Namibia’s President has urged African countries to make better use of their natural resources and youthful population to strengthen the continent’s influence in global affairs.

The call highlights the importance of economic self-reliance, investment in human capital and stronger cooperation among African nations as the continent seeks a greater role in shaping the global economy.

Africa is home to significant deposits of minerals, oil, gas and other natural resources that are increasingly important to global industries, particularly in the energy transition, technology and manufacturing sectors.

However, the challenge for many African countries remains how to translate these resources into long-term economic benefits through local processing, industrial development, job creation and improved infrastructure.

The President’s remarks also draw attention to Africa’s youthful population, which represents an important source of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

With millions of young Africans entering the labour market, investment in education, technical training, digital skills and business opportunities will be essential to harnessing this demographic potential.

The call further reinforces discussions about Africa’s position in international negotiations, trade partnerships and global economic decision-making.

African countries have increasingly advocated for greater value addition to their natural resources rather than relying heavily on the export of unprocessed commodities.

The President’s message places emphasis on the need for African nations to work together, strengthen their economies and build the capacity to participate more meaningfully in global affairs.

Key Details of the President’s Remarks

The comments were made by Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during an interview on Diplomatic Affairs with Harriet Nartey on Joy Prime, aired on Ghanaian television.

She called for:

• Stronger implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

• Increased trade among African countries.

• Greater African control over economic priorities and trade negotiations.

• Better use of the continent’s natural resources and population as sources of economic strength.

• Trade policies that reflect Africa’s interests rather than depending entirely on externally developed frameworks.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South African financial services group Absa has opened its first office in the Gulf region, establishing a presence in Dubai as it seeks to strengthen business, trade and investment connections between Africa and the Middle East.

The new office is located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), one of the region’s major financial hubs. The expansion is expected to bring Absa closer to businesses, institutional investors and financial organisations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), while creating additional opportunities for international investors interested in African markets.

Unlike a conventional banking branch, the Dubai office will not provide lending directly from its own balance sheet. Instead, it will serve as a strategic connection point, linking Gulf-based companies and investors with Absa’s banking operations across 16 African markets.

The office operates under a Category 4 licence issued by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, which became effective on 15 July 2026. The authorisation allows the branch to arrange investment transactions, provide financial product advice and arrange or advise on credit facilities for eligible clients.

Growing economic relationship between Africa and the Gulf

Absa’s expansion comes at a time when commercial relations between the United Arab Emirates and African economies are gaining momentum.

Non-oil trade between the UAE and Africa reached approximately $158 billion in 2025, compared with around $112 billion in 2024, according to UAE government figures cited in Reuters reporting.

Dubai continues to attract international financial institutions seeking access to global markets.

The growing relationship presents opportunities in several industries, including infrastructure, energy, logistics, agriculture and fast-moving consumer goods. These sectors are attracting interest from Gulf-based sovereign wealth funds, asset managers and other institutional investors looking to expand their investments across Africa.

Absa’s senior executive officer for its Dubai branch, Clinton Clarke, indicated that the office would help the bank engage more directly with investors and businesses interested in African opportunities.

The bank intends to use its understanding of African markets and its existing corporate banking relationships to help Gulf-based organisations navigate different commercial environments across the continent.

Absa joins other South African banks in Dubai

Absa’s arrival adds another major South African financial institution to Dubai’s growing international banking community.

It joins other South African banking groups, including Investec, Standard Bank and Nedbank, which have also established offices in the city.

The Dubai International Financial Centre will host Absa’s first Gulf office.

The move reflects the importance of Dubai as a financial gateway connecting businesses and investors across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

However, the expansion also comes against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Absa representatives have acknowledged the risks but maintain that Dubai remains an attractive location for engaging regional clients and supporting cross-border business.

What the expansion means for Africa

Absa’s Dubai office could strengthen access to international capital for African businesses seeking investment partners, financing advice and opportunities to enter new markets.

For Gulf investors, the presence provides a closer connection to African business networks and sector expertise, potentially making it easier to assess commercial opportunities across different countries.

The longer-term success of the initiative will depend on the volume of business it attracts, the investment transactions it supports and the strength of relationships established between African and Gulf-based organisations.

For Absa, the opening represents a significant step in expanding its international reach while maintaining Africa as the centre of its banking operations.

Hundreds of civilians have been evacuated from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky following an unusual humanitarian ceasefire that has temporarily allowed residents to escape months of worsening living conditions.

The evacuation, which began on Friday, October 30, 2026, marks a rare moment of cooperation between Ukrainian and Russian representatives since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The operation involved 25 buses and nine ambulances, which transported residents away from the heavily affected town in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. Humanitarian supplies, including food and medicine, were also delivered to people who remain in the city.

Temporary ceasefire creates evacuation opportunity

The humanitarian arrangement reportedly followed diplomatic efforts involving US First Lady Melania Trump, with Pope Leo also playing a role in calls for a humanitarian truce.

The ceasefire, which covers parts of the Kherson frontline region, allowed roads around Oleshky to be cleared of landmines, creating a temporary passage for civilian transportation and humanitarian assistance.

Residents wishing to leave were given the opportunity to board buses and travel towards safer locations. Some evacuees were heading towards Ukrainian-controlled territory, while others could choose to settle in Russia.

