Shield and Alert: Sahel Bound

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—linking Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—has entered a new phase of joint military coordination as shared drone operations and intelligence networks converge on militant strongholds across Mali’s northeast.

Mali is entering a demographic turning point, with its population set to double by 2050. The country faces both the promise of a young, dynamic workforce and the risk of overwhelming its social and economic infrastructure.

Hospitals in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou are reporting a surge of patients suffering from an unidentified fever that health experts say may be linked to the spread of Rift Valley fever across West Africa.

Mauritania is warning that Africa’s security landscape is shifting from ideological insurgencies to profit-driven “religious-front criminal enterprises,” describing how jihadist networks have merged with organized crime.