Armed attacks attributed to Sahel-based jihadist groups have intensified in northern Benin in recent weeks, highlighting the continued spread of militant activity along the country’s borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. On March 4, fighters linked to the Group for the...
MEA RISK’s SHIELD & ALERT notifications: Access requires installing Shield & Alert mobile application. More info on S&A here or click here to signup and install
Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa
Agricultural authorities in several parts of North and West Africa are maintaining surveillance for desert locust activity following recent reports of small swarms detected near Algeria’s southwestern border. The monitoring reflects the importance of the western...
Mali Army, Russian Allies Accused of Executing Civilians Near Mauritania Border
Malian troops and their Russian allies are accused of executing refugees and civilians near the Mauritanian border, according to RFI. The French media outlet said seven people who had just crossed from Mauritania into Mali were killed on Friday, March 6, in the Ahl El...
Niger: Armed Attacks Target Military Bases in Tahoua
In the early hours of March 9, 2026, armed militants launched coordinated assaults on military facilities in Tahoua, a city in northwestern Niger located about 500 kilometers east of Niamey. The attacks targeted both the local airport and nearby military...
Trump Sends Controversial Envoy to South Africa at a Diplomatic Low Point
The arrival of Leo Brent Bozell III as the new U.S. ambassador to South Africa comes at a moment of visible diplomatic tension between Washington and Pretoria. Appointed in March 2025 by President Donald Trump and arriving in Pretoria on February 17, 2026, Bozell...
Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze
Algeria and Niger have formally reset strained bilateral relations and announced the operational relaunch of the long-delayed Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project, signaling a significant geopolitical and energy shift across North and West Africa. During an official...
Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who led Mauritania from 2009 to 2019, has lost his final appeal and will serve 15 years in...
Madagascar: “Mamy” Ravatomanga, billionaire, vice-king, and protester target
A profile by Olivier Vallée and Nicolas Beau [MondAfrique]: Maminiaina Ravatomanga, “Mamy,” is a wealthy businessman...
Mauritania: Ex-President Verdict Puts Mauritania’s Legal System Under Spotlight
Mauritania’s high-profile corruption trial of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has sparked a bigger...
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...
Libya: Illegal gold mining network dismantled, foreign nationals arrested
An illegal gold mining network, comprised of Chinese, Chadian, and Nigerien nationals, has been dismantled in southern...
Sahel: Mauritania sends ex-president Ould Abdelaziz to prison for corruption
A court in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Monday sentenced former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to five years...
Niger junta creates anti-corruption commission
The military regime in Niger that seized power in a coup said late Wednesday it has created an anti-corruption...
Mauritania: Ex President Ould Abdel Aziz to face corruption trial
Mauritania's disgraced ex-president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been released from custody pending a trial on...
Mauritania arrests former president Ould Abdel Aziz for alleged corruption
Mauritania's former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, was on Tuesday jailed after a judge in charge of a corruption...
Mauritania: Ex-President Ould Abdel Aziz facing tough corruption charges
By Hademine Ould Sadi - A Mauritanian state prosecutor on Thursday requested corruption charges against former...
Sahel: Chad’s ex oil Minister Le Bemadjiel arrested on corruption charges
N'Djamena - Chad's former oil minister was in custody on Thursday following his arrest for allegedly stealing public...
Former Mauritanian president under investigation for alleged embezzlement
Nouakchott, Aug 18, 2020 - Former Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, under suspicion over embezzlement...
Sahel: Chad’s dictator Idriss Deby gets a new title: “Maréchal du Tchad”
N'Djamena, Aug 11, 2020 - Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno was named a marshal, the first in his country's history,...
Sahel: Government reshuffle in Mauritania
Nouakchott, Aug 6, 2020 - Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani on Thursday carried out a government...
Sahel: Tense situation in Mali after two people were killed
Bamako, July 11, 2020 - Tensions ran high in Mali Saturday, a day after deadly mass protests seeking the ouster of the...
Burkina Faso: From favored tourist destination to a hotbed of terrorism
By Armel Baily with Patrick Fort in Abidjan: Little more than five years ago, Burkina Faso was on the up, priding...
Niger: Concern over fraud in defense purchasing
Niamey, June 23, 2020 - Niger's state prosecutor on Tuesday reported evidence of fraud and other crimes in a military...
Sahel: Growing concern over soldiers’ misconduct in the Sahel
By Amaury Hauchard: Accusations of alleged forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are mounting against...
Sahel: The people of Mali launch their anti-regime Hirak movement
Tens of thousands of people rallied in Mali's capital Bamako on Friday demanding the departure of President Ibrahim...
Mali: Anger in Bamako over arrest of anti-corruption activist Clement Dembele
Bamako, May 19, 2020 - About one hundred people took to the streets in Mali's capital Bamako on Tuesday to protest the...











