Africa

Last Wednesday, November 9, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of Operation Barkhane, the counterterrorism operation established to address the jihadist threat in Mali. The departure of French counterterrorism forces will leave the UN peace operation in Mali – the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) – increasingly …

As the war in Ukraine carries on, the list of problematic issues between Algeria and Moscow is growing. Algeria is actively benefiting from the increased attention to its energy resources from Europe, especially from Italy and France, while at the same time not forgetting to build a counterbalance.  On Nov. …

The Islamists, in other words, failed in their latest attempt to instigate unrest and violence in Egypt with the hope of returning to power. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and many other Egyptians seem to prefer less democracy and freedom of speech to the return of the Islamists to power. “The …

A leading commander in Mali’s army has called on ethnic Tuaregs to fight jihadists in the north of the country in a WhatsApp audio message authenticated Monday by AFP. General El Hadj Ag Gamou, himself a Tuareg and a major figure in the Malian army’s fight against the Islamic State …

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Monday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ways of fostering relations between the two countries in various fields, including investment, trade and economy, as well as promoting cooperation in the fields of security and industry. El-Sisi’s meeting with Meloni came on the sidelines of the …

Egypt-Turkey talks to normalize their relations were halted in the wake of Ankara’s recent oil deal with Libya’s Tripoli-based government. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Oct. 29 that talks with Turkey to heal their yearslong political rift have come to a halt over Turkish policies in neighboring Libya. “Talks …

The year 2019 saw the first-ever instance of an arms industrial conglomerate from an Arab state—EDGE from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—entering SIPRI’s list of the top 25 largest arms-producing and military services companies. This is just one illustration of the growing role that some states in the Middle East …

Mali and Burkina Faso agreed Wednesday to jointly confront terrorism and strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the areas of security and defense, Burkina Faso leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré told media as he visited his Malian counterpart Assimi Goita. “The most important thing for us in the current situation …

Ankara’s new deals with one of Libya’s rival premiers have inflamed the country’s internal rows, bringing the north African nation closer to acquiring armed drones. Ankara’s new military deals with Tripoli show how it uses Libya’s internal rifts to make strategic gains. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Abdul Hamid …

As the conflict enters its deadliest phase, U.S. leadership and collaboration with African partners are desperately needed to stop the slide. In August, the devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia resumed, effectively ending the March 2022 humanitarian truce between the Ethiopian federal government and Tigrayan forces, which many hoped would pave …