Sahel Region in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
In the Sahel region in February 2026, Burkina Faso dissolved all political parties on 10 February. In Senegal, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko introduced a bill on 24 February that would double prison terms for same-sex relations.
Relations with France and other outside powers were prominent. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have turned to Russia, and the United States said it wanted to engage with them, including by strengthening ties with Mali. On 12 February a Niger government official urged preparation for war with France, and on 14 February Niger threatened war against France. Niger's leader claimed that Ukraine "occupies" Benin, which Kyiv called disinformation. Mali refused to negotiate the release of a detained French agent. France returned to Chad on 18 February, one year after being expelled.
In Mali, a court upheld a former prime minister's prison sentence and sought declassification of documents in the murder case of RFI journalists. Egypt and Senegal held talks to strengthen their partnership, and a lobbying campaign pushed Macky Sall for a UN leadership post.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
Click a day in the chart above for that day's brief.