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 […]
Botswana and South African mining giant De Beers have finalized a landmark 10-year agreement, enhancing the country’s stake in diamond sales and providing a boost to its critical diamond sector. After six years of negotiations, the deal will see Botswana’s share of rough diamond sales rise from 25% to 30% in the first five years, […]
Russian president Vladimir Putin has hosted his Guinea-Bissau counterpart, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, in a pivotal meeting aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, focusing particularly on military cooperation, as well as trade, energy, and diplomatic ties. The discussions, held on 26 February 2025, centered on military education, rare earth minerals, and infrastructure development in Guinea-Bissau. This partnership […]
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 […]
Mali’s military government has initiated an investigation into the alleged ‘cold execution’ of at least 24 civilians, including women and children, in the volatile northern part of the Sahel country. The accusations were made by the Tuareg separatist group, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which is battling the Malian government in the same region. According […]
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 […]
Human rights advocates and local politicians in the Central African Republic (CAR) have accused Russia-backed mercenaries for being behind the disappearance of two soldiers, amid a mountain evidence pointing to crimes, including murder, torture, execution, abductions, rape, theft, that are credibly linked to Wagner forces and their successor entities. The two soldiers, ,Celestin Bakoyo and […]
Guinea’s military junta, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, is facing mounting resistance from the country’s resilient civil society and pro-democracy movement as it seeks to extend its hold on power. Since seizing power in a 2021 coup, Doumbouya’s government has delayed its promised return to constitutional order, now eyeing elections for 2025 after missing a […]
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 […]