First Independent Mena Newspaper
The 2025 Antiquity Prize, established by the prestigious archaeological journal Antiquity, has been awarded to the study of the Oued Beht site in Morocco. The archaeological fieldwork carried out in Morocco has uncovered a hitherto unknown early farming society from a poorly understood period of north-west African prehistory, revealing for the first time the importance […]
Africa has taken a major step toward financial self-determination with the launch of PAPSSCARD, the continent’s first Pan-African card scheme. Announced during the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Abuja, Nigeria, the card aims to keep value, data, and economic benefits within Africa by processing payments entirely on the continent. The PAPSSCARD is a joint initiative […]
China’s long-held strategy of “regime-agnostic” engagement in Africa is under strain as mounting instability in Niger threatens billions in Chinese investments, says a new study. A new report by the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies warns that China’s transactional diplomacy — prioritizing control over constitutional legitimacy — has left its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) vulnerable […]
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reviewing a confidential legal brief accusing the Russia-linked Wagner Group of committing war crimes in West Africa — not only through acts of extreme violence but by promoting them online. The brief, submitted by legal experts from UC Berkeley, contends that Wagner’s dissemination of graphic content — showing beheadings, […]
Ukraine is reportedly deepening its presence in Africa, offering military training, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic support to counter Russia’s growing influence, particularly in the Sahel region. As Moscow-backed mercenaries spread across conflict zones like Mali, Ukraine has launched a strategic push to win allies on the continent and undermine Kremlin-backed operations. Kyiv’s latest initiative includes […]
At least 120 children have been abducted in recent days by Islamist insurgents in Mozambique’s northern oil-rich Cabo Delgado province, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported, adding that they were reportedly being forced into labor, used to transport looted goods, and in some cases turned into child soldiers or forced into marriage. The kidnappings mark […]
The United Nations has warned that Sudan faces a “very high” risk of genocide, as the civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to devastate the country. Senior UN official Virginia Gamba highlighted ethnically motivated attacks by the RSF and allied militias against groups like the Zaghawa, Masalit, […]
At least 17 Nigerian soldiers were killed in coordinated attacks by armed gangs on three army bases in Niger and Kaduna states on Tuesday (24 June), highlighting a worsening security crisis in the country’s north. The attackers, described by officials as heavily armed “bandits,” overwhelmed remote military outposts in fierce battles lasting hours. “These were […]
Italy and the European Union have announced €1.2 billion in new investments across Africa, aimed at boosting infrastructure, digital connectivity, and climate-resilient agriculture, though many question the true motives behind the ambitious investment plan. The deals, co-led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, form part of Meloni’s […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the world’s top cobalt producer, has extended its export ban on the metal for an additional three months, intensifying its grip on a turbulent global market. The extension, announced Saturday (21 June) by the strategic minerals regulator ARECOMS, comes as prices remain depressed and cobalt stockpiles high. Originally imposed […]