Following yet another kidnap for ransom targeting humanitarian workers in Somalia, Gabrielle Reid examines this persistent threat to the efforts of aid workers assisting the most vulnerable in the country.
New legislation in Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique will lead to worsening restrictions for freedom of the press and freedom of expression in these jurisdictions, increasing the threat of detention against journalists and political commentators, writes Gabrielle Reid.
While Boko Haram’s previous efforts to control large areas of terrain were undermined by domestic and regional military efforts, a spate of recent attacks against towns and military barracks could point to a renewed campaign to seize territory in northern Nigeria. Gabrielle Reid looks into the prospects for a renewed territorial campaign by the Islamic…
In August, president Joseph Kabila and the ruling Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (PPRD) backed Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as the party’s candidate in the long awaited December 2018 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The somewhat unexpected announcement ended prolonged speculation that the incumbent would seek…
Following his first 12 months in office, João Lourenço’s administration has been characterised by a strong anticorruption movement, dismantling the former regime and attempting to revive the Angolan economy. However, is this stance sustainable and is it a true indication of reform in the country.
A closer look at Chinese financing trends in Africa, in the wake of the triennial Forum for China-Africa Cooperation
All eyes are on Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front’s (Zanu-PF) new leader and how he navigates the difficult political situation in Zimbabwe, in the first post-Mugabe elections in 38 years. However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s greatest challenges could lie after the ballot is cast, writes Joschka Opitz.
Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHF) generally refer to a group of diseases characterised by severe fevers and bleeding symptoms. The most well-known of these is Ebola, a deadly disease affecting humans and non-human primates, which typically occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Nigerian government has long framed Borno State as a potential alternative to its south-eastern oil fields, amid speculation of significant oil reserves in the region. Yet, with Boko Haram’s ongoing insurgency there, coupled with a recent kidnapping in the area, the region is more likely to become a second Niger Delta than an answer to Nigeria’s…
South Africa has experienced a significant increase in reported kidnappings, with targets now including middle to upper-income businesspersons. Gabrielle Reid investigates the nature of these attacks and how South Africa’s worsening criminal underworld has offered the perfect environment for the growth of this lucrative crime.
Last week marked the end of Ethiopian Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed’s first 100 days in office. The new leader, appointed on 2 April, has embarked on a vigorous reform campaign, seeking to open up Ethiopia’s political and economic environments. Plans to privatise key sectors of the economy, including the aviation and telecommunications sectors, together…
The spate of alleged Islamist militant attacks in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado Province since October last year have raised concern regarding the safety of communities in the area. As the region also hosts significant liquefied natural gas deposits, the emerging militant threat could have dire consequences for Mozambique’s fledging oil and gas…