Al-Shabaab Takes Another District Capital in Somalia

 AEI's Critical Threats published on 10 July 2025 an article titled "Central Somalia" by Liam Karr and Edie Tesfaye.  

On July 7, al-Shabaab captured the district capital of Moqokori in Hiraan Region of Somalia.  Recent al-Shabab gains have allowed it to relink territory it controls in central and southern Somalia.  

Climate Change and Conflict in the Horn of Africa

 The Heritage Institute published in September 2023 conference proceedings titled "Climate Change and Conflict in the Horn: Challenges, Responses and New Mandates."

These 15 papers focus primarily on Somalia.  They conclude that climate and weather variability are threatening agricultural and livestock production systems on which the livelihood of over 70 percent of Somali society depends.  Civil conflicts undermine domestic production, impede investments in the key economic sectors and increase rural urban migration as well as the costs of production.  Al-Shabaab remains the defining feature of Somalia's unending conflict landscape.  Weak governance compounds the effect of climate shocks.  Inadequate climate finance will limit the ability of countries in the Horn of Africa to mitigate climate change impacts.  

Challenges of Covering Civil War in Ethiopia

 Deutsche Welle published on 27 January 2022 an article titled "Ethiopia: The Daunting Task of Reporting the Tigray Conflict."

The article states that "no journalist has set foot in Tigray for more than six months." Information trickles out through aid organizations and the rare satellite communication points in the regional capital of Mekele.   

Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict: Update from Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch published on 30 July 2021 a status report titled "The Latest on the Crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray Region" by  Laetitia Bader and Amy Braunschweiger.  

The authors provide their interpretation of the most recent developments in Tigray Region and Ethiopia generally.  

China to Launch Second Satellite for Ethiopia

 The East African published on 30 September 2020 an article titled "Ethiopia Readies to Launch Second Satellite, Plans for 10 More by 2035" by Tesfa-Alem Tekle.

China launched Ethiopia's first satellite in 2019.  It was designed for weather forecasting and crop monitoring.  China is scheduled to launch a second satellite in December 2020 for flood and disaster prediction.  Over the next ten years, Ethiopia plans to launch seven more satellites, including a communication satellite next year.  

South Africa: Chinese Video Surveillance Equipment Subject to Cyber Attacks

South Africa's Daily Maverick published a two part series on cyber security weaknesses in Chinese video surveillance equipment being widely used in South Africa. Part One appeared on 13 June 2019 titled "Visual Surveillance and Weak Cyber Security, Part One: When Cameras Get Dangerous" by investigative reporter Heidi Swart.

China's Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology leads the global video surveillance industry. The government of China is a controlling shareholder. Hikvision established a South African branch in 2015 in partnership with South Africa's Vumacam, which uses Hikvision internet protocol (IP) cameras. The cameras are intended to curb crime but researchers have discovered several cyber-security vulnerabilities in Hikvision's products that a hacker can use to get into computers, smartphones, IP cameras, etc. These vulnerabilities can allow a hacker to control remotely a device, infect it with malware, or access data.

Daily Maverick published on 26 June 2019 a followup report titled "Video Surveillance and Cybersecurity (Part Two): Chinese Cyber Espionage Is a Real Threat" by Heidi Swart.

Part Two raises the potential for espionage by using equipment provided by Hikvision, Huawei, and ZTE drawing heavily on concerns expressed in the United States. Unlike the United States, however, South Africa's State Security Agency has enjoyed a close relationship with China's security agencies.

The Branding of Al-Shabaab

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published in March 2019 an analysis titled "How East Africa's Terrorists Build Their Brand Strength" by Matthew Freear, communications manager at RUSI's Nairobi office.

Branding is how an organization sustains relations with its audiences over the long term. Among other themes, al-Shabaab is determined to build an image as a credible alternative to the Somali government. The analysis explains some of the ways that al-Shabaab is having success with its branding effort.

The African Union's Information War Against Al-Shabaab

The International Journal of Security & Development published on 6 February 2018 a study titled "Strategic Communications for Peace Operations: The African Union's Information War Against Al-Shabaab" by Paul D. Williams, George Washington University.

The article analyzes the experiences of the African Union Mission in Somalia as a case study and examines how the UN tried to fill the gap by hiring a consortium of private firms known as the AU-UN Information Support Team to wage a strategic communications campaign against al-Shabaab. The author identifies four main lessons that could improve strategic communications for peace operations.

Catalyzing Investment in Africa

The World Bank and China Development Bank recently released a major study titled "Leapfrogging: The Key to Africa's Development? From Constraints to Investment Opportunities." It explores ways to catalyze a new generation of investment opportunities in Africa that leverage the ability of many countries to leapfrog into the future.

The World Bank and China Development Bank inaugurated the report at the Third Investing in Africa Forum hosted by the government of Senegal in Dakar on 25-27 September, 2017.

Chinese Diplomats Expanding African Language Learning

Theoutline.com posted on 16 May 2017 a piece titled "Why China Is Trying to Learn Africa's Languages" by Michael Erard.

While foreign language learning is dropping at American and British universities, China is giving it more attention, including the learning of more obscure African languages. The Beijing Foreign Studies University is adding 11 new languages, including Tigrinya, Ndebele, and Comorian, to those that it already teaches.

China Tries to Improve Communication with Africa

The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 30 November 2105 a commentary titled "Leveraging China-Africa Relations Starts with Communication" by Yu-Shan Wu, PhD candidate at the University of Pretoria.

The author looks at China's increasingly active public diplomacy program in Africa and explains that China understands it must portray itself as a responsible, rising power. 

Impact of Kenyan Radio Program on Tolerance and Political Engagement

The NGO Search for Common Ground recently published a study on the potential impact of radio broadcasts of the Kenyan program known as The Team on Kenyan citizens' attitudes related to tolerance, communication, and participation in political processes.

The study concluded that The Team appears to encourage political engagement. Listening to The Team can also encourage discussions of issues related to politics and tolerance. The positive relations between engagement in the program while listening to The Team and the attitude toward communication and respect suggests that the more programs like The Team can engage listeners, the greater their potential for positive influence.

Click here to read the study.