Photo : Africanews
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Africanews
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Kenya’s President Ruto visits Ethiopia
On 6 October, Kenya’s President William Ruto met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional issues and deepen economic and strategic ties. Marking President Ruto’s first visit to Ethiopia after being elected, ongoing conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is of primary focus. (“Kenya’s President Ruto visits Ethiopia for bilateral meeting,” Africanews, 7 October 2022)
Lesotho: More than 50 parties contests for parliamentary elections
On 7 October, Lesotho, a landlocked country inside South Africa, held its parliamentary elections where more than fifty parties contested hoping to end a long-standing political instability. The political landscape of the country has been dominated by two parties; the All Basotho Convention (ABC) and the Democratic Congress (DC). However, over a decade, no party has won an absolute majority, leading to coalition governments which were frequently marred by splits and defections. ("Lesotho: Polls close after parliamentary vote, counting begins," Africanews, 7 October 2022)
Burundian asylum seekers increasing in Belgium
On 7 August, BBC reported, the Belgium authorities said that the number of Burundian asylum seekers arriving in the country have drastically increased, overwhelming the reception centres. In July, Belgian authorities recorded 263 asylum seekers up from 34 in May to 112 in June. Majority of the asylum seekers are young people seeking a better life in Belgium, as 96 per cent of Burundian asylum cases were accepted last year. (“Eight-fold rise in Burundians seeking Belgium asylum,” BBC, 7 October 2022)