标签： Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Eswatini authorities confirmed the arrival of four additional African migrants deported from the United States on Thursday, marking the third such group transferred to the small southern African kingdom under the Trump administration’s controversial immigration policy. These individuals—comprising one Tanzanian, one Sudanese, and two Somali nationals—represent the latest among over 40 deportees sent to African nations through largely clandestine agreements that have drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations.

The US government has established third-country deportation partnerships with at least seven African nations including Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and South Sudan. Since July, Washington has dispatched at least 19 individuals to Eswatini across three separate transfers as part of its stringent immigration enforcement strategy. US officials previously characterized the initial group of five men sent in July as convicted criminals with standing deportation orders, one of whom—a Jamaican national—was subsequently repatriated to his home country in September.

Eswatini’s government stated that one third-country national has already received travel documentation and will soon depart the country, while negotiations continue regarding the remaining individuals’ repatriation to their countries of origin. The kingdom’s administration emphasized its “commitment to ensuring that the rights and dignity of the third-country nationals are upheld while they remain in the country.”

These deportations to Eswatini—a nation where the monarch wields absolute power and has faced accusations of suppressing pro-democracy movements—have provoked strong reactions from local civic groups. According to a recent report compiled by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Trump administration has allocated at least $40 million to deport approximately 300 migrants to countries other than their own across Africa, Central America, and other regions.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Catastrophic landslides triggered by relentless heavy rainfall have devastated three districts in southern Ethiopia’s Gamo Zone, resulting in a confirmed death toll of at least 50 individuals, with approximately 125 more reported missing, according to local authorities. The disaster, which struck the Gacho Baba, Kamba, and Bonke districts, has prompted a large-scale emergency response operation amid challenging conditions.

Mesfin Manuqa, the Director of Disaster Response for the Gamo Zone, confirmed the grim statistics on Thursday, noting that rescue teams managed to successfully extract one survivor from the thick mud. The scale of destruction to homes and infrastructure remains unquantified, as communication officials like Abebe Agena from Gacho Baba District reported that the majority of fatalities were discovered buried under the debris.

In response to the tragedy, South Ethiopia Regional State President Tilahun Kebede issued a somber statement expressing profound grief and urgently advised communities residing in highland regions and areas susceptible to flooding to evacuate to safer, higher ground. He emphasized the ongoing threat, stating, ‘With the rainy season persisting, these types of disasters could recur. I am calling on communities living in highlands and flood-prone areas to take necessary precautions.’

Such natural calamities are recurrent in Ethiopia, particularly during the annual rainy season, where saturated soil conditions frequently lead to deadly mudslides and flash flooding. This recent event echoes a similar tragedy from July 2024, when exceptionally heavy rains precipitated a massive mudslide in the same region, claiming 229 lives and highlighting the persistent vulnerability of these communities to extreme weather events.

A significant shift is underway across Africa as nations reassess their approach to international health financing agreements. Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya have recently taken decisive steps to reevaluate major health funding arrangements with the United States, signaling a broader continental movement toward more equitable partnerships.

The trend emerged when Zimbabwe withdrew from negotiations on a proposed $367 million US health funding package, citing concerns over data sovereignty. Zambia followed by rejecting elements of a $1 billion bilateral health agreement, particularly provisions regarding sensitive health data sharing. Meanwhile, Kenya’s High Court suspended a similar health funding agreement with the US after consumer rights advocates raised alarms about the safety of citizens’ health data.

According to Professor Carlos Lopes of the University of Cape Town’s Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, these developments represent “a maturing and more assertive African approach to global health financing partnerships.” This shift reflects a strategic move away from aid dependency toward partnerships negotiated on more equal terms, with heightened emphasis on national ownership, predictable financing, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

Melha Rout Biel, executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, emphasized that these actions demonstrate Africa’s growing unwillingness to accept funding proposals that don’t align with national or continental interests. “It is a sign that Africa can no longer be taken for granted to accept any offer that does not meet her national or continental interest,” Biel stated.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has publicly supported Zimbabwe and Zambia’s positions, expressing concerns about transparency, data governance, and national sovereignty within the new US government health cooperation framework. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the African Union’s continental public health agency, recently affirmed that Africa CDC would support any country choosing to withdraw from or renegotiate the framework, particularly emphasizing the need for Africa to safeguard its public health information and pathogen data.

Political analyst Deniz Akkas, based in Singapore, noted that while these decisions reflect specific national contexts, they may signal the beginning of a broader continental posture featuring stricter vetting of external financing arrangements and clearer boundaries around policy encroachment. Akkas maintained that this development, if handled correctly, could ultimately strengthen rather than weaken global health cooperation.

