In the post-Gaddafi era, corruption in Libya is endemic and metastasized. The culture of corruption is so ubiquitous and widespread that Transparency International ranks Libya third before last in the MENA region, doing only better than Syria and Yemen. In this podcast, Arezki looks at how the Gaddafi clan has siphoned off billions of dollars and that the current governments may have made corruption even worse. How to Listen:
There have been more chatter and speculations about the activities of Russia’s mercenaries, formerly known as the Wagner Group, now reportedly called the Afrika Corps in the Sahel. It is unclear if the name "Afrika Corps" is official, but if so, it certainly confirms...
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.
French uranium firm Orano faces a standoff with Niger over its Somaïr subsidiary, while Mali has issued arrest warrants for Barrick Gold’s CEO in a contract dispute.
What is happening in Syria today reflects a nation at a crossroads. The decades-long grip of the Assad family has ended, ushering in both relief and a new wave of challenges.
