Afrique

L’Afrique de l’Ouest est aujourd’hui au cœur des routes mondiales du trafic de drogue. Entre explosion des saisies, démocratisation du crack et montée des drogues de synthèse, la région est devenue à la fois zone de transit et marché de consommation. Quelles sont les causes de cette mutation ? Quelles conséquences pour les États et les populations ? Analyse avec Mouhamadou Kane, expert de la Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

Le 25 mars 2026 par 123 voix pour, 3 contre et 52 abstentions l’ONU a adopté une résolution qualifiant la traite transatlantique de « crime le plus grave contre l’humanité ». Ont voté pour cette résolution la totalité des pays africains à l’exception du Bénin, la totalité des Pays arabes, des pays asiatiques et du « Sud global », à l’exception d’Oman ; 3 États ont voté contre (États‑Unis, Israël et Argentine), et 52 Etats se sont abstenus dont tous les pays de l’Union européenne, plus le Royaume-Uni.

Avant l’analyse en profondeur réservée aux abonnés à l’Afrique Réelle, ce vote appelle trois remarques préalables :

1) Il est pour le moins « insolite » qu’aient voté pour cette résolution des pays ayant un puissant passé esclavagiste, ainsi:
- L’Egypte, où dans les années 1880, au Caire, les soixante-dix marchands d’esclaves ayant pignon sur rue, vendaient des hommes, des femmes et des enfants capturés  dans  l’actuel Soudan du Sud.- La Libye, dont les marchands d’esclaves d’hier razziaient la région tchadienne la vidant de sa population, et dont les trafiquants d’aujourd’hui réduisent  des milliers de migrants en esclavage,
- L’Algérie, dont les pirates écumaient la Méditerranée et ses littoraux à la recherche d’esclaves européens,
- La Mauritanie, véritable cas d’école où, malgré plusieurs abolitions l’esclavage qui est encore une réalité  touche les Haratines et certaines castes négro‑mauritaniennes, soit environ 1,2 % de la population. Et où Biram Dah Abeid, figure majeure du combat anti‑esclavagiste, fondateur  de l’IRA-Mauritanie (Initiative pour la Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste), lauréat du Prix des droits de l’homme de l’ONU (2013) est régulièrement emprisonné.
- La Tanzanie, dont le seul marché de Zanzibar a vu passer des centaines de milliers d’esclaves,
- Les pays de la péninsule arabe qui étaient les pourvoyeurs de ce honteux commerce, ainsi que l’Iran et les pays du Moyen-Orient, destinations de ces esclaves…
La suite de cette analyse (91%) est réservée aux abonnés à l'Afrique Réelle.
Pour vous abonner, cliquer ici

Pour une analyse en profondeur de la question, on se reportera à mon livre Esclavage, l’histoire à l’endroit

Le Sahel est la région la plus touchée au monde par le terrorisme, et les conséquences débordent sur les pays voisins. Au nord du Bénin, dans l’Atacora, à Natitingou, la fermeture de la réserve de la Pendjari a entraîné une chute brutale de la fréquentation touristique. Guides, hôteliers et restaurateurs tentent désormais de s’adapter pour survivre.

A Vittorio Venetóról indított egyik Ro–43-as felderítő hidroplánról 1941 március 28-án reggel 06.35-kor, a saját erőktől 65 km távolságra délkeletre, észrevették Pridham-Wippell kötelékét. Miután az angol hajókon először azt hitték, a repülőgép egyik saját Walrus gépük, egy ideig nem nyitottak rá tüzet. Ez lehetővé tette az olasz gépnek, hogy megközelítse és alaposan megfigyelje az angol hajórajt, s részletes jelentést küldjön Iachinónak az ellenség erejéről, sebességéről, és irányáról. A jelentés kézhezvétele után a tengernagy, aki azt hitte, az észlelt hajók egy konvoj fedezetéhez tartoznak, azonnal utasította az ellenséghez legközelebb eső kötelékét, Sansonetti cirkálóit, növeljék sebességüket 30 csomóra, és közelítsék meg az ellenséget. A Vittorio Venetóval ő is az angolok felé fordult, és csatlakozásra utasította Cattaneo és Legnani cirkálóit is, melyek azonban túl messze voltak északon ahhoz, hogy időben be tudjanak avatkozni az eseményekbe.

