As France scales back its military presence in West and Central Africa, it remains to be seen how this shift will impact its strategic role in the region. Despite the broader withdrawal, the French government has confirmed it will keep 80 troops in Ivory Coast for training purposes. France has historically maintained a close military […]
France Adjusts Military Strategy in Africa, Retains Troops in Ivory Coast Read More »
In a wave of discontent reminiscent of recent youth protests in Kenya, thousands of young Nigerians took to the streets last Thursday to voice their frustrations over corruption, food shortages, and rising inflation. The demonstrations, which gained momentum on social media under the hashtag #EndBadGovernance, were initially planned to span ten days. However, the situation
Protests against bad governance rock Kenya and Nigeria Read More »
By Ogechukwu Egwuatu Sadly, recent military coups in West Africa enjoy popular support. ECOWAS threatening to intervene in Niger has whipped up anti-French and anti-Western sentiment. To give democracy a chance to return, France must back away. Following a coup d’état in Niger in July, Gabon soon became the next West African nation whose government
For Gabon and Niger to return to democracy, France must relinquish control Read More »
When asked whether they think that their children will have a better or worse future than themselves, a Gallup poll in 2022 found Europeans to be the most pessimistic, in comparison to people from other continents. Remarkably, the most optimistic were people from Sub-Saharan Africa. Still, migration flows from Africa continue to put a heavy
The opportunities for Europe of closer cooperation with Africa Read More »
During the coup in Gabon, the army has warned that a “continued deterioration of social cohesion” threatens to “lead the country into chaos”, announcing the annulment of elections and the dissolution of institutions. This follows Gabonese Elections Centre, whereby it was officially announced that there had been a victory by Ali Bongo with 64.27% of
“France’s time in Africa is up” Read More »
Writing for Euractiv, Francesco Sassi, a research fellow in energy geopolitics and markets at Ricerche Industriali ed Energetiche (RIE) in Bologna, comments on the events in Niger and the implications for Europe. “Rome is seeking US and EU support for its “new” and “peer-to-peer” approach towards continental instability – a plan dubbed the “Mattei Plan”,
“Coup in Niger is the consequence of Western neglect of Africa” Read More »
Experts have warned that EU’s carbon border scheme is punitive, and dramatically reduces the space for developing countries to achieve growth and to create jobs. The so-called CBAM enters into force on a transitional basis in October and it introduces a carbon tax on exports to the EU. A study carried out by the African
“Cost of EU CBAM climate tariff for Africa is four times higher than EU developmend aid” Read More »
Writing for Foreign Policy, Colin P. Clarke, the director of research at the Soufan Group and a senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, warns “Russia’s Wagner Group Is Fueling Terrorism in Africa” as “Moscow’s scramble for valuable resources has come at the cost of regional security.” He writes: “Research that examines best practices and
“Russia’s Wagner Group Is Fueling Terrorism in Africa” Read More »
Terrorism expert Pieter Van Ostaeyen has published a new research paper for the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), covering “10 Conflicts to Worry About in 2022” in the Sahel region, writing: “Current trends indicate that instability in the central Sahel is persisting, expanding, and escalating, as ACLED outlined earlier this year. 2022
“2022 is set to be the worst year for the Sahel since the crisis began” Read More »
German ECR MEP Lars Patrick Berg has issued a call warning for more awareness about the expansion of IS in Africa. He stated: “The swift expansion of the so-called “Islamic State” in Africa should worry European politicians. We must tackle this problem, before it is too late.” https://t.co/Cc37XNXENq pic.twitter.com/qRcUI59HqH — Lars Patrick Berg MdEP (@L_P_Berg)
German ECR MEP Lars Patrick Berg warns for expansion of IS in Africa Read More »