This summary of Africa news is provided by Mike Brodo, Pivot to Africa. If you want to receive these updates directly, you can subscribe HERE.

September 13, 2023

Top Pick
US Response to Gabon and Niger Coups Suggests Need for a New West Africa Policy in Washington, by Julius A. Amin (The Conversation)

Continent At-Large
Africa’s Future Will Be Shaped by Africans, Not Outside Powers, by Alexander Clarkson (World Politics Review)

Why the US May Not Be the Partner of Choice for a Rising Africa, by Tom O’Connor (Newsweek)

Africa’s Dual Battle with Progress and Chaos, by Ahmed Charai (The National Interest)

Africa’s Coup Epidemic Reveals Weakness in Washington, by Yinka Adegoke (New York Post)

Recent African Coups: End of Françafrique, Need for US Leadership, by J. Peter Pham (The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune)

Coups, Counterterrorism, and Competition, by Katherine Zimmerman (The Liberal Patriot)

In African ‘Coup Belt,’ Western Values Must Now Compete, by Howard LaFranchi (The Christian Science Monitor)

In Africa, Russia Is Playing the West Like a Fiddle, by Ken Opalo (An Africanist Perspective)

Pentagon Misled Congress about U.S. Bases in Africa, by Nick Turse (The Intercept)

U.S.-Africa Policy Adrift, by James Jay Carafano (GIS Reports)

U.S., Saudi Arabia in Talks to Secure Metals for EVs, by Summer Said, Julie Steinberg, Stephen Kalin (The Wall Street Journal)

Parallel Lines – US and China Vie for African Rail Dominance, by Ben Payton (African Business)

Walmart Goes All In on Africa, by Alexandra Wexler (The Wall Street Journal)

A Year on the Road with “Advance with Africa”, by Ellington Arnold (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

China, US Pledge Millions in Extra Help for Africa at Climate Summit, by Jevans Nyabiage (South China Morning Post)

United States Announces Key Investments During Africa Climate Summit (U.S. Department of State)

Central Africa/Sudans
Is the US Picking Sides in Sudan’s Civil War?, by Julian Pecquet (The Africa Report)

US Envoy Visits Chad Border with Sudan, Vows to Respond to Atrocities, by Michelle Nichols (Reuters)

Actions Against Senior Rapid Support Forces Commanders in Sudan (U.S. Department of State)

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield Announces Nearly $163 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the Sudan Emergency Response (U.S. Department of State)

East Africa/Horn
US Injects $2 Million to Somali Army, to Bolster Al-Shabaab War (Garowe Online)

Airstrike Aimed at Al-Shabab Extremists in Somalia Kills Civilians (Garowe Online)

U.S. Forces Conducts Medical Evacuation of Injured Civilians in Support of the Federal Government of Somalia (AFRICOM)

Contractor for U.S. Government Charged With Spying for Ethiopia, Officials Say, by Adam Goldman & Glenn Tursh (The New York Times)

Why President Ruto Is America’s New ‘Mr Nice’ in Africa, by John Kamau (Nation Africa)

North Africa
The United States Reaffirms Its Support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara as “Serious, Credible and Realistic”, by Raúl Redondo (Atalayar)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Foreign Minister Bourita of Morocco (U.S. Department of State)

On the Earthquake in Morocco (U.S. Department of State)

Southern Africa
U.S., EU Unveil Next Steps in the Expansion of Angola’s Lobito Corridor Railway, by Eric Olander (China Global South Project)

West Africa
The US Must Tread More Carefully in Niger, by Adekeye Adebajo (Bloomberg)

What is the United States Doing in Niger?, by Ron Paul (The Orange County Register)

US Drone Flights Limited Since Niger Coup, by Carla Babb (Voice of America)

US Military Repositions Some Troops in Niger, Pulls Non-Essential Personnel (Reuters)

September 5, 2023

Top Pick
Niger’s Coup and America’s Choice: Washington Should Push for Mediation, Not Military Intervention, by Hannah Rae Armstrong (Foreign Affairs)

Continent At-Large
Matt Gaetz Wants to Make the Pentagon Answer for Training Coup Leaders, by Nick Turse (The Intercept)

The United States Marine Corps Is Not Designed for Deployment in Africa, by Glen Segell (London School of Economics)

What is Wagner’s “Value Proposition” in Africa?, by J. Peter Pham (The National Interest)

