ISS, Institute for Security Studies
West African wildlife sanctuary becomes a hub of insecurity
5th March 2025 Spanning three countries, the vast W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is being used to facilitate organised crime, terrorism and local conflicts. The... →
Civil society needs a role in Mali’s security reforms
3rd March 2025 Security sector reforms that began well before the country’s two coups still suffer from a lack of effective civil society participation. Since its... →
Data modelling reveals the heavy toll of USAID cuts on Africa
28th February 2025 Given the US’ major contribution to aid, Trump’s cuts could push 5.7-million more Africans into extreme poverty next year. Since returning to... →
AU ‘Year of Reparations’ should look to the future and the past
27th February 2025 Reparations aim to repair relationships and prevent violence – a forward-looking approach could foster a more just global order. The African... →
US Paris climate agreement exit will hit Africa hard
27th February 2025 This week’s G20 finance meeting must galvanise a global climate agenda to mitigate the grave impact of the US withdrawal. On his first day in... →
ECOWAS is still pivotal to steadying The Gambia’s transition
26th February 2025 Divisions over the latest draft constitution, which extends executive power and term limits, necessitate ECOWAS’ involvement. Eight years ago, the... →
Turning Africa’s legal advantages into benefits for climate refugees
24th February 2025 On paper, Africa is ahead of the world on climate-linked migration, but needs support to implement its progressive frameworks. The number of people... →
How will Africa adapt to a disappearing ‘West’?
21st February 2025 As Trump drives a wedge between US-Europe relations, Africa should cleave closer to reliable friends and safeguard multilateralism. The widening... →
Traffic cop corruption tarnishes all policing in South Africa
21st February 2025 Anti-corruption measures targeting traffic police, not just SAPS, are vital to improve safety in SA’s major cities. One of the biggest challenges... →
Funding for Somalia’s new AU peace mission hangs in the balance
20th February 2025 With delays in activating a new UN-AU cost-sharing mechanism, both organisations must now re-double their efforts to secure funds. A new African... →
All bets are off between Washington and Pretoria
17th February 2025 Bilateral relations are now in uncharted territory, necessitating a radical rethink by South Africa of its US foreign policy. Now that United... →
Is Trump giving US companies the green light on bribery?
14th February 2025 Trump’s suspension of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act turns back the clock 50 years on global anti-corruption efforts. United States (US)... →
South Africa’s G20 presidency faces mounting pressure
13th February 2025 The challenge isn’t just defending Africa’s interests but managing a G20 in which one of its most powerful members is actively disengaged. When... →
Nigeria’s schoolchildren again targeted in mass abductions
13th February 2025 Driven initially by extremist ideology, the kidnappings have become ransom-seeking operations by cross-border criminal groups. Since Boko Haram’s... →
Overcoming security dilemmas in the Great Lakes region
12th February 2025 Mistrust between leaders and the region’s militaristic past make security cooperation between affected countries difficult – but essential. Since... →
Technology looks set to transform governance in Madagascar
10th February 2025 One of the world’s poorest countries is poised to become a beacon of innovation in digitising public administration. Madagascar is one of the... →
Eastern DRC: unpacking the difficult task of regional diplomacy
10th February 2025 As M23 continues its destructive march, the EAC-SADC summit must consider lessons from failed peace efforts. On 27 January, Rwanda-backed Mouvement... →
Trump’s funding cuts will hurt South Africa and the region
6th February 2025 Despite Ramaphosa’s downplaying of their potential impact, the reality is that South Africa and the continent are at grave risk. It has been four... →
Foreign interest in Africa comes with damaging disinformation tactics
6th February 2025 Digital propaganda and manipulated information by external actors erode public confidence in democracy on the continent. For the past three... →
How Africa can make 2025 its ‘super year’ for ocean governance
4th February 2025 Active engagement on three initiatives could see Africa’s needs reflected in global ocean governance decisions. In 2022, global ocean governance... →
Africa’s private sector boosts AU Peace Fund
31st January 2025 As private sector donations increase, the 21 African countries still not contributing to the fund must pay up. The African Union (AU) Peace Fund... →
Europe and Africa: finding love in a time of Trump?
