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Analysis: Somali Oligorchs

Like most former communist states, Somalia's wealth was concentrated in Mogadishu, where the government's headquarters were located. While the mining, oil, and transportation industries were non-existent in Somalia, the government did own all the service sectors, including the banking, energy,…

Journalists in Eastern Africa carve out a new role for media in the fight against violent extremism and terrorism

Journalists' leaders and representatives from across Eastern Africa have called for decisive action to support media professionals in their efforts to combat disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech propagated by violent extremists.

UNHCR: Sudan refugee response will need $445 million for rising numbers fleeing Sudan

GENEVA – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said today that it is planning for an outflow of 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan and, with partners, will require US$445 million to support the displaced until October.

Over 1,000 Daily Arrivals from Sudan to Ethiopia: IOM Data

Geneva/ Metema, Ethiopia - Over 12,000 people have arrived in Metema, the border town between Sudan and Ethiopia, since fighting erupted on 15 April, many exhausted after the long and dangerous journey to safety. IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is currently recording over one thousand daily…

Burkina Faso: Severe humanitarian crisis persists for people living under blockade in Djibo

Burkina Faso is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has seen almost two million people flee violence perpetrated by jihadist groups. The northern town of Djibo has now been under blockade by non-state armed groups for over a year and remains largely cut off from food and aid.

UNHCR warns of mounting needs in DR Congo as forced displacement continues

GENEVA — UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is extremely concerned about the devastating consequences for displaced people of recurring attacks by armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is calling for humanitarian efforts to be urgently supported. With 6.2 million internally displaced…

Gaming for Peace in Somalia: Young women and men are embracing technology to promote peace

A short yet perilous seven-kilometre road connects the towns of Buufow and Shalanbood in southern Somalia. The once prosperous agricultural area that produced fruits and vegetables for the region has experienced decades of conflict and destabilization. Just like most parts of the country, the region…

UN SG appoints Ms. Catriona Laing of the United Kingdom as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia

New York – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Catriona Laing of the United Kingdom as his new Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). She succeeds James Swan of the United States of…

UNHCR, partners scale-up relief efforts as cross-border movements from Sudan increase

This is a summary of what was said by Olga Sarrado Mur, UNHCR Spokesperson – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

WPFD: Somali journalists subjected to threats, beating, arbitrary detention as authorities continue to deny journalists' access to information

MOGADISHU, Somalia 3 May 2023 – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is yet alarmed by the continued attacks including threats, beating, arbitrary detention, obstruction from reporting public interest stories, which further puts the journalists and media workers at risk to report certain issues…

East and Southern Africa: Attacks on journalists on the rise as authorities seek to suppress press freedom

Authorities across East and Southern Africa escalated their attacks against journalists and press freedom across the region to suppress reporting of corruption and human rights violations throughout 2022, the Media Institute of Southern Africa and Amnesty International said today to mark World Press…

UNHCR rapidly scaling up to assist people seeking safety in South Sudan following Sudan violence

Over 16,600 arrivals registered as of 28 April

Russia Urged To Adopt More Sustainable Development-Oriented Policies To Meet Contemporary Challenges Facing African Countries

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh For more than three decades, Russia has been trying to regain part of its Soviet-era economic influence in Africa, but such efforts have regularly hit stumbling blocks which policy experts attribute to pitfalls in its policy towards Africa. Now several reports have urged Russian…

WPFD2023: Facebook's mass reporting, community standards constantly used to censor and suppress Somali journalists

MOGADISHU, Somalia 2 May 2023 – On World Press Freedom Day, the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) is concerned about the increasing use of Facebook Community Standards and mass reporting to suppress and censor Somali journalists whose reporting is deemed critical to the Somali government which resulted…

Somalia evacuates 169 of its citizens stranded in Sudan

Mogadishu, Somalia (Horn Observer) Somalia on Monday said it evacuated 169 of its citizens from Sudan, amid fighting rages there, officials said.

OIC Holds Emergency Executive Committee Meeting to Discuss Developments in Sudan

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Horn Observer) -- At the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current Chair of the Islamic Summit, and the OIC Executive Committee, the OIC Executive Committee will hold an emergency meeting, on Wednesday, 3 May 2023, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in…

Somalia: DRC provides integrated emergency support to families displaced by conflict in Laascaanood

Schools typically provide spaces and environments for learning, while public buildings host government offices to serve communities. However, in the Kalabayr and Taleex areas of the Sool region, as well as Buuhoodle of Togdheer, the situation is different. Schools and public buildings in these areas…

Sudan INGO Forum calls on conflict parties to ensure protection of civilians, including aid workers and assets, and allow for the immediate scale-up of life-saving humanitarian assistance

The ongoing and escalating violence across Sudan has directly impacted thousands of civilians, resulting in loss of life, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and complete disruption of basic services. Despite the announcement of consecutive 72-hour ceasefires and humanitarian pauses by…

Sudan: Plight of civilians amid hostilities

Delivered by Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani Two weeks after the fighting erupted between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) - imposing fear, deprivation, trauma and suffering on the civilian population -- the human rights…

Supported by ATMIS, journalists, civil society representatives in Hirshabelle train on Human Rights News reporting

Jowhar -A three-day training on Human Rights and the role of government has concluded in Jowhar, Hirshabelle State, to help the media and representatives of civil society understand news reporting on Human Rights.