Kenyan authorities have apprehended a Chinese national at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on charges of attempting to smuggle over 2,000 protected queen garden ants out of the country. Zhang Kequn was intercepted during routine security screening when officials discovered live ants concealed within his luggage destined for China.

Investigators revealed the ants were meticulously packaged, with 1,948 specimens contained in specialized test tubes and an additional 300 hidden inside three tissue paper rolls. Prosecutors have requested forensic examination of Zhang’s electronic devices as they believe he is connected to an ant-trafficking network previously disrupted in Kenya last year.

This incident follows a landmark case in May 2023 where four individuals received prison sentences or substantial fines for similar offenses. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), typically focused on protecting larger wildlife, has identified a growing international demand for these ecologically significant insects, particularly in European and Asian exotic pet markets.

The court has authorized Zhang’s detention for five days to facilitate further investigation into what authorities describe as an expanding network of wildlife trafficking. Senior KWS official Duncan Juma indicated that additional arrests are anticipated as operations extend to other Kenyan towns suspected of involvement in illegal ant harvesting.

Giant African harvester ants (Messor cephalotes) are protected under international biodiversity treaties due to their crucial role in maintaining soil health and ecosystem balance. Their removal poses significant threats to local environments, making their trade highly regulated worldwide.

DAKAR, Senegal — In a decisive parliamentary move, Senegal has significantly escalated its legal stance against homosexuality through newly approved legislation that doubles prison terms and imposes substantial fines. The West African nation’s legislative body overwhelmingly endorsed the bill during Wednesday’s plenary session, with nearly unanimous support and only three abstentions.

The controversial legislation, introduced last month by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, reclassifies homosexual acts as ‘against nature’ and increases penalties from the previous one-to-five-year prison sentences to rigorous imprisonment ranging from five to ten years. The bill further criminalizes the ‘promotion’ or ‘financing’ of homosexuality, effectively targeting organizations that support sexual and gender minorities.

Financial penalties have been substantially heightened under the new framework, with fines reaching up to 10 million CFA francs (approximately $17,609). Notably, the legislation maintains homosexuality offenses as misdemeanors rather than felonies. During parliamentary debates, government ministers contended that the 1966 legislation previously governing such acts was insufficiently punitive.

The legal text groups homosexuality alongside necrophilia and bestiality under ‘acts against nature’ offenses while paradoxically penalizing unsubstantiated accusations of homosexual acts. The bill now awaits presidential assent from President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is widely anticipated to enact it into law.

This development aligns Senegal with approximately thirty African nations that criminalize same-sex relations, including Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania where similar decade-long sentences prevail. In several African jurisdictions including Somalia, Uganda, and Mauritania, homosexuality can carry capital punishment.

The legislative action follows weeks of rallies organized by Islamic advocacy groups supporting the measure. Concurrently, Senegalese authorities have intensified crackdowns on alleged LGBTQ+ individuals, resulting in at least a dozen recent arrests. The legislation fulfills a campaign promise by Prime Minister Sonko, who had previously attempted to introduce similar measures while serving in opposition.

A monumental green energy initiative in Namibia’s Tsau ǁKhaeb National Park has ignited a complex debate balancing economic development against ecological preservation and historical justice. The Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project, a $10 billion joint venture led by Germany’s Enertrag, aims to transform this pristine desert coastline into Africa’s first large-scale green hydrogen production facility.

This ambitious plan leverages Namibia’s world-class solar and wind resources to produce clean fuel through electrolysis, with eventual conversion to ammonia for export. The Namibian government maintains a 24% stake in the project, which promises to address the country’s 44% youth unemployment through 15,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent positions.

However, conservationists warn that the industrial development threatens one of Africa’s most biodiverse regions. The 26,000 sq km park, previously protected for a century as Germany’s colonial ‘Sperrgebiet’ (Restricted Area), hosts unique succulents with specialized survival adaptations and provides critical habitat for the critically endangered African penguin. The Namibian Chamber of Environment has labeled the proposal ‘red hydrogen’ due to its potential to push numerous species toward extinction.

Further complications emerge from the project’s historical context. The proposed port expansion area near Lüderitz borders Shark Island, site of a German colonial concentration camp where thousands of Nama and Herero people were exterminated between 1904-1908. Local activists emphasize the need for respectful engagement with this painful history.

While Hyphen claims comprehensive environmental assessments and avoidance of sensitive areas, community representatives express skepticism about job specifics and long-term benefits. The final investment decision, expected by late 2026, will determine whether Namibia’s green energy aspirations can coexist with its ecological and historical preservation responsibilities.