30th January 2025 In response to a new wave of American insularity, European policymakers should pursue rapprochement with Africa. The re-emergence of United States... →
Trump attacks global minimum tax
28th January 2025 President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the OECD minimum 15% global tax deal could hurt Africa. Amid Trump’s blizzard of executive orders fired... →
Africa’s nuclear energy future
24th January 2025 A rapid increase in demand may leave Africa no choice but to make a substantial investment in nuclear energy. In a world that must urgently move... →
Ghana’s road to rebuilding public trust starts with security reforms
23rd January 2025 In the interest of national stability, Ghana’s new government must tackle threats and gaps in the security sector. Ghana’s new President John... →
Chapo’s heavy burden: restoring Mozambique’s fractured social fabric
22nd January 2025 The new president must not only end post-electoral violence, but reverse the political and economic exclusion that fuelled it. Daniel Chapo,... →
The Trump threat: how worried should South Africa be?
21st January 2025 The cracks in US-SA bilateral ties are more than apparent, but not all is gloom and doom. As the world braces for Donald Trump’s return,... →
Sink or swim: Africa’s crucial maritime milestones in 2025
17th January 2025 Progress has been slow during the AU’s Decade of African Seas and Oceans. Five urgent steps can correct the course. This year marks the end of the... →
Despite rising conflict, Africa’s peace parks can promote development
16th January 2025 Inclusive conservation in both stable and conflict regions should be considered in economic and development planning. Protecting Africa’s wildlife... →
Global hardwood demand cuts deep into The Gambia’s revenue
14th January 2025 Laws and policies against illicit logging exist, but sustainable solutions should also consider the many benefits of ecotourism. Illegal logging in... →
The fall of Syria’s Assad regime is bad news for Libya
13th January 2025 Russia’s apparent fast-tracking of plans to establish a military hub in Libya could worsen that country’s protracted conflict. For Russia, as for... →
Why were Africa’s violence levels up in 2024?
10th January 2025 Increasing levels of extreme poverty in Africa were turbocharged by Covid-19, fuelling the fire of relative deprivation. 2024 was a bleak year for... →
Sudan’s civil war fuels a new regional conflict economy
9th January 2025 The conflict has catalysed the region’s illicit markets as people turn to smuggling networks for essential goods. Sudan’s civil war continues to... →
Keeping the spotlight on Africa’s child soldiers
8th January 2025 As violence and instability rise, African countries must reaffirm their commitment to protecting children and support DDR initiatives. Roughly 21... →
Financing Africa’s future
18th December 2024 Africa’s debt is rising roughly four times faster than its economic growth, jumping 10 percentage points from 2010 to constitute 29% of GDP by... →
Artificial intelligence regulation in South Africa – prioritising human security
17th December 2024 Just months after the European Union’s (EU) landmark Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act came into force in July 2024, South Africa’s roadmap for... →
Tshisekedi, Kagame to meet on crucial eastern DRC peace deal
13th December 2024 João Lourenço’s Luanda peace deal seems unlikely to resolve the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the... →
Cattle rustling: a lifeline for Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin
12th December 2024 Insurgents fund their activities through stealing cows – making it more difficult to address organised crime and terrorism. In Africa,... →
North Africa’s migration governance: time for a new approach
11th December 2024 Misaligned frameworks that don’t address grassroots realities abound while migrants face deadly hazards on their journeys to a better life.... →
Africa must prepare for Trump’s comeback
9th December 2024 How will Donald Trump’s second-term policies affect US relations with the continent? President Joe Biden’s recent trip to Angola – the first state... →
The perpetual potential of South Africa’s partnership with Nigeria
9th December 2024 Bola Tinubu’s visit to SA underscores the potential, and the problems, of South Africa-Nigeria relations. Relations between sub-Saharan Africa’s... →
