To preview some of the top stories in 2019, the CSIS Africa Program compiled a list of key countries and issues to watch this year.

In January, South Africa will fill a seat on the UN Security Council for the first time since the presidency of Jacob Zuma, and the timing for joining the UN’s most influential body could hardly be better.

In a world where democracy is in recession, Nigerian commitment to democratic values makes the upcoming February 2019 elections worth paying attention to, as CSIS Africa Program director Judd Devermont writes in his commentary.

The Ebola outbreak unfolding in Eastern DRC is the most recent, powerful showcase of what it means to battle dangerous health security threats in a disordered world. While categoric judgments are elusive, the high risk of losing the game in the DRC is becoming apparent.

Ultimately, amnesty and rehabilitation initiatives will remain a hard sell while public faith in Kenya’s security apparatus is low, as Richard Downie from CSIS Africa Program writes in a new commentary.

In the absence of a clear U.S. policy, first lady Melania Trump’s travel last week renewed questions about U.S. priorities, programs, and funding in sub-Saharan Africa as Judd Devermont, CSIS Africa Program director, writes in a new CQ piece.

Nigeria needs a high-energy grid system to power its factories and cities and to sustain a growing economy.

African leaders this week attended the Seventh Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, spurring another round of hand-wringing in Washington over the China-Africa relationship.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s foreign counterparts are forging closer partnerships with the region because they see new openings for trade and investment, as well as growing threats from terrorism, criminality, epidemics, and irregular migration.

A disputed poll and violent post-election crackdown have raised questions about Zimbabwe’s prospects for shedding its pariah status and restoring investor confidence in its economy.