Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Red Sea security belt.
The killing of a 65-year-old Kenyan woman in Moyale has exposed the dangers of a conflict unfolding across the border, where a longstanding territorial dispute has forced thousands of Ethiopians to flee into Kenya. Amina Guchi was killed on Monday after being struck by a suspected stray bullet while at Marsabit County government offices, as
Israel has moved to formalise diplomatic relations with Somaliland after its inaugural ambassador, Michael Lotem, presented his credentials to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi. Lotem, who previously served in Nairobi, presented his credentials at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa, marking a significant step in translating Israel’s recognition of Somaliland into formal diplomatic representation. However, while the
Russia is moving into South Sudan’s oil industry through a proposed acquisition of Malaysian energy giant PETRONAS’s interests in two major oil-producing consortia. South Sudan and Russia signed preliminary agreements on October 29, paving the way for Russian state-owned oil company Zarubezhneft to take over the former PETRONAS stakes in the Dar Petroleum Operating Company
South Sudan’s December 22 elections face mounting credibility risks, with unresolved political disputes, stalled security arrangements and delayed voter registration, the regional peace deal monitor has warned. In its third-quarter report covering July to September 2026, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which monitors implementation of the country’s 2018 peace agreement, warned that the
Kenya is facing mounting humanitarian pressure in the border town of Moyale after approximately 36,000 people crossed from Ethiopia to seek refuge from violence. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kenya on Tuesday said many of those fleeing the violence are women and children, as humanitarian agencies work with national and local
A US lawmaker has proposed a deal to exchange American agricultural and mining technology for Sudanese natural resources.. Republican Congressman Jim Baird has proposed the Sudan Investing in Minerals, Partnership, Agriculture, Commerce and Trade (IMPACT) Bill, which places the country’s gold, uranium and oil at the centre of a deal. The partnership is further tied
IGAD has ordered member states with outstanding arrears to clear their debts within one year through quarterly payments, alongside their pledges towards construction of the regional bloc’s new headquarters. The directive was adopted by the IGAD Council of Ministers during its 74th Extraordinary Session in Djibouti on Tuesday as the organisation moved to strengthen its
The regional bloc IGAD has renewed calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Sudan. At the same time, Intergovernmental Authority on Development on Tuesday warned that competing mediation efforts cannot deliver lasting peace without a coordinated political process owned by Sudanese themselves. In a communiqué issued after its 74th Extraordinary Session in Djibouti, IGAD
Somaliland is intensifying its push for US recognition, betting that its strategic position on the Red Sea can reshape Washington’s calculus. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, popularly known as Irro, arrived in Washington on September 8 for an 11-day diplomatic offensive aimed at strengthening ties with the Trump administration and Congress. The visit, which runs until
BY D.W WAGACHA The detention and prosecution of suspended South Sudan First Vice President Dr Riek Machar arguably marked the collapse of the transitional government, sparking considerable political tensions in the country. The Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) was established on February 22, 2020, under the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of
Renewed tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea are emerging as a key driver behind a fresh wave of refugees into Kenya. While Kenya has long hosted refugees fleeing instability in Somalia and South Sudan, the latest data from the Economic Survey 2026 suggests a broader regional dynamic is now at play. The total number of registered
A new regional study has raised alarm over how quickly violent extremist groups such as al Shabaab are exploiting climate-related hardships across the Horn of Africa, often outpacing government response systems and turning environmental stress into recruitment tools. The research by the IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism finds that by
What began as a domestic power struggle between military commanders in Sudan has morphed into a conflict increasingly driven by external interference, with foreign fighters, private recruitment networks and cross-border financing entrenching the war. Fresh sanctions announced by the US Department of the Treasury on April 17 expose how these external actors are prolonging a
