The African Tribune

Along its northern frontiers, where the terrorist threat has never genuinely receded, Benin has settled on a firm line of action: the country will not allow an asymmetric war to dictate its calendar. That conviction has now taken a concrete shape — the closure and relocation of several schools located inside the "red zones" of the Atacora and Alibori departments, moved toward protected perimeters. This is statecraft built on foresight rather than repair. By stepping ahead of the danger, public authorities strip non-state armed groups of their favourite mechanism: surprise. Ambushes and strikes on vulnerable targets only succeed when the target is unprepared. Across the sub-region, classrooms have repeatedly become scenes of violence, a tactic designed to dismantle education systems and sp...

Lomé, 14 September 2026 — West Africa's health policy landscape has a new architect. On 1 September 2026, professor Palokinam Pitché stepped into the presidency of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), one of the most influential technical posts in the region. His rise to the job came through the renewal of ECOWAS governing bodies for the 2026-2030 period, and it hands the community institution a rare combination of clinical expertise and long-range strategic thinking drawn from Togo's medical and university circles. Two decades on the front line of the HIV response Across roughly twenty years, Palokinam Pitché helped redraw the way mainstream medicine confronts the great epidemics of sub-Saharan Africa. A seasoned clinician and a researcher whose name carries weight far beyond nati...

When Moussa Salaou Barmou was removed from the head of Niger's armed forces, barely a fortnight after the failed takeover attempt of 28 and 29 August, the decision opened a far deeper question than that of a routine military reshuffle. In this crisis, General Barmou emerges above all as the embodiment of a fault line: how far can Niger accept that a foreign force takes a direct part in a confrontation between Nigeriens? The general is not the traitor some portray General Moussa Salaou Barmou is no stranger to Niger's army. A former head of the special forces and chief of staff of the armed forces since 2023, he belongs to the innermost military circle that came out of the overthrow of Mohamed Bazoum. Until his removal, he was a central piece in the CNSP's hold on power. Yet on 11 Septem...

Close to 80 Malian soldiers are believed to have lost their lives on 10 September when assailants stormed the FAMa camp at Dioura, in the Mopti region. A few hours after the fighting, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, claimed the operation, stating that it had seized the base before withdrawing. Several troops remain unaccounted for, while others are said to have been taken prisoner. In the villages surrounding the camp, dread has quickly turned into a well-worn question: if the army cannot hold its own positions, who will shield the communities living beside them? The heaviest single loss for the Malian army in months The assault on Dioura stands among the most lethal episodes endured by Mali's armed forces in recent times. From the figures avai...

Une pièce inattendue vient de relancer l'enquête sur les réseaux de migration clandestine au Sénégal. Un carnet manuscrit de 200 pages, attribué à un passeur présumé surnommé Malian, a été versé au dossier judiciaire à Dakar. Ce document détaille l'organisation d'une filière structurée autour du slogan Barça walla Barsakh, c'est-à-dire Barcelone ou la mort, une devise qui hante les candidats au départ depuis les côtes ouest-africaines. L'affaire met en lumière l'ampleur d'un phénomène qui pèse toujours sur la jeunesse sénégalaise et sur la sécurité maritime de la région. Un carnet de comptes qui documente la filière Le manuscrit décrit avec précision les listes de passagers, les montants perçus et les itinéraires prévus depuis les plages sénégalaises vers les îles Canaries. Cette comptabil...

Conakry – Guinea's president, Mamadi Doumbouya, is set to return to Conakry on Monday, September 14, 2026, following his state visit to Côte d'Ivoire. The Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic made the announcement on Sunday. Per the statement, the head of state will arrive in the Guinean capital during the day on Monday. A welcoming ceremony is scheduled for 12 noon at Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport. Several state officials have been invited to attend the president's reception. These include the president of the National Assembly, the prime minister, heads of republican institutions, government members, as well as senior military and security officials. The chiefs of staff of the various branches of the armed forces, the high commander of the National Gendarmerie, and ...

Elversberg are playing their first season in the top flight after finishing second in the 2. Bundesliga last term with 62 points. Vincent Wagner's side have made a strong start, winning both of their opening fixtures to sit fourth on six points. The Saarland club beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 on 29 August through goals from Lukas Petkov, Cole Campbell and David Mokwa, then came from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at Mönchengladbach on 5 September, with Maurice Krattenmacher scoring twice. With seven goals, Elversberg boast the best attack in the league. Krattenmacher will face his former club: the 20-year-old winger left Bayern for Elversberg last June. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have four points and sit sixth, two points behind their hosts. Vincent Kompany's men opened their campaign with a 5-1 win over ...