Top Stories

Groundbreaking announcement at Abidjan open days The World Bank Group’s active portfolio in Côte d’Ivoire now includes 25 projects, totaling $5.3 billion, as announced by Minister Amadou COULIBALY during the opening of the first-ever World Bank Group Open Days in Abidjan on September 21, 2026. Government and World Bank unite for inclusive growth The two-day event, held September 21–22 under the theme “Jobs and opportunities: building together for inclusive growth”, brought together government officials, including representatives from the Ministries of Planning and Development, alongside Marie-Chantal UWANYILIGIRA, World Bank Country Director for Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea, and Togo. The open days provided a platform for students, recent graduates, and entrepreneurs to engage directly wi...

Officially, Lomé presents its role as a regional mediation effort in the name of peace. In practice, the presence of foreign armed movement cadres on Togolese soil lays bare a far more cynical political mechanism. The loud arrest of Luc Beyam, a senior official of the Movement for Justice and Rectification in Chad (MJRT), over nothing more than unpaid hotel bills, is just the visible tip of a tacit bargain. Behind the asylum offered to these fighters lies a clear strategic trade: by giving Chadian insurgents a safe haven, President Faure Gnassingbé secures in return their know-how, their surveillance networks and their strike capacity — enough to lock down the domestic political arena and smother any national challenge. Protection in exchange for a security lock-down The installation of C...

Weeks have passed and still no sign of Moussa Kaka. The Nigerien journalist, director general of Radio Télévision Saraounia (RTS) and one of the most recognisable voices in Sahelian news, has not been seen or heard from since he left his home in Niamey. No official reason for his absence has been issued by the transitional authorities, and the silence around his fate has hardened into a fresh test for press freedom in the region. What is known about the case Kaka left his residence in the capital and never returned. No arrest warrant, detention notice or formal charge has been made public by any branch of the state, and the steps taken by his family, colleagues and lawyer with security services and police stations across Niamey have produced nothing but closed doors. That absence of any o...

Yaoundé — Four journalists in Cameroon have been handed severe penalties in a controversial case sparked by a single pair of eyeglasses belonging to a high-ranking minister. The ruling has sent shockwaves through the media landscape and raised serious concerns about press freedom in the country. Court ruling delivers heavy blow to Cameroonian press The High Court of Yaoundé has concluded the long-running dispute over a pair of eyeglasses allegedly belonging to Cameroon’s Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development. The case centered on accusations that the journalists published false information linking the minister to the possession of unauthorized luxury eyewear. Despite objections from defense teams highlighting the lack of concrete evidence, the court sided with t...

At least 358 fighters from the Russian paramilitary force operating in Mali have been killed since it first deployed at the end of 2021. The contingent arrived under the Wagner banner and now fights under the Africa Corps label. The figure — assembled from cross-checked conflict data and field information — marks a threshold that sits badly with the official line about a security reconquest across the Sahel. A milestone that undercuts the reconquest narrative For three years, Mali's military authorities have presented their Russian partnership as the answer to a decade of failed counter-insurgency. The death toll tells a different story: a steady flow of losses that has accelerated sharply over the past year, draining a force that was supposed to tip the balance on the battlefield. Sévaré ...

Bamako, Mali — On the eve of Mali's 66th Independence Day, President Assimi Goïta delivered a dual-message address, vowing an intensified military response against jihadist groups while simultaneously extending an olive branch for national reconciliation.Military escalation amid rising attacksThe president's televised address came in response to a deadly resurgence of violence. In a single weekend last month, militant forces launched coordinated attacks on military positions in central Mali, culminating in a devastating assault on the Dioura barracks that claimed over 100 soldier lives.The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, has claimed responsibility for multiple recent operations. These attacks underscore the growing threat these groups pose to regio...

Liam Rosenior’s shock transfer to Chelsea in January has ignited a firestorm among RC Strasbourg supporters, with the move’s timing and ownership ties drawing fierce criticism. The controversy has now reached the Ligue 1’s official review panel, where analysts dissect the fallout. The timing that broke trust Strasbourg’s fans have voiced outrage not just over Rosenior’s departure but its circumstances. The club was performing well in Ligue 1 and competing in the Conference League when the manager left mid-season. And the twist? His new employer is BlueCo—the same ownership group that controls both Strasbourg and Chelsea. This perceived conflict of interest has fueled accusations of double standards. As one analyst noted, "If Rosenior had joined a rival club, the reaction wouldn’t have be...

Cameroon's security at a crossroads: Atonfack Guemo issues urgent vigilance call The nation stands at a pivotal moment as global instability escalates. In a direct address from the Ministry of Defense's communications director, Atonfack Guemo delivered a blunt message on the urgent need for nationwide vigilance to preserve Cameroon's hard-won stability. Global instability fuels regional insecurity Across continents, armed conflicts—both between states and through asymmetric warfare—have intensified. Low-intensity yet high-fatality shootings alone claim over 200,000 lives globally each year. This pervasive violence fosters deep-seated insecurity, which terrorist networks exploit to expand their reach despite international condemnation and sanctions. Attacks, bombings, hostage situations...

Blood coltan: M23's brutal control exposed in eastern DRC mining sites Amnesty International uncovers widespread human rights violations by armed group Amnesty International has accused the M23 rebel group—backed by Rwanda—of committing "appalling human rights violations" against artisanal miners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These abuses occur in mining sites supplying critical minerals like coltan, a key component in global electronics manufacturing. The M23 has seized control of vast territories since its resurgence in 2021, including Rubaya, a mining hub producing 15% of the world's coltan. The group imposes taxes on mineral production and trade—a claim the M23 has repeatedly denied. Brief executions, forced labor, and systematic violence documented In a new...