Malian group asks Supreme Court to annul junta’s ban on political activities
Bamako, Mali Reuters The Malian Supreme Court should annul the ruling junta’s order to suspend political activities, a group of Malian political parties and civil society organisations said in an appeal on Monday. The West African country has been under military rule since a coup in 2020. Tensions have risen in recent weeks over the […]
Hundreds rally in Niger’s capital to push for US military departure
Niamey, Niger Reuters Hundreds took to the streets of Niger’s capital on Saturday to demand the departure of US troops, after the ruling junta further shifted its strategy by ending a military accord with the United States and welcoming Russian military instructors. Marching arm in arm through central Niamey, the crowd waved Nigerien flags in […]
Nearly 55 million people face hunger in West and Central Africa
Dakar. Senegal Reuters Soaring prices have helped fuel a food crisis in West and Central Africa, where nearly 55 million people will struggle to feed themselves in the coming months, UN humanitarian agencies warned on Friday. The number facing hunger during the June-August lean season has quadrupled over the last five years, they said, noting […]
Malian parties reject junta’s suspension of political activities
Bamako, Mali Reuters Malian political parties and civil society groups jointly rejected on Thursday the ruling junta’s order to suspend political activities and vowed to mount a legal challenge to what one opposition politician called the “dictatorial” move. The West African country has been under military rule since a coup in 2020. Tensions have risen […]
Mali’s junta suspends political party activities until further notice
Bamako, Mali Reuters Mali’s junta has issued a decree halting political party activities, government spokesperson Abdoulaye Maiga announced in a statement read on state television on Wednesday evening. The decree suspends until further notice all activities by political parties and “associations of a political nature” on the grounds of maintaining public order, the statement said. […]
Islamic State claims responsibility for attack on Niger army that killed dozens
Cairo, Egypt Reuters The Islamic State on Saturday claimed responsibility for an attack on Niger’s army that it said had killed 30 soldiers on Wednesday. The group said in a statement carried by its AMAQ news agency and posted on its Telegram channel that the soldiers were killed in an ambush on a convoy near […]
West decries Putin’s election win, China, India vow closer ties
London, UK Reuters Western governments lined up on Monday to condemn Vladimir Putin’s landslide election victory as unfair and undemocratic, but China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran Russian leader on extending his rule by a further six years. The contrasting reactions underscored the geopolitical fault lines that have gaped wider since Russia launched […]
Junta-led Sahel states to form joint force to fight insurgents
Niamey, Niger Reuters Junta-led Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have agreed to set up a joint force to tackle security threats across their territories, Niger’s armed forces chief Moussa Salaou Barmou said on Wednesday after a meeting with his counterparts. Flags of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali are seen during a demonstration that was called […]
Essay: West African trade bloc, ECOWAS, shaken as three member states withdraw and form their own alliance
OLUMBA E EZENWA and OLAYINKA AJALA, in an article first published on The Conversation, take a look at what’s happening in West Africa…
West African bloc lifts sanctions on junta-led Niger
Abuja, Nigeria Reuters The West African regional bloc said on the weekend it would lift strict sanctions on Niger as it seeks a new strategy to dissuade three junta-led states from withdrawing from the political and economic union – a move that threatens regional integration. Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States met […]