The Sahel region is an area in sub-Saharan Africa characterized by conflicts primarily between state forces and armed terrorist groups. Over the past ten years, it has devastated the area and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, leading to the intervention of several international military forces in the territory. International missions in the Sahel: a timeline … Continue reading An Overview on the Sahel Region: International Presence and Humanitarian Challenges
Stirring Instead of Stifling: Revisiting the Spring-Summer 2016 Protests in Ethiopia
“Distinguishing the signal from the noise requires both scientific knowledge and self-knowledge: the serenity to accept the things we cannot predict, the courage to predict the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”― Nate Silver, The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—But Some Don't Demonstrators chant slogans while flashing … Continue reading Stirring Instead of Stifling: Revisiting the Spring-Summer 2016 Protests in Ethiopia
Is Representative Democracy the Best Option for Africa?
Representative democracy is a “system of government in which citizens elect representatives who propose and vote on legislation or policy initiatives on their behalf. It’s a form of indirect democracy, as opposed to a direct democracy, in which people vote directly on policy initiatives” The debate as to whether representative democracy is the best system of government for … Continue reading Is Representative Democracy the Best Option for Africa?
Are Social Media Giants a Threat to Freedom of Expression or Politicians?
When former U.S. President Donald Trump was suspended from Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Spotify, Twitch, Shopify, Stripe, Reddit, Tik-Tok, YouTube and Pinterest over his false and malicious statements as well as violent political rhetoric, it became a subject of debate as to whether social media platforms have the right to suspend or delete postings from political … Continue reading Are Social Media Giants a Threat to Freedom of Expression or Politicians?
Italy is Polluting (its Relations With) Tunisia in a Garbage Scandal
Waste and garbage disposal have long been an extremely problematic issue in Italy. For example, the generalised failure in adequately managing the disposal procedure within the country by both state authorities and private enterprises have created the basis for appropriation of the garbage business by criminal organisations. Sadly well-known is the extreme case of the … Continue reading Italy is Polluting (its Relations With) Tunisia in a Garbage Scandal
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: an Endless Diplomatic Conflict
Mankind's relationship with the River Nile is lost in the mists of time: its almost 7000 km length has allowed human civilisation to grow, prosper and enrich itself, bringing fertility even to the most hostile and desert territories it encounters along its path. Thanks to this mighty river, one of the oldest and most fascinating … Continue reading Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: an Endless Diplomatic Conflict
Military Coups as an Alternative to Political Transition in Africa
Within a space of 9 months, two military coups have taken place in Mali; one in August 2020 and the other in May 2021 as a result of anti-government protests in the West African State. It seems that military takeovers in Africa have become the norm when civilian leaders fail to respect presidential term limits … Continue reading Military Coups as an Alternative to Political Transition in Africa