Russia Has Big Plans for Africa

America Must Push Back—Without Getting Dragged In

The day after the military staged a coup in Burkina Faso in January, supporters of the new regime took to the streets waving Russian flags. The scene may sound like a throwback to the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence in Africa, but the demonstrators were taken with more recent examples of the Kremlin’s actions on the continent. They spoke approvingly about Russia’s deployment of mercenaries in Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic (CAR) to fight off Islamist insurgents. “The Russians got good results in other African countries,” a supporter of the coup told The New York Times. “We hope they can do the same here.” According to the Daily Beast, the lieutenant colonel who led the coup, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, had tried and failed to get the incumbent president to invite in Russian military contractors to counter threats to the government—and now that he is in charge, he may well ask Moscow for military help.

Nigeria: France, Nigeria Collaborate to Contain Terrorism, Piracy

The France government, yesterday, pledged to collaborate with Nigeria in a renewed bid by both countries to contain terrorism and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

France made the pledge as the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), sought more proactive intelligence gathering mechanism and technological support to drive new information sharing regime in aid of the military campaigns in the country.

Le changement climatique et la sécurité en Afrique

L’Afrique subit les effets du changement climatique les plus importants de toute région du monde. De canicules plus fréquentes et plus longues, aux sècheresses, inondations et cyclones, ces phénomènes ont déjà touché des millions d’Africains et menacé leurs moyens de subsistance.

Africa’s Ties With Europe Should Be Shaped by African Agency

The sixth leaders’ summit between the African Union and European Union will finally take place this week in Brussels, following several postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally occurring every three years, the summit was initially scheduled for 2020.

The AU-EU summit is often touted as the ideal venue for European and African elites to discuss issues of mutual concern. But this one is particularly significant, as it provides the opportunity for both sides to unpack the new EU strategy directed toward Africa, which was launched in 2020.

Finance : les « petits » assureurs africains font de la résistance

En Afrique, d’Abidjan à Douala, une poignée d’irréductibles assureurs locaux résiste à l’assaut des poids lourds panafricains et internationaux, dans une période propice aux fusions-acquisitions.

Il aurait fallu barrière plus infranchissable pour que Bertrand Casteres, le directeur général du groupe mauricien d’assurances Mauritius Union Assurance (MUA), rebrousse chemin. Rendez-vous était pris de longue date pour venir négocier, à Paris, les ultimes détails du partenariat censé donner un nouvel élan à son groupe, fondé en 1948. Alors, en ce mois de juillet 2021, même si le vaccin contre le Covid-19 qui lui a été administré à Port-Louis quelques mois auparavant n’est pas reconnu par les autorités européennes, qu’à cela ne tienne : le quadragénaire en fait un deuxième, reconnu celui-là, pour pouvoir prendre l’avion. La conclusion d’une affaire vaut bien une double injection…

Turkey rethinks Libya policy

Libya’s rekindled power struggle has left Turkey in an ambivalent position and might force it to review its alliances.

Libya’s interim prime minister, a close ally of Turkey, has been rejected by parliament in a rekindled power struggle in the war-torn country. But his replacement is no stranger to Ankara and might help it make peace with eastern Libya.