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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...

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...

Niger: Roadside Bomb Kills Civilians Near Baroua in Diffa Region$

An improvised explosive device struck a mixed transport vehicle near Baroua in Niger’s Diffa region at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, killing at least eight people at the scene and injuring others, according to local accounts. The blast destroyed the...

Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk$

Mauritania is confronting a concentrated desert locust outbreak, while FAO warns that shifting winds and favorable conditions could bring adult groups into neighboring countries.

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

Military forces in Guinea-Bissau seized power on November 26, one day before presidential election results were scheduled for release, with regional leaders and civil society groups questioning whether the takeover was orchestrated to prevent an electoral defeat. The electoral commission now says vote tallies were destroyed during the chaos, making it impossible to determine the election’s legitimate winner.

Mauritania: New Rescue Off Nouadhibou as Regional Migration Pressures Intensify$

Mauritanian authorities rescued 156 migrants drifting for ten days off Nouadhibou, while Guinea confirmed seven deaths after a separate pirogue carrying young migrants capsized off the Mauritanian coast. The two incidents highlight sustained pressure along the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.

Mauritania’s Former President Loses Final Appeal, Will Serve 15 Years$

Mauritania’s Supreme Court has confirmed a 15-year prison sentence for former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on charges of illicit enrichment and money laundering, marking the end of a historic legal process and setting a new regional precedent for the prosecution of financial crimes by former heads of state.