Africa Center for Strategic Studies

Africa Center for Strategic Studies The Africa Center for Strategic Studies serves as a forum for research, academic programs and ideas.

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies serves as a forum for research, academic programs, and the exchange of ideas with the aim of enhancing citizen security by strengthening the effectiveness and accountability of African institutions.

The Sahel has seen the most rapid growth in violent extremist activity of any region in Africa over the past two years. ...
06/05/2026

The Sahel has seen the most rapid growth in violent extremist activity of any region in Africa over the past two years. The region is also a nexus of criminal networks and illicit trafficking and has experienced a rise in farmer-herder violence.

The Sahel, moreover, has the fastest population growth rate on the continent, despite being among the poorest and facing some of the most fragile environmental conditions. Consequently, migrants from the Sahel constitute a significant share of those trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

All the while, emerging democratic institutions are trying to gain traction in the region. Here is a selection of Africa Center work on the region: https://africacenter.org/in-focus/the-sahel/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-EN-day.

انتخابات إفريقيا ٢٠٢٦: مواجهة التعقيدات لتحقيق مصالح المواطنينيتعين على إفريقيا مواجهة بيئة انتخابية معقدة في عام ٢٠٢٦، ...
06/04/2026

انتخابات إفريقيا ٢٠٢٦: مواجهة التعقيدات لتحقيق مصالح المواطنين

يتعين على إفريقيا مواجهة بيئة انتخابية معقدة في عام ٢٠٢٦، تشمل الصراعات، وهيمنة شاغلي المناصب، وتزايد استياء الشباب، وتأثيرات الجهات الخارجية، مما يجعل من الصعب سماع أصوات المواطنين.

https://africacenter.org/ar/spotlight/ar-elections-2026/

En Afrique, la portée de la menace des islamistes militants ne cesse de s’élargirEn Afrique, les morts imputables aux gr...
06/03/2026

En Afrique, la portée de la menace des islamistes militants ne cesse de s’élargir

En Afrique, les morts imputables aux groupes islamistes militants continuent d’atteindre des niveaux records. Les 23 968 morts enregistrées en 2025 constituent une augmentation de 24 % par rapport à 2024 et reflètent une augmentation de la violence dans quasiment tous les théâtres. Avec 8 375 événements signalés imputables à ces groupes, ce chiffre est le plus élevé jamais enregistré sur le continent.

En savoir plus : https://africacenter.org/fr/spotlight/2026a-portee-menace-islamistes-militants-afrique/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-Fran%c3%a7ais

Fatalities linked to militant Islamist groups in Africa continue to occur at near record levels. The 23,968 fatalities i...
06/02/2026

Fatalities linked to militant Islamist groups in Africa continue to occur at near record levels. The 23,968 fatalities in 2025, a 24 percent increase from the previous year, reflect increased violence in nearly every theater. The reported 8,375 violent events linked to these groups were the highest ever reported on the continent.

Collectively—the Sahel, Somalia, and Lake Chad Basin—account for 98 percent of all militant Islamist group-linked fatalities in Africa.

Read more about the effects of militant Islamist violence in Africa on our website. Link in the comments.

🔦 Éclairage : Les drones dans l’océan Indien occidental obligent à s’adapter en matière de sécurité maritimeLa proliféra...
06/01/2026

🔦 Éclairage : Les drones dans l’océan Indien occidental obligent à s’adapter en matière de sécurité maritime

La prolifération des drones renforce les capacités de surveillance maritime tout en permettant à des acteurs malveillants de perturber le transport maritime mondial, mettant ainsi en évidence une faille critique dans l'architecture de la sécurité maritime.

Éthiopie : Élargir la représentation tout en gérant les forces centrifugesLes premières élections nationales depuis la f...
05/31/2026

Éthiopie : Élargir la représentation tout en gérant les forces centrifuges

Les premières élections nationales depuis la fin du conflit dévastateur avec le Tigré en 2022, qui a coûté la vie à des centaines de milliers de personnes auront lieu en Éthiopie. Cette situation, conjuguée à l’expérience limitée de l’Éthiopie en matière d’élections compétitives, souligne l’importance – et les défis considérables que cela représente – pour ce pays de 130 millions d’habitants d’organiser des élections en 2026.

