Daanyaal Matthews

By Daanyaaal Matthews  Relations between African states and the United States have remained strained since Donald Trump assumed office as President of the United States. His administration's isolationist policies have weakened health departments in several African nations, while his tariff strategies have cast uncertainty over the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).  This raises questions about whether the ongoing Africa-USA Summit, currently taking place in Luanda, Angola, will serve as […]

By Daanyaal Matthews    Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé is facing mounting pressure to resign as widespread protests erupt across the country. The unrest follows his recent swearing-in as “President of the Council of Ministers,” a newly created role with no term limits. Opposition parties have condemned the move as a “constitutional coup.”  Speaking across VOC’s airwaves, Thelma Nyarhi, a researcher at the Democracy Development Programme, said the move echoes the […]

By Daanyaal Matthews  U.S. President Donald Trump has come under heightened criticism following his decision to deploy 700 marines to Los Angeles in response to protests sparked by his controversial immigration policies.  The deployment is notable not only for its rarity—marking the first time marines have been sent to the city since the 1992 Rodney King riots—but also for the backlash it has received, particularly from the Los Angeles Police […]