Geopolitical tensions & regional realignments in the wider Horn of Africa
Hybrid event. Please register for the webinar using the link below.
Amid upheaval in many of the countries of the wider Horn of Africa, 2024 has seen some dramatic developments in regional relationships and shifting alignments. Ethiopia’s draft MoU with the government of Somaliland to cement port access and establish a military facility triggered a sharp deterioration between Addis Ababa and the Somali Federal Government in Mogadishu, which has bolstered its security links with Turkey and more recently Egypt, partly in response. Kenya’s regional foreign policy agenda is also evolving, affecting relations with Ethiopia, as well as its role as a potential mediator/facilitator in peace processes – including in Sudan, where ongoing civil war has recently intensified. Our panel will examine the agendas of key actors in the Horn of Africa, and consider how regional dynamics intersect with external agendas, especially from the Gulf States, Egypt and Turkey.

Samira A Gaid is a founding director and head of research and policy at Balqiis Insights, and former principal security advisor to the prime minister of Somalia.

Belete Belachew Yihun is an analyst of Horn of Africa and Middle East affairs and author of Black Ethiopia: A Glimpse into African Diplomacy, 1956-1991.

Hannah Waddilove is honorary research fellow (Warwick) and principal research analyst for the Horn of Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. NB: she participates in this discussion in her personal capacity.
Date: 16 October 2024, 16:00 (Wednesday, 1st week, Michaelmas 2024)
Venue: 13 Bevington Road, 13 Bevington Road OX2 6NB
Venue Details: ASC seminar room
Speakers: Hannah Waddilove (Warwick/FCDO), Belete Belachew Yihun (Independent), Samira A. Gaid (Balqiis Insight)
Organising department: Centre for African Studies
Organiser: Jason Mosley (University of Oxford)
Part of: Northeast Africa Forum seminar series
Booking required?: Recommended
Booking url: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/48105d76-637e-4ada-a839-37ab178c5a3f@cc95de1b-97f5-4f93-b4ba-fe68b852cf91
Audience: Public
Editor: Jason Mosley