29 Nov 2024

African Think Tank

Association For Strategic Culture and Research Foundation

African Think Tank

Libya’s Proxy War And The Changing Geopolitical Balance Of North Africa

On 20 July 2020, the Egyptian parliament unilaterally voted in favour of the possible use of the country’s armed forces abroad. It is clear that these armed forces will be used in one place only – Libya.

By Leonid Savin

25 January, 2021

Global Trends 2040

Every four years, US intelligence community analysts try to predict what is going to happen in the next 20 years. Although events regularly take place that show how difficult it is to make predictions for even the next five years (I’m talking about predictions, not plans), the US intelligence community continues putting together these reports using a set template.

By Leonid Savin

3 May, 2021

Struggle for influence in Africa

Africa is of natural interest to the leading political forces operating on the world stage. It has a huge territory, more than a billion people and natural resources, which, according to various estimates, make up 30-40% of all mineral reserves of the planet. At the same time, the level of development of the continent itself, at least in the last five hundred years, is significantly lower than the level of development of the surrounding European and Asian countries.

By V.M. Sergeev, VIPerson

27 May, 2021

Criticism Highlights Russia's Media Weakness in Africa

In her weekly media briefing July 23, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized United States support for educational programs, media and NGOs in Africa. In addition, Zakharova said

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

29 July, 2021

African Leaders Must Prioritise Climate Risks – Verkooijen

In this insightful and wide-ranging interview, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer of Global Center on Adaptation discusses the organization’s establishment, its main objectives, challenges and plans for the future.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

19 August, 2021

Egypt Hopes for Russia's Nuclear Plant Construction

It was highly unique step forward in October 2019, during the first Russia-Africa Summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reaffirmed commitment to scale-up cooperation in various economic sectors and particularly expedite work on the special industrial zone and the construction of proposed four nuclear power plants, raising hopes for an increased power supply in Egypt.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

1 September, 2021

Europe’s Priorities to Cushion Africa

In Africa, we have the paradox that 6 out of 10 of the most quickly growing countries, most dynamic economies are African economies but at the same time, 36 most vulnerable countries are also in Africa. It is a very heterogeneous continent. And all countries will be affected but for most, if we do not give debt relief, and I mean much more than just freezing payments, we are going to go into a crisis of external debt, and this we cannot afford.

By Josep Borrell

21 September, 2021

Israel’s Accreditation To African Union Is Dividing Africa

Israel has long sought to retake its position as an observer state at the African Union (AU). It had this status with the Organisation of African Unity until that continental body became the AU in 2002. AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has now opened the door to Israel again – and not everyone is welcoming his decision.

By Shewit Woldemichael

24 September, 2021

France’s Relationship With Former Maghrebi Colonies Hits Rock Bottom

What was particularly chilling this month, however, was listening to government spokesman Gabriel Attal admit that visas were being denied to Algerians, Moroccans and Tunisians because not enough of their compatriots were being deported. The claim from Attal — once viewed as a restrained centrist — was that too many people were already in France illegally, so even those with legitimate reasons to travel should be denied entry.

By Peter Allen

14 October, 2021

Africa Condemns the Continuing Imperialist Legacy of France

France for centuries had been involved in the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism making it one of the leading imperialist powers to emerge from the tumultuous conquering of large swaths of territory throughout the world

By Abayomi Azikiwe

25 October, 2021

Morocco And Algeria On The Edge Of The Precipice

Algeria’s hostility toward Morocco since its independence in 1962 is considered a real enigma by many foreign observers. In reality, it is explained by the nature of power in Algeria, which, lacking democratic or at least historical legitimacy, sees this hostility as necessary for its internal hegemony and continuation.

By Dr. Mohamed Chtatou

29 October, 2021

Sudan And The UAE: Pulling Sudanese Strings

The UAE and the United States agreed at the time that it was time for Mr. Al-Bashir to go. But they likely disagreed about what should succeed him. The United States pushed for transition to a civilian-led democracy.

By James M. Dorsey

9 November, 2021

Will Another Gaddafi Lead Libya?

Since Muammar Gaddafi died, Libya has been a country in war and filled with terrorists, who disguise themselves sometimes in suits and ties and pretend to be leaders. Violent intervention in Libya was not chiefly about the security of the people: it was about the security of global banking, money, and oil.

By Steven Sahiounie

17 November, 2021

COP26 Summit Fails to Take Decisive Action on Climate Change

Another annual international conference on the climate crisis ended on November 13 in Glasgow, Scotland where a contentious debate over the final document revealed fundamental differences on key issues.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

18 November, 2021

Burning Ambition: Egypt’s Return To Regional Leadership And How Europe Should Respond

Egyptian foreign ministry officials interviewed for this paper describe the last decade of Egypt’s regional positioning as “defensive” in nature as the country contended with domestic issues.

