Africa Brief

From Algeria to Zimbabwe and countries in between, a weekly roundup of essential news and analysis from Africa. Delivered Wednesday.

Naledi Pandor, the South African minister of international relations and cooperation, and Sergey Lavrov, Russia's minister of foreign affairs, appear during a press conference at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, on June 1.
Naledi Pandor, the South African minister of international relations and cooperation, and Sergey Lavrov, Russia's minister of foreign affairs, appear during a press conference at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, on June 1.

South Africa’s Putin Problem

As a member of the ICC, Pretoria is obligated to arrest the Russian leader, but he has a standing invitation to visit the country in August.

Riot police disperse protesters with tear gas after the outlawed opposition group, The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), called for protests against the ruling Junta in Conakry on October 20, 2022.
Riot police disperse protesters with tear gas after the outlawed opposition group, The National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (FNDC), called for protests against the ruling Junta in Conakry on October 20, 2022.

Guinea Cracks Down on Protesters

After promising democratic reforms, the junta is attacking the press and opposition.

A Sudanese army armored vehicle is stationed in southern Khartoum.
A Sudanese army armored vehicle is stationed in southern Khartoum.

Sudan’s Failed Cease-Fire

Warring generals look abroad for support as millions remain displaced.

Protesters hold a banner reading "Thank you Wagner,"  during a demonstration to celebrate France's announcement to withdraw French troops from Mali, in Bamako, on Feb. 19, 2022.
Protesters hold a banner reading "Thank you Wagner," during a demonstration to celebrate France's announcement to withdraw French troops from Mali, in Bamako, on Feb. 19, 2022.

How Russia Expands Its Influence in Africa

Wagner Group operations, disinformation efforts, and Western double standards are fueling Moscow’s popularity.

A man passes billboards of Nigerian films at a movie theater in Lagos on Feb. 19, 2019.
A man passes billboards of Nigerian films at a movie theater in Lagos on Feb. 19, 2019.

The Problem With Comparing Africa to Asia

Greater ethnic diversity, debt burdens, and democratized politics have complicated Africa’s path to development.

People fleeing violence between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries disembark a passenger bus at the Multaga rest stop near Ganetti in Sudan's Northern State on April 25.
People fleeing violence between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries disembark a passenger bus at the Multaga rest stop near Ganetti in Sudan's Northern State on April 25.

Sudan’s Warring Generals Ignore Truce

The fighting in Khartoum continues as embassies evacuate diplomats.

Sudanese people greet soldiers loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan on April 16.
Sudanese people greet soldiers loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan on April 16.

Sudan Descends Into Conflict as Rival Generals Clash

The long-brewing power struggle between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has plunged the country into civil war.

Students at Rising Sun Children School write in their classroom in Lagos, Nigeria, on Oct. 12, 2020.
Students at Rising Sun Children School write in their classroom in Lagos, Nigeria, on Oct. 12, 2020.

Why International Private Schools Are Booming in Africa

After China’s crackdown, foreign education providers eye opportunities in countries such as Nigeria and Egypt.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she arrives to address youth gathered at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, on March 28.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she arrives to address youth gathered at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, on March 28.

Can Harris’s Visit Shore Up U.S. Relations With Africa?

The vice president’s trip is the latest effort to counter Moscow’s and Beijing’s influence on the continent.

Malawian Defence Force (MDF) soldiers and civilians work to recover the body of a victim of a mudslide that followed heavy rains from Cyclone Freddy during an MDF and Malawi Police Service rescue operation at the Manje informal settlement up the slopes of Soche Hill in Blantyre, Malawi, on March 17.
Malawian Defence Force (MDF) soldiers and civilians work to recover the body of a victim of a mudslide that followed heavy rains from Cyclone Freddy during an MDF and Malawi Police Service rescue operation at the Manje informal settlement up the slopes of Soche Hill in Blantyre, Malawi, on March 17.

Climate Change Wreaks Havoc in Southern Africa

Cyclone Freddy displaced more than 400,000, confirming scientists’ worst fears about extreme weather caused by global warming.

Col. Assimi Goïta, Mali’s interim leader, is seen with Guinean Interim Leader Mamady Doumbouya in Bamako, Mali, on Sept. 22, 2022, during Mali’s Independence Day military parade.
Col. Assimi Goïta, Mali’s interim leader, is seen with Guinean Interim Leader Mamady Doumbouya in Bamako, Mali, on Sept. 22, 2022, during Mali’s Independence Day military parade.

Mali’s Constitutional Crisis

Coup leaders’ moves could imperil democratic transition and further strain ties between African states and the West.

Ivorian migrants disembark from a repatriation plane from Tunisia at Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on March 4.
Ivorian migrants disembark from a repatriation plane from Tunisia at Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on March 4.

Tunisia’s Racist Backlash Sparks Condemnation and Evacuations

Kais Saied’s xenophobia against Black Africans has prompted many governments to charter flights to repatriate their citizens.

Voters look for their names on a voter roll at a polling station in Abuja on Feb. 25.
Voters look for their names on a voter roll at a polling station in Abuja on Feb. 25.

Tensions Escalate After Nigeria Election Results

Former President Obasanjo warns: “Danger looming ahead.”

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former chairperson of the African Union Commission, attends an event advocating boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel in Rustenburg, South Africa, on March 27, 2017.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former chairperson of the African Union Commission, attends an event advocating boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel in Rustenburg, South Africa, on March 27, 2017.

African Union Ousts Israeli Diplomat

Old enmities resurface as Netanyahu’s efforts for a diplomatic reset in Africa are tested.

Drivers wait in line to buy fuel at a gas station in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 30.
Drivers wait in line to buy fuel at a gas station in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 30.

Will Nigeria’s Cash Chaos Impact Elections?

Less than two weeks before the tightest presidential vote in Nigeria’s history, the country is running short on cash, gas, and patience.

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Are America and Europe Aligned on China?

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The war in Ukraine has propelled the United States and Europe closer on a variety of foreign-policy issues. But do Washington and Brussels agree on how to deal with Beijing’s growing clout...Show more

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Inside the U.S.-China Tech War

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Over the last few years, the United States has moved to limit China’s technological rise. U.S.-led sanctions have imposed unprecedented limits on Beijing’s access to advanced computing c...Show more

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on September 24, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden is hosting a Quad Leaders Summit later today with Prime Minister Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide. (Photo by Sarahbeth Maney-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on September 24, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden is hosting a Quad Leaders Summit later today with Prime Minister Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide. (Photo by Sarahbeth Maney-Pool/Getty Images)

Is America Making a Bad Bet on India?

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For decades, the U.S. foreign-policy establishment has made the assumption that India could serve as a partner as the United States jostles with China for power in the Indo-Pacific region. B...Show more