Read the North Africa Weekly on LinkedIn or join the conversation on X: @StimsonNAfrica
From the North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Sahel Program
Events, commentaries and updates from the Stimson Center.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are reshaping the Sahel’s political and security landscape. Watch the Stimson Center event of a rare joint conversation with the ambassadors of all three Alliance of Sahel States members to discuss regional realignment, security, and future international engagement.
In a new commentary for the Stimson Center, Research Associate Yusuf Can & Stefan Lukas of Middle East Minds map how Russia, the Gulf states and Turkey are reshaping North Africa’s security and economic landscape.
Stimson Center’s North Africa, Sahel and Mediterranean Program published a flagship report, analyzing Morocco’s evolution into a strategic middle power amid economic transformation, climate stress, and geopolitical competition.
In a recent Issue Brief, Dario Cristiani, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, examines Algeria’s constrained geopolitical influence amid rising competition, internal stability, and evolving Mediterranean partnerships.
Morocco is advancing its energy and minerals sectors to strengthen security and drive the green transition. Watch Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), explore strategy and partnerships at the Stimson Center.
On Our Radar
The headlines shaping politics, security, and economics across North Africa and the Sahel.
BBC News (Pidgin)
BBC report covering the deteriorating security situation across the Sahel, examining how al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and other armed groups are consolidating territorial control in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and what this means for West African coastal states.
Financial Times
Financial Times reporting on energy developments in the broader MENA region, addressing investment realignment themes during the Iran war and Hormuz disruption period.
OilPrice. com
Analysis of Algeria’s substantial natural gas reserves and its position as a key European supplier amid the Hormuz crisis, while examining the structural production challenges, aging infrastructure, and underinvestment that constrain Sonatrach’s ability to fully capitalize on surging demand.
Arab News
Egypt’s economy grew 5.2% in the period between July and March of the financial year 2025-26, according to the Planning Ministry. The financial year in Egypt ends June 30.
Business Insider Africa
Egypt opens a new revenue-generating facility projected to bring in between $250 million and $500 million, part of Cairo’s broader strategy to boost foreign currency earnings and diversify its economy amid fiscal pressures.
African Development Bank
The AfDB launches a new agricultural support project in Sudan aimed at strengthening food security and rural livelihoods amid the civil war’s devastating impact on farming, displacement, and food supply chains.
Business Insider Africa
Feature on the deepening military cooperation between Turkey and Egypt after years of tension, examining defense partnerships, joint exercises, and the strategic realignment reshaping Eastern Mediterranean and North African security dynamics.
Reuters
Egypt purchases a record quantity of wheat from domestic farmers following procurement reforms, part of Cairo’s strategy to reduce dependence on imported grain and strengthen food security amid Hormuz-driven supply disruptions and currency pressures.
Reuters
Reuters reports that JNIM is moderating its use of violence in areas under its control across Mali as part of a deliberate governance strategy, seeking to win civilian acquiescence and consolidate territorial authority as the group expands its influence.
Reuters
S&P Restores Afreximbank’s Investment-Grade Rating
S&P Global Ratings restores the African Export-Import Bank’s investment-grade credit rating, a significant development for the pan-African trade finance institution’s borrowing costs and its capacity to support trade and development across the continent.
Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM)
Global Risk Review, June 2026
ISRM’s monthly global risk assessment covering geopolitical, economic, and security risks worldwide, including analysis relevant to North African and Sahelian instability, the Sudan war, the Iran conflict, and the Hormuz energy shock.
IOM
DTM Sudan Cross-Border Monitoring Report
IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix report monitoring cross-border population movements from Sudan into neighboring countries during June 4–8, documenting refugee and returnee flows, displacement profiles, and protection risks amid the ongoing civil war.
The North Africa Post
Morocco Gets $650 Million World Bank Funding to Advance Digital Transformation, Climate Resilience
The World Bank approves $650 million in financing to support Morocco’s digital transformation agenda and climate resilience programs, reinforcing the country’s positioning as a regional hub for technology and green development.
Defense News
Experts Warn Terrorism Threat Is Rising in Africa as U.S. Pulls Back
Defense News report on expert testimony and think-tank analysis warning that the Trump administration’s drawdown of US counterterrorism assets, intelligence-sharing, and diplomatic engagement in Africa is creating a vacuum that JNIM, ISSP, and al-Shabaab are actively exploiting.
Hespress
Trump Adviser and French Foreign Minister Discuss Morocco Autonomy Plan in Africa Talks
Reports on discussions between U.S. Senior Adviser for Africa Massad Boulos and French FM Jean-Noël Barrot on Western Sahara, with both sides reaffirming support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the basis for a negotiated solution.
Enterprise AM (Egypt)
Exclusive: Egypt Is Looking to Raise $10.3 Billion from State Asset Sales by End of FY 2026–27
Exclusive report on Egypt’s accelerated state asset privatization program, with the government targeting $10.3 billion in proceeds from the sale of military-owned enterprises, public utilities, and real estate by the end of the 2026–27 fiscal year.
South China Morning Post
How China Is Turning a Historic African Slave Port into a Waterfront Tourism Destination
Feature on China’s role in redeveloping the historic slave port of Ouidah in Benin into a tourism and cultural heritage destination, examining the diplomatic and soft-power dimensions of Chinese infrastructure investment in West Africa.
