Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso will form a joint force to meet the countries’ defence and security goals.

The announcement was made Wednesday (Wed. 06) following the first official meeting of the three nation’s military chiefs of staff in Niamey.

The head of Niger’s army, general Moussa Salaou Barmou said the new task force would be “operational as soon as possible,” but did not give further details on the size or remit of the force.

The countries formed in September, the Alliance of Sahel States known as AES.

The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishing the AES aims is to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of [the three nation’s] populations”.

The Niger press agency reported the officials to took stock of the deteriorating security situation within AES countries.

General Barmou however said, the jihadist threat was being with the new impulse observed in the conduct of ongoing operations.

The Sahel region accounted for more deaths from terrorism in 2022 than South Asia and the (MENA) Middle East and North Africa regions combined, the 2023 Global terrorism Index reported.

Two planes collided at Nairobi National Park, leaving at least two people dead. 44 others escaped unharmed in the incident on Tuesday morning.

One of the planes involved was a Dash 8 owned by Safari Link, bound for Diani with 44 passengers and crew.

The other was a Cessna plane on a training session, carrying two people. The Cessna crashed in the park, while the Dash 8 safely landed back at Wilson Airport. Both planes had taken off from Wilson Airport, according to officials, who confirmed two fatalities in the accident.

Safarilink Aviation, however, confirmed the incident and stated that none of their passengers was hurt.

“Safarilink Aviation wishes to report that this morning at 9:45 Local Time our flight number 053 with 39 passengers and 5 crew on board headed to Diani experienced a loud bang soon after take-off.”

“The crew decided to immediately turn back to Nairobi-Wilson Airport for further inspection and assessment and landed safely. There were no casualties reported,” the operator said.

Their statement added the relevant agencies have been notified and together with Safarilink Aviation are investigating the incident.

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is charting new territory by considering the establishment of an oil trading arm, potentially headquartered in London, to facilitate the operations of his upcoming refinery venture in Nigeria, sources close to the matter revealed.

This strategic move could sideline major global trading entities, which have been engaged in extensive negotiations for months, aiming to provide financial backing and crude oil supplies to Dangote’s refinery in exchange for product exports. Anticipation is high within the trading community as the colossal 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery gears up to reshape global oil and fuel dynamics.

According to insiders speaking to Reuters, Dangote appears poised to take matters into his own hands. The newly proposed trading division is expected to be spearheaded by former Essar trader Radha Mohan, who assumed the role of director of international supply and trading at Dangote in 2021, as indicated by his LinkedIn profile. It is understood that the team is actively recruiting additional traders to bolster its ranks.

The construction of the refinery, a project spanning nearly a decade, incurred costs of approximately $20 billion, overshooting the initial budget by $6 billion. Despite these challenges, the facility has commenced operations, refining an estimated 8 million barrels of oil between January and February. However, reaching full operational capacity will require several more months.

To support the refinery’s crude procurement, Vitol reportedly pre-paid for certain product cargoes, while Trafigura engaged in crude oil swaps for future fuel cargoes, according to informed sources. Both Vitol and Trafigura, headquartered in Geneva, declined to provide official statements.

Cocoa farmers across West Africa are monitoring the progress of several plant diseases that are ruining crops on a vast scale and pushing up the global price of cacao, the raw material for making chocolate, to record levels.

Ivory Coast and its neighbour Ghana, together supply more than half of the world’s demand for cocoa.

On his farm, 250 km northwest of Ivory Coast’s commercial capital Abidjan, Olivier Gnakomene realised too late that his cacao crop was infected with a fungal black pod disease, and despite efforts to counter its spread with fungicide, this year’s harvest looks likely to be pitiful.

As the major cacao season, which began in October 2023, draws to a close at the end of March, cocoa farmers in the village of Dodjagnoa say they are devastated.

Fungal black pod disease is just one of many affecting farmers.

Its spread is aided by months of soggy weather.

Another major problem in Ghana and Ivory Coast is cocoa swollen shoot virus, spread by insects.

It is usually dealt with by cutting down infected trees entirely.

The wet conditions in West Africa are being blamed for damaging crop yields, which is pushing cacao prices higher.

