West African country - The African Mirror

May

18

2024

Senegalese prime minister criticises French military bases on territory

NEWS

SENEGAL'S prime minister Ousmane Sonko raised the possibility of closing French military bases in the West African country in a wide-ranging speech that also touched on the euro-backed CFA franc currency, oil and gas deals and LGBTQ rights. Sonko, a firebrand politician who gained power when his hand-picked presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye won a decisive victory in March, is known for criticising perceived overreach by France in its former colony. France has about 350 troops in Senegal. "More than 60 years after our independence ... we must question the reasons why the French army for example still benefits from several military…

May

12

2024

By The African Mirror

Mali talks propose junta rule for three more years

NEWS

Participants in Mali's national dialogue recommended extending the military-led transition to democracy by three years and allowing junta leader Assimi Goita to stand in the eventual election. The West African country has been under military rule since a coup in 2020, and tensions have risen over the junta's failure to stick to a promised timeline for the return to constitutional rule. Months-long nationwide consultations, which were boycotted by many of the opposition, culminated on Friday with a host of recommendations including the extension of the transition to five years from two, effectively prolonging the junta's rule to 2027. The substantial delay is…

Apr

14

2024

By The African Mirror

Malian parties reject junta’s suspension of political activities

NEWS

MALIAN political parties and civil society groups jointly rejected the ruling junta's order to suspend political activities and vowed to mount a legal challenge to what one opposition politician called the "dictatorial" move. The West African country has been under military rule since a coup in 2020. Tensions have risen in recent weeks, leading major parties and other organisations jointly to call out the junta on March 31 for not scheduling elections within the promised time frame. The authorities issued a decree on Wednesday suspending until further notice all activities by political parties and groups on the grounds of maintaining public order. Joining forces…

Apr

13

2024

By The African Mirror

Senegal says oil, gas and mine contracts will be reworked if needed

BUSINESS

SENEGAL'S new Energy and Mines Minister said that the government would renegotiate oil, gas and mining contracts if necessary once a promised audit is completed. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who defeated the ruling coalition candidate in a landslide election victory last month, announced the audit after his inauguration on April 2, assuring investors they were still welcome in the West African country. In some of his first remarks since his appointment last week as energy and mines minister, Birame Souleye Diop said closer scrutiny of the sectors was high on the agenda for Senegal, which is due to start oil and gas…

Mar

29

2024

By RACHEL SAVAGE

Senegal’s youth want jobs from Faye, investors wary of radical ideas

NEWS

SENEGAL'S President-elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye rode to victory in Sunday's poll on a wave of protest votes against the West African country's current leader, fuelled by discontent that infrastructure-fuelled growth has failed to benefit all. While the young people who formed the backbone of Faye's support base want jobs and more even wealth distribution, investors expressed hope that pledges to create a new currency and renegotiate energy contracts won't be followed through. During outgoing President Macky Sall's 12 years in power, economic growth averaged almost 5%, boosted by spending on roads, railways, ports and airports, while Senegal had a reputation for being…

Mar

27

2024

By MAXWELL AKALAARE ADOMBILA and CHRISTIAN AKORLIE

Ghana seeks to speed up debt restructuring negotiations

BUSINESS

GHANA wants to speed up remaining debt restructuring negotiations, its finance minister said, as the government pushes for a deal to rework over $13 billion of international bonds. The West African country has been overhauling its debts as it tries to emerge from its worst economic crisis in a generation with the help of a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The government reached a deal in principle in January to restructure $5.4 billion of loans with official creditors. It has since started formal talks with one bondholder group under non-disclosure agreements, Reuters reported about two weeks ago, citing sources familiar…

Mar

27

2024

By The African Mirror

Several people killed in accident at abandoned Liberia gold mine

NEWS

SEVERAL people have been killed in Liberia in an accident at an abandoned gold mine, the West African country's mines minister said. Minister Wilmot Paye said that seven people died in Monday night's incident but acknowledged the authorities could not yet provide an exact death toll until a team reached the site in River Cess County in south-central Liberia. "I was told that seven persons died, but I can't say much until the team gets there. The mines had been abandoned several months ago," Paye told Reuters, adding that he did not know which company had operated the site. "If…

Mar

11

2024

By The African Mirror

Ex-Ivory Coast President Gbagbo agrees to contest 2025 election

NEWS

FORMER Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo agreed to lead the party he founded into the 2025 presidential elections, spokesman Katinan Kone told Reuters following a meeting of the party's central committee. Gbagbo, president of the West African country from 2000 to 2011, launched his African People's Party - Cote d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) in 2021 following his acquittal on war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and return from a decade abroad. He was acquitted in 2019 by the Netherlands-based ICC on charges relating to his role in a civil war sparked by his refusal to concede defeat in an…

Mar

06

2024

By RACHEL SAVAGE

Ghana’s president says anti-LGBTQ bill has not reached his desk

NEWS

AN anti-LGBTQ bill passed by Ghana's parliament last week, which could derail international aid for the West African country if it becomes law according to an internal government memo, has not yet reached the desk of President Nana Akufo-Addo, he said on Monday. In his first comments on the bill's passage, he said Ghana would not backslide on its human rights record and added that the bill had been challenged in the Supreme Court. "I have learnt that today, a challenge has been mounted at the Supreme Court," Akufo-Addo said in a statement. "In the circumstances, it would be as well…

Mar

06

2024

By The African Mirror

Gambian parliament to discuss bill to decriminalise female genital mutilation

NEWS

A bill seeking to repeal Gambia's ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) was presented in the West African country's parliament and will be discussed by lawmakers later this month. Former president Yahya Jammeh banned the practice in 2015 and introduced steep fines and jail sentences for perpetrators. However, many Gambians still believe that FGM is a requirement of Islam and the bill -- introduced by lawmaker Almameh Gibba -- argues that the current ban violates citizens' rights to practice their culture and religion. The bill has divided public opinion. Anti-FGM advocates point to the harmful physical and psychological effects of…