Those returning to Ukraine faced a complicated journey through southern Russia and Belarus before reaching Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Months of hardship leave residents struggling

Oleshky has experienced severe humanitarian difficulties since coming under Russian occupation during the early stages of the war.

The city, which had a pre-war population of approximately 24,000, is now estimated to have around 2,000 residents remaining.

Many have endured prolonged shortages of food, medicine, electricity, gas and running water. Continued military activity and dangerous roads have also made access to essential supplies increasingly difficult.

Some residents, particularly elderly people, have reportedly struggled to leave because of family responsibilities, concerns about their destination and reluctance to abandon their homes and animals.

Authorities have indicated that people who choose to remain will receive humanitarian assistance, including essential supplies and medical support.

Unusual cooperation between Ukraine and Russia

The evacuation brought together Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and his Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, who participated in the humanitarian operation.

Their cooperation has attracted attention because direct collaboration between representatives of the two countries remains extremely limited amid the ongoing conflict.

Ukrainian officials have described the operation as an important opportunity to save civilian lives, although the arrangement has also raised concerns among some Ukrainians about Russia’s intentions.

There are fears that humanitarian arrangements could be exploited for military or political advantage.

Concerns remain despite the temporary truce

Despite the successful evacuation arrangements, the ceasefire does not represent a broader peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv.

Military hostilities have continued in other parts of Ukraine, with attacks on infrastructure and civilian areas reported outside the designated humanitarian zone.

The temporary arrangement is expected to remain in effect until Sunday, November 1, providing a limited window for evacuation and humanitarian assistance.

For residents who have spent months trapped amid shortages and insecurity, the operation offers a rare opportunity to reach safety. However, the future of those remaining in Oleshky remains uncertain.

The evacuation also raises wider questions about whether similar humanitarian arrangements could be negotiated for other communities affected by the war.

A death row inmate in the United States, Christa Pike, has spoken publicly for the first time since surviving a failed execution in Tennessee, revealing that she continues to experience significant physical and emotional pain.

Pike, 50, made the disclosure in a statement dictated to her legal team and released on Friday, October 30, exactly one month after the state attempted to execute her by lethal injection.

According to her statement, she entered the execution chamber on September 30 prepared to die, having said goodbye to people who had supported her over the years.

However, she said she regained consciousness several days later in a hospital, confused and in pain.

Pike described persistent discomfort affecting her body, arms, hands and throat, adding that she continues to struggle with speaking.

She also disclosed that the experience had caused considerable emotional distress.

Her survival followed the administration of two doses of pentobarbital, the lethal injection drug used by Tennessee. She was subsequently rushed to hospital in critical condition, where she remained unconscious and received intensive medical care before regaining consciousness.

Pike said she had never considered the possibility of surviving the execution and expressed frustration over what she described as incompetence surrounding the procedure.

She also acknowledged the suffering of the family of her victim, Colleen Slemmer, whom she was convicted of murdering in 1995.

Pike was 18 when she participated in the killing of the 19-year-old University of Tennessee student. She was convicted and sentenced to death in 1996.

The failed execution has raised serious questions about Tennessee’s lethal injection procedures and the circumstances surrounding the administration of the drugs.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has ordered an investigation into the incident and suspended further executions in the state for the remainder of 2026.

Pike’s lawyers have also called for her death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, while legal questions remain over whether the state could attempt another execution.

In her latest statement, Pike said she was gradually recovering but stressed that physical improvement did not mean she had fully healed.

She also expressed gratitude to medical personnel, supporters and individuals who had offered encouragement following the incident.

The case has renewed debate in the United States over the reliability, safety and administration of lethal injection as a method of capital punishment.

For now, Pike says she is trying to recover while coming to terms with an experience she never expected to survive.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa assures bereaved family of government support as Ghana urges US authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.

The Government of Ghana has vowed to pursue justice following the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong in the Bronx, New York, United States.

In a press statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deepest condolences to the family of the teenager, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Thursday, October 29, while on his way to school.

The government condemned the killing and called on the relevant authorities in the Bronx to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also spoke directly with the victim’s father, Thomas Frimpong, on Friday to express the government’s sympathy and assure him of its full support in the family’s pursuit of justice.

“We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it,” the Minister said, according to the statement.

Mr Ablakwa further conveyed heartfelt condolences on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, describing the incident as a devastating loss.

“We are all saddened. We are all distraught. He did not deserve this,” he said.

Ghana offers legal and consular assistance

As part of the government’s response, officials from Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York visited Mr Frimpong and his family at their residence on Friday morning to express solidarity, convey condolences and offer support.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would work closely with the Permanent Mission and relevant United States authorities to pursue the case.

It also pledged to provide appropriate legal and consular assistance to the bereaved family as investigations continue.

The government urged authorities in the Bronx to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the killing are thoroughly investigated and that anyone found responsible is held accountable.

Condolences extended to family in Ghana

The statement also extended the government’s sympathies to Javits’ mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, who is in Kumasi, as well as his relatives, friends and loved ones in Ghana and the United States.

The ministry reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to protecting the safety, dignity and well-being of its citizens wherever they may be.

Javits was reportedly shot at about 9:20 a.m. on Thursday while walking to school. Police in New York are searching for suspects in connection with the killing.

The government said it would remain engaged with US authorities as efforts continue to establish the circumstances of the tragedy and pursue justice for the teenager and his family.