By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES The security situation in the African Sahel region has deteriorated significantly during the past decade amid terrorism and violent extremist groups there. The US Department of Defense “will support African-led counterterrorism operations to disrupt the most acute terrorist threats,
President of the Ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara (Wikipedia) By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES French President Emmanuel Macron and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara met in Paris Wednesday. The two leaders engaged in discussions at the Élysée Palace that reportedly included the recent coup
H.E. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba, President of Faso, Head of State, President of the Council of Ministers of Burkina Faso, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-seventh session at UN world headquarters Sept. 23, 2022 (Photo: UN photo/ Cia Pak) By Gary Raynaldo
United States Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (Credit: uscongress) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES U.S. members of Congress have warned of Russia’s growing “malign” influence in the continent of Africa. To that end, Congress on Friday passed the “Countering
U.S. Rep. Gregory Weldon Meeks, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (meeks.house.gov) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES U.S. Congressional members Wednesday condemned horrific reports of Malian troops and suspected Russian mercenaries allegedly executing about 300 people in central Mali, west Africa. Human Rights Watch said
Russian 56th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade. (Credit/mil.ru/) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES US AFRICOM Commander Stephen Townsend said Russian Mercenaries are operating in West Africa nation Mali via the Wagner Group. “We have observed the Malian junta bring Russian mercenaries into their
Colonel Assimi Goïta is a Malian military officer who has served as interim President of Mali since 24 May 2021 (Credit: VOA (Moctar Barry) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Mali has expelled the French ambassador for France’s “lack of respect” in the wake of remarks made
Air Forces Africa delivered a second U.S. Air Force C-130H Hercules, formally transferred to the Nigerien Armed Forces during a Dec. 7 , 2021 ceremony at the Nigerien Air Base 101 in Niamey. (Credit: Wikipedia Commons) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The Air Force
U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall visited U.S. personnel and operational facilities in Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and Niger, Oct. 25-29, 2021. (Credit: AFRICOM.mil) By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES PENTAGON – WASHINGTON
Credit / UN.ORG / MINUSMA/Marco Dormino / UN Blue Helmets/ Officers patrol the streets of Gao, Mali as part of the UN MINUSMA peacekeeping mission. Mali is considered the world’s most dangerous UN missions, with nearly 130 blue helmets killed in the past six years. By