Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited by US President Donald Trump to a meeting at the White House on February 4, the Israeli premier’s office said on Tuesday.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House during US President Trump’s second term,” the statement said.

A White House official confirmed an invitation had been extended to the Israeli prime minister to meet at the White House “early next week”.

“Details on the date and time will follow when finalised,” the official added.

The Trump-Netanyahu meeting comes after the US president repeatedly claimed credit for sealing an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which came after months of fruitless negotiations.

After the ceasefire took effect, Trump touted a plan to “clean out” the Gaza Strip, calling for Palestinians to relocate to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan.

The idea has faced strong backlash from Egypt and Jordan as well as from European governments.

During his first term, Trump frequently claimed that Israel “never had a better friend in the White House”, a sentiment often echoed by Netanyahu.

However, the Trump-Netanyahu relationship soured briefly after the Israeli leader congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 election victory.

Trump, who falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election, accused Netanyahu of disloyalty, according to multiple media reports at the time.

Nonetheless, soon after taking office for his second term, Trump reportedly approved a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which the Biden administration had previously halted.

Netanyahu praised Trump for providing Israel with the “tools” to defend itself.

AFP

Namibia’s ruling party, the South West Africa People’s Organisation, was declared the winner of last Tuesday’s disputed elections, ushering in the southern African country’s first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has already said it does not recognise.

Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took just over 57 per cent of ballots, followed by the candidate for the main opposition, Independent Patriots for Change, with 25.5 per cent, the election authority announced on Tuesday.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, becomes the first woman to rule the mineral-rich southern African country that has been governed by the South West Africa People’s Organisation since independence in 1990.

The November 27 election was extended twice as logistical and technical problems, including a shortage of ballot papers, led to long queues.

Some voters gave up on the first day of voting after waiting for up to 12 hours.

The IPC has already said this was a deliberate attempt to frustrate voters and it would not accept the results of the elections.

Its presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, 67, said last week there were a “multitude of irregularities”.

No matter the result, “the IPC shall not recognise the outcome of that election”, he said on Saturday, the last day of the extended vote.

Opposition rejects poll

Itula said the IPC would “fight… to nullify the elections through the processes that are established within our electoral process”.

An organisation of southern African human rights lawyers serving as election monitors said the delays at the ballot box were intentional and widespread.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia admitted to failures in the organisation of the vote, including a shortage of ballot papers and the overheating of electronic tablets used to register voters.

Of the nearly 1.5 million registered voters in the sparsely populated country, nearly 77 per cent had cast ballots in the presidential vote, it said Tuesday.

The election was seen as a key test for SWAPO after other liberation-era movements in the region had lost favour with young voters.

In the past six months, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority, and the Botswana Democratic Party was ousted after almost six decades of power.

Namibia is a major uranium and diamond exporter, but analysts say not many of its nearly three million people have benefited from that wealth in terms of improved infrastructure and job opportunities.

Unemployment among 15- to 34-year-olds is estimated at 46 per cent, according to the latest official figures from 2018, which is almost triple the national average.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, a SWAPO stalwart known by her initials NNN, will be among the few women leaders on the continent.

The conservative daughter of an Anglican pastor, she became vice president in February this year.

Recognisable by her gold-framed glasses, she has tried to vaunt the wisdom of her years during the campaign, when she was often wearing blue, red, and green, the colours of her party, and of the national flag.

Among her election promises, NNN said she intends to “create jobs by attracting investments using economic diplomacy.”

AFP

Nigeria and South Africa on Tuesday agreed to finalise the five-year-old Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Warning Mechanism, which monitors threats of violence, acts of criminality, and reprisals involving nationals of both countries.

The decision was revealed in a communiqué released at the end of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission in Cape Town.

President Bola Tinubu and President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the meeting.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement he signed Tuesday titled ‘Nigeria, South Africa set a deadline for signing MoU on early warning, agree on AUC Elections, joint position on the Middle East.’

In the wake of the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, both countries agreed to establish an Early Warning Mechanism to prevent such attacks.

Before the 11th BNC meeting, both parties agreed to harmonise all contentious areas, conclude and present during the 11th session of the BNC.

The joint communique, read by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, said the two leaders underscored the urgent need to finalise the MoU.

“To this end, it was agreed that the MoU will be signed no later than March 2025, during the visit of the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation to Nigeria for political consultations,” Lamola said.

Tinubu and Ramaphosa welcomed the ongoing negotiations to conclude other new agreements.

According to the communique, both leaders renewed their commitment to work closely to broaden and sustain the two nations’ bilateral relationship to enhance strategic cooperation and partnership for mutual benefit.

He said, “In this regard, the Heads of State and Government directed the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to deepen their cooperation in the context of the BNC.

“The Heads of State and Government welcomed the high levels of economic cooperation between the two countries.

“In this regard, they welcomed the significant investments of South African companies in Nigeria and encouraged corresponding Nigerian investments in the South African economy.”

The joint communique read, “The leaders recognised the need for the two countries to create an enabling business environment.”

On the African Continental Free Trade Area, which both Nigeria and South Africa have ratified, the two leaders committed to working towards increased and balanced trade between the two countries by utilising the opportunities provided by the agreement.

Nigeria and South Africa also agreed to collaborate on programmes that address mutual challenges in food and nutrition security, strengthen meaningful digital connectivity, and take leadership in developing artificial intelligence.

They also committed to expanding digital literacy initiatives and prioritising data protection and online safety for all citizens.

Nigeria and South Africa affirmed their resolve to coordinate their positions on the upcoming African Union elections to ensure the election of candidates committed to advancing the continent’s development agenda.

They reiterated their mutual support for equitable representation within African Union institutions that reflect the continent’s diverse perspectives.

South Africa congratulated Nigeria on the reappointment of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, as both countries agreed to work closely together in international organisations.

It also solicited Nigeria’s support for its candidate, Ms Swazi Tshabalala, for the position of President of the African Development Bank.

Equally, Nigeria solicited South Africa’s support for the re-election of Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

The Heads of State and Government are committed to working closely with the African Union and each other to advance the African Agenda in pursuit of implementing Agenda 2063.

Nigeria highlighted its efforts, as well as those of other members of the ECOWAS bloc, to foster and promote peace and security.

South Africa also outlined the efforts undertaken by the Southern African Development Community to support peace initiatives in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Mozambique.

“The Delegations also underscored the need to redouble efforts to realize the African Union Agenda 2063 Aspiration to ‘Silence the Guns.’

“In this regard, the Heads of State and Government expressed concern at the devastating conflict in Sudan, which has resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of infrastructure and property, and a humanitarian crisis.”

Similarly, the two presidents agreed to intensify support for the cause of Western Sahara for self-determination, freedom, and justice.

Nigeria congratulated South Africa on its assumption of the G20 Presidency on December 1, 2024. It commended South Africa on its priorities: inclusive economic growth, industrialization, inequality reduction, food security, artificial intelligence, data governance, and innovation.

On the escalating crisis in the Middle East, the two countries adopted a joint position calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy.

They emphasised the importance of upholding international humanitarian law, ensuring the protection of civilians, and promoting sustainable peace in the region.