Social/Human

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Mali: Bamako Under Siege$

For years, Mali's conflict has been defined by territorial control, military offensives, and shifting alliances among jihadist groups, separatist movements, and government forces. Recent developments suggest that the conflict may be entering a different phase, a more...

German Think Tank Accuses the UAE of Destabilizing Africa$

By Maïssata Koné-Dubois, Mondafrique: In an explosive report, the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses Abu Dhabi of being a major force behind instability across Africa. [Full report here] Until the Sudan war, the United Arab Emirates had...

Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako$

Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de l’Azawad, known as the FLA, and jihadists from the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans, or JNIM, launched...

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali$

Russian-linked forces in Mali are increasingly coming under attack from armed groups that are adapting to the drone age. Two recent incidents in the Kidal region, a March 30 strike near Anéfis and an April 7 attack on a camp in Aguelhok, are evidence of a clear...

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...

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.

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