U.S. Africa Command Hosts the 2023 Strategic Religious Affairs Conference, by Jonathan Bell, Ryan Bareng, Robert Blalock (AFRICOM)

International Day for People of African Descent (U.S. Department of State)

Central Africa/Sudans
A Darling of the West, He Wore Out His Welcome at Home, by Declan Walsh & Dionne Searcey (The New York Times)

‘Obama’s Man in Africa’ Under House Arrest as Popular Coup Rocks Gabon, by Max Blumenthal (The Gray Zone)

Events in Gabon (U.S. Department of State)

Kagame Promotes General Sanctioned by US for War in DR Congo, by Patrick Ilunga (The East African)

East Africa/Horn
Rwanda President Says U.S. Puts Minerals Over Values in Africa, by Steve Clemons (Semafor)

North Africa
Why Libya’s Cackhanded Israel Diplomacy Is Bad for America, Too (The Economist)

U.S. and Moroccan Armies Conduct Joint CBRN Training Exercise in Agadir, Utilizing Revolutionary USC Truck, by Shae Cox (DVIDS)

Morocco-US Military Cooperation Discussed with Congressmen Delegation in Rabat (North Africa Post)

Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Phee’s Conversation with Algerian Foreign Minister Attaf (U.S. Department of State)

Southern Africa
South African Inquiry Rebuts U.S. Charge on Russian Arms, by John Eligon & Lynsey Chutel (The New York Times)

Trade Between US and South Africa Is Mutually Beneficial If It Doesn’t Compromise SA’s Sovereignty, by Lyndall Singh (Mail & Guardian)

Automotive Sector Warns SA Must Not Lose Its AGOA Ties, by Banele Ginindza (IOL)

In China’s Shadow, U.S. Rushes Back to Neglected Indian Ocean Island, by Liz Sly (The Washington Post)

Zimbabwe Elections: South Africa, US Note Observer Concerns (Reuters)

The Starkly Different Responses by the U.S. and China to Zimbabwe’s Controversial Election, by Eric Olander (China Global South Project)

Disquiet Over US Military Bases in SADC, by Savious Kwinika (Caj News Africa)

USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman Travels to Tanzania and Malawi (U.S. Agency for International Development)

West Africa
The Niger Coup’s Outsized Global Impact, by Gilles Yabi (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

Shocked by Niger Coup, Victoria Nuland Appeared “Desperate” During Africa Tour, by Anya Parampil (The Gray Zone)

U.S. Throws France Under the Bus After Niger Coup, by Konrad Yakabuski (The Globe and Mail)

Visa Restriction Policy on Undermining the Democratic Process in Sierra Leone (U.S. Department of State)

August 28, 2023

Top Picks
Is Niger’s Coup the Sahel’s Last Straw?, by Robbie Gramer (Foreign Policy)

The United States Should Work With the Sahel’s New Juntas, by Colin P. Clarke & Michael Shurkin (World Politics Review)

Continent At-Large
Why Ignoring Malaria in Africa Undermines U.S. Interests, by Sohini Chatterjee & Mark P. Lagon (The National Interest)

Case Studies: US Military Assistance in Africa Doesn’t Work, by Jim Lobe (Responsible Statecraft)

United States Turns Focus to Africa in Shifting Global Landscape, by Alemitu Homa (Addis Standard)

China Tries to Increase Its Clout in Africa Amid Rivalry With the U.S., by David Pierson and Lynsey Chutel (The New York Times)

Central Africa/Sudans
The Central African Republic’s Constitutional Referendum (U.S. Department of State)

US Calls on Central African Republic to Announce Date for Local Elections, by Kanishka Singh (Reuters)

U.S. Sanctions Individuals Contributing to the Recent Escalation of Conflict in the DRC (U.S. Department of State)

US Sanctions 6 Rwandans, Congolese Over Conflict in Eastern DRC, by Patrick Ilunga (The East African)

On Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Sudan (U.S. Department of State)

Elections in Gabon (U.S. Department of State)

East Africa/Horn
US Air Strike Said to Kill 13 Al-Shabaab Militants in Somalia (Reuters)

Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Hammer Travels to Kenya and Ethiopia (U.S. Department of State)

North Africa
Secretary Blinken’s Call with Foreign Minister Shoukry of Egypt (U.S. Department of State)

Southern Africa
Election Results in Zimbabwe (U.S. Department of State)

