Algeria sat at the centre of North African diplomacy on Wednesday, defending its regional role on several fronts while its long rivalry with Morocco produced fresh accusations. Algeria's parliament hit back at the European Union over Algeria's military deployment in Niger, calling Brussels' comments "arrogant and immature", according to sundayworld.co.za. The state news agency APS said regional and global bodies had praised Algeria's work against terrorism and organised crime, and it also reported on Rekkache's comments on the country's push to turn its strategic resources into competitive advantages. Algiers also hosted the Arab Justice Ministers Council, which Somalia's justice minister attended as ties between the two countries deepen, FTL Somalia reported. In Abuja, House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen marked Algeria's 72nd Revolution Day and restated Nigeria's commitment to strong bilateral relations, according to NALTF.
Relations with Rabat remain tense. Algeria has accused Morocco of polluting a reservoir near their shared border, The New Arab reported. On Western Sahara, Algiers called a Russian veto a "blessing" and insisted that the end of the UN mission MINURSO does not cancel the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, according to the Sahrawi Press Service. Morocco, for its part, is deepening military cooperation with Israel after a senior defence visit to Rabat, The Jewish Chronicle reported.
Egypt combined belt-tightening at home with a more visible security role abroad. The government plans to cut its own electricity use by 20% and its fuel use by 30%, according to CairoScene. The same outlet reported the foreign minister's statement that Egyptian forces have been stationed in Saudi Arabia for months. The defence minister, meanwhile, stressed advanced training to improve air force readiness, Egypt Today reported.
In East Africa, the Ebola outbreak continues to shape policy. Interior official Duale said Kenya will not act as an Ebola quarantine centre for foreigners, according to The Star. The United Arab Emirates, by contrast, has lifted visa restrictions on Ugandans, Uganda Radionetwork reported. The same outlet reported that four pupils had died of suspected food poisoning at a school in Kampala.
Politics in the region is also heating up. South Sudan is six weeks from its first national vote since independence, and the United Nations has warned that the political transition must hold after polling day, Africanews reported. In Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua invoked Uhuru Kenyatta's "leopard warning" as he appealed to voters in Mt Kenya, according to The Star. In Zanzibar, ACT-Wazalendo called for lower fuel prices, The Citizen reported.
Regulators across the continent are tightening their hold on digital services. Starlink has been suspended in Senegal, according to The Point Newspaper. In Cameroon, CAMTEL, Orange and MTN face potential penalties of CFA18.6 billion over network failures, Business in Cameroon reported. Online betting is also coming under closer scrutiny. Egypt has folded a crackdown on it into a new digital safety bill, iGaming Business reported, and Zambia's 2027 budget clarifies the online betting tax and widens the betting levy, according to iGamingToday.com.
Growth is still the focus elsewhere. South African fintechs such as Yoco, Optasia and Paymenow are moving beyond payments into merchant financing, using transaction data to serve consumers and small businesses, TechCabal reported. Ahead of its 2027 budget, Ghana faces questions about a $9 billion bet on jobs, according to The Africa Report. Global turbulence is also reaching African markets. Business Insider Africa noted that Nvidia, whose CEO President Trump says the FBI is investigating, supplies the technology behind AI infrastructure in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Morocco.
In sport, two stories this week involve players changing national allegiance. Tatjana Smith, South Africa's most decorated Olympian, gave a tearful announcement that she is switching her allegiance to the Netherlands, BBC News reported. Going the other way, the Netherlands Under-21 coach said Oufkir had given his word before switching to Morocco, according to Morocco World News.
