With the people of Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, the DR Congo... and all the victims of unjust, brutal wars, here marching in Paris on Sat. 28 March 2026:
28/03/2026
Senegal's former President, Macky Sall, won't be a candidate for UN Secretary-General
Senegal: The AU refuses to support former President Macky Sall's candidacy for UN Secretary-General
Presented to the 55 member states of the continental organisation on Friday, 27 March, the draft decision was rejected by about twenty of them – including Senegal, whose current government in Dakar maintains strained relations with Macky Sall.
The initiative had been launched by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the AU.
According to a note from the AU Commission consulted by my RFI colleague in Dakar, 20 states – including Senegal – vetoed this initiative, thus giving the upper hand to Dakar, which had been shown to be opposed to it.
In a letter from the Permanent Mission of Senegal to the AU, Senegalese authorities indicated their refusal to support Macky Sall's candidacy to replace António Guterres, whose term as head of the United Nations will end at the end of the year.
The Senegalese government has, “at no stage, endorsed this candidacy and has not been associated with the initiative.” The country therefore cannot be considered “a stakeholder in the said process” – launched by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the AU – the letter states.
And 19 other member countries of the continental organisation, including Tunisia, South Africa and Nigeria, did the same.
Abuja explained that a nomination of Macky Sall to the post of secretary general would violate the principle of rotation which stipulates that it is the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean to give one to the UN.
The draft decision supporting this candidacy could not be accepted thus, as it did not meet the criteria of the so-called "tacit approval" procedure under which it had been submitted to the Member States – a procedure according to which the text should not raise objections from more than one third of the 55 countries belonging to the organisation.
The lack of support from the African Union for Macky Sall's candidacy is good news for the current government in power in Dakar, as the authorities elected two years ago still maintain cold relations with the former president. They accuse him of having indebted the country and of being responsible for the violent repression of political demonstrations, which have caused at least 65 deaths between 2021 and 2024.
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6 million displaced
Israel has displaced at least 6 million across Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, according to The New Arab.
This figure, covering the last two and half years, is the equivalent to the population of the whole of Denmark or Singapore.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has stated that 2.1 million in Gaza has been displaced since Israel launched its brutal military campaign and genocide in October 2023.
Over the past month alone, 3.2 million Iranians - and counting - have been internally displaced due to the US-Israel war on the country, according to the UN.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, over 1 million - an estimated 20% of the country's total population - have been subject to Israel's forced displacement orders.
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26/03/2026
France disinvites South Africa at the coming G7 summit... because of Trump?
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has been disinvited by France to the Group of Seven (G7) summit in the French town of Evian in June.. ..because of US pressure.
“We’ve learnt that due to sustained pressure, France has had to withdraw its invitation to South Africa to attend the G7 meeting,” Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to the president, told AFP.
“We are told that the Americans threatened to boycott the G7 if South Africa was invited,” he said.
During the G20 in South Africa, French President Emmanuel Macron had personally invited Ramaphosa to take part in the G7, Pretoria recalled. The Group of industrialised nations often widens its work to invite other countries.
South Africa has already been excluded from the G20 in January.
According to RFI's Frenchspeaking correspondent in Johannesburg, France says it has decided to invite Kenya instead of South Africa, as they are co-organising a summit together in May.
But it sounds like an excuse, and it's scary to see Macron bend to Trump!
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South Africa has faced months of pressure from US President Donald Trump on issues from trade to race relations.
Trump has clashed repeatedly with the South African government, hitting the country with high tariffs, berating Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over discredited claims of a “white genocide” and boycotting a G20 summit in Johannesburg in November.
Trump ambushed South Africa's Ramaphosa over 'genocide' accusation as soon as they met in Washington...
I reported on this all of next year, see some articles here:
Spotlight on Africa podcast - Ramaphosa in Washington: can South Africa - US ties be saved?
South Africa hits back at US over ‘flawed’ rights report and land grab claims
South Africa confirms temporary withdrawal from G20, as US takes the helm
South Africa closes G20 year framed as ‘presidency for all of Africa
Why the new US ambassador to South Africa could strain relations even further
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“Notwithstanding all of these developments, South Africa remains committed to engage constructively with the US,” the spokesperson to the president also said.
“The diplomatic relationship between USA and South Africa predate the Trump administration and they will outlive the current White House term of office,” he added.
25/03/2026
US is 'normalising' the erasure of Black history, Ghana's president says
Ghana's president, in New York, says US is 'normalising' the erasure of Black history
March 24 (Reuters) - Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, speaking in New York on Tuesday, criticised the U.S. administration for what he described as normalising the erasure of Black history, warning that such policies could have ripple effects elsewhere.
Since his return to power, U.S. President Donald Trump has targeted U.S. cultural and historical institutions - from museums to monuments to national parks - to remove what he calls "anti-American" ideology.