Presidential Elections in Zimbabwe (U.S. Department of State)

USAID Calls for Immediate Release of Detained Members of Zimbabwe Civil Society (U.S. Agency for International Development)

Risch Statement on Elections in Zimbabwe (Senate Foreign Relations Committee)

West Africa
US Says Niger Has Not Told US Ambassador to Leave the Country (Reuters)

15 US-Backed Officers Had Hand in 12 West African Coups, by Nick Turse (Responsible Statecraft)

Can West Africa Survive the Coup in Niger?, by Komlan Avoulete (Foreign Policy Research Institute)

The US Targeted His Assets. Nigeria Made Him Budget Minister, by William Clowes (Bloomberg)

Presidents Tinubu, Biden to Meet at UN, Likely Discuss Niger (Voice of America)

Assistant Secretary Phee’s Travel to Nigeria, Chad, and Ghana (U.S. Department of State)

August 21, 2023

Top Picks
The United States Should Decouple It’s West Africa Policy from France, by Ken Opalo (The Africanist Perspective)

Less is More: A New Strategy for US Security Assistance to Africa, by Elizabeth Shackelford, Ethan Kessler, Emma Sanderson (The Chicago Council on Global Affairs)

Continent At-Large
Takeaways from a Landscaping Analysis of African Organizations with Impact Evaluation Capacity, by Justin Hurley, Janeen Madan Keller, Erin Collinson (Center for Global Development)

Africa Is Being Courted by China, Russia and the US. Why the Continent Shouldn’t Pick Sides, by Bhaso Ndzendze (The Conversation)

Progress and Promise – Delivering on the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Partnership, by Johnnie Carson (allAfrica)

What a U.S.-DRC-Zambia Electric Vehicle Batteries Deal Reveals About the New U.S. Approach Toward Africa, by Folashadé Soulé (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)

America Has Lost the War Against Islamist Terror in Africa, by Nick Turse (The Spectator)

Is Western Media’s Perception of Africa Racist?, by Ramzy Baroud (Common Dreams)

Central Africa/Sudans
Designation of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Public Officials for Significant Corruption (U.S. Department of State)

US Imposes Visa Ban on Congolese Officials for Trafficking Wildlife to China, by Patrick Ilunga (The East African)

US Calls On Rwanda, DR Congo to De-Escalate (Agence France Presse)

On Fighting in Nyala in South Darfur, Sudan (U.S. Department of State)

East Africa/Horn
Kenya and the US Are Negotiating a Trade Deal That Could Be a Model for Africa – But Its Position on Workers Needs a Rethink, by Uche Ewelukwa Ofodile (The Conversation)

Whitman Says US-Kenya Bilateral Trade Pact to Be Concluded by End of Year, by Wangechi Purity (Capital News)

Kenya’s 2022 Election Was Free and Fair – US Ambassador Maintains, by Felix Kipkemoi (The Star)

US Ambassador Whitman Caught Up in Kenya Political Crossfire, by Otieno Otieno (The East African)

Keep Your Mouth Shut – Raila Tells Off US Ambassador Meg Whitman, by Brian Oruta (The Star)

Ruto Defends US Envoy Meg Whitman Over Raila’s Onslaught, by Esther Nyambura (The Standard)

US Says Airstrike Kills 5 al-Shabaab Terrorists in Somalia, by Natasha Bertrand (CNN)

U.S. Forces Provide Assistance to Somalia National Army (AFRICOM)

Honorable Mara Karlin Concludes Visit to Djibouti (U.S. Department of Defense)

Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer Travels to Stockholm and Brussels (U.S. Department of State)

North Africa
Advocates Cite Mauritania’s Ongoing Slavery in Pushing for End to Deportations, by Rafael Bernal (The Hill)

Thousands More Mauritanians Are Making Their Way to the US, Thanks to a Route Spread on Social Media, by Jake Offenhartz, Patrick Orsagos and Renata Brito (Associated Press)

Southern Africa
In the Battle for Economic Primacy, Where Does AGOA Fit?, by Sarah Smit (Mail & Guardian)

Brigety Stays Put, by Lizeka Tandwa (Mail & Guardian)

Anti-Zimbabwe Media Blackout Unsettles US (Bulawayo 24)

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander Reinforces U.S.-Mozambique Security Cooperation (African Business)

