First Independent Mena Newspaper
Cameroon’s long-serving president, Paul Biya, faces a high-stakes legal challenge as opposition candidate and veteran lawyer Akere Muna petitions the Constitutional Council to block his bid for an eighth term ahead of the 12 October election. At 92, Biya has held power since 1982, making him one of the world’s oldest and longest-serving leaders. Muna’s […]
Northern Togo is facing a mounting threat from jihadist militants infiltrating from neighboring Burkina Faso, with the Togolese government maintaining strict silence as the situation deteriorates. Foreign Minister Robert Dussey recently acknowledged that over 62 people have been killed by militants since January — more than double last year’s toll — in one of the […]
South Africa is fast becoming the new battleground for global automakers, with Chinese and Indian car manufacturers racing to establish a stronghold in Africa’s most developed economy. Amid strained U.S. trade relations and shifting global dynamics, brands like Leapmotor, LDV, and Tata Motors are investing heavily in South Africa to access the broader African market. […]
Renewed violence in South Sudan is threatening to plunge the country — and its neighbors — into deeper instability, UN officials warned this week. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee, told the UN Security Council that South Sudan’s fragile peace process is unraveling, with escalating clashes between government forces and rival militias eroding the 2018 […]
The Russian naval training vessel Smolny has docked in Tanzania’s port city of Dar es Salaam, marking a significant moment in the deepening relationship between Moscow and Dodoma. The stopover — Smolny’s fifth during its current long-range voyage — brought over 300 naval cadets to Tanzanian shores. Welcomed by senior Tanzanian officials and Russia’s ambassador, […]
A diplomatic crisis has erupted between France and Mali following the arrest of Yann Vezilier, a French embassy employee accused by Mali’s military government of plotting to “destabilize” the Sahel country. Malian authorities allege Vezilier, whom they claim is linked to French intelligence, was recruiting military and civil society figures to orchestrate a coup. The […]
Despite “significant efforts” by Qatari mediators, peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and M23 rebels have missed key deadlines, as violence intensifies across eastern regions. A draft peace agreement — based on a Declaration of Principles signed in Doha on 19 July — was shared with both sides, according to a […]
The Sahel has experienced a sustained high level of lethality tied to militant Islamist groups in recent years. The nearly 10,500 average annual deaths over the past 3 years are more than double the 4,900 annual fatalities experienced between 2020 and 2023, according to a recent study by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. This […]
In a landmark move to boost its influence in Africa, Russia last week hosted its first official military consultations with the defense chiefs of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — members of the recently formalized Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The high-level talks in Moscow, led by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, concluded with the […]
The African Union (AU) is calling for a global map correction, challenging the centuries-old Mercator projection that drastically shrinks Africa’s size and influence in global perception. Backed by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, the ‘Correct The Map campaign urges the adoption of the 2018 Equal Earth projection to accurately reflect the […]