Every day, OkayAfrica shares a roundup of news we’re following but haven’t published as full articles. These short updates cover what’s happening on the continent — in culture, politics, and beyond. For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions.
UN Reports Accuse Congolese Army, M23 Rebels, and Sudan’s RSF of War Crimes
A UN fact-finding mission says M23 rebels, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army, and allied militias have committed atrocities in eastern DRC that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The report cites summary executions, torture, enforced disappearances, and widespread sexual violence used to degrade and punish civilians. It adds that M23, which seized Goma earlier this year, has received training and operational support from Rwanda’s military, a claim Kigali denies. Congolese forces and pro-government militias known as Wazalendo were also accused of gang rape, child recruitment, and the killing of civilians.
Meanwhile, in Sudan, a separate UN investigation accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of crimes against humanity during the siege of El Fasher in Darfur, including mass killings, sexual and gender-based violence, looting, and the deliberate use of starvation against civilians. The report, based on more than 200 interviews and video evidence, described the violence as part of a “war of atrocities” and urged accountability. Both findings highlight the scale of human rights abuses in Congo and Sudan, where conflicts continue to drive humanitarian catastrophes and deepen regional instability.
U.S. to Supply 2 Million HIV Prevention Shots to Poor Countries by 2028
The U.S. has committed to purchasing enough doses of the new HIV prevention shot, lenacapavir, to cover up to 2 million people in low- and middle-income countries by 2028, the State Department announced yesterday, Thursday, September 4. The twice-a-year injection, considered the strongest option yet for HIV prevention, will be provided under the PEPFAR program after Gilead Sciences agreed to sell the supply at no profit. Pregnant and breastfeeding women will be prioritized to receive it, with the U.S. working alongside the Global Fund to roll out the medication.
The move comes after major foreign aid cuts by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this year forced clinics to close and disrupted HIV services in parts of Africa and beyond. Experts say lenacapavir’s six-month protection could be a game-changer compared to daily PrEP pills, which many people struggle to take consistently. While the 2 million doses are meant as a stopgap until generic versions are available, advocates warn that sustained funding is needed to maintain decades of progress against HIV, particularly in Africa, where infection rates remain high.
Sudan, South Sudan, and DRC Among World’s Least Peaceful Countries, as Somalia Exits List
Somalia has moved out of the world’s 10 least secure countries in the 2025 Global Peace Index for the first time since the rankings began in 2007, a development hailed by officials as a turning point for the conflict-ridden nation. Authorities credited the progress to sustained military campaigns against Al-Shabaab, stronger governance, and deeper cooperation with international partners, saying the rise reflects both the resilience of citizens and the determination of security forces. Somalia’s climb comes after months of intensified operations in central and southern regions and reforms aimed at strengthening state institutions.
Somalia’s improved ranking in the index, which is published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, comes as Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo remain among the world’s five least peaceful nations, alongside Yemen and Afghanistan. All three African countries continue to grapple with devastating wars, mass displacement, and humanitarian crises, keeping them at the bottom of the index even as Somalia shows signs of progress.
Aid Workers on Donkeys Deliver First Relief to Darfur Landslide Survivors
Aid teams in Sudan’s Darfur region have reached survivors of the Tarseen landslide on donkeys, delivering food, water, medicine, and tarpaulins after days of blocked access. The disaster, triggered by heavy rains and flash floods on Sunday, is feared to have killed hundreds, though the exact death toll remains unclear. Local leaders say around 370 bodies have been buried, while the armed group controlling the area claims up to 1,000 were killed. The UN has warned that reaching accurate figures is difficult due to the area’s isolation.
Save the Children says its 11-person team, including medical staff and child protection workers, took over six hours to reach the devastated mountain village, where families have lost everything. About 150 people have been displaced, with many now sheltering in nearby communities. The disaster compounds Sudan’s deepening humanitarian emergency, as ongoing conflict, flooding across 21 regions, and fears of disease outbreaks leave 30 million people in need of aid. Local groups and international agencies are calling for urgent global intervention, describing the tragedy as “of unimaginable scale.”
Guinea-Bissau Faces Political Crisis as Embalo Refuses to Step Down
Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has remained in office past the official end of his term yesterday, Thursday, September 4, defying opposition claims of an illegal power grab and raising fears of renewed instability. Embalo insists he will continue performing presidential duties until elections on November 23, where he is expected to seek a second term, despite months of the opposition’s refusal to recognize his presidency. The Supreme Court earlier extended Embalo’s mandate, though critics argue it expired in February. With parliamentary elections still stalled after last year’s dissolution of the assembly, analysts warn the standoff could push the coup-prone West African nation into another constitutional crisis.
DRC and Rwanda Recommit to U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal Amid Escalating Violence
Signatories to a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have renewed their commitment to the deal, despite a surge in violence that threatens its credibility. The Joint Oversight Committee — made up of the U.S., Rwanda, DR Congo, Qatar, and the African Union — acknowledged delays in implementation but vowed to push forward with plans to neutralize the FDLR militia and advance Rwanda’s withdrawal. Reports of mass killings by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and fresh attacks by Congo’s army highlight the growing gap between international pledges and the reality for civilians in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Egypt Says Mass Displacement of Palestinians Is a ‘Red Line’
Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, says that Cairo will not tolerate the mass displacement of Palestinians, calling Israel’s offensive in Gaza “genocide” and warning that forced removal would end the Palestinian cause. Speaking in Cyprus, he accused Israel of creating “artificial starvation” and carrying out mass killings, while stressing that eviction from Gaza has no legal or moral grounds. His comments reflect Egypt’s increasingly tough stance against Israel, even as it continues to mediate ceasefire talks with Qatar and the U.S. The war, now nearly two years old, has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, while Israeli forces say they control 40% of Gaza City after launching a new offensive in August. South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice last year, accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Israel denies charges of genocide and argues its operations are self-defense following Hamas’s October 2023 attacks that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.
Egypt and Sudan Warn Ethiopia Over GERD, Reject Wider Mediation
Egypt and Sudan have reaffirmed that talks on Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) must stay limited to the three Nile Basin states, rejecting any attempt to involve other countries. In a joint statement after ministerial talks in Cairo on Wednesday, September 3, both governments warned Ethiopia’s “unilateral steps” to fill and operate the dam threaten their water security and regional stability. They pledged to coordinate closely on Nile issues, uphold their 1959 water rights agreement, and push back against what they called violations of international law. The communiqué came as Ethiopia celebrated the dam’s completion, hailing it as a symbol of African self-reliance.
Uganda Trains New CAR Recruits in Bid to Rebuild Army
The Central African Republic has sent a new group of army recruits to Uganda for six months of training in intelligence and counter-insurgency as part of efforts to rebuild its armed forces after years of collapse. Under a 2024 bilateral military deal, Uganda will train 1,800 young Central Africans drawn from all seven regions of the country to avoid the sectarian divisions that plagued past armies. The move marks a diversification of partnerships, as CAR has until now relied heavily on Russian support for military training.