Can Ethiopia Use BRICS to Advance Its Maritime Access Goal?

 Firstpost posted on 10 September 2026 a 15-minute podcast titled "'Abiy Ahmed Unlocks the Sea': How BRICS Is Ending Ethiopia's Landlocked Curse" with Alyson Le Grange.

A BRICS' summit will take place in New Delhi 12-13 September.  As a recent member, Ethiopia hopes to use the occasion to advance its arguments for obtaining access to the Red Sea.  This may not, however, be an ideal time or place to move this goal forward.  Most BRICS' members will be reluctant to get in the middle of this controversial issue and Egypt, a member of BRICS, will oppose it.   

Increase in Somali Piracy in the Gulf of Aden

 AEIs Critical Threats Africa File posted on 10 September 2026 an article titled "Somali Pirates Sustain Hijackings" by Michael DeAngelo and Liam Karr.

Somali pirates have hijacked at least 6 vessels off the coast of Somalia's Puntland State and off the coast of Yemen since April.  Suspected Somali pirates have attempted at least 4 additional hijackings since May.  

The war with Iran may be contributing to the increase in pirate attacks.  Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen may be collaborating with al-Shabaab in Somalia in support of the pirates.  One of the pirated vessels contained Turkish military equipment destined for the Somali National Army.  

Ethiopia Looks to BRICS' Summit for Support on Access to Red Sea

 Fana Media Corporation, an Ethiopian government affiliated company, posted on 4 September 2026 an article titled "Ethiopia Places Red Sea Access at the Heart of National Security and Regional Stability."

Ethiopia plans to use its BRICS' membership to press its case for peaceful access to the Red Sea at the BRICS' summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September.  Ethiopia's charge d'affaires in New Delhi recently underscored the importance Ethiopia attaches to this issue.  

Strategic Calculus of Xi Jinping's Visit to Egypt

 The Diplomat published on 8 September 2026 a commentary titled "The Strategic Calculus of Xi Jinping's Egypt Visit" by Ayesha Sikandar, National Defense University.

Xi Jinping's 1-2 September state visit to Egypt symbolized a broader shift among Middle Eastern states toward diversifying their foreign policy partnerships.

For Egypt, the visit signals not a pivot away from the United States, but rather a realignment to achieve more strategic autonomy amidst volatility in the Middle East.

USAID Dismantlement Contributes to Health Care Clinics Closure in Sudan

 Doctors Without Borders posted on 8 September 2026 an article titled "Aid Cuts Leave Millions Without Health Care Across Sudan."

The dismantling of USAID in 2025 resulted in the end of funding for many organizations working in Sudan.  Although the United States continues to be the single largest donor to Sudan, many of the health care providers have been unable to find alternative funding and, as a result, health facilities are shutting down.  The few remaining hospitals are reaching the breaking point, and local clinics are going unfunded.  An estimated 37 percent of Sudan's health facilities are out of service.

Chinese Traders Among Those Under Fire in Kenya

 The Kenya Times published on 8 September 2026 an article titled "Businesses in Kenya Where Foreigners Dominate" by Morgan Wanyonyi.

Foreign nationals are engaged throughout Kenya as roadside vendors, owners of small and large retail shops, and in the import and construction business.  Chinese nationals are prominent among them, especially regarding the sale of goods manufactured in China.  These foreign entrepreneurs are experiencing growing criticism from Kenyan competitors.  

Yemen's War Shifting to Red Sea

 Beirut Wire, an independent news and media company in Beirut, posted on 8 September 2026 an article titled "Yemen's Frozen War Is Thawing, and the Red Sea Is Becoming the Next Major Front."

Yemen's civil war has recently seen some of its heaviest fighting in years.  The Houthis have launched a major offensive toward western Taiz and the Red Sea coast while government forces have responded with airstrikes against the Houthis.  The conflict is increasingly becoming intertwined with the US-Iran war and focusing on control of the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint at the south end of the Red Sea.  

Somaliland's President on Visit to US

 Beirut Wire, an independent news and media company in Beirut, posted on 7 September 2026 an article titled "Somaliland's President Visits Washington in a Historic Push for U.S. Recognition."

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro is visiting Washington with a high-level delegation to strengthen relations with the United States, expand security cooperation, attract American investment, and advance US recognition of Somaliland.  Somalia has sent its own delegation to Washington to counter Somaliland's effort to obtain diplomatic recognition.  

Ethiopia's Air War Against Tigray Region

 The Economist posted on 3 September 2026 an article titled "Ethiopia's Undeclared Drone War." 

Beginning in late August, the federal government of Ethiopia launched an air war using drones and aircraft against the Tigray People's Liberation Front in Tigray Region.  Neither side seems interested in peace talks, although a ground war appears unlikely.