West Africa
Biden Must Immediately Call Niger’s Coup a ‘Coup’, by Austin S. Matthews (The Hill)

Niger Junta Appoints U.S.-Trained Military Officers to Key Jobs, by Nick Turse (The Intercept)

Arrival of Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon to Niger (U.S. Department of State)

New US Envoy Now In Niger, But No Policy Change: State Dept (Agence France Presse)

US Readying Plans to Evacuate Drone Bases If Necessary Under Niger’s New Junta, Commander Says, by Ellen Knickmayer (Associated Press)

Coup in Niger Upends U.S. Terrorism Fight and Could Open a Door for Russia, by Eric Schmitt, Declan Walsh and Elian Peltier (The New York Times)

‘It’s Like a Bad Monster Movie’: U.S. Officials Who Helped Train Nigerien Troops Reel from Coup, by Lara Seligman & Nahal Toosi (Politico)

Blindsided: Hours Before the Coup in Niger, U.S. Diplomats Said the Country Was Stable, by Courtney Kube, Mosheh Gains and Dan De Luce (NBC News)

Did American Diplomacy Under Biden ‘Lose’ Niger?, by Simon Hankinson & Brett Schaefer (The Daily Signal)

Niger: A Longtime Bastion of Stability in West Africa Could Drive Destabilization, by Riley Moeder & Tammy Palacios (New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy)

Niger’s Coup Shows the West’s Peril in Africa, by François Baird (The Wall Street Journal)

Niger Coup: Will the West Change Its Security Approach to the Sahel?, by Ismail Numan Telci & Fuat Emir Sefkatli (Al-Jazeera)

Niger’s Coup Will Likely Lead to More NATO Intervention, by Marc Ramsingh (Louisville Cardinal)

US Deeply Concerned by Threat of Worsening Violence in Mali (Reuters)

Controversial S.Leone Radio Interview With US Envoy Airs (Agence France Presse)

Pressure Mounts on Illegitimate President Bio as US Envoy Condemns Planned Electoral Review, by Abdul Rashid Thomas (The Sierra Leone Telegraph)

August 15, 2023

Top Picks
The Deluge Facing Africa’s Leaders Is Going to Get Worse, by Alex de Waal (The New York Times)

How to Respond to Niger’s Coup — and Prevent the Next One, by Joseph Sany (United States Institute of Peace)

West Africa’s Grim Trajectory, by Santiago Stocker (Just Security)

Continent At-Large
Russia-US: Will the Real Friend of Africa Please Stand Up?, by Musinguzi Blanshe (The Africa Report)

Africa After Prigozhin Is an Opportunity for the West, by Jaynisha Patel (Foreign Policy)

If Your Country Is Falling Apart, the Wagner Group Will Be There, by Colin P. Clarke (The New York Times)

It’s Time for U.S. Agriculture Leaders to Challenge China in Africa, by Kip E. Tom (The National Interest)

Fraying Bonds: The Erosion of U.S.-Africa Relations, by Tahir Abbas (Modern Diplomacy)

AFRICOM Belongs Here in Charleston, by Ken Ryan (The Post and Courier)

Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Waihiga Mwaura of BBC Focus on Africa (U.S. Department of State)

Central Africa/Sudans
US Issues Advisory Highlighting Risks of Doing Business in South Sudan (Reuters)

East Africa/Horn
US Vetoes Compensation of Embassy Blast Victims, by Luke Anami (The East African)

North Africa
Morocco Looks Beyond US, France in Arms Race with Algeria, by Achraf Tijani (The Africa Report)

Southern Africa
Upcoming National Elections Complicate Efforts to Reset US-South Africa Relations, by Michael Walsh (Foreign Policy Research Institute)

South Africa Pushing for US Ambassador Reuben Brigety’s Expulsion, by Sarah Smit (Mail & Guardian)

‘Aggressive Push’ to Expel US Ambassador from SA as Government Data Shows No Weapons Exports to Russia, by Ed Stoddard (Daily Maverick)

Reflections on “A U.S. Envoy’s Tongue-Lashing of South Africa Infuriates Foggy Bottom”, by Michael Walsh (Medium)

How Zimbabwe’s Charm Offensive with the West Went South, by Julian Pecquet (The Africa Report)

Zimbabwe’s Impending Elections: A Challenge for International Observers, by Larry Garber (Just Security)

US Think Tank Urges Zimbabweans to ‘Show Commitment for Democracy’ Ahead of Poll, by Lenin Ndebele (News 24)

