Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief. This week’s highlights include protests in Senegal, Nigeria’s devaluation, and Namibia’s succession. To receive Africa Brief in your inbox every Wednesday, please sign up here. This week: Protests rock Senegal after Sall delays election, Nigeria’s devaluation, and Namibia’s succession. If you would like to receive Africa Brief in your inbox every Wednesday, please sign up here.
Kenyan President William Ruto backed a nearly $6 billion Italian plan for energy resources in exchange for migration restrictions which has been criticized by regional leaders. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiled the scheme to fund projects in North African nations, Mozambique, Ethiopia, the Republic of Congo, and Kenya in exchange for Italian access to energy sources. African leaders and critics have voiced concerns about the plan’s lack of consultation and its potential impact on Africa’s climate change agenda. Ruto’s support of the plan has also been met with backlash, both domestically and internationally.
Senegal’s parliament approved a nearly 10-month election delay, extending President Macky Sall’s term and leading to protests and accusations of a coup d’état. The decision to postpone elections has been met with opposition and legal challenges. Sall cited a dispute between the judiciary and parliament over the candidate list as the reason for the delay, but critics accuse him of manipulation. Incidents involving key opposition figures being disqualified from the ballot have also sparked controversy.
The political fragility in Senegal comes as a surprise, as the country has long been viewed as West Africa’s most stable democracy. President Sall’s decision to postpone elections and the controversy surrounding the disqualification of opposition figures have raised concerns about the credibility of the upcoming presidential vote.
In other news, Nigeria’s devaluation and Namibia’s succession have also grabbed attention this week. As the situation in Africa continues to evolve, stay tuned for more updates in our next Africa Brief.