Today in Africa — June 6, 2025: Ghana’s Ex-Finance Minister Hits Interpol Red List, Red Cross Exits Niger Amid Junta Claims, Students in Eastern Congo Defy War to Sit Exams

Ghana’s Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta Hit with Interpol Red Notice Amid Corruption Probe

Interpol has issued a red notice for Ghana’s ex-finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, after local prosecutors declared him a fugitive for failing to appear before an investigative panel probing alleged corruption during his tenure. Accused of causing financial losses to the state, Ofori-Atta is linked to questionable procurement practices, most notably $58 million spent on a national cathedral project that never materialized. His legal team says he’s abroad receiving medical care and claims the special prosecutor has ignored submitted medical documents.

Ofori-Atta, who served from 2017 to 2024 under the New Patriotic Party, is the highest-profile target of President John Mahama’s new anti-graft initiative, Operation Recover All Loot. The campaign has received over 200 corruption complaints involving an estimated $20 billion. While Mahama pledges zero tolerance for corruption, critics note he has dropped cases against some political allies, raising questions about selective justice in Ghana’s accountability push.

Red Cross Shutters Niger Operations After Junta Accuses Group of Terrorist Ties

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has officially closed its offices and withdrawn foreign staff from Niger, four months after the junta ordered its expulsion. The decision follows failed negotiations to reverse the ban, which junta leader Abdourahamane Tchiani recently justified by accusing the ICRC of engaging with “terrorist leaders” and allegedly supporting armed groups — claims the ICRC strongly denies.

The humanitarian organization, which had operated in Niger since 1990, provided aid to over two million people facing violence, hunger, and climate shocks. The closure marks another chapter in Niger’s post-coup realignment, as the junta distances itself from Western partnerships and deepens ties with Russia, following similar expulsions of French military and aid groups.

Students Sit National Exams in Rebel-Held Eastern Congo

In a rare moment of cooperation, Congo’s government and M23 rebels enabled over 40,000 students to sit for state exams this week across rebel-held areas in eastern DRC. Despite ongoing violence and political hostility, M23 leaders allowed national education officials to escort exam materials from Kinshasa into conflict zones like Bukavu and other towns under their control. The move signals M23’s attempt to present itself as a governing force, even as it faces accusations of grave human rights abuses. President Felix Tshisekedi waived exam fees for students in the war-torn North and South Kivu provinces, acknowledging the instability gripping the region.

South Africa Boosts Animal Vaccinations as Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak Threatens Beef Supply

South Africa is scaling up vaccinations and preparing nearly a million doses to contain a growing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that has hit five provinces, with KwaZulu-Natal being the worst affected. A recent case at Karan Beef’s Heidelberg facility — the country’s largest feedlot and one of the world’s biggest — has raised fears of a beef shortage and sparked calls from cattle producers to declare a state of disaster.

The outbreak, which has triggered export bans from markets including China, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, comes as the country’s livestock sector also battles back from a devastating avian flu crisis. The government has now launched South Africa’s first mass poultry vaccination campaign to prevent another bird flu outbreak, signalling a broader shift toward proactive biosecurity.

US Deportees and ICE Officers Stranded in Djibouti Shipping Container After Court Blocks Flight

A failed deportation to South Sudan has left eight detainees and 13 U.S. ICE officers stranded at a U.S. naval base in Djibouti, living in a converted shipping container with limited space, extreme heat, and rising health concerns. The detainees — originally from countries including South Sudan, Myanmar, and Cuba — were rerouted after their home countries refused to accept them. A U.S. court then blocked their deportation to South Sudan, ruling it violated their right to legally challenge third-country removals.

Since arriving in late May, several ICE officers have fallen ill with suspected respiratory infections, citing exposure to burn pits, high temperatures, and mosquito-borne disease risks. DHS officials also warned of potential rocket attacks in the area. With detainees allowed only one shower a day and subjected to constant searches, the situation has escalated into a diplomatic and humanitarian standoff, highlighting the real-world fallout of the U.S. administration’s controversial deportation tactics.

Russia’s Africa Corps to Remain in Mali as Wagner Forces Exit

Russia’s Africa Corps will maintain its presence in Mali following the withdrawal of Wagner Group fighters, who spent over three years supporting the country’s military junta in battles against Islamist insurgents. The Africa Corps, backed by Russia’s Defence Ministry and largely composed of ex-Wagner operatives, said its operations would continue “at a more fundamental level,” signaling Moscow’s intent to deepen ties with Bamako. Wagner claimed it completed its mission, but recent insurgent attacks, including one near the capital, have left more than 100 Malian soldiers and allies dead, raising questions about the future scope of Russia’s role in the Sahel.

Ghana Backs Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara, Deepens Economic Ties

Ghana has formally endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only viable solution to the decades-long Western Sahara conflict, marking a diplomatic win for Rabat. In a joint statement issued after high-level talks in Rabat, Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the plan aligns with a “realistic and sustainable” path forward under UN oversight. The endorsement follows similar moves by Kenya and the UK, signaling growing international support for Morocco’s position over the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

Beyond geopolitics, the two nations also agreed to boost defense cooperation, move toward a visa waiver deal, and expand agricultural partnerships. Ghana aims to leverage Moroccan fertilizer production to strengthen its cocoa sector and reduce reliance on costly food imports. Accra also reaffirmed support for Morocco’s push to connect Sahel countries to global trade routes via the Atlantic through the Nigeria-Morocco pipeline initiative.

Qatar Tables Draft Peace Deal for Congo-M23 Conflict as Talks Stall

After months of behind-the-scenes mediation, Qatar has submitted a draft peace proposal to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and M23 rebels in a bid to end the escalating conflict in eastern Congo. While Doha and U.S. officials describe the process as progressing, M23 sources say the proposal heavily favors Kinshasa and fails to reflect rebel demands. The talks, sparked by Qatar’s earlier success in bringing together DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, aim to ease tensions that have displaced thousands and destabilized a mineral-rich region. Washington, eyeing strategic investments, is pushing for a peace accord to be signed by summer, but Congo remains firm that no deal can proceed without the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and their allies.