ARTICLES
Kidnapped in Oromia: The growing threat of the OLA
Amid an increase in kidnappings in the Oromia Region driven by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), Richard Gardiner analyses the modus operandi of the OLA and who is most at risk.
Amid an increase in kidnappings in the Oromia Region driven by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), Richard Gardiner analyses the modus operandi of the OLA and who is most at risk.
Attacks on members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Serbia and South Africa in 2023, as well as increasing anti-homosexuality and transgender legislation internationally, have raised fears of an increased targeting of sexual minorities. Jervin Naidoo considers the impact of these incidents on travel security.
The escalating energy crisis in South Africa has far-reaching consequences beyond the lengthening daily power outages. Tamsin Hunt investigates how electricity shortages, coupled with tariff increases, will drive civil unrest risks over the coming year.
Saif Islam explores emerging kidnapping trends in South Africa, Lebanon, and the Philippines, and provides an outlook on how the threat is likely to manifest over the coming year.
Organised criminal groups have proven resilient to challenges affecting the global commercial environment since the Covid-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. Such groups have exploited evolving technologies and growing industries to tighten their grip over illicit and licit markets. Erin Drake explores these dynamics, and their potential…
The recent kidnappings of several businesspeople in South Africa’s major cities such as Cape Town, are indicative of a growing problem that is set to worsen in the near future, writes Saif Islam.
As France’s security influence has waned in the Sahel, countries such as Russia, China and Turkey have been eager to take its place. Richard Gardiner discusses the changing geopolitical dynamics at play in the region and considers the impact this will have on Sahelian commercial environment.
Governments continue to face destabilising protests brought on by the lingering socio-economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the ongoing impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. S-RM’s Strategic Intelligence team highlights the countries likely to become (or remain) hotspots for unrest in the coming months.
As the security crisis in the Sahel has escalated, so has the threat of kidnapping for ransom. With numerous threat actors active within the region, Richard Gardiner explores the drivers of this increase in abductions and discusses the threat to foreign nationals.
The February 2022 kidnapping of five aid workers in Cameroon’s Far North region is a stark reminder of the growing complexities of Cameroon’s security crisis. Osob Dahir investigates the main threat actors amid the deteriorating security situation in northern Cameroon, highlighting the potential for further kidnappings of aid workers and others operating…
Major security crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine over the last year not only highlight the challenges of political evacuation, but also reaffirm how important it is for companies to have robust evacuation plans in place, write Erin Drake and Saif Islam.
The Russia / Ukraine conflict will have a long-standing and widespread impact on the global order, resulting in unique but interconnected regional consequences across the world, write Markus Korhonen and Gabrielle Reid.