POLITICS
SENEGAL: Farewell General Mamadou Niang!

2020 was a macabre year in Senegal with the disappearance of political, religious and sporting figures. After the death of the mayor of Dalifort-Foirail, Idrissa Diallo, this Monday, December 28, 2020, it is the turn of General Mamadou Niang to retire the same day in London at the age of 82. He was one of the four personalities chosen to sit on the steering committee of the national dialogue initiated by the President of the Republic Macky Sall. Ze-africanews looks back on the extraordinary journey of those who have served their country in every way.
General Mamadou Niang was born in 1938 in Podor. He was a teacher in the village of Gaol near Kanel from 1960 to 1962. It was in 1963 that he joined the army training and became aide-de-camp of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armies Jean Alfred Diallo. He held this position until 1965. Seven years later, he became sector commander, again as part of his training, in the Balantacounda, in the region of Sedhiou.
General Mamadou Niang has a remarkable career. In 1980, he became the commander of the second Senegalese contingent in Lebanon. He held this position alongside the command of Defence Zone 2 in The Gambia until 1982. Dedicated and serious in his work, he was appointed Chief of Operations at the Army Staff in 1988, a position he will hold for two years.
Between 1991 and 1992, as part of the management of the Casamance crisis, he was appointed president of the National Commission for Peace Management in Casamance by President Abdou Diouf. He gave his life and soul to peacekeeping in this southern region of Senegal before becoming assistant to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces that same year.
Imbued with republican values and renowned for his impartiality, General Mamadou Niang was president of the National Election Observatory (Onel) from 1997 to 1998. A mission he was able to carry out and which earned him special consideration from the country’s politicians. The following year, he was appointed Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau from May 1999 to March 2000.
That same year, in 2000, he entered the government of moustapha Niass as Minister of the Interior. In this position, he contributed greatly to the improvement of the mobility and working conditions of the police forces before being replaced by General Lamine Cissé. In September 2003, Major General Mamadou Niang was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Senegal to His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federal Republic of Brazil. A position he did not want to hold in Brazil for personal reasons
Several times decorated in Senegal and abroad, General Mamadou Niang was appointed in January 2004 as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Senegal to Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
General Mamadou Niang was therefore a true worker, a patriot who long played the role of peacekeeper in Senegal and in the world. He was called to God in London at the age of 82 following a short illness.
It was through his Facebook page that the President of the Senegalese Republic, Macky Sall, paid tribute to this man who was always willing to serve his people. “I am deeply saddened to learn of the death today of General Mamadou Niang, former Minister of the Interior and Chairman of the Political Dialogue Cell Commission, among other eminent offices. I greet with respect the memory of this valiant compatriot who served the State and the Nation to the last breath.May he rest in peace, with my heartfelt condolences to his family.”
IVORY COAST
IVORY COAST – The PDCI-RDA march postponed to June 14 to support Tidjane Thiam

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
GUINEA
GUINEA – Visit of the African Union, renewed commitment for a successful transition

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
IVORY COAST
IVORY COAST AFRICA – The PDCI-RDA march postponed to June 14 to support Tidjane Thiam

The list of presidential candidates in Côte d’Ivoire is expanding on Saturday, May 31, 2025. After the withdrawal of Tidjane Thiam, another candidate comes to replace him. The latter had submitted his application in 2020 but it was invalidated. Indeed, in his announcement of candidacy, the latter has emphasized the valorization of cultural and spiritual values of the country.
The presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire promises to be exciting. Some candidates have been withdrawn and others are being added to the list of candidates. Additions for a common purpose sitting in the chair. An objective that arouses the interest of Olivier Djè Bi Djè, who has submitted his candidacy. Thus, the deputy of the city of Zuénoula announced his candidacy for the presidential election of 25 October 2025 on 31 May 2025.
An application that was invalidated five years ago (2020) due to sponsorship non-compliance. However, this candidacy could be valid because the politician has well prepared his mount before launching. However, there is still some way to go. Indeed, to be sure, the member for Zuénoula of Côte d’Ivoire has an obligation to respect the electoral code by bringing together at least sponsorship in 17 independent regions.
Olivier Djè Bi Djè, in his candidacy announcement speech, unveiled his management plan once at the presidency headquarters. As the Ivorian politician is a manager, he opts for common management with a future of social justice, without forgetting peace and sustainable development.
He gave a pledge on leadership based on the identity of the country. It also intends to place cultural and spiritual values high on the agenda with traditional leaders. Finally, the new candidate calls for unity in order to address the country’s challenges as quickly as possible. He also counts on the population for a victory.
Source: africa-sur7 / Credit photo: afrique-sur7
-
CULTURE3 months .
SENEGAL – Alune Wade: “Boogie & Juju”, a transatlantic swing from Lagos to New Orleans
-
POLITICS2 weeks .
SENEGAL – The national dialogue enters a decisive phase with the installation of three commissions
-
RELIGION2 weeks .
IVORY COAST: All about the date of the Tabaski 2025
-
ART4 weeks .
SENEGAL – Ousmane Sow’s massive sculptures enter the Vauban fort at Mont-Dauphin
-
CULTURE3 months .
SENEGAL – Camille Bounama Sylla, a former “paperless” who moves the lines
-
CENTRAL AFRICA2 months .
GABON – Brice Oligui Nguema, acclaimed, launches the Fifth Republic
-
IVORY COAST2 weeks .
IVORY COAST AFRICA – The PDCI-RDA march postponed to June 14 to support Tidjane Thiam
-
CULTURE3 months .
CHAD – Kadeux, viral phenomenon or sharing dynamics