His declarations and executive orders have led to the dismantling of slavery exhibits, the restoration of Confederate statues and other moves that civil rights advocates say could reverse decades of social progress.
"These policies are becoming a template for other governments as well as some private institutions," Mahama said, speaking at an event on slavery reparations at the United Nations. "At the very least, they are slowly normalising the erasure."
Mahama said that in the U.S., Black history courses were being removed from school curricula, institutions were being mandated to stop teaching the "truth of slavery, segregation and racism," and books addressing these subjects were increasingly banned.
Asked about Mahama's remarks, a White House spokesperson said Trump had done more for Black Americans than any other president, and that he was proud to have received "historic support" from the Black community in the 2024 election.
"He is working around the clock to deliver for them and make our country greater than ever before," the spokesperson said.
GHANA TO PROPOSE SLAVERY RESOLUTION AT U.N.
Mahama, who last year announced a deal to accept West Africans deported by the U.S., previously criticized Trump for his false claims of white genocide and land seizures in South Africa, calling them an insult to Africans.
Mahama is in New York to propose a resolution at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday to recognize transatlantic slavery as the "gravest crime in the history of humankind" and to call for reparations.
The West African nation has been a leading advocate for reparations, a cause that has gained significant momentum in recent years, even as a growing backlash has emerged.
Several Western leaders have opposed even discussing the subject, with critics arguing that today's states and institutions should not be held responsible for historical wrongs.
The draft resolution, seen by Reuters, urges member states to engage in dialogue on reparations, including issuing formal apologies, returning stolen artifacts, providing financial compensation, and ensuring guarantees of non-repetition.
The resolution has been backed by the nations of the African Union and the Caribbean Community, as well as countries like Brazil.
Ghana's foreign minister, Samuel Ablakwa, said the European Union and the U.S. had already communicated they would not back the resolution.
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22/03/2026
20/03/2026
20 March
Today is Eid Al Fitr.
Eid Mubarak.
It’s also Nowruz, the Persian celebration of the new year and beginning of spring.
Sorry people for the state of western regimes… war and oil obsessed…
It's the Sping Equinox, and here in Europe too we should be celebrating our gorgeous nature blooms and togetherness.
18/03/2026
Could the war on Iran impact security and conflicts in Africa?
Could the war on Iran impact security and conflicts in Africa too?
The war on Iran is putting almost the whole world in turmoil, and Africa is not spared. How impactful could the multi-layered conflict become for Africa?
I asked independent expert Ladd Serwat, one of the senior analysts on Africa at ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, who is closely monitoring the evolution of the war.
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Protesters outside the US Consulate in Johannesburg on 7 March, 2026, during a demonstration against the ongoing war involving the USA, Israel and Iran, expressing solidarity with Iran. |
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American military bases in Djibouti and Somalia lie within range of Iranian-aligned groups, while US deployments in Nigeria and Kenya face potential exposure too.
Israel, for its part, maintains military assets in Eritrea, vulnerable to missile attacks launched across the Red Sea, attacks that could also threaten Egypt as missiles pass through its airspace.
But some African countries also fear security risks coming from the Houthi forces in Yemen. And even more countries already suffer from the rise of oil prices, which have begun to affect food prices too.
And, last but not least, over 700,000 African workers remain in the Gulf region, with airspace closure and airlines struggling to offer support.
Ladd Serwat is a senior analyst on Africa at ACLED, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, an independent conflict monitor providing real time data and analysis for all violent conflict and protests in the world.
He has been writing analyses on Iran’s regional reach and the security implications of the war for Africa since the beginning of the war. According to him, direct military action by Israel and the US against Iranian allies in Africa remains improbable, but not impossible.
MC: You've been following the consequences of the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. This has had huge consequences on the whole region, on West Asia but also the Red sea, notably on oil prices. But are there real security threats for Africans, especially in the Horn?
Ladd Serwat: I think we do see some potential threats around the Horn especially, the most immediate being those US and Israeli military assets around the region. The US military assets, notably in Djibouti and Somalia are well within striking distance of either. If Houthi allies to Iran ended up getting involved or of Iran's longer range missiles, it's also notable that the US has military assets just south of Somalia, in Kenya, in the north in Lamu County. They're expanding their military base there, just as of recently. The Iranian ambassador to Kenya said they're not planning to strike those assets. And then Israel also has military assets in Eritrea. So, although it may not be the most likely fallout from the conflict, these assets in the Horn would be by far the most likely to be struck.
Iran had some clear allies on the African continent before the war and some less strong partners. Everything has shifted quite strongly right now. So if we focus on the first reactions, South Africa sounded very opposed to the war, at least through the voice of its President. How do you see the reactions? Are they very polarised?
