From intensifying militant offensives in Mali and growing doubts over the Sahel juntas’ security strategy to Europe’s scramble for alternative energy routes amid Hormuz disruptions and rising competition over Mediterranean gas and infrastructure—explore the latest developments shaping North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Sahel.
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From the Stimson Center
Deeper dives 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. Join the Stimson Center on May 21st for a rare joint conversation with the ambassadors of all three Alliance of Sahel States members on regional realignment, security, and future international engagement.
Morocco Country Policy 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.
Balancing Export-Led Growth and Labor Protections in Morocco
Paul Dyer, Managing Director at Legacy Social Advisory, writes on how Morocco’s export-led growth model faces rising inequality and unemployment, underscoring the need to rebalance labor protections and job creation.
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.
Financial Times
The al-Qaeda offshoot looking to Syria as a blueprint
Mali’s JNIM is seeking to apply lessons from Syria’s Islamist revolution in an offensive that is bringing it ever closer to power
Al-Monitor
Pushed out of the Sahel, Macron Turns to Egypt and Africa’s Anglophone Countries
Al-Monitor analysis of France’s strategic pivot following its expulsion from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, examining how Macron is recalibrating French Africa policy around Egypt, Kenya, and Anglophone West African states — and whether this represents a genuine strategic reorientation or a tactical repositioning.
Africanews / AFP
Alliance of Sahel States Confirms Joint Airstrikes in Mali
Niger announces that the AES unified force carried out intense air campaigns in Malian territory following the April 25 attacks, with the joint force scaled from 5,000 to 15,000 troops in mid-April.
The Guardian
U.S. 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy: Nigeria, Sahel Focused on Shifting Security Doctrine
Reports that Washington’s new counterterrorism strategy treats Nigeria and the Sahel as critical frontlines, shifting from large-scale intervention to intelligence-sharing and capacity-building partnerships.
CNN
Rebels Jeered Putin’s Africa Corps out of a Key Sahel Town. Now His Regional Grip Is Slipping Away
Feature analyzing Russia Africa Corps’ negotiated withdrawal from Kidal and the broader erosion of Moscow’s Sahel security model following the April 25 offensive.
AFP
Demonstrations in Kidal Region Against Malian Army and Russian Africa Corps Cluster-Munition Use
Protests in Telhandak over civilian violations during recent operations in Kidal and Timbuktu, with demonstrators accusing Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and Africa Corps of using banned cluster munitions.
Financial Afrik
Niger, Mali, Burkina — Exceptional Presence for Wadagni’s Inauguration
Coverage of the notable AES representation at the Beninese inauguration, framed as a sign of outgoing president Talon’s administration ending on a note of rapprochement with the AES confederation.
Le Monde
At Nairobi, Macron Puts an End to a Decade of Franco-African Turbulence
Analysis of Macron’s first Africa-France summit held in an English-speaking African country since 1973, co-hosted with Kenyan President William Ruto and intended to signal a break from Françafrique.
South China Morning Post
As France Tries to Reset Relations with Africa, China’s Influence Looms Large
Argues Macron’s Nairobi pledge of €23 billion in French and African private investment with 250,000 jobs is in part a counter to Beijing’s expanding economic footprint across the continent.
North Africa Post
Senior U.S. Congressman reaffirms Washington’s backing for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, part of an ongoing pattern of bipartisan congressional support that has strengthened Morocco’s diplomatic hand.
North Africa Post
EU Carbon Border Mechanism: Morocco’s Exporters Urged to Act Without Delay
Warning to Moroccan industrial exporters — particularly in steel, cement and fertilizers — that the EU’s CBAM will impose significant compliance costs and that preparation time is running out.
Maghrebi.org
Algerian President Tebboune Received Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Babaei in Algiers
Coverage of deepening Algiers–Tehran contacts amid the Iran war, with Algeria maintaining its traditional posture of non-alignment while intensifying bilateral diplomatic engagement with Iran.
Maghrebi.org
Morocco FM Bourita Received Syrian Counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani in Rabat
Rapprochement meeting between Morocco and the new Syrian government, part of Rabat’s diplomatic drive to expand its regional footprint and engage the post-Assad order.
