<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

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.

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

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

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivers remarks during the official inauguration ceremony of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in Guba on Sept. 9, 2025.

Politics

Prime Minister Abiy will likely be reelected without sustained unrest, but escalating tensions in Tigray could still fuel a worsening security crisis in the Amhara and/or Oromia regions in a less-likely, higher-impact scenario.

Previewing Ethiopia's General Elections

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers a speech on April 18, 2026.

Ramaphosa will likely attempt to delay his upcoming impeachment process to facilitate the rise of a reformist ANC successor, though he still may preemptively resign, which would likely result in the collapse of South Africa's coalition government.

South Africa's Top Court Shows Ramaphosa the End of the Road

United States

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

China

France

United Kingdom

Boats on April 28, 2026 on Qeshm Island, Iran, in the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions between the United States and Iran will remain elevated, especially around the strait, following the May 7 U.S.-Iran exchange of attacks and Iranian attacks against the United Arab Emirates.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Elevated Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, France Convenes an Africa Summit

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Trucks haul away ore from a pit in the Chinese-owned Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in the world, in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17, 2023.

Greater access to Congo's mining sector will likely help the U.S. further secure its cobalt and copper supplies, but ongoing security concerns in the Central African country and China's dominance over global mineral processing will limit the extent of these gains.

Trump Goes Hunting For Congo's Minerals

Media

Podcasts

Why is the United States involved in the mediation process? 

The Decision Advantage: Key Drivers of the Congo-Rwanda Conflict

A digital illustration of Mali’s flag.

Recent attacks by al Qaeda affiliate JNIM pose a significant challenge to the junta's legitimacy, elevating the immediate threat of another military coup and signaling a progressive fragmentation of state authority as the jihadist group expands its reach.

Jihadist Onslaught Puts Mali on the Brink of Spiraling Chaos

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sits in his office as he speaks to journalists at Villa Somalia, the palace and principal workplace of the president, on April 22, 2025, in central Mogadishu, Somalia.

President Mohamud's attempt to extend his term could prompt opposition forces to form a parallel administration and lead to a federal military intervention in Jubaland state.

Somalia Descends Into Another Constitutional Crisis

South Asia

IMF officials participate in an economic outlook briefing in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2026.

Energy

The sharp increase in global oil and fertilizer costs will force import-reliant, low-income nations in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to choose between fiscal discipline and maintaining social stability.

Iran War Price Shocks Will Hit Low-Income Energy Importers Hardest

Former Niger Delta militant leader Government "Tompolo" Ekpemupolo called for calm in Nigeria's southern Delta state amid fresh demonstrations by ethnic Ijaw and Urhobo protestors, who are occupying oil flow stations and threatening the production of 400,000 barrels of oil per day to protest the Independent National Electoral Commission's failure to implement a new ward delineation in the Warri area, Premium Times reported on June 10.

Nigeria: Tompolo Calls for Calm in Delta State as Protestors Occupy Oil Production Facilities

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's National Assembly on June 9 adopted a controversial referendum bill that, should the Senate approve it at second reading, will replace the country's 2005 referendum law and strengthen the powers of the president to call a referendum, creating a legal framework that could eventually enable constitutional reform, RFI reported on June 10.

Congo: Parliament Passes Referendum Law, Paving the Way for Constitutional Reform

Anti-immigration activists in South Africa rejected the government's June 7 pledges to crack down on illegal immigration as insufficient and held broadly peaceful protests in Ekurhuleni, during which they warned businesses across the country to end the employment of all foreign nationals by June 30, Daily Maverick reported on June 8.

South Africa: Anti-Immigration Activists Reject Ramaphosa's Pledge To Crack Down on Illegal Immigration

The Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, accused Ethiopia's federal government of conducting a drone strike near the town of Sheraro in northeastern Tigray on the evening of June 5, Addis Standard reported on June 6.

Ethiopia: Federal Government Allegedly Conducts Drone Strike Against TPLF

Algeria

Morocco

Algeria's, Niger's and Nigeria's ministers of petroleum oversaw the start of construction works for the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, or TSGP, in Algeria's Adrar region, Jeune Afrique reported on June 5.

Africa: Algeria Kicks Off Construction of Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline

Middle East and North Africa

Oman

Azerbaijan

Oman's Mina al Fahal port temporarily stopped exporting oil on June 4 due to an alleged drone attack near the facility, Reuters reported the same day.

MENA: Oman Reports Explosion Amid Revelations of Region-Wide Covert Israeli Campaign Against Iran

Ethiopia reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund regarding the fifth review of its support program, which will result in the disbursement of $468 million once approved by the IMF executive board, Addis Standard reported on June 3. 

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa Reaches Staff-Level Agreement With IMF on Fifth Review

Russia

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a state visit to Russia, following which Putin called for stronger trade ties between the two countries and stressed opportunities for deeper bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, mining and logistics, The Chanzo reported on June 4.

Tanzania: President Hassan Meets Putin During State Visit to Russia

Sub-Saharan Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Nigeria: Tompolo Calls for Calm in Delta State as Protestors Occupy Oil Production Facilities

Congo: Parliament Passes Referendum Law, Paving the Way for Constitutional Reform

South Africa: Anti-Immigration Activists Reject Ramaphosa's Pledge To Crack Down on Illegal Immigration

Ethiopia: Federal Government Allegedly Conducts Drone Strike Against TPLF

Africa: Algeria Kicks Off Construction of Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline

MENA: Oman Reports Explosion Amid Revelations of Region-Wide Covert Israeli Campaign Against Iran

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa Reaches Staff-Level Agreement With IMF on Fifth Review

Tanzania: President Hassan Meets Putin During State Visit to Russia

Forecasts

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