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.

Heavy rains and flooding in Niger have forced authorities to delay the start of the school year, as hundreds of classrooms have been damaged or are being used to shelter displaced families. The government is working to restore school infrastructure so education can resume safely for thousands of students.

Mauritania and Senegal are responding to a Rift Valley Fever outbreak that has killed 10 people. Health authorities, with WHO support, are boosting surveillance and urging safe handling of livestock and animal products to contain the virus.

Since early 2024, the Mauritanian government has intensified its enforcement operations against undocumented sub-Saharan migrants in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, and other urban centers. This campaign, which includes increased checkpoints and arrests, is a direct consequence of a bilateral agreement between Mauritania and its European partners, notably Spain.