<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

A Rwandan soldier walks in front of a burned truck near Palma in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region on Sept. 22, 2021. 

Military & Security

Politics

Rwanda’s expanding troop deployments in other African countries seek to enhance its regional political and economic influence, but entail risks that could harm its operations and reputation.

Rwanda's Growing Military Influence in Africa: Opportunities and Risks

Egypt

The Geopolitics of Water

Environment, Science & Technology

In the coming decade, water scarcity will likely contribute to the erosion of Egypt's economic and political independence, including its ability to act unilaterally against other countries vying for water along the Nile basin.

The Geopolitics of Water: The Threat to Egypt's Independence

Mexico

China

South Korea

United Kingdom

Security personnel walk on a road with buses blocking an entrance gate to protect impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol from a possible second arrest in Seoul on Jan. 6. If Yoon is not arrested, the opposition could again seek to impeach the country's acting president due to his insufficient support for the arrest efforts, worsening foreign perceptions of political instability in South Korea.

Economics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Mozambique's President Takes Office, the U.K. Chancellor Visits China

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Ecuador

United States

Algeria

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Taiwan

Ukraine

Belarus

Russia

Pakistan

World map on a dark digital background representing global communication and global finances.

Cyber

Energy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025 highlights high-impact, low-probability risks and trends from the annual forecast presented in more extreme terms.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, Guinea's President Alpha Conde, US President Donald Trump, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, Vice President of Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn pose on May 27, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily.

The Trump administration's more zero-sum approach to countering Chinese influence in Africa may find some success but risks alienating several African states, potentially enabling China to strengthen its foothold.

What to Expect From Trump 2.0's Approach to Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

South Asia

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Trade disruptions, shifting military conflicts and domestic political turbulence will shape global affairs in 2025. 

2025 Annual Geopolitical Forecast: An Excerpt

Venezuela

Lebanon

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro waits for the arrival of other heads of state of members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America regional trading bloc during the XXIV ALBA-TCP Summit in Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 14, 2024. 

The Weekly Rundown: Inaugurations in Ghana and Venezuela, Yoon's Potential Arrest in South Korea

Columns

On Geopolitics

Cargo containers painted with Chinese and U.S. flags.

In this scorecard, we take a critical look at our hits and misses in forecasting geopolitical events over the past year.

Grading Our 2024 Annual Forecast

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Protesters in Maputo prepare to burn a flag of Mozambique's ruling Frelimo party on Oct. 24, 2024. 

The growing economic toll of the unrest will increase the incentives for President-elect Chapo to reach a deal with opposition leader Mondlane, though this would risk triggering infighting within the ruling Frelimo party.

Mozambique's Post-Election Crisis Reaches a Critical Juncture

France

Anti-riot police officers with dogs walk past burning barricades made by protesters in Maputo, Mozambique, on Nov. 7, 2024. 

The Weekly Rundown: A New French Government, a Ruling on Mozambique's Disputed Election

Executive chair of the International Steel Fabricators of South Africa Neels van Niekerk warned that up to 100,000 jobs could be lost in the country if steel manufacturing corporation ArcelorMittal halted its local production of long steel at the end of January as planned, News24 reported on Jan. 16.

South Africa: Concerns Mount as ArcelorMittal Prepares To Stop Long-Steel Production

Togolese Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Dussey refused to rule out Togo joining the Alliance of Sahel States, which Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso formed in light of their upcoming departure from the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, Jeune Afrique reported on Jan. 16.

West Africa: Togo Considers Joining the Alliance of Sahel States

Mozambique's opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, who disputes his loss in the country's October 2024 presidential election, announced on Jan. 15 that he will present his proposed measures for his first 100 days of governance on Jan. 17, Club of Mozambique reported on Jan 16. 

Mozambique: Presidential Candidate Mondlane To Present 'First 100 Days' Measures

The United States will impose financial sanctions on the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Reuters reported on Jan. 16, citing three different sources with knowledge on the matter.

Sudan: U.S. To Sanction SAF Leader Following Reported Chemical Weapons Use 

Nigeria's crude oil production reached 1.507 million barrels per day (bpd) in December 2024, Vanguard News reported on Jan. 16, citing OPEC's January 2025 Monthly Oil Market Report. 

Nigeria: OPEC Report Finds Oil Output Reaching Production Quota

Kenya and the United Arab Emirates signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement during a visit by Kenyan President William Ruto to the United Arab Emirates, The Eastleigh Voice reported on Jan. 15.

Kenya: Ruto Signs Economic Partnership With UAE, Seeks Emirati Investments for Railway Expansion

Daniel Chapo, the presidential candidate for Mozambique's ruling Liberation Front of Mozambique party, better known as Frelimo, was sworn in, Reuters reported on Jan. 15. 

Mozambique: Frelimo's Daniel Chapo Inaugurated President

Militants belonging to Islamic State West African Province, or ISWAP, and Jama'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihad, also known as JAS or Boko Haram, on Jan. 14  killed at least 40 people from Nigeria's Dumba community in Borno state, Reuters reported the following day. 

Nigeria: JAS and ISWAP Militants Kill 40 Civilians Amid Surge in Attacks

Sub-Saharan Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

South Africa: Concerns Mount as ArcelorMittal Prepares To Stop Long-Steel Production

West Africa: Togo Considers Joining the Alliance of Sahel States

Mozambique: Presidential Candidate Mondlane To Present 'First 100 Days' Measures

Sudan: U.S. To Sanction SAF Leader Following Reported Chemical Weapons Use

Nigeria: OPEC Report Finds Oil Output Reaching Production Quota

Kenya: Ruto Signs Economic Partnership With UAE, Seeks Emirati Investments for Railway Expansion

Mozambique: Frelimo's Daniel Chapo Inaugurated President

Nigeria: JAS and ISWAP Militants Kill 40 Civilians Amid Surge in Attacks

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support