West African Leader

France has begun withdrawing its troops from Niger after being ordered out of the West African nation by the leaders of the July coup that ousted the pro-Paris president, the military said Tuesday.

Niger's military regime vowed late Sunday to prosecute ousted president Mohamed Bazoum for "high treason" and slammed West African leaders for imposing sanctions on the country.

A team from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS left Niger without meeting the leader of the junta which seized power in a coup, a delegation member said Friday. The delegation was initially due to meet Tiani to present ECOWAS's demands.

West African defence chiefs were set to wrap up discussions about possible intervention in Niger on Friday, as mediators from the regional bloc push coup leaders in Niamey to restore constitutional order before an approaching deadline.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau killed himself in a fight against rival jihadist fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) according to audio AFP obtained from the group Sunday, two weeks after reports emerged that he had died.

Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, just two days before he is supposed to cede power after losing elections last month. Mr Jammeh is refusing to step down despite international pressure and the threat by other West African nations of a military intervention. The 90-day state of emergency, announced on state te...

Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh accused West African regional body ECOWAS of declaring war, after it said it was putting forces on alert in case he refused to step down at the end of his mandate this month.

After a rocky year that saw Burkina's people rise up to oust a longtime leader and then repel a military coup, the west African nation on Sunday elects a new president in a vote hailed as a fresh start for the country.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed today the reinstatement of Burkina Faso's interim leader Michel Kafando and transitional institutions after coup leaders stood down.

The United States slammed Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Saturday for "unconscionable" remarks, after the West African leader reportedly threatened to slit the throats of gay men in his country.

Leaders of central and west African states will hold a summit on April 8 to try to draw up a joint strategy against the threat posed by Nigeria's Boko Haram militants, a statement from organisers said today.

Armies from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have launched an offensive to end the Islamic militant group's six-year campaign, which has killed thousands in northern Nigeria and spilled over into Cameroon and Niger.

Leaders of the west African countries worst hit by Ebola urged the world on Tuesday to back a "Marshall Plan" to help them stamp out the disease and rebuild their shattered economies.

The leaders of the countries devastated by the west African Ebola outbreak vowed at a summit in Guinea on Sunday to eradicate the virus by mid-April.

Health workers on the frontline of west Africa's Ebola crisis pleaded with G20 leaders on Thursday for more resources, describing horrific working conditions as they attempt to contain the deadly outbreak.

France has begun withdrawing its troops from Niger after being ordered out of the West African nation by the leaders of the July coup that ousted the pro-Paris president, the military said Tuesday.

Niger's military regime vowed late Sunday to prosecute ousted president Mohamed Bazoum for "high treason" and slammed West African leaders for imposing sanctions on the country.

A team from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS left Niger without meeting the leader of the junta which seized power in a coup, a delegation member said Friday. The delegation was initially due to meet Tiani to present ECOWAS's demands.

West African defence chiefs were set to wrap up discussions about possible intervention in Niger on Friday, as mediators from the regional bloc push coup leaders in Niamey to restore constitutional order before an approaching deadline.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau killed himself in a fight against rival jihadist fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) according to audio AFP obtained from the group Sunday, two weeks after reports emerged that he had died.

Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, just two days before he is supposed to cede power after losing elections last month. Mr Jammeh is refusing to step down despite international pressure and the threat by other West African nations of a military intervention. The 90-day state of emergency, announced on state te...

Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh accused West African regional body ECOWAS of declaring war, after it said it was putting forces on alert in case he refused to step down at the end of his mandate this month.

After a rocky year that saw Burkina's people rise up to oust a longtime leader and then repel a military coup, the west African nation on Sunday elects a new president in a vote hailed as a fresh start for the country.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed today the reinstatement of Burkina Faso's interim leader Michel Kafando and transitional institutions after coup leaders stood down.

The United States slammed Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Saturday for "unconscionable" remarks, after the West African leader reportedly threatened to slit the throats of gay men in his country.

Leaders of central and west African states will hold a summit on April 8 to try to draw up a joint strategy against the threat posed by Nigeria's Boko Haram militants, a statement from organisers said today.

Armies from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have launched an offensive to end the Islamic militant group's six-year campaign, which has killed thousands in northern Nigeria and spilled over into Cameroon and Niger.

Leaders of the west African countries worst hit by Ebola urged the world on Tuesday to back a "Marshall Plan" to help them stamp out the disease and rebuild their shattered economies.

The leaders of the countries devastated by the west African Ebola outbreak vowed at a summit in Guinea on Sunday to eradicate the virus by mid-April.

Health workers on the frontline of west Africa's Ebola crisis pleaded with G20 leaders on Thursday for more resources, describing horrific working conditions as they attempt to contain the deadly outbreak.