Africa Defense Forum - Africa Defense Forum

ADF STAFF Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway was billed as a major economic driver that would benefit the region. However, six years after it opened, the railway has become a financial burden for the country and a key part of its deteriorating…

ADF STAFF A new United Nations report shows that the number of people killed in Mali continued to increase in 2022, despite pledges by the government to stamp out extremist violence. On March 22, the U.N. mission in Mali, MINUSMA,…

ADF STAFF In recent months, a new beer began appearing in bars around Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic — a beer that analysts say carries implications for countries where Russia’s Wagner Group mercenaries operate.…

ADF STAFF The Tanzania Navy recently deployed a vessel in the Mozambique Channel to help the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and international partners address an array of sea crimes, including illegal fishing, drug…

ADF STAFF People walk freely between Ghana and Burkina Faso where the towns of Paga and Dakola are joined. Aside from the rickety metal barriers and gate that cut across the main road, there is little indication of where one country ends…

ADF STAFF Porous borders and weak enforcement have turned certain regions into highways for international drug trafficking, which in turn fuels insurgencies and conflicts. West Africa in particular has become the transit hub for drugs…

ADF STAFF As Ethiopia begins the difficult task of fostering peace and reconciliation after a devastating civil war, observers are warning that neighboring Eritrea could upend the process. Some worry that Eritrean President Isaias…

ADF STAFF It is illegal for fishing vessels to discard unwanted fish in Ghanaian waters, but the practice continues, causing waste, environmental degradation and lost income for artisanal fishermen. According to a recent report by…

ADF STAFF South Africa drew international criticism for its recent military exercises with China and Russia, but there was no shortage of critics at home who argued that the drills were too costly and used funds needed elsewhere. The…

ADF STAFF The recent outbreak of coups in West Africa has cast a spotlight on some shortcomings in transitioning back to democracy. Since 2020, military juntas have swept to power in Mali (2021, 2022), Burkina Faso (twice in 2022) and…