures agreed upon in Jeddah.

African Union Envoy Praises New Sudan Government in Talks with Leader

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's Sovereignty Council, greets African Union envoy Mohamed Belaiche in Port Sudan on July 29, 2025. Sovereign Council photo.

July 29, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – An African Union envoy on Tuesday praised Sudan’s new civilian government in talks with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a move that could pave the way for the country’s reinstatement to the regional bloc.

Sudan’s membership in the African Union was suspended after a military coup on Oct. 25, 2021.

The AU representative, Mohamed Belaiche, met Burhan in Port Sudan, the temporary seat of government, where he lauded the formation of a cabinet led by Prime Minister Kamel Idris.

“The formation of an independent civilian government is a significant step toward alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people,” Belaiche said in a statement released by Burhan’s Sovereignty Council, adding it would allow for reconstruction to begin.

Belaiche also commended the armed forces for their work to “defeat the rebellion” and restore stability, the statement said.

The envoy emphasized that dialogue was essential to resolving the country’s conflicts and cited the 2023 Jeddah Declaration, a stalled peace initiative signed by the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as a basis for talks.

Consultations between the AU and Sudan to lift the country’s suspension are expected to begin following the formation of the new government.

AU, Arab League, Saudis Condemn RSF-led Government in Sudan

The Sudanese Founding Alliance "Tasis" leaders signed a transitional constitution in Nairobi on March 3, 2025

July 29, 2025 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union, the Arab League and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday condemned a move by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to form a parallel government, and urged other nations not to recognize it.

The move came after the “Tasis” coalition, dominated by the RSF and its commander, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, announced on July 26 the formation of a presidential council and the appointment of a prime minister, challenging the official government run by the army from Port Sudan.

In separate statements, the regional bodies rejected the declaration as an illegal step that exceeded Sudan’s constitutional framework and threatened the country’s unity and territorial integrity.

The AU’s Peace and Security Council called on member states and the international community to “refrain from providing support and assistance” to the new body. It affirmed its recognition of the official government based in Port Sudan, which is led by Prime Minister Kamel Idriss.

The Arab League warned the move was an attempt to “impose a de facto reality by military force” that could turn the country into “warring cantons.” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry urged Sudanese parties to avoid the risks of division and chaos.

The statements reiterated support for previous peace efforts, including the 2023 Jeddah Declaration and U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on the RSF to end its siege of El Fasher and allow humanitarian aid.

The AU also renewed its condemnation of all external interventions fueling the conflict, which erupted in April 2023. The army-led government has accused the United Arab Emirates of providing military and financial support to the RSF.

Ugandan and South Sudanese Troops Clash at Border, Killing at Least 4

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA and DENG MACHOL

6:48 AM EDT, July 30, 2025

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Troops from Uganda and South Sudan clashed along the border between their countries in a firefight that left at least four dead, a Ugandan military official said Wednesday, as tensions flared over disputed border demarcations.

Three South Sudanese soldiers were shot dead by Ugandan forces who retaliated after one of their soldiers was killed on Monday, said Maj. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, spokesperson for the Ugandan military. But Wani Jackson Mule, a local official in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state, said he received the bodies of five soldiers.

The firefight occurred in a remote part of northwestern Uganda, known as West Nile, when South Sudanese soldiers crossed further into Ugandan territory, set up camp and refused to leave, according to Kulayigye.

“We had to apply force,” he said.

Mule described the firefight as a “surprise attack” by Ugandan forces in territory they consider to lie within South Sudan.

A spokesman for South Sudan’s military, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, said military leaders from South Sudan and Uganda have agreed to an immediate ceasefire to enable an investigation of the latest border clash.

Sections of the Uganda-South Sudan border have been contested for years.

Leaders from the two countries have set up a joint border demarcation committee whose work is ongoing, Kulayigye said. Officials from both countries have previously said that they expect to reach a firm decision in 2027.

Although there have been sporadic border clashes over the years, the exchange of fire between the military allies is rare.

