Scramble for the Sahel – why France, Russia, China and the United States are interested in the region

Posted on Mon 08 January 2024 in Africa • Tagged with Sahel, France, Russia, China, United States, USA, Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso

Olayinka Ajala, Leeds Beckett University

Ecoregion AT0713

The Sahel, a region 3,860km wide located south of the Sahara Desert and stretching east-west across the African continent, has been a focus of attention around the world recently.

In the last decade, issues such as terrorism, insecurity and trafficking have characterised the region …


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Israel-Palestine conflict divides South African politicians – what their responses reveal about historical alliances

Posted on Mon 16 October 2023 in Middle-East • Tagged with Israel, Palestine, South Africa, Gaza, West Bank, ANC, African National Congress, Economic Freedom Fighters, EFF, DA, Democratic Alliance, PLO, Apartheid

Asher Lubotzky, University of Houston

Hamas’ brazen and deadly attack on Israel on October 7 elicited varied responses within the South African political scene. These diverse reactions reflect the long history, since before democracy in 1994, of South African engagement with the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The conflict holds symbolic significance for …


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