The Libya Observer
Ambassador Taher Al-Sunni addresses the UNSC on the UNSMIL roadmap, presenting Tripoli’s narrative of gradual institutional consolidation while armed militia networks remain entrenched.
The Libya Observer
Talk of Elections Has Resurfaced with Newfound Seriousness
Analysis of fresh political momentum behind UNSMIL’s electoral track following the Rome talks, with Libya’s HNEC Board reconstitution and a unified government framework back under active negotiation.
The Libya Observer
Libya, UK discuss development and stability support in Southern Libya
Bilateral meeting focused on UK investment in Libya’s post-conflict infrastructure and energy sectors.
The Libya Observer
Libyan Foreign Ministry Condemns ‘Somaliland’ Opening of Embassy in Occupied Al-Quds
Libya joins the broad Arab diplomatic condemnation of Somaliland’s symbolic embassy opening in Jerusalem.
Daily News Egypt
Egypt and Algeria Deepen Agricultural Ties: Minister Alaa Farouk Meets Yacine Oualid
Egypt and Algeria advance bilateral cooperation on food security and agricultural trade, with both countries sharing vulnerability to fertilizer shortages and energy input costs driven by the Hormuz crisis.
Amnesty International
Sudan: RSF Must Remove War Crimes-Accused ‘Abu Lulu’ Commander from Battlefield
Amnesty demands accountability for an El Fasher-linked RSF commander returned to combat despite documented war crimes, citing OHCHR findings on the October 2025 assault on El Fasher.
Reuters
World Bank’s MIGA to More Than Double Africa Guarantees to $6.4 Billion a Year
The World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency announces a major scale-up of political risk insurance for African investments, targeting $6.4 billion in annual guarantees to unlock private capital for infrastructure, energy, and agriculture projects across the continent.
Reuters
IIF Cuts South Africa’s 2026 Growth Forecast as Middle East Conflict Bites
The Institute of International Finance cuts South Africa’s 2026 GDP growth forecast, citing the Iran war’s impact on commodity prices, shipping costs, and financial market volatility — a signal of the Hormuz crisis’s transmission to sub-Saharan Africa through trade and investment channels.
Reuters
Commander Who Was Filmed Killing Civilians in Sudan Is Back in Combat, Sources Say
Reuters investigation finding that an RSF commander documented in video footage killing unarmed civilians in Darfur has been returned to active combat duty, contradicting RSF claims of accountability and raising alarm among human rights monitors ahead of the ICC’s ongoing Sudan proceedings.
Korea Herald
Drone Attack Kills 28 at Market in Southern Sudan
RSF drone strike on a market in southern Sudan kills at least 28 people, the latest in a series of escalating civilian-targeting drone attacks documented by UN monitors.
The Respondent
Tanzania’s Ambassador Mobhare Matinyi Arrives in Algeria
Tanzania’s new ambassador begins diplomatic duties in Algiers, welcomed by SADC missions including Egypt’s Ambassador Abdellatif Al-Layeh in a sign of Algeria’s active continental diplomacy.
Pravda Burkina Faso
AGS Condemns ‘Media Terrorism’ from the UN Rostrum
Mali’s UN representative Issa Konfourou, speaking for the AES at a UNSC open debate on May 20, condemned what he framed as Western media bias and external interference in AES states’ security policies.
North Africa Post
Industry, Trade, and Arms: Japan and South Korea Compete for Morocco’s Strategic Partnership
Analysis of Tokyo and Seoul’s competing bids for defense cooperation, trade investment, and industrial partnership with Morocco as a gateway to the African market.
North Africa Post
Mauritania Seeks Deeper AfDB Partnership to Advance Development Agenda
Mauritania’s government engages the African Development Bank on a structured development partnership, with priority areas including infrastructure, energy transition, and food security.
North Africa Post
Nearly 80 Moroccan Companies Receive the First ‘Made in Morocco’ Labels
Industrial-policy milestone designed to leverage AfCFTA trade preferences, with the labels targeting Moroccan manufactured goods for preferential access in African markets.
