The West African media visited by APA on Thursday discuss several subjects linked to political, economic and security challenges, with diplomatic visits, seizures of precious goods, contested elections and worrying revelations about public management.
A week after the inauguration of the Ghanaian president, the Malian national daily L’Essor reports the visit of the Prime Minister, Abdoulaye Maïga, to Accra. Arriving on the evening of Wednesday, January 15, Maïga made a 48-hour visit to convey the message from the president of the Malian transition, Assimi Goita, to his Ghanaian counterpart John Dramani Mahama, back in business in a country nicknamed “ the Gold Coast ».
Concerning the precious metal, Financial Afrik reveals that the Malian junta has “ seized three tons of gold from Barrick Gold », worth 115 billion FCFA. This seizure took place at the Loulo-Gounkoto gold site, one of the main global mining complexes operated by Barrick Gold, and follows the temporary suspension of the company’s activities in the region.
In Burkina Faso, the daily L’Observateur Paalga questions the inauguration of the new Mozambican president, Daniel Chapo, describing his arrival as a “Chapo disaster worse than cyclone Chido”. The newspaper reports in particular police violence against demonstrators protesting against his election, which took place on October 9, 2024.
Jeune Afrique is interested in the presidential election scheduled for next March in Gabon and the mobilization of the opposition against Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, current transitional president. The newspaper notes that opposition figures, such as Bilie-By-Nze, Maganga Moussavou and Ondo Ossa, are trying to counter a possible candidacy of Nguema, while the date of the poll could be brought forward to March.
In Senegal, L’Observateur echoes “ terrible revelations » of the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) concerning the 29 billion FCFA Prodac affair, in which former minister Mame Mbaye Niang is cited. The same newspaper also reports that the National Assembly is preparing to ratify an ad hoc commission to lift the parliamentary immunity of Farba Ngom, a deputy close to former President Macky Sall, while the Alliance for the Republic (APR , former ruling party) “ calls for resistance » against the Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko. At the same time, former minister Mansour Faye claimed in L’AS to have “ fear ».
In Ivory Coast, Fraternité Matin discusses the scourge of the flight of cash agricultural products in the west of the country and the implementation of sanctions against the authorities involved. Since October 2, 2024, the Ivorian Defense and Security Forces, in collaboration with the paramilitary bodies, have been carrying out the operation “ Lock 322 » to counter the illegal export of agricultural products, a phenomenon threatening the national economy, underlines the newspaper.
In Benin, La Nation pays tribute to the soldiers who recently fell in a jihadist attack on the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, emphasizing the need to offer security forces optimal training conditions. “The best tribute we can pay to our soldiers is, while they are there, to guarantee them the best conditions for carrying out their ministry, that is to say, to put the means at their disposal », Underlines the newspaper.
ODL/SF/te/APA
