Somalia and Turkey Strengthen Alliance: On December 30, 2025, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.1 The meeting followed Israel’s recent formal recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, a move Erdogan denounced as “illegitimate and unacceptable.”2 Turkey, a key military and economic backer of Mogadishu, reaffirmed its commitment to Somalia’s territorial integrity as protests against the recognition swept through major Somali cities.3
Algeria Criminalizes French Colonization: The Algerian parliament unanimously passed a landmark law declaring the 132-year French colonial rule a crime.4 The legislation demands a formal apology and reparations for historical atrocities, including nuclear tests conducted in the Sahara.5 This legal move has heightened diplomatic tensions with Paris, which described the law as a “hostile act” that threatens ongoing reconciliation efforts.6
Security and Conflict
Siege of Al-Fashir Ends in Humanitarian Crisis: Following the October takeover of al-Fashir by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), UN assessment teams reached the city for the first time on December 27.7 Officials described the city as a “crime scene,” largely deserted after 100,000 residents fled a grueling 18-month siege. Satellite imagery recently identified 150 clusters of human remains, providing evidence of mass executions and ethnically motivated killings during the power shift.8
Escalation in Kordofan and North Darfur: Conflict continues to spread in Sudan, with over 7,000 people fleeing western North Darfur this week.9 In South Kordofan, the IOM reported the displacement of an additional 1,200 people from Dilling and North Kordofan due to fresh clashes between the national army and the RSF.10
Human Rights and Migration
South Kivu on the Brink of Catastrophe: Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province has displaced 500,000 people since early December.11 The World Food Programme (WFP) warns of “utter desperation” as nearly 1 million people face emergency hunger levels. The violence, linked to a new offensive by the M23 armed group, has shuttered schools for 391,000 children and led to widespread looting of health facilities.
Mediterranean and Atlantic Migration Toll: Aid group Caminando Fronteras reported that 3,090 migrants died attempting to reach Spain in 2025.12 While overall arrivals to the Canary Islands dropped by 40% compared to last year, deaths on the Algerian-Mediterranean route doubled. The group noted a surge in migrants from Somalia and Sudan attempting these dangerous crossings as conflict at home intensifies.13
Governance and Tech-Enabled Democracy
Mogadishu’s Historic Local Polls: For the first time in 57 years, residents of Mogadishu participated in direct municipal elections on December 25.14 Over 1,600 candidates contested 390 seats in a vote seen as a critical pilot for nationwide direct elections scheduled for 2026.15 This marks a significant departure from the indirect clan-based system used since 2004.16
Ivory Coast Ruling Party Consolidates Power: The RHDP party of President Alassane Ouattara secured 77% of parliamentary seats (197 out of 255) following the December 27 elections.17 Despite the victory, voter turnout remained low at 35%, and major opposition groups boycotted the poll, citing concerns over electoral transparency.18
Business, Energy, and Labor
Egypt-Lebanon Energy Cooperation: On December 29, Egypt signed a Memorandum of Understanding to supply natural gas to Lebanon’s Deir Ammar power plant.19 The deal leverages Egypt’s LNG infrastructure to help stabilize Lebanon’s failing electricity sector.20 The agreement became feasible following the lifting of specific regional sanctions that previously hindered pipeline transport through Syria.
Youth Agricultural Renaissance: As urban living costs in cities like Dakar and Nairobi skyrocket, a new trend shows young Africans returning to rural areas.21 Rising food prices and new irrigation technologies have made farming more profitable than low-tier urban jobs.22 Initiatives by the African Development Bank and WFP have supported over 380,000 young entrepreneurs in launching climate-smart agribusinesses since 2023.23
