The Sahel

Behind Morocco’s bid to unlock the Sahel

By Rama Yade, Abdelhak Bassou

The people in Sahelian countries deserve peace and prosperity. Morocco's newest initiative could offer a plan to help attain that.

With Africa’s minerals in demand, Russia and the US each offer what the other can’t

By Alexander Tripp

African countries must choose wisely between the United States and Russia in their search for a partner on critical minerals.

State of the Order: Continuing challenges to the world order raise the urgency for Gaza ceasefire and Ukraine aid

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Prime Minister Succès Masra on Chad’s democratic transition and regional challenges

By Daniel Hojnacki

Speaking at the Atlantic Council, Masra outlined the transitional government’s priorities for building stronger and more inclusive democratic institutions.

Did the Niger coup just succeed? And other questions answered about what’s next in the Sahel

By Atlantic Council experts

While ECOWAS has ordered the activation of a "standby force," it has sent a mixed message about intervening. Meanwhile, the military junta in Niger has declared a new government.

What Niger’s coup means for West Africa’s geopolitical contest

By Rama Yade

The ongoing coup in Niamey and others that have taken place in West Africa in recent years reflect significant geopolitical changes underway.

The Western Sahara conflict: A fragile path to negotiations

By Riccardo Fabiani

The long-dormant conflict over Western Sahara has resurged in recent years, challenging regional stability. Diplomatic tensions between the main sides, coupled with the collapse of the 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire and US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty in 2020, have complicated the situation. The appointment of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura in 2021 offers hope for the revival of cease-fire talks, while the UN and the United States aim to stabilize the conflict through renewed diplomatic efforts.

The North African complex: Regional players, global challenges

By Karim Mezran, Alessia Melcangi, Riccardo Fabiani, Sebastian Sons, Hisham Hellyer, Matteo Villa, Alissa Pavia

North Africa is, once again, the theatre of local and global challenges, which makes it a highly unstable regional complex. Unresolved crises like the ones in Libya and Western Sahara create obstacles to regional security, economic integration, and peaceful coexistence.