The Malian government has secured an emergency loan of 8 billion CFA francs from the West African Development Bank (BOAD) to import roughly 20 million litres of fuel, a move that has…
Month: September 2026
After RAFFINOR-BF: Burkina Faso’s gold debate shifts to custody and control
A refinery unveiled, a controversy ignited On 28 September 2026, Ibrahim Traoré inaugurated Burkina Faso’s first national gold refinery in Ouagadougou, named RAFFINOR-BF. Officials presented the facility as a major step toward…
Niger’s competitive dialogue three years on: a reform that never left the drawing board
When Decree No. 2022-743/PRN/PM was signed into law on 29 September 2022, it was presented as a watershed moment for public procurement in Niger. The introduction of the competitive dialogue procedure was…
Benin’s UN message on Sahel security: the reaction, the debate and what happens next
A diplomatic moment that has reshaped the conversation The echoes of Benin’s national statement at the United Nations headquarters in New York are still reverberating across West African capitals. Foreign Minister Corinne…
Cotonou’s civil society summit ends with a challenge: will francophone leaders listen?
The 16th Ordinary Plenary Assembly of the Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations (COING) of La Francophonie wrapped up in Cotonou after two days of intense debate, leaving participants with a pointed question:…
Ghana’s $109M health deal rejection: what the fallout means for Africa’s data sovereignty
Accra has turned down a major US health financing package, citing demands for pathogen information, medical records and questionable limits on drug oversight. The decision has ignited a continent-wide conversation about who…
Kribi port at 15: the debates, the dividends and Cameroon’s next chapter
Fifteen years ago, Mboro on the outskirts of Kribi, a town in southern Cameroon, was little more than an isolated fishing village, its handful of homes linked by narrow, winding dirt tracks….
Niger’s UN speech fallout: SOMAÏR and SONIDEP failures spark national debate on sovereignty’s true cost
A familiar refrain at the UN, a harsher reality at home At the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Niger’s military-appointed Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, once again delivered his signature sovereignist…
UK transit visa for Senegal: mounting fallout and the road ahead
The United Kingdom has tightened its entry rules for nine West African nations, Senegal among them, with the introduction of a mandatory airport transit visa. The decision, issued by the Home Office,…
AES single currency: how Traoré’s latest remarks sparked fresh debate and what could come next
Burkina Faso AES single currency: how Traoré’s latest remarks sparked fresh debate and what could come next The prospect of a shared currency for the Alliance of Sahel States remains unresolved, and…
Radio frequencies in Côte d’Ivoire: the AIGF tribune that has everyone talking, and what comes next
Abidjan, September 28, 2026 – The countdown is on. Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 3:00 PM, the public conversation around radio frequency management in Côte d’Ivoire will shift into high gear…
Guinea-Bissau reacts as Embaló confirms second-term bid, setting stage for contested vote
The political scene in Guinea-Bissau has shifted decisively following President Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s formal announcement that he will seek a second term. The move, long anticipated but never certain, immediately sparked a…