Category: News

Burkina Faso cracks down on corruption within judiciary and customs The military-led transitional government in Burkina Faso is taking decisive action against alleged corruption within customs and judicial circles. The newly established Korag, a government body tasked with overseeing the implementation of the country’s strategic vision during its transition period, has exposed a four-year-old corruption scandal involving customs officers accused of extorting truck drivers. According to Korag’s detailed statement, investigators have gathered irrefutable evidence of the misconduct. This includes: Large sums of cash discovered in the officers’ offices and homes…

Dr Jean Baptiste Nikiema officially begins role as OMS resident representative in Niger The Republic of Niger has welcomed its new World Health Organization (OMS) resident representative. Dr Jean Baptiste Nikiema, a seasoned public health expert and diplomat, officially presented his credentials to Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bakary Yaou Sangaré, in a ceremony held in Niamey. The event brought together OMS staff in Niger and key members of the ministerial cabinet, reinforcing the strong and long-standing partnership between the OMS and the Nigerien government. Strategic health cooperation takes…

The United Nations has raised a critical alarm about a worsening global hunger crisis, highlighting 16 acute food insecurity hotspots where millions face imminent risk of famine. This stark warning comes as funding shortfalls and escalating conflicts deepen vulnerabilities in already devastated regions. In a joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), experts emphasize that Haïti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen are among the nations teetering on the brink of catastrophic hunger. These areas, plagued by prolonged instability and economic…

President Assimi Goïta initiates construction of 15 modern hospitals across Mali The Transitional President, General Assimi Goïta, has officially launched the Presidential Hospital Emergency Project by laying its symbolic first stone. The ceremony took place at the Korofina Reference Health Centre in Bamako’s Commune I, signaling the start of a massive initiative to upgrade the healthcare infrastructure throughout Mali. Colonel-Major Assa Badiallo Touré, the Minister of Health and Social Development, emphasized that this undertaking follows the recommendations of the national health summit held in late 2024. The primary goal is…

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued a critical appeal for immediate international support to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region. Nearly 4 million people have been displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and neighboring countries—a staggering 66% increase over the past five years. This surge is driven by escalating insecurity, limited access to essential services, and the worsening impacts of climate change. Regional displacement trends and challenges While most internally displaced persons (IDPs) remain within their country of origin, cross-border movements are becoming…

Issu de la série Between junta and jihadists: a report from Niger, at the heart of a besieged nation Caught between the terror of armed factions and the diplomatic isolation stemming from the junta led by Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger is currently enduring one of the most severe economic and security crises in its modern history. This series of reports delves into regions controlled by jihadists, where mere survival has become an act of profound resistance. Sommaire As dusk descends upon the outskirts of Zinder, in southeastern Niger, Rabiatou, 29, packs…

Niger : dissolution et répression des syndicats du secteur de la justice 21/08/2025 Déclaration Niger Défenseurs des droits humains Tingey Injury Law Firm / Unsplash L’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur·es des droits humains, un partenariat de la Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH) et de l’Organisation mondiale contre la torture (OMCT), condamne fermement la dissolution de cinq syndicats du secteur de la justice au Niger par arrêtés du ministre de l’Intérieur, de la sécurité publique et de l’administration du territoire le 7 août 2025, suivi de la radiation de…

Five journalists and a human rights defender freed after forced military enrolment In early July 2025, the Burkina Faso government released five journalists and one human rights activist who had been forcibly conscripted into the military after criticising the ruling junta. While this marks a positive step, their release also casts a harsh light on the ongoing disappearances of others—some missing since 2024—with no trace of their whereabouts. Background: arrests and forced conscription On March 24, 2024, in the capital Ouagadougou, authorities detained three members of the Burkina Faso Journalists’…

Fighting sickle cell in Niger: early detection saves lives A simple blood test before marriage could transform countless lives in Niger. Yet, for many families, sickle cell disease remains a silent crisis, leaving children without hope due to lack of awareness and resources. Dr. Mariam Boureima Djibo, director of the National Sickle Cell Reference Center (CNRD) in Niamey, shares a heartbreaking experience: « When I took charge of the center, one case haunted me—a parent, overwhelmed by poverty, had to abandon their child because they couldn’t afford life-saving medication. This…

Click to expand Image Human Rights Watch has called on the authorities in Niger to grant immediate freedom to the deposed leader Mohamed Bazoum, who continues to be held in unlawful confinement two years after a military uprising removed him from office. On July 26, 2023, members of the Niger military, forming the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) under General Abdourahamane Tiani, seized power and took Mohamed Bazoum and his wife, Hadiza Bazoum, into custody. The couple remains confined within the presidential residence in the capital,…

Mali’s escalating crisis: sexual violence surges in displaced camps 1 juillet 2025 Femmes As persistent insecurity and forced displacement plague Mali’s central and northern regions, an alarming trend of escalating gender-based violence (GBV) is putting women at heightened risk, a United Nations agency has warned. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), an agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, a survey conducted last May revealed “a rise in sexual violence cases within internally displaced persons (IDP) sites and conflict-affected regions.” The report specifically highlighted instances of “sexual exploitation,…

While grappling with the global coronavirus pandemic, Niger is simultaneously confronting a resurgence of polio. This secondary health emergency was confirmed following the diagnosis of two children in the Niamey and Tillabéri regions. Although both diseases share similar clinical symptoms—such as fever, coughing, and headaches—their modes of transmission differ significantly. Coronavirus is a respiratory infection spread through droplets from coughing or sneezing. In contrast, polio is typically contracted through the consumption of contaminated water or tainted food (especially raw or undercooked items), or via direct oral contact and poor hand…