Africa

PM Sonko said the government would submit legislation to repeal a law by former president Sall that granted amnesty for deadly political violence just before March 2024 elections, a mean to calm protests sparked by his last-minute vote postponement

$7B revenues loss are expected for 2024 as a consequence of Red Sea instability that disrupted shipping traffic: the Suez Canal traffic has experienced a dramatic revenue drop of over 60% compared to 2023

Rebel attack killed at least 20 close to the Lake Tanganyika border with DRC; it is the second attack in two weeks by the RED-Tabara rebels, who have been battling government since 2015 mainly from DRC bases and largely inactive inside Burundi since 2021

There has been an increase in the rate of access to electricity in urban areas, from 64% to 80%, according to the National Energy Access Baseline Survey's report on the country's households

From Sonnie Badu to Alice KD, 2024 saw the success of numerous Ghana gospel artists in America; a list of key players has been compiled sampling the views of Djs, presenters, event organizers and Ghana bloggers based both locally and in America

A workshop organized by Advance South Sudan trained 25 journalists in transitional justice reporting to promote sensitive storytelling that supports community healing with a victim-centered approach, to foster public understanding of t.j. processes

The Libyan parallel government approved the proposal to eliminate subsidies on fuel and petroleum products, the preparation of an appropriate mechanism to implement this measure and more measures linked to the 2025 general budget

The country is the 55th to join the Partnership for Information and Democracy, an international coalition initiated by Reporters Without Borders and France in 2019, an important step towards establishing an effective right to information

The production capacity of Ethiopia's manufacturing industries has risen to 60%; a new policy has been implemented in recent years to exploit the sector's potential and capitalise on emerging opportunities

The Ghanaian ECOWAS contingent offered a solidarity lunch to the children and staff of the 'Lar de Vida - Betel' orphanage in the Quelele district on the outskirts of the Guinean capital Bissau

President Isaias Afwerki and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia held extensive talks in Asmara focusing on the consolidation of bilateral ties; the two leaders underlined the importance of Somalia's stability for the entire Horn of Africa

400 elephant hunting licenses have been issued on top of permits for other species amid fresh opposition from conservationists; international hunters pay up to $50.000 to obtain a license in order to hunt an elephant