ISS, Institute for Security Studies
Tanzania polls: will election observers be the last line of defence?
Updated 7 hours ago Domestic observers may not improve the quality of polls on 29 October, but could increase transparency and public awareness. Tanzania’s general... →
Water wars: has GERD reset Africa’s hydropolitics?
14th October 2025 Water scarcity in Africa is a crisis, and the GERD conflict shows why mutually beneficial cooperation agreements are vital. Ethiopia officially... →
Can Cameroon secure access to the ballot for those in conflict zones?
13th October 2025 Voting on 12 October may be difficult for people in conflict-affected regions, who comprise a large portion of the country's electorate. At 92,... →
Can Africa shift from victim to player at COP30?
10th October 2025 Shaping global climate diplomacy requires strategic thinking and a new script during the upcoming COP30 negotiations. Last month’s second Africa... →
Cabo Delgado insurgency persists amid failed military strategy
9th October 2025 Eight years on, northern Mozambique’s terrorist threat remains acute despite the deployment of thousands of local and foreign troops. Cabo... →
Sudan’s civil war reignites the illicit car trade into Chad
9th October 2025 Numerous actors are involved in this surging criminal enterprise, with members of the rebel Rapid Support Forces becoming key players. Sudan’s... →
Unity at any cost? AES states jointly leave the ICC
6th October 2025 Withdrawing from the global court shows that the Alliance of Sahel States prioritises joint action, whatever the consequences. On 22 September, the... →
Terrorist roadblocks strangle the economies of Mali and its neighbours
6th October 2025 JNIM’s blockades have become a strategic weapon that threatens regional commerce and the Malian army, and harms civilians. Since 3 September, the... →
Borno Model’s valuable lessons on handling Boko Haram deserters
1st October 2025 The approach of Nigeria’s Borno State shows how to manage more humane, locally grounded reintegration efforts that work. The death in 2021 of... →
Risk and reward of Kenya’s push to reverse FATF grey-listing
1st October 2025 Measures against money laundering and terrorist financing are positive, but the nature of implementation will be the real test. An amendment to... →
With three bold moves, maritime security in Africa could be plain sailing
17th September 2025 Maritime issues are on the African Union’s radar, but member states must push for a shift from ambition to action. As the African Union’s (AU)... →
What next for Mali as Wagner fails to defeat insurgents?
15th September 2025 A new report suggests that Niger, Burkina Faso – and Europe can learn a lot from Wagner’s failure in Mali. Last month The Sentry, a United States... →
Has external support given the CAR a false sense of security?
15th September 2025 With elections planned for December, authorities should use their position of strength to tackle the roots of the country’s crisis. Since his... →
JAS resurgence deepens Lake Chad Basin’s complex security crisis
11th September 2025 Focusing only on Boko Haram’s ISWAP faction is no longer an option for the region’s security forces. After being weakened by years of clashes with... →
Can electoral reforms deliver credible polls in Malawi?
10th September 2025 Next week’s election will be a test for democracy after the 2019 annulment triggered a raft of electoral reforms. Malawi returns to the polls on 16... →
Was South Sudan a test for shaping US peace operations policy?
10th September 2025 The UN mission’s mandate was eventually renewed, but concerns about a US retreat from peace support operations abound. The United Nations Security... →
Why did SA’s police minister order the Political Killings Task Team shutdown?
