Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 4hDefeating established criminal networks requires consistent and quality coordination and exchange of information. But many Congo Basin countries continue to lack operational traceability systems that prevent them from effectively controlling and monitoring the timber trade. 111
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 9hNigeria is facing a host of coordinated and deceptive foreign information campaigns intended to shape public perceptions of insecurity, governance, and Nigeria’s regional partnerships. These trends are particularly rampant across social media platforms in northern Nigeria. 111
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 16hويدعم كل من قوات الدعم السريع والقوات المسلحة السودانية عشرات الميليشيات لتعزيز الأهداف العسكرية والسياسية للأطراف الرئيسية المتحاربة. والطبيعة النفعية المتزايدة لهذه الصفقات تعزز سلسلة من الانشقاقات والتحالفات المتغيرة باستمرار. africacenter.org/ar/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Foreign actors are targeting Nigeria with manipulative information operations to erode trust, deepen polarization, and shape security narratives to gain greater leverage over Nigeria’s political and economic trajectory. 153
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Renewed attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants on maritime traffic and the seizure of territory along the Bab al Mandeb Strait are expanding the militant group’s leverage over access to the Red Sea and reshaping the region’s security . 1/3 123
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Afin de perturber les sources de financement des groupes terroristes, il est nécessaire de mettre en place une approche multisectorielle renforcée associant les CRF, les forces de l’ordre, l’armée, les procureurs, les juges, et des partenaires régionaux et internationaux. africacenter.org/fr/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Nearly 45 million Africans (roughly 3% of the African population) are forcibly displaced—having fled conflict, violence, and repression. Seven countries account for roughly 85% of that number. Get all the details in our Infographic breakdown: africacenter.org/spo... 021
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 29/09/2026“Eagles of Civilization 2026,” the latest China–Egypt air force warfighting exercise, is a significant step up in scale, complexity, and power projection from China’s previous military training drills in Africa, including last year’s Eagles of Civilization. 101
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Fighting is intensifying in Ethiopia, with 150,000 people already displaced in Ethiopia’s Afar region addisstandard.com/as... 1/3 114
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Among the most sensitive drivers of the conflict in eastern DRC is the unresolved status of Congolese communities with origins from around the Great Lakes region. While often framed as ethnic, these conflicts are fundamentally about citizenship, constitutional recognition, and political inclusion. 121
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Près de 45 millions d’Africains (soit environ 3 % de la population africaine) sont déplacés de force, ayant fui les conflits, la violence et la répression. Sept pays représentent environ 85 % de ce chiffre. africacenter.org/fr/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Although 15 African countries experienced some degree of militant Islamist violence over the past year, 94% of fatalities have occurred in 5 countries: Somalia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. africacenter.org/spo... 020
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 27/09/2026إن هزيمة حركة الشباب وغيرها من الجماعات الإرهابية في شرق إفريقيا ستتطلب تقويض قدراتها المتنامية على توليد الإيرادات من خلال تعزيز التنسيق الوطني والإقليمي. africacenter.org/ar/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Despite a track record of solid elections, recent years have provided political, security, and geostrategic disruptions in São Tomé and Príncipe. This weekend's elections will be a test for the nation to reassert its democratic credentials and reputation for stability. africacenter.org/spo... 001
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 26/09/2026عادة ما يتم تصوير الصراع في السودان على أنه منافسة بين ميليشيتين: القوات المسلحة السودانية (SAF) وقوات الدعم السريع (RSF). وهذا يحجب التصدع المتسارع للمشهد الأمني في السودان. وتشير التقديرات إلى وجود ١٥٠ ميليشيا نشطة الآن في الصراع. africacenter.org/ar/... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 25/09/2026To disrupt the financial lifelines that sustain terrorist groups, an enhanced multisectoral approach involving FIUs, law enforcement, military, prosecutors, judges, as well as regional and international partners is needed. Our Spotlight has an array of recommendations: africacenter.org/spo... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 23/09/2026The prospect of Houthi control of the Bab al Mandeb Strait elevates economic costs and fundamentally shifts the regional security landscape for Africa and the Red Sea region. Our new Spotlight has the latest: africacenter.org/spo... 042
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping and increased leverage to disrupt maritime passage through the Bab al Mandeb Strait fundamentally alter the regional maritime security challenge and escalate threats for Africa. See our latest map and graphs of the threat and read more: africacenter.org/spo... 020
