Tag: Africa
What France loses by closing its military bases in Africa
Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on 31 December 2024 that all foreign military bases in his country would close by 2025. On the...
African arms imports decline by nearly 50% over last decade
Imports of major arms by African states fell by 44% between 2015–19 and 2020–24, which was mainly due to decreases in the arms imports...
Non-conventional but increasingly sophisticated maritime threats will persist in Africa
A naval war between African states is unlikely. Rather, the primary maritime security threat is from non-state actors using increasingly sophisticated technology like unmanned...
Public-private partnerships are key for enhanced maritime security – Vreÿ
As Africa’s maritime security landscape grows increasingly complex, governments, academics, and private sector stakeholders must join forces to develop innovative solutions to deal with...
Exercises Cutlass Express, Justified Accord 2025 wrap up in Tanzania and...
More than 1 000 participants from 20 nations took part in this year’s edition of Exercise Cutlass Express in Tanzania with the goal of...
US Defence Secretary makes Africom visit a strategic priority
On 11 February—and less than three weeks into his tenure—US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has made a decisive move, traveling to US Africa...
Interpol operation nabs 37 terror suspects in eight African countries
Suspected members of ISIS and Al Shabaab were amongst those detained by Interpol and Afripol in a joint operation in eight East African countries....
Peacekeeping armies: what are they, why do African states build them...
Since 1948, more than two million uniformed peacekeepers have served in over 70 United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions.
They have come from over 120 UN...
Top UN body hears Africa is world terrorism epicentre
Last year saw more than 3 400 terror attacks in Africa with a fatality count in excess of 13 900, the United Nations Security...
South African Labour Corps honoured with new Cape Town memorial
Princess Anne, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), on Wednesday officially unveiled the CWGC Labour Corps Memorial in Cape Town to commemorate...
African military orders airborne missile protection system from BIRD Aerosystems
An undisclosed African Ministry of Defence has ordered BIRD Aerosystems Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) for its Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopter fleet in what...
Africa’s 2024 Security Trends in 10 Graphics
Africa’s persisting conflicts are compounding crises of governance on the continent, straining already fragile regions and opening the door to foreign exploitation through proxy...
Invisible wars and visible suffering: The ICRC’s role in Africa’s humanitarian...
Patrick Youssef, Head of Africa for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), offers a sobering analysis of Africa’s escalating humanitarian crises, amid...
Keeping the spotlight on Africa’s child soldiers
Roughly 21 000 children have been recruited as soldiers by government forces and armed groups across Africa in the past five years. In 2020,...
West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why
The Sahel region of Africa, between the Sahara and the tropical savannahs to the south, has emerged as a significant base of groups that...
Why were Africa’s violence levels up in 2024?
2024 was a bleak year for Africa. Libya and Sudan were partitioned. Ethiopia struggled to contain insurgencies in Tigray, Amhara and Oromia, and conflict...
African customer orders four Super Tucanos
Embraer has signed a contract for the sale of four A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced trainer aircraft to an undisclosed customer in...
Africa’s constantly evolving militant Islamist threat
The threat from militant Islamist groups in Africa over the past decade has steadily grown—with almost three times the number of annual violent events...
Africa on the UN security council: why the continent should have...
Africa’s desire to be fully represented in all decision-making organs of the United Nations (UN), particularly in the security council, is informed by three...
India raises profile as security partner for Africa
Over the last decade, India has emerged as a key security partner for nations across Africa with particular emphasis on terrorism, piracy and maritime...
Child soldier recruitment rife in Africa
Thirty-five years after a United Nations (UN) commitment – by way of a convention – to protect children from being recruited as soldiers, the...
Terrorism is spreading in west Africa – foreign and regional collaboration...
The United States military has completed its withdrawal from Niger after 11 years of military cooperation with the west African country.
This follows a major...
Gulf of Guinea navies turn to drones for surveillance
Coastal countries in Africa face a variety of maritime threats. These include trafficking; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal immigration; and piracy. But...
Corruption, safety and security top African youth survey concerns
According to many international organisations, Africa is in a parlous state, with the Geneva Academy reporting that Africa has the second-highest number of intra-state...
Countries use an alternative counterterrorism approach: Economic development
After years of fighting terrorism in the Sahel, experts say one counterterror tool has been badly neglected: economic development.
Job creation and economic growth can...
