Ryan Musser
@ryanmusser.bsky.social
Posts about current events/politics/development in Africa, building better cities, local Washington DC issues, and how biking is the best form of transportation. Live in Ward 8/EOTR. Lover of front porches and #bikeDC. Check out my Africa starter packs.
For years, West Africans who live in the DC area have had relatively few sit-down restaurants to remind them of home. But in the 2020s, a group of fun, scrappy Nigerian & Cameroonian street-food specialists have popped up in Montgomery & PG counties. washingtonian.com/2026/07/22/w...
4 West African Street-Food Spots Serving Spicy Skewers Near DC
The perfect summer food? Chili-fueled, flame-grilled suya.
washingtonian.com
Many problems in our cities have emerged because of poorly thought-out or outdated zoning. Better zoning can help solve these problems & help us make cities/neighborhoods delight the eye & soul & aid in human flourishing. This requires asking who & what are cities for? ifstudies.org/blog/zoning-...
Zoning the Family-Friendly City
In her new book, Sara C. Bronin leans on her joint expertise in architecture and law to argue that many of the problems in our cities today have emerged due to poorly thought-out or outdated zoning.
ifstudies.org
We're (now) the older couple on the block that never had kids & has been here for 25+ years, and I can confirm it's not just people with kids who get included in these wonderful communities (at least in DC).
Love this article in the Institute of Family Studies that highlights neotraditional character of "Strong Blue Families" in DC neighborhoods. This has been my exact experience for 15+ years in DC. ifstudies.org/blog/deep-bl...
Washington will need to “begin treating the continent as a region of genuine strategic value, rather than as expendable at the altar of its Middle East agenda.” Great piece from @zurilinetsky.bsky.social and @mikewoldemariam.bsky.social on how the US lets Gulf powers wreak havoc on Africa
Ryan Musser@ryanmusser.bsky.social · 2mo agoGulf states have emerged as a new middle power & Africa is a key component of their foreign policy. US has historically accommodated their adventurism in Africa, failing to protect core US interest of stability across the increasingly important continent foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/03/a...
Gulf states have emerged as a new middle power & Africa is a key component of their foreign policy. US has historically accommodated their adventurism in Africa, failing to protect core US interest of stability across the increasingly important continent foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/03/a...
America Enabled the Gulf’s African Adventurism
Why Washington let its Middle Eastern partners wreak havoc in Africa.
foreignpolicy.com
African governments are trying to tax their way toward stronger states, while much of the population remains informal precisely because the state has historically been weak, says @yinka.bsky.social www.semafor.com/article/05/2...
View: Africa’s tax push is clashing with the reality of its informal economies
Critics argue the measures could slow digital adoption and push more activity back toward cash-based channels.
semafor.com
An investigation into Cameroon’s gold sector has uncovered more than 200 illegal artisanal mining companies, most of them foreign-owned, particularly run by Chinese nationals. www.africanews.com/2026/05/14/c...
Cameroon uncovers more than 200 illegal gold mines, mostly foreign-owned | Africanews
Nearly 200 illegal artisanal gold mining companies, most of them foreign-owned, have been uncovered in central and eastern Cameroon, the mines ministry said Wednesday.
africanews.com
Kagame take some swings at Trump and the US at the Africa CEO Forum amid US sanctions on Rwandan individuals for their role in conflict in the DRC www.theafricareport.com/418694/rwand...
Rwanda’s Kagame slams Trump’s minerals coercion at Africa CEO Forum
Addressing this year’s African summit for business leaders, Rwanda’s president pushes for pan-African unity to stand up to the United States and other perceived global bullies in the race to exploit A...
theafricareport.com
At the nearest school to me in Somerville, MA, this is what the drop-off area looked like last Friday. This is the effect of having neighborhood schools in walkable neighborhoods with streets that are safe to walk, ride, and roll on. Your school drop-off could look like this too.
@sarahykim.bsky.social at @wamu.org.web.brid.gy has highlighted the closing of my kid’s daycare center and several other affordable sites in Wards 7 and 8: wamu.org/story/26/04/...
As D.C. struggles with childcare costs and cuts, Wards 7 and 8 lose three affordable early learning centers
The early learning centers, operated by the United Planning Organization, provide subsidized care for lower-income families, many of them in Southeast D.C. In March, UPO announced it was closing four of its 15 centers in early April, three of them in Wards 7 and 8. Parents had just about a month to find new places, and some are still searching.
wamu.org
Kenya has unveiled two new digital trade platforms, BiasharaLink and Deal House, to be rolled out across its diplomatic missions in support of the AfCFTA. The initiative aims to transform embassies into hubs for trade and investment. nation.africa/kenya/news/a...
Digital superhighway: Kenya launches platforms to close Africa’s trade gaps
Unveiled in Addis Ababa, the landmark project is a significant step towards operationalising AfCFTA.
nation.africa
Ugandan private sector has room to grow. Local firms have won 98% of government contracts but only 59% of the total value. The remaining 41% of value (2% of contracts) went to foreign firms. These firms only used 18% Ugandan goods and services. www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/busin...
Local firms win 98% of govt contracts but miss out on big-ticket projects
The Private Sector Development (PSD) Programme shows that local service providers secured 29,521 out of 30,176 contracts awarded during the year, representing 98 percent
monitor.co.ug
For decades tens of thousands of people have lived in homes on stilts above the lagoon in Makoko, one of Africa’s oldest & largest waterfront communities. But to developers & authorities, it’s valuable waterfront property in the hands of some of Lagos’ poorest people apnews.com/article/nige...
Mass evictions in Lagos displace thousands including baby twins now living in a canoe
A family including baby twins has been forced to live in a wooden canoe after their home in a historic Lagos neighborhood was demolished.
apnews.com
Ethiopia’s new airport in Bishoftu, south of Addis, will have 4x the capacity of its current Bole airport, which is already one of the primary hubs in Africa. The $12.5 billion project will be the largest aviation infrastructure project ever in Africa www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Ethiopia begins $12.5 billion construction of 'Africa's biggest airport'
Ethiopian Airlines is Africa's biggest carrier. It added six extra routes in 2024-25.
reuters.com
Kenya has paused signing a trade agreement with China after US pressure, as Nairobi weighs protecting access to key US trade benefits like AGOA and its export jobs over deeper economic ties with Beijing. africa.businessinsider.com/local/market...
Kenya halts China trade deal following pressure from the US
Kenya has delayed formalizing a trade agreement with China, according to reports citing anonymous sources
africa.businessinsider.com
Beijing capitalizes on fresh US-Africa tensions and pushes soft power on annual diplomatic swing through Africa www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/1...
Foreign Minister Wang Yi pushes soft power on annual swing through Africa
Beijing’s diplomatic campaign capitalises on fresh US-Africa tensions in new year
africa-confidential.com
In Nigeria’s northwest, where communities have been at the mercy of bandits and have been severely affected by mass kidnappings, these communities have been striking peace deals with bandits in exchange for access to mines www.bbc.com/news/article...
Nigeria's kidnapping crisis: 'Too scared to speak' - villagers on living in the midst of bandits
Parents of kidnapped children know where the bandits hide out, but are too scared to inform the authorities.
bbc.com
“This is what governance has become in parts of the Northwest: not development, not schools or healthcare, not roads or justice systems, but simply permission to survive by arming oneself” Poignant piece from Yusuf Anka about northern Nigeria’s desensitization to violence medium.com/@YusufAnka/s...
Silence… The New Normal in the Northwest
Over the last few years, I have shuttled between Abuja and the core Northwest states of Nigeria affected by bandit violence. In the past…
medium.com
The Sudanese and Chadian militaries have accused the Rapid Support Forces of carrying out an attack on a military position inside Chad, as two Chadian soldiers were killed in a drone strike sudantribune.com/article/308715
Sudan, Chad accuse RSF of cross-border drone attack - Sudan Tribune
December 27, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese and Chadian militaries on Saturday accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of carrying out an attack on a military position inside Chad, along the border wit...
sudantribune.com
AGOA has gotten a last-minute reprieve, with the House of Rep’s trade-writing panel scheduling a vote on Wednesday. The legislation calls for a simple three-year extension of AGOA, which is more than the 1-year extension endorsed by White House www.theafricareport.com/401858/congr...
US/Africa: Congress announces vote on AGOA renewal
The House trade committee has just released a three-year extension of the duty-free trade scheme.
theafricareport.com
“Where does Africa rank as a strategic priority for the US? At the bottom. Literally. In a short, 33-page document written in large font, the continent merits just three paragraphs on the very last page,” writes @julianpecquet.bsky.social www.theafricareport.com/401739/secur...
Security: 5 questions to understand Trump’s new Africa strategy
The United States’ new National Security Strategy treats the African continent as an afterthought.
theafricareport.com
A draft amendment is being introduced in Zimbabwe to revise the constitution to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years. www.thestandard.co.zw/news/article...
Inside Zanu PF plans to change constitution
Inside Zanu PF plans to change constitution
thestandard.co.zw
“Tehran is leveraging what it sees as a "strategic opportunity," directing its diplomacy toward strengthening ties with Sahel nations. This diplomacy is a blend of anti-colonial rhetoric, political solidarity, and promises of cooperation in technical & economic sectors.” en.isna.ir/news/1404090...
en.isna.ir
Mali has recovered $1.2 billion in arrears from mining companies after an audit that uncovered massive shortfalls for the state and paved the way for a new mining code. The law raised royalties, boosted state stakes in mining companies & scrapped stability clauses. www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Mali recovers $1.2 billion in arrears from miners, eyes annual windfall under new code
Mali has recovered 761 billion CFA francs ($1.2 billion) in arrears from mining companies following a sweeping audit, its finance minister said, marking one of the country’s biggest clawbacks from its...
reuters.com
Left-wing Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention, 5 weeks after being arrested. Anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna described his death as "the extinguishing of a fierce & passionate flame" that burned for democratic emancipation. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Anicet Ekane: Cameroon opposition firebrand dies in detention aged 74
Anicet Ekane's lawyer says the family was given little explanation - "his wife was just presented the corpse".
bbc.com
“While wealthy residents benefit from greater security and economic growth, gentrification is a problem for the poorer parts of Mogadishu. This leads to evictions, some of them violent, and people losing access to schools and clinics.” www.dw.com/en/somalias-...
Somalia's capital Mogadishu gets a fresh start – DW – 11/29/2025
After decades of war, Mogadishu is experiencing a remarkable construction boom. Despite poverty, hopes are growing in the Somali capital for a new economic and social beginning.
dw.com
“For more than 7 years, Abubakar Shekau’s compound in Ukuba sat only a loudspeaker’s reach from the army’s fortified garrison in Bitta, 7-12 km apart. The soldiers could hear Ukuba’s call to prayer drifting over the scrub, & the fighters heard Bitta’s in return.” humanglemedia.com/the-making-a...
humanglemedia.com
