Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has issued a formal appeal to the government of Burkina Faso. He is urging the authorities to cease all restrictions on the country’s civic environment and reconsider the decision to outlaw political organizations. As West Africa Mali news outlets and regional observers monitor the situation, […]

Ouagadougou — « When I heard the town crier announce that health workers were offering free screenings, I feared the worst: what if they told me I had the disease? How would I afford treatment? But I thought of my children, and I decided to go,» shares Awa, a 48-year-old mother of six living in […]

Across West Africa and the Sahel in 2025, military-led governments have escalated their crackdown on civil liberties while consolidating power, according to the latest findings from regional and international monitors. Click to expand Image escalating authoritarianism in west africa’s Sahel In 2025, military juntas in the Sahel—including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—have doubled down on […]

This week’s visit by Nick Checker, head of the US State Department’s African Affairs Office, to Mali signals a renewed US presence in the Sahel. However, Washington is recalibrating its Sahel strategy along three key axes: a pivot toward trade-focused diplomacy—especially in minerals—a security realignment marked by reduced permanent military deployments, and a shift away […]

Since the military coup in July 2023, Niger has witnessed a sharp decline in human rights conditions. In 2025, the military junta intensified its crackdown on political opponents, dissenters, union members, and journalists. Arbitrary detentions continue, including the former President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife, alongside overthrown government officials, activists, and reporters. The country remains […]

In a significant shift in foreign policy, the United States has signaled its willingness to engage directly with military-led governments in the Sahel region—specifically Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—despite their pivot toward Russia and departure from traditional alliances with France and the West. The announcement came as Nick Checker, head of the U.S. State Department’s […]

Tensions between the international community and the military government in Niger, which took control in 2023, continue to escalate. Following a significant security breach at the Niamey airport, the head of the junta expressed gratitude toward Russia for its military support while explicitly accusing the leaders of France, Bénin, and Côte d’Ivoire of orchestrating the […]

Nigeria’s escalating violence and overlooked humanitarian crisis Recent months have seen a surge in abductions of schoolchildren, coordinated assaults on entire villages, and violent attacks targeting worshippers in churches and mosques. These incidents have thrust Nigeria back into the global spotlight, particularly after the United States launched airstrikes on Christmas Day against jihadist positions in […]

The withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was intended as a bold assertion of sovereignty. Yet, it has inadvertently disrupted the free movement of people and goods across the region. Travelers and traders now face mounting challenges, particularly at border crossings where administrative hurdles persist. […]