West Africa

The defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Niger, gather for their extraordinary meeting in Accra, Ghana, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, to discuss the situation in Nig

3 coup-hit West African nations exit ECOWAS citing sanctions, no support against terrorism 

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have all experienced military coups in the past few years. They say the regional trade organization is not helping them fight terrorism but rather imposing severe sanctions on them. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Ghana on the implications of their withdrawals.

3 coup-hit West African nations exit ECOWAS citing sanctions, no support against terrorism 
An offshore gas terminal is lit up amid the Atlantic Ocean as houses lay on the beachfront between the sea and the Senegal River, bottom, in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Jan. 18, 2023.

Europe looks to Senegal for new energy supply. But what’s in it for the Senegalese?

Europe looks to Senegal for new energy supply. But what’s in it for the Senegalese?
The ancient fishing village of Guet Ndar in Saint-Louis, Senegal.

An important fishing village in Senegal is on the verge of disappearing as sea levels rise

An important fishing village in Senegal is on the verge of disappearing as sea levels rise
bread and flour

Is it time for Senegal to end its romance with the French baguette?

Is it time for Senegal to end its romance with the French baguette?
a group of students sitting barefoot on the ground as they go through burned documents

Young Senegalese feel the impact of the country's political crisis

Young Senegalese feel the impact of the country's political crisis
Ghana has been producing commercial oil since 2010.

As global oil prices surge, some African countries may see a silver lining

Surging oil prices are hurting everyday consumers in Africa, but some oil-producing countries have seen a windfall with higher revenues — boosting investment spending in other areas.

As global oil prices surge, some African countries may see a silver lining
In this Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, file photo, people pass a banner reading "STOP EBOLA," forming part of Sierra Leone's Ebola free campaign in the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone. 

How do 'whole-of-government' programs actually work? Part II

Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive into the "whole-of-government" approach to the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

How do 'whole-of-government' programs actually work? Part II
São Sebastião Fort and Museum with statues of conquistadors São Tomé.

'Born in Blackness': A new book centers Africa in the expansive history of slavery

Major aspects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade from an African perspective have gotten erased throughout time. Howard French set out to illuminate a more expansive understanding in a new book called, "Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War."

'Born in Blackness': A new book centers Africa in the expansive history of slavery
A large crowd of people are shown with their hands in the air cheering a group of armed soldiers in a car.

Soldiers who led Mali coup promise new elections; EU steps up pressure on Lukashenko; Autobahn crashes possible terrorist attack

The Malian soldiers who led a coup ousting President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on Tuesday have promised to hold new elections and a transition to civil political rule. And, the European Union stepped up pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday by announcing support for the ongoing protests in the country. Also, prosecutors in Germany are investigating a series of crashes on the Berlin autobahn as a possible terrorist attack.

Soldiers who led Mali coup promise new elections; EU steps up pressure on Lukashenko; Autobahn crashes possible terrorist attack
A group of demonstrators are shown with one man carrying a placard and flag.

Mali soldiers promise election as region seeks way out of coup crisis

Soldiers who ousted Mali's president and government in a military coup promised on Wednesday to oversee elections within a "reasonable" time, as calls from abroad grew for a peaceful resolution to an acute political crisis.

Mali soldiers promise election as region seeks way out of coup crisis
Contact tracers are pictured in a room

COVID-19 threatens global progress in fight against other communicable diseases 

Concerns are growing that the singular focus on COVID-19 is having a secondary impact — threatening years of progress in efforts to slow the spread of other, long-standing communicable diseases. 

COVID-19 threatens global progress in fight against other communicable diseases 
A girl washes her hands at a spigot at the entrance of her parents' house in Pikine, on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, on March 9, 2020.

What the US can learn from West Africa to slow the spread of coronavirus

Contact tracing, or meticulously tracing individuals exposed to illness, has been key to combating outbreaks of Ebola, cholera and tuberculosis throughout the world. Dr. Sheila Davis of the nonprofit Partners in Health explains what the US can learn from those crises.

What the US can learn from West Africa to slow the spread of coronavirus
We see a close up of a man, who visits the new MSF (Doctors Without Borders) Ebola treatment centre in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Scientists say Ebola is no longer incurable

Doctors from Democratic Republic of Congo want to prioritize two new treatments made from Ebola antibodies while dropping the use of other, less effective treatments.

Scientists say Ebola is no longer incurable
Alfred Brownell

This Liberian lawyer risked his life to save West Africa's last remaining rainforest from palm oil developers

When a palm oil development project tried to cut down the last major swath of tropical rainforest in Liberia, lawyer Alfred Brownell jumped into action — and almost lost his life.

This Liberian lawyer risked his life to save West Africa's last remaining rainforest from palm oil developers
workers carrying coffin of a victim of ebola

Deadly Ebola outbreak contained within Congo

The Ebola outbreak — by far the biggest Congo has seen, and the world's second largest in history — was declared by national authorities in August. It is concentrated in Congo's North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Deadly Ebola outbreak contained within Congo