Ukraine’s claims of supporting the Tuareg rebel attack on Malian and Wagner forces in July were poorly received in West Africa, complicating Ukraine’s efforts to improve its influence on the continent. Richard Gardiner explores the dangers of Ukraine mimicking Russia’s Africa strategy, highlighting instead the benefits of playing the longer diplomacy…
The interim government assumed office amid widespread popular goodwill, although navigating the country’s intricate political and security challenges will likely prove increasingly difficult, writes Saif Islam.
Global defence spend has accelerated in recent years, reaching historic highs in many countries. Tamsin Hunt examines some of the developments driving increased military spending around the world.
In June 2024, an attempted coup in Bolivia highlighted the country’s growing political and economic crises. With just a year remaining before the country’s general election in August 2025, President Luis Arce faces factionalism within the ruling party, impeding his ability to address shortages of foreign currency and fuel, and continuing to provoke…
Long-standing tensions between North Korea and South Korea have increased in 2024. Both sides have deployed a range of aggressive tactics against the other, moving the region closer to an escalation that neither side can afford, writes Tamsin Hunt.
The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was a shocking moment in US history, taking place amid deep societal divisions and a tense political climate. Richard Gardiner examines the factors driving political violence and social unrest in the US and assesses the threat they pose as the country approaches the November elections.
The European Union has recently ramped up efforts to tackle organised crime in the region. Zaynab Hoosen explores notable characteristics of the bloc’s most threatening organised criminal networks and their transnational links.
The strong links between criminal groups in South Africa and Mozambique have led to the development of sophisticated kidnapping syndicates in both countries. Richard Gardiner explores the factors that have facilitated these ties and why the current situation is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Tamsin Hunt examines the immediate security implications for foreign and local nationals in Lebanon and Israel should the increasing aggression between Israel and Hezbollah devolve into open conflict.
Ahead of her inauguration in October 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum has echoed outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s security policies. But widespread organised crime, entrenched corruption, and an ineffective reliance on the military to combat cartels pose challenges to realising sustainable security improvements, writes Shannon Lorimer.
As a Kenyan-led multinational mission enters Haiti to support local police in combatting gang violence, Erin Drake considers what such a mission can realistically achieve amid a host of challenges, including seemingly poor planning, funding uncertainty, and a legacy of failed intervention – not to mention the potential fallout of clashes in densely-populated…
Russia has increased its use of grey-zone tactics against European countries in recent months, from sabotage and jamming GPS signals of planes and ships, to running largescale propaganda and disinformation campaigns. Tamsin Hunt investigates Russia’s motives behind its asymmetric tactics, and the challenges facing European governments in combatting…