Russia’s hybrid war in Africa
Mark Leonard welcomes Will Brown and Beverly Ochieng to discuss what Russia’s growing influence in the Sahel means for Europe
Mali
The bear and the bot farm: Countering Russian hybrid warfare in Africa
Russia has many quiet enemies in Africa. Working together, like-minded Africans and Europeans can roll back its troublesome influence
Africa
How Europeans can help stabilise the Sahel
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 and…
Displacement theory: Why “peace enforcement” risks exacerbating conflicts in Africa
The United Nations and the African Union are moving towards the use of “peace enforcement” – but their preferred approach is unlikely to succeed
Lone changer: Germany, Mali, and Russian influence in Africa’s arc of instability
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
Russia’s long shadow in the Sahel
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
Beyond sanctions: How west Africa can recommit to democracy
The Economic Community of West African States should ensure that its sanctions on Mali do not harm ordinary citizens – and that it lifts them if the country’s military junta supports a democratic transition
The EU and France in the Sahel
What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel?
How France and the US can work to stabilise the Sahel
After the indifference of the Trump years, the Biden administration should broaden and deepen its cooperation with France in the Sahel
Mali’s transitional government: The dangers of the junta clinging to power
There are promising signs in Mali’s new government, but the international community must take action now to ensure the military junta cedes power to civilians.