Senegal’s palm oil push with Indonesia: the real story behind the 60,000-hectare plan
Senegal’s long-stalled palm oil sector is suddenly back in the spotlight. For years, cultivated area never rose above 12,000 hectares — now Dakar is betting on Indonesian know-how to leap to 60,000 hectares. The real story is not just about planting more trees. It is about why a decade of inertia went unchallenged, and why […]
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Burkina Faso’s military academy rise amid a nation in flight: a strategic gamble or a misplaced priority?
As Burkina Faso launches its first locally trained military officer corps, the nation remains trapped in a paradox: elite soldiers are being groomed for sovereignty while ordinary citizens flee for survival. The new Higher Military Training Institute (Tiéfo-Amoro) in Ouagadougou symbolizes the government’s push for self-reliance in defense yet its timing raises urgent questions about […]
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Why S&P’s B-/B rating for Cameroon hinges on the post-Biya transition
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has reaffirmed Cameroon‘s sovereign rating at “B-/B” with a stable outlook — a verdict that, beneath its reassuring surface, thrusts the political transition in Yaoundé to the centre of market concerns. The decision, made public in mid-September, lands at a pivotal moment when the presidential succession, long treated as taboo, has […]
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Inside the budget delay: how Senegal’s revised finance bill 2026 finally reached parliament
Inside the budget delay: how Senegal’s revised finance bill 2026 finally reached parliament The three-day delay in transmitting Senegal’s revised finance bill for 2026 was not simply a logistical hiccup; it exposed deeper tensions between the executive and the legislative branch. Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô had instructed the Minister of Economy, Finance, and […]
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Dioura ambush exposes Mali’s military credibility gap under jihadist pressure
When Mali’s interim military leadership claimed there was nothing significant to report following the assault on Dioura, they likely expected the episode to fade. Instead, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) shattered that narrative with a meticulously documented rebuttal that laid bare the fragility of Bamako’s communication strategy. The anatomy of […]
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Niger’s hidden war on dissent: how Tiani weaponizes citizenship against critics
The Nigerien junta under General Abdourahamane Tiani has moved beyond silencing opposition with imprisonment or exile—it now erases identities. Since seizing power in July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) has weaponized nationality itself, turning legal citizenship into a revocable privilege for dissenters. The legal machinery behind the citizenship purge […]
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Alain-Georges Moukoko at the helm of Libreville’s prosecutor general’s office: the strategy behind the appointment
Politics Alain-Georges Moukoko at the helm of Libreville’s prosecutor general’s office: the strategy behind the appointment Libreville, Friday, September 18, 2026 – The appointment of Alain-Georges Moukoko as prosecutor general at the Libreville Court of Appeal, announced on September 16, 2026, in Port-Gentil by the Superior Council of the Judiciary, is more than a routine […]
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Niger’s junta at a crossroads: how a thwarted coup reshaped power under Tiani
In the world of politics, few moments are as revealing as a leader who gains power through an unconstitutional takeover only to later fear being toppled in a similar fashion. This paradox now defines the Nigerien junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani. Less than three months after surviving a violent coup attempt on August 29, […]
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Niger’s hidden power struggle: how a 1.8 billion FCFA monthly fund reshapes elite dynamics
The Nigerien power elite is locked in a behind-the-scenes confrontation that stretches far beyond military doctrine. At the center of this internal power game is the Commandement des Forces de Protection et de Développement (CFPD), a specialized unit tasked with safeguarding the country’s most vital infrastructure. Behind its official mandate, however, lies a much more […]
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Mali’s media reforms: behind the facade of unity in a fractured industry
What appears on the surface as a unified front among Mali’s media owners during recent consultations may simply be a desperate attempt to salvage a sector on the brink of collapse. The show of solidarity masking the Cadre de concertation des faîtières (ASSEP, Groupement patronal, UNAJEP) hides a decade-long history of infighting, power struggles, and […]
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Niger’s defense restructuring: how hidden financial and power struggles shape national security
The creation of Niger’s Command of Protection and Development Forces (CFPD) in May 2024 was meant to secure critical infrastructure—from oil pipelines to mining sites. But behind its stated mission lies a deeper power struggle over control of troops, funds, and ultimately, the future of the country’s defense apparatus. From decree to dilemma: how a […]
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Niger’s uranium shift: how America’s Dasa investment challenges France’s SOMAÏR legacy
When the United States poured $414 million into Niger’s Dasa uranium project last year, few anticipated the seismic shift it would trigger in Niamey’s mining landscape. While the historic SOMAÏR mine—once the backbone of French-controlled uranium extraction—gasps for air, Dasa is powering ahead, reshaping not just Niger’s economy but also its geopolitical alliances. Why the […]
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