insert_link Africa Africa enters into multi-country visa regime By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Africa is moving towards a multi-country visa system, with individual countries and regional blocs working to remove their borders to promote intra-Africa tourism. Southern African countries are the latest to signal their intent to allow tourists to explore more diverse offerings across multiple destinations using a single visa. Leaders from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, which comprise […] todayJune 6, 2024 17
insert_link World Russia FM in Guinea amid Africa influence boost Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived on Monday in Guinea, his ministry said, the first trip by Moscow's top diplomat to the West African country since 2013. Russia, which has seen its relations with the West plummet after it sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, has sought to boost its influence in Africa in recent years. Russia's foreign ministry announced the visit on the Telegram social media […] todayJune 3, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Nigeria denies plans for foreign military bases amid regional concerns Nigeria's government says it has no plan to host foreign military bases within its borders. This follows reports that the government was planning to do so after three West African countries asked French and US troops to leave their country. todayMay 7, 2024 17
insert_link Africa CFA franc: conditions are ripe for replacement of the west African currency rooted in colonialism – expert By Kai Koddenbrock, Bard College Berlin At no point in history has the CFA franc – the name of a colonial currency used in west and central African countries belonging to the franc zone – been closer to its demise. Senegal has overwhelmingly voted for leftwing Pastef candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye (and his former party leader Ousmane Sonko) while the coup governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger […] todayApril 8, 2024 39
insert_link Africa Cocoa beans are in short supply: what this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers By Michael E Odijie, UCL A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production. With chocolate makers around the world reliant on west Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood of farmers. Cocoa researcher Michael Odijie explains […] todayMarch 20, 2024 8
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 14
insert_link Africa Senegal avoids power vacuum with March 24 election plan Senegal's government has announced that the country's presidential election will take place on 24 March. The announcement, the BBC reports, follows tension in the country after President Macky Sall postponed the election last month, sparking widespread protests while Bloomberg News reports that the plan to hold the vote before Sall’s mandate expires on 2 April 2024 removes the risk of a power vacuum in the West African nation. todayMarch 7, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Slums and guns in Bamako: what’s driving the illegal weapon trade in Mali’s capital city By Oluwole Ojewale, Institute for Security Studies As west Africa urbanises, many cities have become interconnected through trade, travel and technology, and crime has increased in complexity and scope. The proliferation of arms in west African cities, especially in the aftermath of conflicts in Libya (2011) and Mali (2012), has added to these challenges in Bamako, Mali’s capital. In 2018, the Small Arms Survey estimated that roughly […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 8
insert_link Africa West Africa trade will take a hit as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leave Ecowas By Olivier Walther, University of Florida The membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has been whittled down from 15 to 12 following the unilateral withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso in February. Founded in 1975, Ecowas is one of eight regional economic communities recognised by the African Union to foster regional integration on the continent. Its main objective is to create a […] todayFebruary 15, 2024 20
