In a bold move, Burkina Faso's media authority has put a halt to operations of the French news outlet TV5Monde, levying accusations of "disinformation" and "apology for terrorism" against the network. This suspension stems from the broadcaster's coverage of the ongoing insurgencies affecting Burkina Faso and its neighbor, Mali, which highlighted rising insecurity and purported human rights abuses by the security forces. Human Rights Watch has characterized this action as a component of a wider initiative aimed at stifling…

The military government has escalated its crackdown on civil society, recently dissolving 118 organizations, with many focusing on human rights advocacy. The authorities have invoked a law regarding freedom of association enacted in July 2025, yet they have provided little justification beyond ambiguous claims of noncompliance. This latest move is part of a larger pattern of repression that emerged following the military coup in September 2022. Since that takeover, the regime has systematically targeted non-governmental…

Burkina Faso says it has thwarted an assassination plot against military leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, alleging the operation was orchestrated by Lt. Col. Paul Henri Damiba — the officer Traoré ousted in a 2022 coup — and financed in part from neighboring Ivory Coast. Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced the discovery late Wednesday, saying intelligence services “intercepted this operation in the final hours.” He said the plan aimed to kill the head of state and strike “other key institutions, including civilian…

Guinea's Coup Leader Mamady Doumbouya Elected President in Historic Vote Guinea's military coup leader, Mamady Doumbouya, has officially been elected president, marking a significant turning point for the West African nation. The provisional results, announced by the General Directorate of Elections, reveal Doumbouya secured an overwhelming 86.72% of the vote. This election represents the first since the military takeover in 2021, a moment that has been both awaited and feared by many. The public’s response is mixed,…

Mourning and Mystery: The Death of Alino Faso in Ivory Coast In the heart of West Africa, tensions flare and unanswered questions linger following the death of Alain Christophe Traore, more widely recognized as Alino Faso, a prominent pro-junta influencer from Burkina Faso. Chaotic yet poignant, the march that took place on a recent Wednesday in Ouagadougou was not just a call for justice but a reflection of a deeper regional wound. A Sudden Loss Alino Faso, age 44, found himself embroiled in a political labyrinth after…

Burkina Faso strongman Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba on Thursday appointed economist Albert Ouedraogo as the West African country's new prime minister. Aged 53, Ouedraogo, appointed by decree signed by…

In the wake of last month's coup, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, head of Burkina Faso's junta, has been named president of the country's highest constitutional body, legal sources reported on Thursday. They said the Constitutional Council on Wednesday stated that "Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, Lieutenant Colonel in the National Armed Forces, President of the Patriotic Movement for Preservation and Restoration (the junta's official name), is the President" of Burkina Faso. Damiba is also the head of state…

The choice of the African Union Peace and Safety Council to not sanction the Transitional Navy Council in energy, however slightly to assist it by imposing binding circumstances on it, isn't unanimous in Chad, removed from it. The transition drive feels legitimized and proud, whereas we don't take offense within the camp of its camp.…

5 days after the publication of its report on Chad, the Peace and Safety Council (PSC) of the African Union has nonetheless not communicated the small print of its choices. However RFI may be taught extra about it. There can be no sanctions towards the Chadian army junta, however a confirmed need to assist the transition course…

In Mali, the Charter, which will organize the transition for the next 18 months, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Thursday 1 October. The document takes into account a significant demand from ECOWAS, subject to the transitional chairman, Colonel Assimi Goïta, leader of the junta. Unlike an earlier version of the Transition Charter, the one published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Thursday does not mention that the Vice President can assume the functions of President of the…