West Africa Archives

ENVIRONMENT-CONGO: Group Raises Alarm on Marine Turtle Poaching

An animal rights group has appealed to the Congolese authorities to revise the existing endangered species law to include marine turtles among the country's protected animals.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Fugitive Junta Leader Seeks British, UN Protection

By Lansana Fofana

Sierra Leonean opposition member of Parliament Johnny Paul Koroma, who was head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which seized power in a military coup in 1997, is being sought by the police after evading arrest Saturday.

ENERGY-SENEGAL: Schools Discover Virtues of Solar Power

By IPS Correspondents

After years of frequent power outages, especially in urban areas, Senegalese schools are discovering the virtues of solar power, thanks to the ‘'Solar Energy in Schools'' project.

/ARTS WEEKLY/ART: An Africa Regained in London

By IPS Correspondents

Ghanaian sculptor Al Anatsui has become one of Africa's foremost artists over his long career. A visit to London's October Gallery that is currently hosting an exhibition of his most recent work shows why.

POLITICS: Big Parties Pick Former Military Rulers to Run Nigeria

By Toye Olori

Former military rulers, who are blamed for much of Nigeria's woes, are back on the political stage - this time running as civilians in the April presidential election.

ENVIRONMENT-GABON: Gov’t Regulates Sardine Fishing

By IPS Correspondents

Gabonese authorities are regulating sardine fishing following failure by fishermen to conform to accepted fishing standards, according to a government spokesperson.

TRADE-COTE D’IVOIRE: War Threatens the World’s Largest Cocoa Export

By IPS Correspondents

When, at first light, dugout canoes begin to paddle past the large-calibre machine gun trained on the mouth of San Pedro's port, the soldiers stationed there barely bat an eye.

ENVIRONMENT: Motorcycles Emit Most Air Pollution in West Africa – Study

By Noël Kokou Tadégnon

Ageing motorcycle taxis, which cover 80 percent of transport needs of Togo, Benin and Niger, produce air pollution, causing health and environmental problems, particularly in the cities.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Attack on Army Base Raises Security Question

By Lansana Fofana

Residents of the eastern suburbs of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown are still trying to recover from the shock of blasts of gunfire that rudely awoke them in the early hours of Monday, following an attack on an army base by unknown gunmen.

POLITICS-NIGERIA: Female Presidential Hopeful Throws Her Hat into the Ring

By Toye Olori

Nigeria's first female presidential aspirant, Sarah Jubril will challenge 29 men, including incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo, in the April presidential poll.

EDUCATION-BENIN: Nearly 30 Percent of School-Age Girls Stay Home

By IPS Correspondents

Nearly 30 percent of school-age girls in Benin stay home, says a top government official.

2002-2003/WEST AFRICA: Ivorian Crisis Likely to Dominate the New Year

By IPS Correspondents

The crisis in Cote D'Ivoire looks likely to dominate the first months of 2003.

POLITICS-COTE D’IVOIRE: More French Soldiers Amid Rising Violence

By Julio Godoy

The French government is stepping up its military presence in the C- te d'Ivoire as human rights groups fear that the civil war is leading to a blood bath.

POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: War Tribunal to Start Operation Soon

By Lansana Fofana

The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone appears to be all set to try individuals believed to bear the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed during the country's decade-long civil war.

HEALTH-WEST AFRICA: River Blindness Campaign Ends

By IPS Correspondents

The river blindness campaign, run by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 11 West African countries, has ended after 28 years of operation.

POLITICS: South Africa Welcomes the Hope of Peace in Congo

By IPS Correspondents

South African leaders have welcomed the hope of peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lambasted the possibility of war with Iraq and maintained their support for Zimbabwe, but said it was necessary to deal with the political and fall-out dogging this ‘'sister country''.