UN News
Sudan War: Drone Attacks Damage Key Aid Routes
The UN warns that escalating attacks on bridges and roads, including the Ardamata bridge in West Darfur, are disrupting humanitarian aid delivery and accelerating the regionalization of the conflict into neighboring Chad.
UN News
World News in Brief: Hunger Grows in the Sahel
Citing OCHA’s 2026 Sahel humanitarian plan, nearly 12,900 schools have closed leaving more than 2.3 million children out of class, with aid agencies receiving only 29% of needed funding last year and 24.3 million people now in need region-wide.
Bloomberg
Senegal’s Sonko Secures Pastef Presidency, Deepening Rift with Faye
Ousmane Sonko is re-elected unopposed as president of the ruling Pastef party amid escalating tension with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and a deepening national debt crisis.
Al Jazeera
Ranking the Middle East and North African Teams at World Cup 2026
Breaks down the prospects of the eight MENA teams at the 2026 World Cup, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, as the tournament kicks off.
Morocco World News
U.S. Urges ‘Good Faith Discussions’ on Western Sahara ‘Without Delay’
Reports U.S. adviser Massad Boulos’s Oslo Forum remarks and his meeting with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura pushing for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara.
ABC News
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Call for Joint ‘Large-Scale Operations’ Against Extremists
AES head Captain Ibrahim Traoré calls for large-scale joint operations following the launch of the FU-AES unified force, which brings together approximately 5,000 troops under a unified command headquartered in Niamey.
Washington Post
Senegal’s Ousted PM Sonko Boycotts New Government, Raising Fears of Political Deadlock
Sonko’s Pastef party refuses to join the new cabinet amid record national debt of 132% of GDP at end-2024, raising the prospect of institutional paralysis as IMF negotiations approach.
The Media Line
Libya Election Body Says It Is Ready for 2026 Presidential Vote
Libya’s HNEC says it is prepared to run presidential polls if rival leaders agree on funding, security, and electoral rules, though deep political divisions continue to block a firm date.
Ahram Online
Factbox: IMF’s Latest Review Highlights Risks, Reform Progress Under Egypt’s $8 Billion EFF Loan Deal
The IMF flags fiscal vulnerabilities and the military’s economic footprint while projecting 4.7% growth for Egypt in FY2025/26 under the Extended Fund Facility program.
Africa Defense Forum
Islamic State Uses Sahel Base to Sow Terror Abroad
Details how Islamic State Sahel Province financed a foiled Morocco plot and seeks to expand its operations beyond the Liptako-Gourma tri-border zone into North and coastal West Africa.
UNDP / ISS
Beyond the Conflict: Sudan Development Scenarios Report
Projects that under a protracted conflict scenario to 2030, Sudan’s 2043 GDP would be $34.5 billion lower than with no war, GDP per capita would fall by roughly $1,700, and over 60% of the population would live in extreme poverty—an additional 34 million people.
World Bank
Middle East and North Africa Economic Update, Spring 2026
Finds that, excluding Iran, regional growth is expected to slow from 4.0% in 2025 to 1.8% in 2026, 2.4 percentage points below the Bank’s January projection, under the shadow of the Iran war and Hormuz closure.
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) Populations at Risk
Warns of crimes-against-humanity risk across the central Sahel amid both jihadist insurgency and counterterrorism abuses by state forces and allied militias.
Reports & Analysis on the Region
Deeper dives from experts, think tanks, and research institutes.
COMMENTARY
Geography of Wealth Ties Sudan’s Feuding Factions Together
Stimson Center Program Director Hafed Al Ghwell argues that despite Sudan’s de facto division between rival military administrations, deep interdependence in geography, infrastructure, trade, natural resources, and regional security makes formal partition unworkable, leaving the country trapped in a prolonged state of fragmentation without a viable path to either unity or separation.
REPORT
Mauritania Rising: Economic and Investment Update
Covering recent economic and investment developments in Mauritania, including the country’s gas sector progress, Chinese investment in port infrastructure, and Mauritania’s positioning as an emerging energy hub bridging the Maghreb and West Africa.
REPORT
Briefing on the Situation in Libya
Ahead of the AU Peace and Security Council’s 1,352nd meeting, Amani Africa analyzes Libya’s stalled political transition, the rival GNU and GNS governments, UNSMIL’s two-step roadmap, the April 11 unified budget brokered by U.S. envoy Massad Boulos, and concerns that parallel US power-sharing efforts could undermine the UN-led process.
COMMENTARY
Egypt: Revitalising Non-Alignment
Opinion piece arguing that Egypt is strategically reviving its historic non-alignment posture amid the Iran war and intensifying great-power competition, positioning Cairo to balance relationships with the U.S., Gulf states, Russia, and China while preserving its strategic autonomy.
COMMENTARY
Senegal’s Debt Crisis Has Moved Its Leaders from Partners to Rivals
Lesley Anne Warner argues the Faye-Sonko split maps onto the broader West African political fracture and threatens both Senegal’s ECOWAS leadership role and its pending IMF negotiations.
COMMENTARY
JNIM’s Blockade Tactics Threaten West Africa’s Trade Corridors
ISS Africa analysis of JNIM’s economic warfare strategy, examining how the group’s fuel and transport blockades and supply-route strangulation are choking commerce across Mali and into coastal West Africa.
COMMENTARY
Peacekeeping Funding Cuts Mean Africa Must Rethink Security
ISS Africa examines the implications of UN peacekeeping budget cuts for African security architecture, arguing that the continent must develop self-financed and locally-owned security mechanisms.