Ugandan forces have been deployed to South Sudan to help support President Salva Kiir against forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar. Ugandan special forces are deployed in Juba, the capital, and elsewhere in South Sudan.

___

Machol reported from Juba, South Sudan.

‘From Bad to Worse': Ugandan Opposition Figure Describes Struggle Ahead of Next Year’s Vote

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

1:14 AM EDT, July 30, 2025

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Opposition figure Bobi Wine said the political climate in Uganda has “gone from bad to worse” ahead of presidential polls set for early next year, citing threats to himself and other activists mobilizing against the longtime president.

Wine, a singer-turned-lawmaker whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, said the threats he faces as President Yoweri Museveni’s main opponent “come in no unclear terms.”

Fears for Wine’s safety have grown in recent months, fueled by regular attacks on X from Museveni’s son and presumptive heir, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba. In January, Kainerugaba wrote he “would cut off” Wine’s head if the president allowed it, and he drew widespread criticism in May for saying he was holding Wine’s missing bodyguard “in my basement.” The bodyguard later appeared unable to walk without support when presented in court, the apparent victim of torture.

“It’s a constant reminder that the threat is real, because this is no ordinary person,” Wine said, speaking of Gen. Kainerugaba. “This is a person that is not only the son of the person in charge of the country but is also the person in charge of all the organs of violence. He heads the military, the police, the prisons, you know. He is above the law, and he has acted as such.”

Wine, 43, spoke to The Associated Press in an exclusive interview at the headquarters of his National Unity Platform party in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, a site briefly occupied by security forces in a raid last month.

Museveni, 80, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, dismisses Wine as an agent of foreign interests and has even questioned his patriotism. But Wine, who denies the allegations, has a large following among working-class people in urban areas, and his party has the most seats of any opposition party in Parliament.

In the 2021 election, Wine secured 35% of the vote, while Museveni, with 58%, posted his worst-ever result, establishing Wine as the president’s most potent challenger in decades. Wine alleged his victory was stolen through widespread ballot stuffing and other malpractices. Electoral authorities disputed the allegations.

Wine’s party claims dozens of its followers have been jailed or disappeared since 2021. For Wine, the attacks are meant to “send fear down the nerves of all those that work with me and all those that stand for what I stand for.”

Wine and Museveni are set to face each other again in presidential polls scheduled for January 2026.

Museveni has been campaigning in recent days in Kampala as he tries to bolster his chances among people likely to support Wine, urban dwellers often without a reliable source of income and who hope a change of government will benefit them.

Wine often describes himself as a “ghetto president,” citing his early days in a poor neighborhood in Kampala. He has maintained a high profile in this East African nation since the early 2000s, when he rose to fame as a singer whose dancehall music captivated audiences. Wine’s compositions later grew critical of the government, earning him a reputation as a prominent contrarian while his musical peers were sometimes seen to be supportive of the government.

His election to a parliamentary seat in 2017 marked his formal entry into national politics.

Wine told the AP he is mobilizing his supporters to show up in what he calls a “protest vote” against everything he believes is wrong with the government. But his attempts to hold rallies across the country are often thwarted by security forces who cite a need to protect public order.

Kainerugaba, the army chief, recently said that government-provided guards will protect all presidential candidates, a warning to Wine and others against making private security arrangements. Kainerugaba’s stated presidential ambitions have exacerbated fears of family rule in a country that has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of power since independence in 1962.

“It speaks of state capture. It speaks of impunity. It speaks of family rule,” Wine said about the threats from Kainerugaba.

Yet, he said, his resistance has only increased in the face of pressure.

“Our resolve has become firmer,” he said.

Ivory Coast Leader’s Bid for a 4th Term After Rivals Sidelined is Seen as a Risk for Democracy

By OPE ADETAYO

12:24 PM EDT, July 30, 2025

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The decision of Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara to run for a fourth term risks a return to a past era of “old guard dictator rule” in a region where democracy is increasingly being challenged, an analyst warned on Wednesday.

