Somali Pirates Are Back in Business

 CNBC published on 20 August 2026 an article titled "Somali Pirate Menace Returns as U.S.-Iran War Stokes Regional Chaos and Saps Enforcement Resources" by Aparajita Saxena.

On August 17, pirates seized the cargo vessel Lutuf about four nautical miles off the Somali coast.  A month ago, they seized the MT Asana, a Tanzanian-flagged oil and chemical tanker, in the Gulf of Aden.  The upsurge in piracy may be driven by drought and food insecurity in Somalia and increased regional instability caused by the war with Iran.

Somalis Flee Prolonged Drought and May Face Flooding Next

 The Associated Press published on 12 August 2026 an article titled "Thousands Flee Yearslong Drought in Somalia as Hunger Deepens and Aid Shrinks" by Mohamed Sheikh Nor and Omar Faruk.  

About two million people in southern Somalia are facing emergency levels of food insecurity as a result of drought over the past four years.  EL Nino conditions are likely to exacerbate the situation by creating flooding during Somalia's October to December rainy season.  International food assistance is in short supply.  

Somalia Faces Severe Hunger as US Ends Most Humanitarian Aid

The International Crisis Group posted on 19 May 2026 a commentary titled "Somalia Barrels Toward Possible Famine amid Aid Cuts" by Chris Newton and Omar Mahmood.

Parts of Somalia face severe hunger and could slip into famine caused by a combination of drought, climate induced flooding, price hikes because of the Iran war, political infighting, and the al-Shabaab insurgency.  

Until recently, the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Somalia was the United States.  But it has largely ended funding and other donors have not stepped forward to fill the void. 

Instability in the Kenya--Somalia-Ethiopia Borderlands

 The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies published on 15 April 2026 a paper titled "Instability in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia Borderlands" by Christopher Hockey, Timothy Kimaiyo, and Martine Zeuthen.  

The paper provides critical insights into the complex dynamics of instability in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia borderlands.  It highlights the interconnected challenges of violent extremism, gender-based violence, ethnic tensions, political instability and resource pressures, offering practical recommendations for future interventions.

Ethiopia's Little-Known Conflict in the Lower Omo

 African Arguments posted on 4 March 2026 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's Smaller Wars: Destitution, Conflict Escalation, and Military Abuses in Lower Omo" by Lucie Buffavand.

Me'en and Mun people (also known as Bodi and Mursi) are agro-pastoralists who live in the lower Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia.  These two small ethnic groups have been engaged in conflict since 2023.  Cattle rustling and competition for food is behind much of the conflict.

Somalia, Climate Change, and IDPs

 The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies published in 2025 a study titled "From Risk to Response: Addressing the Climate-Conflict-Displacement Nexus."

Somalia consistently ranks among the world's most climate-vulnerable countries.  Climate change is the primary driver of internally displaced people (IDPs) in the country.  One in every 25 displaced individuals globally resides in Somalia.  Climate-vulnerable states are also more likely to experience civil unrest and political instability.   

Slashing Climate Resilience Programs Does Not Put America First

 Foreign Affairs published on 16 January 2026 an article titled "Less Foreign Aid, More Climate Risk: The Massive Costs of Gutting USAID" by Alice Hill and Lindsey Doyle.

Modest investment in USAID-financed climate-resilience projects has been gutted by the Trump administration.  Slashing funding and decimating the institutions that deliver it is neither fiscal prudence nor putting America first.  

European Union Seeks to Counter China at Summit with African Union in Angola

 Deutsche Welle published on 25 November 2025 an article titled "How the EU Seeks to Counter China in Africa" by Katharina Kroll.  

The African Union and the European Union held in Angola their seventh summit in late November.  The underlying theme was competition with China and the EU's Global Gateway initiative as the response to China's Belt and Road Initiative.  

Podcast on Background and Future Impact of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

 The International Crisis Group (ICG) posted on 26 September 2025 a 39-minute podcast titled "Ethiopia's Grand and Contested Dam" with Murithi Mutiga and Alan Boswell, both with the ICG.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is the largest in Africa and was financed mostly by Ethiopians.  Egypt perceived the dam as a threat to its downstream water supply while Ethiopia saw it as an essential hydropower development project.  Sudan was caught in the middle, seeing both potential benefits and problems, but has recently sided with Egypt.  

Now that the dam is completed, Egypt's major concern as a downstream country is low water flow during successive years of drought in the Nile Basin.  Reduction of tension between Ethiopia and Egypt requires trust building.  In the meantime, there is the possibility of Egyptian proxy activity aimed at Ethiopia.  

Egypt's Response to Ethiopia's New Hydropower Dam

 World Politics Review published on 25 September 2025 a commentary titled "Ethiopia's New Megadam Inflames Regional Tensions" by Jonathan Fenton-Harvey.

