[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Mali, South Sudan, Somalia, Mauritania, Djibouti, and Comoros Islands and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the On the Margins Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each month's roundup to info@jadaliyya.com.]
Comoros
China tests malaria drug on an entire African nation Chinese scientists, with the Comoran government, gave Chinese-made drugs to everyone in the country in a massive, controversial medical experiment.
Why is China investing in the Comoros? An experimental malaria drug is not the only thing linking China with the small island nation of the Comoros.
Kuwait offers Bidoon Comoros citizenship Bidoons from Kuwait reject the government’s offer of citizenship in the Comoros.
'Huge gaffe' sparks row between Libya, Iran in Comoros The Comoros is involved in a diplomatic dispute after pledging the same plot of land for both the Iranian and Libyan embassies.
Djibouti
حوار خاص وساخن مع السياسي الجيبوتي المعارض محمد طاهر روبله An interview with Djiboutian opposition activist and political Islamist thinker, Mohammad Tahir Roblh.
Djibouti's Young People Look to Burkina Faso to Pave Their Own Democratic Way Youth Activists from Dijbouti view the uprising in Burkina Faso as an example for their own country.
GCC and UAE’s Complicated History With Terrorism The lethal terror attacks in Iraq, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, and Syria have resulted in a sense of grief and alarm across Gulf Cooperation Council’s strategy.
Piracy, a non-traditional threats to security The paper identifies the non-traditional security threats prevailing in the Indian Ocean, examining their causes and trends.
Djibouti President Guelleh risking country’s future Djibouti’s president is under for fire for his blatant disregard over signed agreements, political economic conditions, which is creating dire conditions.
Developing a nutrition-based social safety net program in Djibouti The Djibouti Social Safety net program aims to improve child nutrition through additional household income.
Mauritania
Arbitrary arrest of Biram Dah Abeid and members of the IRA abolitionist Movement A human rights defender and eight anti-slavery campaigners were arrested and are currently being arbitrarily detained.
تواصل في زعامة المعارضة.. الدلالات والتأثيرات (تحليل) Hassan Ould Muhammad has become leader of one of the largest opposition coalitions in Mauritania.
أنباء عن قرب الإفراج عن ولد هيداله The son of former Mauritanian President has been released from prison in Morocco, where he had been jailed for drug trafficking.
مرصد حقوقي يطالب بإطلاق معتقلي إيرا The Mauritanian Observatory for Human Rights called on the government to release political detainees.
الشرطة تحتجز نشطاء من حركة 25 فبراير Mauritanian police break up a 25 February Movement demonstration.
Mauritania must end clamp down on anti-slavery activists Amnesty International Calls for Mauritania to end its campaign of arresting activists opposing slavery.
Mauritania Attracts Foreign Investor Interest Mauritania held a conference that drew the participation of over 2000 potential investors from twenty countries interested in the oil and gas sector.
Operation Barkhane tightens noose on Sahel terrorists Mauritania and several neighboring countries have engaged in operations directed against Sahelian terrorist groups.
Report: 35.8 million people enslaved The biggest offender, with the highest proportion of its population enslaved is Mauritania, where slavery remains an entrenched part of society.
African Union chief in Burkina Faso for talks Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz hold talks with army appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida over transition back to democracy.
Mali: The forgotten war France, Mali's former colonial ruler, is going back to its old colonial ways, writes Kane.
Somalia
خلافات الرئيس ورئيس الوزراء في الحكومات الصومالية ... الأسباب والنتائج Article discusses the recent disputes between the Somalia’s president and prime minister.
Somaliland journalists, human rights groups oppose new media rules Journalists and human rights activists from Somaliland announced that they oppose the new media rules.
Somalia: Somali Forces Conduct Security Crackdown in Mogadishu Security forces in Somalia launched searches and other operations following recent attacks against government officials.
Officials Say US Threatens Aid Cuts to Somalia The international community is losing confidence in the Somali government, and the United States has threatened to pull military and financial support from Somalia.
Scores killed as Al-Shabab captures town in Somalia At least fifty people were killed and more than forty others wounded after Al-Shabab fighters took over Kudha town in the Southern Somalia.
Expert on Somalia’s Political and Regional Security Crisis An interview with Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow, leader of Somalia’s National Unity Party, on Somalia’s political and regional security crisis.
Kenya and Somalia could go to war on territorial row Somalia took Kenya to the International Court of Justice to resolve a long-standing dispute over the maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean.
Gunning down the taxmen of Somalia At least twenty-five tax collectors have been killed since 2012 in Mogadishu, a city awash in weapons and abject poverty.
Somali Shilling needs a new monitory policy“Somali Shilling: is a valueless currency that needs a new policy.”
Somalia: The Power Tussle! The dichotomy of a powerless/powerful prime minister and a powerless/powerful president has confused many ordinary Somalis.
Mali
US to screen Mali travellers for Ebola Washington adds Mali to the list of countries whose travellers get special Ebola screening when entering the United States.
Ebola death sparks panic in Mali Mali’s government says it is doing its best to contain the Ebola virus after the death of a two-year-old girl.
Mali Already Has An Ebola Cluster: Can The Virus Be Stopped?"The challenge is that all the people working with us are new to the disease so there is a lot of training to be done," says Doctors Without Borders.
Mali Is Worried About Ebola, Quarantines Nearly 100 Health officials in Mali are concerned that a nurse and an imam may have spread the virus to many more individuals in their final days.
60 Seconds on Earth: Fighting ebola with a megaphone and a motorbike A multimedia approach to spreading awareness about the Ebola virus.
‘Highly fragile’ humanitarian situation in Mali demands urgent assistance – UN officials The United Nations is urging that humanitarian assistance be provided to assist with the security situation in Mali.
Mali Government Pressured to Make Arrests in Bribery Scandal The Malian government is facing pressure from the opposition to make arrests in a recent arms purchase engulfed in a bribery scandal.
South Sudan
South Sudanese rebels oppose deployment of regional force South Sudanese rebels led by former vice president Reik Mahar announced their opposition to deploying regional forces to South Sudan.
Conflict Alert: Looming Military Offensives in South Sudan Both sides in the South Sudanese civil war are preparing to renew the conflict through the launch of major offensives.
In South Sudan, a warring elite deaf to peace After months of talks and countless calls to end fighting and prevent famine, leaders appear no closer to ending the rift.
World idle as Sudan's women raped, killed and bombed Article argues that the mass rape of 200 women, including eighty minors, is not surprising in a country where women are systematically violated.
South Sudan’s Machar Says Sharing Power ‘Tough Sell’ for Rebels Rebel leader says it will be a tough sell to convince his allies to back a plan to end months of civil war through sharing power with the president.
South Sudan still at risk of catastrophic famine As South Sudan's civil war enters its second year, the world must not look away as its youngest country stands on the brink of famine.
Snapshots of a Divided Country How do you govern a country divided by war?
How to End Economic Domination By Foreigners? The deadline to recall expats from foreign companies and non-governmental organizations and replace them with qualified South Sudanese nationals passed inconsequentially.
Conflicts hits three states Government and rebel forces have clashed in three states, just days after their leaders agreed to unconditionally end fighting.