UN Commission Warns of ‘Constitutional Coup’ in South Sudan

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan called on member states and regional and international partners to take urgent action to prevent renewed conflict and secure lasting peace, irrespective of the electoral timetable. The commission warned that the political settlement established in 2018 to prevent another war is being undermined, putting civilians and the country’s fragile transition at grave risk. “A negotiated settlement has been displaced under cover of elections. This amounts to a constitutional coup through legislative reforms: the unilateral dismantling of the inclusive power-sharing settlement and concentration of all authority in the President,” Yasmin Sooka, chair of the commission, told the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee. Radio Tamazuj UN Ends Three Decades of Political Missions in Somalia The United Nations will end more than three decades of political missions in Somalia when its transitional mission closes on 31 October, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday. The UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) has transferred its responsibilities to Somali institutions and UN agencies under a jointly agreed roadmap. The federal government requested the two-year handover. “The United Nations will continue to support Somalia through its resident agencies, funds and programmes,” said a statement issued by Guterres’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric. Those organisations will work with Somali authorities, the African Union and other international partners to advance peace, stability, human rights and development, the statement said. ... The mission’s work has included support for state institutions, human rights, the rule of law and security sector reform. It has also helped coordinate international assistance and efforts to counter violent extremism. Somalia Today Nigeria 2027 Elections: CCC, Security Chiefs Warn of Deepfakes, Disinformation, Cyber Threats The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and senior security and government officials have raised the alarm over the potential weaponisation of deepfakes, disinformation, impersonation and other cyber threats ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that the country’s security battle is increasingly shifting from the physical battlefield to the information space. Speaking at the Second National Symposium on Crisis Communication in Kaduna, organised by the CCC under the theme “Inter-Agency Collaboration, Public Trust and Cyber Threat Management in Crisis Communication,” the stakeholders called for stronger inter-agency coordination, rapid fact-checking, AI-enabled detection tools and credible public communication to protect national security and public confidence in democratic institutions. PR Nigeria Nigerian Army, Tanzania Seek Stronger Military Training, Intelligence-Sharing Ties The Nigerian Army and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force have agreed to explore expanded military training, professional exchanges and intelligence-sharing initiatives to strengthen operational capabilities and address Africa’s evolving security challenges. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, made the call on Monday, October 26, 2026, during bilateral talks with the Chief of Land Forces of the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, Major General Fadhil Omary Nondo, on the sidelines of the African International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) 2026 in Lagos. Shaibu emphasised the need to deepen cooperation in professional military education, joint training, intelligence sharing and personnel exchange programmes across military institutions, including national defence colleges. PR Nigeria Tanzania's Jailed Opposition Leader Tundu Lissu Ends Brief Hunger Strike Tanzania’s jailed opposition leader Tundu Lissu has ended a brief hunger strike after prison authorities allowed him to meet privately with his lawyers, his lawyer has said. Lissu, who leads the opposition’s Party for Democracy and Progress (CHADEMA) ‌and came second in the 2020 presidential election, began refusing food on Monday after his lawyers were denied entry to the prison where he is being held, party spokesperson Brenda Rupia wrote on X. ... His detention, along with the alleged abductions of ⁠government critics, has led to scrutiny of the human rights record of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who won a 2025 election. Al Jazeera/AP/Reuters Congo Opposition Rejects Armed Rebellion, Calls for Inclusive Dialogue Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition coalition on Tuesday refused to back ‌an armed rebellion led by former President Joseph ‌Kabila and renewed its criticism of proposed reforms that would extend President ​Felix Tshisekedi's time in power, calling instead for all sides to hold dialogue.The C64 coalition, which brings together five opposition leaders including former presidential candidates Martin Fayulu and ‌Moise Katumbi, issued ⁠its first joint statement since former President Joseph Kabila took over the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion, ⁠now known as FRN, earlier this month. The coalition said there was no military solution to the conflict and ​called for ​talks involving all parties, ​in a statement issued ‌after a two-day meeting in Rome. Tshisekedi announced a national dialogue in August but excluded armed groups from the process.

Based on reporting by ACSS-EMAIL