As France’s security influence has waned in the Sahel, countries such as Russia, China and Turkey have been eager to take its place. Richard Gardiner discusses the changing geopolitical dynamics at play in the region and considers the impact this will have on Sahelian commercial environment.
Governments continue to face destabilising protests brought on by the lingering socio-economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the ongoing impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. S-RM’s Strategic Intelligence team highlights the countries likely to become (or remain) hotspots for unrest in the coming months.
As the security crisis in the Sahel has escalated, so has the threat of kidnapping for ransom. With numerous threat actors active within the region, Richard Gardiner explores the drivers of this increase in abductions and discusses the threat to foreign nationals.
The February 2022 kidnapping of five aid workers in Cameroon’s Far North region is a stark reminder of the growing complexities of Cameroon’s security crisis. Osob Dahir investigates the main threat actors amid the deteriorating security situation in northern Cameroon, highlighting the potential for further kidnappings of aid workers and others operating…
Major security crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine over the last year not only highlight the challenges of political evacuation, but also reaffirm how important it is for companies to have robust evacuation plans in place, write Erin Drake and Saif Islam.
The Russia / Ukraine conflict will have a long-standing and widespread impact on the global order, resulting in unique but interconnected regional consequences across the world, write Markus Korhonen and Gabrielle Reid.
The long-delayed arms deal trial of former President Jacob Zuma is a symptom of factionalism and the history of impunity within the ruling African National Congress (ANC). Darren Davids writes that the successful prosecution of corrupt officials may not be enough to ease decades of simmering public frustrations.
While 2021 appears to show a decrease in attacks targeting aid workers, especially compared to 2020, the deteriorating security environment in several countries suggest the positive trend may not continue in 2022, writes Darren Davids.
The arrests of Canadian businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig in China in December 2018, just days after Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou’s arrest in Vancouver, were undoubtedly linked. Despite China’s espionage allegations against the pair and their subsequent convictions, they were released shortly after Meng was…
With a resurgence of kidnapping in 2021 following a Covid-19-driven hiatus the previous year, Markus Korhonen looks at some of the emerging trends in kidnapping, and how those are likely to be sustained over the coming twelve months.
With the continued increase in global vaccination levels, travel bans are easing as countries restart their tourism sectors. Erin Drake writes that while travel dynamics may look a little different in 2022, the usual security threats remain.
Democracy is at risk and the threat of political violence is on the rise write Gabrielle Reid and Gala Riani. According to the Global State of Democracy 2021 report, more than a quarter of the world’s population reside in ‘democratically backsliding’ countries. Together with those living in outright non-democratic regimes, these jurisdictions make up…