If you're looking to take advantage of AI to improve your risk, crisis, and security operations, this is the place to start.

(Remember, these cohorts are deliberately small to maximize the practical nature of the sessions, so there are only ten seats in each group.)

On to the numbers

WTI is $74.31 (Down)

Low |-------- < -----------| High

Wheat is $185.735 (Down)

Low |------ < -------------| High

EuroDollar is $1.03 (Down)

Low | < -------------------| High

YuanDollar is $0.14 (Unchanged)

Low |---------- < > ---------| High

Graphs are illustrative to show comparative price over last 180 days

Metrics via AlphaVantage updated Jan 09 2025 21:16 UTC

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

No countries were more stable over this period

🇧🇼 Botswana, 🇨🇻 Cape Verde, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇳🇦 Namibia, 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇬🇲 The Gambia, 🇿🇲 Zambia

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, efforts to integrate refugees into local communities are showing positive results. A community-based program has successfully connected refugees with local residents, fostering social cohesion and aiding economic recovery in the region [SOURCE - ABC]. However, the security situation remains precarious as the M23 rebel group has seized control of the strategic town of Masisi, escalating ongoing conflicts and underscoring the need for international intervention to stabilize the area [SOURCE - BBC].

Amid these challenges, the Democratic Republic of Congo's mining sector is attracting attention from global investors. Chinese firm Zijin plans to commence lithium production in the country by early 2026, capitalizing on the growing demand for battery metals [SOURCE - Financial Post]. This development aligns with a positive outlook for battery metals, despite a recent drop in Q4 demand [SOURCE - Yahoo Finance].

In a related incident, Chinese nationals were arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo for smuggling gold and cash, highlighting the urgent need for improved regulatory frameworks in the mining sector [SOURCE - BBC].

As the Democratic Republic of Congo grapples with these multifaceted challenges, the broader African landscape is also witnessing significant developments. In Algeria, tensions with France have escalated following the arrest of Algerian social media influencers accused of inciting violence. This crackdown reflects the growing strain in Franco-Algerian relations [SOURCE - ABC News].

Meanwhile, the global oil market remains volatile, with analysts warning that Brent Oil prices are heavily influenced by OPEC+ decisions. Algeria's position in this market remains uncertain as the country navigates its internal challenges [SOURCE - Rigzone].

In South Africa, the government is focusing on enhancing border security while pursuing environmental sustainability. However, the economic recovery is hindered by a significant loss of tax revenue due to the outflow of affluent residents, which has led to a R3 billion shortfall [SOURCE - The South African]. Additionally, ArcelorMittal's decision to close a site, risking 3,500 jobs, reflects the broader economic challenges facing the country [SOURCE - NDTV Profit].

In Kenya, recent police repression of protests has drawn criticism, highlighting ongoing tensions between law enforcement and civil society [SOURCE - World Politics Review]. However, amidst these challenges, Simbisa Brands is expanding its business operations, which could provide new opportunities for local entrepreneurs [SOURCE - The Zimbabwe Mail].

In Nigeria, the stock market has shown surprising resilience, defying economic headwinds to soar in the first week of 2025. This unexpected growth reflects a growing business community eager to seize opportunities despite inflation and interest rate concerns [SOURCE - Riotimes Online].

Here are some longer pieces I’m going to be catching up on this weekend.

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

Carpe tomorrow!

PS - Don’t forget the AI workshop discount for SITREP readers expires tonight learn more and sign up here