标签： Africa

Against a backdrop of deepening global geopolitical fractures, African nations are strategically repositioning their international economic alliances. The continent finds itself navigating between tightening Western restrictions and expanding Eastern opportunities, prompting a fundamental reassessment of its global engagement strategy.

Stephen Nduvi, a Nairobi-based public policy expert, observes that Washington’s shift toward unilateralism—manifested through stricter visa regimes and reduced overseas aid—is significantly constraining African economies and mobility. Simultaneously, China is moving in the opposite direction, offering zero-tariff market access to 53 African nations, creating alternative trade corridors that are reshaping the continent’s external economic options.

The immediate consequences of US policy changes are already materializing. Declining American assistance is straining health systems, humanitarian programs, and governance reforms that remain dependent on external financing. Furthermore, tightened visa policies are restricting business mobility, academic exchanges, and research collaboration. Nduvi characterizes these restrictions as ‘nontariff barriers’ that subtly undermine innovation, entrepreneurship, and access to global knowledge networks.

Charles Onunaiju, Director of Nigeria’s Centre for China Studies, interprets Washington’s retreat not as a sudden shock but as the culmination of a long-running trend. He notes that Africa should have anticipated a more inward-looking US, referencing years of limited market access under initiatives like the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which frequently imposed political and ideological conditions.

African nations have already initiated diversification efforts, particularly toward the Asia-Pacific region, which now accounts for nearly half of global trade. Growing ties with China, Southeast Asia, and emerging blocs like BRICS, coupled with efforts to boost intra-African trade, demonstrate the continent’s proactive approach to building buffers against external shocks.

Both experts emphasize that China’s zero-tariff policy could prove transformative by not only expanding export earnings but also providing a pathway for structural economic transformation. Access to the Chinese market could incentivize local processing, manufacturing, and job creation, enabling African nations to ascend value chains rather than perpetuating raw material exports.

However, external opportunities will only yield lasting benefits if matched by internal reforms. Nduvi stresses that reducing dependence on foreign aid requires shifting from consumption-led growth to production-driven development. Strengthening domestic resource mobilization through tax base expansion, digital systems, and reduced financial leakages is critical, alongside industrial policy aligned with infrastructure, finance, and skills development.

Onunaiju adds that resilience in an increasingly volatile world will depend on state capacity and social consensus, emphasizing that strong institutions, inclusive governance, and regional connectivity are essential for absorbing geopolitical shocks.

As African representatives engage at international forums like Davos, the continent is projected to demonstrate confidence, coherence, and strategic clarity. The future of Africa’s global partnerships will be defined less by aid and more by reciprocity, value addition, technology transfer, and mutual respect for sovereignty.

Meteorological authorities in the United Arab Emirates have provided scientific clarification regarding the recent cold spell affecting the region, confirming its connection to broader global climate patterns. Dr. Mohamed Al Ebri, Director of Meteorology at the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), revealed that the unusual chill represents a localized manifestation of the La Niña climate phenomenon currently influencing weather systems worldwide.

The current temperature drop stems from complex atmospheric interactions driven by cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This La Niña configuration has altered global pressure and wind patterns, facilitating the southward movement of colder air masses into Northern Hemisphere regions including the UAE. Despite the noticeable chill, historical data confirms these conditions do not represent record-breaking lows for the Emirates.

Globally, meteorological institutions including the World Meteorological Organisation have detected weak La Niña conditions with approximately 55% probability of persistence through coming months. The Northern Hemisphere has experienced particularly pronounced effects, with disruptions to the polar vortex enabling cold air outbreaks across North America and Europe.

The Southern Hemisphere presents a contrasting picture, with Australia experiencing severe heatwaves exceeding 40°C in major cities despite the La Niña phase. This paradox demonstrates how climate change can produce extreme weather variations simultaneously across different regions.

Dr. Al Ebri emphasized that climate oscillations now occur more frequently due to global warming influences, shifting from traditional 5-7 year cycles to 2-3 year intervals. This accelerated pattern creates increased weather variability and prediction challenges.

For UAE residents, meteorologists anticipate continued below-average temperatures with overnight chills particularly in desert interior regions. A gradual warming trend is expected imminently, with potential light rainfall in northern and eastern areas around January 25th. The winter season will likely continue featuring temperature fluctuations between moderate warm periods and occasional cold spells.

Authorities advise standard precautions during cooler periods, especially during early morning and evening hours when temperatures reach their lowest points.

In a harrowing account from Sudan’s civil war, 18-year-old twins Makarem and Ikram survived a devastating artillery attack on their school in el-Obeid, North Kordofan, in August 2024. The sisters were attending separate classes when shells struck the Abu Sitta girls’ school, killing their English teacher and 13 classmates while injuring dozens more.

