ISS, Institute for Security Studies
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... →
Kenya strives to strike a balance on muguka
6th December 2024 Amid growing concerns, Kenya needs evidence-based regulations to balance public health and economic interests. In May this year, Mombasa County... →
Africa’s migration governance structure is built bloc by bloc
4th December 2024 As Africa pushes for greater integration and economic development, a coordinated and better-managed migration landscape is central. Migration... →
South Africa’s armed robbery problem drives kidnapping
3rd December 2024 Any strategy to address this crime should focus on identifying and disrupting those who benefit from it. Kidnapping, defined in South Africa as the... →
Sierra Leone’s China relations block targeted action against illegal fishing
2nd December 2024 For nearly four decades, illegal foreign-owned fleets have devastated Sierra Leone’s once sustainable fisheries industry. Sierra Leone’s 400 km... →
South Sudan’s ‘game of thrones’ continues
29th November 2024 The fourth postponement of elections in less than a decade raises doubts South Sudan will ever reach democracy. After the fourth extension of South... →
Benin must stay one step ahead of violent extremists using IEDs
28th November 2024 Attacks using improvised explosive devices are among the deadliest. They require flexible responses that match terror groups’ changing tactics.... →
Africa’s foreign policy must focus on continental needs
28th November 2024 Rather than seeking common African positions, prioritising Africa’s development and peace can provide a foundation for meaningful global influence.... →
South Sudan-Ethiopia border communities are key to stopping mass abductions
27th November 2024 Inter-communal structures can prevent women and children from being captured during cattle raids and forced into servitude. The abduction of women... →
Can ECOWAS revive its counter-terrorism efforts?
26th November 2024 Lack of funding and sharp political divisions have derailed the implementation of ECOWAS’ counter-terrorism plan. In 2019, leaders of West African... →
G20 Summit ticks most of the African Union’s boxes
25th November 2024 The AU was perhaps lucky that its first G20 was chaired by the like-minded Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The African Union (AU) appears to... →
Loss and damage still stuck in the mud
22nd November 2024 Support for financing loss and damage isn’t keeping pace with climate impacts in vulnerable countries. Climate change is causing many development... →
The African Union Commission at a crossroads
20th November 2024 With elections for new commissioners in February 2025, member states must decide what kind of commission they want. One weakness of the African... →
Positioning South Africa as guardian of the Cape route
20th November 2024 The country needs more than infrastructure upgrades to capitalise on the surge in shipping along the Cape Sea Route. The global shipping industry... →
On climate, will Trump have it all his own way?
19th November 2024 The US anti-climate juggernaut is worrying, but several factors could mitigate a potential catastrophe. Donald Trump’s comments during his 2024... →
Great expectations as democracy wins in Botswana
18th November 2024 After nearly six decades of BDP rule, the triumphant UDC government has the tough task of restoring sound governance. Botswana’s 30 October... →
Mozambique’s last stand for democracy?
15th November 2024 After 25 years of electoral fraud and one-party dominance, mass protests are the last resort for the opposition and the public. When Southern... →
Remittances can help fill funding gaps for climate adaptation
13th November 2024 More attention should be given to how remittances can help African countries withstand and adapt to climate change. The 2024 United Nations Climate... →
Aid workers are increasingly seen as fair game in violent conflicts
12th November 2024 In Gaza and several African countries, protection failures see local aid workers bearing the brunt of this alarming trend. Last year was the... →
Precision policing: a vital element of reducing firearm crime
12th November 2024 A safer South Africa is only possible with less gun crime. Achieving that requires more from police than recovering illegal guns. Mass killings... →
Are Southern Africa’s former liberation movements going out of fashion?
11th November 2024 In this month’s election, Namibia’s SWAPO ruling party could go the way of the ANC, BDP or perhaps FRELIMO. The main unstated aim of the Former... →
New Somali piracy threats require partnerships and holistic responses
7th November 2024 Somalia’s upcoming seat on the UN Security Council should allow it to shape international maritime security policies. Signs of a potential Somali... →
India and China vie for leadership of the global south
5th November 2024 Which of the two countries is better placed to champion Africa’s developmental aspirations? The rivalry between China and India, both Brics... →
Ghana’s judiciary must act fast to regain public trust
5th November 2024 With elections in December, widespread perceptions of political bias in the Supreme Court threaten the democratic process. Ghana’s Supreme Court... →
Deciphering Türkiye’s Africa policy
4th November 2024 Beyond Türkiye’s expanding African footprint that covers trade, investment and stability lie Erdoğan’s strategic ambitions. President Recep Tayyip... →
Can Tanzania bring East and Southern Africa together on east DRC?
1st November 2024 Tanzania’s geographical location and conflict mediation experience make it well placed to bridge the region’s various peace efforts. Tanzania is a... →
Brics Summit 2024: everything, everywhere, all at once?
30th October 2024 Ushering in a multipolar order requires a streamlined and coherent political agenda – not unfocused expansion. The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan,... →
Kenya on the UN Human Rights Council – a chance for redemption?
29th October 2024 Kenya should seize the opportunity of its council membership to improve its human rights record at home. Kenya was among several African countries... →
