Africa Political Monitor No. 43

UNREST IN MOZAMBIQUE SPARKS MASS EXODUS
In the wake of Mozambique's disputed October election, violence in the southeast African state has caused over 2,000 families to flee to neighboring Malawi. The unrest erupted after the ruling Frelimo party’s candidate was declared the victor despite accusations of electoral fraud, and escalated following the Constitutional Council's validation of the results. This sparked widespread protests, with at least 252 people reported dead since late October. In Maputo, businesses were closed and security increased after a deadly prison riot. (Reuters, December 27, 2024)

AFRICAN NATIONS CONTINUE WAVE OF FRENCH TROOP EXPULSIONS…
A growing number of African nations, including Senegal, Chad, and Ivory Coast, are ending France’s military presence on their territories, marking a significant shift in their relationship with the former colonial power. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced plans to close all foreign military bases, while Chad’s officials criticized France for prioritizing its own strategic interests over meaningful development during their 60-year partnership. Ivory Coast’s President, Alassane Ouattara, similarly confirmed the withdrawal of French troops starting January 2025. (Associated Press, December 27, 2024; Associated Press, December 31, 2024; Associated Press, January 7, 2025)

…AFTER MACRON’S CONTEMPTUOUS REMARKS
French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent statement that Sahel nations “forgot” to thank France for its military interventions, meanwhile, have further fueled continental tensions with Paris. Macron claimed that no Sahelian country would remain sovereign without France’s efforts to combat militant insurgencies. His comments were met with sharp rebukes from both Senegal and Chad, with Chad’s foreign minister calling Macron’s remarks contemptuous and Senegal accusing France of destabilizing the region through actions such as its involvement in Libya. (BBC, January 7, 2025)

U.S. DEFENSE OFFICIALS VISIT BENIN, CÔTE D'IVOIRE
In a recent visit to Benin, Pentagon officials discussed strengthening defense and security cooperation between the United States and Coastal West Africa. The trip, led by Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Amanda Dory and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman, engaged in high-level discussions with senior defense leaders from regional states. In Benin, discussions centered on the issues of regional security, combating violent extremism, and addressing maritime security and transnational issues. Subsequently, in Côte d'Ivoire, the delegation met senior officials to underscore defense cooperation against terrorism and to secure maritime trading routes. (United States Africa Command, January 8, 2025)

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DECLARES SUDAN'S CIVIL WAR A GENOCIDE
Sudan’s civil war has been officially been dubbed a genocide by the Biden administration, following U.S. sanctions against rebel leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, better known as Hemedti, for the brutal atrocities committed by his forces. The U.S. sanctions also target seven companies tied to Hemedti's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been responsible for numerous cases of ethnic cleansing, rape, and mass violence since the conflict began in April of 2023. The conflict has so far resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and extreme famine that has affected close to 640,000 citizens. (Voice of America, January 8, 2025)

CHAD’S MILITARY FOILS ASSAULT ON PRESIDENTIAL COMPLEX
Security forces in Chad recently foiled an armed attack on the presidential complex in N'Djamena that left at least 19 people dead. The early evening attack on January 8th resulted in the death of 18 of the 24 attackers, as well as one Chadian security officer. The attackers had sought to storm the presidential office, where President Mahamat Idriss Deby was at the time. While initial reports identified Boko Haram as behind the attack, government officials later described the attackers as a disorganized group of individuals. The attack came hours after China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, ended an official visit to the country, during which he met with Deby and assured Beijing's support for Chad’s stability. It also came on the heels of a recent disputed general election and growing instability in the region. (Al Jazeera, January 9, 2025)