<p>Sub-Saharan Africa is a study in diversity. Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, the region is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources. It&rsquo;s no surprise that it captured the imagination of Europe&rsquo;s earliest explorers &mdash; and that it continues to capture the imagination of current world powers eager to exploit it. And yet despite the region&rsquo;s diversity, Sub-Saharan African countries have common challenges &mdash; transnational terrorism, rapid population growth, endemic poverty and corruption &mdash; that prevent them from capitalizing on their economic potential. The coming years will be critical for the region, especially as its political institutions mature in a rapidly globalizing world.</p>

Covering an area that spans the entire width of the continent beginning at the Sahara Desert and ending at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to countless cultures, languages, religions, plants, animals and natural resources.

Sub-Saharan Africa

South Sudan

Angola

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Cabo Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Cote d'Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Djibouti

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Kenya

Lesotho

Liberia

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

Sudan

Eswatini

Tanzania

Togo

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

The Post-Apartheid Era Ends

The Politics of Pipelines

Old Leaders in a New Africa

Nigeria: Obstacles to Prosperity

Commodities: A Cautionary Tale

Crossing Borders

A Crude Recovery

Globalization

China in Transition

The Suitors of Sub-Saharan Africa

Assessments

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (C) on Oct. 26, 2023, looks on as members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force parade on Ethiopian Defense Force Day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The latest confrontation between the Ethiopian military and the Tigray Peoples' Liberation Front could signal more frequent clashes between the two sides that risk merging northern Ethiopia's conflicts with Sudan's civil war and could trigger a severe military escalation.

Military & Security

Politics

The latest confrontation between the Ethiopian military and the Tigray Peoples' Liberation Front could signal more frequent clashes between the two sides that risk merging northern Ethiopia's conflicts with Sudan's civil war and could trigger a severe military escalation.

Clashes Between the TPLF and Ethiopian Military Threaten Spiraling Violence in Tigray

Brazil

United States

Egypt

Iran

Saudi Arabia

China

Russia

India

(From left to right) Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attend a plenary session at the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 24, 2024.

Economics

The bloc's push to develop an independent payment system for trade will not immediately undermine the U.S. dollar's global dominance, though it could reduce the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions.

The Implications of an Independent BRICS Payment System

Media

Podcasts

Which Sub-Saharan countries face the highest risk of protests and unrest in the coming months?

The Decision Advantage: The Outlook for Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

U.S.-Iran Relations

Americas

Asia-Pacific

South Asia

A thermometer reading a high temperature is shown over an image of Earth.

Environment, Science & Technology

The compounding effects of the weather event and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are set to drive global inflation and strain agricultural output well into next year.


How the 2026 El Nino Climate Event Will Affect the Global Economy and Security

Protesters march outside Parliament to honor victims of the June 25, 2024, protest on June 25, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Despite declining public approval, President William Ruto remains well-positioned to leverage state resources and exploit opposition divisions to secure his standing ahead of next year's general election.


Kenyan Opposition Struggles To Unite Against Ruto Ahead of 2027 Elections

Snapshots

United Arab Emirates

Sudan's de facto leader and army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, waves to spectators after attending a soccer match at Kober Stadium in Khartoum on May 15, 2026.

The outbreak of the Iran war has redirected Western and Arab diplomatic attention away from Sudan, worsening the country's long-running civil war.

Humanitarian Disaster Looms in Sudan as RSF Prepares New Offensive

Middle East and North Africa

Europe

Eurasia

Cyber

Energy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

A fragile truce in the Middle East, persistent energy-driven inflation, shifting U.S. trade policy and escalating regional pressures from Europe to Africa will collectively shape geopolitical risk in the third quarter.

2026 Third-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Colombia

Vessels at anchorage June 18 in Bandar Abbas, Iran, along the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed June 17 is highly likely to remain in effect over the coming week, and negotiations toward a final deal will begin.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. and Iranian Talks, Colombia's Presidential Runoff

Red Cross volunteers wearing personal protective equipment lower the body of an Ebola victim into a casket at a health center in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on June 8, 2026.

The escalating outbreak will likely persist for several more months, likely disrupting regional supply chains, mining investments in Congo and potentially Uganda's start of oil production.

Ebola Makes Deadly Comeback in Congo

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Control over critical natural resources is increasingly strengthening armed groups' durability and geographic reach, heightening their physical threats and their ability to create political instability.

Natural Resource Exploitation as an Engine for Insurgency in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers at Stanford and the Arc Institute used artificial intelligence to create 16 novel viral genomes, Science reported on Aug. 6.

Global: Scientists Use AI To Create 16 Novel Viruses

Pakistan

The Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, secured 100 Pakistani-made Mohafiz armored vehicles from the Pakistan Ordnance Factory in July, as well as Pakistani Shahpar drones and spare parts for its K-8 trainer and light-attack aircraft, Sudan Tribune reported on Aug. 6 based on conversations with military sources.

Sudan: SAF Secures Fresh Pakistani Weaponry, Hinting at Saudi Support

Mozambique has faced escalating fuel shortages since the end of July, notably in the capital, Maputo, and its suburb, Matola, Club of Mozambique reported on Aug. 5. 

Mozambique: Latest Fuel Shortages Highlight Foreign Currency Woes, Distributors' Hurdles

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is banning the export of copper and cobalt concentrates with immediate effect, Reuters reported on Aug. 6 after reviewing a government order. 

Congo: Government Bans Export of Copper, Cobalt Concentrate

Cameroonian President Paul Biya promoted five colonels to Brigadier General and nominated Major General Hypolite Ebaka as Major General of the Armed Forces, the second-highest-ranking officer within the Cameroonian military, Radio France International reported Aug. 4.

Cameroon: Biya Promotes Military Top Brass as His Stay in Switzerland Nears Two Months 

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta chaired a meeting of the opposition Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition, during which members agreed to rebrand the coalition ahead of Kenya's August 2027 general election and unite the country's opposition forces under one large umbrella organization, Daily Nation reported on Aug. 4.

Kenya: Former President Kenyatta Leads Opposition Talks Pressing for Broad Anti-Ruto Coalition

The Orange Democratic Movement party, or ODM, announced that it would form a technical committee with Kenya's ruling United Democratic Alliance party, or UDA, with ODM leader Oburu Odinga stating that the party would not field a presidential candidate of its own in Kenya's August 2027 general election and would instead support Kenyan President William Ruto's reelection bid, Daily Nation reported on Aug. 2.

Kenya: ODM Announces Plan for Joint Manifesto With Ruto's UDA

The Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, accused the Ethiopian government of launching a new military offensive and said clashes had erupted between its forces and pro-government forces in the locality of Shererina in the western part of Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, located near the border with Sudan, Addis Standard reported on Aug. 1. 

Ethiopia: Clashes Erupt Between Military and TPLF in Western Tigray, Spill Over Into Sudan

Sub-Saharan Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Global: Scientists Use AI To Create 16 Novel Viruses

Sudan: SAF Secures Fresh Pakistani Weaponry, Hinting at Saudi Support

Mozambique: Latest Fuel Shortages Highlight Foreign Currency Woes, Distributors' Hurdles

Congo: Government Bans Export of Copper, Cobalt Concentrate

Cameroon: Biya Promotes Military Top Brass as His Stay in Switzerland Nears Two Months

Kenya: Former President Kenyatta Leads Opposition Talks Pressing for Broad Anti-Ruto Coalition

Kenya: ODM Announces Plan for Joint Manifesto With Ruto's UDA

Ethiopia: Clashes Erupt Between Military and TPLF in Western Tigray, Spill Over Into Sudan

Forecasts

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