Sahel Region

The Sahel economy is expanding on resource extraction, led by Guinea's mining boom and Senegal's gold project, but state intervention is reshaping the sector. Guinea's President Mamadi Doumbouya banned raw gold exports to push domestic refining, while Simandou's iron ore ramp-up surpassed forecasts. Senegal's Fortuna gold project contributes to West African growth, and Italy's Eni won exploration rights off Guinea.

• 1Fortuna lifts West Africa growth with $1B Senegal gold project
• 1World Bank official wants Madrid to channel more private investment to emerging markets
• 1Guinea bans raw gold exports in push for domestic refining
• 1FERROUS WEEK: Guinea's Simandou ramp-up boosts iron ore exports, surpassing forecasts
• 1Guinea-Bissau Taps Nigerian Airline for National Carrier

The region is realigning away from France and international courts, with Burkina Faso severing diplomatic ties with Paris and Niger leaving the ICC. Senegal's political scene is consolidating under President Faye, who reshuffled the cabinet and called a constitutional referendum, while Ousmane Sonko was re-elected as ruling party head. Equatorial Guinea's government resigned after missing targets, per VP Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

• 10Burkina Faso severs diplomatic ties with France
• 6Senegal's president reshuffles cabinet with 30 ministers
• 3Senegal to hold referendum on constitutional reform
• 2Niger pulls out of International Criminal Court after calling it neo-colonialist
• 2Equatorial Guinea government resigns after missing targets, VP Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue says

Security is deteriorating sharply, with a deadly attack on Niamey airport killing 35 and raising questions about Niger's stability. Mali's junta is responding with aggressive measures, offering a $3.5M reward for a Sahel al-Qaeda leader and banning motorcycles outside cities. Human Rights Watch reports serious abuses against civilians in Mali since April.

• 14Gunfire and explosions heard at Niger capital's airport
• 2E’Guinea man returns home after being forced to serve in Russian army
• 2Mali junta offers $3.5M reward for Sahel al-Qaeda leader
• 2Mali junta bans motorcycles outside cities and creates military zones to reduce militant attacks
• 1Airstrikes kill terrorists and disrupt bandits in Niger and Kaduna

Humanitarian distress dominates, with 49 people dying of thirst in Niger's desert after a truck breakdown, and Darfur refugees in Chad facing hunger. A Doctors Without Borders report exposed abuse and exploitation by staff, leading to 18 firings, while the UN warns the Sahel is hitting a 'dangerous tipping point'. Migration routes are shifting from Bamako to Paris.

• 5At least 49 die of thirst in Niger desert after truck breaks down
• 2Bird flu prompts Papua New Guinea to ban Australian chicken and egg imports
• 2Darfur refugees in Chad face hunger after fleeing death
• 2Doctors Without Borders report found cases of abuse and exploitation by staff in Chad
• 1Migration routes from Africa shift from Bamako to Paris