OHCHR / African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR)
Adopted at the close of the 87th ACHPR Ordinary Session in Banjul on May 20, 2026; calls for a halt to RSF ethnic cleansing in Darfur and Kordofan and demands accountability for mass atrocities documented at El Fasher.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Climate Crisis, Resilience, and Displacement in the Middle East and North Africa (Project)
A major research initiative exploring how climate change is reshaping mobility, governance, and resilience across seven MENA countries including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, through field-based research, local partnerships, and policy engagement documenting the lived experiences of vulnerable communities.
The Guardian
How Rampant Violence Makes Nigeria an Insecurity Hotspot — and What It Means for the Sahel
Mapped interactive feature examining the proliferation of armed group violence across Nigeria’s northwest and northeast, situating the country within the broader Sahel security collapse and analyzing spillover dynamics with Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso.
Bloomberg
Next Africa: Mad Max-Style Mining for Congo’s Cobalt and Copper
Newsletter feature examining the chaotic artisanal mining operations in the DRC’s Katanga and Lualaba provinces, where armed groups, smugglers and child labor compete alongside multinational firms for control of cobalt and copper deposits critical to the global energy transition.
Le Monde
Deaths in the Mediterranean: An Ongoing Tragedy Met with Widespread Indifference
Investigation into the continuing loss of life on Mediterranean migration routes, documenting a growing gap between the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe, with more than 3,000 deaths recorded so far in 2026, and the political attention it receives in European capitals.
Le Point
Tunisia’s Double Language: Anti-West in Politics, Pro-Europe in Trade
Analysis of President Kais Saied’s political posture, i.e., simultaneously invoking anti-Western, anti-IMF sovereignty rhetoric for domestic audiences while maintaining close economic and trade integration with the EU, arguing this double game is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
Agenzia Nova
Libya: Tactical Drones, Raider Units and Desert Warfare — What Haftar’s Latest Exercise Shows
Analysis of the LNA’s latest military maneuvers in Cyrenaica, examining what the integration of tactical drones, mobile desert infantry, and electronic warfare signals about Haftar’s operational doctrine and his preparation for both internal security operations and potential confrontation with western Libyan forces.
Agenzia Nova
The Giant ENI-Rosetti Module Arrives in Libya for Bouri Gas Recovery
The large offshore module for ENI’s Bouri gas recovery project arrives in Libyan waters, marking a significant step in Italy’s energy cooperation with Libya and ENI’s broader Mediterranean upstream expansion amid Hormuz-driven European demand for alternative gas supplies.
Ekathimerini
UNSC Mandate for EU Mission Not Renewed
The UN Security Council declines to renew the mandate for the EU’s IRINI naval mission in the eastern Mediterranean, a significant setback for European efforts to monitor the arms embargo on Libya and control irregular migration routes across the central Mediterranean.
Business Insider Africa
Analysis of the persistent controversy over West African franc-zone countries’ mandatory foreign exchange reserves held at the French Treasury, examining why the push for monetary sovereignty has stalled despite political rhetoric from AES and ECOWAS states alike.
Business Insider Africa
World Bank Targets $23 Billion Private Capital Push as Africa Races to Create Jobs for Its Youth
Coverage of the World Bank’s new initiative to mobilize $23 billion in private capital for Africa, framed around the continent’s urgent job-creation challenge as demographic pressures intensify and development aid budgets collapse.
Al Majalla
Europe Eyes Algeria’s Shale Gas Amid Supply Crisis
Analysis of European energy companies’ renewed interest in Algeria’s vast shale gas reserves — estimated at 707 trillion cubic feet — as the Hormuz closure drives a frantic search for non-Gulf gas supplies, examining why Algerian domestic politics and environmental concerns have so far blocked development.
Defense News
Libya and Syria Join Turkey’s Flagship EFES-2026 Military Exercise in Historic Firsts
Libyan land forces and the patrol craft Shafak participated in Turkey’s multinational EFES-2026 exercise that concluded May 21, marking the first time Libya formally joined a major NATO-standard multilateral drill — a significant signal of deepening Turkish-Libyan military integration.
Business Insider Africa
Egypt Emerges as Africa’s Only Representative on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athletes List
Coverage of Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah’s inclusion on Forbes’ global highest-paid athletes ranking, presented as a marker of Egypt’s soft power and the country’s growing international sports profile amid broader efforts to leverage mega-events for tourism revenue.
