Author: Aïcha Abdou

In a unified response to escalating food shortages and sociopolitical instability, Caritas networks across the Sahel are convening in Ouagadougou to strengthen regional emergency preparedness. The five-day strategy session, launched on February 19, brings together representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Sénégal—member countries of the Caritas Sahel platform, operational since 2007. Building a regional crisis communication framework The gathering focuses on developing a cohesive communication system to streamline emergency response efforts among Catholic aid organizations. Key participants include heads of information and emergency operations, who are working to establish…

Professor Jean Gatsi says Douala airport assault was payback for his loyalty to Paul Biya After being cowardly attacked at Douala International Airport by an activist acting on orders, I am breaking my silence with this blistering indictment. Behind the violence and digital defamation lies an attempt at intellectual assassination aimed at making me pay for my unconditional support for President Paul Biya. Against the supporters of chaos, I reaffirm as a convinced intellectual that my determination remains as strong as granite. Here is an analysis of a failed plot…

The industry meetings kicked off on Tuesday in Libreville, with Vice-President Hermann Immongault in attendance. Running until June 26 at the Chamber of Commerce, the gathering brings together Gabonese authorities, business operators and European partners to discuss industrialisation and local processing. At the heart of the talks is the contribution of European companies to the government’s strategy for productive sovereignty. French Ambassador to Gabon, Fabrice Mauriès, welcomed the return of about thirty European firms, especially in the energy sector, while stressing the need to boost Gabon’s attractiveness in a competitive…

Why the Sahel’s inflation crisis refuses to fade Official figures from the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) may show average inflation at 0.0% across the region, but this cold figure tells only half the story. In the heart of the Sahel—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—the reality is starkly different. While coastal nations benefit from lower global commodity prices and favorable weather, the AES bloc remains trapped in a cycle of relentless price hikes that refuse to ease. The true cost of insecurity and military-led policies Inflation in the…

Two Mauritanian ministers have visited Yaoundé in the span of a week. President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani dispatched a second special envoy to the Palais de l’Unité on 24 June: Bessouda Mohamed Laghdaf, environment minister, carrying a sealed letter for Paul Biya. The stated goal: securing Cameroon’s backing for Coumba Bâ’s bid to become Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie. A sealed letter, a 30-minute audience and a direct message Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Minister of State and Secretary General of the Presidency, received the Mauritanian emissary…

With no Champions League football on the horizon next season, Olympique de Marseille must come to terms with losing key players, including Mason Greenwood. While AS Roma have shown interest in the English striker, Fenerbahçe are determined to take the lead in this transfer saga. A new offer could land within days. Greenwood’s departure from OM now a matter of when, not if The question is no longer whether Mason Greenwood will leave OM during the summer transfer window, but when. The English attacker holds the highest market value in…

On April 20, 2026, General Évariste Ndayishimiye embarked on an official “friendship and working” visit to Ouagadougou. At the time, the Burundian head of state held the rotating chairmanship of the African Union (AU). This diplomatic overture aimed to re-establish dialogue between the continental organization and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This alliance, comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is currently led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The initiative unfolded against the backdrop of AES member states withdrawing from AU bodies. In this context, the Burundian president traveled to Burkina…

Le Maroc s’impose comme une porte d’entrée stratégique vers l’Afrique, attirant l’attention des entrepreneurs du Lot-et-Garonne. Sa vitalité économique, sa situation géographique proche de la France et les multiples débouchés qu’il propose aux entreprises françaises ont conduit le Club Export 47 à choisir ce pays pour sa prochaine mission, prévue du 30 novembre au 3 décembre. By Aïcha Abdou — Senior correspondent