ADF

Armies of excavators and dump trucks carving deep, terraced ruts into and around hills, mountainsides and waterways are a common sight in Zimbabwe. For locals, the scars of large, industrial mining operations offer frequent reminders of the environmental toll. Public anger among Zimbabweans has risen steadily in recent years amid accusations of Chinese mining companies committing serious crimes — ranging from murder, rape and forced evictions to pollution and loss of habitats — sometimes with few or no legal consequences. Journalist and human rights advocate Tendai Mbofana recently raised alarm when he shared a video on October 21 of a…

Collective security was the primary focus of the recent Land Forces Commanders Symposium as African military leaders gathered to build and enhance bilateral and regional solutions to a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Commanders from Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda were among military leaders from 28 African countries along with defense experts and stakeholders from around the world who participated in the event at Intare Arena in Kigali on October 21 and 22. Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga, spokesperson for the Rwanda…

When protesters filled the streets of Antananarivo and other cities across Madagascar, John J. Chin was watching closely. He saw the anger over government corruption, daily power outages and chronic water shortages. What began in September as youth-driven rallies escalated into demands for reforms and the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina. Chin has studied and written about coups from 1946 through 2025. The assistant teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon University leads a research team that compiles data on coup types and characteristics. His research shows that coups have declined worldwide. “[However], coup risk remains comparatively high in Africa. Since 2020,…

Algeria and Spain announced a renewed commitment to combat shared threats. The collaboration between the two countries separated by the Mediterranean Sea will focus on  battling terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling while enhancing cybersecurity, civil protection, road safety and disaster management. This was announced after an October 20 meeting between Algerian Minister of Interior Said Sayoud and Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska in Algiers. Sayoud said the “fruitful” cooperation between the two countries had reached “a high level in many areas.” “Today’s meeting is a renewed opportunity to exchange opinions and viewpoints on these serious threats, which require us…

Africa loses an estimated $11.2 billion in annual revenue to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The challenge is particularly acute in West Africa, which loses up to $9.4 billion to the scourge. Illegal fishing by foreign industrial and semi-industrial trawlers, particularly from China, has driven food insecurity and threatened the jobs of more than 10 million men and women who work in Africa’s artisanal fisheries.  Security professionals recognize the threat. Col. Roland T. Bai Murphy, commander of the 23rd Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Liberia, has seen firsthand the effects of IUU fishing on his country’s artisanal…

Rampersad Sooroojebally is a veteran of the Mauritius Police Force, having enlisted in 1971. Before being appointed commissioner on November 15, 2024, he played a key role in restructuring the force’s Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit. He also designed and led the country’s Counter Terrorism Unit, which collects and analyzes intelligence before disseminating it to law enforcement. His remarks have been edited for space and clarity. ADF: Despite its small size, Mauritius patrols an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) spanning 2.3 million square kilometers, which is roughly the same size as Africa’s largest country, Algeria. Can you describe your country’s general strategy…

When it comes to unmanned military vehicles, most people tend to think of the sky, where attack and surveillance drones are a fixture in armed conflict. But experts say the next wave of unmanned craft will set sail on the water.  Navies are investing in uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). If trends continue, more than 40 countries will operate USVs by 2034, and the global USV market will grow from $1.1 billion to $2.5 billion, according to the research company GlobalData.  These sea drones can be controlled by operators on shore or sail semiautonomously, following a…

Many countries suffer from an affliction colloquially known as “sea blindness.” The phrase describes a general lack of concern about maritime security, but also the inability to monitor what is happening on the water.  Just how much activity is going on in these blind spots? In a report published in the journal Nature, researchers found that about 76% of industrial fishing vessels were “dark” at some point, meaning they were not broadcasting their location or were not tracked by public monitoring systems. The same report found that nearly 30% of energy and transportation vessel movement was not tracked.   The…

Mauritius Police Force and National Coast Guard Police Sgt. Thomas Shane climbs a hook ladder for visit, board, search and seizure training during Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 (CE25) in Port Louis, Mauritius, on February 12, 2025. The event is one of three regional Express series exercises sponsored by U.S. Africa Command. The exercises provide collaborative opportunities for African nation security forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns. CE25 focused training in Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, but information sharing and coordination took place across nine maritime operation centers throughout the region. Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean,…

The sun beat down upon the pristine, white deck of the Galaxy Leader vehicle carrier as it steamed through the Red Sea about 80 kilometers west of Yemen’s port of Hodeidah on November 19, 2023.  The journey surely had the 25 international crew members on edge. Houthi rebels just weeks earlier had begun their lawless assault on global shipping. The Galaxy Leader crew’s worst fears were realized when a charging Mi-171Sh helicopter hovered over the 189-meter ship and deposited several masked gunmen onto the deck. They rushed unchallenged to the bridge and ordered crew members there to get on the…