Africa

As the conflict enters its deadliest phase, U.S. leadership and collaboration with African partners are desperately needed to stop the slide.

In August, the devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia resumed, effectively ending the March 2022 humanitarian truce between the Ethiopian federal government and Tigrayan forces, which many hoped would pave the way for a negotiated cease-fire and peace talks. This week, the African Union’s chairperson called for an immediate cease-fire and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called on the parties to cease hostilities and participate in talks organized by the African Union. What comes next in Ethiopia will have major implications for its people, the strategically vital Red Sea arena and for U.S. interests in the region. Stepped up, senior-level U.S. engagement is direly needed to get Ethiopia on a path toward peace.

Experts say the OPEC+ decision to cut oil production won’t hit Egypt as hard as some other countries.

The Organization of Oil Exporting Countries and associates, known as OPEC+, decided to cut oil production Oct. 5. The Egyptian cabinet’s associated think tank the Information and Decision Support Center posted a video on Facebook Oct. 11 explaining the move and its repercussions.

Within hours of Burkina Faso’s second coup this year, the head of Russia’s shadowy mercenary outfit Wagner Group was among the first to congratulate the new junta leader in West Africa.

In a message posted on Telegram, Yevgeny Prigozhin praised the mutinous soldiers for doing what “was necessary.”

En répétant comme un mantra le fameux triptyque « sécurité-gouvernance-développement », les autorités des pays confrontés au terrorisme occultent à tort les motivations religieuses du jihad.

Prétendre que les motivations du jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest ne sont pas religieuses revient à se voiler la face. Le Sahel occupe en fait une place de choix dans le projet de réislamisation financé par les oligarchies pieuses du Golfe. Les acteurs de la « radicalisation » se sont certes épanouis grâce aux défaillances locales – qui font rimer démocratie avec corruption et inégalités –, mais aussi à la faveur de quarante années de financements extérieurs destinés à construire des mosquées, financer des centres d’éducation et des bourses d’études.

Following years of social and political uncertainty triggered by popular uprisings in 2019, Algeria has updated laws to attract investment.

Algeria seeks to breathe new life into its investment landscape with a new investment law. Published at the end of July, the updated legislation aims at boosting investment flows in a bid to enhance the country’s economic performance and, more importantly, break with its hydrocarbons dependence.

In the latest of a 16-year effort to eradicate the al Qaeda-linked terror group al Shabaab, a new militia of farmers become the first line of defence in the battle for Somalia’s stability.

Deep in the Buloburde bush in the Hiiraan region of central Somalia, there’s a ragtag regiment gathering around a missile launcher.

China’s support for ruling parties undermines its ability to be an impartial arbiter of conflict resolution in the Horn of Africa and highlights China’s use of mediation to pursue its geostrategic interests.

China launched the “Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa” in March 2022 to facilitate a Chinese-led peace process in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Since then, China’s special envoy to the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, has made a series of whirlwind visits to the region. China’s flurry of diplomatic activity in the Horn has raised eyebrows and a growing number of concerns in the region, however.

The Algeria-EU Energy Business Forum kicked off on Tuesday with the participation of Algerian Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane, Energy and Mines Minister Mohamed Arkab, the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, and some 100 European and Algerian energy businessmen and investors.

As evidence grows of drones being used by terrorists and other criminals, governments should consider regulating the industry.

Drones have for some time been used by regular armed forces on Africa’s battlefields, such as in Ethiopia and Mali. But now they’re increasingly being deployed by terrorists – sparking a global sense of urgency.