COMMENTARY
US Minerals Diplomacy Tests Sahel Countries’ Partnership Choices
ISS Africa analysis argues that Mali’s lithium reserves and Niger’s uranium are driving US re-engagement, forcing AES juntas into a hedging calculus between Western partnership benefits and their anti-Western posture.
REPORT
Sudan, June 2026 Monthly Forecast
Security Council Report Previews the 120-day Sudan briefing and the 1591 Sanctions Committee briefing to the UN Security Council amid an entrenched war of attrition between the SAF and RSF.
REPORT
Libya, June 2026 Monthly Forecast
Security Council Report Previews the 60-day UNSMIL briefing by Hanna Tetteh amid political deadlock and the Zawiya refinery clashes, with the Council expected to address the electoral process and economic governance.
REPORT
JNIM’s Expansion in the Sahel
Detailed report on JNIM’s territorial expansion, governance models, and the risks its southward push poses to coastal West African states including Benin, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.
COMMENTARY
Insurgent Offensive in Mali Exposes the Deficiencies of Junta-led Security in the Sahel
Lesley Anne Warner cites ACLED data showing battles involving Russian fighters in Mali fell from 537 in 2024 to 402 in 2025, with Africa Corps averaging just 24 incidents per month by early 2026, marking the failure of the junta-Russia security model.
COMMENTARY
Europe, Mauritania and the Gulf states: Securing stability and growth in the Sahel
ECFR analysis on how Mauritania is a vital buffer against Sahelian instability and a central partner for Europe’s energy and migration policies. As Gulf Arab influence grows, the EU’s Pact for the Mediterranean can align trilateral financial and security interests.
REPORT
Middle East and North Africa Economic Update, Spring 2026
World Bank assesses growth, fiscal, and inflation dynamics across Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia under the shadow of the Iran war and Hormuz closure, with MENA growth downgraded sharply.
COMMENTARY
Emergency Response Rooms Work in Sudan. We Could Change Aid Models
Chatham House analysis of Sudan’s grassroots Emergency Response Rooms, the mutual-aid networks sustaining civilians through the civil war, arguing their success in delivering localized, community-led humanitarian assistance offers a model that could fundamentally reshape the international aid system.
REPORT
Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies (Special Report)
FT special report ranking and profiling Africa’s fastest-growing companies, examining the sectors, business models, and macroeconomic conditions driving corporate growth across the continent including North African firms in fintech, logistics, and energy.
COMMENTARY
Egypt’s Bet on Land Monetization
Atlantic Council analysis of Egypt’s strategy to monetize state-owned land as a fiscal tool to address its debt burden and IMF program requirements, examining whether converting public land into revenue can deliver sustainable returns or merely defers deeper structural economic reforms.
COMMENTARY
What Can Save Mali from Collapse?
Atlantic Council analysis arguing that Mali is approaching state collapse under the combined pressure of the JNIM-FLA offensive, junta misrule, and the failure of the Russia Africa Corps security model and examining what political and security interventions might still avert a complete breakdown.
COMMENTARY
The Global Costs of a Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz
Policy Center for the New South Analysis quantifying the worldwide economic consequences of the Strait of Hormuz closure during the Iran war, examining the transmission of energy price shocks, shipping disruptions, and supply chain breakdowns to African and global economies.
COMMENTARY
Egypt’s Weakening Arab Leverage and Ethiopia’s Strategic Opening
Analysis arguing that Egypt’s diplomatic credibility in the Arab world has been eroded by its restrained response to the Iran war and tensions with Gulf partners, creating a strategic window for Ethiopia to advance its Red Sea access ambitions and GERD position.
REPORT
Central Bank Independence and Inflation Outcomes
IMF departmental paper examining the relationship between central bank independence and inflation outcomes, with analysis relevant to North African and Sahelian monetary authorities navigating the inflationary pressures of the Iran-war energy and food price shocks.
COMMENTARY
Stress Test: The Hormuz Crisis and the Fracturing Global Energy Order
Policy Center for the New South Analysis using the Hormuz crisis as a stress test of the global energy system, arguing the disruption has exposed and accelerated the fragmentation of the international energy order with significant implications for African producers and importers.
BOOK REVIEW
Book Review: How Africa Works by Joe Studwell
A review of Joe Studwell’s book on African economic development, assessing its arguments about industrial policy, agricultural transformation, and the structural conditions for growth against the continent’s contemporary development challenges.
COMMENTARY
Africa Needs More Petroleum Refineries
Hafez Ghanem of Policy Center for the New South argues that the Iran-war energy shock highlights the need for Africa to refine more of its own crude, noting estimates of expanded refining could add $26–65 billion per year in value with implied returns of 12–30%, citing Nigeria’s 650,000 bpd Dangote refinery.
COMMENTARY
Could China Help Make Africa a Factory for the World?
The Economist examines whether China’s tariff-free market access and manufacturing investment push could help transform parts of Africa into export-oriented industrial zones, assessing the infrastructure, governance, and currency constraints that have stymied similar initiatives.
COMMENTARY
A Balancing Act in a Rentier Reality: Egypt and the Iran War
TIMEP analysis examining Egypt’s paradoxical position as a structurally dependent rentier state, exposed through Suez Canal revenue losses, energy import costs, and tightening Gulf financial support, while pursuing deliberate adaptive non-alignment in the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
Upcoming Events
Key briefings and conferences to watch.
