Vehicles packed with explosives were driven into three military camps in central Mali before dawn on Sunday Fifteen soldiers and six civilians have been killed in attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, neighbouring West African countries that are struggling against armed groups. Vehicles packed with explosives were driven into three …
Read More »Russian mercenaries are Putin’s ‘coercive tool’ in Africa
When abuses were reported in recent weeks in Mali — fake graves designed to discredit French forces; a massacre of some 300 people, mostly civilians — all evidence pointed to the shadowy mercenaries of Russia’s Wagner Group. Even before these feared professional soldiers joined the assault on Ukraine, Russia had …
Read More »War in Ukraine tests Algeria’s wheat reserves amid inflation, drought
Wheat supplies should be sufficient for the rest of 2022. But the country will eventually be compelled to secure additional quantities at higher prices As the Russian military intervention in Ukraine continues to disrupt access to food commodities, Algeria is expected to have sufficient wheat reserves to last for the …
Read More »Leaders of Egypt, Jordan and UAE meet to discuss Jerusalem tensions
The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have met in Cairo to discuss the tensions in Jerusalem. A statement after the talks said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el- Sissi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the …
Read More »Analysis-Under military’s watch, Sudan’s former ruling party making a comeback
Since Sudan’s military staged a coup six months ago many former allies of toppled autocrat Omar al-Bashir have been allowed to rejoin the civil service while others have been freed from jail in an apparent push to form a government and reassure donors. The rehabilitation of the Islamist National Congress …
Read More »The UAE’s Africa Policy Is Full of Contradictions
Dubai’s Expo 2020, the international fair hosted in the United Arab Emirates, closed last month to rave reviews. The mega event, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic but retained its official name for marketing and branding purposes, ran from October 2021 to March 2022. In that time, it …
Read More »The Moura Massacre in Mali and the Role of Russian Mercenaries
Early indications of a massacre in Moura, Mali have been denied by the Malian government, and it is thus far hindering any independent onsite investigation by international bodies. There are reports that Russian mercenaries, from the notorious Wagner Group, may have been involved in or had knowledge of the Moura …
Read More »Ukraine War Puts New Focus on Conflict in Western Sahara
Amid new tensions, can diplomacy unstick a long-stalled peace process with Morocco and Algeria? After years of stagnation in the conflict over the Western Sahara, the Russian war on Ukraine and other recent events could create openings to advance long-stalled Western Sahara peace efforts. Unprecedented parallel visits by America’s top …
Read More »What Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Means for African Governments
While some see the chance to bolster the continent’s energy markets, others double-down on ties with Moscow. As Russia’s war in Ukraine advances into its second month, the conflict’s effects continue to ripple across the world. In Africa, the conflict is upending long-term trends across the continent and eliciting mixed …
Read More »The Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine in the Middle East and North Africa
The war in Ukraine that followed the Russian invasion is still in its early stages. While it is too soon to measure the war’s full impact on crises in the Middle East and North Africa, it is clear that the repercussions will be multidimensional. For now, its effects are limited …
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