POLITICS
All the countries in the world, in recent months, have been fighting a war. All the attention of the States is focused in this period of global pandemic on the fight against coronavirus and rightly so. It is a “war” and must be won. However, we must not forget to put the other coronavirus we have known around the world for more than a decade under surveillance. This coronavirus is terrorism, which is also causing damage in West Africa and throughout the world.The terrorists are always on the lookout and on the lookout, ready to hit a country like they did recently by attacking Nigeria and Chad in a violent, spectacular and simultaneous manner. These attacks were a great humiliation for the armies of these countries, in this case the Chadian army. Hence the need for states to have one eye for the coronavirus and another for terrorism. Because these attacks occurred when the first cases of coronavirus are reported in West Africa.
On 23 March 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, the Chadian army, resolutely engaged in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel and Central Africa, was attacked in Boma in the Lake Province. An attack in which this army known and recognized as one of the best trained and better equipped to fight terrorists has lost a hundred soldiers (92) and 47 wounded.This is the biggest loss this army has ever seen, it is reported. The terrorists also allegedly stole weapons from the Chadian army. This attack is seen as a humiliation by Chad, first its president Idriss Deby who is considering revenge at the height of the attack.
Idriss Deby went in person the next day to the Lake Province, where the terrible fighting between his army and the Boko Haram fighters took place (the jihadist group born in Nigeria that has been disrupting the peace of the States for some years). “The reply must be stunning,” predicted the Chadian president, himself a former soldier who seemed to find himself in his element of a fearless former soldier.In view of this response, he wanted to supervise and direct the operations himself. Under cover of anonymity, soldiers of the Chadian army told the media that the toll would be much heavier than the official figure put forward and that some soldiers might have been taken hostage in addition to the equipment stolen by terrorists.
“It is here on this cursed island that we have lost 92 of our soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers,” said President Deby quoted by the Alwihda Info news site. However, the Chadian head of state involved in the fight against terrorism recognizes the bravery of his troops who have fallen armed. The fighting would have lasted 7 hours despite the reinforcements sent by the Chadian army. The area is an island where fighting is not easy.The fight was fierce. Despite the surprise of the attack, our armed forces heroically defended the community. The record is heavy on both sides. The camp is transformed into a field of ruins».
Personally affected by this attack, Idriss Déby will remain in the Lake Province to personally lead military operations against Boko Haram. He “refuses to join his office in N’Djamena,” Chadian Presidency reports to Chadian media Alwihda Info.
“Boko Haram, who was rightly or wrongly said that the wing was reduced in the face of the blows of the Combined Multinational Force (MFF) [composed of the armies of the region], is a reminder that we will always have to count with him. Let those who had given him for dead change their minds.The jackal is still there and still has a strong nuisance capacity. The proof is that he has just struck where, and when, he was least expected,”
For the record, the attack on the Chadian army came only a few hours after a harsh defeat inflicted on the Nigerian army by Boko Haram’s branch, which pledged allegiance to ISIS in the Nigerian state adjacent to Borno, according to military sources. 70 Nigerian soldiers perished in this attack.It was just a few weeks before these coordinated attacks in Nigeria and Chad, that the Nigerian giant recorded its first cases of coronavirus. Anything that puts all states on maximum alert to prepare for the pandemic.
With these attacks not only does Boko Haram take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic, but it also reminds that those who gave it for death or weakened have everything wrong and more than ever it is present and its ability to harm intact.
Indeed, a week before these two coordinated attacks, the armies of the region were indeed pleased to have «eliminated» Ibrahim Bakoura, one of the leaders of the jihadist sect in this region of Lake Chad. This Nigerian was a leading figure of the Islamic State in West Africa, «involved in several horrific attacks against civilians and the Defence and Security Forces, as well as kidnappings for ransom», recalls the news site Actu Niger.
The terrorists do not sleep, they may be affected, but they remobilize to attack when they can. It would be a mistake to give them up for premature death. “Boko Haram, who was rightly or wrongly said that the wing was reduced in the face of the blows of the Combined Multinational Force (MFF) [composed of the armies of the region], is a reminder that we will always have to count with him. Let those who had given him for dead change their minds.The jackal is still there and still has a strong nuisance capacity. The proof is that he has just struck where, and when, he was least expected,” writes the Burkinabe newspaper Le Pays.
