INSIGHT

Sunday, April 7, 2025, Benin woke up shocked by an attempted coup that was quickly foiled. A group of soldiers briefly occupied the national television to announce the fall of President Talon, before being neutralized by loyalist forces. Although calm…

Daniel Edah, a Beninese opposition political figure, has officially declared his candidacy for the April 2026 presidential election. The upcoming presidential vote in Benin will indeed see Patrice Talon give up his seat, and the ruling movement has already named…

With less than a year left in his current term, Beninese President Patrice Talon invited the youth to an unprecedented public exchange at the Republic’s palace. The event, held on July 28, 2025, aimed to be participatory, friendly, and educational.…

As the 2025 presidential election in Ivory Coast nears, candidacies are multiplying. Certain familiar faces from the Ivorian political landscape, but also newcomers or peripheral figures, are announcing their intention to run for the highest office one after another. At…

The official announcement of Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy for the presidential election in October 2025 is garnering a range of reactions and raising many questions. This decision reveals, beyond the stated intentions, what some observers perceive as reflecting three major collective…

As Patrice Talon prepares to leave office at the end of his second term, the Beninese presidential movement is organizing to designate its candidate for the 2026 presidential election. Amid internal rivalries, mastered electoral strategies, and a tight schedule, the…

Despite the billions invested and the promises of a brightly lit Grand Nokoué, public lighting remains the Achilles heel of Patrice Talon’s urban report card. Repeated breakdowns, acts of vandalism, deployment delays and areas still plunged into darkness; the lighting…

The results of Benin’s 2025 Baccalaureate, released on July 9, show a historic national pass rate of 73.02% – unprecedented since independence. This record figure has sparked national pride but also questions about its causes. Is it the result of…

We really do have to take our hats off to Togo’s undisputed master, Faure Gnassingbé. Say what you will, the man is very good at this. Not only has he just abolished the presidential election in his country in order…

Kinshasa and Washington are finalizing discussions around a strategic mining agreement aimed at attracting American investments in the critical minerals of the DRC, notably cobalt, lithium, and tantalum. The goal is to establish a regional value chain with extraction in…

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Daniel Edah, former commissioner at ECOWAS and unsuccessful candidate in the 2016 presidential election, officially announced his candidacy for the presidential election of April 2026. In a speech full of humility and determination, he presents…

Over 80 years old, Adrien Houngbédji seems to refuse to bow out and reignites the national debate with surprising positions, while blurring the lines between power and opposition in a Benin seeking democratic respite. The former President of Parliament challenges…

On May 3, 2025, Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové was sworn in as president of the Republic of Togo, marking a historic moment in the country’s political landscape. Following a constitutional reform adopted in May 2024, Togo transitioned to a parliamentary…

Since the announcement of his removal from the electoral roll, PDCI-RDA president Tidjane Thiam has been at the center of heated debate in Côte d’Ivoire. Yet despite the controversy, displays of public support have remained relatively modest. What explains this…

As Benin officially enters the electoral year leading up to the April 2026 presidential election, the political landscape remains surprisingly quiet. The National Autonomous Electoral Commission (Céna) released the electoral calendar weeks ago, yet candidacies have been slow to emerge.…

The recent decision to remove Tidjane Thiam from Côte d’Ivoire’s electoral roll has sparked widespread outrage. At the heart of the controversy lies Article 48 of the Ivorian Nationality Code, which stipulates that any Ivorian who acquires another nationality after…

At a time when warfare is no longer confined to the battlefield but extends into the realm of information, the Beninese armed forces are facing a dual challenge: ensuring national security while mastering their narrative. It’s a slow but inevitable…

In Senegal, the first major judicial repercussions linked to the management of Covid-19 funds are starting to bring down prominent figures. Five former ministers from the government of ex-president Macky Sall are now under judicial scrutiny, accused of serious mismanagement…

As the war in Ukraine drags on and peace talks struggle to gain traction, a report from Bloomberg has reignited debate. According to the agency, Vladimir Putin is reportedly exploring the possibility of using frozen Russian assets in the United…

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance recently gave an interview to a British media outlet in which he questioned the security relationship between the United States and Europe. According to him, it is unhealthy for Europeans to remain dependent on Washington…