Jean-Louis Billon, former trade minister of Ivory Coast, has declared his intention to run for president in the upcoming October election, aiming to lead the opposition Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI). This announcement follows the disqualification of former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam from the presidential race last week. Thiam’s exclusion has intensified political uncertainty in the world’s leading cocoa-producing nation, which has experienced election-related violence in the past — most notably a post-election crisis in 2010 that claimed around 3,000 lives. In an interview with Reuters in Abidjan, the 60-year-old Billon criticized party leadership for mishandling the legal…
Author: Tosin Onisuuru
Zimbabwe has taken a landmark step toward advancing gender equality with the launch of a comprehensive national framework designed to monitor and drive progress on women’s rights. The initiative — the first of its kind in the country — aims to provide a unified, data-driven approach to assessing gender disparities and guiding policy reforms. Adopted last week after extensive national consultation, the new system consolidates all gender-related development goals into a single framework. Officials say the goal is to enable more informed, strategic decision-making by providing reliable and consistent data across multiple sectors. “For years, we’ve faced challenges with fragmented…
On June 4, President Donald Trump signed a new executive order restricting immigration from 19 countries, primarily across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The policy is set to take effect on June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT. According to the Trump campaign, the ban is aimed at preventing entry from countries that allegedly pose national security threats. Cited reasons include terrorism risks, inadequate identity verification systems, and frequent visa overstays. This directive echoes Trump’s controversial travel bans during his first term, which were reversed by President Joe Biden in 2021. While earlier bans focused largely on Muslim-majority…
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are set to speak on Friday, following a heated and highly publicized feud that played out across social media. The clash involved sharp exchanges over government contracts and policy, with Musk even calling for Trump’s impeachment. A White House official confirmed the upcoming call between the U.S. president and the Tesla and SpaceX CEO but declined to specify a time. The discussion could potentially calm tensions after a dramatic series of public confrontations that marked the breakdown of what was once a strong political and business alliance. Tesla representatives have not commented on the…
South Africa is ramping up its vaccination efforts and increasing vaccine stockpiles to combat a growing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), according to a statement from the Department of Agriculture. The escalating crisis poses a serious threat to the country’s beef supply chain and livestock industry. Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly infectious viral illness that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals but can also impact other species. In recent months, outbreaks have been recorded in five of South Africa’s nine provinces, with KwaZulu-Natal emerging as the most affected region. A major development this week saw Karan Beef—South Africa’s largest feedlot and one…
Tens of thousands of secondary school students in rebel-controlled regions of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began their state examinations this week, overcoming security threats and logistical hurdles. The exams mark a rare moment of cooperation between the Congolese government and the M23 rebels, who currently control major parts of North and South Kivu provinces. M23, an armed group backed by Rwanda, seized key eastern cities earlier this year and has since been attempting to portray itself as a capable governing force. At the same time, African leaders, alongside officials from the United States and Qatar, continue to push…
World Trade Organization Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has paid glowing tribute to African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as he concludes his transformative decade-long tenure at the helm of Africa’s premier development finance institution. In a video message relayed to the Bank’s shareholders and delegates at the end of their Annual Meetings on Friday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Okonjo-Iweala praised Adesina’s exceptional service and lasting impact on the institution and the continent. Recalling their shared time in the cabinet of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala highlighted Adesina’s transformative initiatives in agriculture, particularly his pioneering of the digital wallet…
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga has commended African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina for his “transformative leadership” as he concludes his decade-long tenure at the end of August this year. In a video tribute relayed on the final day of the Bank Group’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Banga praised Dr. Adesina’s unwavering dedication to Africa’s development over the past ten years. “Akin, I know this marks your final Annual Meeting as president of the African Development Bank—and what a tenure you have had! You brought vision, energy, and relentless determination to the job, and it’s…
Former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has died aged 68, his party, the Patriotic Front (PF), announced on Thursday. The brief statement, released just after midday, did not specify the location or cause of death, saying only that “the nation has lost a dedicated leader.” Independent Zambian broadcaster Diamond Media earlier reported that the former president was in South Africa for a routine medical review and had developed “sudden chest complications” in the early hours of Thursday. Diamond said he was taken to an unnamed Pretoria-area hospital where he later died, but this account has not been confirmed by either…
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation reinstating a controversial travel ban, restricting entry into the United States for citizens of 12 countries. The announcement, made on Wednesday, marks a renewed effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies amid heightened national security concerns. According to the proclamation, nationals from the following countries will be completely barred from entering the U.S.: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, partial restrictions will apply to citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Trump defended the decision in…
