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Details have emerged of an agreement between Khartoum and Moscow for Russia to establish a naval base on Sudan's Red Sea coast.

The deal, signed last week, will allow Russia to keep up to four navy ships, including nuclear-powered vessels, in Port Sudan for the next 25 years.

Analysts say the move is part of Russia's attempt to reassert its geopolitical influence.

It's suffered a series of setbacks this year in its backyard, including the defeat last month of its traditional ally Armenia by Turkey-backed Azerbaijan.

In 2017, on his first visit to Russia, Sudan's former president, Omar al-Bashir asked President Vladimir Putin to "protect" his country from United States' aggression.

Mr Bashir has since been ousted from power and is being held in prison in Khartoum.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Human Rights Watch has called on the UN Security Council to continue watching the security situation in Burundi.

The call comes just days after the council called for the termination of regular assessment reports on Burundi, citing the "improved security situation" under new President General Evariste Ndayishimiye.

The move follows attempts by "Burundi and its allies on the Council... to quash much-needed scrutiny of the situation in the country", according to Louis Charbonneau, HRW director at the UN.

"In practice, the Security Council’s limited monitoring of Burundi is likely to continue as before, but for many Burundians, the symbolic message this sends at a critical juncture for the country is worrisome," he said.

"Reversing Burundi’s descent into lawlessness will require systemic reform and strong political will," he added.

The UN security briefing resolution on Burundi was adopted in 2016 following the worsening security and human rights situation after the failed coup attempt the year before and a controversial third-term bid by the late President Pierre Nkurunziza, which led to mass protests and violent crackdown by security services.

Since then every three months, the UN secretary general would give an update on Burundi to the Security Council.

In its latest report, HRW says killings, disappearances and arbitrary arrests still happen in Burundi, though there were hopes for change when the new president came to power in June.

The Burundi government is yet to make a public comment on the report, but it has previously said such allegations are baseless and politically motivated.

Last Friday's call by the Security Council to terminate the briefings was welcomed by Burundi authorities, with President Ndayishimiye tweeting it "allows for Burundi, its friends and its partners to focus on the development and wellbeing of the citizens".

AFPCopyright: AFP

Ethiopia’s main opposition party, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), has called for the release of its jailed leaders, saying it was difficult to prepare for elections without them.

In a statement, the party also demanded its closed offices be opened and for the right to freely campaign across the country before the elections.

The general election had been planned for August but was postponed to next year but a date has not been announced.

The OFC said those in prison include potential candidates, organisers and election observers.

Senior party leaders including its vice-chairperson Bekele Gerba and prominent member Jawar Mohammed were arrested in July following violence that rocked the country after the killing of Hachalu Hundessa, a popular singer and activist.

They are now facing terrorism charges.

Last week Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met and discussed plans for the election with opposition and civic society leaders.

He re-affirmed his government’s commitment to free and fair elections.

Read more:

• Jawar Mohammed: The Ethiopian media mogul taking on Abiy Ahmed

Uganda has reportedly allowed Chinese nationals living in the country to import Covid-19 vaccines on "compassionate grounds".

According to the Nile Post website, Uganda has allowed the importation of 4,000 doses of Sars-Cov-2 inactivated vaccine (VeroCell) to be "strictly" used by the Chinese community at Kapeeka Industrial Park in the central Nakaseke district.

The Chinese nationals had reportedly requested Uganda to help them import the vaccines from China.

Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said the move would help Uganda curb Covid-19 infections from the Chinese community affiliated with the park.

Tanzania's President John Magufuli has warned his new cabinet against the "strange sickness" of leaking confidential official communications on WhatsApp groups.

President Magufuli also warned ministers against taking "selfies" while on duty, saying their work will be "visible" through results achieved.

He made the remarks on Wednesday at an event to swear in ministers and their deputies in the capital, Dodoma.

"In government there is now a strange sickness where even communications are posted on WhatsApp groups. Some confidential communications are being leaked. Let's adhere to our oaths," President Magufuli is quoted as saying in a tweet by the government spokesperson.

Mr Magufuli was re-elected in October in a landslide victory in a poll that the opposition described as fraudulent. The president got 84% of the vote.

Read more:

• John Magufuli: The man who declared victory over coronavirus

John Mahama, the main opposition presidential candidate in Ghana’s elections has denied reports that he conceded after a letter circulated falsely claiming that he had done so.

Mr Mahama’s National Democratic Congress has said the letter - which bears the party's logo and is apparently authored by him - is a fake.

The letters says: “The results so far do not give me any tangible pathway to the presidency,” and purports to congratulate his opponent, President Nana Akufo-Addo.

“I have not congratulated any person,” Mr Mahama said on Tuesday night.

Votes for Monday's presidential and parliamentary election are still being counted.

Read more about the debunked claims during Ghana’s election.