Eye on Africa 2025: Sudan War, US Policy Shifts, and Critical Minerals

Sudan Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis

• 💔 The war in Sudan, ongoing since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, continued to deepen in 2025, creating the world's largest humanitarian crisis.
• 📈 Fighting intensified in regions like Darfur and Kordofan, with the RSF fully controlling Darfur states by October 2025 and Kordofan becoming a new battlefield.
• ⚠️ Over 30 million people are in desperate need of aid, with increased targeting of civilians, aid workers, and convoys exacerbating the fragile humanitarian situation.
• 🌍 Despite failed mediation efforts and border tensions, international and local organizations continue to provide aid and push for stability, with hopes for dialogue and easing the humanitarian situation before peace in 2026.

US Foreign Policy and Africa

• 🇺🇸 The overhaul of US foreign policy under President Trump's second term significantly impacted Africa, with the shuttering of USAID and unpredictable tariffs creating uncertainty.
• 🗣️ US ideology, such as the assertion of a "white genocide" in South Africa, influenced foreign policy discussions, catching African leaders off guard.
• ✈️ A crackdown on visas for several African countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso, led to reciprocal travel restrictions, highlighting strained diplomatic relations.
• 📈 The US's unpredictable approach marked a significant shift from previous decades of relative stability in US-Africa policy.

Other African Developments

• 🕊️ Hopes remain for a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda after nearly 30 years of conflict.
• 🌏 Gulf nations like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are playing an increasingly significant role in African economies, mirroring China's past engagement.
• 💎 Africa's critical minerals are gaining importance in the global economy, essential for renewables, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence, with several major African countries poised to play a key role in their sourcing.

Cultural Moments

• ✨ The year concluded with a look back at spectacular moments of culture and community from across the African continent.