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Africa continues to face near record levels of forced displacement due to protracted conflicts that generate recurring cycles of instability and population movements. africacenter.org/spo... 023
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 22/09/20265 Facts to Know: Africa’s Enduring Conflicts Deepen Population Displacements 1️⃣ Nearly 45 million Africans are forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, and repression. That is roughly 3 percent of the continent’s population, and more than double the 19.9 million displaced in 2017. 220
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 21/09/2026African countries have made notable contributions to the rapidly evolving international security environment, including diversifying economic supply lines, countering terrorism, peacekeeping operations, conflict mediation, & pandemic response. But there's more to be done: africacenter.org/spo... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Three items if you're following Sudan ... 1) From Thursday's Daily Media Review: UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called out foreign nations for supplying weapons to factions on both sides of Sudan's conflict. sudantribune.com/art... 164
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 16/09/2026What does Africa get out of China's military exercises? Do they improve African capability development and interoperability? Unclear. What is clear is the challenge they pose to Africa's preference for strategic independency and avoiding entanglement in global rivalries. africacenter.org/spo... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 15/09/20265 Facts to Know: African Contributions to Global Security 1️⃣ African countries deploy roughly 70,000 peacekeepers each year—the largest contribution of any region. 🌍 These forces have taken a significantly higher share of combat casualties than peacekeepers from any other region. 142
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Beijing is very strategic about how it plans and uses its military exercises in Africa. In fact, Africa serves as a systematic testing ground for the PLA’s expeditionary capabilities and equipment. This poses political and strategic implications for African governments. africacenter.org/spo... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Sudan has a long history of central authorities using militias to outsource their security agenda. Both the RSF and the SAF are backing dozens of militias to advance the core belligerents’ military and political objectives. Click to view the groups in each of Sudan's states: africacenter.org/spo... 020
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 14/09/2026La Chine considère la formation militaire professionnelle en Afrique comme une occasion de promouvoir son modèle de gouvernance tout en renforçant ses liens avec les partis politiques au pouvoir en Afrique. africacenter.org/fr/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Conflict and repressive governance are the two main drivers of displacement in Africa. Our 2019 research paper dives deep into the drivers and security implications of population displacement in Africa. africacenter.org/pub... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 12/09/2026“It’s all about serving the people. It’s not my military or the defense forces’ military.” We spoke with several Botswana officers who shared their views on how Botswana’s culture of military professionalism emerged. africacenter.org/spo... 020
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 10/09/2026This map shows the security situation in the Red Sea a year ago. With the Houthis this week claiming to have seized the Red Sea port of Mocha (Mokha), it is crucial to understand how maritime security is being transformed by the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones): africacenter.org/spo... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Africa is at the crossroads of many transnational security threats. African actors play vital roles in strengthening the resiliency of the international security architecture. Read more in our new Spotlight highlighting Africa’s role in international security. africacenter.org/spo... 001
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Across Africa, autocratic leaders are using state power for political gain by effectively making it a crime to be in the opposition. Political opponents and critics are facing charges of varying legitimacy, as rulers subvert democratic institutions meant to serve citizens. www.theafricareport.... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 08/09/2026How closely did you follow African security developments in August? Test your knowledge with the Africa Center’s monthly quiz—from militant Islamist violence and terrorism financing to African contributions to global security, and football. How many can you get right?africacenter.orgAugust 2026 - Monthly QuizTest your knowledge of the month's events and the Africa Center's analysis with our monthly quiz. 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 07/09/2026You might expect leaders facing a security crisis like that in the Sahel to reassess strategy, force posture, intelligence failures, partnerships, and operational priorities. Instead, the region's military juntas have spent precious resources to further repress citizens. africacenter.org/spo... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Ghana's illegal mining networks have become intertwined with cross-border gold smuggling routes, illicit financial flows, and foreign actors, including the large-scale influx of Chinese operators, capital, and equipment. 122