West Africa
Niger Is Not Just a Western Problem, by Jack Detsch (Foreign Policy)

A Key Lesson from the Niger Crisis: Africans, Not Global Powers, Will Plot the Continent’s Path, by Nesrine Malik (The Guardian)

The Coup in Niger Threatens American Interests, by Francois Baird (The National Interest)

Niger Needs America’s Help, by Mamadou Kiari Liman-Tinguiri (The Wall Street Journal)

Time to Change US Policy Toward Niger and Its West African Neighbors, by C. William Walldorf Jr. (Defense One)

At Center of Niger’s Coup Is One of America’s Favorite Generals, by Michael M. Phillips (The Wall Street Journal)

At Least Five Members of Niger Junta Were Trained by U.S., by Nick Turse (The Intercept)

US Military Mission in Niger in Focus After Coup, by Idrees Ali & Daphne Psaledakis (Reuters)

U.S. Forces Under ‘Protection Measures’ As African Troops Deploy for Niger, by Tom O’Connor (Newsweek)

How the Niger Coup Unfolded, by Vanda Felbab-Brown (Brookings Institution)

Did the Niger Coup Just Succeed? And Other Questions Answered About What’s Next in the Sahel (New Atlanticist, Atlantic Council)

US to Hold Niger Military Junta Accountable for Detained Leader’s Safety, Blinken Says, by Kanishka Singh (Reuters)

US and UN Concerned for Ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum’s Health, by Thomas Mackintosh (BBC)

Defense Official Says Force Posture in Niger Is Unchanged, by David Vergun (Department of Defense)

Ghana’s Trade with the US Hits a Record High $1.8 Billion Trade Surplus, by Chinedu Okafor (Business Insider Africa)

August 8, 2023

Top Picks
U.S. Seeks to Balance Security and Human Rights in Turbulent West Africa, by Rachel Chason & John Hudson (The Washington Post)

Putting the Recent Coups in the Sahel in Broader Perspective, by Ken Opalo (An Africanist Perspective)

President of Niger: My Country Is Under Attack and I’ve Been Taken Hostage, by Mohamed Bazoum (The Washington Post)

Continent At-Large
Africa’s Critical Minerals Could Power America’s Green Energy Transition, by Witney Schneidman & Vera Songwe (Foreign Policy)

US Fashion Brands Urge Early Renewal of Africa Trade Program, by Olivia Rockeman (Bloomberg)

Does U.S. Military Training Embolden Coup Plotters in Africa?, by Emma Ashford & Matthew Kroenig (Foreign Policy)

The Wagner Group in Africa Serves Putin’s Global Ambitions, by Zineb Riboua (The Wall Street Journal)

Putin and Wagner Are Still Gunning for Africa, by James Stavridis (Bloomberg)

Kleptocratic Cooperation in Africa: How Russia and China Undermine Democracy, by J.R. Mailey, Andrea Ngombet Malewa, Ed. Melissa Aten (National Endowment for Democracy)

Preserving the Diversity Visa Helps the U.S. Counter Chinese and Russian Influence in Africa, by Gil Guerra (Niskanen Center)

U.S. Lawmakers Want to Sell More Stuff to Africa and Latin America to Counter China, by Eric Olander (China Global South Project)

Foreign Aid: A Political Weapon or Goodwill?, by Keifala Kanneh (Modern Ghana)

Joint Statement on Working Group on African and Global Issues (U.S. Department of State)

Secretary Blinken’s Remarks at the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit for Young African Leaders (U.S. Department of State)

Central Africa/Sudans
Statement on Atrocities in Darfur, Sudan (U.S. Department of State)

East Africa/Horn
The U.S. Wants Kenya to Lead a Multinational Force in Haiti. But Watchdogs Worry That Could Fuel Rights Abuses, by Cara Anna (Time)

Kenya Considering Leading a Multinational Force in Haiti (U.S. Department of State)

Blinken Speaks of ‘Immediately Implementing’ Pretoria Agreement in Phone Call with Abiy (Addis Standard)

North Africa
Secretary Blinken’s Call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry (U.S. Department of State)

Southern Africa
Embassy Luanda Launches the Dinheiro Digital é Melhor Project to Increase Financial Inclusion (U.S. Department of State)

‘Kill the Boer’ Song Fuels Backlash in South Africa and U.S., by John Eligon (The New York Times)