Ibrahim Anoba, an Africa affairs analyst at the Atlas Network, spoke to The Associated Press a day after Ouattara ended months of speculation about his contested candidacy in the October election with an announcement that is likely to lead to the extension of a presidency that started in 2010.

While Ouattara, 83, said his decision to run was informed by the “unprecedented security, economic and monetary challenges” the country faces, his announcement comes after the disqualification of most of his prominent rivals, including former Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam.

After changing the constitution in 2016 to remove presidential term limits, Ouattara is the latest leader in West and Central Africa to attempt to stay in power with little or no challenge from a weakened opposition.

Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé swapped the presidential system with a parliamentary system and introduced a new all-powerful role, while in Cameroon Paul Biya is eyeing an eighth term after being in power since 1982, nearly half his lifetime. Central African Republic’s Faustin Touadera is seeking a third term amid a constitutional controversy.

With Ivory Coast considered a regional powerhouse, analysts say a weakened opposition and the constitutional change that kept Ouattara in power could lead the country to an era of one-man rule.

Opposition protests against Ouattara have been blocked, and several protesters have been arrested and accused of disturbing public order.

“We might be sliding back to that era of old men, old guard dictator rule in West Africa because (of) the attitude of the military and equally the civilian rulers,” said Anoba. “And the announcement by Ouattara is a reflection of that reality.”

Opposition politicians are now rallying against Ouattara, which could feed into a growing wave of discontent among citizens battling declining economies and security challenges.

“It is a repetition of the same problem that we have seen lead to the same consequences,” said Anoba.

West and Central Africa has recorded eight coups since 2020, with military juntas sometimes pointing to the lack of fair democratic processes as one reason for deposing elected governments.

The spate of power grabs by military forces has reconfigured the region’s geopolitical lines and split the decades-old regional bloc known as ECOWAS, while some countries now look to Russia and prune ties with traditional allies such as the United States and France.

Periodic elections have been used by others to maintain democratic credentials, but analysts say the trend of constitutional changes and attacks on opposition have been no different from the military powers that have extended their stay in power.

“What we are having at the moment across West and Central Africa is status-quo elections,” said Beverly Ochieng, a senior analyst at Control Risks. “They end up reinforcing the authority and executive power of the incumbent in a way the opposition parties are not able to challenge it.”

Ochieng added: “There is also almost like an equivalent in the sense that people want to prolong their stay in power and are willing to use constitutional and transitional means to achieve.”

Ivory Coast has maintained its reputation as one of Africa’s most stable democracies, especially after its ruinous civil wars. It has established itself as a major African economic power, mostly due to the policies of Ouattara’s presidency.

However, beneath the veneer of stability is a firm grip on government institutions that makes it impossible for the opposition to challenge the ruling party, analysts say.

Ivory Coast in the past has experienced some electoral violence, which killed several people, following the civil war in 2011 when then-leader Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede defeat after losing the election. Some 3,000 people were killed in the violence that followed.

OPE ADETAYO

Adetayo is a West Africa reporter for The Associated Press. He covers news and regional development across West and Central Africa.

Ivory Coast’s President Will Seek a Fourth Term After the Disqualification of Rivals

By OPE ADETAYO, TOUSSAINT NGOTTA and MARK BANCHEREAU

4:48 PM EDT, July 29, 2025

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said Tuesday that he would seek a fourth term leading the West African nation, which is due to hold an election in October.

Ouattara’s candidacy is contested after he changed the constitution in 2016 to remove the presidential term limit.

The 83-year-old president declared his plan in a televised announcement. He won a third term in 2020 after he initially said that he wasn’t going to run again. However, he changed his position following the death of his handpicked successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly.

“I am a candidate, because the constitution allows me to seek another term, and my health allows it,” Ouattara said.

His most prominent rival, Tidjane Thiam, has already been barred from running by a court on the grounds that he was still a French citizen at the time he declared his candidacy, even though he later renounced his French nationality. Ivorian law bans dual nationals from running for president.