Business Insider Africa
Saudi Arabia Launches New Cargo Shipping Service Linking Africa and the Middle East
Riyadh announces a new Red Sea–based cargo shipping corridor connecting Saudi ports to East and North African hubs, framed as part of Saudi Vision 2030’s logistics ambitions and a response to Hormuz-driven disruptions to Gulf-to-Africa freight routes.
Business Insider Africa
10 African Countries with the Best Road Infrastructure
Feature ranking and analysis of African countries by road infrastructure quality, with Morocco and Egypt ranked highest in North Africa and Tunisia notably underperforming relative to its income level — with implications for regional trade integration and logistics competitiveness.
Libya Review
UN Mission Prepares Final Economic Reform Recommendations for Libya
UNSMIL concludes the fourth and final round of its National Reconciliation and Human Rights Track meetings, producing draft recommendations on financial governance, oil revenue administration, macroeconomic stability, and regional economic fairness. Final recommendations will be officially released at a June 7 plenary.
The Conversation
The Sahel Region Is Less Secure Than Ever — Foreign Forces Just Add to the Cycle of Violence
Academic commentary arguing that the presence of Russian Africa Corps, French Barkhane remnants, U.S. advisers, and Turkish drones in the Sahel has systematically reinforced authoritarian governance, displaced legitimate security providers, and deepened civilian grievances that fuel jihadist recruitment.
Barchart / Wire
In Sudan’s War Economy, Gold Keeps Flowing as Miners Risk Mercury and Collapse
Reporting on how artisanal gold mining continues in Sudan’s Red Sea and Kordofan states despite the civil war, with both SAF and RSF taxing mining operations; examines the health and environmental toll of mercury use by small-scale miners who have little alternative to the informal economy.
Business Insider Africa
Africa Recovers $685 Million in Tax Crackdown on Multinationals and Digital Platforms
African tax authorities recover $685 million from multinational corporations and digital-economy platforms through coordinated enforcement campaigns, with Morocco, Egypt, and Nigeria leading the continent’s effort to capture revenue from offshore profit-shifting schemes.
Business Insider Africa
Qatari and U.S. Oil Giants Turn to Africa’s Second-Largest Gas Producer to Ship Cyprus-Bound LNG
QatarEnergy and a major U.S. oil company negotiate with Algeria’s Sonatrach to use Algerian LNG export infrastructure to supply Cyprus-bound cargoes as Hormuz-rerouted shipping creates Mediterranean spot-market opportunities.
Bloomberg
Qatar Quietly Exports LNG Through Hormuz, Destined for Key Buyers
Bloomberg investigation revealing Qatar has continued exporting LNG through the Strait of Hormuz despite the closure, using back-channel arrangements with the Iranian government and Houthi forces — with significant implications for energy prices, North African import costs, and the credibility of the Hormuz closure as a strategic constraint.
The Conversation
Shifting from Fossil Fuels Will Fail Without Funding for African Industry and Energy Infrastructure
Analysis arguing that Africa’s energy transition cannot succeed without massive concessional financing for industrial infrastructure, citing the continent’s structural dependence on fossil fuel revenues and the vulnerabilities of Sahel states that lack both the fiscal space and the grid infrastructure to absorb renewable energy investments.
Reuters
Sudan: The Darfur Commanders Running a War with Impunity
Reuters special investigative report profiling the RSF’s senior Darfuri commanders who have directed mass atrocity operations, including the El Fasher siege, and continue to operate with impunity despite international sanctions, ICC proceedings, and growing documentary evidence of their command responsibility.
Financial Times
Egypt deploys jets to UAE as Iran war strains Arab alliances
Report on Egypt’s quiet deployment of fighter jets to the UAE during the Iran war reflects mounting strains and shifting alliances in the Arab world, as Cairo balances dependence on Emirati financial support, mediation efforts, public anger over Israel, and tensions over Sudan, Ethiopia, and Gulf security.
