First Independent Mena Newspaper
In a historic move that redefines global diplomacy, the United Nations is relocating major operations from New York and Geneva to Nairobi, Kenya, signaling a shift in the center of global influence toward the Global South. By 2026, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women will establish significant global offices in Nairobi — home to the UN’s […]
Mali’s transitional government says it has thwarted an attempted coup, arresting two high-ranking military generals and a suspected French intelligence agent in what it describes as a plot backed by foreign powers to destabilize the state. Security Minister General Daoud Aly Mohammedine announced the arrests Thursday (14 August), confirming speculation that had been circulating for […]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is making one of its largest military hardware acquisitions in recent years, securing over 160 armored vehicles from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to reinforce its fight against armed groups in the troubled eastern provinces. The vehicles, including the Kasser II mine-resistant ambush-protected units, are designed to withstand […]
Africa’s long-fragmented cross-border payment systems may be on the cusp of transformation, driven by emerging alternatives to Western-dominated networks like SWIFT. The launch of BRICS Pay — a decentralized platform aiming to settle transactions in local currencies — signals a broader push to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar and challenge the geopolitical sway it […]
Burkina Faso has received a significant shipment of Chinese-manufactured military equipment, marking a notable step in its armed forces’ modernization and further consolidating Beijing’s growing defense footprint across Africa. The delivery, unveiled via social media and confirmed by defense analysts, includes VN22B wheeled fire support vehicles, PLL-05 120mm self-propelled gun-mortars, and SR5 multiple rocket launch […]
Lower-income countries are paying private creditors nearly three times more than they repay China, according to new research by UK-based advocacy group Debt Justice, challenging dominant narratives around global debt. Between 2020 and 2025, 39% of the $354 billion in external debt repayments from 88 low-income countries and small island states will go to private […]
Mali’s military regime has reportedly arrested over 40 soldiers, including two high-ranking generals, for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government. The mass arrests, described by a source within the army as a response to an “attempt at destabilization,” signal deepening tensions within the ruling military leadership led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. Among the detained are […]
Niger’s military-led government has nationalized the country’s only industrial gold mine, Société des Mines du Liptako (SML), accusing its Australian operator, McKinel Resources, of “serious breaches,” including failure to fulfill a $10 million investment pledge. The junta, in power since a 2023 coup, framed the move as a strategic step toward national resource control. “In […]
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has appointed two serving ministers to take on additional roles following the deaths of Defense Minister Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed in a helicopter crash, in the Ashanti Region last Wednesday. Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson will serve concurrently as acting Minister of Defense, while […]
South African Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has sharply criticized the 30% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on South African exports, calling them a symptom of a “declining empire” lashing out in desperation. “The danger with the US imposing the 30% tariffs is that it is the kicking of a declining empire,” Mantashe told industry […]