9th September 2025 Two imminent inquiries must clarify whether the minister was motivated by valid concerns or improper political motives. At his dramatic 6 July... →
Trump’s bullying shows signs of backfiring
5th September 2025 India defies US President Donald Trump’s bullying; will African countries do the same? Are United States (US) President Donald Trump’s attempts to... →
Role of women in Chad’s kidnapping for ransom crisis
4th September 2025 Solving the problem requires understanding the multiple roles that women play in enabling kidnapping economies. Kidnapping for ransom has become... →
The rising stakes of foreign investment in Africa
3rd September 2025 With labour’s contribution to economic growth steadily growing, Africa must focus on improving inward financial flows. In the early stages of... →
Using the power of technology to prevent violence against children
1st September 2025 Digital parenting support offers a scalable and cost-effective way to prevent violence against children and ensure happy families. Headlines of... →
Why the AfCFTA can’t simply plug the US trade gap
29th August 2025 Africa’s continental free trade area offers long-term promise, but expecting it to quickly compensate for US trade losses may be unrealistic.... →
Criminal networks exploit Nigerian children in illegal oil trade
28th August 2025 Children are drawn into dangerous oil theft operations after witnessing the financial benefits that peers and adults gain from this illicit work.... →
Ethiopia’s National Dialogue needs time and an interim report
27th August 2025 An interim report may help the National Dialogue regain credibility, seize early wins and justify its need for additional time. Many agree that... →
Remittances as development finance: Africa’s overlooked billions
26th August 2025 Other global south economies provide valuable lessons on successfully transforming remittance flows into broad-based growth. In just over a decade,... →
Saudi Arabia in Africa: the Kingdom courts the continent
25th August 2025 Saudi Arabia’s late entry into Africa reflects its wider shift from religious outreach to strategic, state-led engagement. As Saudi Arabia seeks to... →
Trump turns global human rights on their head
22nd August 2025 The 2024 State Department Human Rights Reports transform democrats into despots in a reflection of Trump and MAGA values. Few things illustrate US... →
Displacement as a weapon of war: targeting Africa’s most vulnerable
21st August 2025 From Sudan to the DRC and Mozambique, armed groups prey on refugees to instil fear and consolidate power. On the second anniversary of Sudan’s... →
G20 can bridge opposing power blocks through climate action
20th August 2025 Could Africa’s first G20 bring like-minded G7 and BRICS+ members together to accelerate climate action? The global climate action agenda is under... →
Growth and identity: right goals, wrong game plan for SA’s National Dialogue
20th August 2025 With inclusive economic growth, SA’s rainbow nation dream is possible – but can an ANC-dominated dialogue deliver? Amidst significant discord,... →
ICJ climate opinion shows the power of youth and global south solidarity
14th August 2025 The unanimous decision clarifies governments’ obligations and provides a precedent for African human rights-based cases. In 2019, law students in... →
Ghana's digital revolution could finally unlock economic growth
13th August 2025 From smart IDs to AI hubs, digitisation can fast-track growth and close the gap with global peers like South Korea. Ghana and South Korea gained... →
Unravelling the illicit economies that sustain terrorism in the Sahel
13th August 2025 The African Union is uniquely positioned to lead coordinated responses that disrupt criminal networks, strengthen border security and cut arms... →
Angola’s wave of protests reflects historic lows in MPLA support
11th August 2025 The current cost-of-living demonstrations indicate widespread dissatisfaction that could continue into the 2027 electoral year. Thousands of people... →
Can Africa stand together against Trump’s tariff assault?
8th August 2025 Some say Africa should present a unified response to US tariffs – but is that possible? It is hard to discern a continental pattern in United... →
Overfishing forces Zambia’s third Lake Tanganyika fishing ban
7th August 2025 Once-abundant fish stocks must be replenished, but the ban alone won’t inspire more sustainable lake use by local communities. Lake Tanganyika is... →
Trump’s deportation deals signal a troubling shift in US-Africa relations
6th August 2025 Eswatini and South Sudan are just two on a list of many African countries America has asked to accept violent criminals. United States (US)... →
October elections will reveal the extent of Tanzania’s democratic decline
4th August 2025 As the country slides towards electoral authoritarianism, even SADC and EAC election observers have been excluded from the polls. Tanzania is... →
Liberation Movements Summit tries to revive its members’ declining fortunes
1st August 2025 The annual summit of the six Southern African liberation movements reveals why they haven’t evolved. The 2025 Liberation Movements Summit provided... →
Chad’s struggle for democracy is far from over
31st July 2025 Barely a year after restoring constitutional order and dominating elections, Chad’s government is doubling down against opposition and free speech.... →
Africa must ride the High Seas Treaty wave
30th July 2025 Having shaped the treaty, Africa must capitalise on recent global momentum to benefit from a new era in ocean governance. In June, the third United... →
