insert_link Africa Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hint at a new west African currency: what it’ll take for it to succeed By Thierno Thioune, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar On 11 February 2024, the head of Niger’s ruling military junta, General Abdourahmane Tiani, spoke of the possible creation of a common currency with Burkina Faso and Mali. “The currency is a first step toward breaking free from the legacy of colonisation,” he said on national TV, referring to the CFA franc inherited from French colonisation. Burkina Faso, […] todayMarch 15, 2024 16
insert_link World Free movement in west Africa: three countries leaving Ecowas could face migration hurdles By Franzisca Zanker, Arnold Bergstraesser Institute; Amanda Bisong, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Leonie Jegen, University of Amsterdam For Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, a recent decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has thrown up questions about how they will navigate regional mobility in future. Ecowas covers a variety of sectors, but migration is a major one. The bloc’s protocols since 1979 […] todayFebruary 22, 2024 8
insert_link Africa China’s demand for Africa’s donkeys is rising. Why it’s time to control the trade Women walk with their donkeys in Ethiopia’s Amhara region. Buena Vista Images/GettyImages Lauren Johnston, South African Institute of International Affairs In recent years, there’s been a huge, rising demand for donkey hides in China, where they are used to make an ancient health-related product called ejiao. Ejiao is made from collagen that’s been extracted from donkey hides mixed with herbs and other ingredients to create medicinal and health consumer products. […] todayFebruary 20, 2024 21
insert_link Africa Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger want to leave Ecowas. A political scientist explains the fallout By Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have sent Ecowas, west Africa’s main political union of 15 countries, a formal notice of their withdrawal from the bloc. The three countries are governed by military rulers who have overthrown democratically elected leaders since 2021. The Conversation Africa’s Godfred Akoto Boafo asked political scientist Olayinka Ajala about the implications of the withdrawal. Why are Mali, Benin […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 3
insert_link Africa Nigeria criticises ECOWAS exit Nigeria has accused military authorities in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso for letting their people down with their joint decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States. Ajeck Mangut reports. todayFebruary 1, 2024 31
insert_link Africa West African Military-Led States Exit ECOWAS Amid Democratic Rule Pressure Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all under military leadership, have simultaneously announced their immediate departure from the Economic Community of West African States. Local Political Analyst Rakkel Andreas weighs in on the significance of this decision. Salomei Hei the Managing Director at High Economic Intelligence explains the Economic implications this might have. todayJanuary 30, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announce withdrawal from ECOWAS Military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have withdrawn from ECOWAS, with immediate effect. According to the AFP news agency, all three countries were suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions. They have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an "Alliance of Sahel States". A French military withdrawal from the Sahel -- the region along the Sahara desert across Africa -- has […] todayJanuary 29, 2024 1
insert_link Africa HRW says Burkina Faso army strikes killed dozens of civilians Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday accused the Burkina Faso army of killing at least 60 civilians in drone strikes which the government said targeted jihadist fighters. The deaths occurred in three military drone strikes since August, two at crowded markets and another at a funeral, the rights group said in a report. Military leader Captain Ibrahim Traore, who came to power after a 2022 coup, has focused on a […] todayJanuary 25, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Burkina’s ex-gendarmerie chief kidnapped: sources Burkina Faso's former chief of staff of the gendarmerie who was sacked in October has been abducted from his home by unidentified "armed individuals", sources close to him said on Monday. "They sealed off the neighbourhood, surrounded his home before taking him," a security source close to the ex-police chief told AFP. Lieutenant-Colonel Evrard Somda was taken on Sunday from his home in the capital, Ouagadougou, he added. "We don't […] todayJanuary 15, 2024 17