By Abby Burczyk Since the end of October, Mali has been suffering from a widespread fuel blockade caused by a jihadist group. The fuel blockade has impacted nearly every aspect of life for Malians by forcing schools to close, impacting power supply to critical industries like healthcare, and resulting in food prices to dramatically surge.... Continue Reading →
The UN Continues to Debate the Sovereignty of Western Sahara
By Abby Burczyk On October 31, the United Nations Security Council backed a resolution for Western Sahara to maintain autonomy under Moroccan rule. Though Morocco has presented similar resolutions to develop governmental systems for Western Sahara since 2007, the most recent resolution was written by the United States. The Trump administration has been very supportive of... Continue Reading →
Rapid Support Forces Win Victory and Commit Tragedies in Sudanese Civil War
By Abby Burczyk On Sunday October 26, members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared that they have captured the city of El Fasher, Sudan. Since 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in civil war which has concerned the international community of ethnic cleansing and genocide. The RSF emerged in the early 2000s from the Janjaweed militia.... Continue Reading →
Algeria Expands Oil Production in Major Deal
By Abby Burczyk In recent weeks, Algeria has been expanding its oil and natural gas production. Sonatrach, an oil company owned by the Algerian government, credits itself with being the largest company in Africa. On October 23, Sonatrach signed a $5.4 billion deal with Midad Energy, originating from Saudi Arabia. This deal solidifies oil and gas... Continue Reading →
Gen Z Protest Sweep Morocco
By Abby Burczyk Since September 27 ongoing protests in Morocco have overtaken several cities throughout the country. The protests are led by a group called Gen Z 212 which has unified youth using social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. The outcry comes after preparations have begun for the 2030 World Cup which is... Continue Reading →
International Court of Justice Delays Case Between Mali and Algeria
By Abby Burczyk A recently filed dispute between Mali and Algeria has been put on hold by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) this week. The tension between Mali and Algeria goes back to April 1 of this year when Algeria reported a downed drone close to the Mali border. Algeria reported that the drone was... Continue Reading →
Fear and Tension Grow as Nile Dam Nears Completion
By Abby Burczyk The near completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has raised great concern for Egypt and Sudan. With the dam building its water reservoir using water from the Blue Nile, downstream countries are increasingly worried about the restriction of water flow into their countries. Sudan utilizes the River Nile for almost... Continue Reading →
Ethiopia and Eritrea: Red Sea Port Rivalry
By: Madelyn Williams In recent months, relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have degraded from Ethiopia’s desire to operate a port on the Red Sea. In 2023, Ethiopia declared a port’s necessity an “existential issue.” The country asserts that it is a global norm for large nations to have ports; however, Ethiopia is the world’s most... Continue Reading →
State Control and Religious Discourse: The Moroccan Government’s Influence on Imams Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
By William Crawford The Moroccan government has imposed limits on what can and cannot be said during religious addresses regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Discourse around the role the Moroccan government plays in determining the subject matter of the countries imams was reignited by socialist lawmaker Nabila Mounib, who went as far as to claim that... Continue Reading →
Tunisia’s Legislative Body Sidelines Court in Election Decisions
By William Crawford President of Tunisia Kais Saied As part of Tunisia’s ongoing multiple electoral disputes, Tunisia’s parliament has passed a law stripping the Administrative Court of its authority over electoral matters. Believed to be the last truly independent judicial body in Tunisia, the action by Tunisia’s parliament comes as just another step in a... Continue Reading →