Drone Incident: Mali and Algeria Are at Odds

By EST Contributor

Diplomatic tensions between Algeria and Mali have suddenly intensified following the shooting of a military drone near their shared border. On March 30, Algerian air defense forces intercepted the drone in the Tamanrasset region, close to Mali’s Kidal region, an area central to Tuareg separatist aspirations. For Algeria, the drone’s presence is a violation of its sovereignty (fair enough). In response, Mali and its AES allies – Burkina Faso and Niger – recalled their ambassadors from Algiers, accusing Algeria of “interference in internal affairs”.



A historical involvement. Algeria has long been a mediator in northern Mali, particularly with Tuareg groups.. It hosted the 2015 Algiers Accord, a fragile peace agreement between Bamako and northern separatist groups like the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA). However, with the Malian army retaking Kidal in late 2023 and rising tensions between Bamako and Tuareg factions, Algeria’s outreach is viewed by Mali’s transitional authorities as a challenge to their sovereignty and an implicit support for separatism.



Realignment of power in the Sahel. This incident comes amid a general realignment in the region.The AES bloc of military-led governments, has severed ties with ECOWAS and is increasingly distancing itself from Western influence in favor of partners like Russia. MeanwhileAlgeria maintains a non-aligned, multilateral stance rooted in its own national security doctrine.

This diplomatic standoff could complicate regional coordination on key issues like counterterrorism and migration. It also underlines the fragility of cross-border trust in a region already weakened by jihadist insurgencies and political transitions.





New Strategy? Trump's Renewed Airstrikes on Yemen

By Michele

Since the Yemeni Houthis started targeting commercial ships in October 2023, the US has launched Operation Prosperity Guardian and multiple airstrikes to restore viability in the Red Sea. However, the new Trump administration began a renewed and intensified bombing campaign on March 15, admittedly to hinder Ansar Allah’s military capabilities and deter further attacks.



But beyond the show of force, Trump’s strategic goals in Yemen remain unclear. Analysts argue that similar strikes will be ineffective in degrading the Houthis, as much of their assets and infrastructure is underground. Nor are they expected to dissuade the group from disrupting maritime traffic, an activity that has boosted its wealth and popularity. Nonetheless, the chats of high-ranking US officials that recently dropped in the “Signal Gate” scandal showcase that the Trump administration is aiming to weaken the Houthis significantly. This indicates that the belief that a military solution can be effective is genuine, and not mere strongman rhetoric for the American public. In fact, in the backdrop of fragile US-Iran negotiations, Washington is mobilising more of its navy’s and air force’s assets to the Middle East.



Most recently, American and Yemeni officials have stated that preparations for a ground offensive towards Hodeidah are underway, which would be carried out by the Yemeni National Resistance, a Southern militia loyal to the internationally recognised government and previously supported by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The likelihood and extent of American military support to the offensive remain uncertain, and Riyadh has already stated it won’t intervene. Nonetheless, these developments showcase that anti-Houthi Yemeni factions see Trump’s campaign as an opportunity, which also suggests airstrikes may have caused significant damage and that there might be a wider American strategy to address the Houthi threat.





Now, a bit of culture…



In this section, we uncover some of the most listened and watched musicians, writers or YouTubers of the MENA or new publications, articles or books either from or on the region. If you have any suggestions, you’re always welcome to tell us via our email!



An unusual regime type. Since 1962, Algeria has been ruled by a military regime. While many believe the country is on a path towards democratization, Dalia Ghanemchallenges this assumption, stating that “there is no trend toward democratization.” In her book Understanding the Persistence of Competitive Authoritarianism in Algeria, Ghanem delves into the regime’s modus operandi to answer the following question: what explains the durability of the Algerian regime? Drawing on interviews with key officials, she identifies the answer in the concept of competitive authoritarianism. This term describes hybrid regimes like Algeria’s – systems that allow a degree of pluralism while ensuring the playing field remains heavily skewed in favor of regime loyalists. Competitive authoritarianism, Ghanem argues, is a major factor behind the regime’s resilience, enabling it to withstand multiple challenges, including the infamous Hirak movement.



Let the MENA Speak



Have you ever heard of Arabizi? It’s Arabic written using Latin letters and numbers. Many Arabic speakers – especially younger generations – use Arabizi because digital devices have not always supported Arabic script. Just as Arabic dialects vary, there is no single standard way for writing Arabizi, which can make it tricky for non-Arabic speakers to understand or learn. A typical Arabizi sentence might look like this:



Mar7aban sadi9i, kaifa 7aluka? (مرحبا صديقي كيف حالك؟). Depending on where you are from, you might write it differently.