Politics

Kenya’s President Ruto meets Rwanda’s Kagame over regional relations, signs MoU

Published

2 years ago

April 5, 2023

The president of Kenya, William Ruto, has met with his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame to discuss the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and recent protests in Nairobi.

According to a statement by Kenya’s state house, the countries also signed an agreement in 10 areas of cooperation to enhance relations and establish mechanisms for effective cooperation in Education, ICT, Gender and Child Development, Youth, and Capacity Development for the Public Service.

“Other areas of cooperation are Correctional Services, Health, Diplomatic Training, Agriculture, and Cooperatives,” the statement read.

President Ruto is on a two-day official visit to Kigali at the invitation of President Kagame in what is also the Kenyan leader’s first visit to Rwanda since he came to power last year September.

The two countries, along with Uganda, once led the Coalition of the Willing, pushing for common visas for tourists visiting the three one-stop border posts and expanding the Northern Corridor.

However, some of the projects, like the planned railway, had to be paused or diverted when relations between Uganda and Rwanda soured.

The president has so far visited with leaders in Uganda, DR Congo, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Burundi as part of his bid to strengthen regional trade arrangements, as they are instrumental in promoting global trade and foreign direct investment.

Politics

Mozambique’s top court affirms governing party’s victory in recent election

Published

2 days ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Mozambique affirmed Monday that the incumbent Frelimo party won the October election, sparking widespread demonstrations from opposition parties who claim the vote was manipulated.

Fears of fresh bloodshed have been raised in the nation already shaken by weeks of fatal protests after Mozambique’s top electoral court mostly confirmed the results of the country’s contentious October elections, reinforcing the Frelimo party’s decades-long hold on power.

The final decision on the election process rests with the Constitutional Council. Mozambique, a nation of over 35 million people in Southern Africa that Frelimo has ruled since 1975, is expected to see more protests in response to its judgement.

Mozambique operates a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic in a multi-party system. The president of Mozambique serves as both the head of state and the head of government.

The government exercises executive power. The administration and the Assembly of the Republic have the authority to enact laws.

Politics

Alliance of Sahel States opposes ECOWAS disengagement schedule

Published

2 days ago

December 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) withdrawal timeline has been rejected by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which is made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The AES claims that the ECOWAS is attempting to destabilise their newly formed organisation.

During a meeting last week in Abuja, Nigeria, the regional organisation announced a six-month withdrawal period to give the three nations time to change their minds after their official departure date at the end of January 2025.

However, this decision is “nothing more than yet another attempt by the French and its auxiliaries to continue planning and carrying out destabilising actions against the AES,” according to the heads of state of the AES.

“This unilateral decision is not binding on the ESA countries,” the statement continues. Before the conference, they stated that their choice to leave the organisation was “irreversible.”

According to the president of the Ecowas Commission, this will be a “transition period” that ends on “July 29, 2025” to “keep the doors of Ecowas open.”

The three nations accused the bloc of neglecting to assist them in resolving their domestic security challenges and of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions related to the coup.

The three nations that were involved in the coup have mostly rejected ECOWAS’ attempts to undo their withdrawal. They are creating their alliance and have begun thinking about how to issue travel passports independently of ECOWAS.

It is anticipated that they will finish giving their one-year notice of departure in January.

Visa-free travel to other ECOWAS members is a significant perk of membership, and it is unclear how this would alter after the three nations exit the group.