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For many students in Chad, school holidays are not just a time to rest. They become a chance to learn real-life skills. In N'Djamena, Léa, a 10th‑grade student from the Kilwiti neighbourhood, has chosen to sell cassava. With a basin balanced on her head, she walks the streets of the capital every day looking for buyers.“I live with my mother in Kilwiti. I use the holidays to sell cassava, which helps me prepare for the next school term,” she explains.Léa says cassava prices range from 50 to 500 FCFA. Many other girls have also started this business, but it comes with difficulties.“Cassava has become expensive. Some customers think we overcharge for portions of 100 or 200 FCFA, not realising we buy the goods at a high price ourselves; we cannot sell at a loss,” she confides. Fortunately, sh...

In a globalised economy where trust has become the most valuable currency, Africa is accelerating its regulatory transformation. The Togolese capital will host the 3rd edition of the “Compliance and Risk Officers Meeting” on 8 and 9 July 2026. This event, now firmly established on the continent’s professional calendar, is set to bring together more than 1,000 African and European experts. Moreover, this gathering in Lomé lays the groundwork for a critical issue facing the continent: how to reconcile economic growth, the demands of international donors and business ethics? Compliance: the new shield for African institutions Long seen as a secondary administrative constraint, compliance has emerged as the strategic heart of financial institutions and multinationals operating on the continent...

Seven years after the fire that ravaged Sonara, its managing director stepped up to the microphone and solemnly declared to the world's media that the refinery would rise again on Monday, June 29, 2026. One would have expected at least a memorandum of understanding with a financial partner. Instead, it was a statement issued after a meeting of four ministers to assess reconstruction costs and financing methods, even before seeking partners on the market. The chosen financing model is Design-Build-Finance-Maintain (DBFM), covering design, construction, financing and maintenance of the facilities. If seven years after the Sonara fire the project has only reached this stage, how long will it take to find a partner who, through well-known Cameroonian methods, will come sign an agreement before...

On Saturday, 20 June 2026, the official events for World Refugee Day 2026 took place at the Maison des jeunes in Natitingou, Benin. The opening ceremony was led by Djibril MAMA CISSE, Minister of Interior and Public Security, alongside Aminatou SAR, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Benin, and Thomas WYLLIE, Deputy Regional Director of the UNHCR for West Africa. The programme included speeches, a tour of exhibition stands showcasing income-generating activities run by refugees, and a tree-planting session. “Until everyone is safe” was the international theme chosen this year to encourage reflection on the situation of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide. According to updated figures, Benin currently hosts 29,000 refugees and asylum seekers, with an additional 14,000 individuals awai...

A large number of students were kidnapped after Boko Haram fighters attacked a school in Lassa, located in Borno state, northeastern Nigeria. The assault took place early in the morning at a government secondary school while a biology exam was underway. The gunmen stormed the school compound and forcibly took many students. Borno state police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso confirmed the incident. He said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, taking advantage of the crowd at the weekly market in Lassa to blend in and approach the school. Authorities reported that a teacher was killed during the attack, while several students were taken away by the armed group. Following the abduction, Nigerian security forces launched a pursuit operation. Deputy commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Mohammed Musa...

The European Union and Benin are reinforcing their cooperation across economic, security, and sustainability fronts. In Brussels on 24 June 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Benin's President, Romuald Wadagni. Von der Leyen reiterated the EU's dedication to bilateral relations with Benin, highlighting a partnership built on mutual trust, predictability, and long-term economic investments. Both sides share common ambitions: eradicating poverty, fostering inclusive and sustainable development, and ensuring peace and stability in West Africa. They aim to convert this shared vision into tangible opportunities. During the meeting, the leaders expressed their commitment to deepening the partnership and accelerating cooperation under the Global Gateway strategy. Pr...

Up to now, three provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been affected by the Ebola epidemic: Ituri (which borders Uganda and South Sudan), North Kivu, and South Kivu. In Uganda, 20 cases have been recorded, including two deaths.Haut-Uélé has become the fourth Congolese province impacted. The area, adjacent to Ituri, shares borders with South Sudan and the Central African Republic.A person infected with the virus traveled from Ituri to Haut-Uélé, bringing the disease to the region, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB). Health officials reported that the patient died.Health authorities are working to trace the transmission chain and identify probable contacts. In many instances, the disease has spread through funeral rites. The body of an Ebola victim...

Fans will have to wait a little longer. On Monday evening, the French National Assembly rejected an amendment that would have required one Ligue 1 match per round to be broadcast free-to-air.The measure, approved in committee several weeks ago, was intended to be part of a broader bill reforming professional sports. Its aim was to allow a broadcaster to show one Ligue 1 game every weekend.Lawmakers who backed the amendment aimed to improve access to French football. In the explanatory memorandum, they argued that the growing number of broadcasters and subscription packages was pushing some fans away from domestic competitions. The proposal envisioned creating a specific package in future bidding rounds so that a channel could air one match each round. Supporters also believed that greater ...

The United Nations independent commission of inquiry has raised the alarm over what it describes as violence of "exceptional gravity" in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Presenting its findings on Monday, 29 June in Geneva, the commission detailed reports of sexual violence, unlawful executions, and the forced recruitment of children in the region. A deeply worrying trend During a session before the Human Rights Council, the commission disclosed that it had gathered testimonies pointing to a severe deterioration of the situation in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Residents, it said, are left "vulnerable and without protection" as the conflict escalates and public institutions weaken. "The information brought to our attention indicates a situation of exceptional gravity," stat...

The Gabon is hosting the second-cycle evaluation mission of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Libreville since June 29. Over three days, international experts, Gabonese authorities, and national institutions are reviewing anti-corruption prevention and asset recovery mechanisms. For Vice-President of the Government Hermann Immongault, CNLCEI President Nestor Mbou, and UNODC National Focal Point Séraphin Ondoumba, this assessment marks a major step in consolidating governance under the Fifth Republic.Gabon is undertaking a new international exercise to measure progress in the fight against corruption. Opened on June 29 in Libreville, the evaluation mission of the second cycle of the UNCAC review mechanism brings together representatives from the United Nations Offi...

Endeavour Mining, the gold producer responsible for over a quarter of Côte d'Ivoire's national output, unveiled its first country impact report for 2021-2025 on Monday, 29 June 2026 in Abidjan. The report, titled "Creating Tangible Value," details the company's contributions to the Ivorian economy.Laeticia Gadegbeku-Ouattara, vice president of public affairs and country director of Endeavour Mining in Côte d'Ivoire, presented the findings. She stated that between 2021 and 2025, Endeavour Mining injected 1,710 billion FCFA into the national economy. Of that sum, 644 billion FCFA went directly to the Ivorian state, while 904 billion FCFA was spent on purchases from local suppliers."In Côte d'Ivoire, we are the largest mining company. We want the gold we produce to be sustainable gold, with w...