LGBTQI+ Special Envoy Stern’s Travel to Mauritius and South Africa (U.S. Department of State)

West Africa
Senior State Dept. Official Visits Niger to Negotiate with Junta, by Katharine Houreld & Michael Birnbaum (The Washington Post)

Top US Official Traveled to Niger and Held ‘Difficult’ Talks with Junta Officials, by Daphne Psaledakis, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis (Reuters)

Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland’s Trip to Niger (U.S. Department of State)

Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland on the Situation in Niger (U.S. Department of State)

Why the US Isn’t Calling the Crisis in Niger a ‘Coup’, by Laura Kelly (The Hill)

Why the U.S. Hasn’t Declared a Coup in Niger, by William Rampe (Reason)

Biden Administration Unwilling to Call Niger Coup a ‘Coup’, by Nahal Toosi & Lara Seligman (Politico)

How the U.S. Fumbled Niger’s Coup and Gave Russia an Opening, by Drew Hinshaw, Benoit Faucon, Joe Parkinson (The Wall Street Journal)

What Niger’s Coup Means for West Africa’s Geopolitical Contest, by Rama Yade (New Atlanticist, Atlantic Council)

Why Many Nigeriens Want Russia in and the West Out, by Collin Meisel & Adam Szymanski-Burgos (Time)

Countering Coups: How to Reverse Military Rule Across the Sahel, by Kamissa Camara & Susan Stigant (United States Institute of Peace)

Ordered Departure of Non-Emergency U.S. Government Personnel from U.S. Embassy Niamey (U.S. Department of State)

In Niger, the US Seeks to Hang on to Its Last, Best Counterterrorist Outpost in West Africa, by Ellen Knickmeyer, Sam Mednick, Cara Anna (Associated Press)

Future of US Drone Base in Nigér in Question, by Ekene Lionel (Military Africa)

US Troops Restricted to American Bases, Embassy in Niger, by Natahsa Bertrand, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood (CNN)

U.S. Suspends Security Cooperation with Niger as Europeans Evacuate, by Karen DeYoung, Dan Lamothe, Michael Birnbaum (The Washington Post)

Niger Upheaval Underscores US Military’s Challenges in African Joint Missions, by John Vandiver (Stars and Stripes)

Niger Coup Could Jeopardize US Counterterrorism Operations in Africa, by Chris Gordon (Air & Space Forces Magazine)

Why Nigeria Shouldn’t Let America Push It to War in Niger Republic, by Emmanuel Ogebe (Sundiata Post)

The Risk of a West African War, by James Barnett (Hudson Institute)

U.S. to Pause Some Financial Aid to Niger as Country Reels From Coup, by Vivian Salama (The Wall Street Journal)

Foreign Assistance Programs and Events in Niger (U.S. Department of State)

Risch, Menendez Statement on the Situation in Niger (Senate Foreign Relations Committee)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Nigerien President Bazoum (U.S. Department of State)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with African Union Commission Chairperson Faki About the Attempted Takeover in Niger (U.S. Department of State)

August 1, 2023

Top Picks
A Coup in Niger: What It Means for Africa, U.S. and Partners, by Kamissa Camara (United States Institute of Peace)

Washington Must React Realistically to the Coup in Niger, by J. Peter Pham (The National Interest)

Continent At-Large
How the West Could Actually Help the Sahel, by Howard W. French (Foreign Policy)

Another Chip Falls in Africa, and America Remains AWOL, by Michael Rubin (AEIdeas)

African Perception of the United States in an Evolving Geopolitical Landscape, by Fikayo Akeredolu (Africa Up Close, Wilson Center)

Why Africa Talks So Much About Infrastructure, by Mark A. Green (Stubborn Things, Wilson Center)

Shifting Sands of Supply: Africa, China, and the Global Race for Rare Earth Elements, by Shane Tews & Nii Simmonds (AEIdeas)

US Takes Aim at Kremlin Over Russia-Africa Summit: ‘No Meaningful Commitments’, by Paul Tilsley (Fox News)

Kremlin Accuses West of Trying to Sabotage Its Showcase Russia-Africa Summit, by Andrew Osborn (Reuters)

Is the Wagner Group a Terrorist Organization?, by Amy Mackinnon (Foreign Policy)

Shopping for Russian Guns, Dodging American Lectures, by Joseph Were (The Independent Uganda)