Al-Monitor
U.S.-Turkey Boost Libya Coordination, but Unity Push Faces Political Hurdles
Analysis of growing U.S.-Turkey coordination on Libya under the Boulos framework, documenting how Washington and Ankara are aligning around a power-sharing roadmap while facing resistance from Misrata factions, eastern Libya political figures, and Libyan civil society groups opposed to externally brokered settlements favoring the Haftar and Dbeibah family networks.
Reports & Analysis on the Region
Deeper dives from experts, think tanks, and research institutes.
COMMENTARY
Why Global Migration Policy Dies Without North Africa
Stimson Center Program Director Hafed Al Ghwell argues that global migration governance is fundamentally failing because it treats North Africa as a buffer zone for European border control rather than as a central, multidimensional actor simultaneously functioning as a migration origin, transit, and destination region.
COMMENTARY
Insurgent Offensive in Mali Exposes the Deficiencies of Junta-led Security in the Sahel
Lesley Anne Warner of Carnegie Endowment argues JNIM has outpaced state responses, citing ACLED data showing battles involving Russian fighters in Mali fell from 537 in 2024 to just 24 per month by early 2026, making Kidal’s fall the decisive strategic inflection point.
COMMENTARY
Ruto and Macron sing a duet in Nairobi
Peter Fabricius of ISS Africa examines whether Macron’s Nairobi pivot — the first Africa-France summit held in an English-speaking country since 1973 — constitutes a genuine strategic reset or a diplomatic rebranding of familiar patterns.
REPORT
Libya, May 2026 Monthly Forecast
Security Council Report Previews the May 25 expiry of the UN Security Council’s petroleum-related authorization for Libya and the ICC briefing on El Hishri; documents Panel of Experts findings on armed-group capture of Libyan governance institutions.
COMMENTARY
The Problem with the U.S. Power-Sharing Plan for Libya
Karim Mezran and Dario Cristiani argue that Massad Boulos’s Libya initiative centered on institutionalizing a power-sharing arrangement between the Haftar and Dbeibah family networks amounts to “familistic consociationalism” that may temporarily reduce tensions but will not resolve Libya’s deeper structural crisis.
COMMENTARY
Mali’s Crisis and Its Fallout for the Maghreb
ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies) analysis examining how the April 25 JNIM–FLA offensive and the unraveling of the AES security model are reshaping North African security calculations, with particular focus on Algeria’s exposure to Sahel instability and implications for Tunisia and Libya as secondary spillover theaters.
COMMENTARY
The Flow of Arms and Money Feeding War in Sudan Can Be Cut — What Is Missing Is the Will
Chatham House Analysis arguing that the supply chains sustaining Sudan’s war, from UAE drone deliveries to Iranian arms, Eritrean logistics and Gulf financial flows, are technically interdictable but that the international community lacks the political will to impose the pressure on Abu Dhabi, Tehran, and Asmara required to cut them.
COMMENTARY
Strategic Balance under Stress: Egypt and the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran
Crisis Group analysis of Egypt’s paradoxical position as a structurally dependent actor exposed through financial flows, remittances, energy prices and Suez Canal revenues, arguing Cairo is pursuing deliberate adaptive non-alignment rather than rigid alignment with any party in the Iran war.
REPORT
State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2026
The World Bank’s annual flagship report on global carbon pricing, documenting the status and trajectory of carbon taxes and emissions trading systems worldwide — including in Morocco, Egypt and South Africa — with analysis of how carbon border adjustment mechanisms will reshape North African trade competitiveness with the EU.
COMMENTARY
How Microinsurance Can Sustain Small Businesses in Africa
Brookings analysis of microinsurance as a tool for protecting informal small businesses against climate, conflict, and economic shocks — with particular relevance to Sahel and North African economies where informal sector actors face compounding vulnerabilities from the Hormuz crisis and Sahel security collapse.
COMMENTARY
African Champions Chart the Way on the Global Compact for Migration
ISS Africa Argues that 17 African GCM Champion countries — including Chad, Egypt, Mali, Morocco and Senegal — are pioneering global migration governance, with implications for Mediterranean and Sahel migration route management.
COMMENTARY
Mali Is the Linchpin of West Africa — Now It’s Under Jihadist Siege
Ebenezer Obadare of Council on Foreign Relations argues that JNIM–FLA coordination could embolden insurgents in Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria and further erode Russia’s diminishing security foothold across the Sahel.
