In a statement released on 9 May, the Sahel-based Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) threatened to attack Western companies operating in the Sahel, calling their operations ‘legitimate targets’ in its mujahedeen. Unsurprisingly, the group identified France and its allies as likely targets given the ongoing French counterterrorism intervention in…
Emboldened by the recent recovery of commodity prices, several African governments are leading a new wave of regulatory overhaul aimed at increasing control over their natural resources.
Sporadic violent confrontations and incidents of intimidation threaten to tarnish the country's recent record of peaceful democratic engagement and stability, writes Thorne Godinho.
Eritrean and Ethiopian aggression has significantly escalated since the 12 June 2016 border clash in efforts to hide numerous domestic issues in both countries; however, the two states are unlikely to risk an all-out war, writes S-RM's East Africa team
Recent dialogue between long-term rivals, Somaliland and Khaatumo, has the potential to change the local political environment in the contested region. This is likely to increase the potential for reconciliation in the region, writes S-RM's East Africa team
Although violent party primaries demonstrate the intense competition of Kenya's county-level politics, they are not necessarily a determinant of widespread election-related violence. Nevertheless, likely drivers of violence are ever present and a peaceful nationwide August vote is still not guaranteed, writes Gabrielle Reid
When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) finds a hole in a Fund-backed country's budget, it is quick to ask the government what happened to the money, writes Paul Adams and Jack Raeder. But at its first meeting with Ghana's new Finance Minister in February, the Fund itself faced that question. Ken Ofori-Atta reminded his visitors from Washington that…
Government enforced travel restrictions, often in the context of a State of Emergency (SoE), can result in disruptions to transport and commercial operations. Travellers can expect restrictions on freedom of movement and expression, including security checkpoints, curfews and communications disruptions. Although countries like Egypt have a long history…
While the political posturing of regional players like Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia is well known, it is increasingly clear that this power play is steeped in securing control of the region’s strategic waters.
The emergence of a new group in the Niger Delta has raised concerns over renewed conflict in the region, writes Gabrielle Reid
22 years after apartheid, South Africans must grapple with ongoing inequality to save their economy, writes Thorne Godinho
The impending elections on the continent are unlikely to usher in the leadership change many anticipate, writes Gabrielle Reid.