The Role of Masculinity and the Al-Shabaab Challenge

 The Royal United Services Institute published on 18 June 2026 a study titled "Masculinities and Violence in the Horn of Africa Borderlands" by Christopher Hockey and Claudia Wallner.

This paper reveals how masculinity norms fuel conflict, violent extremism, and gender-based violence in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia borderlands, shaping al-Shabaab's recruitment and deepening insecurity.  It is based on interviews with experts and community members in two communities: one at the tripoint where Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia meet and the other at the Kenya-Somalia border on the Indian Ocean coastline.

It offers actionable recommendations for defense and security practitioners to address these interconnected challenges.  

Ethiopia: Chinese Imports Potentially Reduce Female Employment

The Conversation published on 11 January 2024 a commentary titled "Chinese Imports Could Undermine Ethiopian Manufacturing- Leaving Women Workers Worst Off" by Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor, University of Guelph, Ruby Acquah, University of Sussex, and Yohannes Ayele, University of Sussex.

China is the largest source of imports for Ethiopia, including inexpensive manufactured goods.  Lessons from Ethiopia suggest that cheap imports from China reduce the ability of local manufacturing firms to compete.  This, in turn, results in layoffs and lower wages.  The authors conclude that women are the first to be laid off work, but import competition also results in lower wages for men.