The Sudan crisis is complex—much more than just SAF v. RSF. There are dozens of groups—local, national, foreign. We've captured them in a helpful interactive map. This is not that map—this is a static version, but you can see the interactive map here: africacenter.org/spo...

Sudan's SAF and RSF operate as shifting coalitions of armed groups rather than unified organizational structures. We've mapped out dozens of these groups. Click the link for the interactive map. africacenter.org/spo...

Épidémie d’Ebola en RDC : explication Afin d’endiguer la nouvelle épidémie d’Ebola qui sévit dans l’est de la RDC, une mobilisation soutenue des acteurs régionaux et internationaux est nécessaire pour surmonter l’insécurité, l’inaccessibilité et la désinformation. africacenter.org/fr/...

China’s efforts in institution-building and professional development don't get a lot of headlines, but they are subtly influencing African maritime governance architectures and standards. This puts Africans' strategic autonomy at risk. africacenter.org/spo...

Once focused on “near seas active defense” (近海积极防御), China’s naval strategy has shifted to “far seas maneuvering operations” (远海机动作战能力), reflecting the PLA’s growing global ambitions. Africa is at the center of these operations. africacenter.org/spo...

To maximize the benefits of partnerships with Chinese state-owned companies, African nations need stronger governance and strategic coordination. This includes transparency, accountability, and debt management frameworks that balance ceilings with strategic borrowing. africacenter.org/spo...

“𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬.” —Kremlin spokesperson in May, when confronted with evidence of Russia’s deceptive recruitment of Africans to fight in Ukraine

Uganda’s army chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba—the son of President Yoweri Museveni—has ordered major independent outlets shut, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV, and the Daily Monitor. On X, he wrote: “I DO NOT believe in a free press!”

A counterintuitive aspect of the Mali junta's security strategy has been its rejection of willing allies in the face of its escalating militant threats: The junta expelled roughly 20,000 regional & international troops in favor of 1,000-2,500 Russian paramilitary forces. africacenter.org/spo...

Africa has 12 of the world’s top 20 fastest-growing economies, a median age of 19, and roughly 600 million people of working age. And Africa’s increasingly educated workforce is moving to towns and urban areas by the millions every year. And that's just the beginning ... africacenter.org/spo...

For the China-watchers or anyone concerned with African autonomy and agency, here are 5 things China wants from its growing web of engagements in African maritime systems:

Since declaring its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15th, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its partners have quickly mobilized. However, conflict, a fragile health system, and misinformation continue to complicate response efforts. Read more: africacenter.org/spo...

The latest outbreak of the Ebola virus in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—the country’s 17th since 1976—has resulted in more than 1,000 confirmed cases and over 250 deaths. Response has been particularly challenging, thanks in large part to the insecurity of the region. 1/6

5 Facts to Know: Ebola Epidemic in the DRC (new Spotlight analysis) 1️⃣ A rare virus strain delayed detection🧪The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which local laboratories lacked the tests to identify.

Why has the DRC Ebola outbreak been so challenging to address? We examine the factors, including a rare strain of the virus, persistent insecurity in the region, mistrust, forced displacement, fragile health systems, and food insecurity. Read to learn more: africacenter.org/spo...

An attack claimed by JNIM militants on Niger’s Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey underscores the widening reach of militant groups in the Sahel. The June 18 assault killed 11 soldiers and 2 civilians, according to Nigerien authorities. 1/5

Chad is not a stable country, and the spillover from the war in Sudan has become an increasingly serious security threat, acting as a multiplier of Chad's existing vulnerabilities. africacenter.org/spo...

Four maritime theaters, four different threat landscapes … and four ways drone technology is being used by threat actors. The proliferation of UAVs is expanding maritime surveillance capabilities, but also enabling malign actors to disrupt global shipping. We look at how: africacenter.org/spo...

Analysis of Russia's "recruitment" of Africans to fight in Ukraine has revealed a widespread network of fraud, coercion, and social engineering. 1/4

What first looked like isolated cases has now been exposed as an extensive and systematic effort by Russia to deceive Africans and lure them to fight and die in Ukraine. We've compiled what we know:

As today’s Africa Media Review notes, analysts warn that Nigeria’s very real security crises are being amplified and distorted as the election season approaches.

If you're tracking China's increasing influence around the world, you know African trade networks and infrastructure plays a central role—China accounts for roughly 22% of all African trade, and Chinese firms now operate, finance, partner with, or hold stakes in roughly 1/3 of African ports. 1/2

The ability of armed groups to strike across Mali underscores how security is weakened by distrust of the military by rural communities, poor intelligence, limited rapid response capability—and the silencing of civilian political interlocutors. africacenter.org/spo...

