West Africa

It happened fifty years ago, on April 25, 1974. Young captains rose up in Portugal, overthrew the dictatorship, and paved the way for the independence of the last African colonies. Consequently, today, several African heads of state are in Lisbon to celebrate this anniversary with the Portuguese. Their presence is even more justified because it was the African independence fighters of the time who brought down Lisbon's dictatorial and colonial regime. Pedro Pires served as a military commander for Amilcar Cabral's PAIGC…

In Mauritania, the race for the upcoming presidential election on June 29 is heating up with a flurry of candidacies being announced. One that stood out last Saturday was that of former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison last December for using his power to amass a fortune, with his lawyers appealing the decision. The former president, currently detained, faces uncertainty over his eligibility to run. This issue has sparked debate among lawyers on both sides.

How can we control digital content and prevent manipulation or combat online hate? Today, members of the Francophone Network of Media Regulators (REFRAM) and the African Network of Communication Regulation Authorities (RIARC) along with representatives from major digital platforms signed the Abidjan Declaration. This marks a commitment to enhancing dialogue between regulators and online platforms.

President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania announced his intention to seek reelection in the upcoming June presidential elections.

Legal conclusion, or close to it, in a case dating back to December 2017 in Cameroon. At that time, nearly 75 individuals were arrested in Yaoundé, Douala, Ebolowa, and Kye-Ossi, in the south. Some were released, while the rest - less than thirty, mostly Chadian nationals - faced charges of attempting to assassinate the president of neighboring Equatorial Guinea and were prosecuted by military justice. After four years of proceedings, in March 2022, sentences of 30 and 35 years in prison were handed down. These convictions…

The largest oil reserves in Africa are found in Libya. After years of crisis, the oil sector is picking up steam again, with the country overtaking Nigeria to become the top African oil producer.

Featured: Are we heading towards a tightly controlled election in Togo? Check out the image below. Is there a chance that the upcoming election in Togo will be manipulated?

Exciting developments on bringing justice for crimes in Gambia during Yahya Jammeh's reign from 1994 to 2017. The Gambian National Assembly passed laws creating a special prosecutor's office and outlining the judicial process.

In Mali, some hostages taken on Tuesday, April 16 near Bandiagara were set free. Over 100 passengers from three buses traveling between Bankass and Bandiagara in the country's central region were stopped by armed men. Local sources report that the kidnappers are Jihadists from the JNIM (Group to Support Islam and Muslims), affiliated with al-Qaeda. Other hostages remain captive, and the selection process was not random.

In Guinea, the Lero district has been a hotspot for tension for over a week. This small area, located 140 km from the gold-rich city of Siguiri, near the Malian border, is experiencing unrest and riots targeting the mining company SMD. Locals claim that the gold company has not honored its commitments regarding hiring and infrastructure. Since the military entered the town last Monday, residents have reported deaths and gunshot injuries.