Africa's rapidly evolving maritime security environment has prompted innovations in Africa's maritime security architecture, leading to greater regional security coordination. More than 90 percent of the world’s trade travels by sea. Submarine cables transmit 95 percent of telecommunications data and roughly $10 trillion per day. Cutting one group of such cables
Tag: Africa
AFRICOM commander calls for diplomatic push in Africa as US pulls troops from continent
John Vandiver The United States needs higher level political engagement in Africa to counter China’s growing influence even as the military cuts back troop levels on the continent, U.S. Africa Command’s commander told lawmakers Thursday. About 300 counterterrorism troops have been pulled from Africa in connection with a strategy shift that calls
Drone strikes a growing threat to African civilians
By zachary Donnenfeld Since 2016, Donald Trump has loosened the reins on the US drone programme by lowering the standards for who can be targeted and where. This has severe consequences for counter-terrorism operations in Africa – particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. On the eve of the 2016 US
US Begins withdrawal of Troops From Africa
The United States Africa Command (Africom) has begun withdrawing troops from the African continent in line with the Trump administration's priorities. The US plans to pull out about 10 percent of its 6,000 soldiers and military-affiliated civilians stationed in sub-Saharan countries in the next three years. This was revealed by Africom commander
Promising signs of Africa’s global leadership on maritime security
Africa is acutely vulnerable to maritime crime, which has become a low risk, high reward business. By Timothy Walker and Denys Reva Piracy and armed robbery at sea have long been regarded as a threat to international peace and security. But other types of maritime crime are just as significant. The African Union’s (AU) 2050 Africa’s
How Russia Is Growing Its Strategic Influence in Africa
By Theo Neethling, University of the Free State Much has been made about China's role and profile in Africa and the factors underlying its activities on the continent. Less debated is the spread and depth of Russia's contemporary presence and profile in Africa. There was a strong Russian influence in Africa during the heyday
Human suffering underlines the urgency to do more in 2019
Our Elections must reflect people’s will — Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday, said elections must reflect the will of the people for the citizens to reap the dividends of democracy in Africa. The former president, who noted that democratic practice varies from one country to another, said democracy in Africa would be promoted if elections are
Voyage of Life or Death
Editor's note: Nextier SPD Policy Weekly provides an analysis of topical conflict, security, and development issues as well as proposes recommendations to address them.This edition examines the risks posed by such migration and makes recommendations on how the challenges can be addressed. The phenomenon of irregular migration has become a major global security
Why Africa loves China
By Mehari Taddele Maru At the September 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, African Union Chairperson and Rwandan President Paul Kagamelauded the Chinese aid and investment strategy in Africa as a source of "deep transformation". Kagame argued that the cooperation between China and Africa is based on mutual respect and is for the