Day: August 4, 2026

Senegal struggles to draw foreign investors despite economic promise

Aïcha Abdou

Once a magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI), attracting an average of three billion dollars annually over the past four years, Senegal saw a dramatic drop to just 37 million dollars in 2025, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This sharp decline raises critical questions: Is this the end of a golden investment cycle, or are investors hesitating due to concerns about the government’s financial policies and broader economic outlook? Understanding the sudden downturn The collapse in FDI is largely cyclical. Major oil and gas…

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Chad hosts visiting president of Algeria’s CNESE for economic talks

Ousmane Tandja

Chad hosts visiting president of Algeria’s CNESE for economic talks ALGER – The president of Algeria’s National Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CNESE), Mohamed Boukhari, arrived in Chad on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of his counterpart, Ahmat Mboudou Mahamat. The purpose of the trip is to attend the opening ceremony of Chad’s second ordinary session of the Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Council (CESCE) for 2026, scheduled for Wednesday in N’Djamena. The visit underscores the deepening cooperation between Algeria and Chad, particularly in areas of economic…

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Pastef and kiiraay rivalry: malick gackou urges party unity

Aïcha Abdou

Pastef and Kiiraay rivalry: Malick Gackou urges party unity In the face of growing defections to Kiiraay, the Patriotic Republicans—a new political platform aligned with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye—former minister Malick Gackou has issued a firm call for Pastef members to uphold unity and collective discipline to safeguard the movement’s sovereign ideals. The stakes behind the call for unity As several Pastef officials and activists announce their departure for Kiiraay, Malick Gackou, leader of the movement, has urged members to remain steadfast and cohesive. His message comes at a critical…

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Human rights violations linked to Africa Corps strikes in Mali

Aïcha Abdou

Investigations by Human Rights Watch have revealed disturbing discrepancies in the official account of airstrikes conducted by Africa Corps in Kyrnia, a village in Mali’s Mopti region. On June 15, these strikes claimed the lives of eight civilians, with no evidence found of any armed combatants from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) among the fatalities. Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior Sahel researcher for Human Rights Watch, highlighted the findings during a regional news segment. The organisation’s report directly challenges the narrative presented by Mali’s military allies, particularly Russian partners,…

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Sparta prague and lyon face off in high-stakes champions league qualifier

Aïcha Abdou

Live match Live Date: 04/08/2026 Time: 20h00 Venue: epet ARENA Referee: Mr. Gözübüyük (NED) Sparta Prague (62′) M. Ryneš (68′) J. Mercado 90’ Uefa Champions League 2–1 Lyon (45′) M. Suchomel (o.g.) Match Squads Commentary Live Uefa Champions League Sparta Prague 2–1 Lyon 90’ 68′67′64′62′90′ 90′ The fourth official signals three minutes of added time. Those crucial moments are already underway… 89′ Tolisso finds Fofana, whose shot is too weak and parried by the goalkeeper, but the rebound falls to Nuamah who narrowly misses the follow-up. 88′ The visitors are…

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Melbet scandal exposes hidden money trails across Senegal Russia cyprus

Ousmane Tandja

The online gambling industry in Senegal is facing unprecedented scrutiny following a sweeping investigation that has exposed a sophisticated web of financial irregularities linked to the controversial platform Melbet. A high-stakes legal probe, launched in early 2026 by the Special Cybercrime Unit (DSC), has uncovered a pattern of alleged financial misconduct involving millions of dollars flowing through unregulated channels. Court documents reveal that between September and December 2025 alone, payment operator Wave processed transactions totaling over 29.5 billion West African CFA francs—with only 23.5 billion ultimately credited to user accounts,…

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Togo: Marguerite Gnakadé’s hunger strike exposes regime contradictions

Ousmane Tandja

In a bold and unprecedented move, an erstwhile key figure of Togo’s political establishment has resorted to a hunger strike from her prison cell, drawing global attention to her case and the broader concerns surrounding justice and human rights in the country. Marguerite Gnakadé, once a powerful figure within the regime and the first woman to serve as Minister of Defense, has been detained for nearly eleven months—a period that has culminated in her drastic decision to protest the conditions she describes as inhumane. From pillar to pariah: The fall…

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Soufis anticolonial legacy fuels political weaponry in Senegal

Aïcha Abdou

In a secular Senegal deeply shaped by Sufi brotherhoods, religious fervor often intertwines with political agendas. The historical figures of Senegalese Islam are now at the heart of sovereignist discourse, reshaping national identity narratives while securing critical support from religious leaders. From Bassirou Diomaye Faye to Ousmane Sonko, political elites are drawing from the legacy of these spiritual guides to craft an identity freed from foreign influences. Even amid their political rift, the president and former prime minister share a common conviction: the necessity of aligning themselves with religious dignitaries.…

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Olympic lyonnais faces sparta prague in champions league qualifier

Ousmane Tandja

The stakes couldn’t be higher for Olympique Lyonnais as they kick off their Champions League campaign in the third qualifying round. After finishing fourth in Ligue 1 last May, the Gones face a must-win scenario: either advance to the next stage or settle for Europa League participation. Their first hurdle is Sparta Prague, with the opening leg set for Tuesday evening at 20:00 CET in the Czech capital. Paulo Fonseca’s squad arrives with notable absences. Moussa Niakhaté and Nicolas Tagliafico serve suspensions, while Khalis Merah and Pavel Sulc are unavailable…

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Togo: gospel artist’s bold passport protest sparks national debate

Ousmane Tandja

An explosive TikTok live session featuring gospel artist Noélie Elykem tearing up her passport has catapulted a personal act of defiance into a national controversy. Beyond the dramatic visual, her symbolic gesture has ignited intense discussions about modern protest methods among the Togolese diaspora and beyond. The video, broadcast from the United States, captured Elykem shredding her official document while denouncing President Faure Gnassingbé’s administration. This unprecedented public rejection of her Togolese identity has sent shockwaves through Togo, sparking fierce divisions across the country and the wider West African region.…

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Togo: former defence minister Marguerite Gnakadé enters hunger strike in prison

Aïcha Abdou

Since July 27, 2026, the former Togolese Defence Minister has refused all food to protest the harsh conditions of her detention. Eleven months after her arrest for criticising President Faure Gnassingbé’s governance, she now embodies the struggle of over sixty political prisoners still held in Togolese jails. On August 30, 2025, as protests erupted in Lomé over rising living costs and a controversial constitutional reform that shifted Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, Essozimna Marguerite Gnakadé took to the streets. The first woman to serve as Togo’s Defence…

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Chad’s opposition struggles under repression and divisions ahead of elections

Aïcha Abdou

Chad stands at a critical crossroads as political repression intensifies and internal rifts deepen within opposition ranks, leaving key figures like Albert Pahimi Padacké, Succès Masra, and Saleh Kebzabo struggling to challenge the dominance of Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. Repression tightens its grip on Chad’s political landscape Since seizing power in 2021 following his father’s death, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has systematically dismantled dissent. Security forces have cracked down on protests, opposition meetings face abrupt cancellations under vague pretexts, and vocal critics frequently vanish into detention without formal charges. The…

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