By Arezki Daoud: I was in Algeria last week and it was difficult to ignore the escalating diplomatic tension between...
International Bound
France’s Far-Right Pushes to End 1968 Franco-Algerian Treaty, Escalating Diplomatic Tensions
[Photo: French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau] France’s far-right movement has been escalating diplomatic tensions...
Franco-Algerian relations set to worsen over planned military maneuvers in Morocco
On 6 March 2025, Algeria summoned French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet to convey its opposition to the planned...
Building a Road to Nowhere? Morocco’s Unfinished Push to Mauritania
Morocco road project, Es-Semara road, Morocco Mauritania border, road to nowhere, Sahel connectivity, Morocco Algeria...
Libya Refutes ‘Best Option’ Claim for Gaza Displacement
Libya has been in the news lately in relation to the crisis in Gaza. Reports have been suggesting that Libya may be a...
Syria’s New Ruler Faces Jihadist Rebellion and Internal Strife
Ahmed Al-Charaa, once a top jihadist leader, now rules Syria after toppling Bashar al-Assad. But his grip on power is...
Franco-Algerian Diplomatic Relations in Turmoil
The Franco-Algerian diplomatic relations are going through a turbulent period. The latest signs of discord between...
Sahel: Mali and Canadian mining firm Barrick are talking again
Mali’s junta and Canadian gold mining firm Barrick Gold went back to the negotiating table to find a compromise in...
France’s decades-long military presence in Africa is winding down
France’s decades-long military presence in Africa is winding down as countries like Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire announce...
While the Sahel Faces Worsening Security Climate, Juntas Leverage Regional Integration to Consolidate Power
The demise of the Bachar Al-Assad regime in Syria is giving the Sahelian juntas of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso second...
Could Syria Avoid a Repeat of the Libyan Disaster: Opinion by Arezki Daoud
By Arezki Daoud: What is happening in Syria cannot leave us insensitive to the plight of the Syrian people, who have...
Sahel: Inside Chad’s Risky Alliance in Sudan’s Conflict
Chadian President Mahamat Déby’s support for Sudan’s Hemedti amid the Sudanese conflict has sparked tension at home,...
Sahel: Foreign Mining Firms Face Growing Risks as Juntas Assert Control Over Resources
Mining companies that have been operating in the Sahel for a long time are now experiencing a tectonic shift in their...
Sahel: A Primer on the Northern Mali Crisis
Northern Mali has always been a region of turmoil, and the responsibility for the misery there starts with the central...
Mali: The Failing Campaign of Wagner in Mali Presages Trouble for the Junta in Bamako
There have been more chatter and speculations about the activities of Russia’s mercenaries, formerly known as the...
Sahel: Wagner Lost Men in Tinzouatin, but Russia Sees Real ROI in the Sahel. It May Now Make a Move on Nigeria
Russia is seeing a good "return on its investment" in the Sahel. Both Mali and Niger have cut their ties with Ukraine...
France-Algeria: Emmanuel Macron stuns President Tebboune
Algeria and France are now going through another diplomatic crisis, culminating with the recall of Algeria's...
Morocco: King Mohammed VI gets France’s support on Western Sahara, pardons some jailed journalists and activists
King Mohammed VI is celebrating 25 years on the throne. The event was celebrated nationwide in Morocco, and in a...
How to MEGA or ‘Make Europe Great Again’
By Arezki Daoud | LinkedIn | “Make France Great Again” -MFGA- that does not sound as an effective slogan as MAGA. How...
Algeria’s strengthening EU gas market pushes Morocco to look for its own gas
By Olivier Vallée | MondAfrique: Algeria was in the spotlight at the G7 summit in Bari in Italy in mid-June. New...
Algeria-Morocco: The Dividing Kaftan
The Kaftan or Caftan, is now source of new tension between Morocco and Algeria. The two countries have been monitoring...
Senegal at the Center of Another Geopolitical Fight
By Arezki Daoud: France is experiencing an unprecedented backlash in the Sahel and in West Africa. Disastrous...
Senegal: Disgraced President leaves office to find shelter in Marrakesh
By MondAfrique: A short video circulating on social media shows outgoing Senegalese President Macky Sall's departure...
US-Niger relations face uncertainty, with Niamey’s pivot to Russia
Audio version: The news: The visit a few days ago of a US government delegation to Niamey, the capital of Niger, did...
Niger and Mali up their anti-Western positions, lash out at France and US
Backlash against France continues in Niger, with several local media reporting that security and intelligence services...
War in Gaza forces former Middle East foes to seek reconciliation
By Mondafrique: The war in Gaza is forcing feuding States in the Middle East and in the Gulf to seek the path of...
Algeria-Morocco Competition for Regional Influence Shifts to Economic Affairs
Opinion By Arezki Daoud: Up until now, enemy brothers, Algeria and Morocco have been trying to impress and disrupt...
Growing pressure on Algeria and UAE to break ties: Can their leaders bypass pressure groups
A diplomatic crisis between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates has been brewing for some time, and it has now taken...
Podcast: The Sahel is the Next Big Geopolitical Crisis where Foreign Meddlers are Congregating
Transcript: The Sahel is now clearly the next big event in Africa's geopolitics. After the complete destruction of...
Sahel: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Announce Withdrawal from ECOWAS Bloc
In a significant development, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have decided to withdraw from the Economic Community of...
Sahel: Russia to experience boost of its influence in the Sahel
By Arezki Daoud: Russia’s influence in the Sahel is about to expand further with more cooperation deals announced by...
Sahel: Niger looking for alternative partners to France and the west
A major Nigerian delegation traveled to Moscow on Monday, 15 January 2024, in a tour that will visit Serbia, Turkey...
Mauritania: Sudden customs tax increase at border with Morocco jolts food markets in Mauritania
Households and consumers in Mauritania are experiencing spikes in food prices. A the Nouakchott fruit and vegetable...
Sahel: Qatar helps dissipate diplomatic tensions between Mali and Algeria
The North Africa Journal - Qatar has demonstrated its diplomatic skills in the Middle East crisis but it has also been...
Franco-Moroccan relations likely to remain strained as ties between Paris and Algiers strengthen
There has been noticeable strain in relations between France and Morocco, with the ties between the two being once...
Rising Storms: The Pact Uniting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Against Jihadists and Isolation
The military rulers of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have banded together in a joint defence pact to fight jihadists...
UN rapporteur on human rights pressures Algeria to release jailed activists
The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders on Tuesday urged Algeria to release all jailed human...
Niger: UN resumes humanitarian flights in Niger
The United Nations said it resumed humanitarian flights in Niger on Wednesday, suspended after a July coup in the...
In the Media: Pressure grows on Moroccan leaders over conflict in the Middle East
US World & News Report discusses the public pressure and protests in Morocco and other Arab nations in response to...
Sahel: As France’s presence in the Sahel deteriorates, US maintains ties and remains active
In a stark contrast to the declining French presence, the United States has displayed a robust commitment to the Sahel...
Niger braces for fresh EU sanctions
The European Union on Monday took a legal step towards imposing sanctions on Niger's new military rulers, who...
Israel-Gaza conflicts bleeds into Egypt, policeman kills two Israeli tourists and their guide in Alexandria
An Egyptian policeman shot dead two Israeli tourists and their Egyptian guide Sunday, local media and Israeli...
Sahel: Nigeria endorses Algeria’s mediation plan for Niger
The Sahel issues are now the domain of the Algerian military, who have sidelined the president and his aids due to...