First Independent Mena Newspaper
Following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the collapse of the Wagner Group, Russia has recalibrated its strategy in Africa, maintaining influence through a mix of rebranding, expansion, and diversification, according to a new study by The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. The study by the Geneva-based organization notes that Moscow has quickly reassured […]
Recent expulsions of French military forces from several African nations, including Ivory Coast, Chad, and Niger, underscore a growing shift in the region’s geopolitical dynamics, fueled by Russian disinformation campaigns, according to analysts. Analysts believe that the Kremlin has been a key driver of the anti-French sentiment, using digital platforms to manipulate public opinion across […]
As the war in Ukraine winds down, African leaders are increasingly alarmed by reports that Russia may be sending ex-convicts disguised as mercenary forces to the continent. These individuals, initially recruited to fight on the Ukrainian front, are now feared to be relocated to Africa, raising concerns over escalating violence and instability. Reports suggest that […]
A senior US counterterrorism official has raised alarms about the increasing threat posed by global jihadist groups, warning that they are, for example, expanding their activities from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso into Benin and Togo, which had once had little exposure to jihadi threats. Speaking at a recent Washington conference, Sebastian Gorka noted that […]
The recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional ECOWAS bloc has drawn attention to the escalating security crisis in the Sahel region where JNIM, an umbrella coalition of aligned groups, is fast emerging as a dominant jihadist force. These countries, now members of the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES), […]
The European Union is confronting significant challenges in maintaining its long-standing ties with Africa, as it faces rising competition from China and Russia in the region, according to experts. While the EU has been Africa’s biggest export market for years, it has lost ground to these emerging powers, particularly in trade and security. In recent […]
The brutal insurgency in Burkina Faso has drawn unexpected participants from neighboring Ghana, revealing complex webs of ethnic ties, revenge motives, and economic incentives driving cross-border violence. Three Ghanaian fighters, speaking anonymously to the BBC, described their involvement in bloody battles since 2018, citing family connections and retribution for military attacks on civilian communities as […]
The Government of Niger has unveiled on February 5 plans to launch a new national airline alongside a regional carrier as part of a broader strategy to enhance air connectivity both within the country and across the Sahel region. According to the Nigerien News Agency, Colonel Salisu Mahaman Salisu, the Minister of Transport and Equipment, […]
As the three junta-led Sahel countries are to officially quit the regional grouping ECOWAS on Wednesday (29 January), the years of growing political tensions and deteriorating relations with their neighbors have shaken up trade routes across the West African region. The looming withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West […]
Foreign mining companies in the Sahel region are currently experiencing a nightmare scenario, as military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are seeking to reclaim control over the mining of gold and other valuable resources. With gold mining accounting for over 90% of Mali’s exports, highlighting its critical economic role, the junta-led government aims […]