Top EU diplomat condemns rape as a weapon of war
The new European Union (EU) foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, used the December European Parliament plenary to deliver a scathing attack on those using...
Conflicts causing record level of forced displacement in Africa
The number of African refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers grew by 14 percent over the past year—to more than 45 million people.
The...
Collaborative maritime security imperative amid rising challenges – Pakistan Navy CNS
The Pakistan Navy aims to grow its relationship with the South African Navy, from continued staff talks to regular ship visits, as Pakistan promotes...
Can ECOWAS revive its counter-terrorism efforts?
In 2019, leaders of West African countries adopted the ambitious 2020-2024 Priority Action Plan to Eradicate Terrorism in the Economic Community of West African...
Military rule is on the rise in Africa – nothing good...
In the last few years, there has been a spate of military coups in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan and Guinea. Military rule, long...
Africa seen as “greatest global generator of jihadi violence”
Africa, according to a recently published research paper, has the “overall notorious reputation of being the greatest global generator of jihadi violence”.
Statistics, the Middle...
China becomes Africa’s top weapons supplier
China has eclipsed Russia as the largest exporter of arms to Sub-Saharan Africa.
These weapons — including drones, rockets, artillery, armored vehicles, aircraft, firearms, ammunition,...
Community-oriented policing: missing link in AU counter-terrorism operations
Since 2018, Africa has been the global epicentre of violent extremism, with devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of millions, especially civilians. Over...
The AU takes aim at Africa’s new brand of mercenaries
The often shadowy nature of mercenary activity makes exact numbers difficult to verify, but there has certainly been a resurgence in Africa’s use of...
Terrorist attacks multiply in junta-led countries
The number of violent events involving extremist groups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has nearly doubled since 2021.
That is according to a Reuters...
Africa’s citizens, not soldiers, must protect and demand democracy
Recent protests show that citizens can demand accountability from their leaders instead of waiting for coups to fix broken governments.
Despite decades of democracy, many...
African Standby Force needs to evolve as security landscape changes, webinar...
The African Union (AU) African Standby Force (ASF) has been part of the continental bloc peace and security architecture for 20 years, growing in...
Russia and China bringing additional complications to Africa – Africom
External players in Africa, particularly China and Russia, are bringing additional complications to Africa, including destabilising influences, the head of the US military’s Africa...
Africa facing significant security and stability headwinds – Africom
African nations are facing complex and layered threats to their stability and security, with significant headwinds across the continent, according to General Michael Langley,...
US military withdrawal from Niger completed
The US Department of Defence and Niger’s defence ministry have announced that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Niger is complete, in...
Russia sends Africans to fight in Ukraine
Among a handful of prisoners of war captured in Ukraine after fighting for Russia, a young Somali man stood out. He said he joined...
Growing danger of terrorist jailbreaks in West Africa
The attack on the well-fortified Koutoukale prison in Niger’s Tillabéri Region on 11 July followed two failed attempts in 2016 and 2019. In this...
L-39NG makes Egypt Airshow debut
Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody Aerospace is targeting the African continent with its new Aero L-39NG aircraft and to this end has brought the...
Russia has tightened its hold over the Sahel region – and...
Armed troops in Niger overthrew the government in July 2023, seizing power for themselves. The following months were rife with speculation that the military...
Russia-Ukraine war spills into west Africa: Mali attacks signal dangerous times...
Russia suffered significant blows to its reputation in mid-2024. An attack on its territory by Ukraine came as a surprise. In west Africa, the...
UNSC is “outdated” and needs African representation – Guterres
Addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday (12 August) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised it as being “an outdated structure” with a “lack...
Less peacekeepers as conflict and violence rise to “unprecedented levels”
There are 71 000 United Nations (UN) peacekeepers deployed in 11 missions worldwide – a decrease of 950 000 compared to nine years ago.
This, the world...
Interpol op nets 100 plus tons of drugs across three continents
Twelve African countries were part of a multinational Interpol operation targeting drug trafficking networks across three continents.
Operation Lionfish Hurricane, conducted in April and May,...
Future US policies and potential impacts of a Trump presidency on...
As former President Donald J Trump has now secured the Republican Party’s nomination for the 2024 US presidential election, the potential implications for Africa,...
African country acquires BOYGA ammunition drop drone from Turkey
An undisclosed African customer has acquired BOYGA ammunition drop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkey’s STM.
STM (Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret AŞ) said the...
