News

The Supreme Court’s emergency judge has declined to intervene in the ongoing dispute surrounding Ousmane Sonko’s status as a member of Parliament. In a decisive ruling, the court asserted that the matter falls strictly within the internal jurisdiction of the parliamentary institution, thereby refusing to interfere in what it deemed a procedural issue reserved for the National Assembly itself. The decision comes after the Union nationale des indépendants du Sénégal filed a legal challenge contesting the validity of the procedure that allowed Sonko to reclaim his parliamentary seat before assuming the presidency of the National Assembly. This latest judicial maneuver compounds an already complex legal landscape, following the Constitutional Council’s earlier refusal in June to review a simi...

The Port of Abidjan has cemented its economic partnerships with Ouagadougou, Bamako and Niamey, reaffirming its position as a regional logistics hub even as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS in early 2024. Officials confirmed the deepening commercial ties on July 16, prioritizing uninterrupted flow of goods to landlocked Sahelian nations. Record-breaking throughput in 2025 The Autonomous Port of Abidjan reported a 16% year-on-year increase in overall cargo volume in 2025, reflecting sustained demand from Sahelian hinterlands. Despite geopolitical tensions, the port remains the primary gateway for imports destined for landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. This performance reinforces Abidjan’s lead as West Africa’s busiest francophone port, surpassing Lomé and Cotonou. Po...

Washington raises alarm: three Sahel nations added to 'do not travel' list The United States Department of State has once again updated its global travel advisory system, placing 23 countries under its most severe warning level—Level 4, designated as “Do Not Travel.” Among these high-risk destinations are three key members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES): Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The move underscores a growing security crisis in the region, where terrorism continues to spread unchecked. Level 4 advisory: what it means for travelers and diplomats The U.S. government’s four-tier warning system serves as a clear signal to American citizens evaluating travel plans. Level 4, the highest classification, carries a stern advisory: avoid all travel to the designated countries. The rati...

By January 1, 2027, the Republic of Chad will welcome all African travelers without the burden of visa requirements. This landmark decision was unveiled by President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno during the opening ceremony of the African Water Forum in N’Djamena, signaling a bold step toward deeper continental integration. The announcement, made in the presence of regional leaders and global delegates, underscores Chad’s commitment to fostering seamless movement across Africa. It places the country among a select group of African nations—including Benin, Togo, Rwanda, Ghana, Gambia, Seychelles, and the Congo—that have already embraced visa-free policies for all African citizens. Speaking from the podium, President Déby Itno emphasized Chad’s historic role as a crossroads of human connection:...

Depuis Rabat, Sébastien Lecornu veut "changer d'échelle" dans la relation entre la France et le MarocSébastien Lecornu est en visite à Rabat, au Maroc, pour consolider le rapprochement entre les deux pays, jeudi 16 juillet. Accompagné de douze ministres, dont le ministre de l'Intérieur, le premier ministre effectue son premier déplacement à l’étranger.Aujourd'hui à 12h41 | Durée : 1:36PartagerX By Fati Seyni — Analyst

In a bold move to revitalize Benin’s economic backbone, the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Employment embarked on a high-impact field visit, marking a decisive shift in government policy. On July 15, 2026, the Minister toured two key institutions—the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (ADPME) and the Artisan Development Fund (FDA)—to assess progress, remove operational bottlenecks, and empower local entrepreneurs and artisans as drivers of national growth. A hands-on approach to smarter public policy This two-site visit was far from a routine check-in. It followed a week-long national tour through the departments of Mono, Couffo, Zou, and Collines, reinforcing the Minister’s commitment to on-the-ground governance. By engaging directly with technical ...

FRANCE2 minute readFrance–Morocco: deepening strategic ties as Lecornu visits RabatFrench Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu landed in Rabat for a two-day official visit aimed at bolstering the strategic partnership between France and Morocco, following a period of fluctuating diplomatic relations.ShareFrench Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Rabat on Wednesday evening for a two-day official visit designed to reinforce the strategic partnership between France and Morocco, amid growing diplomatic rapprochement.Welcomed by Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Lecornu is accompanied by a delegation of twelve French ministers. This visit follows a period of sometimes strained relations between Paris and Rabat, as both nations seek to deepen their cooperation.During his stay, Sébast...

Economic DevelopmentGabon turns mining revenue into local developmentBy Editorial Team July 16, 2026 147 No commentLibreville, Thursday, July 16, 2026 — For decades, African nations have exported vast mineral wealth while the communities living near mining sites often struggled with crumbling infrastructure, weak public services, and a persistent sense of economic exclusion. Gabon is now challenging this long-standing pattern by redirecting a portion of its mining revenue back into local development.Under a revised agreement between the Gabonese government and Compagnie Minière de l’Ogooué—a leading global producer of high-grade manganese and a subsidiary of France’s Eramet—20% of the proportional mining royalty is now allocated to the Local Community Development Fund. An additional share,...

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu arrived in Rabat on Wednesday for a landmark official visit, marking a decisive step in deepening Franco-Moroccan relations under a renewed diplomatic framework. The visit, which follows President Emmanuel Macron’s historic 2024 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, signals a strategic realignment in North Africa that has unsettled regional dynamics. Thursday’s meetings between Lecornu and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch aimed to solidify a partnership described by both sides as a “game-changer.” The French leader emphasized the need to “scale up” cooperation across security, counterterrorism, and economic domains, framing Morocco as a key ally in addressing shared challenges such as jihadist threats in the Sahel. Earlier...

Rabat, Morocco, hosted the 17th Pan-African Ministerial Forum of CAFRAD on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Ahead of the 61st session of the Board of Directors, Benin’s Minister of Budget and Public Service, Rodrigue Chaou, presented his nation's forward-thinking vision. Through comprehensive digitalization of services and impactful structural reforms, Cotonou is establishing itself as a prime example of modern governance, determined to transform its public administration into a powerful engine for economic growth and a leader in governance Africa.a strategic summit for africa's public service futureThis high-level gathering convened in the Moroccan capital, a historic nexus for South-South cooperation. Since its inception in 1964, the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Deve...

Rabat is playing host to a pivotal diplomatic event on Thursday, July 16, as the fifteenth edition of the high-level joint committee meeting between Morocco and France gets underway. This gathering underscores the deepening ties between the two nations, framed within their exceptional reinforced partnership. a meeting under royal and presidential auspices Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron, this session brings together senior officials from both governments to deliberate on key bilateral priorities. A recent communiqué from the Moroccan government highlighted the significance of this dialogue in consolidating cooperation across multiple sectors. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, French Ambassador Philippe Lalliot emphasized the...

Tchad lifts visa requirements for africans in 2027 Illustrative image of visa policy changes © DR N'Djamena has announced the elimination of visa requirements for African travelers starting January 1, 2027. The landmark decision was revealed on July 15 during the opening of the African Water Forum, which was held in the capital with support from the World Bank. This policy shift will allow citizens from African countries to enter Chad without prior visa formalities. With this move, the Central African nation aligns itself with a select group of African countries that have embraced more open border policies. The announcement carries significant political weight, particularly as the African Union has long advocated for smoother movemen...