Burkina Faso

ADF STAFF The spread of extremist violence in West Africa gave this year’s Exercise Flintlock an air of urgency, as counterterrorism training took center stage. Ghana Armed Forces Col. Richard Mensah, commander of the Joint Military…

ADF STAFF “The Grey Zone” is the name of the Telegram channel affiliated with Russia’s Wager Group mercenaries — a name that also reflects the lawless space in which Wagner works. “The Grey Zone” is also the title of a new analysis of…

ADF STAFF Groundbreaking began on new facilities at the G5 Sahel Defense College on February 14 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Once complete, the addition will include an expanded library, classroom space, a 20-seat language learning lab, and…

ADF STAFF Along their northern borders, Gulf of Guinea countries have experienced repeated incursions by extremists crossing over from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Faced with rising pressure from Sahel-based extremists, Gulf countries…

ADF STAFF In Ghana’s northeast corner, residents of border communities such as Sapelliga and Bawku see citizens of Burkina Faso fleeing violence and many wonder when it will descend on them. “Everyone in this community is worried because…

ADF STAFF A Framework Political Agreement signed December 5 between Sudan’s ruling military junta and a collection of civilian political groups has been praised as the first step on the path to democracy. However, observers fear the close…

ADF STAFF A new joint investigation has found a prolific Russian disinformation campaign sowing division and spreading propaganda across the continent. A Belgian man with links to dictators and the infamous Russian mercenary Wagner Group…

ADF STAFF Africa is less safe and less democratic than a decade ago, but there is still hope. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation published the stark conclusions of the latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance on January 25, 2023. But they have…

ADF STAFF Three years after Burkina Faso recruited civilian volunteers to join the fight against terrorists in its northern regions, those groups are being blamed for crimes. The deaths of 30 people in late December in the Nouna community…

ADF STAFF Many rural West African communities rely on donkeys as a source of labor, transport and income. Traditional Chinese medicine values donkeys for their skins. In recent years, China has been unable to meet its high demand for…