
Ministers of Urban Planning, Housing, Land, and Cadastre from the West African Economic and Monetary Union UEMOA member states approved a draft directive on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Ouagadougou. The directive aims to harmonize rules for land registration, access to property titles, and the establishment of a land information system within the community. The meeting was chaired by Burkina Faso's Minister of Construction, Housing, and Urban Planning, Mika茂lou Sidib茅, and included C么te d'Ivoire's Minister of Construction, Housing, and Urbanism, Moussa Sanogo, as well as representatives from Benin and Togo. Jonas Gbian, UEMOA Commissioner for Community Spatial Planning and Transport, also attended. This initiative seeks to create a common land governance framework to secure property rights and improve urban space management in the eight member states. Mika茂lou Sidib茅 described the adoption as a "major step forward" in harmonizing land procedures, which should support inclusive and sustainable housing policies through better access to property titles and modern land information management tools. Commissioner Gbian emphasized that secure access to urban land is crucial for the development of Union countries, noting that current land security challenges hinder investment, spatial planning, and major structural projects. The directive, initiated by the UEMOA Commission to address common land management issues, will now be submitted to the organization's statutory bodies for final ad
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Must ReadC么te d'Ivoire and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance the training and capabilities of the Ivorian Armed Forces FACI. The agreement, signed on June 25, 2026, in the United States by the Chief of Staff of the Ivorian Armed Forces, General Lassina Doumbia, and General Jo Pippy, Chief of Staff of the Pennsylvania National Guard, focuses on four key areas: unit training and interoperability, counter-terrorism and violent extremism, cyber defense and digital security, and medical support in operations and disaster response. This partnership, part of the American government's "State Partnership Program," will provide FACI with high-level training, particularly in air-land and digital domains. It will also strengthen FACI's capacity to manage combat trauma and assist populations during severe natural disasters. The Ivorian delegation, which included senior officers, the Ivorian Ambassador to the United States, and the Minister of Sports, visited various US Army sites, including the Pennsylvania National Guard base, its schools, training facilities, defense research and development centers, and the Penn Presbyterian trauma center in Philadelphia. The American delegation is expected in Abidjan on July 14, 2026, to launch activities. C么te d'Ivoire and the United States already have a defense partnership, notably in counter-terrorism efforts in the West African sub-region, with the US participating in training programs and exercises at the Internationa
Must ReadThe city of Timbuktu in Mali has been without electricity and water for four days, and has experienced a fuel shortage for one month. This situation was reported by POINT AFRIK/Mali on Saturday, June 27, 2026.

Roliann SARL has been awarded the Grand Prix Pierre Castel Ivory Coast 2026 for its innovative EcoScan solution, which focuses on agricultural traceability and reforestation monitoring. This recognition qualifies the Ivorian company to represent Ivory Coast at the pan-African final in September in Benin, competing against laureates from other participating countries. The jury of the 9th edition of the Pierre Castel Ivory Coast Prize announced Roliann SARL as the winner on June 26, 2026, at Solibra's headquarters in Treichville. EcoScan is a digital solution that ensures the traceability of agricultural products, monitors reforestation projects, and enhances carbon credit valuation. Marc Pozmentier, jury president and general director of Solibra, stated that the selection was based on innovation, the ability to address future challenges, and a forward-looking vision. He also commended other finalists, including Les D茅lices du Ciel, which won awards from partners such as Solibra, Witi Finance, and Sococe. Pozmentier highlighted Ivory Coast's entrepreneurial dynamism, noting the country won the pan-African trophy the previous year with the Djoli project. This year's pan-African final will include representatives from six countries: Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Madagascar, Congo, and first-time participant Benin, which will host the event. Bakayoko Inza, manager of Roliann SARL, expressed gratitude to the Pierre Castel Group, partner ministries, and supporting companies,