First Independent Mena Newspaper
In a landmark move to boost its influence in Africa, Russia last week hosted its first official military consultations with the defense chiefs of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — members of the recently formalized Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The high-level talks in Moscow, led by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, concluded with the […]
Niger’s military-led government has nationalized the country’s only industrial gold mine, Société des Mines du Liptako (SML), accusing its Australian operator, McKinel Resources, of “serious breaches,” including failure to fulfill a $10 million investment pledge. The junta, in power since a 2023 coup, framed the move as a strategic step toward national resource control. “In […]
The military-led governments of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have unveiled plans to fund a new regional investment bank with a portion of their national tax revenues, signaling a deepening break from traditional financial partners and regional bodies. Each country will contribute approximately 5% of its annual tax revenues to the bank, which aims to […]
The Sahel region, long a hub for trade between sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb, has now become a hotspot for illicit activities, with organized criminal gangs exploiting the instability caused by political unrest. Smuggling, human trafficking, and drug trade have flourished amid weak governance, fueling violence and displacement. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the […]
Niger’s government has requested Morocco’s help for establishing a national airline carrier during a meeting held lately in Rabat between Moroccan Transport minister Abdessamad Kayouh and his Nigerien peer Abdourahamane Amadou. “Niger wants to benefit from Moroccan expertise to establish its national airline,” said the Moroccan minister citing the Kingdom’s experience in airports modernization and […]
Mali’s junta leader General Assimi Goïta has officially secured an indefinite grip on power after signing a law granting himself a renewable five-year presidential mandate without the need for elections. The law, made public Thursday (10 July), follows recommendations from a junta-led national dialogue widely boycotted by political groups. Initially celebrated as a reformist after […]
Less than two years after seizing power, Niger’s junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani is struggling to contain a growing jihadist insurgency that threatens both his authority and national stability. Despite bold promises to restore security and sovereignty after the 2023 coup, Tiani’s regime faces escalating attacks from al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic […]
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 […]
At least 17 Nigerian soldiers were killed in coordinated attacks by armed gangs on three army bases in Niger and Kaduna states on Tuesday (24 June), highlighting a worsening security crisis in the country’s north. The attackers, described by officials as heavily armed “bandits,” overwhelmed remote military outposts in fierce battles lasting hours. “These were […]
Niger’s military regime has nationalized Somaïr, the subsidiary of French uranium giant Orano, escalating tensions between Niamey and Paris in a move that symbolizes the regime’s sovereignty-focused policies since taking power in 2023. The nationalization announcement, delivered through state television during a council of ministers report, cited Orano’s “irresponsible, illegal and disloyal behavior” and characterized […]