Democracy is at risk and the threat of political violence is on the rise write Gabrielle Reid and Gala Riani. According to the Global State of Democracy 2021 report, more than a quarter of the world’s population reside in ‘democratically backsliding’ countries. Together with those living in outright non-democratic regimes, these jurisdictions make up…
The Covid-19 pandemic and its knock-on effects have driven protests worldwide since 2020. Erin Drake writes that protests over climate change, anti-vaccine mandates and anti-austerity measures will remain disruptive, and in some cases gain ground through 2022.
Darren Davids writes that terror plots in Europe and the US will continue to manifest as traditional lone-wolf attacks in 2022. However, in weaker states in Africa and the Middle East, porous borders, security vacuums and a lack of governance will continue to enable the spread of Islamic extremism.
2021 saw a number of key developments on the war front, from Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban to the dramatic turnaround in Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict. With little in terms of resolution to armed conflicts across the globe, 2022 is likely to see war remain a major threat in parts of Asia, Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus, and eastern Europe, with…
The spate of recent coups seen in Africa thus far in 2021 are a stark reminder of the need for robust crisis management and political evacuation plans for hostile operating environments, writes Gabrielle Reid.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces have been under military administration since May. Yet, despite promises of increased security, attacks against civilians have continued as the government prioritises the security of strategic thoroughfares, writes Darren Davids.
The recent rise in global food prices, driven by several factors ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to climate shocks, could become a catalyst for increased political instability and civil unrest, writes Darren Davids.
Anti-vaccine protests have become a global phenomenon with varying driving factors ranging from low levels of trust in government to safety fears over the vaccines. Darren Davids writes that, governments and businesses will have to find creative solutions to get people to vaccinate given the cost and impact of renewed waves of infection.
The arrest of former president Jacob Zuma was the catalyst for South Africa’s recent riots, but poor socio-economic conditions, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, created opportune conditions for sustained protests and mass looting, writes Darren Davids. Businesses in South Africa will struggle to fully recoup their losses, dealing a further blow…
The kidnapping and killing of three foreign nationals in April and a major terror attack in June that killed at least 160 people are indicative of Burkina Faso’s fragile security environment, and the government has limited resources to tackle the crisis, writes Saif Islam.
Vessels will continue to face a significant threat of kidnap for ransom in the region as pirates adapt their capabilities and tactics in response to ongoing security operations in the Gulf of Guinea, writes Darren Davids.
Militant groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo have increasingly targeted aid and other NGO workers in eastern DRC. Darren Davids writes that the weak security environment allows militant groups to act with impunity, including carrying out kidnappings