ADF

In the aftermath of World War II, nations gathered in an attempt to rebuild their war-torn societies. A new global system was born, and this great body, the United Nations, was established as a symbol and protector of the aspirations and finest ideals of humankind. Nations saw that it was in their own interests to help others exit the rubble and wasteland of war. Reliable and significant assistance allowed countries emaciated by war to grow into strong and productive societies. The period was a high-water mark for trust in global institutions and the belief that humanity had learned the necessary…

ADF STAFF Even though violent extremists plague its northern neighbors, Côte d’Ivoire has defended itself from terror attacks thanks to military intervention, enhanced security and investment in border areas. “The goal is to reverse perceptions among border communities that the state has abandoned them,” analyst William Assanvo wrote for the Institute for Security Studies. “Doing so will reduce the risk that they are exploited by insurgents.” Several Gulf of Guinea countries have similar dynamics: Wealth and economic investment is concentrated along the coast while the north tends to be poorer and less developed. That imbalance generates resentment that puts regions…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo called for a “global coalition of democracies” to fight violent extremist groups in West Africa that have been spreading south from the Sahel toward Ghana and its neighbors. “The menace caused by terrorism is such that we must share the burden of the fight,” Akufo-Addo said in an October 2023 Washington, D.C., speech at the U.S. Institute for Peace. “This is a time for a global coalition of democracies, a coalition of the willing, determined to banish the specter of terrorism and violent extremism.” With extremists controlling large swaths of Burkina Faso, Mali and…

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The group of the world’s 20 leading economies has welcomed the African Union as a permanent member, a powerful acknowledgement of Africa as its 54 countries seek a more important role on the global stage. “Congratulations to all of Africa!” said Senegalese President Macky Sall, the previous AU chair who helped push for membership. The AU had advocated for full membership for seven years, spokesperson Ebba Kalondo said. South Africa had been the bloc’s only G20 member. Permanent G20 membership signals the rise of a continent whose young population of 1.3 billion is set to double by…

ADF STAFF | Photos by AFP/Getty Images Omdurman National Bank (ONB) ranks among Sudan’s largest financial institutions. It has branches across most of the country and was the first Sudanese bank to introduce ATMs. Founded in 1993, the bank sits at the center of an expansive web of companies that reaches into every corner of the national economy, a fact that benefits its largest shareholder, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Through a network of military foundations, Sudan’s army covertly owns 87% of ONB, which holds $950 million in assets and is a major force in Sudan’s financial system.  In 2015,…

ADF STAFF With great fanfare, Kenya launched its upgraded e-Citizen digital platform in 2023. The system offers access to 5,000 government services from more than 100 ministries and agencies, marking a leap forward in the ability of citizens to get digital access to their government.  “Not many countries can achieve what we have achieved,” Kenyan President William Ruto said. “Whenever I talk to other leaders, they wonder how Kenya can digitize this number of government services. It was possible because we have creative, innovative, hard-working young people in the republic.” Just three weeks later, a hacker collective calling itself Anonymous…

During more than 30 years in the military, Maj. Gen. Gyane has held key positions in the Ghana Armed Forces, including commanding officer Base Workshop, Burma Camp; commanding officer Army Headquarters; director of Army Logistics; acting director of Army Administration; and director-general of plans, research and development at General Headquarters. He has served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Sahara. He served in the U.N. and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) missions in Sierra Leone. In 2022, he was appointed commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre…

ADF STAFF Border regions tend to be places of possibility and peril. They are where cultures meet. Where trade –– both legal and illegal –– thrives. Where journeys begin or end. Because they often are far from national capitals, border communities typically receive little investment, and people living there are vulnerable to coercion by criminal groups or extremists. “Borderlands in Africa are typically characterised by low state presence, mistrust between local communities and the state, and high levels of crime, insecurity and poverty,” the African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) wrote in a study of conflict management…

ADF STAFF | Photos by afp/getty images As  Senegalese citizens marked the 64th anniversary of their nation’s independence, children embraced the spirit of the day. One boy donned a cap and miniature matching uniform before joining celebrations in Dakar on April 4, 2023. Although quite a bit shorter, he closely imitated the Soldiers and gendarmes gathered along a city street. As citizens lined roads to view festive processions, military and police personnel stopped to acknowledge the younger set. One boy, draped in a stole featuring Senegal’s flag of green, gold and red, held a flag as he posed for pictures…

LT. CMDR. DJAIBLOND DOMINIQUE-YOHANN KOUAKOU, CÔTE D’IVOIRE NATIONAL NAVY Coastal countries in Africa face a variety of maritime threats. These include trafficking; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal immigration; and piracy. But countries often lack the resources to monitor and protect their maritime domains. The task these countries face is enormous. If added together, Africa’s coastal countries are responsible for more than 13 million square kilometers of ocean, far beyond what they can patrol with vessels and traditional aircraft. Sub-Saharan African countries have a total of 420 vessels categorized as “surface combatants,” meaning ships designed for warfare on the…