Day: October 24, 2026

Sahel’s jihadist power struggle leaves civilians caught in the crossfire

Aïcha Abdou

The escalating conflict between the Islamic State in the Sahel and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has exposed a harsh reality for military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger: their promises of security are falling short as civilians bear the brunt of jihadist violence. An unprecedented surge in jihadist clashes The battle for dominance between these two extremist factions has intensified in the tri-border region, where hundreds of lives have been lost in recent months. What began as isolated skirmishes has evolved into a…

Read More

Hidden cash flows: how eastern DRC’s black market beer trade fuels armed factions

Aïcha Abdou

The hidden economy fueling armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) operates in plain sight. Among its most lucrative yet overlooked revenue streams is the illicit beer trade—a sector both communities and factions have exploited for decades. Recent investigations reveal how the Armed Forces of Congo/Movement of March 23 (AFC/M23) leveraged this shadow industry to sustain and expand their operations, embedding themselves deeper into the region’s fragile economic fabric. Decoding the mechanics behind black market beer profits The system thrives on a combination of weak governance, porous…

Read More

Gabon’s hidden struggles with bureaucratic inefficiency and China’s behind-the-scenes solution

Ousmane Tandja

Why Gabon is turning to China for a silent revolution in public governance Behind closed doors in Libreville, a quiet but strategic shift is unfolding. On October 21, 2026, Gabon’s Minister of Public Service and Capacity Building, Laurence Ndong, welcomed China’s Ambassador to Gabon, Zhou Ping, not for another infrastructure deal, but to lay the groundwork for a behind-the-scenes overhaul of Gabonian public administration. While infrastructure cooperation has dominated headlines, this initiative signals something deeper: Gabon is seeking not just foreign funds, but tangible institutional expertise to break free from…

Read More