The President of Benin, Patrice Talon, has been bestowed with an unprecedented honor by the Vodun community. On May 2, 2026, the spiritual leaders of Vodun recognized his unwavering commitment to safeguarding and promoting indigenous religious heritage by awarding him the honorary title of « Hounon d’honneur ». Unprecedented recognitionContinue Reading
On Monday, May 4, 2026, the village of Doungouro, located in the Tillabéri region, became the site of a devastating double tragedy. Following a lethal raid by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) that claimed the lives of four civilians, an intervention by the Volunteers for the DefenseContinue Reading
In the heart of West Africa, Senegal is witnessing a pivotal moment in its political landscape. The once-unbreakable alliance between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, is showing visible fractures. After years of presenting a unified front, tensions have surfaced in a dramatic fashion, signaling aContinue Reading
Assimi Goïta centralizes power in Mali’s government By assuming the role of Minister of Defense alongside his presidential duties, Colonel Assimi Goïta has consolidated authority in Bamako, signaling not just administrative changes but a potential acknowledgment of military strategy failures. The recent loss of Kidal to JNIM and FLA forces,Continue Reading
In partnership with national coalitions representing activists in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, and Niger, ISHR has released a compilation of effective methods for safeguarding human rights defenders and facilitating their essential activities during emergencies. The impact of global health measures on civic space The introduction of lockdownsContinue Reading
Omar Daf has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the position of head coach for Mali’s national football team. The Senegalese tactician, currently unattached after departing his role at Amiens in France, is setting his sights on leading the Éperviers (The Eagles) into a new era of competition.Continue Reading
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has sparked significant debate by choosing Jean-Jacques Ndala to officiate the first leg of the Champions League final between Mamelodi Sundowns and AS FAR. The Congolese official, who was at the center of the controversial CAN 2025 final, is now facing formal opposition fromContinue Reading
The Confédération africaine de football has selected Congolese official Jean-Jacques Ndala to oversee the first leg of the Champions League final featuring Mamelodi Sundowns and AS FAR. This opening match is scheduled for May 17 in Pretoria, South Africa. At 38, the Congolese referee remains a prominent figure on theContinue Reading
In a recent interview with Bip Radio, Théodore Holo, former President of Benin’s Constitutional Court, highlighted the generational shift symbolized by Romuald Wadagni’s election as the new President of the Republic. Promising beginnings and balanced priorities A distinguished public law professor, Holo commended the new head of state for strikingContinue Reading
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has raised alarm over escalating human rights violations targeting the Fulani community in Burkina Faso. Independent investigators report a disturbing surge in extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, abductions, and enforced disappearances during counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel region, exposing aContinue Reading
Approximately four months have passed since the Africa Cup of Nations final – a match initially won by Senegal with a 1-0 score in extra time, only to be later awarded 3-0 to Morocco by the CAF appeals jury. Despite this, the challenging situation of Senegalese supporters incarcerated in RabatContinue Reading
Mali’s crisis: a warning for Ghana’s security strategy The coordinated jihadist attacks that struck multiple cities in Mali on April 25, 2026, serve as a stark reminder that security challenges in the Sahel are not confined to local borders. For Ghana and its neighbors, this escalation underscores the urgent needContinue Reading