In any case, it is urgent that the warning system put in place in various countries to fight against terrorist attacks remain, or even strengthen, because as we have seen recently in Nigeria and Chad, jihadist groups can conveniently take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to take action and hurt states very badly.It is all the more urgent to monitor these merchants of death, these fools of God for whom human life is worthless and who do not seem to have any sensitivity for the suffering of humans.
These latest attacks by Boko Haram remind everyone of the need to make the fight against insecurity a permanent struggle. In this matter, the slightest hesitation is paid cash. We must therefore keep the weapon at the foot» as Le Pays writes.Like the coronavirus, the fight against terrorism requires cooperation and collaboration between states. These are not scattered wars that each state leads on its own. Hats off to our health personnel, hats off to our defence and security forces.
Source : SeneNews / By Christmas SAMBOU
POLITICS
SENEGAL Moussa Tine: “We launch a solemn appeal to the diaspora for the International Exhibition of Investment of the African Diaspora – SIDIA
Exclusive interview with Moussa Tine, the Director General of Urbanism and Habit. From September 26 to 28, 2025, at the Domaine de Choully, Africa – and particularly Senegal goes to meet its diaspora. For three days, the event will bring together several hundred entrepreneurs, including 30 from Senegal, investors, policy makers and artists. It is an unprecedented exhibition that brings together strategic sectors such as housing, agriculture, but also industry and commerce.
Why involve the diaspora and why organize this International Diaspora Investment Fair? Why this fair?
This exhibition today is a moment of exchange, an indispensable meeting point for government policy and particularly the policy of these three sectors, namely housing, construction, agriculture, industry and commerce. It is these three ministries that bring together their strategies, their strengths, to go out to meet the diaspora. The diaspora plays a decisive, extremely important role in the country’s economy and in its socio-economic stability. It is an important moment, a decisive moment, a moment that will also help us to financially complete a number of projects that are underway, but also to give the opportunity to the nationals of the diaspora to contribute to the development of their country. Each ministry today develops projects and this fair is an opportunity to give the diaspora the necessary information, either to integrate these projects or to collaborate with the State in the context of public-private partnerships or direct investments under the auspices of the State. Here is, in a global manner, the object of the exhibition. Today, this the exhibition is a decisive moment, an important one, with challenges defined across the three sectors I have just mentioned.
Thus, what is the economic weight of the diaspora?
The weight of the diaspora is well established. Today, it plays a decisive role in our economy. The diaspora is strong and economically involved, not only in a family way, but also through local and international initiatives. Therefore, involving the diaspora means redefining its role in a strategic way, which must no longer be limited to family support but contribute directly to the development of the country. This can be done through financial investment projects through programmes structured by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Spatial Planning. I take the example of the PNALRU (National Program for Access to Housing), a project designed and led by the Ministry of Urbanism. We know that most of our fellow citizens in the diaspora have a house or housing project because they want to invest in their home. But often, they do not have the necessary information to do it in a secure way, nor quality support. Projects like the PNALRU offer a secure framework at the level of land, construction, but also marketing, in a transparent manner. These are projects that the State has implemented and which allow the diaspora to have easier access to land, and to participate directly in the national economy. The diaspora complains about not having enough information on state initiatives. This exhibition is a way to reach out to her, to provide as much information as possible about ongoing projects and integration modalities. We know that a part of the diaspora already has the initiative to return or to work in collaboration with the State. This show will therefore be a B2B meeting, a space where the diaspora and the State will be able to meet, establish collaborative relationships, and create what I often call a “return ticket”, that is to say an opportunity for many Senegalese to prepare for a secure and planned return.
Mr. Director, what is the direct message you send to the diaspora, especially to that of Geneva, because the exhibition will take place there?
Yes, the exhibition will be held in Geneva. This choice does not come by chance. Geneva is a financial capital and a business hub. Organizing it there highlights a decisive point in the outcome of projects: the financial dimension and the technical dimension. The objective is that from this exhibition, not only do we provide the necessary information to the diaspora, but also that we mobilize its capital to encourage it to invest in real estate, agriculture and industry. Each ministry will present development projects that the diaspora can appropriate, whether in housing, agriculture or industry. These sectors are linked: industry supports habitat, habitat needs building materials, and agriculture requires infrastructure. This sectoral transversality will allow for maximum opportunities to be created for the diaspora. In Geneva, for three days, we will have exchanges, panels, permanent exhibitions (more than 30 planned), and B2B meetings between the state, professionals, the diaspora, and the private sector. The aim is to mobilize investors, experts and promoters to implement joint projects.
