Regional middlemen for antiquities dealers run and finance large, organised teams of looters to excavate sites.
Institute for Security Studies
Politics and Society DRC’s shady political alliance unravels
Tshisekedi is struggling to escape the shackles of a deal gone bad with the DRC’s former president.
Politics and Society High expectations for the next AU Commission chair
The main task will be delivering an effective new structure that tackles internal dysfunction at the commission.
Politics and Society Time to tackle violence against women in Mali
The transition period could set the tone for new norms that future governments could live by.
Politics and Society Are Africa’s borders sacrosanct? Ghana’s Western Togoland crisis
Recent attacks raise questions about how secessionist tendencies have been managed in post-independence Africa.
Politics and Society Tunisia should be a beacon of hope in a troubled region
Impressive delivery on education, water and eliminating poverty hasn’t enabled Tunisia to escape its middle-income trap.
Politics and Society Côte d’Ivoire should learn lessons from past election crises
A failure to link current and past electoral problems is leading the country down a democratic dead end.
Politics and Society Tanzania elections set to widen Africa’s democratic deficit
The electoral commission and the state apparatus have prevented a level playing field ahead of the polls.
Politics and Society Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests also concern counter-terrorism
The nationwide campaign for accountable, responsible policing could help address violent extremism.