An aerial view of rising waters around the Numan bridge is seen in the Numan community of Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Sept. 25.
An aerial view of rising waters around the Numan bridge is seen in the Numan community of Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Sept. 25.

2022 Was an Attack on Democracy

Africa Brief’s year in review.

Ndambi Guebuza, son of former Mozambique President Armando Guebuza, is seen during court proceedings at the Maputo Central Prison in Maputo, Mozambique, on Nov. 30.
Ndambi Guebuza, son of former Mozambique President Armando Guebuza, is seen during court proceedings at the Maputo Central Prison in Maputo, Mozambique, on Nov. 30.

Can Washington Give African Leaders What They Want?

A summit offers the Biden administration a chance to compete with rivals, while testing its commitment to democratic values.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during a press conference in London on Nov. 24.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during a press conference in London on Nov. 24.

South Africa’s President Hangs On

Despite a scandal and damning report, Cyril Ramaphosa has managed to stay in charge of his party and the country.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari attend a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 4.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari attend a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 4.

Will the U.N. Tax Convention Empower Africa?

Global tax reforms resisted by richer nations could reduce reliance on tax havens and bring much-needed revenue to African governments.

Major Gen. Jeff Nyagah, the East African Community (EAC) force commander, talks to reporters upon his arrival at EAC headquarters during a press conference in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Nov. 16.
Major Gen. Jeff Nyagah, the East African Community (EAC) force commander, talks to reporters upon his arrival at EAC headquarters during a press conference in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Nov. 16.

Can African-Led Diplomacy Bring Peace in Congo?

After a surprise peace deal in Ethiopia, there is hope for progress in talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.

People gather during a demonstration in support of Ethiopia’s armed forces in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 22.
People gather during a demonstration in support of Ethiopia’s armed forces in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 22.

Ethiopia’s Other War

As peace talks progress in Tigray, tensions are mounting in Oromia.

Abdoulaye Maiga, prime minister of Mali, speaks during the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit of the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 8.
Abdoulaye Maiga, prime minister of Mali, speaks during the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit of the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 8.

If COP27 Fails, Africans Stand to Lose the Most

The climate summit won’t bring change to Africa until the West gets serious about “loss and damage.”

A worker delivers bread from a bakery in Cairo's Al-Azhar neighborhood to stands to be sold on May 9.
A worker delivers bread from a bakery in Cairo's Al-Azhar neighborhood to stands to be sold on May 9.

What Caused Egypt’s Economic Tailspin?

As the world arrives for COP27, Cairo is turning to the IMF as its economy falters.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with foreign journalists in Beijing on Oct. 23.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with foreign journalists in Beijing on Oct. 23.

What Xi’s Third Term Means for Africa

Feeling secure with its influence on the continent, Beijing will take a more strategic approach in the years to come.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba holds a joint press conference with his French counterpart in Kyiv on Sept. 27.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba holds a joint press conference with his French counterpart in Kyiv on Sept. 27.

Ukraine Appeals to African Leaders

Moscow has been winning the propaganda war across the continent. Can Kyiv change perceptions?

Protesters wave flags of Russia and Burkina Faso as they demonstrate against the Economic Community of West African States, whose representatives were expected in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Oct. 4.
Protesters wave flags of Russia and Burkina Faso as they demonstrate against the Economic Community of West African States, whose representatives were expected in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Oct. 4.

Burkina Faso’s Junta Looks to Russia for Support

The country’s second coup of the year could bring yet another African government into Moscow’s orbit.

An aerial view of rising waters around the Numan bridge is seen in the Numan community of Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Sept. 25.
An aerial view of rising waters around the Numan bridge is seen in the Numan community of Adamawa State, Nigeria, on Sept. 25.

Floods Devastate West Africa

Hundreds of thousands of people are suffering in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger due to government failures to invest in preventive infrastructure.

U.S. President Joe Biden holds a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House in Washington on Sept. 16.
U.S. President Joe Biden holds a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House in Washington on Sept. 16.

In Washington, Cyril Ramaphosa Defends South African Neutrality

South African leaders have consistently rejected U.S. efforts to punish African countries for nonalignment.

Gambian President Adama Barrow signs the condolence book for the late Queen Elizabeth II at the British ambassador’s residence in Banjul, Gambia, on Sept. 12.
Gambian President Adama Barrow signs the condolence book for the late Queen Elizabeth II at the British ambassador’s residence in Banjul, Gambia, on Sept. 12.

King Charles III Faces a Reckoning on Empire in Africa

Will a monarch known for voicing his personal views apologize for Britain’s crimes in Africa?

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kasongo Kakubo on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar, Senegal, on Nov. 30, 2021.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kasongo Kakubo on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar, Senegal, on Nov. 30, 2021.

Is China Responsible for Zambia’s Debt Crisis?

The first country to default in the COVID era makes a deal with the IMF.

Load 15 More Articles
Loading graphics