Commercial Diplomacy Now 'Core Focus of U.S. Engagement with Africa'
The Trump administration is adopting a new commercial diplomacy strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, the acting head of the Africa Bureau at the U.S. State Department, Ambassador Troy Fitrell, said in a briefing on Tuesday. Under the new policy, U.S. ambassadors in the region are tasked to "go out and find commercial opportunities" and "to find opportunities to advocate for American companies." The envoys are also charged with identifying market reforms "needed to enhance the business environment" and engaging with governments on implementation. Fitrell hoped the new U.S. policy would attract private sector actors and "galvanise local economies".
Liberia's Health Sector 'On The Brink' - Report
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A report by the international development agency ActionAid paints a dire picture of the country's health sector, noting that 97 percent of workers earn wages too low to cover basic living expenses. The report, the "Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa," assesses the state of health in Liberia and five other African nations. Most health workers surveyed in Liberia earn between U.S.$100 and $150 per month, "with no recent wage adjustments", while inflation continues to rise. The situation has been made worse by the withdrawal of significant donor funding, the report states. It blames "restrictive fiscal policies" imposed by the International Monetary Fund for worsening the crisis.
Former DR Congo Prime Minister Sentenced to Hard Labour for Corruption
Former Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo was sentenced to ten years of forced labour for embezzling around $245 million of public funds, alongside Deogratias Mutombo, the former governor of the central bank, who received a five-year sentence. Ponyo 's lawyer said the ruling was "unfair and politically motivated". The embezzled funds went to the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park, a major agricultural project that addresses chronic food shortages. Matata served as prime minister from 2012 to 2016 and now heads the country's Leadership and Governance for Development party (LGD). Ponyo was the finance minister from 2010 to 2012 and received praise from the International Monetary Fund for stabilising the country's economy at that time. The case has stretched over almost four years since the country's Inspectorate General of Finance reported the theft from the Bukanga-Lonzo Agro-Industrial Park in 2020.
Former Rwandan First Lady Spared Trial in 1994 Genocide Case
Agathe Habyarimana, the 82-year-old widow of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, avoided trial in France after investigating magistrates found insufficient evidence to charge her with complicity in the 1994 genocide. The former First Lady, who fled Rwanda with French assistance after her husband's assassination triggered the mass killings, was under investigation after a complaint by a victims' group. A French investigation into her alleged role began in 2008, and she was questioned as an "assisted witness", a legal status between a witness and a suspect. French prosecutors argued she was part of the Hutu power circle that orchestrated the genocide, but the court ruled there was no "serious and consistent evidence" linking her to the atrocities. While the case could soon be dismissed, French anti-terror prosecutors appealed the decision, and a hearing date was set. Her lawyer welcomed the ruling and called for a swift end to the case.
University of Zimbabwe Replaces Striking Staff Amid Pay Dispute
The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) announced it would replace striking lecturers with part-time staff earning just US$5.50 per hour, of which 40% - equivalent to US$2.20 - would be paid in local currency and subject to income tax. The replacement process had already begun, with some part-time lecturers receiving employment letters. UZ lecturers had been on strike for about a month, demanding better pay and working conditions. According to the university, the pay rate included all teaching-related duties, such as preparation, marking, and setting examinations. The striking lecturers had watched their salaries collapse from a peak of US$3,000 to a meagre US$250.
Freelance Photojournalist Sheikho Killed in Sudan Drone Attack
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for an investigation into the May 18 killing of Sudanese freelance photojournalist Al-Shykh Al-Samany Saadaldyn Mousa Abdulla, known as "Sheikho," who died in a suspected Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drone strike while covering an event organized by the pro-Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Sudan Shield Forces in central eastern Sudan. The drone attack in the Al-Butna area also killed at least 7 soldiers from the Sudan Shield Forces and injured 14 others. Since the war erupted between the SAF and the RSF in April 2023, at least 12 other journalists and media workers have been killed in the country.
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Namibian President's Inaugural Regional Trips Spark Debate
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's first international official trips since taking office have drawn mixed reactions from international relations experts and political analysts. Some praised her reaffirmation of Namibia's regional foreign policy, while others question the real impact of such symbolic gestures. Nandi-Ndaitwah's working tour included Angola, Botswana and Zambia, and aimed to deepen bilateral ties and push forward economic cooperation through joint infrastructure projects, trade facilitation and regional integration. Foreign policy analyst Marius Kudumo said the symbolic and strategic nature of the president's first international engagements sends a clear message about her commitment to southern Africa, while political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said that the president's diplomatic engagements are aimed at maintaining and possibly redefining Namibia's foreign policy. Kamwanyah argued that while the rhetoric around economic cooperation and infrastructure development is welcome, it is not backed by a strong record of implementation.
