Africa

In the Central African Republic, it is the last straight line before the grouped elections - presidential elections and legislation - to be held on 27 December. The election material, which represents several tonnes, is distributed to the most remote areas in the country. A real logistical challenge. It is Minusca that transports the material to the prefectures, just like in Bangassou, where the…

A Guinean opponent, detained since September in Conakry, died Wednesday night through Thursday, December 17. Roger Bamba, in his forties, was a member of the communications cell and youth leader of the Union for Democratic Forces in Guinea (UFDG), the largest opposition party, led by Cellou Dalein Diallo. He died a few hours after being transferred to the hospital in the capital. He was arrested after…

In Nigeria, high school students who were caught last weekend at their boarding school in Kankara, northwestern Nigeria, were released on the evening of Thursday, December 17. This mass kidnapping was claimed twice by Abubakar Shekau, leader of a Boko Haram faction, first Tuesday, then Thursday, through a video showing dozens of children being shown by armed men. Some of them are now free, while the…

Nigeria decided on Wednesday, December 16, to partially resume its land borders with its neighbors. Four border posts are affected, on the side of Niger, Benin and Cameroon. The reopening will take place gradually and all trade will resume at all pedestrian crossings by 31 December, with the exception of certain products. The borders had been closed for almost a year and a half. The measure was…

Several anti-Balaka and ex-Séleka armed groups unite in a joint statement dated Wednesday, December 16, to terminate the Khartoum agreement, which they said was insufficiently implemented. They threaten to use "all means" if the government does not agree to organize talks on this subject before the organization of the presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for December 27. In question: the…

While the Democratic Republic of Congo is hit by a second wave of Covid-19, the country will experience its first national curfew this Friday, December 18 in the evening. It starts at 21 and lasts until kl. Traffic under the curfew will be subject to a special permit from the provincial authority, with the exception of persons in emergencies. This decision will affect many Congolese and many are…

In Mali, the Dan Na Ambassagou self-defense militia, made up of traditional dozo hunters, officially disbanded by the Malian state last year, is urging the Malian transitional authorities in a video recorded on December 16 to strengthen the army's presence in Dogon. She even issued an ultimatum to the government, a fierce message that also reflected a certain weakening.…

We are in Benin, we are not for violence, that is why I want to thank you for your patience, thank you also to the Minister of the Interior, to the President of the Republic to all those who contributed to the creation of this request granted to us by the laws of the Republic. Everything is good and starts well too. Thomas Boni Yayi, former head of state of Benin Jean-Luc Aplogan .

Nigeria is partially reopening its land borders after virtually a yr and a half of closure. A choice that on the time was supposed to fight smuggling and encourage native Nigerian manufacturing. This reopening is a shocking resolution, because the announcement of the border closure in August 2019 had been introduced. The…

Deputies finally had the last word on Thursday morning, due to a lack of agreement with the senators on a common text. As the text says, France now has one year to deliver the 26 works from the Béhanzin tax to Benin. The sword known as El Hadj Omar Tall, founder of the Toucouleur Empire, has already been returned in November 2019 to the Senegalese authorities.…