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Vote counting is underway in presidential elections held in Guinea-Bissau on Sunday. The occasion has brought rare international media attention to the tiny West African state of 1.9 million people, known primarily for a history of political instability, and the transatlantic drug trade.

Porous borders, weak institutions, and endemic corruption have made Guinea-Bissau fertile ground for drugs smuggled from South America to Europe, earning it the designation of being a ‘narco state’ from the United Nations.

In September authorities seized more than 1.8 tonnes of cocaine in a single shipment – the biggest seizure in the country’s history – hinting at the scale of the problem.

Guinea-Bissau is part of a bigger, worrying trend.

According to the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime, West, Central, and North Africa are facing “new alarming trends” on drug trafficking that threaten governance, security, and economic growth. The region accounted for 87% of global pharmaceutical opioid seizures in 2016.

Apart from undermining development, the drug trade could be fueling instability in West Africa’s Sahel, where jihadist violence has soared in recent months. The 1.8 tonnes of cocaine seized are said to have been bound for Islamist militants operating in the region.

Guinea-Bissau’s election shines a rare light on the issue, which is generally off the news radar. It’s one worth keeping an eye on.

This report reflects the views of the author alone, not those of How we made it in Africa.

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Today’s picks

From the continent

Members of Ethiopia’s Sidama ethnic group have overwhelmingly voted to establish the country’s tenth autonomous region in a referendum held last week, with 98.5% backing the move. The vote is seen as a test of democracy for Ethiopia ahead of general elections in 2020, amid concerns about rising ethnic tensions due to sweeping reforms under prime minister Abiy Ahmed. More: Al Jazeera

Uganda has opened what is being hailed as the country’s first mobile phone manufacturing and assembling plant. The facility is run by Chinese electronics firm ENGO Holdings, which plans to invest $15 million into the plant over five years. More: The East African

The global perspective

The US Department of Justice has indicted the CEO of Nigeria’s biggest airline, Air Peace, on charges of fraud and money laundering. Allen Onyema is alleged to have moved more than $20 million from Nigeria through the US in a scheme involving the purchase of airplanes. More: Bloomberg

Credit rating agency S&P Global has downgraded its outlook for South Africa to negative, citing weak growth and rising debt. The country is already ranked as sub-investment grade by the agency, which recently also saw Moody’s change its outlook from stable to negative, amid stalling efforts to kick-start a sluggish economy. More: Reuters

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