Politics

Somaliland opposition leader Cirro defeats incumbent President Abdi

Published

1 month ago

November 20, 2024

As reported by the electoral commission on Tuesday, Abdirahman Cirro, the opposition leader of Somaliland, triumphed against incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi in last week’s election. This initiates a leadership transition as the secessionist Somali province seeks international recognition.

Since proclaiming independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has maintained de facto self-governance; nevertheless, it has not received recognition from any nation, which limits access to foreign financing and restricts travel for its six million inhabitants.

Musa Hassan, head of the Somaliland Electoral Commission, reported that Cirro, leader of the opposition Waddani party, secured 64% of the vote, while Bihi received 35%.

Situated at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, Somaliland perceives international recognition as attainable following a preliminary agreement with landlocked Ethiopia in January, which would provide Addis Ababa with a coastal strip in return for recognition.

Hargeisa, the capital, is likewise optimistic that President-elect Donald Trump’s new government would support its interests. Trump’s first-term top Africa policy officials have expressed support for Somaliland’s recognition.

While Somalia entered a civil conflict from which it has not yet recovered, Somaliland has experienced a comparable period of stability since gaining autonomy thirty years ago.

Although Cirro has expressed widespread support for the preliminary agreement with Ethiopia, it is unclear if he will actually carry it out. He could be more receptive to communication with the government of Somalia, which is against the deal, according to some observers.

The agreement has strained ties between Mogadishu and Ethiopia, which is a key backer of a peacekeeping force battling Islamist terrorists in Somalia, and has brought Somalia closer to Ethiopia’s longstanding adversaries, Egypt and Eritrea.

“While I think there are concerns that (Cirro) may opt for a radical departure from his predecessor, jettison the MOU, embrace dialogue with Somalia, there’s a big difference between campaigning and governing,” said Matt Bryden, a strategic adviser with the Sahan think-tank.

Related Topics:Abdirahman Cirro Featured Somaliland

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.