Az angol hajókon közben rájöttek, hogy az észlelt repülőgép nem a sajátjuk, hanem egy olasz felderítőgép. Ebből magától értetődően adódott a következtetés, hogy a várt olasz kötelék valahol a közelben van. Hogy az ellenséget megtévessze, Pridham-Wippell háromnegyed hétkor irányt váltott, és az addigi délnyugati irányról délre, majd dél-délnyugatra fordult, miközben sebességét 18-ról 23 csomóra növelte. A főerők 20 csomóval közeledő csatahajói ekkor még mindig 150 mérföld távolságra voltak a Force B cirkálóitól.

[...] Bővebben!

Une vidéo qui montre des violences sur une femme qui vient d'accoucher est devenue virale sur les réseaux sociaux en RD Congo, suscitant l'indignation. Plusieurs membres du gouvernement ont réagi, comme l'explique Aurélie Bazzara-Kibangula depuis Kinshasa.

En RD Congo, les réactions d’indignation et de sidération se multiplient après la diffusion sur les réseaux sociaux d’une vidéo montrant une femme qui vient à peine d’accoucher se faire frapper par un médecin. Des violences qui révèlent selon les collectifs féministes, un problème plus profond de prise en charge des femmes enceintes dans le pays.

À l’occasion de la sortie africaine du film d’animation Allah n’est pas obligé, adaptation du roman d’Ahmadou Kourouma, le producteur Sébastien Onomo est l’invité du Journal de l’Afrique. Un projet fort qui raconte, à travers les yeux d’un enfant-soldat, les violences des guerres ouest-africaines. Pourquoi avoir choisi l’animation pour un sujet aussi dur ? Quelle place pour ce type de récit dans le cinéma africain contemporain ? Entretien.

Ce sont des révélations faites par un consortium de médias internationaux, dont les Observateurs de France 24. Un réseau d'agents russes spécialisés dans la désinformation propage sa propagande anti-Ukraine dans toute l'Afrique et en particulier en Côte d'Ivoire depuis plusieurs années. Son nom : la "Compagnie". Décryptage de Jules BOITEAU dans Info Intox. 

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Delegations

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), led by Committee Chair David McAllister (EPP, Germany), visited Podgorica and Tirana from 16 to 18 February.
The visit enabled AFET MEPs to evaluate the state of play of accession negotiations and outstanding reform priorities in each country and reaffirm Parliament's commitment to supporting both countries on their European paths.
Press release
Mission report
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will visit Seoul and Tokyo from 31 March to 2 April, led by Committee Chair David McAllister (EPP, Germany).
During the visit, MEPs will discuss how to further strengthen the EU's strategic cooperation with South Korea and Japan, two of its key like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions will focus on issues of mutual interest against the backdrop of a rapidly shifting global landscape and challenges to the rules-based international order, shaped by evolving dynamics across the Indo-Pacific region, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and conflict in the Middle East.
AFET Missions
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

La Libye marque cette année les 15 ans depuis sa révolution qui a déposé Mouammar Kadhafi. Malgré une relative stabilité sécuritaire, le pays reste divisé en deux. L'ouest est dirigé par un gouvernement reconnu par la communauté internationale. L'est et une grande partie du sud sont, eux, dirigés par le régime militaire du maréchal Khalifa Haftar. Reportage à Benghazi, dans l'est du pays.

Après le décès de Toumba Diakité, retour sur une série de morts en détention en Guinée qui soulèvent des questions sur la justice, la transparence et les conditions carcérales sous la transition militaire.

In Dnipro and Lviv, the beating heart of Ukraine's drone industry, the message has been received loud and clear. Multiple [...]

Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and Interim Head of MONUSCO, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 27 2026 (IPS)

In the month following the reopening of the Burundi-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border, the humanitarian crisis in the DRC has deteriorated considerably, recently marked by an influx of Congolese refugees returning home, where they face overcrowded conditions and a severe shortage of essential services. This comes in the midst of escalating clashes between rebel groups AFC and M23, and forces affiliated with the Kinshasa government, with drone strikes causing widespread destruction and pushing violence closer to Burundi’s borders, where conditions are most dire.

