World Review: Conflict in Africa and the Far-Right in Europe
A synopsis of this week's edition of World Review
Each week, I host a video podcast called World Review with Ivo Daalder where journalists from major news outlets around the world join me to discuss the latest global news stories of the week.
Today, November 6, we discussed evolving crises in Sub-Saharan Africa and the outcomes of recent elections in Europe. Joining me this week were Anna Sauerbrey, foreign editor of Die Zeit, and Bobby Ghosh, who writes for Bloomberg, Time, and many other outlets.
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While I encourage you to watch or listen to the episode (and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!), here are a few interesting things I took away from our discussion:
The US and Europe are turning a blind eye to serious challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bobby noted that the crises span from East to West, with new reports of an ongoing genocide in Darfur, Al‑Qaeda’s growing footprint in Mali, and growing threats posed by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Some of this has been reported in Western media, but it hasn’t translated into meaningful action. Trump’s focus on Boko Haram in Nigeria seems to be driven by political considerations, rather than genuine humanitarian or strategic concerns. Bobby gave us reason to worry - Mali could become an Al Qaeda base worse than Afghanistan, with Islamic fundamentalism and migration posing serious challenges for Europe and beyond. Instead of acting, Europe has withdrawn, cutting development aid budgets and reducing its engagement in the region. As Anna notes, this is short-sighted and risks serious security concerns down the line.
Next, we focused on recent election results in Europe. The Dutch results offered a measure of optimism, yet - as Anna points out - the far right continues to drive the agenda, especially on migration. Elsewhere in Europe, opinion polls are showing concerning trends, from the AfD in Germany, to the election of the ANO Party in the Czech Republic, and Reform in the UK. How can the far right be countered effectively on both sides of the Atlantic? Recent success for the center and left in Europe and the United States suggest that an effective answer must focus on pocketbook concerns, without ignoring the challenges posed by migration. Rob Jetten, the winner of the Dutch elections, made a positive step forward, but this does not mean the far right is in retreat.
Those are my quick takes on this week’s episode here on World Review. To get the full story, please listen to the episode itself.