ISS, Institute for Security Studies
Africa’s Ukraine-Russia mediation needed a clearer AU footprint
7th July 2023 Food, fertiliser and fuel are among the reasons Africa needs the Russia-Ukraine war to end quickly. With Africa becoming an arena for geopolitical... →
School terror attack highlights Uganda’s security gaps
4th July 2023 On 16 June, militants stormed Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary School in western Uganda, near the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) border, killing... →
Africa’s bond walls and ballot trains
3rd July 2023 Since Covid-19, African economies have muddled through a series of internal and external shocks. While some moved swiftly to arrest the rut, others... →
President Bola Tinubu tackles Nigeria’s economy
30th June 2023 Not even a month after Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration on 29 May, he’d carried out major economic reforms advocated for by... →
Prigozhin’s rebellion throws Wagner’s African future into doubt
29th June 2023 The brazen but brief rebellion that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin launched in Russia at the weekend, and the deal he cut with Russian President... →
Touadéra’s perilous referendum project
28th June 2023 In May, Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra announced a constitutional referendum for 30 July 2023. This announcement was the... →
Boko Haram brings IEDs back to Cameroon
27th June 2023 Boko Haram’s return to using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is a major worry for Cameroon’s Far North Region. Until recently, the region... →
Journalism on trial in Africa: fortitude and fake news
26th June 2023 The world of journalism has been somewhat emboldened since 7 June when judges in a South African High Court threw out a private prosecution brought... →
African peace mission: one step forward, one step back?
23rd June 2023 Africa’s Ukraine-Russia peace mission represents a significant milestone for the continent. It is the first time African states have taken the lead... →
Avoiding the worst-case scenario in Senegal
23rd June 2023 President Macky Sall’s upcoming address to Senegalese citizens will be critical to easing deep-seated political tensions that have thrown the... →
Sudan needs African Union boots on the ground
22nd June 2023 While international and regional responses to the crisis in Sudan have been swift, they haven’t stopped the violence perpetrated against civilians.... →
Rising tides threaten low-lying coastal West Africa
21st June 2023 The global average sea level is expected to rise by up to half a metre by 2050 and up to two metres by 2100. This is due to the expansion of... →
SA cholera outbreak: governance failures bode ill for climate catastrophes
20th June 2023 On his visit this month to the town of Hammanskraal after South Africa’s recent cholera outbreak, President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted to the... →
What Africa wants and what the West needs to do
15th June 2023 If the West wants to position itself in Africa for the future – and in relation to China – the focus should be on good governance instead of... →
Supportive families are pivotal to preventing violent extremism
15th June 2023 In 2021, around 180-million children lived in conflict zones in Africa – the highest number of all regions globally. And the World Health... →
South Africa does have the means to reduce violence
13th June 2023 In May, police minister Bheki Cele praised the South African Police Service’ (SAPS) ‘more boots on the ground’ approach to fighting crime. His... →
Civilian-state security cooperation in Benin and Togo: a double-edged sword
12th June 2023 Attacks by violent extremists in Benin and Togo are rising. Since the first incidents in 2019 in Benin and 2021 in Togo, insurgents’ tactics have... →
Sierra Leone at a crossroads ahead of June 2023 polls
9th June 2023 Sierra Leoneans head to the polls on 24 June to elect a new president, parliamentarians, mayors and local councillors. This will be the fifth... →
Is the blue economy a route to stronger AU-EU ties?
8th June 2023 World Oceans Day on 8 June is an opportunity to reflect on the ocean's vital role in sustainable development, food security and climate change... →
Is South Africa’s defence force up for new thinking?
7th June 2023 Among a flurry of references to ambitions and planning processes, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise’s recent budget speech... →
Loss and damage funding vital after DRC and Rwanda floods
5th June 2023 In May, torrential rains caused flooding and landslides that killed hundreds of people and washed away entire villages in the Democratic Republic... →
Police corruption should be a focus in tackling stock theft
1st June 2023 Alleged police involvement in stock theft is leading to authorities’ failure to effectively investigate incidents and contribute to rural safety in... →
The leadership we deserve
31st May 2023 It is now undeniable. The crisis of leadership in South African politics, academia, business and civil society is a failure we shoulder... →
Nigeria should engage China for AfCFTA success
30th May 2023 Nigeria is a state party to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement but was among the last of 54 countries to sign due to... →
Could this round of debt dialogue push Zimbabwe to reform?
29th May 2023 Zimbabwe is once again trying to engage its creditors Bretton Woods institutions and the Paris Club, in negotiating a reprieve around its debt... →
Back to square one: political infighting again stalls Lesotho reforms
26th May 2023 Last week Lesotho’s government imposed a nationwide curfew after the murder of courageous investigative journalist Ralikonelo Joki and the rising... →
SA foreign policy must balance constitutional values and national interest
25th May 2023 South Africa’s foreign policy seems rife with confusion and lack of principle. Capacity in the Department of International Relations and... →
Could UN funding for AU peace missions become the norm?
24th May 2023 The African Union (AU) and its regional economic communities have deployed about 27 peace support operations in Africa since the 2000s. These... →
Wheels come off South Africa’s hollow version of non-alignment
23rd May 2023 Following United States (US) Ambassador Reuben Brigety’s accusations that South Africa supplied arms to Russia, attention has rightfully focused on... →
Syndicates launder stolen US Covid-19 funds in Kenya
18th May 2023 In February 2022, the United States (US) government uncovered money laundering syndicates involved in stealing Covid-19 relief funds from the US... →
Climate disaster is reshaping the world – can Africa make its mark?
17th May 2023 The World Economic Forum says the ‘cost of living crisis’ is the single largest threat to the global economy this year. Against this backdrop, the... →
Functional borders could be lifesaving for Sudan’s refugees
17th May 2023 Porous borders are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where fighting continues to rage between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid... →
South Africa’s dangerous game of Russian roulette
15th May 2023 The bombshell conference by United States (US) Ambassador Reuben Brigety on 11 May triggered a diplomatic spat between Washington and Pretoria. The... →
Ethiopia’s informal currency exchanges: validate or veto?
12th May 2023 Ethiopia’s foreign currency deficit has led to a thriving black market exchange, fuelling already-problematic illicit financial flows in the... →
Women step up to the transition in Mali
10th May 2023 Activist Rokia Doumbia made headlines in Mali on 13 March when she was arrested for posting a TikTok video denouncing high inflation levels and... →
Western Cape a beacon of hope for SA violence prevention
10th May 2023 This year’s State of the Province Address by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde heralded an important step forward for support to parents and... →
Sudan’s war poses grave risks for Chad and CAR
9th May 2023 Opponents in Sudan’s deadly clashes seem determined to continue fighting despite repeated calls from neighbouring countries, the African Union and... →
Pretoria once again on the horns of an ICC dilemma
8th May 2023 Just as South Africa was done rescinding its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the saga of former Sudanese president Omar... →
Chad two years later: little progress, plenty to worry about
5th May 2023 April 2023 marked two years of transition in Chad. Initiated after the death of president Idriss Déby Itno, the process was primarily aimed at... →
Stopping the spread of Sudan’s bloodshed
3rd May 2023 The United Nations (UN) warns that Sudan’s bloody conflict could soon seep through the country’s borders and spread. Its Secretary-General António... →
GERD is a fait accompli, so it’s time to get real
2nd May 2023 With the fourth annual filling looming in June and construction about 90% complete, the contentious Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and... →