Thiam condemned Ouattara’s decision, calling it “a violation of our Constitution and a further attack on democracy.”

“This president and his government have long since crossed the line,” Thiam said in a statement. “A mock election in October or a ban on peaceful demonstrations will not be enough to cover up this situation.”

Elections in Ivory Coast have usually been fraught with tension and violence. When Ouattara announced his bid for a third term, several people were killed in the ensuing violence. There have been protests against the court’s decision to exclude Thiam from competing in the election.

Ouattara is the latest among a growing number of leaders in West Africa who remain in power by changing the constitutional term limit.

Coup leaders in the region have used alleged corruption within democratic governments and electoral changes as a pretext to seize power, leading to a split in the regional bloc called the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS.

“For those critical of ECOWAS and civilian governments, Ouattara’s decision just reinforces the legitimacy crisis everyone in the region is facing. It makes people like Ouattara look like hypocrites,” Nat Powell, Africa analyst at Oxford Analytica, told The Associated Press.

Ouattara justified his decision to run by saying that the Ivory Coast is facing unprecedented security, economic and monetary challenges that require experience to manage them effectively.

Over the past decade, groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have been spreading from the Sahel region into wealthier West African coastal states, such as Ivory Coast, Togo and Benin.

Ivory Coast’s economy has also struggled with U.S. tariffs and climate-related disruptions to its vital cocoa sector. The country is the world’s leading exporter of cocoa beans, and produces more than a third of the world’s supply.

Ouattara’s candidacy drew strong criticism from opposition members.

“Alassane Ouattara does not want to leave power — like any self-respecting dictator,” Guillaume Soro, a former prime minister who was blocked from running in the election, said.

Affi N’guessan, a candidate of the opposition Ivorian Popular Front, called Ouattara’s candidacy “illegal” but said he is confident that “a united opposition will defeat him at the polls.”

___

Ope Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria, and Mark Banchereau from Dakar, Senegal.

Nigeria Produce Stunning Comeback to Beat Morocco and Win 10th Wafcon

26 July 2025

Confederation of African Football (Giza)

Nigeria staged an extraordinary second-half comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 and lift their 10th TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) crown at the Stade Olympique in Rabat on Saturday night.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time in front of a partisan Moroccan crowd, the Super Falcons showed their pedigree and resilience, clawing their way back into the match with a display of clinical finishing and sheer determination to cement their status as queens of African football.

Goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a late winner by Joe Echegini overturned Morocco's strong first-half lead, stunning the Atlas Lionesses who were hoping to clinch their first-ever continental title on home soil.

The final had all the ingredients of a classic: a host nation looking to crown a golden generation with history, and Africa's most successful women's side eager to reaffirm their dominance.

Morocco got off to a dream start. With just 12 minutes on the clock, captain Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring with a brilliant strike from outside the box, curling the ball low past Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.

The home crowd erupted, sensing history in the making.

Things got even better for the Atlas Lionesses in the 24th minute when Sanaâ Mssoudy doubled Morocco's lead.

A slick pass from Ibtissam Jraidi found Mssoudy in space, and the forward made no mistake with a composed finish into the bottom right corner.

Nigeria appeared stunned and went into the break trailing by two goals, facing an uphill battle. But coach Justin Madugu's half-time talk sparked a spirited response from the Super Falcons.

The comeback began just after the hour mark when a VAR review handed Nigeria a lifeline.

A handball by Nouhaila Benzina resulted in a penalty, which was coolly dispatched by Okoronkwo to make it 2-1.

From that moment, momentum swung Nigeria's way. In the 71st minute, Okoronkwo turned provider, slipping a neat ball into the path of Ijamilusi, who drilled a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to bring Nigeria level.

With the match heading towards extra time, Nigeria found the winner.

A well-worked set-piece situation saw Esther Okoronkwo once again involved, delivering a clever assist to Joe Echegini, who calmly slotted home in the 88th minute to seal a dramatic turnaround.

