Can six million signatures finally break DR Congo’s cycle of impunity?
Law and justiceDemocratic Republic of Congo Can six million signatures finally break DR Congo’s cycle of impunity? In the Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of victims of successive conflicts are still waiting for justice, while alleged perpetrators remain largely unpunished. The population is demanding accountability. The campaign “6 million voices for justice in Congo” is […]
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Niger’s press freedom at a crossroads: one month without Moussa Kaka sparks urgent questions
The disappearance of Moussa Kaka, a leading voice in Nigerien journalism, has left Niamey under a cloud of uncertainty for over a month. As the veteran journalist remains detained without official charges, the nation grapples with pressing concerns over his wellbeing, the legitimacy of his detention, and the broader implications for press freedom in the […]
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What does a single ‘ghost town’ day really change in Cameroon’s anglophone regions?
The symbolic weight of October 1st Every year, October 1st carries a dual meaning in Cameroon. It marks the anniversary of the 1961 reunification that created the Federal Republic of Cameroon, bringing together the former French colony and the southern Cameroons under British administration. But for anglophone separatists, this same date represents something else entirely: […]
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Inside the Loulo-Gounkoto mine pact: how Barrick gold’s ‘social truce’ masked a corruption scandal
The quiet signing of a new collective bargaining agreement at Loulo-Gounkoto, one of West Africa’s richest gold mines, is far more than it seems. Beneath the surface of a carefully staged social compromise lies a clandestine deal between Barrick Gold and union leadership—one that reveals how corporate influence can distort labour movements. The hidden cost […]
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What the silence over Moussa Kaka’s disappearance in Niger really reveals
When a journalist vanishes, the loudest signal is often the silence that follows. In Niger, Moussa Kaka has been missing since 31 August, and the absence of any meaningful response from African and international institutions is telling a story of its own. Alioune Tine, a Senegalese human rights expert and former United Nations special rapporteur, […]
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Eastern DRC peace process: the strategic logic behind Tshisekedi’s latest written overture to Gnassingbé
When Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé received Floribert Anzuluni, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Regional Integration, in Lomé on Tuesday, September 29, the meeting looked routine on the surface. In reality, it was the latest link in a chain of quiet diplomatic moves that reveal how Kinshasa is trying to keep a fragile […]
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Niger’s legal crackdown exposes fragility of democratic freedoms amid lawyer’s imprisonment
The sudden arrest and detention of human rights lawyer Abdourahamane Lirwana in Niger has exposed a troubling escalation in the state’s clampdown on dissent. By silencing critics and human rights defenders, authorities are crossing a dangerous threshold—one that threatens to redefine the boundaries of civic engagement and legal protections in the country. Behind the arrest: […]
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Inside the UN’s 2025 Gabon funding: the untold strategy behind 10.5 billion CFA francs
When Fatou Aminata Lo, the UN Resident Coordinator in Gabon, stepped before journalists at the UN common house, it was more than a routine briefing. It was the first time since taking office in January that she had engaged directly with the media, and the subtext was clear: the UN system in Gabon is recalibrating […]
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Behind Benin’s 328 billion FCFA loan: how smart guarantees unlocked 12 years of investment potential
Benin has just secured a landmark international banking loan worth €500 million—equivalent to 328 billion FCFA—through a sophisticated financial structure that reshapes how developing nations access global capital. Finalized in September 2026, this financing deal is not just another debt instrument; it’s a strategic move that leverages public guarantees to attract private lenders and sustain […]
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Burkina Faso four years on: the unspoken cost of Ibrahim Traoré’s rule
Unveiling the hidden realities behind Burkina Faso’s leadership The 27 September 2026 address by Ibrahim Traoré, marking four years in power, positioned itself as a comprehensive review of his administration’s achievements. The official narrative highlighted military operations, reclaimed territories, investments, and economic initiatives elements presented to justify the government’s performance. Yet, a national assessment cannot […]
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Inside West Africa’s peace architecture: why the Entente Council and UNOWAS formalised a three-year cooperation memorandum in Abidjan
When the Entente Council and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) put pen to paper in Abidjan-Cocody on Tuesday 29 September 2026, the signing was less a sudden diplomatic breakthrough than the formalisation of a relationship that had been quietly maturing for years. The three-year Memorandum of Understanding they sealed […]
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Inside the quiet diplomacy: why Kinshasa’s written message to Lomé matters for eastern DRC
On Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Togo’s president Faure Gnassingbé granted an audience in Lomé to Floribert Anzuluni, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s minister of regional integration, who was on an official visit to the country. The Congolese envoy came to hand over a written communication from his counterpart in Kinshasa, President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. Speaking […]
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