Author: Ousmane Tandja

The United States is weighing a significant expansion of its military footprint in West Africa, with Mali emerging as a potential new battleground in the fight against terrorism. Recent assessments suggest that Washington is seriously considering targeted strikes against the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaïda-affiliated group that has grown into one of the most formidable armed organizations in the region. The JNIM, which operates primarily from northern Mali, has steadily expanded its influence across several coastal nations in West Africa. Analysts warn that the group’s increasing reach poses…

Renewed discussions are underway between Veolia, the French environmental giant, and Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior regarding the ambitious Rabat desalination plant project. The facility, designed to produce 822,000 cubic meters of potable water daily, represents a critical step in addressing the country’s water scarcity challenges. With an annual production capacity of 300 million cubic meters, the plant will rely on renewable energy sources to ensure sustainability. Key negotiations currently revolve around finalizing the cost of desalinated water, with both parties targeting a rate of 4.5 Moroccan dirhams per cubic…

As Niger marks three years since the July 26, 2023 coup d’état, a leading international watchdog has issued a stark warning about the country’s deteriorating human rights landscape. Human Rights Watch has accused the military authorities of intensifying repression, systematically dismantling democratic safeguards, and deepening the nation’s human rights crisis. Military crackdown erodes freedoms and silences dissent In a scathing report released on July 23, Human Rights Watch highlights a deliberate campaign by the military-led government under General Abdourahamane Tiani to centralize power while systematically weakening democratic institutions. The organization…

Washington weighs direct action as jihadist violence escalates in Mali The Trump administration is reviewing a potential U.S. military intervention in Mali targeting the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaïda-affiliated coalition that has intensified attacks across the Sahel region. Discussions are ongoing at the highest levels of government, with some officials advocating a decisive response to curb the group’s growing influence. Divisions within the U.S. administration over strategy Internal debates have surfaced regarding the feasibility and risks of a direct military operation. Among the most…

For Amadou Bangoura, a 30-year-old student from Bénin, the night of July 15 will remain etched in his memory. Around 10 p.m., he left his gym in the Liberté 6 district of Dakar to head home. The streets were nearly empty, shops had closed, and only the occasional vehicle headlights cut through the darkness. Suddenly, a police patrol ordered him to stop. Two officers stepped out and demanded, “Your papers.” Residing in Sénégal for five years with a valid residency permit, Bangoura was shaken by the experience. “I didn’t know…