Amidst threats to U.S. interests in the Red Sea and competition for regional influence, the United States must reassess its military posture in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa, which includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, sits at the junction of global trade and strategic competition, commanding access
Similar to other current global crises – such as those in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Democratic Republic of Congo – the conflict in Sudan appears difficult to resolve through negotiations. There are two main factors contributing to this difficulty. First, both parties view the conflict through a zero-sum
Our Non-Resident Fellow Federico Donelli published on The Conversation Africa about the role of Middle Eastern monarchies powers in Sudan, exploring how their interventions, interests, and alignments have affected the battlefield and peace efforts. Read the full article here.
On February 01, 2025, the United States (U.S.) conducted an airstrike against the Islamic State.[1] This was the first major military operation under the new administration in the U.S. But what is more interesting is that the target of the attack was in northern Somalia; the semi-autonomous region of Puntland
On 30th January, the French troops stationed in Chad completed their withdrawal. For the first time in more than sixty years, France had no soldiers on Chadian soil. This withdrawal is in line with similar actions in other countries with historical links to France, such as Niger, Mali and Burkina
Donald Trump’s victory has inevitably prompted a general reflection on how his administration will affect American foreign policy and global dynamics. Most of the discussion are focusing on the possible scenarios in the two active conflicts, Ukraine and the Middle East. However, there is no lack of thoughts on other
In recent years, Russian mercenaries in West Africa have gained considerable notoriety for, on the one hand, propping up post-coup military juntas and, on the other hand, suffering setbacks when supporting those juntas’ counter-insurgency efforts. For example, 87 Russian fighters who were part of Africa Corps (formerly known as Wagner
The international order has undergone a period of transition in recent years. Regional contexts are gaining relevance and autonomy. As a result, local actors have forced global actors to reposition themselves regionally. Given this context, liberal principles and values are facing more challenges. And so are the countries that have
Several weeks ago, the date April 14 marked ten years since Boko Haram conducted the infamous abduction of more than 250 girls in the Northeastern Borno State village of Chibok in 2014. The abductions, however, were largely unreported in local or international media until three weeks later. It was at
In February 2024, Turkey and Somalia signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement that allegedly enables Ankara to protect Somalia’s territorial waters and to construct, equip, and train the Somali navy. This accord, which once again draws attention to the troubled Horn of Africa, follows a similar agreement made in
On May 3, an attack on an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left 18 civilians dead and more than 30 others injured. The camps were near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. According to witnesses quoted by Le Monde, government forces
In this episode of Orion Talks, Marta Furlan is joined by Dr Joseph Siegle. Dr Siegle sheds light on the relations between Ethiopia and Somalia over the past few months, following a surprise MoU between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland whereby the latter would lease coastal land to
