governance

ADF STAFF Some have called it West Africa’s “Brexit.” Others referred to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger as “the three rebels” after their decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Whatever it’s called, the…

ADF STAFF International observers showered Liberia with praise after the West African nation with a grim history of conflict conducted largely peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections on October 10. “Liberians were able to freely…

ADF STAFF The recent military coup in Niger has not made life easier for Nigeriens or people in the wider region. Economic sanctions closed the bustling border between Niger and Nigeria, halting roughly $1.3 billion worth of annual trade.…

ADF STAFF Senegalese President Macky Sall’s announcement in July that he would not seek a third term in office was met with a mix of relief and pride in a country known for its democratic traditions. “A time bomb was just deactivated,”…

ADF STAFF In the early hours of August 29, Gabonese authorities announced that President Ali Bongo had won a disputed election that gave him a controversial third term. Gyldas A. Ofoulhast-Othamot, assistant professor of political science…

ADF STAFF The coup in Niger is the latest in a sharp rise of military takeovers that have undercut decades of democratic progress on the continent. With juntas in charge from Guinea in the west to Sudan in the east, Africa now has what…

ADF STAFF Less than two years after Guinea’s military seized power from then-President Alpha Condé, the junta is facing a wave of protests. Violence erupted in the capital of Conakry in May with anti-junta demonstrators throwing stones…

ADF STAFF When war broke out in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region in 2020, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed quickly ordered the severing of the region’s internet and telephone connections. Abiy’s order cast Tigray into an information…

AFRICA CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES On the sidelines of the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., the Africa Center for Strategic Studies conducted a dialogue with senior African security officials on December 14, 2022. ADF has…

ADF STAFF Democratic government systems are the overwhelming choice of people in Africa and beyond. Close to 69% of African people support democratic governance, and more than 75% of the continent’s population rejects military,…