Region & Country

On 30 August, elite troops slaughtered over 50 civilians planning to protest perceived foreign interference in the eastern DR Congo, three months ahead of elections. The government has asked the UN for an “accelerated” withdrawal. Crisis Group experts Richard Moncrieff and Onesphore Sematumba explain the stakes.

This week on The Horn, Alan is joined by Annette Weber, the EU special representative for the Horn of Africa, to discuss peace efforts in Sudan as well as broader developments in the region. 

The Horn of Africa is in turmoil. From the war in Sudan to Ethiopia’s rocky path out of conflict, from Somalia’s fight to defeat Al-Shabaab to the troubles of East African democracies, the pace of change in the region is difficult to keep up with. The Horn, a podcast series from the International Crisis Group, helps make sense of it all. Host Alan Boswell and guests dive deep behind the headlines as they analyse events, debate diplomacy and discuss possible avenues to peace. Produced by Maeve Frances. Episodes from past series of The Horn can be found here: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4.

‘Conflict isn't merely a side issue; it is an integral part of the equation.’

Why the U.S. government will find no easy answers in the Sahel's coup belt

Zimbabwe will hold elections on 23 August. As with past votes, the playing field is skewed in favour of the ruling party ZANU-PF. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Nicolas Delaunay lays out the stakes and assesses the risks of violence.

This week on The Horn, Alan Boswell speaks with Sanusha Naidu, Senior Research Fellow at Institute for Global Dialogue, about the upcoming BRICS Summit in South Africa, how the grouping has evolved recently and whether it is becoming a political counterpole to the Global North. 

The Islamist militants in the Sahel have made repeated sorties into coastal West African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire. So far, Abidjan has largely repulsed their attempted advances, with a mix of security and socio-economic initiatives. It should redouble its efforts on both fronts.

War in Sudan’s Darfur region has triggered a refugee crisis in eastern Chad and raised concerns that turmoil could spread. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Enrica Picco draws upon research at the Chad-Sudan border to explain the challenges facing N’Djamena. 

On 26 July, high-ranking Nigerien officers announced on national television that they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. In this Q&A, Crisis Group analysts lay out the reasons for the coup as well as the stakes going forward.