Author: Ousmane Tandja

Senegal’s electoral reform fuels 2029 presidential race speculation President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has enacted a sweeping electoral reform that may clear the path for opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to run in the 2029 presidential election. This landmark legislation revises the rules governing civic rights deprivation in Senegal. The new provisions cap the civil rights suspension period at five years post-sentence and introduce retroactive application, potentially reinstating Ousmane Sonko’s eligibility for future elections. Sonko’s 2024 exclusion The current Prime Minister was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential race after a defamation…

Violent attacks near Bamako as jihadist blockade tightens Armed assailants torched multiple passenger buses on May 16 near the Malian capital, intensifying a weeks-long jihadist blockade that has choked supply routes into Bamako. Gunmen struck a transport convoy in the Faya protected forest area along the Bamako–Ségou corridor on Saturday, forcing passengers out of vehicles before setting them ablaze, according to on-site witnesses. Injuries reported during clashes Resistance from some drivers triggered gunfire, leaving several people wounded and reducing at least seven buses to smoldering wrecks. Months-long blockade escalates Since…

As simultaneous offensives rocked key cities across Mali—including Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao, Sévaré, and Mopti—the nation’s political and military landscape faces unprecedented pressure. The coordinated assaults, claimed jointly by the Front de Libération de l’Azawad (FLA) and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), have intensified calls for urgent resolution. Military leadership under scrutiny In the aftermath, General Assimi Goïta, head of Mali’s transitional government, reappeared publicly alongside the Russian ambassador to Bamako. During the meeting, he highlighted the “strength of Mali-Russia cooperation”, a partnership that has…

In the span of a decade, Benin’s healthcare landscape has undergone a radical transformation. Spearheaded by President Patrice Talon’s administration and the Ministry of Health, the sector has been reimagined around four core pillars: governance, infrastructure, technical capability, and sanitation. Gone are the days of opaque medical evacuations abroad—replaced by state-of-the-art referral hospitals, stringent regulations, and a commitment to universal healthcare that places the Beninese patient at the heart of national priorities. This is the story of a revolution that is saving lives. The bold reset of Benin’s healthcare system…

French engineer held in Dakar: France closely tracks legal case A French national, aged around thirty and working as an engineer in Dakar, has been in detention since mid-February 2026 following a broader operation targeting multiple individuals. Multiple criminal charges The detainee faces serious allegations including unnatural acts, criminal association, money laundering, and attempted transmission of HIV. These charges reflect the sensitive judicial environment currently prevailing in Senegal. Active consular involvement French authorities confirm that the embassy in Dakar is providing close oversight of the case. Consular officials have conducted…