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 05/09/2026African forces have been instrumental in resisting efforts by global terrorist networks to establish coordination and financing hubs on the continent. This includes contributions from Somalia, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt and many more.africacenter.orgAfrican Contributions to Global SecurityAfrican countries play a vital role in advancing global security, underscoring the importance of international security partnerships. 021
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 04/09/2026As Russia’s strategy for influence in the Sahel collapses, Moscow is pivoting to employ the same tactics of fomenting dissent toward democracy and advancing the case for military rule in coastal West African democracies.africacenter.orgRussia’s New Frontier in AfricaAs Russia’s influence in the Sahel collapses, Moscow is pivoting to tactics of fomenting dissent and the allure of military rule in coastal West Africa. 034
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 04/09/2026While its early revenue generation was opportunistic, al Shabaab has evolved into a hybrid entity that blurs the lines between terrorism and transnational organized crime. 100
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 03/09/2026The transnational nature of maritime threats places a premium on regional cooperation. In 2013, the Yaoundé Protocol united 25 African countries in a common front against maritime security threats in the Gulf of Guinea. This led to a dramatic decline in piracy along the West African coast. 222
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 02/09/2026“Eagles of Civilization 2026,” China's latest air force warfighting exercise in Africa, is a significant step up in scale, complexity, and power projection from China’s previous exercises on the continent. How? Last year, Chinese J-10 fighters sparred with Egyptian MiG-29s (see photo). 1/3 110
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 01/09/2026This week’s Eagles of Civilization 2026 China-Egypt military exercises highlight the PLA’s expanding reach in Africa. Our new analysis by Paul Nantulya provides background on the significance of these exercises and the PLA’s growing expeditionary capabilities. Read more:africacenter.orgChina’s Expanding Military Reach in Africa: From Exercises to Expeditionary PowerAfrica remains a testing ground for the PLA’s expeditionary capabilities and equipment, posing political and strategic implications for African governments. 062
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 29/08/2026As groups such as al Shabaab and IS-S increasingly adopt digital tools to manage funds, investigative teams are utilizing tools of their own, including open-source intelligence, blockchain analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. 1/2 110
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 28/08/2026African countries collectively are the largest troop contributors to regional and international peace operations around the world. They are present in the toughest assignments and take a higher share of combat casualties than troops from any other part of the world. africacenter.org/spo... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Ce week-end, la junte militaire en Guinée-Bissau organise un référendum constitutionnel qui a pour objectif de consolider le pouvoir dans les mains de l’exécutif -- tout en renversant les efforts qui avaient été entrepris pour partager le pouvoir. africacenter.org/fr/... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Guinea-Bissau’s military junta is organizing a constitutional referendum this weekend. The goal: Consolidate executive power. The junta hopes to legitimize last year's coup, which contravened years of efforts to move away from concentrating power in the presidency. africacenter.org/spo... 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Guinea-Bissau’s junta-organized constitutional referendum Sunday could consolidate executive power and roll back power-sharing efforts. Our latest Spotlight explains what’s at stake:africacenter.orgGuinea-Bissau Constitutional Referendum: An ExplainerA constitutional referendum in Guinea-Bissau aims to consolidate power in the executive and rollback power sharing. 000
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 26/08/2026In response to repeated closures of the Strait of Hormuz, African oil producers (representing roughly 10% of global output) have increased outputs to international buyers. Nigeria and Angola have led this effort. Photo: Dangote oil refinery in Nigeria—the world’s largest. africacenter.org/spo... 033
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 26/08/2026With its strategic location connecting continents and waterways, Africa is at the crossroads of many transnational security threats. And African actors play vital roles in strengthening the resiliency of the international security architecture. africacenter.org/spo... 010
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Militant Islamist groups in the Sahel have turned their attention to coastal West African nations in recent years. Yet in the past 12 months both Benin and Togo have seen a 78% decline in fatalities. This likely reflects efforts mobilized by these countries. africacenter.org/spo... 021
Africa Center for Strategic Studies @africacenter.bsky.social · 21/08/2026The choice a coup offers is never between corrupt civilian rule and clean military rule. It is between imperfectly accountable government, capable of incremental correction, and unaccountable government, in which there is no longer a mechanism left to correct anything.” africanarguments.org... 000