Une pensée aux confrères sahéliens & à ceux qui subissent l’arbitraire de ces régimes dans leur chair, en ce qui me concerne أعلى ما بخيّلكم اركبوا

Really enjoyed joining the "Chain Reaction" podcast hosted by Foreign Policy Research Institute and Bob Hamilton to discuss "Russia’s Wagner Group – Where Are They Now?" with my friends & co-authors Christopher Faulkner & Raphael Parens fpri.org/multimedia/202…

"Policy that solely exists to undermine Russia will accomplish little....African leaders will be mistrustful of a return to Cold War dynamics at best and exploit it at worst." My latest in Foreign Policy Research Institute with Raphael Parens and Marcel Plichta fpri.org/article/2024/1… via Foreign Policy Research Institute

🇳🇪🇷🇺| Niger officially invites Russian companies to exploit uranium in the country. This announcement comes a few days after France's Orano declared that it would suspend production at the Arlit mine due to problems with exporting resources following the closure of the border

Last year, I predicted that France’s withdrawal from Niger’s uranium market could spell Russian involvement. Guess what happened fpri.org/article/2023/1…

Some thoughts in Defense One with my friend Raphael Parens on how the Trump administration might approach foreign policy in sub-Saharan Africa defenseone.com/ideas/2024/11/…

Alongside Raphael Parens we discussed this potential in our War on the Rocks piece in June: warontherocks.com/2024/06/russia…

Some interesting ideas in this Defense One piece by Foreign Policy Research Institute’ss Raphael Parens & The Soufan Center’s Colin P. Clarke on what direction #USA🇺🇲 #Africa policy might take in the new Donald J. Trump admin, esp. with respect to strategic & security concerns./1 defenseone.com/ideas/2024/11/…

December analysis: “Africa Corps: Has Russia Hit a Ceiling in Africa?” by Christopher Faulkner (Christopher Faulkner), Raphael Parens (Raphael Parens), and Marcel Plichta (Marcel Plichta) ctc.westpoint.edu/africa-corps-h…

#FletcherAlum Raphael Parens co-authors an in-depth analysis on its operations, limits, and impact in the Sahel. Explore how Russia’s strategy is reshaping regional dynamics. ctc.westpoint.edu/africa-corps-h…

The Malian junta just seized roughly $245 million USD worth of gold from Barrick Gold. How soon will that gold turn up in Russia? theafricareport.com/373835/despite…

Russia’s African gambit is increasingly unlikely to pay off, but its ability to exacerbate state fragility and state failure remains a critical concern. If left unchecked, the chaos Russia is sowing in Africa will likely outlast its presence. My latest: mwi.westpoint.edu/from-syria-to-…

My latest with Raphael Parens in Georgetown Journal of International Affairs (GJIA) on Russia in Africa: Private Military Proxies in the Sahel gjia.georgetown.edu/2025/03/24/rus…

It's Sunday morning, but keepin' on the grind with Christopher Faulkner & Raphael Parens as we get ever closer to finalizing the draft manuscript of our book on the Wagner Group for Columbia University Press

Casting a Shadow: The UAE in Africa blog.icoca.ch/casting-a-shad… Raphael Parens

What could go wrong? 🙃 reuters.com/world/trump-su…

New article authored with Christopher Faulkner and Raphael Parens for MWI deals with the risks and challenges of getting involved in the DRC's security. "On paper, a deal with the DRC may look desirable...in reality, this deal looks more like a trap."

If confirmed, this would represent a major step back for Africa Corps and Russia in Mali. The Su-24 is not a gamechanger in terms of the operational capabilities truly needed in the region, but it does serve as a symbol of Russian military power.

One week into Africa Corps in Mali and they’ve already suffered two of the biggest setbacks Russian forces have faced in 2025. And now there’s no more glossing over it or scapegoating Wagner. This is what the Russian state offers as a partner. Embarrassing for the Kremlin.

Drones Aren’t the Solution to Africa’s Security Crises | Raphael Parens Marcel Plichta Christopher Faulkner mwi.westpoint.edu/drones-arent-t…