Amid growing competition for influence in Africa from the US, Moscow has been deepening military and economic ties there, especially in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Now, it must deliver.
A recent jihadist attack on Mali's capital and a growing threat from northern rebels reportedly getting help from Ukraine begs the question: is the Sahel a new Russia-West battleground?
Niger accuses Algeria of mistreating EU-bound Nigeriens by dumping them back in the desert. Algeria accuses Niger of opening the floodgates. Neither is backing down.
The US and French withdrawal from the Sahel lets the Russians, Chinese, and Iranians in. Tehran, in particular, will be keen to buy Niger's uranium, despite this being a red line for Washington.
Washington has finally woken up to the importance of developing this vital region, with Nigeria showing the greatest investment potential — in the trillions.
Two months ago today, a coup took place in Niger that delivered yet another blow to France's declining influence in the Sahel. Without US support, Paris has decided to pack up and leave.
France's 'Suez Moment' has been a drawn-out one. Its influence has waxed and waned since the 1960s, but it has been on an overall downward trajectory throughout. Al Majalla explains.
ECOWAS member states are well aware that an armed conflict would worsen the region's existing instability. The mere mention of a military intervention has been enough to divide West African nations.
Until the West can prove that it can address the economic and security challenges Sahel countries face, the governance models represented by China or Russia will continue to gain more appeal.
France is especially affected by the coup, as it has previously lost similar bases in Mali and Burkina Faso due to coups allegedly linked to Wagner activities
Al Majalla examines the repercussions of Hamas's attack on Israel, which set into motion a series of significant changes and power shifts in the Middle East
Only 4% of 119 members selected in the indirect vote were women, and only two Christians, sparking concerns about inclusivity and fairness. Meanwhile, voting was postponed in Druze and Kurdish areas.
Trump may be willing to accept global isolation to keep supporting Israel, but at some point, he may conclude that he isn't getting enough from Netanyahu in return
After being hit by tariffs from its Washington ally, Brussels is seeking to diversify its business partners. Across the Mediterranean Sea, states offer labour, materials, and markets
Mohammad Qundus uses the fragments of former lives in his latest exhibition that seeks to reaffirm the Palestinian presence of today and its connection to the past