First Independent Mena Newspaper
In Algeria, the president speaking before MPs called French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal “a thief sent by France”, an “imposter”, and a “bastard,” in prejudicial comments that say much about the use of the judiciary to silence dissidents in the country where terrorism charges have often been used to crackdown on peaceful opposition figures. Few days […]
Boluda Towage France, a subsidiary of the global leader in maritime towing “Boluda Corporación Marítima”, and Marsa Maroc, won a tender to ensure towing and assistance activities at Nador West Med port for 20 years, starting from the fourth quarter of 2026. The consortium will establish a joint venture to manage this operating license and […]
Massad Boulos, newly appointed senior advisor for Africa at the US State Department, is set to begin a diplomatic mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda. The trip, which starts on 3 March, aims to foster peace in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels continue their offensive, and encourage increased […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have agreed to direct peace talks, set to take place on 9 April in Doha, Qatar. This marks a significant step towards resolving one of Central Africa’s most enduring and violent conflicts, which has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused widespread […]
Fierce battles broke out on Tuesday April 1 between the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state in southern Sudan. Military sources reported that the army inflicted significant losses on the RSF, targeting their troops and equipment, which forced the RSF forces […]
Niger’s military junta, which took power in a coup in July 2023, has released around 50 individuals, including former government ministers and soldiers linked to past coup attempts, following recommendations from a national conference in February. Those freed include high-profile figures such as former oil minister Mahamane Sani Issoufou, ex-defense minister Kalla Moutari, and former […]
In recent years, the Gulf monarchies have pivoted towards a more geo-economic strategy in Africa, diversifying their engagements from security and political interests to economic development, says a new report by the European Council on Foreign Relation (ECFR), noting that the Gulf expansion could also exacerbate the ongoing decline in European involvement in the continent. […]
A recent report by the Mauritius Commercial Bank Group has highlighted the significant barriers posed by Africa’s inadequate transport and logistics infrastructure, which continue to hinder the region’s trade potential. Despite Africa’s growing economy, intra-Africa trade still accounts for a mere 16% of the continent’s total trade. The report, entitled ‘Harnessing Africa’s Trade Potential: Strategies […]
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have introduced a 0.5% tariff on goods imported from third countries, a move aimed at financing their activities within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This new tax, named the “AES confederal levy,” will apply to products entering the three countries but will exclude goods from other AES members, as […]
A group of Tigrayan survivors has filed a groundbreaking criminal complaint in Germany, accusing senior Ethiopian and Eritrean officials of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 2020-2022 conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The complaint, lodged with the German Federal Public Prosecutor, targets 12 individuals, including high-ranking military officers and government officials, and is […]