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Dear FO° Reader, This is the first very warm Sunday in Geneva in 2025. The world is getting warmer and we read all about it in the news. Headlines about tragedies and conflicts dominate. I want to make sense of what is going on but how can I do so if I do not entirely trust those manufacturing the news? We asked one of our young authors this question. She loved The New York Times (NYT) and had not heard much about Africa. She had certainly not heard of the infamous NYT advertisement for an East Africa correspondent and our question led to an article. ![]() Since I am a philosopher by training, I question those who manufacture the news. That is why we publish perspectives from around the world and view the world through the eyes of more than 3,000 authors from over 90 countries. Last week, I sent you an email about the debates in France. Today, I am focusing on Africa, a continent with 54 countries, hundreds of languages and more than a billion people. In the last FO° Exclusive of 2024, retired CIA officer Glenn Carle and editor-in-chief Atul Singh shone the light on Africa. This week, I look at what Africans themselves are saying about their vast and diverse continent. The Surging, Not Fading, of the Islamic State in Africa The Islamic State (IS) is not retreating in Africa — in fact, it’s gaining ground. Recent attacks in Niger, where dozens of soldiers were killed, and Mali, where IS has launched deadly operations in the Ménaka region, show that the group is adapting and exploiting local conflicts. In Mozambique, IS-linked militants have expanded operations in the north, even targeting areas like the Niassa Reserve, where they killed rangers and displaced entire communities. This resurgence comes as international forces withdraw, and state institutions remain weak or absent. African media point to deep-rooted causes — poverty, youth unemployment, distrust in government, and community grievances — as fuel for recruitment and radicalization. Why it matters: The African branch of IS is not just a regional concern — it’s part of a global network that thrives where governance fails. Ignoring the rise of IS risks allowing entire regions to fall into long-term instability. Sources:
Since April 2023, Sudan’s civil war between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced over 14 million people. Nearly four million have fled to neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan, creating severe strain on these two already vulnerable countries. Many of the displaced are fleeing ethnic violence, especially in Darfur. Meanwhile, outbreaks of cholera and other diseases in refugee camps are worsening the humanitarian disaster. Why it matters: The refugee crisis risks destabilizing an entire region, and needs more global attention — from African and international actors alike. Sources:
![]() ![]() One last word on Cameroon’s Lingering Language Divide Cameroon’s Anglophone-Francophone conflict continues to fuel unrest. Colonial legacies and decades of marginalization irk the English-speaking regions. They want independence from the dominant French-speaking Cameroonians. This Fair Observer article explores how language policy and political centralization have eroded trust in English speakers and sparked a long-running separatist movement. ![]() As you can see from the above, Africa faces big challenges. We have long taken the view that we need to listen to African voices. In 2016, we ran the Voices of the World program in East Africa to cultivate some of these voices. Today, we request you to introduce us to your African friends who have things to say about the issues their countries and continents face. At Fair Observer, we believe in democratizing and globalizing the world news space. That’s why we are sharing perspectives you don’t easily find in the big media publications of Washington or even London. Join us in a journey through different parts of the world and their many realities, one Sunday at a time. Wishing you a peaceful Sunday, Roberta Campani Communications and Outreach |
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