In response to Mali’s proposal to dissolve all political parties following consultations on the revision of the Political Parties Charter, Ousmane Diallo, Sahel Researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa Regional Office, issued a stern warning: Such a move would represent a blatant violation of fundamental freedoms—specifically the rightsContinue Reading
Military regimes in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger are weaponizing forced disappearances and illegal detentions to crush criticism and suppress civil society, according to fresh reports. In Guinea, two prominent activists from the Front National pour la Défense de la Constitution—Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla (alias “Foniké Menguè”)—wereContinue Reading
Click to expand Image (Nairobi) – Human Rights Watch reported today that the military junta in Burkina Faso detained three journalists on March 24, 2025, for their coverage of the government’s escalating crackdown on media outlets. Authorities in the capital, Ouagadougou, apprehended Guezouma Sanogo and Boukari Ouoba, who serve asContinue Reading
Sahel governments intensify crackdown on human rights activists amid democratic backsliding The Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad have witnessed a disturbing convergence in state repression tactics targeting human rights defenders and civil society organizations in recent years. This coordinated assault has severely eroded civic space and public freedoms acrossContinue Reading
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially commended Niger for successfully meeting the criteria for onchocerciasis eradication, positioning it as the fifth nation globally and the inaugural country in Africa to receive WHO recognition for halting the transmission of the parasite Onchocerca volvulus. “Achieving the elimination of any disease representsContinue Reading
World Bank Injects €142 Million to Transform Burkina Faso’s Health System The World Bank has greenlit a groundbreaking financial package totaling €142 million (USD 150 million) from the International Development Association (IDA) and an additional USD 17 million from the Global Financing Facility (GFF) to fund the Performance and ResilienceContinue Reading
Military junta tightens grip on dissent as Niger marks coup anniversary Click to expand Image Nairobi – Since seizing power in Niger one year ago, the military junta has systematically suppressed opposition voices, independent media and peaceful dissent, according to joint findings by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and theContinue Reading
The imminent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (Cédéao) could severely restrict citizens’ ability to seek justice through its judicial body. This concern is shared by Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior researcher at an international NGO, who highlights the critical role ofContinue Reading
Amnesty International is sounding the alarm following the enforced disappearance of Samira Sabou, a prominent Nigerien journalist and blogger. She was abducted from her Niamey home on September 30th by masked individuals who identified themselves as security service personnel. Ousmane Diallo, a Sahel researcher for Amnesty International’s regional office forContinue Reading
The military takeover in Niger, orchestrated by General Tiani, which deposed President Bazoum on July 26, marks the latest in a series of destabilizing events across the Sahel. Since 2020, the region has witnessed six coups; Niger’s adds a seventh to this concerning tally. However, the reactions from both regionalContinue Reading
The escalating political crisis in Niger, coupled with the looming threat of military intervention from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has drawn significant concern from Benin’s opposition party, Les Démocrates. In an official press statement released on Saturday, August 5, 2023, Eric Houndété, the party’s president, emphasizedContinue Reading
Tensions are escalating between France and Russia as a covert battle for influence unfolds across Africa. Moscow’s strategic push, launched after its 2018 military intervention in the Central African Republic, aims to undermine Paris’s historical ties with the continent by swaying public opinion through targeted disinformation campaigns and manipulative narratives.Continue Reading