Francophone Africa Update

Sahel

Violences au Sahel : La Mauritanie et Le Togo expriment leurs “vives préoccupations” – Read more on atlasinfo.fr

La mort du chef de l’Etat islamique au Grand Sahara : une occasion de dialogue ? – Read more on crisisgroup.org

Sahel: Barkhane poursuit ses opérations conjointes avec les forces partenaires – Read more on wakatsera.com

Niger

Three policemen killed in Niger jihadist assault – Read more on africanews.com

Le président Bazoum affronte sa première crise institutionnelle – Read more on mondafrique.com

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso – Niger : une mutualisation des efforts pour plus d’efficacité dans la lutte contre le terrorisme – Read more on koaci.com

Erdoğan meets Liberia’s Weah, leaders of Togo, Burkina Faso – Read more on dailysabah.com

Pan-African film festival opens in Burkina Faso amid COVID19 and security challenges – Read more on Reuters.com

Mali

Mali asks Muslim leaders to negotiate with al Qaeda affiliate – Read more on Reuters.com

ECOWAS delegation visits Mali, seeks assurance on elections – Read more on africanews.com

Choguel Maïga : « Notre gouvernement a compris que s’il ne compte que sur un seul partenaire, il pourra à tout moment être abandonné » – Read more on lemonde.fr

Mali’s Timbuktu fears jihadis as France reduces troops – Read more on apnews.com

Au Mali, le jeu trouble de la junte avec les mercenaires russes de Wagner – Read more on lefigaro.fr

Mali asks Islamic body to open negotiations with al-Qaeda – Read more on aljazeera.com

Resources

WATHI – Entretien avec Dieynaba Sidibé (Zeinixx), Artiste-Graffeuse- Youtube link

Operation Barkhane and the Future of Intervention in the Sahel- SWP Comment

Events

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Mali: IBK quits after soldiers mutiny

Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has resigned, after being detained by soldiers on Tuesday. Despite winning a second term in the 2018 elections, corruption, mismanagement of the economy, disputes over legislative elections and continuing conflict with jihadists have prompted large protests and anger.

Air force deputy chief of staff Col-Major Ismaël Wagué said: “Civil society and political social movements are invited to join us to create together the best conditions for a civil political transition leading to credible general elections for the exercise of democracy through a roadmap that will lay the foundations for a new Mali.”

The African Union, ECOWAS, the UN and France condemened the president’s detention. ECOWAS’s 15 member states agreed to close their borders with Mali, suspend all financial flows to the country and remove Mali from all decision-making bodies. Recently, ECOWAS has been trying to mediate between the Malian government and opposition groups.

A coup d’etat also took place in 2012, when mutinying Malian soldiers, displeased with the management of the Tuareg rebellion, attacked the presidential palace, state television, and military barracks in Bamako.

Read more on BBC