First Independent Mena Newspaper
China’s slowdown that results in shrinking Chinese demand and its shift to green and high-tech sectors are bound to harm Africa’s economic prospects, according to a number of experts who have warned against an excessive dependence of African countries on the world’s second-largest economy. Economic relations between China and Africa expanded rapidly over the past […]
France is reportedly planning to cut the number of its troops in West and Central Africa to around 600 in line with President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier pledge to limit the French military footprint in the region. In February 2023, Macron announced “noticeable reduction” of French troop presence in Africa, just as French and American forces […]
The UAE has dismissed as “false” and “ludicrous allegations” the accusations leveled by Sudan claiming the Gulf Country is providing weapons to the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s civil war. Responding to the accusation voiced by Sudanese Ambassador to the united nations Al-Harith Mohamed who claimed that “Sudan is surrounded by major […]
The United Nations and the United States have warned of the risk of famine in Sudan, as both pressed the warring sides to end obstruction of aid for around 18 million people in the war-torn country who are already acutely hungry. The latest UN reports indicate an escalating humanitarian crisis and the risk of famine […]
Tunisia has been mistreating migrants subjecting them to refoulement, as authorities continue to round up and throw migrants in Libya where they risk torture, Reuters reported citing an unpublished UN document. Tunisian authorities have been expelling African migrants to Libya, “where they have faced forced labor, extortion, torture and killing”, Reuters said citing a confidential […]
Sudan’s army has reportedly agreed to allow Russia to established a navy base near Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast in exchange for arms it needs to fight the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as both rival groups are vying for power in the north-eastern African country. The potential deal with Russia that may […]
The US is withdrawing its troops from Niger ahead of schedule with only 300 soldiers left in the uranium and oil rich Sahel country. Niger authorities have given mid-September as a deadline for the troop withdrawal, which comes against the backdrop of an increasing anti-western sentiment in the military-ruled Sahel states. Niger is also shifting […]
Nigeria said it will deploy 197 peacekeepers to Gambia to back the ECOWAS’s peace and stability mandate. Troops from ECOWAS entered The Gambia in January 2017 following long-time Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s refusal to step down after losing the 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow. This intervention ultimately resolved the 2016-17 Gambian constitutional crisis, and […]
Niger’s top court has lifted the immunity of the country’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, thus opening door for the country’s junta-ruled government to prosecute him for alleged ‘high treason’. Abdou Dan Galadima, president of the State Court, Niger’s highest legal authority that had been created by the military government, announced the decision on Friday […]
Moroccans have lost nearly €11 million in fees for rejected Schengen visas last year. In 2023, the number of Moroccan nationals who had their Schengen visas applications rejected amounted to 136,367, costing €10.9 million or about 117 million MAD. This places Morocco second among African countries in numbers of visa rejections. While the Kingdom led […]