Madagascar could be hovering on the brink of another political crisis after President Andry Rajoelina was declared the winner of a sham election. Amid democratic backsliding and continued French support, Rajoelina will begin his third term with popular discontent and disillusionment with the ruling elite at an all-time high.
On Oct. 31, the Biden administration restored Mauritania’s trade preferences under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, despite Mauritania not having fully eradicated forced labor and slavery. A closer look at several other aspects of U.S.-Mauritania relations may shed light on the Biden administration’s decision.
Even as Chad’s leader, Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby, oversees a political transition toward elections planned for next year, he faces significant longer-term challenges to his rule. If he can navigate them, Deby is almost certain to win next year’s election. In the meantime, the day-to-day mechanics of repression will remain intact.