Vivian van de Perre, Deputy Special Representative for Protection and Operations with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), described the current humanitarian situation as “extremely volatile”. During a press stakeout on March 26, she highlighted that the rapid spread of the conflict from North and South Kivu into Tshopo Province and toward Burundi’s borders is a major concern, warning that it increases the risk of a broader “regional conflagration.”

Van de Perre also warned that armed militants have been increasingly relying on the use of heavy weapons and drone strikes in densely populated urban areas, which have caused great damage to civilian infrastructure as well as serious risks to civilian safety, underscoring recent violent incidents at the Kisagani Bangoka International Airport and in Goma, the largest city in North Kivu. Additionally, she warned of M23’s growing presence in Goma, where the coalition has managed to gain influence, undermine state authority, and disrupt humanitarian aid deliveries.

Furthermore, the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC (UNJHRO) has uncovered a considerable rise in human rights violations committed by armed groups. Since December 2025, approximately 173 cases of conflict-related sexual violence have been documented, affecting at least 111 victims, the majority of whom were women and girls.

Van de Perre described these findings as “only the tip of the iceberg,” and highlighted growing rates of exploitation, particularly along artisanal mining sites, where child labour is especially pronounced. Armed groups have also been alleged to hamper monitoring, investigation, and justice mechanisms, and subject human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society actors to intimidation and arbitrary detention.

This follows a sharp escalation of hostilities between the armed groups in December 2025, which forced hundreds of thousands of Congolese to flee to Burundi, most coming from Uvira in South Kivu Province and the surrounding areas. Figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) show that after M23’s withdrawal from Uvira in January and a relative return of stability, more than 33,000 refugees began returning home since the border’s reopening on February 23, with most crossing through the Kavimira border point. Many of these returnees already received little humanitarian assistance in Burundi due to chronic underfunding.

“Conditions in many areas of return in the DRC remain fragile, with acute humanitarian needs,” said Ali Mahamat, UNHCR Head of Sub-Office in Goma, DRC, on March 24 at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. “Initial UNHCR assessments in Uvira and Fizi show families arriving with few belongings, in urgent need of shelter, basic household items, health care, and access to water and sanitation. Many returned to find their homes destroyed and belongings looted, leaving them in deep despair and unable to resume normal life without substantial support.”

According to the latest updates from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), roughly 60 percent of returnees are living in damaged shelters and over 30 percent face challenges accessing their land. Returnees face heightened risks of gender-based violence, forced recruitment into armed groups, extortion, and exploitation, with female-headed households disproportionately affected due to limited livelihood opportunities for women, which leave these communities entrenched in poverty and especially vulnerable.

Figures from UNHCR show that approximately 30 percent of returnees had been taking refuge in Burundi’s Busama displacement camp, where they faced significant levels of overcrowding and limited access to clean water, sanitation services, healthcare, and shelter. Currently, roughly 4,500 Congolese refugees remain stuck at transit points as they await being relocated to Busama. Additionally, Burundi continues to host over 109,000 Congolese refugees, with 67,000 of them in Busuma alone.

Additionally, internal displacement remains widespread in the DRC, with more than 6.4 million people currently displaced. IFRC estimates that over 5.2 million internally displaced Congolese are concentrated in North and South Kivu, as well as Ituri, 96 percent as a result of ongoing armed violence. According to van de Perre, over 26.6 million people, roughly a quarter of DRC’s population, are projected to face food insecurity this year.

Currently, UNHCR’s response plan to assist returnees, refugees, and displaced Congolese civilians is only 34 percent funded, seeking a total of USD 145 million. MONUSCO is currently on the frontlines providing protection services for nearly 3,000 civilians in Djaiba village. Through the mission, the UN has been able to support over 18,000 farmers in harvesting and transporting crops and has conducted 204 patrols. Van de Perre stressed that stronger governance and security enforcement are crucial in protecting vulnerable civilians, and disarmament and repatriation efforts must be conducted to resolve broader regional tensions.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The Human Rights council, Geneva.
 
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in an address to the Human Rights Council.

