China’s top diplomat began his annual New Year tour of Africa on Wednesday, focusing on strategic trade access across eastern and southern Africa as Beijing seeks to secure key shipping routes and resource supply lines. Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Ethiopia, Africa’s fastest‑growing large economy; Somalia, a Horn of Africa state offering access to key global shipping lanes; Tanzania, a logistics hub linking minerals‑rich central Africa to the Indian Ocean; and Lesotho, a small southern African economy. … His trip this year runs until January 12. Beijing aims to highlight countries it views as model partners of President Xi Jinping’s flagship “Belt and Road” infrastructure programme and to expand export markets, particularly in young, increasingly affluent economies such as Ethiopia, where the IMF forecasts growth of 7.2% this year.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announced that Abebe Aemro Selassie intends to retire as Director of the African Department (AFR) on May 1, 2026.

“As Director of AFR since 2016, Abe has guided the department through a period of profound change and challenge,” said Georgieva. “He oversaw the Fund’s engagement with 45 countries across sub-Saharan Africa responding to surging program demand while adapting to the region’s evolving needs during a historically challenging time—from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing period of high inflation to major shifts in global trade policies. Under his leadership, AFR helped reinforce the Fund’s role as a trusted partner to our African members. During his tenure, the Fund also added a 25^th chair to its Executive Board, increasing the voice of sub-Saharan Africa.

“Abe championed tailored policy advice and capacity development for sub-Saharan Africa, deepened engagement in key countries, and helped roll out additional resources to support fragile and conflict-affected states. He also modernized AFR’s operations, strengthened collaboration across departments on critical issues such as debt resolution, PRGT financing, and resilience to shocks, and helped steer the evolving capacity development delivery to the region. His strategic vision and gift for diplomacy have left an enduring mark on the Fund.

The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has launched a digital system for voter and candidate registration, marking a significant shift from paper-based electoral processes to digital operations. Speaking at the launch event, NEBE Chairperson Melatwork Hailu … said the digital platform is expected to improve operational efficiency, enhance data accuracy and inclusivity, reduce costs, and strengthen the Board’s institutional capacity. President of the Federal Supreme Court, Tewodros Mihret, described the system as a major milestone in the modernization of Ethiopia’s electoral administration. He underscored the importance of the independence of electoral institutions in building a democratic system, adding that the new digital registration platform would contribute to the credibility of future elections. According to NEBE, the digital system offers three registration options: a mobile application known as “Mirechaye” (My Election), an online registration portal, and in-person registration at polling stations using tablets. (Press release)

Global cooperation is proving resilient even as multilateralism continues to face strong headwinds, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer 2026. However, cooperation is below where it needs to be to address critical economic, security and environmental challenges. Within a more complex and uncertain geopolitical context, open and constructive dialogue is a critical factor in identifying potential collaborative pathways that advance shared interests.
 
In its third year, the Global Cooperation Barometer 2026, developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, uses 41 metrics to assess the level of cooperation worldwide across five pillars: trade and capital; innovation and technology; climate and natural capital; health and wellness; and peace and security.
 
The 2026 Barometer indicates that the overall level of cooperation has largely been unchanged in recent years but the composition of cooperation appears to be evolving. Innovative, smaller collaborative arrangements are emerging, often within and between regions, as cooperation through multilateral avenues has weakened. Progress on global priorities has shown the greatest momentum when it aligns with national interests – with climate and nature and innovation and technology seeing relatively strong increases in cooperation. Other pillars, including health and wellness and trade and capital, have stayed flat. The peace and security pillar experienced the largest drop. (Press release)