Good morning and Happy Friday.

Just the ratings and headlines today as I digest Thursday’s feast. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for the long reads.

Black Friday Sale Gift

It’s the end of the year, and everyone is writing their ‘Top Risks of 2025,’ which means we’ll be hearing terms like poly-crisis and permacrisis far too much.

The problem is that these terms can be paralyzing: the problems are so big, it's hard to know where to start.

So keep things simple: start with the things that might affect your organization specifically because you won't tackle climate change by yourself.

And if you aren't sure what those threats might be, here's something to help.

I just rebuilt the scenario planner in CrisisDojo and put it outside of the paywall so you can use it to generate likely scenarios for your organization. Plus, it can help outline basic contingency plans and actions to put into place.

So ignore the noise: focus on your organization.

Just go to app.crisisdojo.ai to try it out.

No login or credit card required.

Africa Stability Ratings and News Summary

More Unstable

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

More Stable

No countries were more stable over this period

Unchanged

🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇨🇻 Cape Verde, 🇩🇯 Djibouti, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇲🇷 Mauritania, 🇲🇺 Mauritius, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe, 🇬🇲 The Gambia

Regional News Summary

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, exacerbated by violence against aid workers, which has made 2024 the deadliest year on record for them. Concurrently, devastating rain-induced landslides have claimed the lives of nine individuals, including seven children, highlighting the region's vulnerability to both conflict and natural disasters. The World Food Programme has called for $16.9 billion in funding for 2025 to address alarming hunger levels, underscoring the urgent need for international intervention in this beleaguered nation. [SOURCE - APP].

In Algeria, the arrest of prominent writer Boualem Sansal on national security charges has raised alarms about the increasing censorship of dissenting voices and the government's commitment to democratic values. This crackdown on free expression reflects a broader trend of tightening control over civil liberties in the country, raising concerns about the future of democracy in Algeria [SOURCE - Al-Monitor].

The threat of terrorism continues to loom large in Western Africa, with regional collaboration becoming essential to combat this growing menace. The international community must remain vigilant and proactive in addressing the security challenges that threaten stability in the region [SOURCE - The Conversation].

In South Africa, the government has declared a food poisoning crisis a national disaster, further complicating an already dire economic situation. The high repo rate has left many citizens struggling to afford basic necessities, with some facing the risk of losing their homes. However, a think tank has recommended a policy overhaul to stimulate economic growth, advocating for a more business-friendly approach [SOURCE - RT].

Kenya has made headlines by canceling over $2.5 billion in deals with the Adani Group following the indictment of its chairman in the United States. This decision not only impacts the Adani Group's expansion plans in Africa but also raises questions about Kenya's investment climate and its ability to attract foreign capital [SOURCE - The Daily Star].

Meanwhile, Nigeria's economy is showing resilience, with growth hitting 3.46% despite the removal of petrol subsidies that have led to increased transport prices. However, over 33 million Nigerians are projected to face hunger in the coming year, highlighting the urgent need for effective policies to address food security concerns [SOURCE - Riotimesonline].

In South Sudan, escalating violence has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with millions facing acute food insecurity as the conflict intensifies. The World Food Programme has ramped up operations to assist those in desperate need, but the situation remains dire as famine looms [SOURCE - IB Times].

Zambia is taking steps towards economic development, with plans to sign a carbon trade deal with Singapore and the launch of a K1 billion SME fund aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. However, concerns about corruption and governance persist, as officials face accusations of misconduct during recent electoral nominations [SOURCE - Daily Mail].

In Senegal, the ruling party has secured a parliamentary majority, paving the way for continued reforms. However, protests have erupted, reflecting public demand for more democratic reforms and highlighting societal unease regarding the electoral process [SOURCE - The Hindu].

As the climate crisis looms, predictions indicate severe impacts on African children, with increased temperatures leading to food shortages and health risks. This underscores the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change's effects on vulnerable populations [SOURCE - ECNS].

Long Reads

Here are some longer pieces worth exploring this weekend.

• Javier Milei is held up in Trump World as an example of someone who has effectively cut government, so it’s probably worth getting to know him a little better before the DOGE team starts following his playbook. This week’s Economist has a profile of the Argentinian leader [Gift link] and he appeared on Lex Friedman’s podcast in early November.

• The Houthis started attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea a year ago. Here’s a timeline of events from G Captain. (It’s also a good time to review the Supply Chain deep dive from February.)

• Robert Scobel’s AI newsletter looked at how AI can assist with Crisis Management, which partners nicely with my friend Philippe’s recent piece on AI and crisis communications. 

Have a great weekend and I will see you again on Monday

Carpe tomorrow!