Les tensions persistantes autour du Tigré et les affrontements entre les forces fédérales et d’autres groupes séparatistes armés à caractère ethnique dans les régions d’Amhara et d’Oromia rendent le climat électoral encore plus tendu. L’une des principales priorités des élections sera donc d’assurer la sécurité pour permettre le vote (et l’inscription sur les listes électorales) dans le plus grand nombre possible de régions du pays.

https://africacenter.org/fr/spotlight/fr-elections-2026/ethiopia/

Ethiopians head to the polls on June 1. These elections will be the first at the national level since the end of the dev...
05/30/2026

Ethiopians head to the polls on June 1.

These elections will be the first at the national level since the end of the devastating conflict with Tigray in 2022, which cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. This, along with Ethiopia’s limited legacy of competitive elections, underscores the importance—and daunting challenges involved—of this country of 130 million people holding elections in 2026.

Ongoing frictions surrounding Tigray and clashes between federal forces and other armed, ethnically based separatist groups in Amhara and Oromia make the electoral environment even more fraught. A central priority for the elections, therefore, will be how to ensure security to enable voting (and enfranchisement) in as much of the country as possible.

Read more about the election in our election preview. Link in the comments.

On May 25th, the African Union celebrated Africa Day, the anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Uni...
05/27/2026

On May 25th, the African Union celebrated Africa Day, the anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Founded in 1963, this predecessor to the African Union (AU) had two central missions: defend the independence of new states and coordinate the total decolonization of Africa by providing military support to over two dozen armed movements.

Among other achievements, the OAU gave decisive leadership on conflict resolution in countries emerging from colonialism and apartheid, kept the public informed through its own news agencies, and mobilized international public engagement.

Today, the AU faces significant organizational challenges, but it plays a crucial role both on the continent and the international stage. With reform, it has potential to become an even more influential institution as envisioned by the African leaders who founded the OAU.

Read more about the OAU, AU, and calls for institutional reform on our website. Link in the comments.

5 Facts to Know: Russia’s Deceptive War Recruitment of Africans1️⃣ A systematic, state-backed trafficking pipeline ⚙️ Ru...
05/27/2026

5 Facts to Know: Russia’s Deceptive War Recruitment of Africans

1️⃣ A systematic, state-backed trafficking pipeline ⚙️ Russia has built an extensive recruitment network involving its Federal Security Service (FSB) that funnels thousands of young Africans from an estimated 45 countries into military front lines and hazardous drone factories under false pretenses.

2️⃣ Driven by severe battlefield shortages 📊 To offset an estimated 1.2 million casualties since attacking Ukraine in 2022, Moscow targets African job seekers to generate 30,000–35,000 new monthly recruits and avoid a politically risky domestic mobilization.

3️⃣ Deceptive bait-and-switch tactics 🔍 Posing as legitimate "work abroad" agencies, criminal syndicates have lured victims with promises of high-paying civilian jobs or study programs, only to confiscate their passports and force them to sign Cyrillic military contracts upon arrival.

4️⃣ High mortality in expendable roles ⚠️ Used effectively as "cannon fodder" in high-risk attrition assaults with little training or equipment, conscripted Africans face severe physical abuse and a confirmed 22-percent fatality rate in a leaked database, with some reports showing 42 percent die within four months.

5️⃣ Rising African demands for accountability 🪧 Exposing a complex nexus of human trafficking, disinformation, and foreign interference, African governments, families of victims, civil society are calling for accountability and coordinated regional responses to counter these schemes.

Address

300 5th Avenue, SW, Fort Lesley J McNair
Washington D.C., DC
20319

Telephone

+12026853210

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Africa Center for Strategic Studies posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Africa Center for Strategic Studies:

Shortcuts

Share

Category