From ex-leader to rebel figurehead: the strategic maneuver behind the FRN The Democratic Republic of Congo is witnessing a dramatic escalation in its long-running crisis after former president Joseph Kabila took command of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a hybrid political-military coalition unveiled in Goma onContinue Reading
The missile and drone assault on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement, represents far more than a single deadly incident. It exposes the fault lines of a conflict that has been quietly widening for months — and signals that the war in Yemen is noContinue Reading
The ambition driving Benin’s military aviation training is not just about aircraft and runways — it is about building a foundation of sovereignty. The École aéronautique militaire de Cana (EAM-Cana), nestled within the Cana Air Base, stands at the heart of this effort. It equips the Beninese Armed Forces withContinue Reading
Benin’s Ministry of Health has reached a decisive milestone in its long-running effort to rebuild the country’s human resources for health. In an official statement dated 7 October 2026, Health Minister Benjamin Hounkpatin released the names of the candidates selected for the fourth cohort of the “Bridging the Gaps” project.Continue Reading
The $1 billion sale of Oryx Energies tells a bigger story than a simple change of ownership. The deal, which values the Swiss hydrocarbon trader at roughly a billion dollars, reveals how Africa’s energy landscape has shifted: the real prize is no longer just buying and selling fuel, but owningContinue Reading
On 7 October 2026, Burkina Faso’s treasury returned to the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UMOA) financial market to raise 40 billion CFA francs from private investors. The operation was completed, but it exposes a structural tension that has been building for months: a government that publicly champions self-relianceContinue Reading
Why Cotonou is scaling up its restitution strategy When Benin secured the return of 26 royal treasures from France in 2021, it looked like a one-off victory. Three years later, the machinery behind that success is running at full speed. President Romuald Wadagni has now formally asked his French counterpart,Continue Reading
Le barreau nigérien sous pression : anatomie d’une affaire qui dépasse un simple avocat Le dossier de Me Abdourahamane Lirwana, avocat poursuivi pour ses publications en ligne, révèle une mécanique judiciaire qui interroge bien au-delà de sa personne. Placé sous mandat de dépôt il y a quinze jours, il comparaissaitContinue Reading
Behind Niger’s fuel price debate: a decision shaped by deeper pressures The recommendation came at the close of the first extraordinary session of 2026 of the Conseil Consultatif de la Refondation (CCR), and it landed like a thunderclap — even though it merely confirmed what many had long feared. Niger’sContinue Reading
The hydrocarbon sector in Niger is caught in one of its most severe financial storms in years. At the centre of the turmoil sits a staggering debt: the Société Nationale des Produits Pétroliers (SONIDEP) now owes the Société de Raffinage de Zinder (SORAZ) a record 418 billion FCFA. That figureContinue Reading
The abrupt downfall of one of Niger’s most powerful generals isn’t just a military shake-up—it’s sending shockwaves through everyday life, business operations, and the national economy. General Moussa Salaou Barmou, once a central figure in Niamey’s ruling junta, has been placed under house arrest following his removal as Chief ofContinue Reading
A violent mutiny at Niamey’s Air Base 101 in late August ended with devastating consequences—claiming the lives of at least 13 members of the Presidential Guard and leaving numerous others wounded in heavy-weapon clashes. Though fewer than 20 rebels were apprehended during subsequent security sweeps, the incident laid bare deepContinue Reading