Articles about Horn of Africa
I don’t know who coined the phrase ‘a pessimist is an experienced optimist,’ but I find some comfort in it when analyzing current and the foreseeable future of Somalia. The fourth-year political fever is running high once again. The same failed politicians, the same overambitious dual-citizen candidates, and the same Halane loyalists who believe that … Read more Somalia Between Red Sea and ‘GERD’ Faultline
Whilst the memorandum between Addis Ababa and Hargeisa has brought issues around Somalia’s sovereignty back into the spotlight, addressing the sovereignty-deficit is an old problem. Somalis find themselves in a race against time as Turkiye’s abortive attempts to broker a deal between Somalia and Ethiopia stall. Meanwhile, the likelihood of Addis Ababa advancing its memorandum … Read more Can Somalia Regain Its Sovereignty?
Ever since Ethiopia and semi-autonomous region of Somaliland signed a controversial memorandum of understanding that ignited flames of outrage among Somali nationalists everywhere, it instantly attracted various international media attention. Though the full content of the MoU is yet to be made public, the gist of it is to grant Ethiopia exclusive 20 kilometers for naval and … Read more Geopolitics Of Ethiopia’s Red Sea Seaport Fiasco
In politics, particularly in international relations, the most crucial elements of agreements are often those that remain unspoken or unwritten. The agreement that secured Kenya’s status as a Major Non-NATO Ally amidst growing anti-Western sentiments across Africa and geopolitical strategic restructuring in many parts of the world is no different. In the short-term, as it … Read more A New Partnership Or ‘Our Man in Africa’?
There is not much left to debate on the dangerous aspect of al-Shabab’s demonic doctrine that proclaims Islamic values and functions as mindless terrorists or bloodthirsty hoodlums, at best. At its core, al-Shabab is what it is. However, in recent years it has been transforming away from its original monolithic nature. Aside from becoming decentralized … Read more Bad Strategies Boost Al-Shabab
The world is changing at a rate that is too hard to keep up with. And nowhere is that reality more evident than in Africa. Whether the coups in West Africa and the Sahel region, and the sporadic anti-Western diplomatic mutiny in other parts of the continent, will bring about positive change is yet to … Read more Geopolitical Volatility And The Advent Of Neo-Africanism – Analysis
My new book, BROKEN CAMEL BELLS, is now available. *Amazon* This book is written to unveil the domestic & foreign truths surrounding the Somali conundrum, awaken the conscience of a suicidal nation & inspire a new generation of transformative leaders.
In the last three decades, the one thing that no unionist, cynic, or a foe could deny is that Somaliland (legally northwest of Somalia) has been a haven of peace in relation to the rest of Somalia. Though over the years a small number of analysts—this one included—have questioned the viability of the Somaliland secession … Read more The Cracked Soil of Somaliland
In countries such as the U.S., there is an unwritten theory in police investigation that assumes whenever a neighborhood robbery occurs it was done by someone who not only had the motive to commit that crime, but the basic intelligence to help time it well and to get away with it. In other words it … Read more Al-Shabab’s Enigmatic Invasion of Ethiopia
In this interview with Sakariye Cismaan, Gorfayn’s editor-in-chief, Mr. Arman gives his take on the current state of Somalia and what he expects from President Mohamud in his second outing as a president. Click here to read: