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Nigeria’s Smartgenix Crowned Grand Prize Winner of the 15th Junior Achievement (JA) Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition in Abuja

Source: APO

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa (https://JA-Africa.org) successfully concluded the 15th edition of the JA Africa COY Competition, held from December 3–5, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, bringing together Africa’s brightest young entrepreneurs to showcase innovative business solutions aligned with the theme “ACT! Action for Climate Transformation.” The continental finals convened student companies from across Africa who had progressed through national JA Company Program competitions to compete across six innovation tracks: Innovation & Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Financial Technology (FinTech), Digital Media & Creation, Renewable Energy, and Circular Economy & Sustainability.

Following three days of dynamic pitching, mentorship engagement, exhibitions, and rigorous judging, Nigeria’s Smartgenix was crowned the overall Company of the Year 2025 for demonstrating exceptional innovation, execution strength, and high-impact potential. Mauritius’ Plantura claimed Second Place, while Uganda’s Renewablock secured Third Place, rounding out the podium with solutions focused on sustainability and inclusive development. As the continental champion, Smartgenix will proceed to represent Africa at the global finals of the De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award, where it will compete against winning teams from other regions for a grand prize of US $15,000.

Additional recognitions were distributed among other deserving teams, thanks to the generous support of various sponsors, including FedEx, PMIEF, FirstBank Nigeria, Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, Kuda Microfinance Bank, Boeing, and Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

Summary of Signature Award Winners:

  • FedEx Global Possibilities Award: XeroLabs, Ghana
  • PMIEF Best Application of Project Management Award: Kwakhanya PlantIQ, Eswatini
  • FirstBank Nigeria CEO Entrepreneurship Award: Plantura, Mauritius

Summary of Branded Award Winners:

  • Delta Air Lines Girls LEAD! Award: 16 girls awarded: Matse Takitsi, Fakudze Temantolo Siphesihle, Dlamini Gcinile Lenhle, Dhristi Gooroochurn, Ameydee Shalinee Chocken, Yezhilly Gopaulen, Lashna Gungabissoon, Ihimbazwe Niyikora Kevine, Uwayo Ange Kevine, Abarurema Hirwa Emma Reponse, Kendy Neilla Gisa, Atuhaire Gabriella Kusiima, Comfort Musukuma, Grace Chilinda, Ndanji Nanyangwe, and Wana Sanyikosa
  • Bank of America Best Financial Performance Award: Renewablock, Uganda
  • Kuda Young Entrepreneurs Award: Kwakhanya PlantIQ, Eswatini
  • Boeing Sustainable Innovation Award: XeroLabs, Ghana
  • Entrepreneurs’ Organizations Rising Leader Award: Ameydee Chocken, CEO of Plantura, Mauritius

Reflecting on the success of COY 2025, Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO of JA Africa, said, “The creativity, courage, and solution-driven mindset we witnessed at COY 2025 remind us why Africa’s youth are our greatest asset. Through entrepreneurship education, we are not just preparing young people for the future of work; we are empowering them to lead climate action, create jobs, and build resilient communities across the continent.”

The competition concluded with the JA Africa Stakeholder Convening held on December 5 in Abuja under the theme “Unlocking Africa’s Youth Dividend: Radical Pathways for Inclusive Skills, Entrepreneurship, and Employment Systems.” The high-level gathering brought together policymakers, educators, private sector leaders, philanthropic institutions, and development partners to catalyze strategic collaborations aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship education, expanding skills pathways, and scaling youth employment systems across Africa.

COY is anchored in the JA Company Program, which equips young people aged 14–17 with hands-on experience in business creation, financial management, teamwork, leadership, and venture pitching. As youth unemployment continues to pose a major development challenge across the continent, programs such as COY remain essential in bridging education to enterprise creation, equipping young people not only to seek employment but to become job creators and innovators within their communities. Alumni of the program across Africa have gone on to establish registered businesses, secure international scholarships and fellowships, and lead social and technology ventures.

The 15th edition of the JA Africa COY was made possible through the generous support of its partners: Headline Sponsors – FedEx, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF), and FirstBank Nigeria; Platinum Sponsors – Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, and Kuda Microfinance Bank; Gold Sponsors – Boeing and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO); and Media Partner – What Media Group

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Junior Achievement (JA) Africa.

Media Contact:
Ellen Ukpi
Director, Marketing & Communications
Junior Achievement Africa
Email: ellen.ukpi@ja-africa.org

JA Africa:
Junior Achievement (JA) Africa is one of the largest and most impactful youth-serving NGOs on the continent, reaching over 1.5 million young people annually across 23 countries. Through hands-on learning experiences in entrepreneurship, work readiness, financial literacy, and STEM education, JA Africa equips young people with the skills and mindset to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy. JA Africa’s mission is to prepare and inspire Africa’s youth to become ethical leaders, job creators, and agents of change who drive sustainable development across the continent.

FedEx Corp:
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $89 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit Fedex.com/about.

PMIEF (Project Management Institute Educational Foundation):
For 35 years, PMIEF has helped put youth on the path to success by incorporating project management skills into their daily lives. Our goal is to forge partnerships with nonprofit organizations that support and prepare youth for success by offering project management expertise, resources, and volunteers to aid them in making their dreams a reality. www. PMI. org/pmi-educational-foundation (http://apo-opa.co/3MOeLa7)

Delta Air Lines:
Delta Air Lines is a major United States airline headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport serving as its largest. Together with its regional subsidiaries under the Delta Connection brand, the airline operates more than 5,400 flights daily and serves 325 destinations in 52 countries across six continents. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance, expanding its global network, and is the second‑oldest operating commercial airline in the U.S. The airline ranks first globally in revenue and brand value among major airlines and consistently leads industry performance rankings, including The Wall Street Journal’s 2022–2024 airline rankings and Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Airlines in the U.S.

Delta Air Lines is committed to empowering young people around the world through education and global citizenship programs. Its long-standing partnership with JA Africa expands access to STEM learning, leadership development, and real-world career exposure for Africa’s youth. https://www.Delta.com/MEA/en/about-delta/overview

First Bank Nigeria:
FirstBank of Nigeria Limited is the premier commercial bank in Nigeria, with a history of over 130 years of providing dependable and reliable financial services. As a leading financial services provider in Sub-Saharan Africa, FirstBank has consistently supported inclusive economic development by enabling individuals, businesses, and communities to achieve their financial goals. It offers a comprehensive range of retail and corporate banking services, backed by an extensive network of branches and digital channels that ensure seamless banking experiences for millions of customers across Africa and beyond. FirstBank is a member of the FBN Holdings Plc group.  www.FirstBankNigeria.com/

Bank of America:
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Visit BofA Fast Facts for more information about the company.

Kuda Microfinance Bank:
Kuda Microfinance Bank is a CBN-licensed subsidiary of Kuda Technologies, a fintech company on a mission to make financial services accessible, affordable, and rewarding for every African on the planet.

Founded in 2019 by Babs Ogundeyi and Musty Mustapha, Kuda offers a modern alternative to traditional finance by delivering free money transfers, instant credit, savings tools, and business banking through digital channels.

The company has raised over $90 million from institutional investors, including Valar Ventures and Target Global, and it serves more than 7 million customers across Nigeria. Kuda.com/

Boeing:
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

Boeing’s relationship with the Middle East extends back to 1945. Since then, Boeing has established a number of offices across the region, first in Riyadh in 1982, then a dedicated Boeing Defense, Space and Security office in Abu Dhabi in 1999, a regional headquarters in Dubai in 2005, an office in Doha in 2010, and a new office in Kuwait City in 2021. In addition, Boeing has field service teams across the region and two distribution centers for airplane spare parts in Dubai. For further information, please visit: www.Boeing.com

Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO):
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is the world’s largest membership network created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, everywhere. Since 1987, EO has been supporting the world’s leading builders of business to realize more of their potential by fostering connection, strengthening leadership, and creating belonging across industries and borders. EO exists with a clear purpose: to move the world forward by unlocking the full potential of entrepreneurs.

Its mission is engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow, and its vision is to build the world’s most influential community of entrepreneurs.

Nearly 20,000 members across more than 220 chapters in 80 countries make up EO’s global network. EO members are founders and owners of thriving businesses with a median revenue of over US $5 million, representing diverse industries and regions around the world. They connect through local and global experiences that go beyond business to holistically support the whole entrepreneur.

For more information or to get involved, please visit: EONetwork.org.

What Media Group:
What Media Group is a holding company focused on strategic investments in Africa’s media and entertainment sectors. The group identifies high-growth opportunities across the continent’s rapidly expanding media landscape and provides financial investment, strategic guidance,- and operational support to innovative companies. With a commitment to both commercial growth and social impact, What Media Group prioritizes brands that elevate local talent, strengthen cultural expression, and contribute to the sustainable development of Africa’s creative industries. www.WhatMediaGroup.com/
 

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African Energy Chamber (AEC) Calls for Greater Global South Cooperation at Third Global South Think Tanks Dialogue

Source: APO

Stronger cooperation among Global South nations is becoming increasingly urgent as countries seek new pathways to accelerate development, expand trade and strengthen long-term economic resilience. For Africa, strengthened ties among Global South nations is particularly valuable, offering a viable solution to unlocking the continent’s natural and mineral wealth and allowing the continent to move beyond fragmented growth and toward coordinated strategies that deliver tangible results.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – represented by Leoncio Amada NZE, Executive President of the AEC for CEMAC and Vice President of Equatorial Guinea’s National Council on Economic and Social Development – underscored the need for a more inclusive and cooperative approach among Global South nations during the Third Global South Think Tanks Dialogue, held in Shanghai from December 2-4, 2025. During the event, Amada NZE highlighted how strengthened trade networks, partnerships and technology transfer can unlock long-term and sustainable growth across the continent, with the shift from aid to trade serving as a cornerstone of the continent’s future development.

Despite being one of the continent’s richest energy and mineral regions, CEMAC countries have long-struggled with attracting the requisite foreign investment, largely due to ineffective fiscal policies, strict forex regulations and barriers to regional trade. Examples include the implementation of stricter rules on currency transfers and payments by the Bank of Central African States in 2022. These challenges have not only served as a deterrent to foreign investment but impacted regional energy trade, cross-border projects and multi-lateral business exchange. This comes as many regional nations implement bold production goals with a view to using energy development as a catalyst for economic growth. In the oil and gas sector, Gabon targets 220,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Republic of Congo is aiming for 500,000 bpd, Equatorial Guinea is advancing gas monetization while Cameroon is pursuing new field developments. Nations are also pursuing accelerated energy and power developments, striving for enhanced energy and fuel security.

Enhanced trade frameworks, harmonized standards and improved logistics systems will help African nations achieve these goals by promoting free movement of services and people, strengthening economic ties and building more resilient energy systems across the continent. This would also serve as a vehicle for foreign direct investment, promoting forays by international players and driving projects forward in energy, mining and infrastructure development. As such, Amada NZE called for the dismantling of structural barriers that hinder growth, stressing the importance of regional energy cooperation as a core pillar of Africa’s development strategy. By fostering platforms for business, research and cultural exchange, Amada NZE emphasized that Global South countries can accelerate their development trajectories and achieve shared prosperity.

Amada NZE also highlighted the need to move beyond traditional aid-driven models, underscoring the importance of building self-reliant economies anchored by trade, private-sector participation, innovation and homegrown industrial capabilities. For Africa, this means transitioning toward development frameworks that promote entrepreneurship, regional value creation and investment-driven growth. Meanwhile, as the Global South increases its share of global economic output, partnerships with global allies remain essential. Technology providers, financial institutions and strategic investors play a critical role in supporting African nations as they expand energy access, diversify revenue streams and modernize industrial bases. Stronger collaboration between African countries and global partners will help advance large-scale infrastructure projects, improve technical capabilities and accelerate digital transformation – elements vital to bridging development gaps and strengthening long-term stability.

“The AEC’s engagement in Shanghai reflects its ongoing commitment to ensuring Africa has a strong voice in shaping global development agendas. By championing cooperation, trade expansion and regional energy integration, the Chamber continues to advocate for reforms that will unlock opportunity, enhance resilience and support the continent’s rise as a competitive economic force within the Global South,” says Amada NZE.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Durban ready for holiday season

Source: Government of South Africa

Durban ready for holiday season

eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba says the city is prepared to welcome more than a million visitors and deliver a safe, vibrant, and memorable festive season.

Xaba unveiled the city’s Festive Season Management Plan, which outlined major improvements in service delivery, strengthened safety measures, and a robust tourism programme designed to deliver what the city has branded an “Endless Waves of Tranquillity” festive experience.

Xaba said this year’s festive season comes at a time of renewed optimism for Durban, especially following significant progress in water and sanitation services. For the first time in five years, all major bulk water reservoirs, including Durban Heights, Wiggins, and Midmar Treatment Works, are operating at full capacity.

“This means that communities in the north, south, and central regions will enjoy uninterrupted water supply during this period and beyond,” Xaba said.

Xaba reported strong improvements in coastal management, noting that water quality tests confirmed all 23 of Durban’s bathing beaches are safe for swimming.

“We reiterate to our visitors and residents that all our beaches are open and safe. Since the 2022 floods, we have worked diligently to repair and upgrade sewer infrastructure, particularly systems affecting our coastline.

“We continue to monitor beach water quality through weekly testing, and we are confident that this progress puts us firmly on the path toward achieving Blue Flag status. We are also pleased to report that more than 40 swimming pools will be open to the public, including the popular Children’s Amusement Centre pool,” Xaba said.

Misinformation

The Mayor condemned what he described as ongoing “smear campaigns” aimed at discouraging tourists from visiting Durban, including the spread of misinformation about beach water results.

“Let me state categorically: we are fully transparent with our beach water results, which we publish regularly on our website. We also welcome collaboration with independent laboratories for joint testing to verify and compare results,” he said.

Over one million visitors expected

Xaba said the city expects to welcome 1.3 million visitors this summer, generating a direct spend of more than R341 million and contributing a total contribution of R845 million to gross domestic product (GDP).

“This economic activity will help create over 15 000 jobs and generate more than R630 million in taxes. Tourism continues an upward economic trajectory. Recent data from South African Tourism shows exceptional growth across both domestic and international markets.

“Domestic tourism spend increased by 28%, reaching R8.4 billion between January and October 2025, driven by a growing demand for experience-led activities. International visitor spend rose by 29% to R1.1 billion, supported by high-growth markets such as Australia, the UAE, and Botswana,” Xaba said.

A festive programme “like no other”

This year’s festive season features a packed entertainment line-up, including the Durban Jazz Festival, Fact Durban Rocks New Year’s Celebration, Ladysmith Black Mambazo Christmas Special, and the “Anywhere In Your City” programme.

“We will also host a series of precinct activations during the festive season, including the City Street Carnival, Christmas lighting displays, the revival of major hotel celebrations, and New Year’s Eve fireworks at the beachfront. With the cruise season having officially commenced in November, Durban is welcoming a spectacular lineup of vessels and a diverse influx of international tourists.”

Enhanced law-enforcement visibility

The Mayor further assured all visitors that there will be enhanced law-enforcement visibility across the city, with increased policing in entertainment areas.

“Multidisciplinary operations, including roadblocks, focusing on reckless driving, unroadworthy vehicles and drinking and driving, will be conducted. Over 2 000 officers will be deployed for day and night-time patrols on freeways, the beachfront, shopping centres, and crime hotspots. These efforts are supported by our network of more than 500 CCTV cameras.

“To further strengthen safety, our newly established Coastal and Tourism Policing Unit will patrol 100 kilometres of coastline, from Umkhomazi in the south to Westbrook in the north. This unit underscores our commitment to ensuring that both residents and visitors enjoy a safe environment in our beaches,” the mayor said.

To increase beachfront safety and service capacity, the city has hired 650 seasonal staff, including 78 lifeguards, 135 litter pickers, 67 beach guides, 70 pool supervisors, 113 pool attendants, 43 childminders, and 135 security guards

Additional measures include seven tents for separated children, an overnight facility at Ellis Brown Primary School, and 200 000 armbands to help identify lost children.

With strengthened infrastructure, expanded safety measures, and an extensive holiday entertainment programme, Xaba expressed full confidence in the city’s festive season readiness.

“With all these measures in place, we are confident that we will deliver a safe, vibrant, and memorable festive season. Durban is ready.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

GabiK

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Guinea-Bissau coup: election uncertainty has triggered military takeovers before

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Salah Ben Hammou, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Rice University

Guinea-Bissau has had nine attempted coups and five successful ones since its independence in September 1973. Salah Ben Hammou, a researcher with a focus on the politics of military coups, explains that the coup on 26 November 2025 appears to have followed earlier patterns of military intervention. It undermines Guinea-Bissau’s already fragile efforts to stabilise democratic governance.

How does the latest coup fit into Guinea-Bissau’s history of military takeovers?

This latest episode fits into a pattern of electoral coups that the country has experienced in the last two decades. In 2003 and 2012 the armed forces intervened at moments of electoral uncertainty.

The 26 November coup followed the same logic. It came just one day before the electoral commission was due to release the results of the 23 November presidential election, a contest already mired in controversy. Major opposition parties had been barred from running and President Umaro Sissoco Embaló faced accusations of overstaying his mandate. Both candidates claimed victory before any official results were announced.

Given this backdrop, the coup’s timing strongly suggests that the intervention was intended to preempt or nullify one potential outcome: the victory of opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa.

Many observers suspect that Embaló may have helped instigate or tacitly approved the military’s move to prevent an opposition victory.

There is still no definitive evidence of Embaló’s role. But incumbents have, in some cases, instigated coups against their own governments to void unfavourable election outcomes or preempt mass unrest. Sudan’s 1958 coup and Bolivia’s 1951 episode are classic examples.

What are the implications of the coup?

The coup undermines Guinea-Bissau’s already fragile efforts to stabilise democratic governance in two key ways.

First, it entrenches the military as the ultimate arbiter of political power, privileging the barracks over the ballot box. Once the armed forces are viewed – by incumbents, opposition forces, or the public – as a legitimate referee in political disputes, incentives shift. Instead of resolving conflicts through elections or courts, political competitors are more likely to seek military intervention when outcomes appear uncertain or unfavourable. This dynamic has long plagued Guinea-Bissau, and the latest coup reinforces it.

Second, and closely related, by effectively vetoing a core democratic process, the coup deepens the institutional backsliding already underway. In the months leading up to the vote, Guinea-Bissau had seen the exclusion of major opposition parties, disputes over term limits, and allegations of presidential overreach. The military’s intervention now entrenches these anti-democratic practices.

Whether or not Embaló played a direct role, the signal is clear: electoral rules and constitutional procedures can be overridden by force when they are inconvenient. The new junta’s reliance on Embaló’s allies to staff the new government further suggests continuity, not rupture, from the previous administration.

Economically, the coup is unlikely to benefit the general population. Nearly 70% live below the poverty line, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. Instability deters foreign investment, disrupts trade and stalls development projects. Even recent gains in the cashew industry, around 5.1% this year, risk being undermined.

What are the regional implications of the coup?

For anyone following developments in west Africa, and the continent more broadly, over the last five years, Guinea-Bissau’s latest coup will come as no great surprise. It joins a growing roster of countries under military rule. Each successful takeover in this so-called coup wave sends a clear signal: such interventions are possible and, in some contexts, tolerated.

Yet the broader impact will hinge on the junta’s next moves. It is not just the initial seizure of power that matters. Jonathan Powell and I have highlighted a pattern in which military rulers now remain in power for long periods compared with coups in the early 2000s. Transitional timelines, like the one-year promise announced by Guinea-Bissau’s junta, are increasingly symbolic rather than binding.

As I noted earlier this year in Foreign Policy, efforts to consolidate power, from delaying elections to manipulating them, also embolden other junta leaders across the region.

Guinea-Bissau’s military leaders are likely to study the strategies of their counterparts in west Africa and adopt them. In turn, the tactics they employ will provide a template for others. This type of learning is what will continue to solidify the return to military rule.

What should Ecowas and the African Union do?

Coups are rarely isolated events; they are usually symptoms of deeper political challenges. In Guinea-Bissau, the environment leading up to the coup, marked by Embaló’s efforts to undermine the electoral process, largely went unchecked. That created conditions that made military intervention more likely.

Regional organisations like Ecowas also face real constraints in addressing these challenges. Embaló threatened to expel Ecowas mediators attempting to negotiate a resolution to the electoral timeline. The same constraints are usually present after coups take hold.

That said, Ecowas and the African Union cannot afford to look away from post-coup developments. Every step the junta takes, whether shaping electoral timelines or managing opposition activity, must be scrutinised.

Both organisations should coordinate a unified diplomatic approach alongside other regional actors to secure clear, credible commitments to free and fair elections. Any attempts to delay the transition, manipulate political competition, or suppress dissent must be met with swift and meaningful consequences.

A key component of this strategy should be a ban on electoral participation for anyone involved in the coup. Existing mechanisms already allow for such measures, but their effectiveness depends on consistent application. Regional organisations have yet to do that.

Without such consistency, coups carry minimal consequences. And those who orchestrate them continue to profit from their actions.

– Guinea-Bissau coup: election uncertainty has triggered military takeovers before
– https://theconversation.com/guinea-bissau-coup-election-uncertainty-has-triggered-military-takeovers-before-271368

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Advisor to Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs Stresses Need to Develop New Mediation Model

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha|December 08, 2025

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed Mohammed Al Ansari affirmed the need for cooperation among all parties, including states, international organizations, and civil society, in order to develop a new mediation model that is more compatible with current challenges in conflict resolution.
Speaking at the closing session of the Qatar Mediation Forum held on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, Dr. Al Ansari highlighted the significant transformations taking place in the field of mediation to resolve conflicts. 
He pointed to the increasing role played by states in this area, especially the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and those in the region.
In his remarks during the session, Dr. Al Ansari noted that the current mediation model is shifting towards cooperation among countries from different geographical regions, such as Qatar’s mediation between the Government of Colombia and the self-designated EGC, with the participation of the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Swiss Confederation, as part of joint efforts aimed at achieving effective and sustainable solutions.
He pointed out that mediation has increasingly come to take cultural and religious values into account, stressing the importance of understanding conflicts’ local contexts in order to achieve tangible progress, as seen in certain disputes in which interventions considered cultural and religious factors.
Dr. Al Ansari added that mediation is no longer limited to traditional frameworks, rather, they now also include non-governmental actors, such as humanitarian organizations, which have become influential participants in mediation processes.
Regarding current challenges in the field, the Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that mediation today is often directed toward harm-reduction and temporary conflict resolution. This, he noted, requires putting in greater efforts in order to reach comprehensive and lasting solutions.
He also emphasized the importance of re-empowering international non-governmental organizations and the United Nations to reinforce their roles in mediation efforts.

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Advisor to Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: Preventive Diplomacy Key to Averting Conflicts

Source: Government of Qatar

Advisor to Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: Preventive Diplomacy Key to Averting Conflicts

Doha, December 08, 2025

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Majed Mohammed Al Ansari, underscored that preventive diplomacy is the most effective means of stopping conflicts before they erupt, even though it often receives limited attention. He argued that early intervention consistently yields better results than responding after crises have escalated.

Speaking during a session titled “Global Conversations on Peaceful Coexistence” at the 23rd Doha Forum, Al Ansari noted that traditional mediation tools and mechanisms have changed substantially in recent years. He highlighted a shortage of international institutions with the capacity for effective intervention, attributing this to declining institutional and financial support. He pointed out that cooperation between states and non-governmental organizations, particularly in providing technical and institutional assistance, has become essential for achieving meaningful progress in mediation efforts.

Al Ansari also warned that current global conditions are placing dialogue and peace at heightened risk. He pointed to an increase in aggressive behavior by certain actors who are shielded rather than held accountable, which complicates diplomatic efforts and makes peaceful resolutions more difficult to achieve. He stressed that rapid engagement and the strategic use of political capital are now critical to driving real change in conflict situations. 

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Director of the Department of Arab Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meets with Head of the Middle East and North Africa Division at Turkish Foreign Ministry

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | December 8, 2025

H.E. Mr. Nayef bin Abdullah Al-Emadi, Director of the Department of Arab Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met today with Mr. Ahmet Riza Bey, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye.

The meeting reviewed the bilateral cooperation between the two countries and ways to support and develop it, in addition to discussing a number of issues of mutual interest.