Atlantic Council
2026 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics
December 11, 2026 — The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual flagship convening focused on issues at the nexus of economics, finance, foreign policy, and national security.
Policy Center for the New South
Sailing by Lightning: Interest-Driven Europe-Africa Partnership for Effective Multilateralism
July 6, 2026 — Event examining how a pragmatic, interest-driven partnership between Europe and Africa could strengthen effective multilateralism, addressing trade, security, migration, and development cooperation in a fragmenting global order.
Tune In
Hear the latest insights from regional experts.
WEBINAR
How might an African credit rating agency improve the continent’s financing conditions?
A joint Chatham House panel discussion, held in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, assessing the potential impact of an African credit rating agency on reducing borrowing costs and lowering barriers to financing for African countries.
VIDEO REPORT
Sudan Crisis Worsens as Civil War Enters 4th Year and Hormuz Closure Disrupts Aid
PBS NewsHour reports on Sudan’s deepening famine and how the Strait of Hormuz closure is compounding the humanitarian catastrophe by disrupting fuel and fertilizer supplies for Sudanese farmers.
PODCAST
The New Alliance of Sahel States and the Future of Africa’s Legacy Institutions
Beverly Ochieng analyzes AES politics, security, and the bloc’s exit from ECOWAS, examining what the realignment means for Africa’s established regional institutions.
PODCAST
In Mali, What Way Out of the Crisis One Month After the April 25 Attacks?
ICG French-language podcast episode with Sahel experts examining the political, security, and humanitarian situation in Mali one month after the coordinated JNIM-FLA offensive, and assessing what pathways, if any, exist toward de-escalation.
WEBINAR
Bridging the Skills Gap: Mobilising Southern Mediterranean Talent to Address Labour Shortages
Policy Center for the New South event examining how to mobilize talent across the Southern Mediterranean to address European and regional labor shortages, focusing on skills development, migration policy, and workforce mobility between North Africa and Europe.
Job Opportunities
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
Country Director — Nigeria
MAG is seeking an experienced Country Director to lead and represent our programme in Nigeria, while also providing oversight of smaller projects in Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.
Apply by June 22nd.
Nonviolent Peaceforce
International Protection Officer
Humanitarian protection officer roles in Sudan supporting refugee and displacement response programming, with responsibilities spanning protection monitoring, case management, and coordination in conflict-affected operations.
Apply by June 22nd.
Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)
Chad: Climate and Environment Project Director
Senior project director role based in N’Djamena leading climate and environment programming in Chad, overseeing initiatives addressing environmental resilience, adaptation, and natural resource management in the Sahel.
Apply by July 15th.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Internship Programme for Near East and North Africa (RNE)
The Internship Programme aims to attract talented young women and men who are strongly motivated to share their new perspectives, innovative ideas, and latest academic experience in FAO’s domains. Apply by August 25th.
International Rescue Committee
Senior Manager, Emergency Cash and Basic Needs (Sudan)
Leads IRC’s emergency cash assistance and basic-needs programming through December 2026. Apply by December 31st.
University of Cambridge
Building Capacity for the Assessment and Management of Marine Invasive Alien Species in North Africa
Invitation for early-career professionals from across North Africa to join us in Tunis for a
collaborative workshop on marine invasive alien species. Apply by June 30th.
Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Researcher
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is seeking a Researcher to join its small research team. The role supports the Foundation’s key initiatives, e.g., the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) and the Ibrahim Forum Report, through data analysis, research production, and content dissemination. It is ideal for someone passionate about governance, policy, and development in Africa.
Apply beginning mid-August 2026.
Policy Center for the New South
Junior Professional Program (Fellowship/Job) Two-year structured professional development contract in Rabat for early-career analysts working on Morocco, Africa and Global South issues.
North Africa
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JUNE 10—17: This Week in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Sahel. As the Iran war reshapes energy markets, trade routes, and growth forecasts from the Mediterranean to the Gulf, North African states are racing to adapt through economic reforms, energy diversification, and new strategic partnerships, as worsening insecurity in the Sahel threatens to undermine regional stability—explore the latest developments shaping North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Sahel.
Read the North Africa Weekly on LinkedIn or join the conversation on X: @StimsonNAfrica
From the North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Sahel Program
Events, commentaries and updates from the Stimson Center.
A Conversation with the Ambassadors of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger: The Sahel at a Crossroads
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are reshaping the Sahel’s political and security landscape. Watch the Stimson Center event of a rare joint conversation with the ambassadors of all three Alliance of Sahel States members to discuss regional realignment, security, and future international engagement.
The Game of Middle Powers in North Africa
In a new commentary for the Stimson Center, Research Associate Yusuf Can & Stefan Lukas of Middle East Minds map how Russia, the Gulf states and Turkey are reshaping North Africa’s security and economic landscape.
Morocco Country Report
Stimson Center’s North Africa, Sahel and Mediterranean Program published a flagship report, analyzing Morocco’s evolution into a strategic middle power amid economic transformation, climate stress, and geopolitical competition.
Algeria as a Geopolitical Actor: Strategic Dynamics and Regional Implications
In a recent Issue Brief, Dario Cristiani, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, examines Algeria’s constrained geopolitical influence amid rising competition, internal stability, and evolving Mediterranean partnerships.
A Conversation with Ms. Amina Benkhadra: Morocco’s Energy Future and Strategic Resources
Morocco is advancing its energy and minerals sectors to strengthen security and drive the green transition. Watch Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), explore strategy and partnerships at the Stimson Center.
