Category: Authoritarian Regimes & Africa

The bilateral relations between Bénin and the United Arab Emirates are reaching new heights as both nations intensify their strategic partnership in defense and national security. The newly appointed Emirati Ambassador to Bénin, Hazza Mohamed Alqahtani, recently held a crucial working session with Gildas Agonkan, the Minister Delegate to the President of the Republic in charge of National Defence. This meeting served as an opportunity to outline the diplomat’s mission and evaluate future avenues of mutual interest. During their discussions, Ambassador Hazza Mohamed Alqahtani praised the strong ties uniting the…

During a session of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) on Wednesday, Morocco emphatically reiterated its unwavering dedication to bolstering the safeguarding of children caught in the throes of armed conflicts. The North African nation particularly stressed the critical importance of preventing child recruitment, ensuring their immediate protection, and facilitating their sustainable reintegration into society. Speaking at an AU PSC gathering specifically focused on “the protection of child soldiers in Africa,” the Moroccan delegation highlighted the tragic reality that children consistently bear the brunt of the continent’s…

Following the attempted coup on August 29th, the Nigerien regime appears more vulnerable than ever. The reported intervention of Russian forces and military backing from Algeria stand in stark contrast to the absence of direct intervention from Mali and Burkina Faso, despite their membership in the Alliance of Sahel States. The battle for Niamey exposes deep fractures NIAMEY — The intense clashes that shook Niamey on August 29th and 30th, 2026, did more than just thwart an attempt to oust General Abdourahamane Tiani. They laid bare the profound divisions within…

Military collaboration between China and Gabon is entering a new phase with the recent arrival of a Chinese defense attaché in Libreville. This development unfolds amidst several sensitive infrastructure projects, including a potential naval base in Port-Gentil, plans for new barracks, and officer training programs. These initiatives collectively outline a strategic partnership whose full scope remains somewhat discreet. While many of these undertakings are still in the planning stages, Beijing’s influence within Gabon’s defense apparatus has been steadily expanding over recent years. A Chinese military presence with deep roots The…

President Paul Biya finally returned to Cameroon on Thursday, August 20, concluding a “brief” visit to Switzerland that extended for an remarkable 74 days. Anticipating his arrival, citizens of Cameroon were met with merely a glimpse of his hand, visible through the partially lowered window of his presidential limousine. Citizens across Cameroon had expected to witness their long-serving leader descend the aircraft’s gangway, a customary sight where he would greet the powerful figures of the Etoudi Palace. Instead, they were presented with a singular hand. In the realm of African…

Economie Gabon : Boulevard de la Transition, le chantier des comptes In Libreville, the ambitious Boulevard de la Transition project is progressing on two distinct fronts. On site, heavy machinery is tasked with accelerating construction to overcome delays and complete initial sections. Concurrently, within government offices, a more sensitive race unfolds: ensuring the absolute traceability of public funds allocated to this significant infrastructure endeavor. A recent investigation, dated August 23rd, revealed a startling increase in the project’s initial budget, reportedly soaring from 8 billion to 16 billion CFA francs. Furthermore,…

Click to expand Image In early July 2026, forces from the Russia-controlled Africa Corps summarily executed nine civilians, including four children, and subjected dozens more to brutal beatings in central Mali. The Africa Corps fighters also ransacked and set ablaze at least eight homes, reportedly while searching for individuals suspected of links to Islamist armed groups. On July 10, around 5 a.m., over 100 Africa Corps combatants, accompanied by several Malian soldiers, stormed Bombori village in the Mopti region. Traveling in pick-up trucks and on motorcycles, they forcibly entered homes…

General Raymond Jean Charles Beko’o Abondo, the esteemed commander of the Cameroonian Presidential Guard, received a significant promotion to the rank of general on August 3, 2026. This pivotal advancement positions him as a potential key figure in arbitrating the nation’s complex clan conflicts, a role that could profoundly influence the political landscape of Cameroon. By Ousmane Tandja — Senior correspondent

AFRICA 3 min read Nigerian president’s remarks on Sahel security spark strong reaction from regional bloc “Some of these terrorists are not Nigerian. You see, the insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger is worsening our challenges,” President Tinubu stated on July 30. Share Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, met Thursday with Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Ouagadougou following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s controversial remarks on security in the Sahel, diplomatic sources confirmed Friday. Attended by Mali and Niger’s Chargés d’Affaires, the meeting underscored the three…

The African continent holds a commanding share of the world’s critical mineral reserves—resources now vital for the global shift to renewable energy and digital advancement. A landmark conference held on July 27, 2026, titled “Africa at the Crossroads: Navigating Global Geopolitical Competition in the Era of Critical Minerals”, brought together policymakers, extractive industry analysts, and civil society leaders to assess a strategic shift reshaping the continent’s economic and security landscape. Global power plays reshape Africa’s mineral economy The surge in demand for cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements—driven…

Ibrahim Traoré challenges taboos: arab slave trade and radical islam in the Sahel Ouagadougou — The Burkinabè transitional leader has ignited a fierce debate by openly linking the Arab slave trade to contemporary jihadist violence in the Sahel. His words, delivered before local leaders, expose historical blind spots that both Western historiography and Gulf powers prefer to ignore. The millennia-old silence that weighs on Africa Some truths burden Africa like invisible shackles. The Burkinabè captain just exposed one of them in Ouagadougou. While predecessors—both civilian and military—had carefully avoided the…

The recent sentencing of leaders from the Chadian Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), one of the country’s largest opposition coalitions, is far more than a judicial decision. It exposes a harsh truth: a regime that systematically criminalizes critics and tightens its grip on democratic freedoms. From transition to tightening: how Chad’s democratic space is shrinking Since the Chadian Transitional Military Council (CMT) seized power in April 2021, the nation has experienced a steady erosion of political freedoms. This trend has been widely documented by both national and international human rights…