Global Affairs
In a significant escalation of insurgent tactics, Al-Shabaab militants destroyed the strategic Barire River bridge in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region on Monday, June 17, 2025, demonstrating the terrorist group's continued ability to disrupt military operations and undermine infrastructure development in the Horn of Africa[1]. This
Global Affairs
The geopolitical landscape of Africa has witnessed dramatic shifts in recent days, marked by Russia's formal restructuring of its military presence in Mali and Al-Shabaab's aggressive territorial expansion in Somalia. These developments signal broader transformations in both foreign military engagement strategies and regional security dynamics that
Global Affairs
Introduction On June 1, 2025, the central Sahel region was once again thrust into the international spotlight when Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al Qaeda-affiliated group, launched a devastating assault on a Malian military base near Boulkessi, close to the Burkina Faso border. The attack resulted in
Global Affairs
The United Kingdom’s decision to endorse Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara marks a pivotal moment in one of Africa’s most protracted territorial disputes. Announced on June 1, 2025, by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, this policy shift aligns Britain with a growing cohort of nations supporting Moroccan
Global Affairs
Introduction On May 21, 2025, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in a high-stakes diplomatic encounter aimed at resetting increasingly fractious relations between Africa’s most industrialized nation and the world’s largest economy. Against a backdrop of escalating rhetoric,
Global Affairs
Executive Summary In May 2025, Côte d’Ivoire and the United States reached an agreement in principle to allow U.S. drone operations from Ivorian territory, marking a pivotal shift in West African security architecture. The accord, which centers on U.S. access to the Bouaké air base and possibly
Africa
Introduction Mali’s military junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, has escalated its authoritarian consolidation by dissolving all political parties and banning political meetings, marking a critical turning point in the nation’s post-coup trajectory. This decree, announced on May 13–14, 2025, eliminates the last vestiges of organized opposition
Global Affairs
Introduction Russia’s engagement in Africa has intensified dramatically in recent years, marked by a strategic blend of military deployments, economic investments, and diplomatic overtures. As of 2025, Moscow is advancing plans to establish a naval base in Sudan, expand its network of embassies, and deepen security partnerships with authoritarian
Global Affairs
Introduction The African Union (AU) is confronting an unprecedented convergence of security, governance, and economic challenges in 2025. A wave of military coups, protracted civil wars, and the rise of violent non-state actors have destabilized key regions, while shifting U.S. foreign policy—marked by aggressive tariff regimes and reduced
Global Affairs
Introduction The Sahel and West Africa have emerged as the global epicenter of jihadist violence, accounting for 51% of worldwide terrorism-related deaths in 2024. This crisis, fueled by a lethal combination of political instability, military coups, and the withdrawal of Western security assistance, has reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape.
Global Affairs
Global Affairs