Africa Update Report with Advocate Sipho Mantula, Researcher: Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs: Unisa

22 December 2025

1.    Egypt- Russia-Afrika Partnership Forum

Second Ministerial Conference: Shaping Russian African Strategic Partnerships

Last week, Egypt hosted the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum. It was the first event in this format held in Africa.

African foreign ministers and the heads of executive bodies of African integration associations attended and contributed to discussions on the best ways to boost the Russian-African partnership and strengthen its strategic nature.

2.    DR Kongo- Rwanda-UN Security Council

UN urges Rwanda to leave eastern Congo, extends peacekeeping mission for a year

The U.N. Security Council has urged Rwanda to withdraw its forces from eastern Congo and extended the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, for a year, as fighting in the region escalated despite a peace deal.

The U.N.’s most powerful body on Friday condemned an offensive by the Rwanda-backed M23, demanded that Rwanda stop supporting the rebels and withdraw its troops. 

3.    Central African Republic- Bangui

CAR Decides 2025 (Six days before the General elections)

General elections are due to be held in the Central African Republic on 28 December 2025. Incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra is eligible for reelection after 

Electoral system

The President of the Central African Republic is elected by a two-round system for a seven-year term, renewable. 

The candidate who receives an absolute majority of the votes cast in the first ballot is elected. If no majority is secured, a runoff is held between the top two candidates to decide the winner.

4.    Burkina Faso- Mali- Niger

Alliance of Sahel regional force

At an air force base in Bamako, Mali's army ruler General Assimi Goita presided over a ceremony marking the creation of a unified force for the Sahel countries.

The force is the latest in a series of measures by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to achieve closer integration.

In January, Niger's defence minister said that the 5000-strong force would 'intervene together' to counter security threats in the region.

5.    In our historical archives, it was yesterday 21 December 1949 when Burkinabé revolutionary and President of Burkina Faso Baba Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was born (76th anniversary)

From 1983 to 1987, he was also President of Burkina Faso. In 1983, at age 33, Sankara seized power in a popularly coup.

“Our revolution is not a public-speaking tournament. 

Our revolution is not a battle of fine phrases. 

Our revolution is not simply for pontificating slogans that are no more than signals used by manipulators trying to use them as catchwords, as codewords, as a foil for their own display.

Our revolution is, and should continue to be, the collective effort of revolutionaries to transform reality, to improve the concrete situation of the masses of our country “.Thomas Sankara