Makarem sustained serious injuries during the attack, suffering shoulder and head wounds from shrapnel. ‘We took cover beside the wall when a classmate noticed my bleeding shoulder,’ she recalls. In the ensuing chaos, the twins desperately searched for each other amid the destruction, with Makarem eventually transported to hospital by local residents using private vehicles and animal-drawn carts due to the absence of functional ambulance services.

The attack left a permanent physical reminder for Makarem—a small shrapnel fragment embedded in her head that continues to cause periodic pain, particularly during colder weather. ‘The headaches were unbearable initially, requiring constant pain medication,’ she explains.

Despite the trauma, both twins have demonstrated remarkable resilience. Following three months of school renovations, they returned to the same classrooms where their friends and teacher perished. ‘Initially, I couldn’t imagine returning,’ Ikram admits. ‘But seeing my friends come back gave me courage.’ The emotional toll remains evident as she confesses to closing her eyes while passing the attack site to avoid traumatic memories.

The school administration implemented comprehensive support measures, including psychological counseling and medical facilities with beds and nurses to accommodate injured students during examinations. Headteacher Iman Ahmed describes the girls’ determination to continue their education as ‘a form of defiance and loyalty to those who were lost.’

Their story unfolds against the backdrop of Sudan’s devastating conflict, which has claimed over 150,000 lives since April 2023 and created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis according to UN assessments. The strategically vital Kordofan region, rich in oil resources, has become a major frontline in the war between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Regional authorities attribute the school attack to RSF forces, though the group has never acknowledged responsibility for the incident. The conflict has severely disrupted education nationwide, with approximately 13 million of Sudan’s 17 million school-aged children currently unable to attend classes according to UN estimates.

In el-Obeid, educational challenges persist despite the city’s liberation from an 18-month RSF siege in February 2025. Dozens of schools have been converted into shelters for nearly one million displaced persons, creating overcrowded conditions that complicate learning environments.

Despite these obstacles, both twins maintain hopeful outlooks. Ikram now studies English at a local university, inspired by her deceased teacher, while Makarem aspires to become a doctor despite initially falling short of the required exam scores for medical school. ‘The shrapnel made studying difficult—I could only manage one-hour sessions,’ she reveals. Undeterred, she plans to retake her exams, asserting: ‘I believe I will achieve my target score. I am hopeful for the future.’

Neurologist Dr. Tarek Zobier notes that retained shrapnel effects vary case by case, with some patients requiring no intervention while others need surgery for severe symptoms. For Makarem, pain management continues through medication as she pursues her academic ambitions amid ongoing conflict.

The United Arab Emirates has formally expressed its profound condolences and solidarity with the Republic of Tunisia in the wake of devastating floods that have claimed multiple lives and caused extensive damage. Through an official statement released by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE conveyed its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and the Tunisian people, alongside wishes for a swift recovery to all those injured.

The catastrophe unfolded as torrential rains, described by the National Institute of Meteorology as the heaviest in over seven decades, battered the North African nation beginning Monday night. The relentless downpour continued through Tuesday night, with residual showers persisting into Wednesday, leading to widespread school and business closures and severe disruptions to transportation networks.

Official reports confirm a death toll of at least five individuals. Four fatalities occurred in the town of Moknine within the Monastir governorate, while a fifth was reported in Nabeul. Furthermore, local media outlets have reported four fishermen as missing after one colleague was successfully rescued in the coastal town of Teboulba, south of Monastir.

Tunisian emergency services have been engaged in a large-scale response effort. The civil defence agency reported that its teams have rescued approximately 350 people trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters since the onset of the crisis. Khalil Mechri, a spokesman for the civil defence, indicated that while the intensity of the severe weather has subsided, a high state of alert remains in effect across affected regions.

Visual evidence from AFP and social media platforms depicts scenes of severe inundation, with homes and roadways submerged and vehicles left stranded. The regions of Monastir, Nabeul, and greater Tunis were among the hardest hit. President Kais Saied visited several affected areas, including Moknine and Teboulba, to assess the damage firsthand.

This extreme weather event highlights critical vulnerabilities in Tunisia’s urban infrastructure. Drainage and stormwater systems, often antiquated and poorly maintained, are frequently overwhelmed during heavy rainfall, a situation exacerbated by waste clogging the networks. Furthermore, rapid urbanization has reduced ground permeability, increasing surface runoff and flood risk.

The devastating floods present a stark paradox for Tunisia, a country that has been grappling with a severe seven-year drought intensified by climate change, which has led to a critical decline in national water reserves. Neighbouring Algeria has also experienced significant rainfall and flooding, with authorities there reporting two fatalities in western regions.