West Africa

Europe News

France's military forced out of Sahel region as it closes base in Chad

The handover of the last French military base in Chad and the Sahel marks a loss of influence for Paris and European interests in the region.

31/01/2025

Ivory Coast

Côte d'Ivoire announces withdrawal of French forces

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara's announcement is a further sign of former colonial power France's fading military influence in West Africa.

02/01/2025

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso junta expels 3 French diplomats over alleged 'subversion'

Several former colonies in West Africa have seen newly installed military regimes challenging and dismantling their remaining connections with France.

18/04/2024

Gabon

Mutinous soldiers in Gabon announce new military leader

Mutinous soldiers in Gabon announced on Wednesday that the head of the country’s elite republican guard would lead the Central African country, hours after saying they had placed the country’s newly re-elected president under house arrest.

30/08/2023

Destinations

See the hidden fortress cities in Niger’s Sahara desert

There have been no foreign tourists in this area since 2002.

06/06/2023

No Comment

Institut Français in Ouagadougou vandalised in Mali coup protests

Broken windows and doors, security guards' room set on fire, computer equipment burnt or looted, this is what the French Institute looked like after the protesters' attack during the demonstrations that followed the resignation and replacement of the junta's Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.

13/10/2022

Health news

UK patient dies as more cases of Lassa fever reported. But what is it?

Cases of the rat-borne virus detected in the UK have been linked to travel to west Africa and are being closely monitored.

11/02/2022

World News

European companies criticised over West African food security

“The fishmeal and fish oil industry, and all governments and companies supporting them, are basically robbing local populations of livelihoods and food," said Dr Ibrahimé Cissé, senior campaigner at Greenpeace Africa.

01/06/2021

Destinations

Sierra Leone is the hidden gem of African destinations

This forgotten paradise is home to West Africa’s best beaches.

28/04/2021

Guinea

Guinea facing 'epidemic situation' after seven confirmed Ebola cases

Health experts say these latest cases could be a major setback for the impoverished West African nation.

14/02/2021

Green News

How to solve climate change, according to the Bijagós of Guinea-Bissau

For one community in West Africa, healing the planet is about a deep and ancient respect for nature.

11/01/2021

Senegal

Watch: Senegal 'Salt Queen' tastes success in a man's world

Diouf, 35, began her venture a decade ago, investing her savings to buy her own salt flats in Fatick, one of the West African nation's biggest salt mining regions.

24/05/2019

World News

More than 20,000 girls married illegally every day

Figure revealed in research released to mark International Day of the Girl

10/10/2017

Mali

Islamist group says it attacked Mali luxury resort

A new alliance of Islamist militant groups linked to al Qaeda on Monday has claimed responsibility for an attack on a luxury resort in Mali that killed at least five people on Sunday.

20/06/2017