International – The North Africa Journal

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Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk

Mauritania is facing a concentrated desert locust outbreak in several western and northern regions, prompting intensified surveillance and control operations as ecological conditions continue to favor breeding. While the current wave of activity remains primarily...

West Africa: Allegations of Staged Military Takeover Cloud Guinea-Bissau’s Electoral Crisis

Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation of 2.2 million people sandwiched between Senegal and Guinea, has been thrust into political turmoil following a military takeover that prominent regional figures allege may have been staged. The November 26 seizure of power...

Mauritania: New Rescue Off Nouadhibou as Regional Migration Pressures Intensify

Mauritanian authorities and local rescue teams recovered a pirogue carrying 156 migrants on Monday off the coast of Nouadhibou, ending a ten-day drift that left the passengers in severe physical distress. The operation adds to a growing number of maritime incidents...

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 prison. The Supreme Court of Mauritania upheld his conviction for illicit enrichment and money laundering, following a years-long legal process that saw...

Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali

Mariam Cissé, a well-known content creator from the town of Tonka in northern Mali, was abducted on November 6, 2025, at a weekly fair in Echel, roughly twenty kilometers northwest of her hometown. The following day, she was executed in public in an area under the...

Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings

A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and business interests operating in the region, amid ongoing insecurity, targeted attacks, and evolving hostage negotiations. [am4show have='g1;'...

Africa: Visa Bonds Up to $15,000 From October 23: New U.S. Policy Targets Travelers from Africa

Starting October 23, 2025, citizens of seven African countries must pay refundable visa bonds of up to $15,000 when seeking entry to the United States for business or tourism under a year-long pilot program aimed at curbing visa overstays.

Mali: Diplomatic Rift Widens as France Expels Malian Envoys, Halts Counterterrorism Ties

Diplomatic ties between Mali and France have sharply deteriorated after Mali detained a French national on coup-plotting charges, leading France to expel two Malian diplomats and suspend joint counterterrorism efforts. In response, Mali expelled five French embassy staff, ending a lengthy era of security cooperation between the two countries.

Niger: Arbitration Tribunal Sides With Orano on Uranium Stock, Escalating Niger Dispute

An international tribunal has ruled Niger must stop selling or transferring uranium produced by Somaïr, as French firm Orano claims rights to stockpiled material after the mine’s nationalization. The September 23 ICSID order temporarily freezes the disputed uranium assets until the legal case is resolved.

Sahel: Drone Incident Escalates Diplomatic Rift on Algeria–Mali Border

Tensions between Algeria and Mali have deepened after Algeria rejected International Court of Justice jurisdiction over a disputed drone incident, halting legal mediation. The standoff, marked by sharp exchanges at the UN and ongoing suspension of diplomatic ties, underscores mounting mistrust and risks to regional stability in the Sahel.

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