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Minister of State for International Cooperation Meets Delegation from Swedish Parliament

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha| December 08, 2025

HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad met on Monday with a delegation of members of parliament from the Kingdom of Sweden, on the sidelines of the 23rd Doha Forum 2025.
The meeting discussed cooperation relations between the two countries, along with ways to support and strengthen them, particularly in the fields of development and humanitarian work. It also discussed international humanitarian challenges, as well as the need to mobilize efforts to support the response in areas affected by conflicts and disasters, in addition to a number of topics of common interest.
HE the Minister of State for International Cooperation addressed the State of Qatar’s priorities in the field of international cooperation and sustainable development. She stressed the importance of strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the two countries for its role in developing policies and supporting international partnerships that serve common humanitarian and development goals.

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Benin’s failed coup: three factors behind the takeover attempt

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By John Joseph Chin, Assistant Teaching Professor of Strategy and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University

Military elements attempted to topple Benin’s government in early December 2025. However, unlike other coups across the Sahel and west Africa since 2020, this bid triggered a military response from Benin’s neighbours.

Benin is a west African state of 14.8 million people bordered by Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.

Responding to two requests for assistance from the government of President Patrice Talon, Nigeria deployed fighter jets and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) deployed elements of its standby force to target and dislodge the pro-coup forces.

Ecowas intervention likely played an important role in undermining the coup’s momentum and restoring order. The dozen or so putschists scored early tactical successes. They captured and broadcast from the national television station, occupied a military camp, and even took the two senior-most army officers hostage. But once Ecowas intervened militarily, any fence-sitters concluded that loyalists would prevail. Rather than a broad-based uprising, only 14 were arrested with a few plotters still at large.

I’m a scholar who maintains the Colpus dataset of coups and I have documented the history of post-second world war coups. As part of this work, I have sought to document the complex causes and effects of Africa’s post-2020 “epidemic of coups”, now entering its fifth year.

Though details remain scant on the motives of the coup plotters led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, three structural factors likely contributed to the latest coup attempt:

From democratic backsliding to democratic u-turn?

Benin does not have a history of recent coups. It had not suffered a bona fide coup attempt since January 1975.

In the first 15 years after independence from France in 1960, Dahomey (as the country was then called) experienced nine coup attempts, making it one of the most coup-prone countries in sub-Saharan Africa during the early Cold War period.

However, political instability through the early 1970s gave way to the stable and durable personalist regime of Mathieu Kérékou (1972-1990). This was followed by electoral democracy after the Cold War.

Until recently, Benin had been heralded as one of Africa’s “democratic outliers” and success cases of democratic survival despite challenging conditions. Though poor, Benin has seen decades of improving average living standards. Economic growth in 2025 was 7.5%; the latest unrest cannot be blamed on poverty or an economic crisis.

However, data on three key dimensions of democracy shows that although electoral contestation and participation have endured, constraints on the executive (and thus liberal democracy overall) have declined in Benin since Talon’s election as president in 2016.

Above: Dimensions of democracy in Benin, 1960-2024. Author replication of Boese et al. (2022) and V-Dem 2025, v. 15.

According to autocratic regime data from US political scientists Barbara Geddes, Joe Wright and Erica Frantz as well as the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project (which surveys experts about democracy worldwide), Benin slipped back into an electoral autocracy in 2019. That is when opposition candidates were prevented from competing in parliamentary elections. The polls were marred by repression of mass protests and an internet shutdown.

In 2021, an electoral boycott led to Talon’s easy re-election.

V-Dem data show a very partial and incomplete democratic rebound since 2022. The opposition was allowed to compete in the January 2023 parliamentary elections. And earlier this year Talon confirmed that he would not seek an unconstitutional third term.

The potential for a coup, however, was foreshadowed last fall when the regime alleged that it had uncovered a coup plot involving a presidential hopeful in 2026. Last month, parliament’s vote to create a Senate was condemned by the opposition as allowing Talon a means to influence affairs after he steps down.

With the main opposition party barred from running in next year’s presidential election, Talon is expected to hand off power to his ally and finance minister, Romuald Wadagni.

Though the political leanings of Tigri and coup plotters remain unclear, Tigri claimed to seek to “free the people from dictatorship”.

