Bruno Finel

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) faces growing threats of terrorism, climate change, military coups, and poverty, its most senior official said on Wednesday as leaders marked 50 years since the bloc's formation in Nigeria.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Monday that a strike in Gaza targeted senior operatives from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who were reportedly operating from a command center concealed within a school building.

In a move reinforcing continental unity — yet exposing underlying divisions — the African Union (AU) has reiterated its official support for Egypt’s Khaled El-Enany as candidate for the post of UNESCO Director-General (2025–2029). 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the few Arab nations maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel, has strongly condemned the shooting attack that killed two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., according to a statement issued Thursday by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Syria and Jordan took a major step toward deepening bilateral cooperation on Tuesday with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formally establish and activate the Higher Coordination Council, a strategic body aimed at advancing joint interests in energy, water, and regional development.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot’s recent remarks labeling Israel’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza as “totally insufficient” reflect not only a lack of geopolitical clarity but also a troubling pattern of one-sided rhetoric from Paris.

In a dramatic shift that would have been unthinkable just a year ago, Syria’s new president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, is quietly laying the groundwork for a potential diplomatic thaw with Israel, a historic adversary.

In a potentially historic development, senior figures from Israel and the Syrian interim government have reportedly engaged in direct discussions in Azerbaijan, according to an Israeli source cited by CNN and initially reported by Channel 12.

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron sparked controversy during an interview on TF1 television, labeling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies in Gaza as “shameful.”

Diplomatic efforts are gaining momentum in a bold attempt to end the bloody conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. 

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has extended his warmest congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as the new Pope and head of the Catholic Church.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Moscow on Thursday to attend Russia’s Victory Day commemorations, marking 80 years since the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.