Social/Human

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

Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity$

Niamey's decision to formalize local self-defense units called Domol Leydi is the latest sign that Niger's security crisis has worsened, moving beyond a conventional counterterrorism problem and into a broader struggle for territorial control. The government says the...

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure$

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...

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...

The Human Cost of the EU-Mauritania Migration Partnership$

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.

Geopolitics: Religion, Oil, and Minerals are Now Washington’s Africa Strategy$

Under Donald Trump, US Africa policy is zeroing in on oil and mineral wealth while using evangelical networks as a back channel into Central Africa — offering political cover to leaders and countering Chinese and Russian influence where Catholic voices are more...

Protests Erupt as Water Shortage Grips Mauritania$

Opposition lawmakers in Mauritania staged a sit-in at the Ministry of Water to protest a two-week-long water shortage in the capital. The demonstration, which included a demand for the immediate resignation of the Water Minister, comes amid growing public frustration...

West Africa: Despite Record Oil Production, Senegal Faces Fuel Price PressureF

In Senegal, drivers are feeling the pinch as fuel prices soar to the highest levels in the entire WAEMU region—even though the country pumped out 16 million barrels of oil in 2024. Government officials say relief is coming, thanks to plans to process oil locally and tap into natural gas reserves. But with living costs climbing and no visible change in sight, talk of strikes is starting to surface.

Next Entries »