The coupmakers also presumably sought to block the upcoming 2026 parliamentary and presidential elections.

A growing jihadist threat

Among the coup leaders’ key complaints was Talon’s mismanagement of the country. In particular, they cited “continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin and “the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front” due to worsening jihadist violence.

A number of coups in nearby countries since 2020 have been preceded by rising levels of political violence and deepening insecurity born of jihadist insurgencies. That was certainly the case in Mali, Burkina Faso and to a lesser extent Niger.

Since last year, it has been clear that the jihadist violence was spilling over from Sahel neighbours such as Burkina Faso and Niger into the borderlands of west Africa. This included Benin’s north. ACLED data show a major increase in political violence events since 2022. And a spike in political fatalities in 2024:

Political Violence and Fatalities in Benin, 1997-Nov. 2025. Armed Conflict and Location & Event (ACLED) Data.

Much of this increased violence is attributable to the advance of operations by the al-Qaida affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The group also managed to launch its first fatal attack in Nigeria at the end of October.

Read more: Nigeria’s new terror threat: JNIM is spreading but it’s not too late to act

Russia has become the primary security partner for the Sahel Alliance. The defence pact was signed in 2023 by post-coup juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to defeat jihadists and maintain power.

Nevertheless, Benin has continued to rely on western security partners to aid its counter-insurgency efforts and bolster border security. Notably, Benin continues to welcome military cooperation with France. Since 2022 Paris has pledged greater military aid to combat terrorism.

In September, US Africa Command commander General Dagvin Anderson visited Benin to underscore cooperation to oppose terrorism.

During the coup attempt, Tigri reportedly warned against French intervention and railed against “imperialism”. The speech reportedly ended with the phrase “The Republic or Death”, which echoes the new motto of Burkina Faso’s junta.

This suggests that the coup makers may have been inspired by others in the Sahel.

Risk of the coup belt expanding

The Benin events mark the third coup attempt and first failed coup this year in the Sahel region. There have been 17 coup attempts in Africa since 2020, including 11 successful coups. This makes the African coup belt stretching across the Sahel and west Africa the global epicentre of coups.

Read more: Africa’s power grabs are rising – the AU’s mixed response is making things worse

West Africa’s latest “copycat” coup attempt was condemned by the African Union, European Union and Ecowas. Yet it was praised by pro-Russian social media accounts, reflecting a growing cleavage between the Russia-aligned juntas of the Sahel Alliance and the remaining Ecowas-aligned civilian regimes of west Africa.

Read more: Coups in west Africa have five things in common: knowing what they are is key to defending democracy

Although Nigeria-led Ecowas threatened military intervention after the coup in Niger in July 2023, the regional body only actually militarily intervened to defeat the coup attempt in Benin. Nigeria, it appears, has drawn a line in the sand to retain a buffer from further instability – including JNIM operations. On the same day of the coup attempt in Benin, it was reported that Nigeria was seeking greater aid from France to combat insecurity.

– Benin’s failed coup: three factors behind the takeover attempt
– https://theconversation.com/benins-failed-coup-three-factors-behind-the-takeover-attempt-271540

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President Isaias Afwerki met Special Envoy of China

Source: APO


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President Isaias Afwerki met this morning in Adi Halo with a Chinese delegation led by Mr. Hu Changchun, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China.

At the meeting, President Isaias underlined the imperative for China to foster ties of constructive engagement with Africa and to strengthen capacity-building in these crucial times of global change in a manner not encumbered by a sheer competitive perspective.

President Isaias further referred to China’s potential role in contributing positively to the resolution of conflicts in the Horn of Africa region, which are often fomented and exacerbated by the intervention of major external powers. He also affirmed that Eritrea will strive to consolidate the warm, 70-year-old, all-rounded bilateral ties with China.

Mr. Hu Changchun, for his part, conveyed President Xi Jinping’s message of goodwill to President Isaias Afwerki and reaffirmed China’s readiness to enhance its strategic partnership with Eritrea. The Special Envoy further elaborated that China will reinforce its partnership with Africa, which is anchored on capacity building and self-reliance. He also reaffirmed China’s stance that mutual respect relies on upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.