Regions and Country Groups

Sub-Saharan Africa

Our research in this region explores the conflict, security and peace operations across Sub-Saharan Africa, with specific focus on countering terrorism and violent extremism, combatting illegal wildlife trade, environmental crime and climate security.

Countries and groups covered in this region

Central Africa East Africa Horn of Africa Southern Africa The Sahel West Africa

Latest news and comment

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Research Event Recordings
Recording: Designing Effective 'Follow the Money' Projects to Counter Wildlif...
29 October 202688 Minute Watch
Terrorism
Motivation for terrorism remains strong (especially following the destruction of Gaza since October 2023). Advances in drone technology in Ukraine since 2022 could provide terrorists with an effective means of delivery at a time when countermeasures are still in their infancy. And AI could enable terrorists to research and develop lethal payloads...As we remember 9/11, it is still too early to celebrate the absence of a successful repeat during that costly quarter-century.”
Tim Willasey-Wilsey CMG
RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, RUSI International
11 September 2026
Sudan and Conflict
The evidence is both alarming and a cause for deep concern...[The stockpiling of chlorine munitions] cannot be definitively verified from visual evidence alone, but the indicators are strongly consistent with a chemical weapons program.”
Dr Gareth Williams
RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
5 September 2026

Projects

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Organised Crime, Terror and Insecurity in Africa (OCTA)

Closed ProjectsClosed

Organised Crime, Terror and Insecurity in Africa (OCTA)

Closed ProjectsClosed

Reducing Insecurity and Violent Extremism in Northern and Coastal Regions o...

Deris Wanaag: The Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia Borderlands Project

Closed ProjectsClosed

Deris Wanaag: The Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia Borderlands Project

Combatting the Illegal Wildlife Trade in West and Central Africa: Phase II

Closed ProjectsClosed

Combatting the Illegal Wildlife Trade in West and Central Africa: Phase II

Combatting Wildlife Crime in Uganda

Closed ProjectsClosed

Combatting Wildlife Crime in Uganda

Latest publications

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Our experts

Cathy Haenlein

RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, Organised Crime and Policing

Christopher Hockey

Senior Research Fellow

RUSI Nairobi

Michael Jones

Senior Research Fellow

Conflict, Security and Resilience

Tom Keatinge

Director, CFS

Centre for Finance and Security

Timothy Kimaiyo

RUSI Associate Fellow, Conflict, Security and Resilience

Dr Jessica White

Director of Terrorism and Conflict Studies

Conflict, Security and Resilience

Jennifer Scotland

Research Fellow

Organised Crime and Policing

Mark Williams

Former OCP Senior Programme Manager | SHOC Network Member - Researcher

Fellows

Matt Freear

RUSI Associate Fellow, Conflict, Security and Resilience

Justyna Gudzowska

RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, CFS

Dr Greg Mills

RUSI Senior Associate Fellow

Luniya Msuku

RUSI Associate Fellow, Conflict, Security and Resilience

Elizabeth Pearson

RUSI Associate Fellow, Conflict, Security and Resilience

Alexandria Reid

RUSI Associate Fellow, OCP | SHOC Network Member - Researcher

Martine Zeuthen

RUSI Associate Fellow, Conflict, Security and Resilience