Now that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is operational, the author concludes that the chances of a direct military conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt are slim, but low-grade clashes could erupt in the form of a proxy fight.

China's Rosewood Imports from Africa Harm Environment

 Foreign Policy published on 9 September 2025 an article titled "China's Appetite for Rosewood Is Causing Chaos in Africa" by Caroline Costello and Joshua Eisenman.  

China imported an estimated $2 billion of rosewood from Africa between 2017 and 2022.  Much of the logging for this rare timber is illegal.  Extreme drought and flooding linked to the loss of rosewood trees have had devastating agricultural impacts.

Keeping Climate Change as Part of South Sudanese Peacekeeping

 The International Crisis Group published on 28 April 2025 a paper titled "The Stakes of Stripping Climate from UN Peacekeeping in South Sudan" by Nazanine Moshiri.  

The UN Security Council will soon vote on the future of the peacekeeping mission in conflict-impacted South Sudan.  The paper discusses what is at stake and why climate and peace should remain part of the mission's work.  

Fighting Climate Change in Somalia's Conflict Zones

 The International Crisis Group published on 10 December 2024 a study titled "Fighting Climate Change in Somalia's Conflict Zones."

Somalia experienced a prolonged, extreme drought between 2020 and 2023 that caused a humanitarian emergency and fueled conflict with the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab.  Local resentment of the group's harsh methods during severe water shortages eventually led to a military offensive that put the insurgents on the back foot.

In Somalia, climate change and conflict are increasingly intertwined.  Al-Shabaab uses access to water and other natural resources to levy taxes on herders and farmers, as well as to punish communities that resist its control.  But it has also proven persuadable by social pressure during climate shocks.

Ethiopia's Tigray Region Slow to Recover

 World Politics Review published on 12 September 2024 an article titled "Two Years Later, Tigray's Post-War Recovery Still Hasn't Begun" by Fred Harter, freelance journalist based in Addis Ababa.

The humanitarian situation in Tigray Region remains dire and no agreement has been reached on the future of Western Tigray, which remains under the control of Amhara militia.  Eritrean troops are still inside Tigray's border.  Tigray faces a political crisis with rival Tigray People's Liberation Front factions jostling for power.

Somalia's Climate Crisis and the Fight against Al-Shabaab

 The International Crisis Group posted on 15 May 2024 a three-minute video titled "Somalia's Climate Crisis and the fight against Al-Shabaab" with Nazanine Moshiri.

Somalia is the world's second most vulnerable country to climate change.  One-fifth of the country has been displaced by extreme climate events.  The Somali government needs to provide the infrastructure to deal with floods and drought if it expects to combat successfully al-Shabaab.  

Camels and Climate Change in the Horn of Africa

 The Washington Post published on 17 April 2024 a fascinating story titled "The Survivor Species" by Chico Harlan, Rael Ombuor, and Malin Fezehai.  

Having lost many of their cattle because of drought, traditional herders are turning to camels for milk.  Resistant to climate change, camels may help save lives in the drought-stricken region of the Horn of Africa.  The article offers outstanding color photographs and video montages from Samburu County, Kenya.  

Ethiopia's Tigray Region Continues to Face Humanitarian Emergency

 Refugees International published a report dated March 2024 titled "Scars of War and Depravations: An Urgent Call to Reverse Tigray's Humanitarian Crisis" by Sarah Miller.   

The report argues that aid has not scaled up to meet the need of Tigray Region's internally displaced people (IDP).  If relief does not come, many will die, and some even fear that the fragile Pretoria Peace Agreement could be in jeopardy.  Much of the region remains in dire straits, and many IDPs are languishing in very difficult conditions.  

Somalia Faces a Year of Crises

 The New York Times published on 27 February 2024 an article titled "Hunger, Terrorism and the Threat of War: Somalia's Year of Crises" by Abdi Latif Dahir and Brian Otieno.  

The article suggests that drought, the continuing challenge of the al-Shabaab terrorist group, and possible conflict with Ethiopia following its Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland could create a difficult year for Somalia.

Podcast with Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister

 The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted on 26 February 2024 a one-hour podcast titled "Security in the Horn of Africa: A Discussion with Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister" Salah Jama, moderated by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele.  

This is an informative and wide-ranging discussion of developments in the Horn of Africa with an emphasis on their implications for Somalia.

Somali Capacities to Respond to Crisis Are Changing

 Humanitarian Outcomes published in October 2023 a study titled "Somali Capacities to Respond to Crisis Are Changing; How Are Humanitarian Actors Responding?" by multiple authors.

Somalia is often seen from the outside as a failed state, home of terrorists and pirates, chronically corrupt, and prone to famine and crisis.  But in the decade since the 2011 famine, Somali capacities to respond to crisis have grown, and international aid needs to support those capacities more effectively.  This study focused on the resilience capacities of Somali citizens and systems, and how the humanitarian system has engaged with them.