Politics Bound

Extraction Without Value: Mali’s Role in the Global Lithium Rush$

Mali’s first lithium mine shows how global demand for critical minerals can leave local communities behind. While China secures the raw materials it needs, Mali risks missing the chance to build jobs, industries, and real value at home.

Tunisia: Armed Militias Attack the UGTT$

On August 7, 2025, unidentified men attempted to forcefully enter the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) offices in Tunis, calling for its dissolution, a day after President Kaïs Saïed, in reaction to a transport sector strike, had publicly accused union members of “treason.”

Geopolitics: Religion, Oil, and Minerals are Now Washington’s Africa Strategy$

Under Donald Trump, US Africa policy is zeroing in on oil and mineral wealth while using evangelical networks as a back channel into Central Africa — offering political cover to leaders and countering Chinese and Russian influence where Catholic voices are more...

French President Wants to Suspend Visa-Free Travel for Algerian Diplomats$

French President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the government suspend visa exemptions for Algerian diplomatic and official passport holders. This move, detailed in a letter to Prime Minister François Bayrou, is a response to growing diplomatic tensions between...