The seizure of power by Captain Ibrahim Traoré in Burkina Faso on September 30th brings to five the number of successful coups d’état that have taken place in West Africa in the last two years. One of the main reasons for these coups has been the failure of the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region, which has led to growing insecurity. Another factor is the increasing role of Russia there. Justine Brabant reports.
Earlier this year, a young Guinean apprentice baker in Besançon, eastern France, who arrived in the country as an unaccompanied minor, received a deportation order immediately after he turned 18. His outraged employer went on hunger strike in protest, and the order was finally overturned. Now another young Guinean, Yaya Camara, a 19-year-old apprentice electrician also settled in Besançon, has similarly been handed an expulsion order, which he has appealed with the support of his employers and teachers. But a particularly cruel twist in the case is the bizarre and disproven accusations levelled against the teenager by prefecture officials. David Perrotin reports.
The businessman had negotiated a deal with the French financial prosecution unit, the Parquet National Financier, under the terms of which he would have only received a fine of 375,000 euros over a corruption case in West Africa. But on Friday February 26th a court in Paris rejected the plea bargain agreement, ruling that it was too favourable to Vincent Bolloré, whose group has a string of economic interests in African countries. Fabrice Arfi and Yann Philippin report.
Authorities in the French city of Bayonne are struggling to cope with the number of migrants coming from across the nearby Spanish border. Mediapart met Joseph and Moriba, 'blood brothers' who are seeking France's protection after nearly dying at sea crossing to Europe from Morocco. After a legal battle, Joseph has now been recognised as a minor by the French courts while Moriba's request will be heard on appeal shortly. Mathilde Mathieu reports.
The French businessman Vincent Bolloré has been placed under formal investigation over the alleged corruption of foreign public officials and complicity in corruption. The probe into the well-connected businessman, who has amassed much of his fortune through his dealings in Africa, relates to how one of its companies won the concessions to run the ports at Lomé in Togo and Conakry in Guinea, and the use of his communications firm in the electoral campaigns of African leaders. Martine Orange gives the background to the allegations.
The dead fish, an endangered species, were seized near Paris in parcels sent from Guinea and bound for Hanoi probably for sale as so-called aphrodisiacs.
