90-Day visa on arrival in Namibia to cost N$1,600

90-Day visa on arrival in Namibia to cost N$1,600

As of next April, nationals from Canada, Germany, the US, the UK, and 29 other countries will be required to obtain visas to enter Namibia. This new regulation mandates a 90-day visa costing $90 (N$ 1,649.69), which can be purchased upon arrival. This policy stands in contrast to the more stringent visa requirements imposed on African passport holders. According to Lago Collective, a research and creative group focused on migration, […]

July 25, 2024 65 2

Africa

France demands ‘unconditional release’ of Niger president

France on Tuesday called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum, almost a year after he was overthrown in a coup. Bazoum has "been held prisoner for a year in scandalous conditions", foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said. "We have always condemned this detention, we still strongly condemn it and continue to call for his immediate and unconditional release," he told reporters […]

July 23, 2024 17

World

European leaders meet at UK Summit for diplomatic ‘reset’

Dozens of European leaders are in the UK for a summit the new British government says will help 'reset' relations with the continent. It's the fourth European Political Community summit, and is being held at Blenheim Palace. The conflict in Ukraine is high on the agenda, with President Zelensky in attendance. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says it's a significant moment for the new UK government. On Friday, […]

July 18, 2024 41

Africa

How militia groups capture states and ruin countries: the case of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces

By Federico Manfredi Firmian, Sciences Po The rise of Sudan’s most notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, shows how armed groups can infiltrate state institutions – often with disastrous results for society. Sudan’s central government created the Rapid Support Forces in 2013 as dictator Omar al-Bashir’s private protection detail. The group has now become a predator seeking to gain control of Sudan. Sudan’s war […]

July 18, 2024 7

Africa

Namibia denies visa extension for King of Buganda

In a surprising turn of events, the government has declined the visa extension request for Ronald Mutebi II, the King of the Buganda tribe of Uganda. King Mutebi, who travelled to Namibia for medical treatment in April, will not be allowed to extend his stay beyond the maximum 90 days set by the Immigration Control Act of 1993, as confirmed by Penda Naanda, the Executive Director of the Ministry of […]

July 17, 2024 40

Africa

Paul Kagame has had an iron grip on Rwanda for decades – 6 essential reads on what keeps him in power

By Julius Maina, The Conversation and Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation There is little doubt that Paul Kagame will win the votes necessary to extend his 24-year rule in Rwanda’s general election on 15 July 2024. The ruling party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front, nominated Kagame as its presidential candidate during a congress in March. He got 99.1% of the vote. Kagame faces Frank Habineza, who […]

July 12, 2024 28

Africa

Namibia-Ghana JPCC strengthens bilateral ties

Namibia is hosting the 5th Session of the Namibia-Ghana Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation, at both Ministerial and Senior Officials’ level, from today until 4 July 2024, in Swakopmund. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga, will co-chair the Ministerial Session with Shirley Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana. Executive Director of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Penda Naanda. […]

July 2, 2024 45

World

EU finds loophole to bypass Hungary veto

The EU has found a legal way around Hungary's veto on using frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine. According to the Financial Times, Hungary's abstention from an earlier EU agreement this year has created a loophole, allowing Brussels to allocate these funds for military purposes. Pablo Gutierrez, reports.

June 24, 2024 30

Africa

AU approves force shift amid Somalia security concerns

The African Union has endorsed the creation of a new force to replace more than 13,000 troops due to leave Somalia by year-end, amid fears that al Qaeda militants in the country are growing in power. Bloomberg Africa reports that troops from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Djibouti, part of the so-called African Union Transition Mission, are due to leave by the end of December.

June 24, 2024 16