Category: News

Parliamentary proceedings in the Senegal National Assembly have resumed under tense circumstances. The assembly’s governing body has been summoned for an emergency session scheduled to begin at 16:00 this afternoon. Observers had previously flagged the likelihood of heightened activity within the legislative body in the coming days. The impending meeting has been framed as the opening salvo in what many anticipate will be a period of intense political maneuvering. What to expect from the parliamentary bureau meeting This gathering of the assembly’s leadership is expected to set the tone for…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has adopted a firmer diplomatic stance toward the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). During the ordinary summit held in Lungi, Sierra Leone, regional leaders established a decisive principle: no member state will be allowed to pursue separate negotiations with Mali, Burkina Faso, or Niger on critical issues. This move aims to safeguard the cohesion of a West African bloc already strained since the three Sahelian nations officially withdrew in January 2025. The decision to centralize discussions reflects growing concerns in Abuja. Since…

Gabon’s extractive industries experienced a mixed performance at the start of 2026. The sector’s overall activity witnessed a 2.9% contraction, primarily driven by a downturn in hydrocarbons. In stark contrast, the manganese segment continued its upward trajectory. This trend highlights the enduring structural reliance of the Gabonese economy on its upstream petroleum sector’s output, a key finding from the sectoral economic report by the Directorate General of Economy and Fiscal Policy (DGEPF). Gabon’s extractive sector hampered by oil production decline The significant drop in hydrocarbon output heavily impacts the entire…

Once a magnet for foreign direct investment (FDI), attracting an average of three billion dollars annually over the past four years, Senegal saw a dramatic drop to just 37 million dollars in 2025, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). This sharp decline raises critical questions: Is this the end of a golden investment cycle, or are investors hesitating due to concerns about the government’s financial policies and broader economic outlook? Understanding the sudden downturn The collapse in FDI is largely cyclical. Major oil and gas…

Live match Live Date: 04/08/2026 Time: 20h00 Venue: epet ARENA Referee: Mr. Gözübüyük (NED) Sparta Prague (62′) M. Ryneš (68′) J. Mercado 90’ Uefa Champions League 2–1 Lyon (45′) M. Suchomel (o.g.) Match Squads Commentary Live Uefa Champions League Sparta Prague 2–1 Lyon 90’ 68′67′64′62′90′ 90′ The fourth official signals three minutes of added time. Those crucial moments are already underway… 89′ Tolisso finds Fofana, whose shot is too weak and parried by the goalkeeper, but the rebound falls to Nuamah who narrowly misses the follow-up. 88′ The visitors are…

Since July 27, 2026, the former Togolese Defence Minister has refused all food to protest the harsh conditions of her detention. Eleven months after her arrest for criticising President Faure Gnassingbé’s governance, she now embodies the struggle of over sixty political prisoners still held in Togolese jails. On August 30, 2025, as protests erupted in Lomé over rising living costs and a controversial constitutional reform that shifted Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, Essozimna Marguerite Gnakadé took to the streets. The first woman to serve as Togo’s Defence…

Olympique Lyonnais kicks off their 2026-2027 season early with a high-stakes clash away to Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The Rhône-based side, fresh off a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1, will face their toughest pre-season test yet when they take on the Czech outfit on Tuesday, August 4. The Gones will be the first French club to enter European action this term, looking to make a strong statement in their bid to return to the continent’s elite competition. Paulo Fonseca’s men have already made…

Cameroon has made securing a new partnership with the International Monetary Fund (FMI) a cornerstone of its upcoming three-year budget plan. According to the Medium-Term Economic and Budgetary Programming Document for 2027-2029, submitted to Parliament by the Ministry of Finance as part of the budget orientation debate, Yaoundé expects to receive 300 billion FCFA in support tied to a new program with the Bretton Woods institution. This amount represents nearly 9.5% of the projected financing needs for 2027, estimated at 3,161.5 billion FCFA. The stakes are high. The previous program,…

For 44 years, President Paul Biya has led Cameroon with an iron grip. Now, at 93, his prolonged absence raises critical questions. The head of state left on June 7 for what was described as a brief private stay in Europe. Yet, 58 days later, he remains unseen in public. The silence has fueled speculation about his whereabouts and the stability of the country’s leadership. Where is Paul Biya? A leadership vacuum? Since June 7, President Paul Biya, Africa’s oldest serving leader, has not appeared in public. His last known…

Diplomatic breakthrough in Freetown as Gabonese and Sierra Leonean leaders unite The historic meeting between Gabonese Head of State Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio at Freetown’s State House yesterday marked the pinnacle of a state visit that began on August 2. The four-day diplomatic mission aimed to deepen the Libreville-Freetown axis and reinforce Gabon’s strategic presence in West Africa—a region often touted as a model for Central African integration despite lingering bureaucratic hurdles. During their discussions, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying…