Category: Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (NPA) — As the African Union marks African Union Day on September 9, 2026, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has extended greetings to the peoples of Africa and the African Diaspora, calling for renewed commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, unity and solidarity.

The AUC Chairperson said the annual commemoration provides an opportunity for Africans to reflect on the continent’s progress, challenges and collective aspirations, while renewing the commitment to building a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa.

September 9 commemorates the historic Sirte Declaration of 1999, when African leaders took the decisive step towards creating the African Union as an instrument for accelerating continental integration and strengthening Africa’s voice in the world.

This year’s African Union Day comes at a particularly significant moment for the continent. Just days ago, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed an African-led initiative supporting the use of a world map that more accurately reflects the true size of Africa.

The initiative, championed by the Republic of Togo with the support of the African Union, represents more than a cartographic adjustment, according to the AUC. It is also a reminder that how Africa is seen matters, and that the continent must increasingly shape the narratives through which it is seen.

“A map may change how the world sees Africa, but Africa’s destiny will ultimately be shaped by how Africans see themselves. The time has come to see Africa in its true size, its true strength and its true potential,” Youssouf said.

The AUC Chairperson noted that the momentum behind correcting the map forms part of a broader continental journey towards greater African agency, from strengthening continental economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to advancing peace and security, sustainable development and Africa’s representation in global decision-making.

He said the AU’s Agenda 2063 remains the continent’s overarching blueprint for building an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

Youssouf further recalled that the African Union’s priorities are increasingly centred on strengthening peace and security, accelerating economic integration and reinforcing Africa’s global voice.

“Africa is not seeking a larger place in the world; Africa is reclaiming its rightful place in the world. Our task is to translate this renewed confidence into unity, prosperity, peace and influence,” he added.

The AUC Chairperson also underscored that Africa’s progress must be measured not only by how the continent is represented externally, but also by the quality of life of its people.

In this regard, he said, the African Union’s 2026 focus on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation reflects the Union’s determination to connect continental aspirations with the everyday realities of African citizens.

On African Union Day, Youssouf called upon Member States, Regional Economic Communities, African institutions, the private sector, civil society, women and young people to continue building an Africa that is increasingly integrated, self-confident and capable of shaping its own destiny.

H.E. Youssouf reaffirmed the commitment of the African Union Commission to advancing the vision of “The Africa We Want” and ensuring that the spirit of the Sirte Declaration continues to inspire the continent’s next generation.

“The Africa of tomorrow must not only be better represented on the map; it must be stronger in the world, more united at home and more prosperous for its people,” he said.

The AUC Chairperson wished all citizens of Africa and the African Diaspora a peaceful and inspiring African Union Day.

TUNIS, Tunisia (Reuters) — Tunisian journalists and activists have protested in the capital, Tunis, demanding the release of prominent journalist Mohamed Yousfi, whose arrest has intensified concerns over press freedom and the treatment of independent voices under President Kais Saied.

The protesters gathered on Tuesday outside a court where a judge was questioning Yousfi over allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering. Critics of the government have described the charges as politically motivated and aimed at punishing him for his journalism.

Yousfi, a vocal critic of Saied and editor-in-chief of investigative news website Al-Qatiba, was arrested last Friday while preparing to enter Express FM Radio to participate in a programme.

His arrest has drawn widespread condemnation from rights groups and journalists’ organisations, which say the case is contributing to a climate of fear among media professionals.

“The situation is dark and difficult. Journalists who disturb the authorities are facing legal persecution and fabricated charges,” Zied Dabbar, head of the Tunisian journalists’ syndicate SNJT, told Reuters.

“Today journalists either end up in exile or in prison… But we will resist,” he said.

Several Tunisian media figures have been jailed this year, including Zied Heni, Mourad Zghidi and Borhen Bsaies, while Khaoula Boukrim was sentenced in absentia in June to four years in prison.

Press freedom expanded following the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and triggered pro-democracy protests across the Arab world known as the Arab Spring.

However, critics say Saied’s consolidation of power in 2021 and subsequent decrees have weakened democratic safeguards and enabled authorities to pursue journalists, politicians, activists and other critics.

Leaders of Tunisia’s main opposition parties have also been jailed in recent years, alongside dozens of politicians, activists, journalists and businessmen facing charges including conspiracy against state security, money laundering and corruption.

Saied has rejected accusations that he is a dictator and maintains that freedoms are guaranteed in Tunisia.

HARGEISA, Somaliland (NPA) — The Official Spokesman to the President of the Republic of Somaliland, Hussein Deyr, has renewed calls for international recognition of Somaliland, arguing that the territory has established and sustained the institutions and characteristics of a functioning state for decades.

Deyr, a former Minister of Trade and Investment, made the case in a statement issued on Tuesday titled “Reasons Why Somaliland Merits International Recognition.”

He said Somaliland was not asking the international community to create a new state, but to recognise one that its people had “built, sustained and defended for decades.”

According to Deyr, Somaliland’s case for recognition rests on seven key arguments: its historical statehood, the will of its people, functioning state institutions, a record of peace, democratic political culture, effective state capacity and the strategic opportunities that recognition could create.

On historical statehood, he noted that the Republic of Somaliland was an independent sovereign state on June 26, 1960, with defined borders and institutions before entering a union with Somalia.

He said the will of the people had been demonstrated through democratic processes and constitutional referenda, which he argued had consistently affirmed Somalilanders’ right to determine their political future.

Deyr also pointed to Somaliland’s functioning institutions, constitutional governance and peaceful political transitions over more than three decades as evidence of an established state.

On peace and democracy, he said Somaliland had built stability through locally led reconciliation, dialogue and institutions, while competitive elections, peaceful transfers of power and constitutional politics had become defining features of its political system.

He further argued that Somaliland possessed the essential attributes of effective statehood, including territory, population, government, public authority and the capacity to conduct international relations.

Deyr said international recognition would formalise what he described as an existing political reality while creating greater opportunities for peace, regional security, trade, investment and strategic cooperation in the Horn of Africa.

“The Republic of Somaliland is not asking the world to create a new state. It is asking the world to recognise one that its people have built, sustained and defended for decades,” he said.

Somaliland’s renewed push for recognition comes amid its expanding diplomatic engagement, including growing ties with Israel.

In June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Jerusalem during the Somaliland leader’s official state visit to Israel.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu and Abdullahi held a private meeting before leading a broader bilateral session involving senior officials from both sides.

The two leaders subsequently signed a Joint Declaration aimed at strengthening cooperation between Israel and Somaliland in areas including diplomacy, security, economic development and investment.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has since maintained its own government, security institutions and democratic processes, although its statehood remains disputed internationally.

Israel formally recognised Somaliland as an independent state on December 26, 2025, becoming the first UN member state to do so, a development that has added momentum to Somaliland’s campaign for wider international recognition.

Somaliland’s quest for recognition has significant geopolitical implications for the Horn of Africa, with potential consequences for regional security, trade, investment and maritime interests around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.