Nigeria's Minister of Defence calls for "a unified whole-of-society approach" to the country's security challenges, an approach not limited to military efforts but characterized by close collaboration between the government and local communities. prnigeria.com/2026/0... 1/3

African teams starting their 2026 World Cup journey today …

Africa faces a central tension from China’s deepening trade and port engagement in Africa’s port and trade corridors: Expanded capacity promises economic benefits, but risks reduced autonomy over critical infrastructure and altered governance norms.

Good showings for the African "defense" sector as two more African teams debuted at the World Cup today.

Playing tonight: Côte d'Ivoire (2300 GMT) Tunisia (200GMT)

Playing now …

Where are Mozambique's journalists? Where are the government's critics? The ruling party may know, a new report suggests.

A record 10 African teams are competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 🌍⚽ To celebrate, here's a schedule of all African teams through the Group Stage. #WorldCup2026 #AfricanFootball #Africa #Football #SecurityStudies #BafanaBafana #BlackStars #AtlasLions #TerangaLions

5 Facts to Know: China’s Integration in African Maritime Networks 🧵

Africa is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. By 2050, the continent is expected to grow from 1.5 to 2.5 billion people. 80% of this growth will occur in cities. As demographics change, how Africans approach security will have to change too. africacenter.org/spo...

Community-based conflict mitigation initiatives have been demonstrated to markedly reduce the triggers of societal conflict in Africa. Their wider application could be a game-changer for Africa's local threat landscape.

The expanded use of drones in the maritime security space is a double-edged sword. While they enable governments to extend their surveillance and monitoring capacity, they simultaneously advance the capacity of malign actors to conduct reconnaissance and target vessels.

An estimated 300 Egyptians have been deceptively recruited into the Russian conflict—often via the Telegram channel “Friends of Russia.”

Gulf state actors and Turkey have extensive engagements in East Africa, in critical infrastructure, ports, and the security sector. We mapped out the investments of 5 external actors in 12 African countries in meticulous detail; here are just a few screenshots. africacenter.org/spo...

Benin has already made noteworthy reforms to respond to the militant Islamist threat spilling across its northern border. Now read about the additional steps it needs to restore stability, and why they can be effective: africacenter.org/pub...

The ability of armed groups to strike across Mali—including the capital city—underscores persistent and interlinked security gaps: distrust of the military by rural communities, weak intelligence, and limited rapid response capability. 1/2

Senegal’s experience from the Casamance reveals that security agencies’ trust-building with local communities is a vital practical means of gaining cooperation and preempting mobilization to violence.

On Monday, Ethiopia will hold its first national elections since the end of the devastating conflict with Tigray in 2022. There's a lot going on behind the scenes … 1/6

The spillover from the war in Sudan has become an increasingly serious security threat for neighboring Chad. Behind the image it projects, Chad is not actually a stable country, and the war to its east is acting as a multiplier of existing vulnerabilities.

Somali pirates or Houthi militants do not need to maintain a naval presence in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden to be a threat. They only need to pose a credible risk to maritime traffic to disrupt it. And with aerial drones, this is easier than ever. africacenter.org/spo...

Inquiries by African governments and investigative journalists have begun to sketch out the scope and means employed by Russian government operatives to entrap ordinary Africans.

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

Inquiries by African governments and investigative journalists have begun to sketch out the scope and means employed by Russian government operatives to lure Africans to the front lines of its war in Ukraine. africacenter.org/spo...

The Institut Pasteur ​de Dakar, a Senegalese nonprofit, plays a central role in responding to disease outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and on May 5 it produced the partial genome that identified the hantavirus as the illness affecting a cruise ship waiting off Cape Verde. www.reuters.com/busi...

The proliferation of UAVs is expanding maritime surveillance capabilities while simultaneously enabling malign actors to disrupt global shipping—exposing a critical gap in the maritime security architecture.

Responding to societal conflicts with security force is reactive—addressing symptoms and risking escalation. Community-based conflict mediation is about giving communities the skills to stop conflict before it becomes violent. It's cheaper, safer, and more citizen-centric. 1/2

Through a shadowy network of online recruiters and Africans under duress, Russia has quietly assembled an extensive social engineering and human trafficking pipeline to lure thousands of Africans into the front lines and factories supporting Moscow’s war effort. Here's what we know … 1/6