Author: kajarbi54

By Bakary Touray Jr. The Gambian government has advanced its Regional West Africa Resilient Rice Value Chain Development Program (REWARD), aimed at enhancing local rice production and processing competitiveness, by procuring and preparing 3,002 hectares for cultivation. During the preliminary design phase for land development and road construction, Director of Agriculture Musa Humma emphasized that REWARD focuses exclusively on rice. “When the country achieves self-sufficiency in rice, other agricultural goals will follow. Its sole commodity is rice along the value chain,” he said. The program plans to construct 21 km of access and feeder roads to support climate-resilient farming, strengthen…

The Democratic Republic of Congo has denied claims that it “sold off” its vast mineral wealth to the United States under a peace agreement granting Washington access to its reserves. Speaking on the sidelines of the African Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, Mining Minister Louis Watum rejected suggestions that Kinshasa had ceded ground in negotiations with Washington. “The DRC has not sold off anything at all. The DRC has not sold anything at all,” Watum said. He explained that the agreement provides a framework for discussions with U.S. companies on potential investment projects. “Some may invest and others may…

Ghanaian authorities have declared February 11 as ‘Fugu Day’ to celebrate the country’s traditional royal attire after it was mocked during President John Mahama’s visit to Zambia last week. The government announced that the fugu, also known as batakari, will be recognized as the official national dress every Wednesday, for an indefinite period, as part of a broader effort to promote Ghanaian culture and heritage. The decision follows online criticism and social media commentary ridiculing President Mahama’s attire, with some Zambians unfamiliar with the garment describing it as “a woman’s blouse” or “a ballerina dress.” Ghanaian citizens and cultural advocates…

President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has offered U.S. companies access to eastern Congo’s vast mineral reserves – mostly untapped and valued at an estimated $24 trillion. The proposal followed a meeting between President Tshisekedi, U.S. President Donald Trump, and U.S. lawmakers, during which several agreements were reportedly reached. In exchange, the United States has agreed to assist Congo in combating rebels and developing critical infrastructure in the region, where M23 rebels captured major towns last year. The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to establish a minerals trading bloc with allied countries, partly to…

Safiya Mohammed Bello Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, (DHQ) has announced the deployment of a Joint Special Task Force, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, to flush out terrorists operating in Kwara and parts of Niger State in North-Central Nigeria. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, disclosed this on Tuesday during the 2026 budget defence session organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence. He revealed that special forces have also been deployed to Benue and Plateau states in the North-Central region. While noting the progress made by the Armed Forces in degrading insurgent and bandit groups across the country,…

Egypt’s House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a major cabinet reshuffle aimed at accelerating economic recovery, as the country grapples with years of financial strain. The changes, endorsed by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, introduce 13 new ministers to key economic portfolios, including housing, higher education, planning, investment, and foreign trade. A new position of deputy prime minister for economic affairs has also been created to coordinate economic reforms. Key ministries such as foreign affairs and defence remain unchanged, signaling continuity in Egypt’s core strategic positions. The reshuffle comes against the backdrop of a strained economy, affected by a decade of…

Safiya Mohammed Bello At least 55 people, including two babies, have been declared dead or missing after a rubber migrant boat capsized off Libya’s central Mediterranean coast. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed that the vessel, carrying 55 people, overturned north of the coastal city of Zuwara, in northwestern Libya, on February 6. Libyan authorities rescued two women over the weekend. One survivor said her husband had drowned, while the other revealed that she had lost her two babies. Both women reported that the overcrowded vessel was carrying migrants and refugees from several other African countries. According to the…

The Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey has indicated that discussions on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade are moving forward, with expectations that member nations will begin formal negotiations. A vocal supporter of reparations from Great Britain, the Commonwealth leader and a former foreign minister of Ghana, said there’s some movement toward bringing parties together to decide on the path forward. “My understanding is that there’s some movement in terms of having parties around the table to decide on the way forward, and the different forms of reparations, how to deal with it going forward will be discussed,” she said She…

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters says troops under Operation Hadin Kai have killed more than 30 militants and facilitated the return of over 700 Nigerian refugees within the past week. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this to reporters on Monday, noting that the successes followed intensified, intelligence-driven ground and air operations targeting Boko Haram, ISWAP, and JAS fighters. According to Onoja, the operations were conducted jointly by ground forces, air components, and local security groups as part of a broader military push across Nigeria’s northeast. He said troops carrying out clearance operations in the Timbuktu Triangle around…

The United Nations has called on all parties involved in the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region to de-escalate hostilities, warning of a worsening human rights and humanitarian crisis. In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the situation remains highly volatile and could further deteriorate the region’s already fragile humanitarian conditions. According to the UN human rights office, recent clashes between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and regional forces have heightened humanitarian risks, with civilians once again caught amid escalating tensions. Türk said both the Tigray Security Forces (TSF) and the ENDF are reportedly carrying…