COMMENTARY
Mali Is the Key to Understanding Africa’s Trajectory
Howard W. French argues in Foreign Policy that populist nationalism and anti-French rhetoric are not a policy menu, and that Mali’s collapse offers a lens for understanding the broader failure of governance and security across the Sahel.
COMMENTARY
Mali Attacks Show Security Cannot Be Delivered by Military Means Alone
Paul Melly of Chatham House calls for negotiation at regional, national and local levels following JNIM raids and the death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, arguing that the offensive has invalidated the junta’s sovereignty narrative.
COMMENTARY
From Hormuz to the Sahel: A Fertilizer Shock and a Maghreb Solution
Middle East Institute commentary Argues that Moroccan and Algerian fertilizer production could mitigate the Sahel’s agricultural input-cost crisis if supply alignment and trade finance mechanisms are activated, offering a rare win-win for Maghreb-Sahel economic integration.
COMMENTARY
Will the AES Unified Force Succeed Where the G5 Sahel Failed?
Leylatou Saïdou Daoura and Rahinatou Leïla Salia analyze the 6,000-strong AES Unified Force headquartered in Niamey, concluding that structural flaws and political divisions make it unlikely to replicate the G5 Sahel’s limited successes, let alone exceed them.
COMMENTARY
Algeria’s Return to the Sahel: An Opportunity to Show AES Cohesion
ISS Africa commentary examines Algiers’ bilateral re-engagement with Niger and Burkina Faso but continued tensions with Bamako following Mali’s endorsement of Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan.
COMMENTARY
Libya: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Arab Center Washington DC commentary argues that despite April 2026’s unified national budget agreement and joint AFRICOM Flintlock exercise, endemic corruption and militia patronage perpetuate Libya’s political fragmentation; references Libya’s 1.43 million b/d oil output as a rare ten-year high.
COMMENTARY
The SANDF and the Erosion of South Africa’s Regional Leadership
Dr. Joan Swart argues that South Africa’s parliamentary debate over defense spending is focused on capability gaps rather than the country’s geostrategic posture, neglecting the growing security spillover from the Sahel and the implications of South Africa’s role in AU peace operations.
COMMENTARY
Mali: Some Post-April 25 Dynamics
Alex Thurston provides a granular tour of military and political dynamics in Mali after the April 25 offensive: from FLA’s capture of Tessalit to JNIM’s central Mali village massacres, the Bamako fuel blockade and Goïta’s assumption of the Defense portfolio, among others.
REPORT
Geopolitical Atlas of the Mediterranean 2026
The 12th edition of OSMED’s flagship annual reference work on Mediterranean geopolitics, covering the political, economic, social and international dynamics of the 11 states on the southern shore from Algeria to Turkey, with essays on Arab states’ perceptions of Israel and how the U.S.-Israel-Iran war is reshaping the region.
REPORT
Economic Briefs: North Africa Outlook, Week of May 19–26
Economic intelligence brief circulated by the French Economic Service covering North Africa’s key economic indicators, investment flows, and business environment developments including Morocco’s FDI performance, Algeria’s gas sector, Tunisia’s IMF dialogue, and Libya’s oil output.
REPORT
Sudan Situation Report Update (May 18, 2026)
UN OCHA Reports drone strikes and escalating violence in Kordofan, displacement to Tawila, and scaled-up humanitarian assistance at Al Afad camp housing approximately 11,000 people.
COMMENTARY
COMMENTARY
U.S. Minerals Diplomacy Tests Sahel Countries’ Partnership Choices
ISS Africa analysis argues that Mali’s projected status as Africa’s second-largest lithium producer and Niger’s uranium reserves are driving U.S. re-engagement with the AES junta states despite democratic governance concerns.
Upcoming Events
Key briefings and conferences to watch.
Atlantic Council
Strengthening Africa’s water security to achieve sustainable growth
The Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, in partnership with Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), is convening a discussion on water security and sustainable development in Africa.
Chatham House
Navigating a changing global order: Ghana’s strategic priorities
Chatham House will host the President of the Republic of Ghana who will reflect on how Ghana is navigating an increasingly multipolar world and leveraging diversified partnerships to promote African agency, strengthen regional stability and contribute to a more balanced international system.
