Dakar to Riyadh: Links for 4/11/2025
News and analysis from the Sahel, North Africa, the Horn, and the Middle East
Last week’s links can be found here.
General
Dustin Barter and Mohamed Yarrow at the New Humanitarian: “Capitalism Co-opted Humanitarianism. We Can Save It.”
Sahel and West Africa
Tracy McVeigh for the Guardian: “‘Barcelona or Death’: Mothers Watch and Wait as Senegal’s Men Risk All to Reach Europe.”
David Murphy at Jacobin: “Senegal’s Ousmane Sembène Was a True Cinematic Revolutionary.”
Tensions continue to mount between Algeria and the Alliance of Sahel States countries after the downing of a Malian drone.
Jeune Afrique’s Aïssatou Diallo and Alain Aka on the obstacles between banker Tidjane Thiam and the presidency of Cote d’Ivoire (elections are this October).
Niger’s military authorities have declared Hausa the national language.
Citing a provision within the new transition charter, a provision banning unions within the security forces, Niger’s authorities dissolved the customs officers’ syndicate and two other unions.
Ahmed Kingimi for Reuters: “Nigeria's Boko Haram Making Gains Again in Borno State, Governor Says.”
Johnstone Kpilaakaa at HumAngle: “Mob Violence Soars in Nigeria as Northern Travellers are Killed in South-South.”
Alexander Onukwue at Semafor: “Nigeria braces for revenue hit from oil price slump after Trump tariffs.”
North Africa
Simon Lewis at Reuters: “US Says Moroccan Proposal Should Be Sole Basis for Western Sahara Talks.”
Moroccans and Tunisians are boycotting the French supermarket chain Carrefour over its ties to Israel.
At TelQuel, Younes Saoury and Ghita Ismaili on alleged corruption in cattle imports to Morocco.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited the Great Mosque of Algiers.
Hundreds protested in Tunisia against the curtailment of political freedoms under President Kais Saied, timing their protest to fall on the anniversary of a major anti-colonial demonstration in April 1938.
Salma El Wardany and Hatem Mohareb at Bloomberg: “Libya Devalues Currency by 13% After Decline in Oil Revenue.”
Greater Horn of Africa
Two years into Sudan’s civil war, the country and the surrounding region face a moment of reckoning. The biggest turning point in the conflict to date came in March, when the Sudanese army recaptured Khartoum from its adversary, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF had held the upper hand in the capital since the war’s onset, forcing the army to decamp to Port Sudan in the far east and pushing the state to the brink of collapse. But instead of using this advance to pursue peace, the army appears to want to press on for total victory, while the RSF aims to expand the war to new areas. Both sides are still receiving ample outside support to continue fighting. Further escalation could lead the country to fragment. It also risks destabilising Sudan’s neighbours, especially Chad and South Sudan. Those with the most leverage over the army, namely Saudi Arabia and Egypt, should persuade it to give peace negotiations a try. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates – the RSF’s main outside patron – should pursue a détente with the army that de-escalates the war and gives such talks a chance to succeed.
Amnesty International: “Sudan: Rapid Support Forces’ Horrific and Widespread Use of Sexual Violence Leaves Lives in Tatters.”
Dawit Endeshaw for Reuters: “Ethiopia's PM Abiy Appoints New Leader of Tigray Administration.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists: “At Least 7 Journalists Detained in Ethiopia on Terror Allegations."
AP:
More than three decades after its first tents appeared in 1992, Kakuma houses 300,000 refugees. Many rely on aid to survive. Some recently clashed with police over shrinking food rations and support.
Now the Kenyan government and humanitarian agencies have come up with an ambitious plan for Kakuma to evolve into a city.
Sheriff Bojang at the Africa Report: “The Battle for Berbera: Inside the Global Scramble for Somaliland’s Strategic Red Sea Port.”
Reuters: “Somalia Signs $306.5 Million Debt Relief Deal with Arab Monetary Fund.”
Mashriq
Ali Noureddeen at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy: “The Lebanese Banking Lobby and the Campaigns Against Reformist Voices.”
France24: “Macron Visits Gaza Aid Outpost in Egypt as Israel Maintains Humanitarian Blockade.”
Gary O’Donoghue for the BBC: “Mike Huckabee Confirmed as US Ambassador to Israel.”
Alex MacDonald at Middle East Eye: “Turkey Seeks Three-Year Jail Terms for Journalists Covering Imamoglu Protests.”
Zeina Shahla reports from rural Homs, Syria for the New Humanitarian.
Reuters’ Ahmed Rasheed: “Exclusive: Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq Ready to Disarm to Avert Trump Wrath.”
Cathrin Schaer at DW: “What to Do with Iraq's 'IS Families' Returning from Syria?”
Fabian Hinz at the International Institute for Strategic Studies: “Made in Yemen? Assessing the Houthis’ Arms-Production Capacity.”
CNBC’s Natasha Turak on how falling oil prices could affect Saudi Arabia.