Category: Inside Africa

President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire made a high-profile public appearance on Wednesday, leading a council of ministers meeting in Abidjan amid swirling social media rumours of a military coup and his alleged death. The Ivorian presidency released official photos showing Ouattara with key cabinet members at the presidential palace, discussing national development issues including electricity diversification and housing reforms. The public outing came in response to widespread false reports circulating on platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok, which claimed that the military had seized power and that both President Ouattara and Army Chief Lassina Doumbia had been killed. These rumours caused a wave of concern both locally and internationally. However, journalists and authorities in Abidjan firmly dismissed the claims, insisting there was no coup or unrest. Christelle Kouamé, a leading journalist and member of the National Union of Journalists of Côte d’Ivoire, confirmed that the president had recently attended major events and that the internet remained active despite online disinformation. The incident highlights ongoing regional instability, with recent coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, as Côte d’Ivoire prepares to host the African Development Bank’s annual meetings in the coming days.

Donald Trump’s sustained interest in South Africa, particularly around the issue of white Afrikaners, ties into a broader narrative popular among segments of the American far-right: the debunked “white genocide” conspiracy theory. This theory falsely claims that white South Africans, especially farmers, are being systematically targeted and exterminated by the post-apartheid government. In recent years, Trump has amplified these narratives by: Tweeting in 2018 that he had directed his Secretary of State to look into the “large-scale killing of farmers” in South Africa, a claim not supported by crime statistics or credible international watchdogs. Granting refugee status in 2025 to 49 white Afrikaners, despite the absence of clear evidence that they face targeted persecution based on race. Cutting U.S. aid to South Africa and threatening to boycott diplomatic meetings, signaling a deliberate cooling of relations over the perceived mistreatment of white minorities. Why the Obsession? Trump’s stance appeals to a subset of his political base that views global events through a racialized lens. This base, which includes white nationalist and alt-right groups, has long championed the idea of a white population under siege in South Africa as a cautionary tale about multiculturalism, immigration, and what they view as “anti-white” policies. His administration’s decision to grant asylum to white South Africans reflects ideological alignment with these groups and serves as a culture war talking point. It also distracts from more complex issues within South Africa, such as economic inequality, land reform, and high crime rates, none of which are exclusive to or targeted against white citizens. The Bigger Picture This fixation is not about humanitarian concern—it’s political theater. By spotlighting white South Africans, Trump bolsters a narrative of white victimhood that fuels nativist sentiment at home. It also aligns with a broader strategy of reframing international human rights issues to fit a domestic political agenda. To explore this issue further, you can watch the Al Jazeera investigation:Watch here👉 Why is Donald Trump fixated on South Africa?

A new World Bank report has revealed that Africa recorded a staggering $13 billion cereal trade deficit in 2023, warning that strained transport infrastructure and weak supply chains are hampering food security across the continent. The report, titled “Transport Connectivity for Food Security in Africa: Strengthening Supply Chains,” analyzed the movement of four major staples—cassava, maize, rice, and wheat—across national and regional borders. It found that most African countries remain heavily dependent on cereal imports, despite local production efforts. According to the World Bank, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, had a negative trade balance of $2 billion on cereals in 2023—the highest on the continent. In contrast, South Africa recorded a positive trade balance of $170 million. “Seven countries had negative cereal balances of more than $500 million, 24 had deficits between $100 million and $500 million, while 17 others had negative balances of up to $100 million,” the report stated. The report also pointed out a “spatial mismatch” in countries like Nigeria, where rice production in central regions outpaces local consumption, requiring improved transport systems to distribute surplus to deficit areas in the north and south. “Although countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are technically self-sufficient in rice, inefficient transport networks hinder effective distribution,” it added. The World Bank emphasized that about 50% of rice consumed in Sub-Saharan Africa is produced locally, but poor logistics, infrastructure gaps, and weak inter-regional links are undermining the full potential of local agricultural systems. The findings call for urgent investment in transport infrastructure, regional integration, and policy reform to strengthen food security and reduce import dependence across Africa.

Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, has formally approved the dissolution of all political parties in the country, according to a statement read on state television Tuesday. The decision follows recommendations from a recent national dialogue that also proposed extending Goita’s rule by five more years, raising fears of deepening authoritarianism in the West African nation. The move comes after protests in the capital, Bamako, on May 3 and 4, where demonstrators rallied against military rule, chanting pro-democracy slogans and denouncing dictatorship. In response, the junta suspended all political activities nationwide ahead of a planned May 9 protest, forcing opposition groups to cancel the demonstration. Human rights organizations have raised alarm over reports of opposition figures disappearing in recent days. Human Rights Watch said Abba Alhassane, Secretary-General of CODEM, was abducted by masked men claiming to be gendarmes, while El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema party, was seized by unidentified individuals in the town of Kati. Goita, who first seized power in a 2020 coup, initially promised to hold elections by February 2022, a pledge that remains unfulfilled. With political repression intensifying, critics warn that Mali is veering further away from democratic governance under the guise of security and stability.