AFRICAN NATIONS PLEDGE $35 BILLION FOR ELECTRIFICATION
Twenty-seven African nations have committed to an ambitious electrification initiative in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The effort is aimed at bringing electricity to half of the continent's 600 million residents currently without power. With over $35 billion in funding from the World Bank and African Development Bank, the initiative focuses heavily on solar minigrids, providing affordable power to individual communities, while also extending traditional power grids where possible. World Bank President Ajay Banga stressed that access to electricity is foundational to economic growth and societal stability. However, skepticism regarding the plan’s feasibility remains, particularly after private companies like Husk Power Systems were forced to shut down operations in Tanzania due to price controls imposed by the government there. (New York Times, January 27, 2025)
CONGO CRISIS ESCALATES AS M23 REBELS ADVANCE
Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has intensified, as the Rwandan backed M23 rebels launched a major offensive allowing them to capture key towns and enter Goma, a critical city of over two million near the country’s border with Rwanda. M23 forces entered Goma amid conflicting reports about how much of the city remains under Congolese government control. The United Nations has confirmed the presence of Rwandan troops supporting the rebels, while Congo’s government has accused Rwanda of direct military involvement. The rebels have since seized additional territory, including the strategic towns of Masisi, Minova, and Sake. Meanwhile, reports indicate that roads into Goma have been blocked, raising fears of food shortages and worsening humanitarian conditions.
The crisis worsened further with the assassination of North Kivu’s military governor, Maj. Gen. Peter Cirimwami, who was killed by M23 fighters at the front line. The Congolese government and UN have stepped up calls for international intervention, including sanctions on Rwanda. The UN is warning of the potential for a broader regional war, while Western nations have urged their citizens to leave Goma. (BBC, January 25, 2025; Reuters, January 27, 2025; New York Times, January 27, 2025)
NEW SIGNS OF LIFE FOR MILITANTS IN NIGERIA
Militants from the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed at least 20 Nigerian soldiers in an attack targeting the Nigerian army's 149 Battalion in the remote town of Malam-Fatori, in northeastern Borno state. The assault, which lasted over three hours, involved militants arriving on trucks and overwhelming military defenses. Regional militants, enfeebled in years of military operations, have regained strength in recent weeks, embarking on a campaign of terror that has involved near-daily attacks across northeast Nigeria. (Voice of America, January 26, 2025)
WEST AFRICAN NATIONS WITHDRAW FROM ECOWAS
Three West African countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), reducing the bloc's membership from 16 to 12 nations and potentially weakening its regional influence. The military-led governments of the three countries accused ECOWAS of neocolonialism, and have established the Alliance of Sahelian States as an alternative. The juntas have pivoted toward Russia and China for weapons, mercenaries, and mining contracts, effectively severing ties with traditional Western partners. Thes move reflects a broader trend of military takeovers in Africa, with nine such incidents occurring between 2020 and 2023. (New York Times, January 29, 2025)
U.S.-SOUTH AFRICA TENSIONS ESCALATE OVER LAND REFORM LAW
President Donald Trump has threatened to cut U.S. funding to South Africa, claiming the country is confiscating land and mistreating certain segments of its population. The dispute centers on South Africa's recent Expropriation Act, which allows land seizures without compensation to address historical racial disparities from the apartheid era. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took to social media to defend the law, emphasizing it is a constitutional process designed to balance public land usage and property rights.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding land ownership in post-apartheid South Africa. Trump's intervention could potentially impact South Africa's participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and South African officials have warned of retaliating by withholding mineral exports to the United States. (Washington Post, February 3, 2025; Politico, February 3, 2025 )