Wednesday, November 11
Burkina Faso’s escalating crackdown on press freedom: french journalists expelled
4Apr By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
Culture

Burkina Faso’s escalating crackdown on press freedom: french journalists expelled

Click to expand Image Une télévision montre le signal coupé de la chaîne France 24, quelques heures après que le gouvernement militaire du Burkina Faso ait suspendu la chaîne, le 27 mars 2023. © 2023 Olympia de Maismont/AFP via Getty Images The transitional military government in Burkina Faso has delivered another blow to media freedom, ordering the departure of two French journalists, Agnès Faivre of Libération and Sophie Douce from Le Monde. Both reporters possessed valid visas and official accreditations, underscoring the arbitrary nature of their removal from the country. Reports from both newspapers indicate that on March 31, national intelligence agents summoned and questioned the two journ...
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Panafrican influencer blocked in Paris for alleged prorussian propaganda ties
17Oct By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
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Panafrican influencer blocked in Paris for alleged prorussian propaganda ties

A fierce battle for influence is unfolding across Africa as France and Russia engage in a high-stakes information war. Since Moscow’s 2018 intervention in the Central African Republic, Russia has aggressively pursued a hybrid warfare strategy to weaken France’s historical ties with the continent. By exploiting and manipulating public opinion, Moscow aims to replace Paris as the dominant external power in Africa’s strategic regions. While France has only recently acknowledged this covert campaign—previously visible in other global theaters since at least 2014—it is now countering with its own defensive measures. The stakes couldn’t be higher: Africa’s geopolitical landscape is shifting, and the outcome will determine which global powers shape the continent’s future alliances and economic p...
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Reforming health financing in Niger through stronger partner coordination
18May By Fati SeyniNo Comments
Politics

Reforming health financing in Niger through stronger partner coordination

bridging gaps in health financing for universal coverage in Niger Nestled in West Africa, the Niger faces formidable challenges: recurring armed conflicts and prolonged droughts have strained its health system, pushing maternal and child mortality rates among the highest globally. In response, the Government of Niger has committed to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), building on lessons from past attempts to expand access to essential health services. In 2006, as health outcomes reached a critical low, the Government launched a bold initiative: free healthcare for women and children under five. This policy provided free reproductive health services, family planning, and a wide range of pediatric care. While the program showed early promise, its progress was derailed by chronic u...
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Pro-russian voices in africa: the networks of influence behind kremlin support
31Mar By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
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Pro-russian voices in africa: the networks of influence behind kremlin support

From the corridors of the Kremlin to the streets of African capitals, a network of influential figures actively promotes pro-Russian narratives across the continent. Among them, a mix of activists, media personalities, and political operators has emerged as key players in shaping public opinion and advancing Moscow’s interests in Africa. the kremlin’s african networks: how influence operations take shape At the heart of these efforts is Evgueni Prigojine, a close ally of Vladimir Poutine and the financier behind the Wagner Group. Prigojine leverages various fronts, including the Afric association, led by Mozambican academic José Matemulane from Maputo. The group, presided over by Ioulia Afanasieva—a longtime associate of Prigojine—serves as a conduit for pro-Kremlin messaging in Africa. ...
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19Aug By Fati SeyniNo Comments
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Mali faces severe human rights violations in 2025

Human Rights Crisis in Mali: A 2025 Overview In 2025, Mali continues to grapple with a deepening human rights crisis, marked by severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms. Authorities have further clamped down on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, with political opponents and civil society members facing arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and detentions. Both government forces and allied armed groups have been implicated in unlawful killings and violent attacks against civilians. Additionally, militant factions have imposed severe blockades, crippling access to essential services in several urban centers. As of mid-2025, over 2,036 schools remain shuttered due to the escalating conflict, depriving countless children of their right to education. Political...
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1Jun By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
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Niger’s health common fund evaluated by french development agency

