South Sudan

Inner Circle
Power-hungry Salva Kiir fashions army in his own image

Planned since 2018 as part of a peace agreement between the South Sudanese president and his arch-rival and vice president Riek Machar, the unification of the militias has never taken place. This is no surprise given that the army is the backbone of Salva Kiir's power. Instead, he has relied on a series of defections from rival camps to bolster his position.

Spotlight
MbZ proposes diplomatic package to Sisi and Abiy ahead of AU summit

Spotlight
Afwerki's diplomatic blitz to mediate between Khartoum and Addis

With implicit support from the Emirates and with less than two weeks to prepare, the Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki took on the role of mediator between his neighbours. An initiative which could be seen as an act of defiance directed towards international institutions, and not least the UN, which has placed sanctions on Eritrea.