On Our Radar
The headlines shaping politics, security, and economics across North Africa and the Sahel.
BBC News (Pidgin)
Mali Announces $3.5 million Bounty to Capture JNIM Leader
BBC report covering the deteriorating security situation across the Sahel, examining how al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and other armed groups are consolidating territorial control in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and what this means for West African coastal states.
Financial Times
Electrification jumps up corporate agenda after energy crisis, survey finds
Financial Times reporting on energy developments in the broader MENA region, addressing investment realignment themes during the Iran war and Hormuz disruption period.
OilPrice. com
Algeria’s Gas Advantage Is Real, So Are Its Production Problems
Analysis of Algeria’s substantial natural gas reserves and its position as a key European supplier amid the Hormuz crisis, while examining the structural production challenges, aging infrastructure, and underinvestment that constrain Sonatrach’s ability to fully capitalize on surging demand.
Arab News
Egypt’s economy grows 5.2% in first 9 months
Egypt’s economy grew 5.2% in the period between July and March of the financial year 2025-26, according to the Planning Ministry. The financial year in Egypt ends June 30.
Business Insider Africa
Egypt Inaugurates New Facility Intended to Generate $250 Million to $500 Million
Egypt opens a new revenue-generating facility projected to bring in between $250 million and $500 million, part of Cairo’s broader strategy to boost foreign currency earnings and diversify its economy amid fiscal pressures.
African Development Bank
African Development Bank Group Launches Project to Boost Agriculture in Sudan
The AfDB launches a new agricultural support project in Sudan aimed at strengthening food security and rural livelihoods amid the civil war’s devastating impact on farming, displacement, and food supply chains.
Business Insider Africa
After Years of Distrust, Turkey and Africa’s Most Powerful Military Have Begun Cooperating
Feature on the deepening military cooperation between Turkey and Egypt after years of tension, examining defense partnerships, joint exercises, and the strategic realignment reshaping Eastern Mediterranean and North African security dynamics.
Reuters
Egypt Buys Record Amount of Wheat from Farmers After Reforms
Egypt purchases a record quantity of wheat from domestic farmers following procurement reforms, part of Cairo’s strategy to reduce dependence on imported grain and strengthen food security amid Hormuz-driven supply disruptions and currency pressures.
Reuters
Militants in Mali Linked to al-Qaeda Curb Brutality as They Tighten Control
Reuters reports that JNIM is moderating its use of violence in areas under its control across Mali as part of a deliberate governance strategy, seeking to win civilian acquiescence and consolidate territorial authority as the group expands its influence.
Reuters
S&P Restores Afreximbank’s Investment-Grade Rating
S&P Global Ratings restores the African Export-Import Bank’s investment-grade credit rating, a significant development for the pan-African trade finance institution’s borrowing costs and its capacity to support trade and development across the continent.
Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM)
Global Risk Review, June 2026
ISRM’s monthly global risk assessment covering geopolitical, economic, and security risks worldwide, including analysis relevant to North African and Sahelian instability, the Sudan war, the Iran conflict, and the Hormuz energy shock.
IOM
DTM Sudan Cross-Border Monitoring Report
IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix report monitoring cross-border population movements from Sudan into neighboring countries during June 4–8, documenting refugee and returnee flows, displacement profiles, and protection risks amid the ongoing civil war.
The North Africa Post
Morocco Gets $650 Million World Bank Funding to Advance Digital Transformation, Climate Resilience
The World Bank approves $650 million in financing to support Morocco’s digital transformation agenda and climate resilience programs, reinforcing the country’s positioning as a regional hub for technology and green development.
Defense News
Experts Warn Terrorism Threat Is Rising in Africa as U.S. Pulls Back
Defense News report on expert testimony and think-tank analysis warning that the Trump administration’s drawdown of US counterterrorism assets, intelligence-sharing, and diplomatic engagement in Africa is creating a vacuum that JNIM, ISSP, and al-Shabaab are actively exploiting.
Hespress
Trump Adviser and French Foreign Minister Discuss Morocco Autonomy Plan in Africa Talks
Reports on discussions between U.S. Senior Adviser for Africa Massad Boulos and French FM Jean-Noël Barrot on Western Sahara, with both sides reaffirming support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the basis for a negotiated solution.
Enterprise AM (Egypt)
Exclusive: Egypt Is Looking to Raise $10.3 Billion from State Asset Sales by End of FY 2026–27
Exclusive report on Egypt’s accelerated state asset privatization program, with the government targeting $10.3 billion in proceeds from the sale of military-owned enterprises, public utilities, and real estate by the end of the 2026–27 fiscal year.
South China Morning Post
How China Is Turning a Historic African Slave Port into a Waterfront Tourism Destination
Feature on China’s role in redeveloping the historic slave port of Ouidah in Benin into a tourism and cultural heritage destination, examining the diplomatic and soft-power dimensions of Chinese infrastructure investment in West Africa.
UN News
Sudan War: Drone Attacks Damage Key Aid Routes
The UN warns that escalating attacks on bridges and roads, including the Ardamata bridge in West Darfur, are disrupting humanitarian aid delivery and accelerating the regionalization of the conflict into neighboring Chad.
