Author: panafrica-news

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has announced plans to gradually shut down its human rights office in Burkina Faso by November 30, 2026. This decision follows persistent tensions with national authorities and recent actions by the country, alongside Mali and Niger, to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty. The OHCHR office, which opened in October 2021, played a crucial role in monitoring human rights, advocating for policy changes, and training local security forces in international humanitarian law. Its operations were suspended three months prior…

Mali’s press freedom crisis: suspension of broadcasts and journalist arrests Share facebook twitter linkedin Email The June suspension of a popular radio call-in show and the arrests of journalists Chahana Takiou and Abderhmane Keïta highlight the growing repression facing media professionals in Mali. Over nearly six years of military-led transition, the regime of Assimi Goïta has systematically undermined press freedom, weaponizing legal systems against independent journalism. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of the deteriorating state of media freedom in the country, already weakened by escalating security threats, and urges authorities…

In a remarkable turn of events, Bénin has surpassed Nigeria in wealth per capita, despite producing no oil or natural gas. This milestone, achieved through sustained economic policies, marks a significant shift in West Africa’s economic landscape. How Bénin achieved this economic feat Between 2016 and 2025, Bénin’s economy grew at an impressive 6.1% annually, nearly five times Nigeria’s growth rate of just 1.3%. This robust expansion, including a peak of 7.3% in 2025, enabled the country to surpass its oil-rich neighbor in GDP per capita, as reported by the…

Illustrative photo (AFP or licensors) The brutal reality of Nigeria’s Easter massacres and ongoing west african violence An exclusive interview with Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora Diocese reveals the devastating impact of bandit attacks in Nigeria’s Niger and Kebbi States. The violence has left thousands dead and displaced, with no end in sight. The horrifying wave of massacres that struck Nigeria during Easter has exposed a grim truth: Africa’s most populous nation remains trapped in a cycle of unchecked violence, claiming thousands of lives and displacing tens of thousands more.…

Armed Islamist militants have carried out a series of brutal attacks in western Niger, resulting in the deaths of 30 civilians, including four children, along with five captured fighters. The Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) has been identified as the perpetrator of these violent acts, which Human Rights Watch has condemned as war crimes. Click to expand Image On January 18, militants from the EIS executed 31 men and boys in the village of Bossieye in retaliation for residents refusing to pay the zakat—an Islamic tax imposed by the…