Despite late pressure and a flurry of Moroccan attacks, the Super Falcons held firm through a tense final few minutes of stoppage time.

It was a heartbreaking end for Jorge Vilda's Morocco side, who had impressed throughout the tournament and were bidding to become only the second nation ever to lift the WAFCON trophy after Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

But the night belonged to the Super Falcons, whose experience, depth and never-say-die spirit propelled them to yet another African title -- their 10th in 13 editions.

Nigeria's triumph not only extended their unmatched legacy on the continent but also served as a resounding statement that, even in the face of rising challengers, they remain the team to beat in African women's football.

Read the original article on CAF.

Africa's Vulnerable to Bear Brunt of UK Foreign Aid Slash

24 July 2025

allAfrica.com

The UK government revealed details of its plans to cut foreign aid, with support for children's education and women's health in Africa facing the biggest reductions. In February, the government announced that it would cut foreign aid by 40% - from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% - to increase defence spending to 2.5%.

The Foreign Office reports that the biggest cuts will occur in Africa, where less money is being spent on women's health and water sanitation, increasing disease and death risks. Several aid charities have criticized the move, arguing that it would negatively impact the world's most vulnerable populations.

Government officials said that multilateral aid funds, funding given to international organizations such as the World Bank, would be protected, as would the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the UK would continue to play an essential humanitarian role in hotspots like Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan.

Morocco's Alleged Dollar Diplomacy Is Yielding Dividends

25 July 2025

Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)

analysis

By Peter Fabricius

More and more countries - and former SA President Jacob Zuma - are backing Rabat's plan for autonomy for Western Sahara.

Former South African President Jacob Zuma's visit to Morocco and endorsement of its continued occupation of Western Sahara as an autonomous region, have rekindled debate about this contentious and ongoing issue.

Zuma, who now heads the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat last week. Zuma formed MK just before South Africa's national elections last year, as the then-ruling African National Congress (ANC) was moving to expel him. MK raked in 15% of the vote, contributing to the ANC losing its majority for the first time since 1994.

MK cited a long list of explanations for abandoning the cause of Sahrawi independence, which Zuma espoused as president and the ANC still vigorously champions. MK's reasons included pan-Africanism, anti-colonialist solidarity, traditional leadership, territorial integrity and sovereignty. The anti-colonial argument was ironic given that the ANC views Morocco's claim over Western Sahara as colonialism and supports United Nations efforts to hold a referendum on the issue.

Despite the rhetoric, most of Zuma and Morocco's critics - including MK's former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu and African National Congress secretary Fikile Mbalula - suspect Zuma and MK sold out for money or other material gain.

That is certainly credible given Zuma's history of corruption and state capture while president. Those same critics believe material interests are the main reason Rabat has been making steady progress in switching the allegiance of international and African states.

'With Morocco's typical use of money, I am not surprised by Zuma's move,' a retired South African diplomat told ISS Today. 'He has fallen into Morocco's strategic campaign to get African countries to endorse their plan.

'In effect, Zuma's endorsement changes nothing but causes confusion, which I guess is part of Morocco 's intention.' The retired diplomat didn't see the South African government or ANC shifting their position 'anytime soon.' And didn't think this represented new thinking.

It was noteworthy, however, that Morocco treated Zuma almost as a foreign minister. This was possibly to embarrass Pretoria, which is among Africa's most ardent supporters of independence for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Or perhaps the aim was to shift South Africa's position.

But Chrispin Phiri, Spokesperson of South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, told ISS Today: 'Our foreign policy is fundamentally shaped by our constitutional values and enduring national interests, not by the transient political manoeuvrings of any single figure or party.

'It's crucial to distinguish between the particular agenda of former president Zuma and his political faction, and the broader, more permanent aspirations of the nation itself. To conflate the two would be an error of the highest order. Mr Zuma and his party, like any political entity, operate as non-state actors.'

It is difficult to assess how many states back Morocco's autonomy position. But support is growing internationally with the United States, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE - and just this week - Portugal, backing Morocco.

