Senegal

Senegal inaugurated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as its new president on Tuesday, completing the previously little-known opposition figure's dramatic ascent from prison to the palace in recent weeks.

Senegal's government has announced that the country's presidential election will take place on 24 March. The announcement follows tension in the West African nation after President Macky Sall postponed the election last month, sparking widespread protests.

Somalia's executive and legislative branches have approved a crucial 10-year defense and economic cooperation agreement with Turkey, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced.

Somalia remains resilient and strongly committed to state-building but more is needed to sustain the gains made in the fight against terrorist insurgency, the UN Special Representative in the country told the

Senegal’s government banned a scheduled march and suspended mobile internet access on Tuesday, amid continued protests over President Macky Sall's decision to postpone the Feb. 25 presidential election.

Senegal's parliament on Monday voted to hold a postponed presidential election on Dec. 15 in the face of public outcry that led some opposition lawmakers to blockade proceedings until security forces intervened.

[…] The period under review was marked by a fast-evolving regional context with heightened political tensions and instability, as illustrated by the unconstitutional change of government in the Niger, the attempted coup d’état in Sierra Leone and an unstable security situation in the central Sahel.

West Africa recorded over 1,800 terrorist attacks in the first six months of the year resulting in nearly 4,600 deaths with dire humanitarian consequences, and a top regional official said Tuesday that’s just "a snippet of the horrendous impact of insecurity."

While national elections in West Africa and the Sahel provide an important opportunity for voters to effect change, they also expose “real challenges” which must be addressed moving forward, the UN’s top envoy for the region said on Tuesday.

[…] In her briefing, Giovanie Biha, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Office for the region, UNOWAS, urged ambassadors to continue to support a strategy centred on building resilience, promoting good governance, and strengthening peace and security. Ms. Biha presented the latest UNOWAS report covering trends and developments over the past six months.