Somaliland Journalist Detained without Charges

 The Committee to Protect Journalists posted on 7 September 2026 a news release concerning the detention of another Somaliland journalist.

Another Somaliland journalist has been detained and is being held under dubious circumstances.  After ten days, authorities have not yet formally presented charges in court.

Chinese Bank Invested in South Africa's Standard Bank to Raise $15 Billion

 Business Insider Africa published on 7 September 2026 an article titled "China Lines Up $15 Billion Capital Boost for Biggest Shareholder in Africa's Largest Bank" by Ayodeji Adegboyega.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) plans to raise as much as $15 billion.  ICBC holds about 20 percent of the shares of South Africa's Standard Bank, which operates in 20 African countries.  The new ICBC capital is intended for its balance sheet and has not been earmarked for Standard Bank or African projects.

Iran-backed Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia and Try to Strengthen Red Sea Blockade

 Aljazeera published on 8 September 2026 an article titled "Saudi-Houthi Fighting in Yemen Escalates: What Happened, and What's Next?" by Usaid Siddiqui.

 Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen targeted Saudi oil facilities belonging to Aramco, wounding at least 73 people.  The Saudis responded with air and cruise missile attacks on Houth-controlled territory in Yemen.

At the same time, the Houthis are trying to increase their control over Yemeni territory near the Bab el Mandeb Strait at the south end of the Red Sea in an effort to implement more effectively their blockade of Saudi shipping through the chokepoint.  Yemeni government forces are responding with attacks on the Houthis.

African Copper and China

 Thierry Pairault posted on 7 September 2026 an analysis titled "African Copper and China."

China has become a major player in the copper industry.  China accounts for 48 percent of the world's copper refining capacity, while its mine production is estimated at only 8 percent of world production and it holds only 4 percent of world reserves.

Africa's two major copper exporters, the DRC and Zambia, already had duty free access to China for copper in all its forms.  China's recent removal of all tariffs on all African exports, except from Eswatini will not impact their export of copper to China.  The main obstacle facing the DRC and Zambia is their ability to meet demand, whether through extracting more copper or withstanding competition from other suppliers such as Chile and Peru.     

US Is Only Country to Oppose More Accurate UN Map

 The Hill published on 5 September 2026 an article titled "US Only Country to Oppose UN Resolution Correcting Africa's Size on World Maps" by Sarah Davis.

The United States was the only country that failed to support a global map produced by the United Nations that replaces the Mercator projection and depicts more accurately the actual size of continents.  As a result, countries in the northern hemisphere, including the United States, are accurately shown as smaller and those near the equator are larger.  The Mercator projection shrunk Africa to the size of Greenland, when Africa is actually fourteen times larger than Greenland.  

The US representative at the United Nations defended the sole US negative vote by complaining that the new map "mocks the work and purpose of this institution."  She described it as part of an "ideological agenda" that helps explain why the United Nations is losing its legitimacy.

Comment: The US is the odd country out in this sad saga.  It seems to take the position let the facts be damned.  

Sudan Armed Forces Stockpiles Chemical Weapons

 The Washington Post posted on 5 September 2026 an article titled "Trove of Documents Reveals Alleged Chemical Weapons Stockpile in Sudan" by Greg Miller and Elizabeth Dwoskin.

The Sudan Armed Forces has built a secret stockpile of chemical weapons that senior military officials sought to conceal after chlorine bombs were used against the Rapid Support Forces.  Sudan developed the weapons by diverting shipments of chlorine meant to provide safe drinking water, hiding warhead production sites on military bases, testing bombs in remote desert locations, and drawing up lists of targets where toxic gas could penetrate enemy defenses.  

China's Expanding Military Reach in Africa

 The Africa Center for Strategic Studies published on 1 September 2026 an analysis titled "China's Expanding Military Reach in Africa: From Exercises to Expeditionary Power" by Paul Nantulya.

Africa is a testing ground for China's expeditionary capabilities and its military equipment.  The People's Liberation Army's evolving training strategy in Africa is more relevant to building China's warfighting and expeditionary capabilities than to strengthening African force capacities.  China's expanding military footprint and growing sophistication of military exercises in Africa have prompted deeper reflection on the strategic implications for Africa.

Ethiopia-Egypt Disagreement Over Nile Water Usage May Require Mediation

 The New Arab published on 4 September 2026 an article titled "A New Crisis Is Brewing over the Nile between Egypt and Ethiopia, Unless Mediators Step In" by Jonathan Fenton-Harvey.

Ethiopia announced earlier this year plans to construct three more hydropower dams on the Blue Nile, where the recently completed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is located.  This announcement has alarmed downstream Egypt.  The author suggests the solution to the disagreement between Egypt and Ethiopia may be mediation.

