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Sudan Marks Two Years of War podcast screenshot

The Just Security Podcast: Sudan Marks Two Years of War

Sudan marks two years of war this week. Where does the country and the international community trying to support it go from here?
Two soldiers walk past a destroyed building in Khartoum.

Two Years of War in Sudan: From Revolution to Ruin and the Fight to Rise Again

As Sudan marks two years of brutal war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, the country stands at a dangerous crossroads.
The photo shows the herder in the cener of the frame, facing the camera and holding a stick behind him over his shoulders. He's standing in an arid environment, with a few scraggly trees and mostly emaciated livestock in the background.

Surge of Hate Speech in the Sahel, Including on WhatsApp, Signals Atrocity Risk

The threat is greatest in central Mali, but persecution of the Fulbe (Fulani) across the region seeds fertile ground for ethnic cleansing.
The photo shows two men, cropped to only their waists, one of them holding a gold bar between his hands.

Beyond ‘Critical’ Minerals, Don’t Forget Gold’s Role as a Driver of Economic Growth — and Conflict

The UAE has begun to take corrective steps to rein in illicit gold trade. The incoming Trump administration could find lessons there.
The three women wear head coverings and behind them hangs a banner that reads in part "Peace and Justice...Sudan." One of the women holds a sign showing a tank with the words "NO WAR" and a slash across a red circle.

To Challenge State Capture, the US Needs a Strategy of State Retrieval

The democratic world must side with pro-democracy, peace, and anti-corruption movements in Africa and act against corrupt networks.

In Shifting US Ties with Niger and Africa, Focus on Human Rights and Democracy to Strengthen Partnerships

After a series of coups in the region following years of counterterrorism cooperation, the US needs a new approach to recover its stride.
Protesters burn tires as they block a road during demonstrations called by opposition parties in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Feb. 4, 2024, to protest the postponement of the presidential election. Protesters and police clashed, a day after President Macky Sall announced the indefinite postponement of the election. (Photo by JOHN WESSELS/AFP via Getty Images)

US Government’s $300 Million for West Africa — How to Make it Count

To turn the tide in democracies under stress, the US needs to balances near-term increases in stability with aid for democratic governance.
Army Captain Ibrahim Traore, Burkina Faso's new president, arrives at a ceremony for the 35th anniversary of the assassination of revolutionary president Thomas Sankara, in Ouagadougou, on October 15, 2022. Traore had taken power in a coup two weeks earlier (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images)

As Senate Considers New Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Human Rights Focus Would Strengthen US Policy

As government forces battle armed groups in Burkina Faso, civilians face daily abuses, even death, amid a range of violations of their security and their property. At least 6,201…

Amid Africa’s Spate of Coups, Improved Election Observation Will be Crucial to Transition

Whether observation missions in upcoming Sahel elections will help or hinder a return to civilian rule depends on a range of factors.
The episode title appears with sound waves behind it.

The Just Security Podcast: Counterterrorism and Human Rights (Part I Root Causes, Guantanamo, and Northeast Syria)

Perhaps no one is better equipped to consider the impact of counterterrorism on human rights than Fionnuala Ní Aoláin. This is Part 1 of a special two-part conversation.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill March 23, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Key Takeaways from September 28 House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on AUMF Reform

The HFAC hearing clarified the shallowness of the Biden administration’s conception of AUMF reform, divisions between the political branches and within the House, and the risks…
A banner calling for the departure of the French Army from Niger is seen as supporters of Niger's ruling military junta, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), demonstrate in Niamey on August 10, 2023. West African leaders on Thursday increased their threat of imminent military action against Niger after the country's coup leaders moved to consolidate their control two weeks after seizing power. At an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), members decided "to order the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger," its Commission President Omar Touray said. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images),

West Africa’s Grim Trajectory

The Niger coup is part of a cascade of crises that underscore democratic backsliding and the need for a broad regional strategy.
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