ARC East Africa Weekly Chronology
22-28 May 2025

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Africa Risk Consulting monitors events around the region and provides users of the EAA website with this weekly summary.

 


Weekly Update on events in East Africa


Africa Risk Consulting – Your first choice for Africa due diligence, country assessments, strategic advice and compliance consulting.

27 May 2025 Kinshasa (DRC) La Prosperite. Residents report that bandits known as Kulunas are terrorising the Kimbwala neighbourhood in Kinshasa by throwing stones at homes and causing fear among residents, who are now urging authorities to restore order;

27 May 2025 Asmara (Eritrea) TipRanks. British Virgin Islands-headquartered Alpha Exploration Ltd initiates its 2025 drilling programme at its 514km² Kerkasha concession in Eritrea;

27 May 2025 Kigali (Rwanda) Amnesty International. United Kingdom-headquartered Amnesty International alleges that Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have killed, tortured, and unlawfully detained civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with some detainees held in inhumane conditions or forcibly disappeared;

27 May 2025 Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) The CitizenNordic Week 2025 is underway in Tanzania, a collaborative initiative organised by the embassies of DenmarkFinlandNorway, and Sweden aimed at strengthening corporation, private investment and accelerating energy sector reforms;

27 May 2025 Kampala (Uganda) MonitorBank of Uganda (central bank) initiates consultations and pilot programmes to explore the introduction of a central bank digital currency, aiming to modernise its financial system and enhance financial inclusion;

26 May 2025 Asmara (Eritrea) Borkena. Regional administration minister Woldenkiel Abraham, passes away with government not announcing a replacement to this key political role that serves as the equivalent to deputy president;

26 May 2025 Kigali (Rwanda) New Times. Cabinet, chaired by President Paul Kagame, approves bilateral air service agreements with 12 countries, including France, Canada, and Poland, to enhance international air transport and promote trade and tourism;

26 May 2025 Nairobi (Kenya) Reuters. World Bank revises Kenya’s growth forecast for 2025 downwards from 4.5% to 4%, citing high debt levels, high lending rates and a decline in private sector credit;

26 May 2025 Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) The Citizen. The Bank of Tanzania (central bank) is preparing to release a comprehensive study on central bank digital currencies, aiming to evaluate their potential impact on the country’s financial ecosystem and payment systems by June;

26 May 2025 Nairobi (Kenya) Reuters. Finance minister John Mbadi says the government plans to sell more of its shareholders in telecom operator Safaricom, as it seeks to raise KSh 149 billion ($1.16 billion) through the sale of shares in the 2025/2026 financial year;

25 May 2025 Kinshasa (DRC) Financial Times. Officials are reportedly optimistic about reaching a mineral deal with the United States (US) by the end of June, which would promote US investment in the critical minerals sector alongside US support to end the Rwanda-backed M23 conflict;

25 May 2025 Kampala (Uganda) Monitor. Tensions between Uganda and Germany escalate following Uganda’s decision to sever defence ties with Germany, citing alleged subversive activities by German ambassador Matthias Schauer;

24 May 2025 Djibouti City (Djibouti) Garowe Online. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has held office since 1999 and is 77 years old, does not rule out seeking a sixth term in the April 2026 presidential election, despite the country’s constitution imposing an age limit of 75 for presidential candidates;

22 May 2025 Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Addis Standard. Ethiopian and South Sudanese military officials agree to boost joint operations to address illegal activities and strengthen border security, with a focus on contraband and fostering community cooperation;

22 May 2025 Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) The CitizenAfrican Export-Import Bank commits to investing at least $1 billion in Tanzania’s public and private sectors over the next year;

22 May 2025 Bujumbura (Burundi) Burundi Times. Banque de la République du Burundi (central bank) is spearheading a comprehensive digital transformation of the nation’s financial sector, aiming for full implementation by November 2025;

22 May 2025 Asmara (Eritrea) Independent. Data indicates that in the first quarter of 2025, Eritreans became the most common nationality among migrants crossing the English Channel to the United Kingdom, accounting for 20% of the 6,420 arrivals whose nationality was known;

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ARC East Africa Weekly Chronology 22 – 28 May 2025