Mali

U.S. diplomacy is back in West Africa—but the United States is also back to its old counterterrorism playbook.

By standing up for democracy and free trade, the United States can outflank China and Russia, its authoritarian rivals on the continent.

The country needs stronger institutions to bolster public confidence in the democratic system. The international community can help.

France’s unilateralism and the United States’ wavering are destabilizing the Sahel—and creating an opening for Russia and China.

Both parties have featured speeches from key diplomats at their conventions, with Mike Pompeo making a controversial cameo at the RNC—but they aren’t proposing much that’s new.

The AU’s double standard on lifelong leaders who reject term limits undercuts its moral standing to reject military coups.

Politics in the country have followed familiar cycles of violence and collapse.

The overthrow, swiftly condemned by the U.S. government, could pose a setback in the regional fight against extremist groups.

American, French, and West African leaders must pressure the army to stand down and form an interim government, before a power vacuum and violent extremism threaten the entire region.

Replacing the president won’t resolve the country’s deep-seated political problems. If neighboring nations and global powers don’t demand a democratic transition, it could lead to greater instability across West Africa.

The Sahel region was inching toward stability, but conflict between local jihadi groups is threatening to bring back chaos.

Despite years of U.S. and international efforts to fight terrorism in the area, extremist groups are gaining ground.

The country is home to one of the largest deployments of U.S. military personnel in Africa and is a linchpin of regional stability—but the coming year could throw all that into turmoil.

Long considered domestic issues, the continent’s battles are really international contests for influence and power.

March’s deadly massacre exposed the lack of progress since the country’s peace accords—and the many political and security reforms that are needed.