By Hafsa Halawa

11 December, 2021

Africa-China Relations Could Serve as Bulwark against Imperialist Hegemony

Note: These remarks were prepared and delivered in part for a webinar held on Sunday December 12 entitled “China/Africa Relations: Challenges of Cooperation and Development.” The event was sponsored by the International Manifesto Group and the Group for Research and Initiative for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA).

By Abayomi Azikiwe

14 December, 2021

Europe Unveils U.S.$340bn Response to China's Belt and Road Initiative

The aim of the EU programme -- called Global Gateway -- is to help underpin the global recovery by mobilising investments in digital, clean energy and transport networks, as well as boosting health, education and research systems across the world. Low and middle-income countries were already facing a US$2.7 trillion infrastructure investment gap before the pandemic, according to World Bank estimates.

By Cable News Network

15 December, 2021

The Russia-Africa Situation Analysis Report

The report proposes that dialogues should be enhanced between civil societies, including expert and academic organizations. In a situation where a rapid expansion of trade and economic relations is difficult (for example, due to economic stagnation or a crisis in the respective country), the humanitarian track can become one of the ways to deepen relations further.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

15 December, 2021

Collective Sanctions Isolating Mali in the Sahel Sahara as Russia Rides the Wave of Anticolonialism

Over the past few years, Russian authorities have in their speeches expressed anti-colonial sentiments and openly declared unflinching support for fighting against what they referred to as neocolonial tendencies in Africa. Russia is particularly against France in French-speaking African countries in West Africa including the entire Sahel and Central African Republic.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

27 December, 2021

Africa in Review 2021 (Part II) : Regional Conflict and the Role of Imperialism

During the coup in Conakry in May 2021, the presence of AFRICOM troops were strongly in evidence. These military leaders could not act with this degree of impunity absent of the full backing of transnational corporations, international finance capital and their security apparatuses. Stability and security will only be realized once the resources, land and labor of African people are retaken and used for the benefit of the majority.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

31 December, 2021

Russia, Africa and the Sputnik V

On bilateral basis, Russia has made some vaccine deliveries, but only to its preferred countries including North Africa (Algeria Morocco and Egypt), in East Africa (Ethiopia), in Southern Africa (Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) and West Africa (Guinea). Media reports say South Africa has rejected Sputnik V donation.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

5 January, 2022

Russian Policy Failing Africa’s Sustainable Development

After the State Duma meeting, Kester Kenn Klomegah fixed this interview with Ambassador Nicholas Sango who willingly shared his views and thoughts on a few current pertinent issues connecting Russia and Africa. Below are the interview excerpts

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

30 January, 2022

African Union Summit Addresses Continental and Global Issues

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the AU Summit was the challenge by South Africa and Algeria to the unilateral decision made during 2021 by Commission Chair Mahamat to grant Israel observer status within the continental organization. Historically the progressive and anti-imperialist forces in Africa have demonstrated unconditional solidarity with Palestine along with other national liberation movements fighting colonialism.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

12 February, 2022

Russia and the Maghreb: Future Geostrategic Perspectives?

Today, the Maghreb is not a fundamental interest for Russia, but rather a source of economic and political opportunities. The Russian redeployment in the Maghreb, which began during Vladimir Putin's second term in 2004 and has been over the last decade, relies on new vectors, distinct from the old anti-imperialist aura from which the Soviet Union had benefited in Algeria and Libya.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

23 February, 2022

Will Libyan oil compensate for the lack of Russian supplies in Europe?

Since the 2011 revolution and the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has witnessed chaos resulting from divisions and disputes over power, the rise in the influence of two governments in the east and west, armed groups, and external interventions from Europe, America, Russia, and Turkey.

By Miral Sabry Al-Ashry

26 March, 2022

Spain Abandons Former Colony in the Western Sahara Endorsing Morocco Domination

Algeria, which has been a longtime advocate for liberation movements on the continent, has continued to demand that the UN abide by its legal obligations with respect to the SADR. Algiers routinely challenges on a diplomatic level those entities which support the continued colonization of the Western Sahara.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

27 March, 2022

After 60 Years of Independence Algeria Remains a Center of International Affairs

France along with other European imperialist states such as Spain, Portugal, Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the United States had met in Berlin in 1884-1885 where they carved up the African continent into spheres of interests based upon their overall strengths economically and militarily.

By Abayomi Azikiwe

13 April, 2022

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