Sub-Saharan Africa

1.What does Burkina Faso's shift to military governance reveal about its political trajectory and the future of governance in the Sahel? 

2.The regime frames militarised governance as restored sovereignty, rejecting Western conditionality, while legitimising itself through nationalism, anti-colonial rhetoric, and closer ties with Russia. 

3.This strategy strengthens regime survival, but risks deepening authoritarianism, and normalising violent military rule as a model of governance in the Sahel. 

What are the implications of the Las Anod conflict for Somaliland's quest for statehood? The Las Anod conflict is rooted in tribalism and colonial history. This further complicates Somaliland's quest for statehood.

What will happen in Cameroon after the death of President Paul Biya? It is unclear what will happen after the death of President Biya, and there are many possible scenarios that can play out. The question of Cameroon post-Biya is of national, regional, and international interest.

Will it ever be possible for Bolivia to promote an environmentally forward political agenda while reproducing the structures of a neoliberal-capitalist world system? Indigenous principles and worldviews prioritising harmony with nature were centred in Morales' political agenda, proving to be contradictory with the historical extractive model, which reinforced dependency on this economic model to finance national development and overcome socio-economic policy challenges.

This brief examines how foreign intervention has affected the dynamics of Sudan’s civil war. External powers such as Russia, the UAE, and Egypt, have prolonged the conflict by fueling both sides for strategic and economic gain, particularly over gold, thereby undermining mediation efforts and peacebuilding. A sustainable ceasefire requires international actors to prioritise long-term stability over short-term interests and regulate Sudan’s gold trade through responsible, cooperative frameworks.

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has persisted for nearly three decades, involving numerous external actors, including Uganda. Uganda’s significant engagement began during this period. Uganda’s involvement remains controversial, raising persistent concerns regarding issues of sovereignty, economic exploitation, and human rights violations. Congo’s fragility and systemic corruption have rendered it vulnerable to external exploitation.

How does the Lobito Corridor reflect the growing use of infrastructure to shape Africa’s trade patterns and global partnerships? The Corridor is a strategic project by the U.S. and to counter China’s influence in Africa through  development-focused infrastructure.The Lobito Corridor exemplifies how infrastructure can drive regional integration, enhance global supply chains, and serve as a tool for geopolitical leverage and development partnerships

1.What are the strategic interests of key actors in the DRC? 2. To understand the regional dimensions of the conflict in the DRC, it is important to examine the interests of countries beyond just Rwanda. 3. The conflict is highly complex and multidimensional, resisting simplistic narratives of a bilateral rivalry between Rwanda/M23 and the DRC.

1. Was the Rwanda-DRC ceasefire agreement effective in ending humanitarian struggles in the eastern DRC? 2. The ceasefire was not effective since it did not include non-state militias which are actively present in the region and are pursuing violence against civilians. 3. Civilians continue to die predominantly at the hands of non-state militias. Additionally, Rwanda was not actively involved in reaching peace, while the DRC did not try to ameliorate the livelihood of civilians.

1. What is the Coup Belt and is there a risk of it expanding? 2. The countries of the Coup Belt share some underlying factors behind their coup d’états. 3. There is a risk of the Coup Belt expanding southwards to include Cameroon.