Commentaries
Welcome address by the New Director-General Bart Ouvry
It is an honor to join the Egmont Institute at this moment in time. We live in what some call a ‘geopolitical era’, and this makes the Institute into a […]
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
A Decade of EU Support to the G5 Sahel: A Critical Assessment of the EU’s Security Assistance Toolkit
From 2013 to 2023, the European Union was a key player in Sahel security. This crisis-ridden region was chosen as a testing ground for a new comprehensive European approach, mobilising […]
A Periphery Without a Core: The Mecca Agreement and Europe’s Absence from the Middle East
The Middle East and the Gulf have long been a priority area for European strategy. The geopolitical imperative is evident: not only does the region itself contain key resources; it […]
Commentaries
Moody Mutiny or Coup Attempt in Niger? Military Junta Faces Internal Threat from its Own
The night between Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August 2026, Niger’s airport in the capital was attacked for the third time this year. Contrary to the previous two times, when […]
Commentaries
The Tervuren Museum Mining Archives: Mystery Unveiled
On 17 July 2025, a cooperation agreement on mining projects (rather than an MoU) was concluded between the DRC Ministry of Mines and the private society KoBold Metals, including an […]
External publications
From Engagement to Rupture to Re-Engagement: Analysing the Path to the EU’s Renewed Approach to the Sahel
This paper analyses the European Union’s (EU) evolving engagement with the Sahel region, with particular attention to the Alliance of Sahelian States – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Drawing on […]