Niger: Presidential elections are scheduled for January 31, but some candidates are calling on the ruling junta to delay until February 20.
In other election news, the Central African Republic will hold elections tomorrow.
Protests: The anti-government protests in North Africa spread to Mauritania and Sudan this week, where individuals set themselves on fire. Mauritanians continued to demonstrate against price increases (Arabic; h/t The Moor Next Door, who has more on Mauritania).
Senegal: More riots over electricity shortages broke out in Dakar this week. Some background here.
Kenya and the ICC: The African Union is expected to support Kenya’s demand that the ICC suspend prosecutions of six elites. Scott Baldauf has more at Christian Science Monitor. (Note: This is one of my “stories to watch” for 2011.)
Somalia: Erik Prince of Blackwater “is backing an effort by a controversial South African mercenary firm to insert itself into Somalia’s bloody civil war by protecting government leaders, training Somali troops, and battling pirates and Islamic militants there, according to American and Western officials.”
Speaking of Somalia, check out this video of Rear Admiral Terry McKnight (retired) discussing US military operations in the Horn of Africa.
The Future of Military Operations in the Horn of Africa from ASMEA on Vimeo.
Sahel Blog 