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 […]
Ukraine is reportedly deepening its presence in Africa, offering military training, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic support to counter Russia’s growing influence, particularly in the Sahel region. As Moscow-backed mercenaries spread across conflict zones like Mali, Ukraine has launched a strategic push to win allies on the continent and undermine Kremlin-backed operations. Kyiv’s latest initiative includes […]
Mali has started building a new gold refinery with Russian and Swiss partners, which officials say will help the country gain greater control over its gold exports, Reuters reported. The 200-ton-capacity facility is being developed in partnership with Russia’s Yadran Group and a Swiss investment firm, with the Malian state holding a controlling stake. At […]
The United Nations has issued a dire warning that five countries — Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine (Gaza), Mali, and Haiti — are facing an imminent risk of famine, driven largely by conflict, climate shocks, and economic decline. In its latest Hunger Hotspots report released Monday (16 June), the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Food […]
Mali’s transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goita, could remain in power until at least 2030 — without facing an election after a controversial bill approved by Mali’s Council of Ministers on 11 June has proposed granting Goita a renewable five-year term starting in 2025. The bill, now awaiting ratification by the National Transitional Council, cements a […]
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 […]
The Russian mercenary group Wagner has officially announced its departure from Mali after over three years of operations against Islamist insurgents. But Moscow’s military footprint in the West African country remains intact through the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, signaling a strategic shift rather than a retreat. Wagner declared its mission “accomplished,” citing the restoration of government […]
The Malian army successfully repelled a jihadist assault on its military camp in Timbuktu on Monday (2 June), just one day after a deadly attack in Boulkessi left at least 30 soldiers dead. According to the Malian Armed Forces, 13 attackers were “neutralized” during the attempted infiltration of the Timbuktu camp. Witnesses reported a car […]
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 […]
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 […]