Russian troops have been deployed in Mali, where they will serve as military trainers for the Malian defense forces near the city of Timbuktu. That’s according to a government spokesman cited by Reuters and other international news agencies. Witnesses living in the region told Reuters they had seen uniformed Russian…
Russian officials have condemned the newly imposed European Union sanctions brought on over the role of Wagner Group and private military fighters in the Sahel, defending the right of African nations to choose the services if they so prefer. “Private military companies are not controlled by official Russian authorities. Independent…
Senegalese foreign minister Aissata Tall Sall recently called on China to become more involved in the Sahel region, specifically expressing a hope that Beijing will be a “strong voice” in combatting the rising tide of terrorism in the region. The appeal certainly has its logic, given Beijing’s expanding influence in…
In Togo, President Faure Gnassingbé said Monday that the country’s security remained a top priority, following last week’s attacks on an outpost near the northern border. His statement acknowledged the attack in Sanloaga, in the Kpendjal territory, on the night of November 9. Togolese security forces said the incident at…
The Russian foreign ministry confirmed reports that Mali plans to hire contractors with the Wagner Group to fight extremism in the Sahel, but insisted again that the private company is not operating under Moscow’s control. The remarks from Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov followed questions about the presence of Wagner…
How much worse will it get? That’s a climate change question that serves as a theme for a new report released Tuesday by Chatham House, the London-based policy institute focused on global affairs. It looks at impacts that may well be “locked in” by 2040 or 2050, assuming there is…
Weapons from Serbia and other European nations are being used by extremists in the Sahel and supporting armed conflict, according to a new Amnesty International report. The global NGO said it reviewed more than 400 pieces of digital media from Burkina Faso and Mali, including verified photos and videos posted…
With what is now the perhaps unavoidable 2°C in global warming, and as early as 2050, southern Africa will see increases in drought and dangerous fire weather with impacts to agriculture, forestry, health and ecosystems. North Africa will see dry conditions too, as will the western Sahel region. If there’s…
Transitional president Bah N’Daw has resigned, according to Malian news sources. The resignation was presented to Assimi Goïta, the transitional vice president, during an emergency meeting with former Nigerian president Jonathan Goodluck and his delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Bah N’Daw has reportedly dissolved his…
Pope Francis delivered his Easter message on Sunday with a reminder of the hope amid troubled times that is the heart of the resurrection message celebrated by Christians around the world. “The Easter message does not offer us a mirage or reveal a magic formula. It does not point to…
UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, warns that some 10.4 million children – all in countries on the African continent with the exception of Yemen – face severe food insecurity and malnutrition in the coming year. The affected nations include Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), northeast Nigeria, the…
As the United Nations Human Rights Council holds its annual meeting in Geneva, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet of OHCHR, the UN human rights agency, provided an overview on Thursday of concerns in various African nations beginning with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bachelet, a former president of Chile who was…
Filippo Grandi, head of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), has completed a three-nation tour of the Sahel, meeting with heads of state and other leaders focused on the security and humanitarian crises. Grandi wrapped up his mission in Burkina Faso, meeting with President Roch Marc Kaboré after stops in…
France plans to send additional troops to the Sahel and appealed for more international support for counterterrorism efforts, following a summit in the French city of Pau attended by leaders of the G5 Sahel nations on Monday. President Emmanuel Macron said 220 soldiers will reinforce the 4,500 Operation Barkhane troops…
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria are among the world’s top five countries facing humanitarian crisis in 2020, with Burkina Faso, Burundi and Chad added to the list compiled each year by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The NGO said Yemen remains the greatest concern, followed by DR Congo…