Welcome to Spotlight Africa, Osavul’s dedicated series examining how information, influence, and perception actively shape conflict dynamics across the continent. Our mission is to move beyond headlines and bring clarity to environments where narratives, geopolitics, and security interests intersect.
In this Launch & Learn edition, we return to Sudan — a conflict that remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophes, yet one of the most overlooked. The lack of sustained media coverage is not incidental; it is an information vulnerability with strategic consequences.
For this episode, we are joined by Dr. Joana de Deus Pereira, Senior Research Fellow at RUSI Europe and UN Mandate Holder for the Working Group on Mercenaries. With extensive experience across MENA, West and Central Africa, Central Asia, and the Western Balkans, Joana brings unparalleled insight into the shifting security landscape that surrounds Sudan.
Together, we unpack the deeper architecture of the conflict — the networks, actors, and interests that rarely make it into mainstream reporting but are essential to understanding how this war is being fought and financed.
Agenda:
The role of the Wagner Group in the Sudanese conflict — how its presence affects military dynamics, political alliances, and access to natural resources.
Regional powerplay and limited media coverage — why one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises remains underreported.
Illicit networks and gold mining — how criminal groups and shadow economies fuel the war and strengthen armed factions.
The rise of drones and technological escalation — how UAVs are changing the course of the conflict on the ground.
War crimes in Sudan and the international community’s response — the gap between documented atrocities and global political action.
Join us as we break down the hidden layers of Sudan’s conflict.
Speakers