The world can’t get enough chocolate at present.

The global cocoa and chocolate market is expected to grow from a value of $48 billion in 2022 to nearly $68 billion by 2029, according to analysts at Fortune Business Insights.

The farm gate price is up, but with harvests so small, farmers say they are struggling.

Farmers and representatives from farming collectives are gathering in Abidjan to talk with trade union leaders about what can be done to help them.

Industrial action may follow, they say, but all are hoping that it doesn’t come to that.

The drop in production will have long-term repercussions on the international chocolate market, according to industry experts.

With demand for chocolate growing, especially in Asia, and global supply dropping, prices are expected to remain high.

The U.S. on Monday imposed sanctions on Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, the Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and 8 other senior officials.

The United States’ Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control accuses the 11 individuals and 3 entities of being involved in corruption or serious human rights abuse.

Mnangagwa is accused of protecting gold and diamond smugglers who operate in Zimbabwe, directing government officials to facilitate the sale of gold and diamonds in illicit markets and taking bribes in exchange for his services, among other offenses.

The U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said they were being designated under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program.

The designations are part of a new sanctions policy towards Zimbabwe the United States is implementing following President Biden’s approval of a new Executive Order terminating the Zimbabwe sanctions program that had been in effect since 2003.

President Joe Biden also Monday signed an executive order that terminates Zimbabwe’s national emergency and revokes Zimbabwe-specific sanctions. Now, the administration is using a Trump-era executive order that implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act as its authority to issue the sanctions.

As a result of designations, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked.

The White House said in a statement that “Sanctions on these individuals and entities do not represent sanctions on Zimbabwe or its public. The Administration reaffirms its commitment to work with the people of Zimbabwe; will continue to robustly support civil society, human rights defenders, and independent media to promote values consistent with the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 and take additional measures to hold accountable those who deny Zimbabweans the democratic freedoms and good governance they deserve.”

In 2022, the U.S. sanctioned one the sons of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa Jr.

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, knocked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over its approach and tactics to national issues.

“The labour has gone on strike four times within my nine months in government. That’s a record. Calling for a strike in just nine months of an administration is unacceptable,” the president said at the inauguration of the second phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT), the Red Line rail project, in Ikeja, yesterday.

He noted that no matter how much they laid claim to their freedom and their rights, calling for strikes within nine months of an administration was “unacceptable.”

“If you want to participate in the electoral process, wait until 2027; if not, then make peace. You are not the only voice of Nigerians,” he added.

His comment came three days after the NLC staged a protest rally over the high cost of living in the country. It planned the protest for two days, but suspended it after the first day. The workers’ union has also threatened to call for a strike later if the government fails to address its grievances.

Tinubu said he was aware of the noise being made over the economic challenges in the country, but would not complain because he asked for the job. He assured Nigerians that the country would be out of the woods, with perseverance and hard work.

“I am assuring that Nigeria will be out of economic problems. We just need to persevere, work hard and be assured,” he said.

Tinubu cited corruption as one of the major reasons the country is facing economic challenges, and promised to fight the menace to a standstill in order to succeed and reposition Nigeria economically. He called on Nigerians to be patient and hopeful.

“There’s a very bright light at the end of the tunnel. I agree that smuggling will fight back, and corruption will fight back. We will fight them. This administration is committed to fighting corruption to ruins. Corruption will go away. We’ll save the money for you, to educate our children, to pay for the healthcare system of our people, to pay for modern transportation systems, and work for highest number of people. The fight is on, we’re not looking back.

“Change is possible and change we must achieve, progress we must achieve. It is not about the individual but about the huge population. We must plan for their future. If our problem is corruption, we must exterminate it, no matter how much it is fighting back. No to corruption; we must adhere to our pledge. We must stay hopeful,” he stated.

On the Lagos rail project, he said it was a constant reminder that change was possible.

“When you put people at the centre of your planning, you will realise the benefits of democracy.”

The president commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for bringing to life a vision of 25 years.

”Today is evidence that it’s good to dream. This is a testimony of democracy. Twenty five years ago, I was elected to lead Nigeria’s most populous state. My team and I toiled day and night to transform Lagos into the economic power of Africa.