Author: Ahmed J. Yassin

Somaliland Sees Rise in E-Money Services

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Hyperinflation and economic isolation have pushed the internationally-unrecognized republic of Somaliland closer to a cashless economy. Mobile-money services have taken off, over the past decade in Africa; with 1 in 10 adults across the continent using them. CGTN’s Alexandria Majalla tells us how e-money services have become more convenient in Somaliland.

Somaliland: Key to Winning America’s Longest War

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On February 7, 2019, Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, AFRICOM commander, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that U.S. airstrikes alone would not defeat Al-Shabaab, the Al Qaeda-affiliated militant group with deep roots in Somalia. Instead, he said, local forces need to “step up.” He is right, so it is especially unfortunate that when local forces step up to rebuff Al-Shabaab, AFRICOM ignores them. Continue reading “Somaliland: Key to Winning America’s Longest War” →

Somaliland: A Success Story Without the Billions and Bombs

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Somaliland is a success story in a part of the world where those are rare. For 27 years, the self-declared state—with little outside assistance—has defied the odds. In contrast with Somalia, from which it declared its independence in 1991, Somaliland has enjoyed years of relative stability and democratic governance. Continue reading “Somaliland: A Success Story Without the Billions and Bombs” →

Ethiopia’s Naive Peacemaking Could Lead to War

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy is on a high. In October 2019, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighboring Eritrea.” The committee also cited Abiy’s work more broadly — helping restore Djibouti-Eritrea ties, mediate a maritime dispute between Kenya and Somalia, and facilitate the peaceful transition in Sudan. Continue reading “Ethiopia’s Naive Peacemaking Could Lead to War” →

Locust Outbreak in Eastern Africa

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A new generation of voracious desert locusts is about to hatch in eastern Africa, and if not tackled now, will form swarms 20 times larger than the wave that has swept through the region since the beginning of the year, aid workers and experts are warning.Unusually heavy rains late last year favored breeding, triggering the current locust outbreak that spread into eastern Ethiopia, neighboring areas of Somalia, and then poured into Kenya, destroying crops, pasture, and forest cover on an unprecedented scale. Continue reading “Locust Outbreak in Eastern Africa” →

Unlocking Somaliland

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On the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, sits Somaliland’s Berbera port. It occupies a strategic position in the Horn of Africa and lies on a busy shipping route for traffic to and from the Middle East and eastern Africa. Continue reading “Unlocking Somaliland” →