Politics

The ongoing blockade of Bamako is inflicting unacceptable hardships on civilians, threatening their fundamental rights to food, health, and safety, declared human rights advocates. They urge the Groupe de soutien à l'islam et aux musulmans (GSIM), an Al-Qaïda-linked armed faction, to comply with international humanitarian law and prioritize civilian protection. Since April 28, three critical routes leading to Bamako have been sealed off following the GSIM’s declaration of a total blockade on the capital. On May 6, armed assailants ambushed a civilian truck convoy transporting fruits between Bamako and Bougouni, deliberately targeting non-military vehicles. Eyewitness accounts confirm these trucks carried no military personnel or equipment, yet were subjected to violent attacks. « Attacks...

The political future of Côte d’Ivoire’s former president, Laurent Gbagbo, appears more vibrant than ever. Despite being barred from contesting the last presidential election due to a technicality involving legal terminology, the 80-year-old leader has reaffirmed his commitment to active politics. His decision comes at a time when his long-time rival, Alassane Ouattara, shows no signs of stepping down from the presidency, prompting Gbagbo to rally his supporters once again. The recent congress of the Parti des Peuples Africains-Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) in Abidjan’s Treichville Cultural Palace marked a turning point. Gbagbo was unanimously re-elected as the party’s president, a move framed as both a continuity gesture and a call for renewal. The PPA-CI, however, remains absent from recent ele...

The National Police Academy in Porto-Novo hosted an official launch ceremony on May 14, 2026, for preparatory training sessions leading to the Brevet d'Études Supérieures de Sécurité (BESS), the Diplôme d'État-Major des Forces de Sécurité (DEMES), and the Diplôme Spécial d'État-Major des Forces de Sécurité. Strengthening security leadership through elite training This milestone event underscores the Beninese government’s commitment to elevating the professional standards of its internal security forces. Under the distinguished patronage of Inspector General Kokou Brice Allowanou, Director General of the Republican Police, the ceremony brought together high-ranking military and administrative officials, top police executives, and leading academics. The Director of the National Police Acad...

The High Regulatory Authority of PASTEF-Les Patriotes (HARP) officially commenced the process for electing the party president on May 14, 2026. As outlined in its published Decision No. 001/2026/HARP, the window for submitting candidacies began on May 15 and will close precisely at noon on May 20, 2026. Addressing President Faye’s call for party reform? This recent decision does not grant any special privilege to the incumbent leader, Ousmane Sonko. Instead, it formally opens the leadership contest to all factions within the party. While the current Prime Minister retains the option to seek another term, the process explicitly avoids guaranteeing him an automatic path to the organization's top position. The establishment of this competitive framework directly reflects the public statements...

PoliticsChada year behind bars for chadian opposition leader succès masraThis Saturday, May 16, marks one full year since Succès Masra, a prominent Chadian opposition figure, was incarcerated. What remains of Les Transformateurs, the political party he founded?The former prime minister and president of Les Transformateurs was apprehended on charges of inciting hatred, following severe intercommunal violence in southern Chad. In August 2025, he received a 20-year prison sentence. For the leadership and activists of Les Transformateurs, this Saturday, May 16, marks a somber anniversary. It was on this date a year ago that their influential leader, Succès Masra, was taken from his home in the early morning hours. Despite their leader's year-long detention, the party maintains a reassuring s...

The case of Chadian opposition leader Succès Masra has now entered its second year, drawing significant attention from Western diplomatic missions monitoring Chad's transitional government. Detained in N'Djamena approximately a year ago, the former Prime Minister and head of the Les Transformateurs party is currently serving a twenty-year prison sentence. His sister, Chancelle Masra, residing in France, has broken her silence to condemn detention conditions she considers incompatible with her brother’s deteriorating health. Her urgent appeal emerges amidst a tense political climate, characterized by the consolidation of power by Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. A contested twenty-year sentence The Chadian court convicted the opposition figure based on an audio message he disseminated in 2023, whi...

History was made in Abidjan as the Parti des peuples africains-Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) solidified its leadership at a landmark convention. During the gathering, Laurent Gbagbo, 81, was overwhelmingly re-elected president, extending his tenure at the helm of the party he founded in late 2021. This followed his definitive split from the Front populaire ivoirien (FPI). The congress marked the first major gathering since the party’s inception and unfolded against the backdrop of shrinking influence for radical opposition groups in Côte d’Ivoire. Rebuilding political relevance in a shifting landscape The PPA-CI enters this new phase significantly weakened after opting to abstain from key electoral contests. The party notably skipped both the 2025 legislative and presidential elections, which we...

Tensions are escalating within the Parti des peuples africains – Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) just days before its highly anticipated first ordinary congress scheduled for May 14–15, 2026 in Abidjan. The party’s leadership, led by President Laurent Gbagbo, has issued a stern warning to its ranks: discipline violations will not be tolerated.In an official statement released on May 13, 2026, the PPA-CI announced disciplinary sanctions against 61 party cadres and activists deemed “unruly”. The decision, signed by Secretary-General Tchéidé Jean Gervais and endorsed by the party’s presidency, follows a directive from the party’s Strategic and Political Council (CSP) under resolution CSP n°02-2026/CSP/PPA-CI/KKJ/07052026. Its aim is to reinforce internal cohesion and ensure seamless preparations for t...

In Chad, the sentencing of eight political leaders from the Groupe de concertations des acteurs politiques (GCAP) to eight years in prison has sparked fierce political backlash. Just five days after the verdict, coalition spokesperson Hissein Abdoulaye broke his silence, condemning what he calls a deliberate attempt by authorities to silence dissenting voices. The ruling comes at a critical juncture as the Chadian government seeks to solidify the institutional framework established during the transition period. Sentence seen as a deliberate political maneuver The opposition coalition argues that the severity of the penalty is not a judicial coincidence but a calculated political move. This system wants to shut people up, Hissein Abdoulaye declared, reflecting the widespread belief that th...

A recent assessment of economic equality between men and women across Africa reveals a mixed picture, with some nations making notable strides while others, like Chad, continue to face significant challenges. The findings, detailed in the Women, Business and the Law 2026 report, highlight the varying pace of progress on the continent. Chad finds itself positioned 36th among 54 African economies, scoring 51.40 out of a possible 100 points. This places the nation just behind Burundi, which holds the 35th spot with 52.68 points, and marginally ahead of Botswana and Nigeria, both tied at 37th with 51.10 points. Such a ranking firmly places Chad in the latter half of the continental standings, distant from the leading countries that champion gender economic parity. Mauritius emerges as the top ...

A significant chapter closes in Côte d'Ivoire as the nation's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), the body responsible for organizing and overseeing elections for a quarter-century, has officially been dissolved. This pivotal development raises profound questions regarding the future of Ivorian democracy and the potential for a more harmonious political environment.The CEI, frequently a flashpoint for political tensions and a subject of intense debate, particularly from opposition factions, leaves behind a contested legacy. Its dissolution now paves the way for a new electoral framework, envisioned to foster a climate of trust and ensure genuinely peaceful elections across the nation.This significant political transition invites public discourse. What is your assessment of the CEI's qu...