The security situation in Mali remains quite volatile, marked by pockets of terrorist violence, with devastating consequences for civilians, the top UN official there said on Wednesday. El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, briefed the Security Council on major developments in the West African country […]
Nairobi — AU, ECOWAS Should Press for End to Violations, Urge Accountability Malian armed forces and foreign fighters apparently from the Russia-linked Wagner Group have summarily executed and forcibly disappeared several dozen civilians in Mali’s central region since December 2022, Human Rights Watch said today. They also destroyed and looted civilian property and allegedly tortured […]
In August 2023, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died after his private jet crashed about an hour after taking off in Moscow. He had been Russia’s pointman in Africa since the Wagner Group began operating on the continent in 2017. The group is known for deploying paramilitary forces, running disinformation campaigns and propping up influential […]
The conquest of Kidal was a success for Mali’s military regime — but the north is still far from under control. Bamako is pursuing a tough military course, but jihadists and rebels are adapting their strategies. Mali’s military leaders in mid-November recaptured the strategic northern town of Kidal from an alliance of predominantly Tuareg armed […]
Nairobi — The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for an estimated 19-29 percent, according to the World Bank. This figure climbs to 40 percent emissions produced throughout the entire agricultural value chain – encompassing transportation, storage, and processing – are considered. With the global population expected to double […]
The membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has been whittled down from 15 to 12 following the unilateral withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso in February. Founded in 1975, Ecowas is one of eight regional economic communities recognised by the African Union to foster regional integration on the continent. Its […]
Mr President, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Rarely has humanity faced so many rapidly spiralling crises. In this update, I will focus first, on the scourge of war and the imperative of peace; and second, on the open space that is needed for societies to flourish – particularly in this mega election year. A wave of conflict […]
Monrovia — The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has completed pre-deployment training for soldiers expected to be deployed on Peacekeeping Missions in Mali, Sudan, and South Sudan. In a statement posted on the Ministry of Defense’s official Facebook page, the Ministry said the pre-deployment training lasted for six weeks with 93 soldiers participating in the […]
The UN Security Council voted on 30 June 2023 to end its peacekeeping mission in Mali, Minusma, after Mali officially requested its complete withdrawal. Over 11,000 military personnel from 53 countries are expected to leave the country by 31 December 2023. Minusma was first deployed in Mali in April 2013 to support the country’s political […]
While its peacekeeping operation in Mali, MINUSMA draws to a close by the end of this year, the UN remains committed to supporting the country’s stability and development, the head of the Mission said on Monday. Briefing the Security Council, El-Ghassim Wane, who is also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, updated ambassadors […]
“Today what happens everywhere can be seen and heard everywhere”. More widespread, more violent and now openly assumed as at its beginnings in 2012, terrorism in the Sahel continues unabated across the region. Inexorably transformed into an increasingly ethnic war, it is now anchored beyond the center of the Sahel, its earliest base. It is […]
The withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the West African economic bloc triggered strong reactions among the group’s members, with some promising to reverse the Sahel countries’ decision before it’s too late. But interrogations are also mounting on whether the organisation can survive the shift. Mali and Burkina Faso sent their “formal notice” […]
Bamako — ‘Not even a simple hello has been received from the government, not even to find us a space to settle.’ Large-scale attacks by the Sahelian branch of the so-called Islamic State have driven a major humanitarian emergency in northeastern Mali and contributed to the highest civilian fatality count in the country’s decade-long jihadist […]
Russia’s presence in Africa heavily depends on the Wagner Group, headed by Yevgeny Prighozin. But now there is uncertainty about the private military company’s role after its short-lived mutiny in Russia. The apprehension is palpable on the streets of Bamako, the capital of Mali. In August 2020, the military overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and […]
*Expresses readiness to host African Central Bank *AU kicks against exorbitant military spending on conflicts, terrorism President Bola Tinubu yesterday declared that Nigeria remains open to dialogue with Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic, despite recent coups in the four countries and the decision of three of them to withdraw from the Economic Community […]
For over a decade, Mali has struggled with violence, coups, deteriorating human rights and declining democratic credibility. Multiple sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies designed to press for reform seem to have had the opposite effect. We are therefore deeply disheartened by the prospect of U.S. policy deepening the estrangement with Mali. […]
Pressured by the Malian military junta, the UN Security Council has decided to withdraw all MINUSMA peacekeepers by the end of this year. What are the consequences? Last week, the UN Security Council decided to withdraw approximately 13,000 MINUSMA peacekeepers at the explicit request of the Malian military government. The move will have an impact […]
Defending champions D’Tigress of Nigeria secured their spot in the final of the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket tournament by overcoming hosts Rwanda, on Thursday, August 3. The semifinal game was attended by President Paul Kagame, first daughter Ange Kagame, and other fans in full force. Nigeria proved to be a dominant force throughout the match, […]