By Volker Turk
GENEVA, Mar 27 2026 (IPS)

More than three weeks after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, the conflict is spreading and intensifying in the region and beyond, with civilians bearing the brunt. Families across the region marked Eid and Nowruz under fire, in fear and uncertainty, and facing further hardship.

The situation is extremely dangerous and unpredictable, and has created chaos across the region, affecting Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and beyond.

Since the start of hostilities, Iran has launched large numbers of drones and missiles against military bases, residential areas and energy facilities across these Gulf States and Jordan. Strikes and interceptions have caused terrible harm to civilians, including dozens of deaths and injuries.

Meanwhile, ports, energy facilities, airports, water infrastructure, and diplomatic premises have suffered damage, disrupting essential services and increasing risks to all civilians.

Many of the strikes in this conflict raise serious concerns under international law, which prohibits attacks targeting civilians and their infrastructure, and attacks on military targets where harm to civilians is disproportionate.

I also need to underscore the grave ramifications of this conflict for a number of other countries in the broader region, including Iraq and Syria, as well as the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Recent missile strikes near nuclear sites in both Israel and Iran underscore the immense danger of further escalation. States are flirting with unmitigated catastrophe.

Civilians in Lebanon are caught up in a human rights and humanitarian disaster. Government figures detail more than one thousand people killed by Israeli military strikes in the past three weeks, including 79 women, 118 children and 40 medical workers. I am deeply concerned by attacks that have hit apartment buildings, killing entire families in some cases.

Meanwhile, Iran and Hezbollah continue to launch missiles and drones into Israel, also causing loss of life, damage to civilian infrastructure, and displacement.

Inside Iran, civilians seek shelter from airstrikes across all 31 provinces of the country. According to Iranian government figures, some 1,400 civilians have been killed and more than 20,000 injured.

There is a growing pattern of strikes affecting residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and other sites that are protected under international law. Housing, hospitals, schools, cultural sites, transport networks and energy infrastructure have all been hit.

As Iranians shelter from these strikes, they also face another wave of cruel state repression, including arbitrary arrests, executions, intimidation and censorship. The internet has been shut down for more than three weeks.

This conflict is also having very serious ramifications beyond the region.

The disruption by Iran of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is affecting global supply chains, with dire implications for some of the world’s poorest people.

Fossil fuels, medicine, food, and fertilizers are just some of the vital goods that are being held up at sea. This is disrupting global energy markets and supplies; and has the potential to create serious hunger and healthcare crises. The World Food Programme warns that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute hunger unless the conflict ends soon.

The effects are most destructive in lower-income countries, particularly across South Asia. Developing economies are in general less able to withstand price shocks.

Several States have already introduced energy-saving measures. Bangladesh, for example, has closed universities and introduced fuel rationing, while the Philippines has introduced a state of national energy emergency. The crisis could also reduce the flow of remittances from migrant workers that keep families and communities afloat.

There are ongoing attempts to mitigate the closure of the Strait by releasing oil reserves and easing sanctions. But they have not made a significant difference, and the wider consequences remain unpredictable.

Analysis by UNCTAD shows that insurance premiums and marine fuel costs are surging, increasing prices across the board and around the world.

The UN’s Economic and Social Commission for West Asia assesses that the conflict has already caused some $63 billion in economic losses across the Arab region.

Conflict can never be ordinary or standard. But this conflict has an unprecedented power to ensnare countries across borders and around the world. The complex dynamics could ignite further national, regional or global crises at any moment, with an appalling impact on civilians and people everywhere.

The only guaranteed way to prevent this is to end the conflict, and I urge all States, and particularly those with influence, to do everything in their power to achieve this.

Our deeply interconnected world requires that all countries recommit to full respect for international law, and the UN Charter.

We cannot go back to war as a tool of international relations.

When some powerful States are trying to weaken the multilateral system, we need the rest – the vast majority – to stand up for it. While the conflict continues, I call on all parties to ensure full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law.

Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure must end. If they are deliberate, such attacks may constitute war crimes.

I stand in solidarity with civilians across the region, who are crying out for peace.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Suite aux attaques américaines et israéliennes, l'Iran a commencé à cibler les pays du Golfe qui abritent des bases militaires américaines.