External publications
A logic of its own: the external presence in the Sahel
The current instability in the Sahel has attracted a heavy international security presence to the region which has taken on a logic of its own. Yet there is a need […]
Africa
As a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are seeing a renewed Global Powers competition and an increasingly acute energy crisis. These developments have put the African continent centre stage again in international relations. Understanding how political and security developments within Africa shape the continent, as well as its position on the international scene, is a core objective of the Africa Programme.
In line with this aim, we contribute to increased knowledge and shape policy debates on, and in, Africa by organising expert seminars and providing in-depth research on: military interventions and security collaborations; the politics of elections; peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts; the political economy of mining, and the development of women, peace and the security agenda, with a particular focus on the Great Lakes and the Sahel region.
Drawing on our own expertise, as well as a wide network of national and international research institutes, public authorities, and NGOs, makes the Africa Programme a central authority on matters related to Africa on a national, regional and global level.
Publications
Commentaries
When female peacekeepers’ “added value” becomes an “added burden”
Calls for the increased participation of uniformed United Nations female peacekeepers have multiplied in recent years, fueled in part by new scandals of peacekeepers’ sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA), tarnishing […]
From bad to worse: The fate of European foreign fighters and families detained in Syria, one year after the Turkish offensive
Hundreds of European “foreign fighters” are still being held by Kurdish authorities, in Syria. Their fate remains uncertain, as European governments are unwilling to repatriate their citizens. Meanwhile, security and […]
Female peacekeepers’ added burden
Twenty years since the adoption of UNSC 1325 there is an almost unanimous call for an increased number of uniformed women in peace operations from policy makers and multilateral organizations. […]
New pact on migration: a balanced proposal to be further enhanced
Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council, has been credited with the idea according to which the Commission under Ursula von der Leyen has three key tasks facing […]
Challenges with security force assistance in Niger: Understanding local context and aligning interests
Since the attacks the 11th of September 2001 in the US, there has been a strong increase in security force assistance (SFA) to fragile states with the aim of professionalising […]