When General Célestin Simporé, Burkina Faso’s minister of defence, took his seat on the state broadcaster RTB to celebrate the security record of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, he reached for the most convenient…
Author: Martin Ngu
Journalist
Burkina Faso’s 80 % NGO rule: the real-world consequences for aid delivery
The regulation adopted on 24 September 2026 under the presidency of Captain Ibrahim Traoré requires non-governmental organisations operating in Burkina Faso to devote at least 80 % of their resources to direct…
Gabon’s historic UN vice-presidency: economic opportunities for citizens and businesses
The Gabonese delegation at the UN takes center stage with new responsibilities The Gabonese Republic has embarked on a new chapter in its diplomatic history as it assumes the vice-presidency of the…
Djenné falls, Mali’s fuel blockade bites: the rising cost for families, traders and troops
Mopti, Mali — The loss of the military post at Djenné is more than a battlefield setback. It is a bill that households, market traders and the soldiers meant to protect them…
Candide Azannaï stays behind bars: the economic and social stakes Benin now faces
Cotonou, 24 September 2026 – The decision to keep Candide Azannaï behind bars is being felt well outside the courtroom. For households already anxious about the cost of living, for traders and…
Benin’s Houndégnon ruling: the real-world fallout for citizens, businesses and public trust
COTONOU — The highest court in Benin has shut the last extraordinary procedural door available to General Louis Philippe Houndégnon, and the tremors of that decision will be felt far beyond the…
How Benin’s UN diplomacy reshapes Africa’s security through cross-border partnerships
Border security in Africa hinges on neighborly cooperation, Benin asserts at UN During a pivotal session of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026,…
Social media in Cameroon: how young people navigate real-world risks and rewards
Cameroon’s digital generation: balancing opportunity and danger on social media The rise of social media in Cameroon has reshaped lives—sometimes for the better, often with hidden costs. Young Cameroonians increasingly rely on…
Gabon’s poultry ban: a high-stakes gamble on local farms and household budgets
Economy Gabon’s poultry ban: a high-stakes gamble on local farms and household budgets Libreville, September 24, 2026 — The diplomatic clash between Gabon and Washington over poultry imports is no longer just…
Niger’s september 23 attacks: the human and economic fallout of a single deadly day
The attacks of september 23, 2026 have left a wound that reaches far beyond the ranks of Niger’s defence and security forces. With 57 personnel killed within a matter of hours on…
Burkina Faso’s imam crackdown: the real toll on citizens, traders and social trust
In Burkina Faso, the boundary between fighting armed extremism and suppressing religious freedom has become almost impossible to trace — and the fallout is now being felt far beyond the mosque. Under…
Pope Leo XIV in France: the tangible consequences of a four-day visit
Starting Friday 25 September 2026, France will host one of the most closely watched religious and diplomatic events of the decade: the arrival of Pope Leo XIV. It is his first official…