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Mauritania’s Supreme Court has confirmed a 15-year prison sentence for former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on charges of illicit enrichment and money laundering, marking the end of a historic legal process and setting a new regional precedent for the prosecution of financial crimes by former heads of state.

The trial of 25 senior figures from Algeria’s state-run metals group Imetal, including former executives and public officials, is set to begin on November 24 in Algiers. The case involves allegations of large-scale corruption, public fund diversion, and favoritism in public contracts, exposing deeper risks of opaque management in Algerian state-run industries. Prosecutors say the scandal contributed to production losses and repeated breakdowns at strategic facilities.

A string of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali—including the abduction of five Indian technicians and an Emirati businessman—highlights the increasing risks for foreign workers engaged in energy, mining, and infrastructure projects. The evolving tactics of armed groups and complex negotiation processes have led companies to overhaul security protocols and adjust operations to cope with persistent threats.