Who are the partners of this project?
In Senegal, we have the Ministry of Urbanism, Territorial Collectivities and Spatial Planning, which leads, with the Ministries of Industry and Trade, and Agriculture as co-organizers. We also work in partnership with Me Events, a structure specialized in the organization of events, and with partners in Geneva, such as the African Village Association and Afrique Néon.
Mr. Director, to conclude, what message do you want to send to the Senegalese in the diaspora?
I take this opportunity to make a solemn appeal to all our fellow citizens of the diaspora. This exhibition is made for you. Its objective is clear: to mobilize the diaspora, not only for its expertise, but also for its investments. Invest in yourself. Invest in Senegal. Invest in Africa. This fair is yours, make it your own, and make it a channel for communication and development. The success of this exhibition will be the success of the national policy towards the diaspora. Senegal comes to you, your country comes to you, in order to discuss your projects and those we develop here. Come in large numbers, because together we can ensure inclusive development where every contribution counts. Thank you and I hope to see you very soon at the Geneva exhibition, from September 26 to 28.
Initially scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the major march of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire – African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA), the main opposition party in Côte d’Ivoire, will finally take place on Saturday, June 14, 2025. This postponement was announced by the party’s Executive Secretary, who points out that the decision came after discussions between the PDCI leadership and the authorities of the Abidjan department. The details of these discussions have not been made public.
This demonstration, highly anticipated by the party’s activists and supporters, aims to support the candidacy of its president, Tidjane Thiam, in the presidential election of 2025, and to protest against his removal from the electoral list. A decision that the party qualifies as unfair and unacceptable, arguing for the right of all Ivorian citizens, including those with dual nationality, to participate in the political life of the country.
The route of the march remains unchanged: the protesters will leave from the SOCOCE space of the 2 Plateaux, in the municipality of Cocody, to head towards the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). The party calls for a strong peaceful mobilization in order to convey a clear message: demand inclusive, transparent and peaceful elections.
The removal of Tidjane Thiam and other opposition figures is mainly based on the issue of dual nationality, a legal provision that continues to be debated as the election approaches. The PDCI, which sees in Thiam a rally candidate capable of unifying the Ivorians, intends to make this march a highlight of its campaign and its democratic fight.
Photo credit: Tidiane Thiam page
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Morissanda Kouyaté, received this Sunday, June 1, 2025 in Conakry a delegation from the African Union, on an official visit to Guinea. On this occasion, he reaffirmed the commitment of the transitional authorities to respect the deadlines set for the return to constitutional order, while stressing the historical and central role of Guinea in the construction of the Pan-African project.
« I am very happy. The African Union is at Guinea’s side to accompany and support the vision of the head of state, President Mamadi Doumbouya, in favor of Guinea and Africa, in the political, diplomatic, economic, and cultural fields, declared the head of Guinean diplomacy.
This meeting takes place in a context marked by the preparations for the constitutional referendum scheduled for next September 21.
Morissanda Kouyaté also recalled the founding involvement of Guinea in the creation of the Organization of African Unity, which became the African Union. “This visit materializes the commitment of the Peace and Security Council to accompany Guinea in a dynamic of ambitious political and diplomatic transformation,” he stressed.
The minister indicated that all actions related to the transition are currently funded by the national development budget, while calling for a broader mobilization of the international community. “We have requested a round table, called the Basketfront, to seek support to speed up the process. But this does not mean that we will give up,” he said, reiterating President Doumbouya’s willingness to scrupulously respect the scheduled deadlines.
He finally wanted to reassure on the efforts made to ensure an inclusive electoral process. “We are going through a difficult period, and that is why we want all Guineans to be registered in order to obtain a reliable electoral roll,” concluded Morissanda Kouyaté.
Source: guinee360 / Photo credit: Page Ministry of Foreign Affairs Guinea
