Tag: Horn of Africa

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” →

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” →

‘Silencing the guns’: AU leaders seek end to regional conflicts

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Heads of state and government officials from across Africa have gathered in Ethiopia’s capital for talks primarily focused on ways to end to regional violence, including the conflicts in South Sudan and Libya.
The 33rd African Union (AU) summit, which opened on Sunday in Addis Ababa, is being held under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”. Continue reading “‘Silencing the guns’: AU leaders seek end to regional conflicts” →

US Misreads China in Africa

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War on the Rocks published on 3 February 2020 a commentary titled “Africa: The First U.S. Casualty of the New Information Warfare against China” by Caleb Slayton, a U.S. foreign area officer who lived and worked in Africa for 12 years prior to serving as director for the U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, Africa course.

Continue reading “US Misreads China in Africa” →