In recent years, the region has become a base for violent extremists. Several extremist groups make their home in the Sahel. Many of those have morphed and merged with others, aligning themselves with larger, global terrorist groups. The most prominent — past and present — are listed below. Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimin (JNIM) – Formed…

Crossroads of the world crude oil market, the Persian Gulf has a central role in the international energy market. China, India and Japan are the new drivers of demand while USA dependency diminishes, with important results for regional equilibrium. According to the estimates of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2019 27% of global…

New international challenges may significantly change the geopolitics of Western intelligence. The alliance between the intelligence agencies of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (the so-called ‘Five Eyes’) doubtless represents the fulcrum of Western espionage and its greatest expression in terms of geopolitical power. Created in 1946, at first it…

The country invests its capital also to diversify its oil-based economy. To contain Turkey, Qatar and Iran may cause an increase in the instability of the continent. For some years now, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been seen as a relevant geopolitical actor on the African scene. Many believe this to be a good…

What has become of Libya? Nine years ago, NATO launched a military offensive that destroyed the country. A country now without a state. Before 2011, Libya was the most prosperous country in Africa. Today basic supplies are in short supply and water and electricity are lacking. In the past eight months, oil production, a primary…

The United Nations Environmental Assembly has opened a consultation period on the governance of mineral resources in June 2020. This consultation is an opportunity to develop an international treaty requiring all countries to better manage mineral resources in a way that respects human rights and the environment. The development of telecommunications, technology, transport, industry and…

The near unanimous condemnation of the mutiny in Mali followed by the forced resignation of president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta questions the consensus around unconstitutional changes of government in Africa. In a rare alignment, various international peace and security actors condemned Mali’s 18 August coup d’état. They also called for a return to constitutional order, despite…

2020 is an optimal year for Mars missions, given the close distance between Earth and Mars. This opportunity occurs every 26 months, enabling us to send probes to the Red Planet with less time and less fuel. Consequently, there were three Mars missions planned for mid-July through August: the U.S. Perseverance Mars rover mission, the…

An entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted due to the pandemic. Children who have been forced to flee their homes are at most risk. Ten reasons why we should support displaced children’s right to education: 1 – This emergency comes on top of an existing learning crisis. Even before the Covid-19…

The binding agreement of the Paris Conference (COP 21) on climate change established the objective of reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This reduction of CO2 is considered essential to significantly reduce the risks produced by climate change, as well as the rising sea level. The Agreement established a global action plan to limit the…

A former army general with reformist credentials was sworn in as president of Burundi last June following the sudden death of Pierre Nkurunziza, whose extended and authoritarian rule set off a political crisis that caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee to neighbouring countries. But the appointment of a new government that includes ruling…