UN News
World News in Brief: Hunger Grows in the Sahel
Citing OCHA’s 2026 Sahel humanitarian plan, nearly 12,900 schools have closed leaving more than 2.3 million children out of class, with aid agencies receiving only 29% of needed funding last year and 24.3 million people now in need region-wide.
Bloomberg
Senegal’s Sonko Secures Pastef Presidency, Deepening Rift with Faye
Ousmane Sonko is re-elected unopposed as president of the ruling Pastef party amid escalating tension with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and a deepening national debt crisis.
Al Jazeera
Ranking the Middle East and North African Teams at World Cup 2026
Breaks down the prospects of the eight MENA teams at the 2026 World Cup, including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, as the tournament kicks off.
Morocco World News
U.S. Urges ‘Good Faith Discussions’ on Western Sahara ‘Without Delay’
Reports U.S. adviser Massad Boulos’s Oslo Forum remarks and his meeting with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura pushing for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara.
ABC News
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Call for Joint ‘Large-Scale Operations’ Against Extremists
AES head Captain Ibrahim Traoré calls for large-scale joint operations following the launch of the FU-AES unified force, which brings together approximately 5,000 troops under a unified command headquartered in Niamey.
Washington Post
Senegal’s Ousted PM Sonko Boycotts New Government, Raising Fears of Political Deadlock
Sonko’s Pastef party refuses to join the new cabinet amid record national debt of 132% of GDP at end-2024, raising the prospect of institutional paralysis as IMF negotiations approach.
The Media Line
Libya Election Body Says It Is Ready for 2026 Presidential Vote
Libya’s HNEC says it is prepared to run presidential polls if rival leaders agree on funding, security, and electoral rules, though deep political divisions continue to block a firm date.
Ahram Online
Factbox: IMF’s Latest Review Highlights Risks, Reform Progress Under Egypt’s $8 Billion EFF Loan Deal
The IMF flags fiscal vulnerabilities and the military’s economic footprint while projecting 4.7% growth for Egypt in FY2025/26 under the Extended Fund Facility program.
Africa Defense Forum
Islamic State Uses Sahel Base to Sow Terror Abroad
Details how Islamic State Sahel Province financed a foiled Morocco plot and seeks to expand its operations beyond the Liptako-Gourma tri-border zone into North and coastal West Africa.
UNDP / ISS
Beyond the Conflict: Sudan Development Scenarios Report
Projects that under a protracted conflict scenario to 2030, Sudan’s 2043 GDP would be $34.5 billion lower than with no war, GDP per capita would fall by roughly $1,700, and over 60% of the population would live in extreme poverty—an additional 34 million people.
World Bank
Middle East and North Africa Economic Update, Spring 2026
Finds that, excluding Iran, regional growth is expected to slow from 4.0% in 2025 to 1.8% in 2026, 2.4 percentage points below the Bank’s January projection, under the shadow of the Iran war and Hormuz closure.
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) Populations at Risk
Warns of crimes-against-humanity risk across the central Sahel amid both jihadist insurgency and counterterrorism abuses by state forces and allied militias.
Reports & Analysis on the Region
Deeper dives from experts, think tanks, and research institutes.
COMMENTARY
Geography of Wealth Ties Sudan’s Feuding Factions Together
Stimson Center Program Director Hafed Al Ghwell argues that despite Sudan’s de facto division between rival military administrations, deep interdependence in geography, infrastructure, trade, natural resources, and regional security makes formal partition unworkable, leaving the country trapped in a prolonged state of fragmentation without a viable path to either unity or separation.
REPORT
Mauritania Rising: Economic and Investment Update
Covering recent economic and investment developments in Mauritania, including the country’s gas sector progress, Chinese investment in port infrastructure, and Mauritania’s positioning as an emerging energy hub bridging the Maghreb and West Africa.
REPORT
Briefing on the Situation in Libya
Ahead of the AU Peace and Security Council’s 1,352nd meeting, Amani Africa analyzes Libya’s stalled political transition, the rival GNU and GNS governments, UNSMIL’s two-step roadmap, the April 11 unified budget brokered by U.S. envoy Massad Boulos, and concerns that parallel US power-sharing efforts could undermine the UN-led process.
COMMENTARY
Egypt: Revitalising Non-Alignment
Opinion piece arguing that Egypt is strategically reviving its historic non-alignment posture amid the Iran war and intensifying great-power competition, positioning Cairo to balance relationships with the U.S., Gulf states, Russia, and China while preserving its strategic autonomy.
COMMENTARY
Senegal’s Debt Crisis Has Moved Its Leaders from Partners to Rivals
Lesley Anne Warner argues the Faye-Sonko split maps onto the broader West African political fracture and threatens both Senegal’s ECOWAS leadership role and its pending IMF negotiations.
COMMENTARY
JNIM’s Blockade Tactics Threaten West Africa’s Trade Corridors
ISS Africa analysis of JNIM’s economic warfare strategy, examining how the group’s fuel and transport blockades and supply-route strangulation are choking commerce across Mali and into coastal West Africa.
COMMENTARY
Peacekeeping Funding Cuts Mean Africa Must Rethink Security
ISS Africa examines the implications of UN peacekeeping budget cuts for African security architecture, arguing that the continent must develop self-financed and locally-owned security mechanisms.
COMMENTARY
US Minerals Diplomacy Tests Sahel Countries’ Partnership Choices
ISS Africa analysis argues that Mali’s lithium reserves and Niger’s uranium are driving US re-engagement, forcing AES juntas into a hedging calculus between Western partnership benefits and their anti-Western posture.
