Ideas

Can Anything Stop the Flow of Advanced Weapons into Libya?

If the country becomes a nexus for expertise and arms, increasingly deadly regional armed groups could destabilize the region.

Policy

Trump Officials Meet With Libyan Politician Aligned With Opposition ‘Strongman’ In Potential Policy Shift

US support for the UN-recognized Libyan government is in question after a series of quiet meetings with an enterprising presidential hopeful.

Ideas

The Hidden Damage of Trump’s Secret War in Somalia

Terrorist activity is not discernably declining, even as U.S. military activity and alleged civilian deaths rise.

Ideas

Africa, Great Power Competition, and the US Navy

Russia and China want to leverage Africa's people and resources. U.S. Naval Forces Africa aspires to work with African partners to bring about a secure and prosperous continent.

Ideas

Executing the US Africa Strategy, At Sea

By helping African nations improve maritime security ops, we are helping create the conditions that lead to a prosperous, self-reliant future.

Ideas

A Warlord Rises in Libya, and Trump Is Praising Him

It's Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan general who is leading his forces against the government the U.S. still officially backs.

Ideas

Protesters in Sudan and Algeria Have Learned From the Arab Spring

The demonstrations have their own local characteristics, but there are several parallels.

Ideas

Ep. 42: Escalating in Somalia

We look into why the U.S. military is escalating its air campaign against al-Shabaab, and what sort of challenges stand in the way of building up a Somali army that can fight Shabaab on its own.

Threats

What Will Climate Change Mean for Security in Africa?

The Pentagon faces different challenges in a continent where it has only one permanent base — but lots of troops.

Policy

Expect Shanahan's Niger-Ambush Review in 'Weeks': Official

A 4-star general will conduct a new review of the 2017 ambush that killed four U.S. troops in Niger.

Ideas

In Somalia, US Air Strikes Rise and Transparency Declines

The 2019 tally is on track to more than double last year’s total.

Ideas

Egypt’s President Is Crushing Dissent — and Fueling ISIS

Even if the White House is in denial about al-Sisi’s harm to regional instability, Congress shouldn't be.

Ideas

As Africa Seeks Global Partners, It Will Ask: Who's Helping with Climate Change?

If the United States hopes to outduel China for influence on the continent, it must consider Cyclone Idai and its turbocharged ilk to come.

Ideas

To Protect Africa’s Oceans, Stand Up to China

China is certainly not the only country with predatory fishing fleets, but its boats are the ones that have been invited into our territorial waters by a foreign power.

Policy

AFRICOM Adds Logistics Hub in West Africa, Hinting at an Enduring US Presence

From Ghana’s capital, a new supply network will ferry supplies and arms to special forces troops across the region.

Threats

AFRICOM Commander: SpecOps Cuts Won’t Help China, But We Could Use More Regular Troops

“It’s really a misleading narrative to say that optimization is causing us to walk away from Africa,” Gen. Waldhauser said in an interview.

Ideas

The US Needs a Real Plan to Counter China in Africa

The current toothless strategy won’t prevent Beijing from, say, squeezing supply lines to America's biggest African base.

Science & Tech

The US Is Buying Phone Hacking Tools for Ghana’s Police

The State Department wants Ghanaian law enforcement to be able to access Android, Windows, and BlackBerry devices used in transnational crime.

Policy

Trump’s New Africa Plan: Fewer US Troops and Aid, More Investment and Deals

To compete with China in Africa, the White House aims to encourage U.S. investment but will continue a troop drawdown and plans a harsh re-evaluation of foreign assistance.