It's interesting. I think the immediate reaction so far is seen in demonstration movements. They have been taking place in Nigeria, where a group of Shia Muslims have conducted protests in several states already, denouncing the US and Israeli aggression. So, I do expect that to continue in the coming days and weeks. This group has largely been organised through the Islamic movements in Nigeria, so we may see that also increase in other places.
Morocco has also had one of the largest and most ongoing demonstration movements across the continent against Israeli aggressions, initially against Gaza and Lebanon. But it solidified through the political opposition against the position of the Moroccan regime, which has normalised relations with Israel, largely around Friday prayers. These demonstrations have been ongoing for several years now, and I would expect this to be another place where we see opposition expressed around the continent. And as you mentioned, South Africa is another notable place where we could see more protests as well.
Then, there are also many Africans living in the Gulf states that have been attacked by Iran in retaliation to the US-Israeli war. Hundreds of thousands Africans are working in the Gulf states... It is difficult to repatriate a lot of these nationals, especially for African airlines. Some people are stranded in Saudi Arabia and in Dubai. Is it an issue that could weigh on African governments?
At ACLED, we don't monitor some of these dynamics specifically, but what we can say is that these airstrikes that have hit or threatened numerous airports around the Gulf have certainly disrupted the ability for airlines to repatriate their citizens.
Finally, Iran has sometimes been mentioned among the nations that are meddling in the war in Sudan. And there are conflicts reopening in the Horn, in Tigray, in Ethiopia, and in Eritrea. Could this war also impact those regional wars? There are also divergent interests between Somaliland, Djibouti and Somalia regarding their relations with Israel. All this has shifted since the Abraham Accords, signed by Morocco and a few other Arab countries. Do you think that the conflict in and around Iran could change the direction of these alliances?
I think some of this comes back to the million dollar question: how many military assets Iran has? what are the number of missiles that Iran has at its disposal? And how might this affect its ability to provide its various partnerships across Africa? The Sudanese military and the Sahelian states have various partnerships with Iran, have been receiving some of its weapons and are facing strong jihadist threats. So while these states could potentially pivot to other suppliers, this delay or disruption could certainly limit various regimes, and their ability to respond to various threats, especially in the war in Sudan, and against insurgencies. For all these reasons, I think that the wars in the Middle East may have fairly direct consequences to these various conflicts in Africa.
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This interview, originally recorded for our Spotlight on Africa podcast:
>> Spotlight on Africa: Africa faces security worries as Iran conflict spreads
New podcast episode: Iran & Africa
Spotlight on Africa: Africa faces security worries as Iran conflict spreads
US and Israeli attacks on Iran are raising concerns across Africa, from security risks in the Horn of Africa to economic pressures and fears for migrant workers in the Gulf. They also come as West African countries step up cooperation against spreading jihadist violence. In this week’s Spotlight on Africa podcast, we speak to Nigeria’s presidential adviser Sunday Dare and Africa analyst Heni Nsaibia about the risks.
>> Listen here: https://www.rfi.fr/en/podcasts/spotlight-on-africa/20260317-spotlight-on-africa-africa-faces-security-worries-as-iran-conflict-spreads
As the conflict spreads across West Asia, the Gulf and the Red Sea, worries are growing about how it could affect the African continent.
American military bases in Djibouti and Somalia lie within range of Iranian-aligned groups, while US deployments in Nigeria and Kenya further extend potential exposure.
Israel also maintains military assets in Eritrea, vulnerable to missile attacks launched across the Red Sea. Such attacks could also threaten Egypt if missiles pass through its airspace.
Some African countries fear security risks from the United States, Israel, Iran or Houthi forces in Yemen. Others are already suffering from rising oil prices, related food insecurity and concerns for migrant workers.
More than 700,000 African workers remain in Gulf states as missile strikes continue in the region.
Ladd Serwat, an analyst on Africa at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED – a conflict data organisation), writes regular analyses on Iran’s regional reach and the security implications of the war for Africa.
He said direct military action by Israel or the United States against Iranian allies in Africa remains unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.
Nigeria and jihadist insecurity
Meanwhile, West Africa is facing a rise in jihadist attacks in the Sahel.
Violence has increasingly spread south to coastal countries such as Benin, Togo and Côte d'Ivoire, prompting governments to seek stronger cross-border cooperation.
Authorities in Benin and Nigeria announced this week plans for a joint security operation along their shared border.
The move aims to combat militant groups operating in the area.
In the podcast, Sunday Dare, senior adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, discusses security challenges facing the country, including the Islamist insurgency and the need for regional and international cooperation.
And Heni Nsaibia, ACLED’s West Africa senior analyst, who's done extensive research on jihadism, explores the relevance of this partnership.
Episode mixed by Erwan Rome.
Spotlight on Africa is produced by Radio France Internationale's English language service.
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>> Listen here: https://www.rfi.fr/en/podcasts/spotlight-on-africa/20260317-spotlight-on-africa-africa-faces-security-worries-as-iran-conflict-spreads
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