UN Report on Foreign Fighers and Weapons Supporting Sudan War

 The UN Human Rights Council published on 1 September 2026 a report of the independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan titled "Fuelling Sudan's Conflict: Weapons, Fighters, and External Support Networks."

This is the most detailed UN report so far detailing external support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).  It discusses Columbian mercenaries supporting the RSF, including the launching of drones, and the assistance of individuals and entities in the UAE.  It also identifies support received by the RSF from individuals or entities in Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Puntland in Somalia.  It identifies less external support for the SAF but notes the use of drones manufactured in Turkey.  

It concludes that external support is sustaining military operations and expanding the capabilities of both the RSF and SAF, with grave consequences for civilians.  Increasingly sophisticated drone capabilities enabled both sides to strike far beyond immediate front lines.  The report called for the Security Council to extend the arms embargo now imposed on Darfur throughout Sudan.   

Environmental Catastrophe in South Sudan's Unity State

 New Lines Magazine published on 24 August 2026 an article titled "Living on the Edge of South Sudan's Toxic Floodplains" by Buster Emil Kirchner and Marco Simoncelli.

Defunct oil installations in South Sudan's Unity State are creating a toxic brew after recurring floods.  Contaminated drinking water poses a health hazard for thousands of families and their livestock.  Past oil extraction practices failed to take into account this environmental disaster.

Ethiopian Asylum Seekers in Israel Fighting Deportation

 The Pulitzer Center posted on 27 August 2026 an article titled "Israel's Ethiopian Asylum Seekers Fight Deportation Efforts" by Theia Chatelle.  

Israel's asylum approval rate is 0.1 percent or about 5 people a year.  Asylum applications for 1,334 Ethiopian citizens are currently pending, out of about 30,000 total asylum seekers.  Most of the others are Eritrean or Sudanese.  

China-Egypt Joint Air Exercise

 China-Africa Security Radar posted on 4 September 2026 an article titled "Eagles of Civilization 2026: Beyond the J-16 vs Rafale Dogfight."

The People's Liberation Army Air Force participated in the Eagles of Civilization joint air exercise with the Egyptian Air Force.  For Beijing, the exercise is about building mutual trust, strengthening Sino-Egyptian friendship, expanding practical cooperation, and promoting regional peace.  For Egypt, it is about exchanging expertise and developing operational skills.

Beijing is also recasting this exercise as evidence of China's emergence as a provider of integrated military capability, strategic autonomy, and security far beyond its borders.

Key Takeaways from President Xi Jinping's Trip to Egypt

 The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published on 3 September 2026 a commentary titled "The Two Key Takeaways from Xi's Egypt Visit" by Amr Hamzawy.

The author concluded that "China's influence in the Middle East is on the rise, and Egypt's international partnerships amid regional turmoil in the Middle East are growing.  Those are the two key takeaways of Xi's visit to Egypt."

Sudan War: Drone Attacks in Chad and Upsurge in Blue Nile State

 AEIs Critical Threats Africa File posted on 3 September 2026 an article titled "The Sudanese War Threatens to Regionalize" by Michael DeAngelo.

The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) conducted its first drone strikes on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Chad, striking a 200-vehicle convoy 50 miles west of the Sudanese border, raising tensions with its neighbor.  The drones reportedly destroyed dozens of vehicles.  The SAF then attacked the remnants of the RSF convoy.

In the meantime, the RSF stepped up its attacks on SAF forces in Blue Nile State that borders Ethiopia.

US Opposes UN Funding for African Union Mission in Somalia

 The International Crisis Group posted on 3 September 2026 a 32-minute podcast titled "Somalia's End-of-Year Cliffhanger" with Alan Boswell and Samira Gaid, analyst with a Mogadishu-based think tank.  

As the United States steps up its air attacks on al-Shabaab in Somalia, it is opposing continued UN funding in support of the African Union mission there, apparently out of concern that the mission is not effective.  Failure to fund the mission, however, could jeopardize efforts to defeat al-Shabaab.  The situation is complicated by upcoming national elections, differences among Somali federal states, and numerous external actors.  

China and Egypt Sign Digital and Technology Deals, Advancing Chinese Standards

Elites Africa published on 2 September 2026 an article titled "Egypt and China Sign Strategic Digital Economy and Technology Deals" by Ikeh Ifeanyichukwu James.   

During Xi Jinping's state visit to Egypt, the two countries signed agreements that accelerate the digital transformation in Egypt and expand technological exchanges.  China will integrate its technology into the Suez Canal Economic Zone.  Egypt will have to align some of its digital standards with Chinese frameworks, which may create a comparative advantage for Chinese companies.