REPORT
Sudan, June 2026 Monthly Forecast
Security Council Report Previews the 120-day Sudan briefing and the 1591 Sanctions Committee briefing to the UN Security Council amid an entrenched war of attrition between the SAF and RSF.
REPORT
Libya, June 2026 Monthly Forecast
Security Council Report Previews the 60-day UNSMIL briefing by Hanna Tetteh amid political deadlock and the Zawiya refinery clashes, with the Council expected to address the electoral process and economic governance.
REPORT
JNIM’s Expansion in the Sahel
Detailed report on JNIM’s territorial expansion, governance models, and the risks its southward push poses to coastal West African states including Benin, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.
COMMENTARY
Insurgent Offensive in Mali Exposes the Deficiencies of Junta-led Security in the Sahel
Lesley Anne Warner cites ACLED data showing battles involving Russian fighters in Mali fell from 537 in 2024 to 402 in 2025, with Africa Corps averaging just 24 incidents per month by early 2026, marking the failure of the junta-Russia security model.
COMMENTARY
Europe, Mauritania and the Gulf states: Securing stability and growth in the Sahel
ECFR analysis on how Mauritania is a vital buffer against Sahelian instability and a central partner for Europe’s energy and migration policies. As Gulf Arab influence grows, the EU’s Pact for the Mediterranean can align trilateral financial and security interests.
REPORT
Middle East and North Africa Economic Update, Spring 2026
World Bank assesses growth, fiscal, and inflation dynamics across Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia under the shadow of the Iran war and Hormuz closure, with MENA growth downgraded sharply.
COMMENTARY
Emergency Response Rooms Work in Sudan. We Could Change Aid Models
Chatham House analysis of Sudan’s grassroots Emergency Response Rooms, the mutual-aid networks sustaining civilians through the civil war, arguing their success in delivering localized, community-led humanitarian assistance offers a model that could fundamentally reshape the international aid system.
REPORT
Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies (Special Report)
FT special report ranking and profiling Africa’s fastest-growing companies, examining the sectors, business models, and macroeconomic conditions driving corporate growth across the continent including North African firms in fintech, logistics, and energy.
COMMENTARY
Egypt’s Bet on Land Monetization
Atlantic Council analysis of Egypt’s strategy to monetize state-owned land as a fiscal tool to address its debt burden and IMF program requirements, examining whether converting public land into revenue can deliver sustainable returns or merely defers deeper structural economic reforms.
COMMENTARY
What Can Save Mali from Collapse?
Atlantic Council analysis arguing that Mali is approaching state collapse under the combined pressure of the JNIM-FLA offensive, junta misrule, and the failure of the Russia Africa Corps security model and examining what political and security interventions might still avert a complete breakdown.
COMMENTARY
The Global Costs of a Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz
Policy Center for the New South Analysis quantifying the worldwide economic consequences of the Strait of Hormuz closure during the Iran war, examining the transmission of energy price shocks, shipping disruptions, and supply chain breakdowns to African and global economies.
COMMENTARY
Egypt’s Weakening Arab Leverage and Ethiopia’s Strategic Opening
Analysis arguing that Egypt’s diplomatic credibility in the Arab world has been eroded by its restrained response to the Iran war and tensions with Gulf partners, creating a strategic window for Ethiopia to advance its Red Sea access ambitions and GERD position.
REPORT
Central Bank Independence and Inflation Outcomes
IMF departmental paper examining the relationship between central bank independence and inflation outcomes, with analysis relevant to North African and Sahelian monetary authorities navigating the inflationary pressures of the Iran-war energy and food price shocks.
COMMENTARY
Stress Test: The Hormuz Crisis and the Fracturing Global Energy Order
Policy Center for the New South Analysis using the Hormuz crisis as a stress test of the global energy system, arguing the disruption has exposed and accelerated the fragmentation of the international energy order with significant implications for African producers and importers.
BOOK REVIEW
Book Review: How Africa Works by Joe Studwell
A review of Joe Studwell’s book on African economic development, assessing its arguments about industrial policy, agricultural transformation, and the structural conditions for growth against the continent’s contemporary development challenges.
COMMENTARY
Africa Needs More Petroleum Refineries
Hafez Ghanem of Policy Center for the New South argues that the Iran-war energy shock highlights the need for Africa to refine more of its own crude, noting estimates of expanded refining could add $26–65 billion per year in value with implied returns of 12–30%, citing Nigeria’s 650,000 bpd Dangote refinery.
COMMENTARY
Could China Help Make Africa a Factory for the World?
The Economist examines whether China’s tariff-free market access and manufacturing investment push could help transform parts of Africa into export-oriented industrial zones, assessing the infrastructure, governance, and currency constraints that have stymied similar initiatives.
COMMENTARY
A Balancing Act in a Rentier Reality: Egypt and the Iran War
TIMEP analysis examining Egypt’s paradoxical position as a structurally dependent rentier state, exposed through Suez Canal revenue losses, energy import costs, and tightening Gulf financial support, while pursuing deliberate adaptive non-alignment in the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
Upcoming Events
Key briefings and conferences to watch.
Atlantic Council
2026 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics
December 11, 2026 — The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual flagship convening focused on issues at the nexus of economics, finance, foreign policy, and national security.
