Sifi Grine in Bamako: why Assimi Goïta’s junta had to soften its line toward Algiers
Algerian prime minister Sifi Grine travelled to Bamako on Monday for an official visit that put him side by side with the man steering Mali, army general Assimi Goïta. The setting was the Koulouba palace, and the message was crafted to look like a turning point for two neighbouring SahelContinue Reading
Cameroon’s Martinez Zogo case: key investigator faces tough questioning in court
Colonel Jean-Pierre Otoulou took the witness stand to defend the conduct of his investigation into the death of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo. He insisted that he had gathered solid evidence, particularly regarding attempts by Bruno Bidjang—at the time an associate of businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, one of the main defendants—toContinue Reading
Sovereignty on credit in Burkina Faso: what the war effort truly costs the nation
Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré assumed power, an official narrative has gradually taken hold: that of a Burkina Faso which has reclaimed command of its own future, curbed its reliance on foreign actors and chosen to bankroll its campaign against armed groups from its own treasury. Politically, the message lands well.Continue Reading
Dioura assault: Mali’s army endures its heaviest defeat yet at the hands of JNIM
A dawn assault that shattered a Malian army camp On the morning of Thursday 10 September 2026, fighters of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) stormed the military base at Dioura, a locality in the Tenenkou circle of central Mali. For hours on end the positionContinue Reading
Niger’s 334 billion FCFA tax arrears: a state kneeling before its economic giants
In Niger, tax inspectors display tireless zeal when they descend on informal traders and corner shops. Send them after the country’s heavyweight corporations, however, and that same administration suddenly loses its footing. A newly documented stock of unpaid tax liabilities — 334 billion FCFA — shows just how lopsided theContinue Reading
Benin’s AME teachers enter a new phase in 2026-2027
As the 2026-2027 academic year opens in Benin, the Aspirants au Métier d’Enseignant — known simply as AME — are moving into a fresh stage of their professional journey. After a series of decisions designed to lift their earnings and their living standards, the authorities have now launched a step-by-stepContinue Reading
Swapping patrons is not freedom: the sovereignty illusion under Ibrahim Traoré
There is one sentence from General Yacouba Isaac Zida that cuts straight through the political theatre staged in Ouagadougou: real sovereignty, he argues, is not about picking which foreign power to lean on, but about building the capacity to lean on nobody at all. With that single observation, the formerContinue Reading
Torn water sacks and swelling anger: Niamey turns against the Russian force in Niger
Thousands of plastic water sachets, slit open and stamped into the ground in the middle of a street. The precious liquid meant for the Russian fighters of Africa Corps seeped away into the dry soil of the Sahel, drowned out by the shouts of an angry crowd. Filmed and passedContinue Reading
Burkina Faso blocks former prime minister Kyélem de Tambèla from leaving the country
Apollinaire Kyélem de Tambèla, who headed Burkina Faso’s government as prime minister, has been barred from travelling beyond the country’s borders, a measure attributed to the authorities led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The restriction adds another chapter to the tightening grip that the transitional power exercises over a number ofContinue Reading
Cameroun : Yaoundé mobilise 432 millions USD pour racheter Société Générale Cameroun
Le Cameroun est engagé dans une course contre la montre pour réunir les fonds nécessaires au rachat de la Société Générale Cameroun (SGC), désormais appelée ex-filiale du groupe français. L’opération pourrait mobiliser jusqu’à 432 millions de dollars, soit environ 260 milliards de francs CFA. Cette somme couvre à la foisContinue Reading
Burkina Faso : 104 milliards pour l’énergie, mais des arriérés envers la Côte d’Ivoire
Le gouvernement du Burkina Faso a approuvé une enveloppe de 104,175 milliards de francs CFA pour renforcer les infrastructures électriques. L’objectif : raccorder plus de 250 000 foyers et hisser le taux d’électrification à 70 % d’ici 2030. Ce programme s’inscrit dans le Pacte national de l’énergie et le planContinue Reading
Bénin : le Sénat tient sa séance inaugurale sous la houlette de Patrice Talon
Une première séance plénière historique à Cotonou Les sénateurs béninois se sont réunis pour la toute première fois en séance plénière officielle ce mardi 15 septembre 2026 à Cotonou, au siège provisoire de l’institution. Cette rencontre marque le démarrage effectif des activités de la chambre haute du Parlement. Des prioritésContinue Reading