First Independent Mena Newspaper
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are set to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This decision was acknowledged by ECOWAS Heads of State during a Summit held in Abuja on Sunday, December 15. A six-month Transition period will commence on January 29, 2025, after which the exit of the three Sahelian […]
Chadian president Mahamat Idriss Deby has defended his decision to break military ties with France and ask for the withdrawal of French troops, saying that the security agreement with its former colonial master failed to provide substantial military value to the country amid various challenges, including terrorist attacks. Deby has said their defense pact no […]
Ukraine has denied allegations that it had supplied dangerous chemical weapons to armed groups in Mali, saying that these false accusations were spread by Russian propagandists attempting to cover up crimes committed by Wagner Group in Africa. According to a recent report in Sputnik, armed groups in Mali recently received a very dangerous chemical weapon […]
Eight Tuareg rebel leaders have reportedly been killed by drone strikes on a town in Mali’s north that was carried out by the country’s military regime at a time when the Tuareg factions were discussing how to form a united military and political structure. “Several synchronized drone strikes martyred some Azawad leaders on 1 December […]
Chad’s government is terminating a defense cooperation agreement with France, its former colonial ruler, with its top diplomat saying his country has “grown up” and now wants to fully assert its sovereignty. As Sahel nations, from Niger to Mali to Burkina Faso, have ousted French soldiers from their territories and moved closer to Russia, Chad […]
The military rulers in Mali appointed spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new prime minister, succeeding Choguel Kokalla Maïga. Choguel Maiga was replaced after he criticized the military regime in Bamako for failing to organize elections by March 2024 as promised. His statement angered the military rulers in the country, where they have been fostering their grip on […]
The International Criminal Court has issued a 10-year prison sentence to Al-Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud for war crimes committed during his leadership of Timbuktu’s Islamic police. The 47-year-old defendant was found guilty of orchestrating torture and overseeing brutal punishments during the 2012 occupation by the Ansar Dine group. While convicted of […]
Australian mining company, Resolute Mining, said it has accepted to pay $160 million to settle a tax dispute with the Mali government, after authorities detained its British CEO. The company agreed to an immediate settlement of $80mln from available funds, with the rest to be paid later, the media reported. The CEO was detained along […]
Mali faces an escalating environmental challenge as tree-planting initiatives struggle against widespread deforestation driven by poverty and energy needs. Former Environment Minister Aida M’bo’s current conservation efforts highlight the complex balance between environmental protection and basic survival needs in one of the world’s poorest nations. The situation reflects broader challenges across Africa’s Sahel region, where […]
Australian gold miner, Resolute Mining’s shares dropped as much as 32% on Monday (11 November) following the arrest of its CEO and two executives while in Mali to discuss “claims made against” the company with the country’s authorities. CEO Terence Holohan and his two colleagues “were in Bamako to discuss with mining and tax authorities […]