A polycrisis is the simultaneous occurrence of several catastrophic events, and that is exactly what we see with global public debt. Over the past several years, the international debt burden has reached unprecedented levels. Two dozen African countries are in or nearing debt distress.

Observers of African politics are often intrigued by Cabo Verde’s remarkable stability and economic progress since the country transitioned to multiparty democracy in 1991. The island nation, located in the Atlantic Ocean 340 miles off the coast of Senegal, is consistently rated as “free” by Freedom House. Its elections have always been transparent and credible, and it has regularly experienced smooth transfers of executive power after every poll.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Kremlin and other authoritarian regimes are engaged in a global effort to undermine democratic institutions and norms. While their tactics and scale differ, authoritarian actors weaken democratic governance in order to strengthen corrupt and kleptocratic networks that enrich their economic interests at the expense of citizens. They promote and sustain authoritarianism by providing security, financing and technological tools to help keep undemocratic regimes in power.

When two students from allochtone ethnic groups (Ivoirians who are not “native” to the area but are from other parts of the country) were approached on November 17 by a young autochtone (someone from a “native” ethnic group) holding a machete, they were nervous; ethnic tensions in the area had been on edge, particularly since the local elections.