In Africa the tally is murkier, though experts and media reports suggest Morocco is gaining ground. They indicate it now has around 23 supporters - most in West Africa, versus about 18 countries - mainly in Southern Africa, backing Western Sahara independence or at least the right to a referendum on the issue.

Morocco was reported to have scored a significant victory in May when Kenya, which had hitherto firmly supported the SADR's right to self-determination, expressed its support for Morocco's autonomy plan. Ghana did the same in June.

However, the Polisario Front that governs the SADR has also won a few points. This year, its major champion Algeria twice defeated Morocco for African Union (AU) positions, both as AU deputy chair and in retaining North Africa's seat on the Peace and Security Council.

Nonetheless, the former South African diplomat said he was surprised by Kenya and Ghana's recent switch. He added that 'countries would have to think deeply and decide whether they would want to undermine African unity, which is one of the foundational principles of the AU.'

Liesl Louw-Vaudran, AU expert at the International Crisis Group, believes Morocco has made gradual progress in its campaign for recognition of its autonomy position, globally and in Africa. 'And I think Kenya is a very important country, continentally, at the UN and in the AU.'

She also believes Rabat has succeeded in neutralising the issue in Africa. In 2018, shortly after Morocco rejoined the AU, Louw-Vaudran and Christian Ani wrote that the AU's decision to largely leave the Western Sahara issue to the UN had been 'a big win for Morocco, which believes the AU-led efforts are biased.'

Louw-Vaudran told ISS Today this week that since then, Western Sahara was no longer discussed as a crisis within the AU, including in its Peace and Security Council.

'South Africa ... and some other countries are still trying to support the Western Sahara, but it's no longer such a huge emotional explosive issue, because Morocco really is, apart from South Africa, achieving its goal to stifle any debate about the Western Sahara within the African Union. It has got more and more countries siding with it, like Kenya now.'

Louw-Vaudran said despite rumours that Morocco would launch a campaign to get the SADR expelled from the AU, it hasn't happened. With strong opposition from the likes of South Africa and Algeria, 'it would be very, very difficult.'

SADR Foreign Minister Mohamed Beisat is sceptical about claims that Morocco is gaining support for its autonomy plan. He told ISS Today that Kenya and Ghana's reported switches had only been announced in joint statements with Morocco - not in their own statements.

He added that it was irrelevant what any other country or leader thought. 'They want the world to vote in the referendum instead of the Sahrawis themselves,' he said, referring to the UN decision that the Sahrawis must hold a referendum to decide on independence, autonomy or integration with Morocco. Morocco now insists that the option of independence is off the table.

'I don't see the point of Mr Zuma to choose for the Sahrawis or Mr Marco Rubio or Mr Macron or Mr Netanyahu or anyone else. The choice is for the Sahrawis.'

That is true. But in Zuma's case, it appears that in an increasingly transactional, self-interested world, many countries and others are backing Morocco's plan because it has something concrete to offer - from fertilisers to tourism, fisheries and renewable energies. SADR by comparison, sadly, does not.

Peter Fabricius, Consultant, ISS Pretoria

Read the original article on ISS.

Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Tries Ex-President Joseph Kabila in Absentia for Treason

26 July 2025

Radio France Internationale

Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila went on trial in absentia Friday on charges including treason over his alleged support for Rwanda-backed militants.

The trial of Kabila, who returned to live in Goma in May this year, began on Friday at a military court in the Gombe district of the capital Kinshasa.

The former president faces charges of plotting to overthrow the government of President Felix Tshisekedi - which could result in a death sentence - as well as homicide, torture and rape linked to the anti-government force M23.

Other charges include "taking part in an insurrection movement", "crime against the peace and safety of humanity" and "forcible occupation of the city of Goma".

Kabila denies the charges, did not appear at the hearing and has asked to be tried in absentia.

He returned to Goma in May, following two years of self-imposed exile in South Africa, after M23 rebels took control of the city in January. According to the charge sheet, seen by France's AFP news agency, Kabila allegedly helped form the Congo River Alliance (AFC) - the M23's political wing.

