CIB Weekly Intelligence Brief | Vol. 01 | Iss. 03

UNITED STATES PLEDGES $60 MILLION
TO AFRICAN COUNTERTERRORISM
FORCE
Daniel Lewis, Member, Africa Desk | October 31, 2017
On October 30, 2017, United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
announced that $60 million in bilateral assistance will be allocated
by the US to build up the regional coalition between Mali,
Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania, a group of nations
known collectively as the G5 Sahel.
Russian news agency Sputnik relayed that Rex Tillerson stated that
the money would be used to help the African countries to combat local
militant groups and ensure security in the region.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyata
IMAGE CREDIT: EBRU TV, KENYA
WHAT THE ELECTION
MEANS FOR KENYA
Chris Bruttomesso, Member, Africa Desk
October 31, 2017
After the second national election in
three months, Kenyan voters have decided
to reelect former president Uhuru
Kenyatta for another five-year term. Kenyatta
won by a reported 98 percent of the
vote, after his opponent, Raila Odinga,
dropped out of the race before the revote
began.
In August, results from Kenya’s first election
were thrown out due to a voting fraud
scandal.
CNN reports that Kenya’s second election
had a 38% turnout rate of a total of 19.6
million registered voters.
NPR reports that after the election, riots
broke out in the slums around Nairobi, currently
leaving at least 24 people dead.
As of October 31, 2017, riots are still happening
all across the slums in Nairobi.
It is likely that terrorist groups like al-Shabaab,
which are active in Kenya, will try to
use President Kenyatta’s controversial reelection,
low popularity and low voter turnout
to recruit members. Such a development
could make Kenya more susceptible
to militancy from various terrorist groups.
The United Nations informs that the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization
Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was created in 2013 to support
the Malian political process and carry out security-related tasks in the
region.
The United States Mission to the United Nations released comments
by the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who raised concerns
about the unsuccessful efforts by MINUSMA and use of UN resources
to support non-UN activities.
Agence France Presse states that Nikki Haley stressed the importance
of regional countries taking full ownership of the new G5 force to ensure
future success and stability.
MINUSMA is currently being branded as the most dangerous peacekeeping
mission by the United Nations. It is also being criticized for its
alleged ineffectiveness. It is therefore likely to receive more attention from
the US. While stabilization in the region is a long process, some see
MINUSMA’s increasing visibility as a step in the right direction.
SIGN UP FOR SPRING 2018 CIB CLASSES
The Chanticleer Intelligence Brief is the premier student group of
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Carolina University. It seeks to prepare students for careers in
the United States Intelligence Community. CIB Members in good
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The one-credit class allows CIB members to progress to the level of a
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As part of the class, they are able to compete for awards and
submit their work for publication in The Intelligence Review, the CIB’s
peer-reviewed journal, which is published twice a year. You can still
sign up for next semester’s CIB classes. Look for these Tuesday classes
on Webadvisor:
POLI*396*03 Intel Analysis Practicum Tuesday 12:45 – 2:00 p.m.
POLI*396*04 Intel Analysis Practicum Tuesday 2:10 – 3:25 p.m.
POLI*396*05 Explorations in Poli Sci Tuesday 3:35 – 4:50 p.m.