In 2025, leaders across West Africa and the Sahel escalated their crackdowns on civil liberties while consolidating political control, according to a comprehensive analysis by leading human rights organizations. The Sahel region, already grappling with escalating armed conflicts, witnessed intensified violence as Islamist militant groups and government forces—often backed byContinue Reading
US shifts focus to trade and security partnerships in the Sahel The recent visit of Nick Checker, head of the US State Department’s African Affairs Bureau, to Mali signals Washington’s renewed engagement in the Sahel region. However, this doesn’t mark a return to previous policies. Instead, the United States isContinue Reading
The political landscape in Chad in 2025-2026 remains dominated by the consolidation of power by President Mahamat Idriss Déby, whose controversial 2024 re-election set the stage for sweeping constitutional changes. These reforms eliminated presidential term limits and extended mandates from five to seven years, effectively granting Déby the ability toContinue Reading
Since the military coup in July 2023, Niger has experienced a sharp decline in human rights conditions. In 2025, the ruling junta intensified crackdowns on political opponents, dissidents, union members, and journalists. Among those held without legal justification are former President Mohamed Bazoum and his spouse, alongside ousted government officials,Continue Reading
During the late hours between Wednesday, January 28, and Thursday, January 29, the silence around Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport was shattered by heavy gunfire and explosions. This rare direct assault on the capital of Niger was claimed two days later by the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISIS-S) throughContinue Reading
US military cooperation with Sahel juntas shifts focus to security amid rising jihadist threats The United States has announced a significant shift in its policy toward the military-led governments of the Sahel region, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These nations, which have recently distanced themselves from France in favorContinue Reading