The Niger health sector has long grappled with structural underfunding, prompting the launch of a multi-donor initiative: the Health Common Fund. Established in 2006 under the guidance of the Ministry of Public Health, with initial support from the Agence française de développement (AFD) and the World Bank, this fund now unites six major donors. Between 2015 and 2019, it mobilized an impressive €91 million to bolster the country's healthcare system. Designed to enhance population health—particularly for women and children—the fund aligns with Niger's Health Development Plan (PDS), strengthening the government's capacity to deliver nationwide health services. A recent evaluation, featured in AFD's Africa report, highlights both achievements and areas for growth within this innovative finan...
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Measles outbreak surges in Niger amid vaccination gaps
19May By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
News

Measles outbreak surges in Niger amid vaccination gaps

measles outbreak surges in Niger amid vaccination gaps19 may 2021related insights to exploreVaccination: protecting the greatest numberconnected initiativesNiger: pediatric care in the southern regionsNiger: support for displaced persons and refugees in DiffaDr. François Rubona serves as the medical coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières in Niger. Since February, MSF teams have mobilized vaccination campaigns across multiple regions to combat early measles outbreaks. Below is an overview of the current epidemic situation in the country.current measles epidemic status in NigerThis year has seen a dramatic spike in measles cases compared to 2020. Official data from Niger’s Ministry of Public Health reveals that by the end of the first quarter of 2021, the country had recorded 3,213 measles...
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Urgent call for human rights protection for peul communities in Burkina Faso
1Oct By Fati SeyniNo Comments
News

Urgent call for human rights protection for peul communities in Burkina Faso

statement as the 45th session of the human rights council concludes in the coming days, the world organisation against torture and its sos-torture network partners implore the special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and all council members to direct critical attention towards the peul populations of Burkina Faso. these communities find themselves ensnared in the intense struggle against terrorism across the Sahel region. since 2016, the peul people in Burkina Faso have been subjected to grave human rights violations, actions that frequently align with international crimes. the sheer scale of massacres in certain localities suggests a potential ethnic cleansing, characterized by their widespread, systematic, and indiscriminate nature. these incidents pre...
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Burkina Faso launches nationwide polio vaccination drive in seven regions
18Sep By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
News

Burkina Faso launches nationwide polio vaccination drive in seven regions

Burkina Faso launches nationwide polio vaccination drive in seven regions The Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, in partnership with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), has initiated a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting children under five in seven regions of the country. The four-day immunization drive, running from September 18 to 21, 2020, aims to protect over 2 million children across the Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, and Centre-Est regions. This initiative follows the detection of a polio case in January 2020 in the Ouargaye health district, which prompted an initial localized response before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted vaccination efforts. impact of covid-19 on polio vaccination efforts James Mugaju, Deputy Re...
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Escalating human rights concerns: un urges Sahel armies to uphold international law
5Jun By Harouna OusmaneNo Comments
Authoritarian Regimes & Africa

Escalating human rights concerns: un urges Sahel armies to uphold international law

Africa Escalating human rights concerns: un urges Sahel armies to uphold international law Allegations of severe human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and summary executions, are increasingly being leveled against military personnel from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These forces are actively engaged in counter-jihadist operations across the Sahel region, prompting significant concern from the United Nations. During a Security Council videoconference focused on the Sahel, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, emphatically stated on Friday, "I urge the G5 Sahel Joint Force and its member states to spare no effort" in upholding human rights. This growing apprehension has been consistently voiced for sever...
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New pediatric unit in Koutiala hospital Mali
21Nov By Fati SeyniNo Comments
Top Stories

New pediatric unit in Koutiala hospital Mali

new pediatric unit in Koutiala hospital Malipediatricsexplore Koutiala, Mali, where our teams built a new pediatric unit to tackle child mortality.since 2009, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has run a pediatric program in Koutiala, southeastern Mali, to reduce child mortality through prevention and curative care across the region. To enhance care for young patients, MSF constructed a modern pediatric unit in Koutiala, following the project for over a year.malaria is a leading cause of child mortality in Koutiala. Affected children often lose their appetite, leading to malnutrition, while malnourished children become vulnerable to severe illnesses. MSF provides free, high-quality hospital care for critically ill children and strengthens pediatric services and access to healthcare in villages...
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