Recent coordinated attacks by jihadist and separatist groups in Mali, unprecedented in their scale and coordination, have placed the state’s security apparatus under strain and reinforced concerns over instability across the wider region, despite the reconfiguration of Bamako’s external partnerships. More broadly, the Sahel and West Africa are facing a complex set of…
Mark Leonard welcomes Will Brown and Beverly Ochieng to discuss what Russia’s growing influence in the Sahel means for Europe
Russia has many quiet enemies in Africa. Working together, like-minded Africans and Europeans can roll back its troublesome influence
Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo face a double threat—from jihadists creeping south from the Sahel and coup plotters lurking within. As northern borders buckle, the region could slip into instability and away from Europe’s reach
As Africa becomes an increasingly central arena for Russia’s interests, the role of the United States and China is undergoing significant transformation. With Trump’s return to the White House, a broader US economic-military repositioning in Africa to contain external influences seems to occur, while Beijing continues to deepen its structural economic presence across the…
An unstable Horn of Africa spells major trouble for Europe. The EU should take the reins in the Western response to counter the fallout from the aid withdrawal
This international conference discusses the main aspects of disinformation as a global challenge. It has been organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rome in cooperation with the Embassy of Estonia in Rome; the Embassy of Republic of Latvia in Rome; the Embassy of Republic of Lithuania in Rome; the Embassy…
Somalia’s new defence pact with Egypt has angered Ethiopia, undermining coalition efforts to contain al-Shabaab, a Jihadist group. European diplomats can help revert this dangerous path
A decade of military, humanitarian, and developmental European interventions in the Sahelian states of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have failed comprehensively. Yet, European governments must accept that engagement, however ugly, is their only hope of advancing their strategic priority of a stable Sahel region. In this event, ECFR Africa reflects on recent developments…
Rather than disengaging from the coup belt, European governments should stay present and work to curb the worst of the chaos engulfing the region — and prevent rival powers from gaining the upper hand
Russia has many quiet enemies in Africa. Working together, like-minded Africans and Europeans can roll back its troublesome influence
Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo face a double threat—from jihadists creeping south from the Sahel and coup plotters lurking within. As northern borders buckle, the region could slip into instability and away from Europe’s reach
Rather than disengaging from the coup belt, European governments should stay present and work to curb the worst of the chaos engulfing the region — and prevent rival powers from gaining the upper hand
An unstable Horn of Africa spells major trouble for Europe. The EU should take the reins in the Western response to counter the fallout from the aid withdrawal
Somalia’s new defence pact with Egypt has angered Ethiopia, undermining coalition efforts to contain al-Shabaab, a Jihadist group. European diplomats can help revert this dangerous path
While Russia remains a potent player in parts of Africa, recent events in the Sahelian states have shown that Russian forces are deeply overstretched and losing credibility. It is obvious to all involved that Moscow has no solutions – which leaves a diplomatic opening for the West
On Saturday, Germany became the latest European country to withdraw military forces from the Sahel. Other states may go further, closing embassies. But walking away, wagging a patronising white finger at states facing existential threats will do nothing to stabilise the region
Europe’s old Sahel strategy is dead – and Russia is circling over its carcass
The changing global order has created an enabling environment for the recent spike of takeovers in Africa’s ‘coup belt’ – with Russia and newly assertive middle powers offering themselves as partners to putschists
It is necessary to move beyond overly militarised strategies for stabilisation in the Sahel. Local dialogue initiatives can address the roots of conflict – but require consistent buy-in from national governments
Russia is exploiting weaknesses in Europe’s relationships with states across Africa. Germany will need to set a precedent in Mali if it is to respond to this challenge effectively
The EU’s values-led foreign policy and its stabilisation objectives in the Sahel are in tension with each other. Russia is now waiting to exploit that tension
Europeans reacted sharply to the news of Wagner Group’s interest in Mali – and interviews suggest the company has been present in the country. But European states and the EU remain the dominant security and development player in the Sahel
Mark Leonard welcomes Will Brown and Beverly Ochieng to discuss what Russia’s growing influence in the Sahel means for Europe
What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel?
Recent coordinated attacks by jihadist and separatist groups in Mali, unprecedented in their scale and coordination, have placed the state’s security apparatus under strain and reinforced concerns over instability across the wider region, despite the reconfiguration of Bamako’s external partnerships. More broadly, the Sahel and West Africa are facing a complex set of…
As Africa becomes an increasingly central arena for Russia’s interests, the role of the United States and China is undergoing significant transformation. With Trump’s return to the White House, a broader US economic-military repositioning in Africa to contain external influences seems to occur, while Beijing continues to deepen its structural economic presence across the…
This international conference discusses the main aspects of disinformation as a global challenge. It has been organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rome in cooperation with the Embassy of Estonia in Rome; the Embassy of Republic of Latvia in Rome; the Embassy of Republic of Lithuania in Rome; the Embassy…
A decade of military, humanitarian, and developmental European interventions in the Sahelian states of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have failed comprehensively. Yet, European governments must accept that engagement, however ugly, is their only hope of advancing their strategic priority of a stable Sahel region. In this event, ECFR Africa reflects on recent developments…
Negli ultimi anni, la presenza della Russia in Africa è cresciuta significativamente, sia nel Nord Africa che nell’Africa Subsahariana, presentando una sfida strategica per l’Europa e, in particolare, per l’Italia. Mosca ha rafforzato la sua presenza nel continente attraverso una serie di accordi bilaterali, cooperazioni militari, e investimenti economici e nel settore energetico. Questo incremento di influenza è stato percepito come una mossa strategica per aumentare il suo peso globale e per contrastare l’influenza occidentale
Sudan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Ethnic killing plagues Darfur once again, millions have been displaced, and now a famine is looming. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces shows no sign of abating and with all eyes fixed on Gaza and Ukraine, the humanitarian response is falling…
On 28 February, Chadian opposition leader Yaya Dillo was killed in a shootout with security forces. He had been accused of leading an attack against the National State Security Agency (ANSE), an allegation he denied. Dillo, leader of the Socialist Party Without Borders (PSF), was a strong contender for the presidential elections scheduled for 6 May 2024. Tensions have been…
Migration in the Mediterranean has been a crisis factor for Europe for decades. To shed light on the issue, the discussion will revolve around ECFR’s policy brief edited by Lorena Stella Martini and Tarek Megerisi, which examines the case study of the Central Mediterranean route to analyse European externalization policies, focusing primarily on migration to Italy
L’evento si concentrerà su come Il settore privato costituisca una componente fondamentale per l’attuazione del Global Gateway e sulle opportunità che questo può rappresentare
A panel discussion organized in collaboration with the Regional Program Political Dialogue South Mediterranean of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in the framework of the 8th edition of the Rome MED – Mediterranean Dialogues, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI)
Arturo Varvelli on Mattei Plan developments in the context of the second Italy-Africa Summit