He's accused of colluding with Rwanda to try to "overthrow by force the power established by law".

Kabila's successor, President Tshisekedi, has branded him the brains behind the rebel movement, which has seized swathes of the resource-rich Congolese east with Rwanda's help.

The militia and the government signed a pledge in July to seek a permanent ceasefire.

'Political' trial

Emmanuel Shadari, secretary-general of Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), dismissed the trial as "political" arguing it would "divide the Congolese people" during peace negotiations.

The proceeding "is anything but a fair trial. With a justice system that is not independent, the conviction is already decided - the rest is theatre, a ridiculous staging," Shadari said.

Deputy Justice Minister Samuel Mbemba told reporters at the hearing: "The courts do not negotiate, they will do their work independently."

M23 and AFC leaders deny any affiliation with the former president. Benjamin Mbonimpa, the groups' executive secretary, said that the government should not "label him an AFC/M23 member" just because he had come to the city.

He branded the trial part of a "malevolent strategy" against the ex-president.

Kabila, 54, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, has rejected the trial as "arbitrary" and accused the judiciary of acting as "an instrument of oppression". The Senate lifted his immunity as senator for life to allow the case to proceed.

The hearing was adjourned after several hours to 31 July, following a request by prosecutors for extra time to review documents.

Eastern DRC has endured armed conflict for decades, with violence escalating since M23's resurgence in 2021. Rwanda denies military support for the group, though UN experts say its army has played a "critical" role in M23's operations.

The DRC lifted a moratorium on the death penalty last year but no judicial executions have been carried out since.

Bus Accident in Ivory Coast Kills at Least 16 People, Officials Say

By TOUSSAINT NGOTTA

1:20 PM EDT, July 28, 2025

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A collision between a long-distance bus and a dump truck in Ivory Coast has killed at least 16 people and injured more than 50, the Transportation Ministry said.

The bus was traveling from the southwestern Ivory Coast city of San Pedro to the neighboring country Burkina Faso when it collided with the dump truck Sunday evening, the ministry said.

The accident killed 16 people and injured 51 who were taken to a regional hospital, the ministry said late Sunday evening. It said that the ministry had opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

Ivory Coast has one of the world’s highest rates of road deaths, with about 21 per 100,000 people, according to the United Nations. Ivory Coast’s Transportation Ministry says at least 1,000 people annually are killed in road crashes in the country.

Last December, a collision between two minibuses killed 26 people and injured 28.

Sahel Advocacy Group Defends Regional Leaders Against “Dictator” Claims

By News Ghana 

July 26, 2025

The Sahel Solidarity Campaign Network (SaS-CaN) has issued a forceful rebuttal against international criticism labeling the military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as dictators.

In a July 26 statement, the advocacy group denounced what it called “mischievous allegations” aimed at undermining sovereignty in the Sahel region.

SaS-CaN President Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh argued that Western-designed democracy had failed the Sahel, citing poverty, terrorism, and resource exploitation under previous governments. The statement claimed foreign powers historically manipulated elections and controlled natural resource extraction while leaving populations “impoverished and abandoned.” The group framed recent military takeovers as revolutionary corrections to decades of neo-colonial governance.

According to the release, the current leadership has made tangible progress through tax reforms, security cooperation, and dismantling colonial-era structures. The network highlighted the creation of a joint military force and anti-corruption measures as evidence of effective governance. Sankoh specifically accused France and allied nations of fueling regional instability through weapons transfers and support for terrorist groups.

The statement portrayed international criticism as hypocritical, arguing that Western nations violate democratic principles through military interventions and economic coercion. It positioned the Sahel governments as defenders against “foreign manipulation” and praised their efforts to combat terrorism while restoring dignity.

ECOWAS suspended all three nations following military coups between 2020-2023 and imposed sanctions. The regional bloc maintains pressure for democratic restoration despite SaS-CaN’s assertion that “true democracy” now exists under military rule.