Third International Sudan Conference in Berlin
On Wednesday, the third International Sudan Conference took place in Berlin. During the event, humanitarian aid pledges totalling more than 1.5 billion euros were made. Germany committed 232 million euros for the current year – 212 million euros from the Federal Foreign Office budget and 20 million euros from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The European Commission also announced funding of 360.8 million euros, with a further approximately 219 million euros to be provided by EU Member States. The United Kingdom likewise pledged additional assistance of around 168 million euros. In addition to the financial commitments, there was a strong reaffirmation of the call for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan.
The conference was hosted by the German Federal Government in cooperation with France, the United States, the United Kingdom, the African Union (AU), and the European Union (EU). In total, representatives from 55 countries, as well as from international organisations and Sudanese civil society, took part. The conference was held to mark the third anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war in Sudan. On 15 April 2023, the power struggle between the de facto Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah Burhan, and his former deputy and leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, escalated (Press review CW 16/2023), resulting in more than 12 million people being displaced and around 33 million in need of assistance. During a meeting with AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz referred to the situation as the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time — one that, however, all too rarely receives sufficient public attention.
Presidential elections in Benin
On Thursday, Benin’s Constitutional Court announced the provisional results of Sunday’s presidential election. According to these results, Romuald Wadagni, the Minister of Economy and Finance, who was backed by the governing coalition, secured 94.05% of the vote. Second place went to the opposition candidate and sole challenger, Paul Hounkpè of the Forces Cauris pour un Bénin émergent (FCBE) party, with 5.95%. The Constitutional Court has thus confirmed the trends that the Electoral Commission CENI had already published on Monday. According to official figures, voter turnout stood at 63.55%. The candidates now have five days to lodge an appeal before the Constitutional Court announces the final results.
Hounkpè, who ran alongside Rock Judicaël Hounwanou as vice presidential candidate, conceded defeat early on Monday evening and congratulated Wadagni on his election victory. The 49-year-old independent technocrat Wadagni, a former executive at the auditing firm Deloitte, has been Minister of Economy and Finance in President Patrice Talon’s cabinet since 2016 and is regarded as his preferred candidate, after Talon was barred from standing for a further term under the constitution following two consecutive five-year terms. He ran alongside Talon’s Vice President, Mariam Chabi Talata, who is now set for another term in office.
Election day proceeded peacefully and in an orderly manner, according to the election observation mission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). However, analysts largely described the election as a mere formality, after the largest opposition party, Les Démocrates, failed to secure the minimum number of parliamentary endorsements required under electoral law to field its own candidate. The party refused to back the only authorised opposition candidate, Hounkpè. During the campaign, he criticised, among other things, a political climate of fear in which the opposition’s room to manoeuvre was shrinking. Furthermore, he accused Talon’s government of failing to improve the living conditions of a large section of the population, despite strong economic growth – gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 7.5% in 2024 – and prestigious tourism projects. Wadagni also focused on everyday issues in his campaign and promised, among other things, improvements in areas such as water and healthcare provision, as well as social security.
Once the new government takes office, it will become clear to what extent these announcements can be put into practice. In addition to the tense social situation – around 30% of the population lives in poverty – the security situation in the north of the country in particular will pose challenges for the new government. Attacks by jihadist groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) have recently increased in the area, regularly resulting in fatalities among security forces. The tense security situation was also cited by a group of soldiers from the Comité militaire pour la refondation (CMR) as the reason for their attempted coup around four months ago, which was, however, prevented with the help of Nigerian troops (Press Review CW 50/2025).
Germany and South Africa strengthen their partnership
On Monday, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola signed a 15-point action plan in Berlin, in which they announced the upgrading of relations to a strategic partnership. Among other things, consultation formats on topics such as multilateral affairs, peace and security, democratic resilience, and cyber and foreign policy are to be established in order to deepen dialogue on strategic issues. The action plan, which was adopted during the 12th meeting of the German-South African Bi-National Commission (BNC), provides, among other things, for enhanced cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, raw materials and technology. As part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), Germany is stepping up its support in the form of a climate-related, low-interest loan of 200 million Euro. In addition, technical cooperation is to be expanded to accelerate investment in electricity grids and the expansion of renewable energy.
Further financial commitments were made in the areas of green hydrogen and battery value chains. In addition to a new financial facility, 270 million Euro in funding from Germany and the European Union (EU) is to be made available under the Global Gateway Initiative. Furthermore, cooperation is to be expanded in the areas of critical raw materials – including through support for companies in mineral processing projects – and vaccine production. In addition, non-tariff trade barriers are to be removed and the framework conditions for investors in sectors such as energy and infrastructure improved. To this end, quarterly consultations will take place in future between the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Further areas of enhanced cooperation include scientific and technological cooperation, arts and culture, education and training, youth employment, and environmental and climate protection. Furthermore, South Africa and Germany reaffirm their roles as co-chairs of the Advisory Group of the G20 Compact with Africa initiative and emphasise their shared commitment to a rules-based international order grounded in the United Nations Charter, international law and the protection of human rights.
At a joint press conference, Wadephul emphasised that Germany works more closely with no other country on the African continent than with South Africa. Lamola also thanked Wadephul for Germany’s support, despite the strained relations with the US since Donald Trump’s second term in office. The meeting of the German-South African Commission took place on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its establishment. Founded in 1996 under South African President Nelson Mandela and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the BNC has since been the central instrument of bilateral relations between Germany and South Africa. Following the meeting of the BNC, a high-level economic dialogue took place on Tuesday at the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft, attended by South Africa’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as Florian Hahn, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, and Stefan Rouenhoff, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
In other news
Sunday marked the end of the third edition of the Abidjan Art Week in the Côte d’Ivoire capital. Renowned galleries such as Galerie Cécile Fakhoury and the Fondation Donwahi took part in the multi-day festival, with the number of participating institutions having doubled compared to previous years. Artists from several African countries were represented, including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali. On display were works by, among others, the internationally renowned artist Ouattara Watts (Côte d’Ivoire). The week began with a tribute to the art historian Simone Guirandou-N’Diaye, one of the first in her field in Côte d’Ivoire and a pioneer of early gallery spaces. One of the highlights was the “Night of the Galleries”, during which numerous exhibition venues remained open late into the night and were linked by organised bus tours. Abidjan Art Week was launched in 2023 by curator Yacouba Konaté, who aims to promote a deliberately accessible and publicly inclusive art culture.