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German Think Tank Accuses the UAE of Destabilizing Africa$

By Maïssata Koné-Dubois, Mondafrique: In an explosive report, the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses Abu Dhabi of being a major force behind instability across Africa. [Full report here] Until the Sudan war, the United Arab Emirates had...

Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako$

Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de l’Azawad, known as the FLA, and jihadists from the Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans, or JNIM, launched...

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali$

Russian-linked forces in Mali are increasingly coming under attack from armed groups that are adapting to the drone age. Two recent incidents in the Kidal region, a March 30 strike near Anéfis and an April 7 attack on a camp in Aguelhok, are evidence of a clear...

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa$

Agricultural authorities in several parts of North and West Africa are maintaining surveillance for desert locust activity following recent reports of small swarms detected near Algeria’s southwestern border. The monitoring reflects the importance of the western...

Guinea’s Mining Purge Echoes Mali’s Playbook, With Different GoalsF

Guinea’s junta has launched a sweeping crackdown on mining permits, abruptly revoking over 100 licenses for bauxite, gold, iron ore, and diamond projects in a bold move to “clean up” the sector. The decision targets firms accused of hoarding land without development or violating Guinea’s mining code.

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West Africa: ECOWAS in turmoilF

West Africa’s economic grouping, ECOWAS, faces a new crisis as former chairman and Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo refuses to step down despite his mandate ending on February 27, 2025.  Embalo, who once criticized Sahelian coup leaders on behalf of ECOWAS, now defies the organization, even expelling its mediation delegation.

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Sahel: Terror Groups Gain Ground as Armies Struggle to Contain ThemF

Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch (GSIM) is now emerging as the region’s dominant jihadist force. Even the brutal Islamic State has been largely unable to contain SGIM’s expansion, which has been expanding its control across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

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While the Sahel Faces Worsening Security Climate, Juntas Leverage Regional Integration to Consolidate PowerF

Sahelian juntas push regional integration, abolishing roaming charges and unifying ID documents, but these efforts bolster their control. Amid human rights abuses and worsening jihadist crises, reliance on Russia and regional tensions leave citizens in peril.

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