Focus on Africa Egypt, Morocco join Trump's Board of Peace
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Jan 27, 2026 Alfonso Daniels, BBC journalist who covered Namibia’s Samherji fish scandal, and Liesl Lowe Vondron, African Union adviser at the International Crisis Group. They discuss why Egypt and Morocco were tapped for Trump’s new Board of Peace. They also cover the Samherji leaks, the whistleblower’s first public account, and the broader fallout for Namibia’s fishing industry.
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Board Of Peace Risks Undermining The UN
- The Board of Peace was created to oversee a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire but expanded its remit to global conflicts at Davos.
- Liesl Lowe Vondron warns the board risks fragmenting international peacemaking and undermining the UN without broad major-power buy-in.
Why Morocco And Egypt Were Invited
- Morocco and Egypt are the only African countries invited because of their regional diplomatic roles tied to Israel-Palestine.
- Their inclusion aligns with Gaza ceasefire efforts, not broad African representation, says Liesl Lowe Vondron.
Arab Alignment Limits African Influence
- African engagement with the Palestinian issue has been largely moral rather than political, and Egypt and Morocco act through Arab, not African, channels.
- Ali Hindi warns their Arab alignment limits African influence and preserves diplomatic 'cards' in regional disputes.