Your go-to English source for news from Ouagadougou and Burkina Faso, updated daily.
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY BFA 002 / 0525 / OBS 022Enforced disappearanceBurkina FasoMay 2, 2025 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), urges intervention regarding the following situation in Burkina Faso. Situation overview: The Observatory […]
Human rights advocates are urging Niger’s military authorities to immediately release former President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held without legal justification for over two years since his ousting in a coup. On July 26, 2023, officers from Niger’s self-proclaimed National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, forcibly […]
Investigations reveal that Malian armed forces, alongside the Russian-linked Wagner Group, have carried out extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances targeting Fulani men since the beginning of 2025. These alleged crimes, occurring in multiple regions, have raised serious concerns about human rights violations and the protection of civilians in Mali. Alleged atrocities in Mali’s counter-insurgency operations […]
advocating for sickle cell patients in Burkina Faso: dr. gloria damoaliga berges’ fight Ouagadougou – in Burkina Faso, sickle cell disease affects an estimated 4.63% of the population, with nearly 2% of newborns diagnosed with the severe ss form. these figures highlight a pressing public health challenge that demands a collaborative, multi-sector response involving all […]
As insecurity and forced displacement persist across central and northern Mali, women and girls face increasingly severe risks of gender-based violence, a United Nations agency has warned. A recent investigation conducted in May by the UNFPA, the United Nations agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, reveals a significant increase in sexual violence incidents within […]
The Sahel has vanished from global headlines. While the world’s attention has been diverted by conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the long-standing crises in the Sahel have grown increasingly dire. More than a decade of instability shows no signs of abating—instead, it is deepening with each passing year. Military regimes […]
Niger confronts dual threat of polio and covid-19 outbreaks While battling the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, Niger now faces a resurgence of poliomyelitis, with two confirmed cases reported in the regions of Niamey and Tillaberi. Health alerts Share The Niger government is currently managing simultaneous outbreaks of covid-19 and poliomyelitis, two diseases with distinct transmission routes […]
Burkina Faso is on high alert after health officials confirmed the start of a cholera outbreak. The announcement came after a patient tested positive at the Kantchari Medical Center, situated in the Tapoa province of the East region. The patient, a 25-year-old man located at the Boudiéri market in the town of Kantchari, displayed classic […]
Mali faces growing dengue fever outbreak: what travelers need to know The West African nation is experiencing a notable rise in dengue cases, with health authorities confirming 12 infections in Bamako and surrounding districts. While often overlooked due to symptom overlap with malaria, this mosquito-borne illness requires immediate attention. Health authorities report that adult men […]
Mali’s healthcare revolution: how to expand access to medical services Mali launches its first health month to tackle inequities in medical services. Healthcare in Mali faces critical challenges Share Access to healthcare in Mali remains unevenly distributed, with rural communities and vulnerable populations facing significant barriers. The 2012 security crisis further strained an already fragile […]
Burkina Faso is currently grappling with an unprecedented health crisis as a major dengue fever outbreak sweeps across the nation. According to recent government data, the mosquito-borne illness has claimed 214 lives since the beginning of the year, with the highest concentration of cases found in the capital, Ouagadougou, and the country’s second-largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso. […]
Vaccine Mali’s Covid-19 vaccination drive: why progress remains slow Despite ambitious targets, Mali has vaccinated just 8% of its eligible population against Covid-19, far below the 70% goal set by health authorities. Updated on October 25, 2025 Share Mali’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign is struggling to gain momentum. Health officials had set an ambitious target of […]