Russia’s Military Deal with Mali Further Encroaches on France’s Influence in West Africa

Russia’s Military Deal with Mali Further Encroaches on France’s Influence in West Africa

Russia is making rapid progress in presenting a “balancing” alternative to French domination in Paris’ Françafrique “sphere of influence” in Africa after signing a military deal with the terrorist-plagued but geostrategically significant state of Mali during the visit of its Defense Minister to Moscow last week. Russia’s “Pivot to Africa” is accelerating after the Eurasian…

The Attempted Coup in Ethiopia Reveals the Fragility of Modern African States

The Attempted Coup in Ethiopia Reveals the Fragility of Modern African States

Africa’s second most populace state was the scene of an attempted putsch on June 22 when the head of the military was assassinated in the capital of Addis Ababa. There were initial reports of four people killed in the attacks on the police headquarters, the ruling party offices and the regional presidential headquarters in the…

Military Coup in Sudan, Overthrow of President Al-Bashir: Transitional Process Impeded by Domestic and International Factors

Military Coup in Sudan, Overthrow of President Al-Bashir: Transitional Process Impeded by Domestic and International Factors

With the suppression by the military of the popular movement for democracy in the Republic of Sudan the current situation inside the country remains indecisive. On June 3 the Rapid Security Forces (RSF) backed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) violently disrupted an occupation being staged in Khartoum over the previous two months. Demonstrations have…

Russia’s “Pivot to Africa” Encroaches upon France’s Traditional “Sphere of Influence”

Russia’s “Pivot to Africa” Encroaches upon France’s Traditional “Sphere of Influence”

The quiet success of Russia’s “Pivot to Africa” over the past few years has seen Moscow begin to encroach on France’s traditional “sphere of influence” in the continent, which in turn piqued Paris’ interest in negotiating a “New Detente” with its Great Power counterpart in order to rebalance relations between them in the New Cold…

Russia’s Military Deal with the Congo Republic Completes Its African “Corridor of Influence”

Russia’s Military Deal with the Congo Republic Completes Its African “Corridor of Influence”

Russia’s dispatch of specialists to the Congo Republic (Congo-Brazzaville) in order to maintain military equipment completes Moscow’s plan of creating a corridor of influence across the continent from the Sudanese Red Sea coast to the Congolese Atlantic one via the Central African Republic, which therefore greatly increases the chances that it’ll ultimately succeed with its…

Of Autocrats and Uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa

Of Autocrats and Uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa

“Al-Shebab,” said my student Jerry early in the fall 2010 semester. “We’re calling our small group al-Shebab. It means ‘The Youth.’” From his name alone, I wouldn’t have guessed his background, but he was proud of his family’s Egyptian roots and had convinced his classmates to give their group an Arabic name. As usually happens…