Decis SITREP: Africa Focus

Good morning.

Intro

Commodity and Rate Snapshot

_{As at Nov 14, 06:00ET -Data is illustrative, not for decision-making.}

Financial data via Bloomberg, Freightos and AlphaVantage

Africa Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

🇩🇿 Algeria, 🇦🇴 Angola, 🇧🇯 Benin, 🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso, 🇧🇮 Burundi, 🇨🇲 Cameroon, 🇨🇫 Central African Republic, 🇹🇩 Chad, 🇰🇲 Comoros, 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic Of The Congo, 🇩🇯 Djibouti, 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, 🇪🇷 Eritrea, 🇸🇿 Eswatini, 🇪🇹 Ethiopia, 🇬🇦 Gabon, 🇬🇳 Guinea, 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau, 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇱🇷 Liberia, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, 🇲🇼 Malawi, 🇲🇱 Mali, 🇲🇷 Mauritania, 🇲🇺 Mauritius, 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇳🇪 Niger, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇸🇴 Somalia, 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇸🇩 Sudan, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇹🇬 Togo, 🇺🇬 Uganda, 🇪🇭 Western Sahara, 🇿🇲 Zambia, 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇨🇻 Cape Verde, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇱🇸 Lesotho, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇳🇦 Namibia, 🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe, 🇬🇲 The Gambia

Regional News Summary

Volatility continues to grip the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in the eastern regions where the M23 rebel group is advancing, challenging government forces and exacerbating instability. This unrest complicates the government's ability to maintain control and provide essential services to the population [SOURCE - Understanding War].

In addition to the security crisis, the DRC faces a public health challenge with the mpox virus (formerly known as monkeypox). Although the spread has slowed, new mutations raise concerns about potential outbreaks. Vaccination efforts are underway, with doses allocated for nine African countries, including the DRC, as part of a global response to the outbreak [SOURCE - CBC].

Meanwhile, the energy landscape in Africa is shifting. Russia has emerged as a significant supplier of liquefied natural gas to Spain, raising questions about Algeria's energy export market, which is already under pressure from declining oil prices [SOURCE - TASS]. 

In Mali, three executives, including CEO Terry Holohan, from mining company Resolute are being held by the government over alleged unpaid taxes.   [SOURCE - Boomberg] 

Independent firms are revitalizing Africa's mature oil fields, which could bolster Algeria's oil and gas sector amid these challenges [SOURCE - RIO TIMES]. However, the global energy market remains uncertain, influenced by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and fluctuating demand [SOURCE - THE BLAZE].

In Southern Africa, South Africa has closed its border with Mozambique due to election-related violence, which has resulted in at least 30 deaths and numerous injuries [SOURCE - The Hindu]. The unrest has raised concerns about regional stability and economic implications for both nations. South Africa's Minister of Justice has expressed eagerness to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, indicating a desire for a more active role in international diplomacy [SOURCE - Mail & Guardian].

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deepen, with reports of a mysterious illness claiming lives in besieged towns and calls for international intervention to protect civilians from paramilitary violence [SOURCE - ABC News]. The UN Security Council has condemned the actions of Sudan's paramilitary forces and imposed sanctions on key generals, highlighting the urgent need for a coordinated international response [SOURCE - Spacewar].

In Nigeria, the government is grappling with a human rights crisis, with military forces accused of widespread abuses, including forced abortions in the northeast [SOURCE - Investing.com]. The country is also facing challenges in its renewable energy sector, with concerns that it may struggle to compete globally despite significant investments [SOURCE - Financial Times].

Final Factoid

Reuters reports that China’s Zhurong rover has found evidence of an ancient shoreline on Mars. Read more

Carpe tomorrow!