Chatham House
How might an African credit rating agency improve the continent’s financing conditions?
A joint panel discussion, held in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, will assess the potential impact of an African credit rating agency on reducing borrowing costs and lowering barriers to financing for African countries.
Economic Science Association (ESA)
2026 African Meeting – June 15–17, 2026
Academic conference on economic research relevant to the African continent, including macroeconomic vulnerability and political-economy themes pertinent to Egypt, Morocco, the Sahel, and the post-Hormuz shock environment.
International Space Summit Africa (ISSA)
ISSA 2026 – August 10–12, 2026
Continental forum for African and global space agencies, governments, and industry covering satellite communication, Earth observation, space policy, and dual-use applications including drone and ISR capabilities relevant to humanitarian response across the Sahel and Sudan.
Tune In
Hear the latest insights from regional experts.
PODCAST
Turkey Courts Libya’s Rival Factions in a Bid to Further Mediterranean Ambitions
RFI’s International Report podcast examines Ankara’s parallel outreach to both Tripoli’s GNU and Benghazi’s Haftar-aligned eastern authorities, arguing Turkey is positioning itself as the indispensable external broker in any Libyan settlement and leveraging both the 2019 maritime memorandum and the EFES-2026 joint exercise to consolidate its Mediterranean strategic footprint.
WEBINAR
After the Mali Attacks: What Way Forward for the Sahel and West Africa?
Online panel featuring EU Special Representative for the Sahel João Cravinho, ISS Africa’s Djiby Sow, OECD Sahel and West Africa Club’s Nana Touré, and ECFR’s Suzanne Tisserand examining post-offensive diplomatic options.
VIDEO REPORT
Military Force Unable to Solve Mali Crisis: Is Political Solution Only ‘Viable Path Forward’?
Chatham House’s Paul Melly tells François Picard that today’s Malian crisis is far more complex than 2012 and that external military solutions have been exhausted.
WEBINAR
Why Have Peace Efforts Failed to End Conflict in Sudan?
Al Jazeera Inside Story panel with Caroline Bouvard (Solidarités International), Kholood Khair (Confluence Advisory), and Cameron Hudson (former NSC) examining why every ceasefire attempt in Sudan has collapsed.
PODCAST
Rebuilding Regional Order and Security in West Africa
Chatham House podcast where Paul Ejime and Paul Melly discuss ECOWAS-AES dynamics and West African foreign ministers’ call for local security solutions following the Mali attacks.
Job Opportunities
Career moves, fellowships, and calls for applications—all in one place.
STOOS Consulting
Call for Individual Experts, Trainers and Advisory Specialists in TVET, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment
Mobilizing experts who can support STOOS and its partners in designing and delivering market-relevant, inclusive, and practical economic empowerment interventions that improve employability, enterprise development, income generation, and local economic resilience across Libya. Apply by June 1st.
UNICEF
Education Officer (Bamako, Mali)
As the Education Officer, you will report to the Education Specialist for close guidance and supervision. You will provide professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the ECW programs/projects through the application of theoretical and technical skills in researching, collecting, analyzing and presenting technical programme information while learning organizational rules, regulations and procedures to support the development and formulation of the Education Programme within the Country Programme. Apply by June 2nd.
UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNIDO Representative, Subregional Office, Cairo, Egypt
Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO) coordinates the field representation and interventions of UNIDO in Member States and regions. Apply by June 3rd.
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.
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.
Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)
Country Finance Office (Tunis, Tunisia)
The Country Finance Officer (CFO) will oversee supporting the Country Finance Manager in his/her functions. More specifically, she/he will be in charge of the implementation and follow-up of financial management and control tools.
International Rescue Committee
Senior Manager, Emergency Cash and Basic Needs (Sudan)
Leads IRC’s emergency cash assistance and basic-needs programming through December 2026.
ACTED
Country Finance Officer (Tunis, Tunisia)
Supports the Country Finance Manager in financial management and control tools for ACTED’s Tunisia programming.
Current Geopolitics Shift Deep-Sea Mining Debates