Your go-to English source for news from Ouagadougou and Burkina Faso, updated daily.
The western reaches of Niger have been plunged into mourning following a brutal new assault on civilian populations. On January 18, insurgents linked to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) carried out a mass execution in the village of Bossiye, located in the Tillabéri region. The victims included 31 individuals, among whom were […]
In the Tombouctou region of northern Mali, the hospital in Niafounké has reached a major milestone with the installation of a new solar panel system. This shift toward sustainable energy increases the facility’s self-sufficiency and ensures that medical services remain uninterrupted in a remote area frequently affected by instability. Previously, the hospital was almost entirely […]
The geopolitical landscape of the Sahel is quietly undergoing a profound transformation. As European military deployments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have waned, and Russia has expanded its footprint through state-linked para-military structures, the United States appears to be recalibrating its strategic presence in the region. Emmanuel Dupuy, president of the Institute for Prospective […]
Mali has experienced a slight decline in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International. The nation now occupies the 136th position globally, dropping from its previous rank of 135th. In the latest global assessment of 182 nations, Mali achieved a score of 28 out of 100. This shift marks a downward trend despite […]
corruptionAfrique Corruption : le nouveau classement révèle des reculs Sandrine Blanchard | Alexa Meyer 10/02/202610 février 2026 Transparency International publie son nouvel Indice de perception de la corruption, qui évalue le niveau perçu de corruption dans le secteur public de 180 pays. https://p.dw.com/p/58Syh Selon l’indice de perception de la corruption 2025 (IPC) de Transparency International, […]
Civilian toll rises after suspected military drone strike in Niger A suspected Nigerien military drone strike on a bustling market in the village of Kokoloko, located in the Tillabéri region, has resulted in the deaths of at least 17 civilians—including four children—and left 13 others injured. The attack, which also claimed the lives of three […]
An unprecedented assault recently struck the heart of Niamey, raising serious questions about the national defense landscape. During the night of January 28 to 29, dozens of militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) launched a bold raid on the capital’s international airport and the adjacent Base 101. The attackers were seen […]
On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Mali’s Ministry of Health and Social Development officially took possession of 39 robust 4×4 all-terrain vehicles. This crucial acquisition aims to bolster the nation’s health infrastructure and expand access to vital health services, particularly vaccination efforts, across the country’s most vulnerable and hard-to-reach regions. The handover ceremony occurred at the […]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has strongly urged the government of Burkina Faso to reverse its recent decision to dissolve political parties and ease restrictions on civil society space. In a press statement, Türk emphasized that suppressing political parties and detaining individuals for expressing dissent contradicts human rights principles. He […]
Burkina Faso’s mobile clinics revolutionize cervical cancer screening Ouagadougou — For Awa, a 48-year-old mother of six living in Ipendo, in Burkina Faso’s Centre-Ouest region, the public announcement of free cervical cancer screening brought mixed emotions. «When I heard the town crier announce that health workers were offering free screening, I felt a pang of […]
West Africa and Sahel: Military Juntas Tighten Grip with Repressive Measures Click to expand Image In 2025, leaders across West Africa and the Sahel intensified their crackdowns on civil liberties while consolidating power, according to a major human rights assessment. Governments in the region have systematically eroded democratic institutions, suppressed dissent, and undermined accountability mechanisms, […]
US shifts Sahel strategy to focus on trade and security This week’s visit to Mali by Nick Checker, head of the US State Department’s African Affairs Bureau, signals Washington’s renewed engagement in the Sahel. However, the visit underscores a strategic realignment rather than a traditional return. The new approach centers on three key pillars: a […]