Nearly 250 imams and Islamic preachers joined a national awareness session against online hate speech Saturday and Sunday, following a surge in extremist violence in Burkina Faso. 

At the workshop hosted by Burkina Faso’s Federation of Islamic Associations (FAIB), attendees were handed a guide on public speaking for preachers which forbids the use of Islamic discourse to disturb stability, including insulting and violent rhetoric, RFI reported.  

”We encourage Muslim youth to use social media responsibly and are committed to strengthening the ongoing training of imams and preachers on digital issues and religious communication”, the federation said on Facebook following the workshop.

Failure to comply with the new code of conduct online may result in disciplinary or even criminal sanctions: including a ban of up to two years from preaching, RFI reported.

In October, a video emerged of a preacher urging his supporters to attack members of another Muslim congregation. The incident made FAIB sound the alarm on the ”emergence of dangerous deviations in religious discourse”, according to RFI.

The growing number of social media users in Africa is a “double-edged sword”, according to a UNDP report, due to its utility for violent actors to “market extremist ideas and spread terror to different audiences around the world”.

Social media platforms can facilitate radicalisation by promoting content with emotional appeal that taps into the grievances of users and reinforces their frustrations, according to the report. 

The proliferation of religious hate speech online is concerning amid a surge in violent extremism in Burkina Faso. Terrorism-related deaths in the Sahel region have soared past 6,000 for three consecutive years, making up more than half of all global fatalities, said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed in January.

In this time, Burkina Faso has seen a 68% increase in terrorism fatalities, making it the leading country in the world for terrorism deaths, according to UN figures.

The atmosphere was calm and disciplined on Monday, July 14, 2025, in Lomé, as Togo’s security and defense forces, including paramilitary units and members of the operational reserve, cast their ballots in early voting ahead of the municipal elections. This special vote was organized to allow them to fulfill their civic duty while remaining available to ensure the security of the general election scheduled for July 17.

At the polling station, the voting process went smoothly in a strictly orderly environment.

“There hasn’t been a single incident. So far, everything is going well, and they are voting calmly,” said Poutouli Pisseyem, the polling station president. “They follow all our instructions,” he added.

This early vote marks the official kickoff of a highly anticipated municipal election, watched closely by both the political class and a public caught between hope and caution. On the ground, the campaign is in full swing. Political parties and independent candidates are making rounds to win over voters. Supporters of the ruling party, UNIR, are focused on consolidating progress.

“Go vote, vote for UNIR, because we need continuity in the work already being done,” said Geneviève Amégnaglo, a local UNIR delegate.

On the opposition side, some leaders insist on maintaining their presence despite boycott calls from parts of civil society.

“To improve living conditions, the opposition must take part and show what it’s capable of,” said opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre.

Still, the apparent calm masks underlying tensions. Civil society groups have called for days of mourning on July 14 and 15, while web activists from the M66 movement have announced protests for July 16 and 17, the day of the vote.

With just hours left before polls open for the general public, the streets are watching, uncertain. Togo’s democracy is facing another major test, under close watch.

Foreign ministers from Egypt and Israel joined EU officials in Brussels on Monday for the fifth EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting. It was the first such gathering since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza.

The conflict in the Middle East dominated the high-level talks. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Hamas of blocking humanitarian aid to civilians. “Hamas is trying to stop people from getting the aid directly because they want to be the mediators,” he said. “That’s how it became a financial resource for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty offered a starkly different perspective. “Every day now, more than 100 civilians in Gaza are being killed,” he said. “Their only crime is waiting for food to survive. It is shameful for us to accept this happening daily.” He called the humanitarian crisis “awful,” citing starvation, ongoing attacks, and the urgent need for international action.

Meanwhile, In a significant diplomatic step, the EU is set to deepen its cooperation with Israel, and nine southern neighbors, including Syria and Libya. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar appeared unfazed when asked about reports the European Union is weighing up potential actions in response to allegations that Israel is breaching the EU-Israel Association Agreement, including suspending visa free travel and blocking imports from the Jewish settlements.