Policy Center for the New South
Sailing by Lightning: Interest-Driven Europe-Africa Partnership for Effective Multilateralism
July 6, 2026 — Event examining how a pragmatic, interest-driven partnership between Europe and Africa could strengthen effective multilateralism, addressing trade, security, migration, and development cooperation in a fragmenting global order.
Tune In
Hear the latest insights from regional experts.
WEBINAR
How might an African credit rating agency improve the continent’s financing conditions?
A joint Chatham House panel discussion, held in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, assessing the potential impact of an African credit rating agency on reducing borrowing costs and lowering barriers to financing for African countries.
VIDEO REPORT
Sudan Crisis Worsens as Civil War Enters 4th Year and Hormuz Closure Disrupts Aid
PBS NewsHour reports on Sudan’s deepening famine and how the Strait of Hormuz closure is compounding the humanitarian catastrophe by disrupting fuel and fertilizer supplies for Sudanese farmers.
PODCAST
The New Alliance of Sahel States and the Future of Africa’s Legacy Institutions
Beverly Ochieng analyzes AES politics, security, and the bloc’s exit from ECOWAS, examining what the realignment means for Africa’s established regional institutions.
PODCAST
In Mali, What Way Out of the Crisis One Month After the April 25 Attacks?
ICG French-language podcast episode with Sahel experts examining the political, security, and humanitarian situation in Mali one month after the coordinated JNIM-FLA offensive, and assessing what pathways, if any, exist toward de-escalation.
WEBINAR
Bridging the Skills Gap: Mobilising Southern Mediterranean Talent to Address Labour Shortages
Policy Center for the New South event examining how to mobilize talent across the Southern Mediterranean to address European and regional labor shortages, focusing on skills development, migration policy, and workforce mobility between North Africa and Europe.
Job Opportunities
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
Country Director — Nigeria
MAG is seeking an experienced Country Director to lead and represent our programme in Nigeria, while also providing oversight of smaller projects in Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.
Apply by June 22nd.
Nonviolent Peaceforce
International Protection Officer
Humanitarian protection officer roles in Sudan supporting refugee and displacement response programming, with responsibilities spanning protection monitoring, case management, and coordination in conflict-affected operations.
Apply by June 22nd.
Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)
Chad: Climate and Environment Project Director
Senior project director role based in N’Djamena leading climate and environment programming in Chad, overseeing initiatives addressing environmental resilience, adaptation, and natural resource management in the Sahel.
Apply by July 15th.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Internship Programme for Near East and North Africa (RNE)
The Internship Programme aims to attract talented young women and men who are strongly motivated to share their new perspectives, innovative ideas, and latest academic experience in FAO’s domains. Apply by August 25th.
International Rescue Committee
Senior Manager, Emergency Cash and Basic Needs (Sudan)
Leads IRC’s emergency cash assistance and basic-needs programming through December 2026. Apply by December 31st.
University of Cambridge
Building Capacity for the Assessment and Management of Marine Invasive Alien Species in North Africa
Invitation for early-career professionals from across North Africa to join us in Tunis for a
collaborative workshop on marine invasive alien species. Apply by June 30th.
Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Researcher
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is seeking a Researcher to join its small research team. The role supports the Foundation’s key initiatives, e.g., the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) and the Ibrahim Forum Report, through data analysis, research production, and content dissemination. It is ideal for someone passionate about governance, policy, and development in Africa.
Apply beginning mid-August 2026.
Policy Center for the New South
Junior Professional Program (Fellowship/Job) Two-year structured professional development contract in Rabat for early-career analysts working on Morocco, Africa and Global South issues.
Recent & Related
The US-Iran MOU: Regional Realignments and Lebanon’s Precarious Position
How Bad Wars End
It Shouldn’t Be This Easy to Wage War and This Hard to Make Peace
A Lesson on Maximalism from the War with Iran
The Game of Middle Powers in North Africa
Trump Takes the Deal and Claims Victory in the Iran War
Xi Jinping’s Visit to Pyongyang: Regional Roundup
The Post-War Gulf: Arms Competition, Nuclear Latency, and Regional Security
Lessons for US-India Strategic Partnership
Is Claudia Sheinbaum Head of State or Head of Her Party?
Bushehr, Barakah, and the Future of Nuclear Security in the Persian Gulf
Is Congress Losing Its Grip On The Nation’s Purse Strings?
การทำเหมืองแร่โดยไม่ได้รับการควบคุมตามแนวแม่น้ำในแผ่นดินใหญ่ของเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้
ການຂຸດຄົ້ນ-ປຸງແຕ່ງແຮ່ທີ່ບໍ່ຖືກຕ້ອງ ຢູ່ຕາມແມ່ນໍ້າສາຍຕ່າງໆ ຢູ່ແຜ່ນດິນໃຫຍ່ອາຊີຕາເວັນອອກສຽງໃຕ້ Unregulated Mining Along Rivers in Mainland Southeast Asia (Lao Language)
Current Geopolitics Shift Deep-Sea Mining Debates
Navigating Seabed Mining in the Cook Islands: A Conversation with John Parianos
การทำเหมืองแร่โดยไม่ได้รับการควบคุมตามแนวแม่น้ำในแผ่นดินใหญ่ของเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้
Mining in Mainland Southeast Asia – River Basins Dashboard
Unregulated Mining Along Rivers in Mainland Southeast Asia
Trump’s Critical Minerals Search in Africa Won’t Tip the Scales Against China
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Violence Against Women and Girls
Implications of Chinese Influence Operations for South Korea and the US-ROK Alliance
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