Amid the protracted conflict in the eastern DRC, local militias have started to attack Ebola treatment centres in Butembo and Beni, North Kivu, killing medical staff and forcing the closure of several facilities. Erin Drake considers the threat to health workers and medical treatment facilities in this conflict area.
While militant-linked kidnappings of foreign nationals have declined elsewhere in the world, Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel have experienced a visible increase since 2015. Gabrielle Reid examines the rise of Islamist militancy and kidnap-for-ransom activity in Burkina Faso.
In this article, we look at three prominent case studies from different parts of the world to demonstrate the nature and extent of the security risks facing commercial operators in the oil and gas sector.
Following the effective collapse of the Islamic State caliphate across Syria and Iraq in February 2019, the terrorist group appears to have extended its reach to new territories including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka. In the space of one week, Islamic State took credit for terror attacks in both countries. Markus Korhonen places these…
Nigeria’s incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, secured a second term in office in the February presidential election, but he will have little time to celebrate his victory. The president will need to buckle down and address key security concerns hampering Africa’s largest economy, writes Joschka Opitz.
The recent coup d’état attempt in Gabon came as a surprise to many who have viewed the country as a beacon of stability among its central African neighbours. However, inherent vulnerabilities were present in Gabon’s political structures. These continue to exist, indicating an unstable political future for Gabon, writes Joschka Opitz.
On 15 January, four gunmen stormed the dusitD2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi, Kenya, in the first complex terrorist attack in the city in six years. Al Shabaab’s latest assault points to the persistent terrorism threat in Kenya, writes Gabrielle Reid.
As key players debate the impact of climate change on the international stage, domestically, governments across the globe are being put to the test in their responses to natural hazards.
Several significant elections are scheduled to take place around the world in 2019, and we review a number of these in this article. From Nigeria to Indonesia, Ukraine and Libya, the outcome of the 2019 electoral season will not only determine the sociopolitical and economic trajectories of individual countries, but also impact domestic and regional…
Following the widely contested presidential election result in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tristan Puri provides an overview of the current political uncertainty in the country. This briefing note highlights the threats presented to foreign investors by the possibility of escalating violence, potential further sanctions on DRC officials, and…
In this article, we examine the main kidnapping trends and incidents of 2018 from around the world, and look at some emerging trends likely to persist in 2019.
Cameroon has regularly failed to attract the same levels of foreign direct investment as its Central African peers, despite boasting one of the most diversified and stable economies in the region. Following recent in-country research, our sub-Saharan Africa team provides an overview of three key operational risks to investors in the market.