Analysis

Gabon is among the select nations highlighted in the 2026 report from the Swedish institute Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) for its evolving democratic path. While numerous African states are categorized as experiencing democratic decline, Gabon stands out as an example of advancement, particularly following its return to constitutional governance after the Transition period and the […]

blood gold fuels Wagner’s shadow networks in africa An investigative report by the Global Initiative has exposed the covert financial and criminal networks that sustain the controversial Wagner Group across Africa. These findings reveal how illicit gold mining, money laundering, and regional smuggling operations form the backbone of a lucrative system that funds paramilitary activities […]

how Boko Haram funds its insurgency through kidnappings Kidnappings have become a lucrative funding stream for Boko Haram, fueling its decade-long insurgency across Nigeria and neighboring countries. From schoolchildren to bus passengers, the group targets civilians in a calculated strategy to generate revenue through ransom demands. the scale of the kidnapping crisis Nigeria bears the […]

The security landscape in Mali is undergoing a swift and deeply concerning decline. Amid coordinated offensives by various jihadist groups and the escalating separatist movements in the country’s north, the Malian state now finds itself confronting immense, multi-pronged strategic pressure. However, beneath this visible instability, a more fundamental transformation is taking hold. While less dramatic […]

The fragility of alliances in the Sahel: when words replace action Mali is reeling under pressure, yet its neighbors in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — seem paralyzed by inaction. Similarly, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), from which Bamako withdrew in early 2025, has […]

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall’s aspirations for a prominent role in global diplomacy have encountered an unexpected and formidable obstacle. While initial continental support from 55 African nations seemed to pave his way as a potential successor to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a recent alignment involving Togo, Senegal, and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) […]

The ambitious federal vision for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), championed by Ibrahim Traoré, increasingly confronts the practicalities of governance where the immediate survival of individual regimes often takes precedence over profound institutional integration. While official pronouncements herald the emergence of a sovereign confederation poised to shed Western oversight, actual practices frequently revert to […]

Click to expand Image A television displays the cut signal of France 24, hours after Burkina Faso’s military government suspended the channel on March 27, 2023. © 2023 Olympia de Maismont/AFP via Getty Images In a recent escalation against media freedom in Burkina Faso, the nation’s transitional military authorities have expelled two French journalists, Agnès […]