The extractive industry – including mining, oil and gas exploration, dredging and quarrying – is one of the most vulnerable to kidnapping and extortion. Looking ahead to 2020, these industries’ often remote operating locations with limited rule of law, and the perception of industry actors as lucrative targets, are likely to persist as key factors contributing…
In May 2018, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known locally as the ‘Hawks’, claimed that at least 20 businesspeople had been kidnapped over the preceding 18 months. At the time, the statistic seemed overwhelming. Up until that point, traditional kidnap for ransom cases were uncommon. Most abduction cases involved children…
From getting caught in natural disasters, being assaulted during public appearances to being robbed of equipment while filming, film and media operators face a variety of security threats. Here, we present some illustrative examples of recent incidents from around the world, and offer practical advice on minimising security risks for the film and media…
Since the first examples of CBRN agents being used in warfare, developments in treatment and prevention have been struggling to keep up. Options to mitigate the harmful effects of CBRN agents on the civilian population have been relatively limited until recent years.
Recent xenophobic violence in South Africa has resulted in security implications for South African businesses locally and elsewhere on the continent. Gabrielle Reid explores the commercial impact to businesses in South Africa and beyond.
In this article, we examine three cases from around the world which highlight where and under what conditions police will turn to kidnap for ransom either directly or in cooperation with organised criminal groups.
Despite the overthrow of long-serving president Omar Al Bashir in April, protesters continue to call for the Military Transitional Council to hand over power to a civilian administration. With negotiations faltering on several occasions, it appears that Sudan is on the brink of a political crisis for the second time this year. The road to stability…
Amid the protracted conflict in the eastern DRC, local militias have started to attack Ebola treatment centres in Butembo and Beni, North Kivu, killing medical staff and forcing the closure of several facilities. Erin Drake considers the threat to health workers and medical treatment facilities in this conflict area.
While militant-linked kidnappings of foreign nationals have declined elsewhere in the world, Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel have experienced a visible increase since 2015. Gabrielle Reid examines the rise of Islamist militancy and kidnap-for-ransom activity in Burkina Faso.
In this article, we look at three prominent case studies from different parts of the world to demonstrate the nature and extent of the security risks facing commercial operators in the oil and gas sector.
Following the effective collapse of the Islamic State caliphate across Syria and Iraq in February 2019, the terrorist group appears to have extended its reach to new territories including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka. In the space of one week, Islamic State took credit for terror attacks in both countries. Markus Korhonen places these…
Nigeria’s incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, secured a second term in office in the February presidential election, but he will have little time to celebrate his victory. The president will need to buckle down and address key security concerns hampering Africa’s largest economy, writes Joschka Opitz.