Faure Gnassingbé in China: a diplomatic visit whose real test lies ahead
A high-stakes mission to Beijing From October 9 to 16, 2026, Togo’s head of state is on an official visit to China. The trip is being framed as a further step in strengthening bilateral ties, but it raises a central question: beyond handshakes and diplomatic agreements, what concrete benefits can the Togolese people realistically expect? […]
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Niger secures $203 million IMF staff-level agreement pending board approval
Niger has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund for a new $203 million financing package designed to support macroeconomic stability and back the country’s development goals. The deal, concluded after an IMF mission to Niamey from September 28 to October 8, 2026, covers a 38-month program. But before any funds are released, […]
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Benin secures Geneva seat as Inès Hadonou-Toffoun joins UN human rights advisory committee
Benin has strengthened its international standing following the election of jurist Inès Hadonou-Toffoun to the United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. She will serve a term from 2026 to 2029 among a panel of 18 international experts. Beyond the personal distinction, this election offers the country a platform to showcase its expertise and contribute […]
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Japan releases another 10.8 billion FCFA for Cotonou’s Vêdoko interchange phase two
Benin and Japan sign fresh grant as Vêdoko works advance Benin and Japan have signed a new grant agreement worth 10.8 billion FCFA to bankroll the second phase of the Vêdoko interchange in Cotonou, pushing the total announced financing for the project to 26.228 billion FCFA. The deal was concluded on Friday, 9 October 2026, […]
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Senegal schools reopen October 12 after flood delay
SociétéSénégal Sénégal : les élèves retrouvent enfin le chemin de l’école Saikou Seydi 12/10/202612 octobre 2026 La rentrée scolaire, initialement prévue le 8 octobre, a été reportée à ce lundi 12 octobre en raison des fortes pluies et de l’état de certains établissements scolaires. https://p.dw.com/p/5O9QZ Masque bien ajusté sur le visage, gants de protection aux […]
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Burkina Faso bans millet, maize and sorghum flour exports with immediate effect
Government halts exports of key local flours Burkina Faso’s government has suspended the export of several locally produced flours until further notice. A directive issued by the Ministry of Commerce covers millet, maize and sorghum flours as well as their derivatives. Special export authorisations previously granted for these products have also been revoked. Official rationale: […]
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Mali’s Russian military partnership and the unending security crisis
On 10 October 2026, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) reportedly launched drone strikes against positions held by Africa Corps and the Malian army in Soumpi, located in the Timbuktu region. This incident brings a fundamental question back to the forefront: after more than four years of security crisis, can Mali realistically expect to achieve stability […]
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Sahel’s AES juntas under scrutiny as armed groups persist in contested zones
Armed groups still contesting territory across the Sahel On the morning of October 9, 2026, heavy fighting broke out between the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Sahel (IS-S) in the Tessit area, along the border with Burkina Faso. Each side claims a decisive victory: JNIM-linked […]
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Benin secures €15 million German funding as Berlin 2027 negotiations take shape
Benin and Germany have concluded a fresh round of strategic bilateral talks, sealing an additional €15 million in funding and setting the stage for high-level negotiations in Berlin in 2027. Bilateral consultations wrap up in Cotonou Delegations from both nations met on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Cooperation in […]
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Oil leak at Diffa: Niger races to trace source as spill enters day seven
Nigeria’s eastern region of Diffa is confronting a confirmed crude oil leak that has now been running for close to a week, turning a strategic economic asset into an environmental liability. The spill, described by local observers as a dark slick spreading across the land, raises immediate questions about its origin, the volume of oil […]
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Burkina Faso: Traoré’s rejection of France and embrace of Russia under scrutiny
In a late-September interview aired on BF1 TV, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s transitional president, ruled out any normalisation of diplomatic ties with France, using unusually harsh language to criticise Paris. The remarks reinforce the political line his government has followed since taking power in September 2022: gradually breaking with the former French partner and […]
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Ivorian land fraud probe: Rita Djédjé jailed as Apoutchou National and Serey Dié face judicial control
The celebrity world in Côte d’Ivoire has been rocked by a judicial investigation into alleged irregular real estate dealings, with around sixty complainants having filed reports. The financial prosecutor’s office has provisionally estimated the losses at more than 320 million FCFA. Among the public figures named in the judicial inquiry are influencer Apoutchou National and […]
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