How the U.S. Can Build Democracy in Africa, by Michael Dziedzic (The Washington Post)

Italy’s Meloni to Push for Greater NATO Role in Africa During US Visit, by Julian Pecquet (The Africa Report)

US Supports Permanency for Africa on Security Council, Becoming Significant Trade Player, by Tobi Awodipe (The Guardian Nigeria)

New Report Finds Disproportionate F-1 Visa Denials in Africa and the Global South, by Rajika Bhandari, Hilary O’Haire, Shelley Landry, Jill Welch (The Presidents’ Alliance and Shorelight)

African and South American College Students Face High Hurdles to Study in the U.S., by Emi Tuetnhi Tran (NBC News)

Secretary Blinken to Deliver Remarks at the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit for Young African Leaders (U.S. Department of State)

Central Africa/Sudans
France and the US’s Possible Faustian Pact with CAR’s Touadéra, by Peter Fabricius (Institute for Security Studies)

East Africa/Horn
Designating Senior ISIS-Somalia Financier (U.S. Department of State)

US and Somalia Discuss Strategies for Fighting Al-Shabaab Financial Empire (Garowe Online)

Reps. Omar and Garamendi Call for Resumption of Food Aid to Ethiopia (Office of Rep. Ilhan Omar)

America’s Decision to Tighten Its Monetary Policy May Add Pressure to Tanzania’s Economy, by Chinedu Okafor (Business Insider Africa)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Kenyan President Ruto (U.S. Department of State)

North Africa
US Lawmakers Urge Biden to Withhold More Military Aid to Egypt (Al-Jazeera)

Southern Africa
America Needs South Africa inside AGOA, by Francois Baird (The National Interest)

Powerful US Senator Jim Risch Tables Legislation to Scuttle SA’s Hosting of AGOA Forum, by Peter Fabricius (Daily Maverick)

Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation Lapenn’s Travel to Namibia, South Africa, and Angola (U.S. Department of State)

West Africa
Explainer: What Is at Stake for the United States in Niger?, by Daphne Psaledakis & Simon Lewis (Reuters)

Why the Niger Coup Matters — and What the U.S. Should Do About It, by the Editorial Board (The Washington Post)

U.S. Sees ‘Narrow Opportunity’ to Reverse Coup in Niger as Ousted President Meets Chad’s Leader, by Courtney Kube, Mosheh Gains, Abigail Williams, Dan De Luce (NBC News)

‘Washington Has to Thread a Very Difficult Needle’ on Niger Response, Experts Say, by Jennifer Hansler (CNN)

The Military Seizes Power in Niger, by Michelle Gavin (Council on Foreign Relations)

Soldiers Mutiny in U.S.-Allied Niger, by Nick Turse (The Intercept)

Niger Becomes Latest Domino Falling to Western-Trained Militaries, by Alex Thurston (Responsible Statecraft)

Niger Coup Upends U.S. Security Plans in West Africa, Handing Russia an Opportunity, by Michael M. Phillips, Benoit Faucon, Drew Hinshaw (The Wall Street Journal)

Niger Coup Threatens Western Counterterrorism Efforts and Could Offer Opportunities to Russia, by Liam Karr (Critical Threats Project)

Domestic Actors, Outside Powers, and the Unfolding Political Crisis in Niger, by Sebastian Elischer (Democracy in Africa)

The West Saw Niger as a Democratic Bulwark. Then, a Coup Happened., by Ishaan Tharoor (The Washington Post)

Niger Coup: US Offers ‘Unflagging’ Support to Ousted Leader as Sanctions Threatened (The Guardian)

US Threatens to Pull All Aid for Niger, by Jeff Seldin (Voice of America)

US, Partners Communicating with Military Leaders in Niger, by Steve Holland & Daphne Psaledakis (Reuters)

Secretary Blinken’s Calls with Nigerien President Bazoum and Former President Issoufou (U.S. Department of State)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Nigerien President Bazoum (U.S. Department of State)

Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with President Tinubu of Nigeria (The White House)

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu (U.S. Department of State)

Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit on Niger (U.S. Department of State)

Wagner in Mali: US Sanctions Camara, Diarra, Bagayoko, by Benjamin Roger (The Africa Report)

Why Is the Biden Administration Overlooking Nigeria’s Jihadi Attacks on Christians?, by Lela Gilbert (Hudson Institute)