The Sahara International Film Festival urged Christopher Nolan to exclude footage shot in occupied Western Sahara, citing concerns over colonialism and lack of Sahrawi consent.

Nurses in Abuja launched a seven-day strike over wages and working conditions amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic crisis.

Angola fuel protests kill 22, injure 197 and lead to 1,214 arrests as taxi strike sparks riots

A last-minute meeting on Tuesday between union representatives and a delegation led by Labour Minister Muhammad Dingyadi ended without agreement

The graves, located on the outskirts of Malindi, are thought to contain victims who died from starvation and suffocation

Authorities said unrest also spread to the provinces of Icolo e Bengo and Huambo, but was contained

The Sahel is grappling with one of the world’s most severe security crises, yet its challenges should not obscure its potential as a region of “opportunity and hope,” according to Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, the UN Secretary‑General’s Special Coordinator for Development in the Sahel. In an interview with Anadolu in Dakar, Dieye said the dominant narrative of violence—driven by extremist groups, ethnic tensions and fragile governance—only tells part of the story. “The Sahel is deeper and bigger than the crisis aspect. It is also a zone of opportunity and hope,” he said. “That does not mean I downplay the crisis, which is real and acute.” Roots of the Crisis Dieye traced the region’s instability to the aftermath of Libya’s collapse, which he said unleashed arms and fighters across the Sahel. Mali, in particular, has been in turmoil since 2012, caught between separatist factions and jihadist groups. “The world has an enormous debt to the Sahelian countries, and this debt is not yet paid,” he stressed. Poverty, Not Ideology The UN envoy argued that the recruitment of young men into terrorist groups is driven largely by poverty and neglect, not religious fanaticism. “Most of the young former fighters I spoke to had no jobs, no future and no real knowledge of the Quran,” Dieye said. “They joined because the groups offered them money. What we see as terrorism is, in essence, an economic problem.” Despite vast natural resources—including gold, cotton and other minerals—Sahelian states have failed to manage their wealth effectively, he added. Mali alone, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, could double its GDP with better governance of its mining sector. “These countries are not poor. Mismanagement of resources has been disastrous,” he said. “Terrorism Has No Borders” Dieye warned that extremist violence has spread far beyond Mali, affecting countries from Benin and Togo to Côte d’Ivoire. He noted Senegal’s investments in education, infrastructure and border security as a model for resilience. The UN is backing cross-border development programs that link Mauritania, Senegal and Mali, as well as Senegal with Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, to fortify the communities most vulnerable to extremist influence. “Terrorism grows in the spaces where three borders meet,” he said. “That is why we focus there.” He also credited Senegal’s powerful Sufi orders—the Tijaniyya and Mouridiyya—for bolstering social stability and opposing violence. Turkey’s Expanding Role Looking ahead, Dieye sees Turkey as a key partner in Sahelian development. He highlighted Ankara’s soft diplomacy and technological expertise as tools to engage young people in advanced industries, particularly in mining and technology. “Turkey is known for its technological development. This is a promising field for investment,” he said, adding that the UN is ready to facilitate partnerships between Ankara and Sahelian nations. With this collaboration, he argued, Turkey could emerge as one of the region’s top development and commercial partners.

Libyan coast guards train in Crete as Greece moves to curb migration and ease maritime tensions

Survivors of the Libya shipwreck are held at a detention facility while the bodies of 10 Egyptians have been returned to their homeland.

South Africa has decided not to retaliate against US tariffs and instead offered trade and investment deals to ease tensions and reset bilateral relations.

Ivory coast president alassane ouattara will run for a fourth term despite opposition claims his candidacy is unconstitutional.

Flash floods caused by heavy seasonal rains in Nigeria’s Adamawa state have killed 23 people and displaced thousands as authorities continue rescue efforts.

Trinidad and Tobago extended its state of emergency for three months after officials warned of continued threats from inmates allegedly plotting attacks with outside help.

Togo’s foreign minister has confirmed that al Qaeda-linked militants have killed over 50 civilians and eight soldiers in escalating northern attacks this year.

Mali is one of Africa’s top gold producers, but investor confidence has been shaken by regulatory uncertainty

Founded in 2017 in Abuja, Bature is now Nigeria’s largest craft brewery, producing 22,000 litres a month

Legalization advocates argue that Morocco will struggle to dismantle the illicit market unless it broadens the framework to include recreational use

Unrest and sporadic clashes continued in parts of the capital on Tuesday

A UN report reveals that over one billion people in Africa cannot afford a healthy diet in 2024 despite global improvements in hunger.

Burkina Faso protests lack of notification and demands investigation into influencer’s death in Ivory Coast.

Soldiers are securing schools and protecting civilians in Bawku after deadly shootings amid rising conflict in northern Ghana.

Rising gasoline costs in Angola spark a taxi strike that escalates into violent protests and vandalism in the capital.

The victims were among 56 people kidnapped in March from Banga village in Kauran Namoda district

An existing deployment of troops near the Burkina Faso border has been bolstered, though Ofosu did not specify numbers