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 …


Continue reading

US will soon redeploy troops in Somalia: the mission and key goals

Posted on Wed 01 June 2022 in Africa • Tagged with Somalia, USA, African Union, AU, Biden

US troops in Djibouti in 2003 on a mission to watch terrorist groups in countries that include Somalia. Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Paul D. Williams, George Washington University

The Biden administration in the US recently announced it would be providing a “persistent presence” in Somalia of up to …


Continue reading