First Independent Mena Newspaper
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 […]
Burkina Faso’s military-led government has completed the nationalization of five gold mining assets, marking a significant pivot in its economic strategy aimed at asserting greater control over the country’s mineral wealth, international media reported. The move, finalized through a government decree earlier this month, transfers ownership of two producing gold mines and three exploration permits […]
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has emerged as the most powerful militant force in West Africa, now commanding up to 6,000 fighters and staging coordinated, high-impact attacks across the Sahel, experts warn. According new analysis titled ‘JNIM Expanding Geographic Reach and Staging Coordinated Attacks in the Sahel’, JNIM’s recent assaults in Timbuktu […]
In a dramatic pivot away from traditional regional alliances, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have deepened their collaboration under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), aiming to reclaim sovereignty and reshape their economic future, including through the planned launch of common currency. Born out of frustration with ECOWAS and external pressures, the AES is fast-tracking […]
A group of military instructors from Burkina-Faso have benefited from a training session held lately in Morocco to enhance further their capabilities in military security. The training shows the growing defense cooperation between Morocco and the West African nation. Last week, the Burkinabe delegation visited the Moroccan Directorate of Military History. They were briefed on […]
President of Ghana, John Mahama has expressed on April 22 disappointment at the decision by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), calling the move “regrettable.” Speaking at the launch of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Accra on Tuesday, Mahama emphasized that diplomacy should focus on […]
Burkina Faso’s military government claims it has thwarted a coup plot aimed at toppling junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré, alleging foreign involvement and links to terrorism. Security minister Mahamadou Sana said the plan, uncovered by intelligence services, involved current and former soldiers collaborating with terrorist groups. The coup attempt was scheduled for 16 April and […]
Militant Islamist violence continues to escalate in the Sahel, shifting southward and westward to increasingly threaten security of coastal West African nations, according to a new report by Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS). Countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain at the epicenter of this violent surge, with fatalities and militant activity hitting […]
Mali, Niger & Burkina Faso have accused Algeria of sponsoring terrorism and decided to recall their Ambassadors from the North African country after the Algerian military regime downed a Malian drone in the West African country territory. In a press release issued Sunday, Malian authorities denounced a deliberate act of aggression by the Algerian regime, […]
The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are set to visit Moscow this week to deepen their strategic partnership with Russia, marking a significant shift in the region’s diplomatic and security landscape. The visit, scheduled for 3-4 April, represents the first-ever AES-Russia consultations following the establishment of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) […]