Somali Government Officials: Isolated with Dual Citizenship and Foreign Passports

 African Arguments published on 11 August 2026 a commentary titled "Somalia: A Government with One Foot Out the Door" by Ismail Abukar, a human rights advocate based in Mogadishu.  

A significant percentage of Somali officials are effectively ghost workers who do not come to their offices.  Many have foreign passports and dual citizenship.  At the same time, remittances from the diaspora have kept Somalia solvent.  

World Bank Assessment of Sub-Saharan Africa's Growth Prospects

 The World Bank Group published in April 2026 "Africa Economic Update: Making Industrial Policy Work in Africa."

The World Bank projects that growth in Sub-Saharan Africa for 2026 will average 4.1 percent, the same as in 2025.  Downside risks, however, are emerging due in large part to disruptions caused by the war in Iran.  They include rising fuel, food, and fertilizer prices together with tighter financial conditions that are likely to push inflation higher, disrupt economic activity, and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable households which spend a larger share of their income on food and energy.

Impact of China's Economic Slowdown on Africa

 The Atlantic Council published in November 2025 a study titled "China's Economic Slowdown and Spillovers to Africa" by Matthew Mingey, Jeremy Smith, and Laura Gormley.  

This report investigates how different projections of China's economic growth and structure over the next five years will affect trade and financial engagement with the African continent and what outcomes will mean for decision-makers.

The best long-term outcome for Africa is likely one in which China accepts the cost of reform to implement slower, but more stable growth.  While countries could previously envision the net benefits of close trading relationships with China in 2030, trade now presents both opportunity and threat: opportunity in the form of cheap imports but complication in the form of persistent trade imbalances and overcapacity in manufacturing.  Under any growth scenario, finance from China's banks and investors will continue to decline as China's domestic financial system evolves.  

Impact of New US Sanctions on Sudan

 The Sudan Tribune published on 27 May 2025 an article titled "New U.S. Sanctions Spark Economic Fears in War-torn Sudan."

New US sanctions on Sudan that include restrictions on US exports and Sudan's access to US government credit lines plunged Sudan's parallel foreign currency markets into chaos and may have a long-term impact on remittances. 

China-Egypt Relations: Trade Down, Investment Up

 The Daily News published on 29 May 2024 an article titled "Egypt-China Trade Exchange Reaches $13.9 bn in 2023: CAPMAS" by Hossam Mounir.

China-Egypt trade declined to $13.9 billion in 2023 compared to $16.6 billion in 2022.  The 2023 trade balance strongly favored China, which exported $12.9 billion in goods to Egypt while it imported only $909 million in goods from Egypt.  Chinese investment in Egypt increased from $563 million in fiscal year 2021/2022 to $957 million in fiscal year 2022/2023.  

Russia Tries to Reset Relations with Africa

 Opinion Nigeria posted on 17 July 2023 a commentary titled "Russia Shaping Its Future Partnership with Africa" by Kester Kenn Klomegah.  

The author reviews Russia-Africa relations in the runup to the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg later this month.  He concludes that "Russia's influence in Africa, despite efforts towards resuscitation remains marginal."

Migration Report for East Africa and the Horn

 The International Organization for Migration posted in August 2022 a report entitled "A Region on the Move 2021: East and Horn of Africa."

The report discusses the main humanitarian situations, with a focus on internal displacement and mixed migration flows along the major migration corridors of the region.  It explores mobility dynamics affecting East Africa and the Horn by providing a regional overview of data and trends on international migrants to discussing specific groups of migrants, namely migrant workers, refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and irregular migrants along the main migratory corridors.   

Somalia on the Brink of Famine

 The Conversation published on 21 June 2022 a commentary titled "No Time for Complacency: Somalia's Unfolding Famine Catastrophe" by Mukesh Kapila, University of Manchester.

Somalia is on the brink of catastrophe with 7.7 million Somalis needing assistance now due to 3 successive years of failed rains leading to the worst drought in 4 decades.  Russia's invasion of Ukraine contributes to the disaster because Somalia gets 90 percent of its wheat from that region.  

Impact of Putin's War on the Middle East and North Africa

 The Middle East Institute published on 7 March 2022 an analysis titled "Compounded Stress: The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Middle East and North Africa" by Ferid Belhaj, World Bank vice president for the Middle East and North Africa.

The war in the Ukraine can have a compounding effect on food security and welfare across the Middle East and North Africa region.  The major impacts will be on food price shocks, especially wheat, oil and gas price hikes, capital flight, remittances, and tourism.  There can be no winners, although hydrocarbon exporters will experience some benefits.  

Ethiopia, the US and Sanctions

 The Voice of America published on 21 September 2021 an article titled "US: Ethiopia, Tigray Actors Can Avoid Sanctions by Ending Conflict" by Mohammed Yusuf.

A mid-level official in the State Department said "if the government of Ethiopia and TPLF take meaningful steps to enter into talks for a negotiated cease-fire and allow for unhindered humanitarian access, a different path is possible, and the United States is ready to help mobilize assistance for Ethiopia to recover and revitalize its economy."

U.S. Government Fact Sheet on Crisis in Ethiopia

 The White House published on 17 September 2021 a "FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Actions in Response to Ongoing Crisis in Northern Ethiopia."

This document summarizes recent actions taken by the Biden administration to support development in Ethiopia and mitigate the effects of the humanitarian crisis.  

South Sudan Faces Climate Catastrophe

 African Arguments posted on 1 December 2020 a commentary titled "South Sudan's Leaders Can No Longer Stand By as Climate Catastrophe Hits" by Ayak Wel, health and water researcher, and Garang Achiek Ajak, social justice advocate.  

Flooding this year has displaced more than 800,000 South Sudanese.  South Sudan's government, which ranked among the five worst performing countries in the 2017 climate change vulnerability index, needs to step in to deal with increasing climate shocks.  

Somalia, COVID-19, and Elections

The International Crisis Group published on 8 May 2020 an analysis titled "COVID-19 in Somalia: A Public Health Emergency in an Electoral Minefield."

Somalia is one of the least prepared countries in the world to deal with COVID-19 yet has parliamentary elections scheduled for November 2020 and a presidential election in February 2021. Postponement of the elections would be received badly by opposition parties.

US-Ethiopian Relations

BBC posted on 8 April 2019 a story titled "How Did US and Ethiopia Become So Close?"

The article attributes the close relationship between the United States and Ethiopia to a large Ethiopian diaspora in the United States, significant official American aid, major remittances from the diaspora, and important historical ties between the two countries.

Hargeisa, Somaliland Rises from the Ashes

The Brenthurst Foundation published in March 2019 a study titled "Hargeisa, Somaliland - Invisible City" by David Kilcullen, University of New South Wales.

Mostly destroyed by civil war during the 1980s, Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, has made a dramatic recovery. The paper investigates the successes and challenges of Hargeisa in the areas of social and economic development, critical infrastructure and services, security and international relations, and suggests areas where other African cities could learn from Hargeisa's experience.

Remittances and Vulnerability in Somalia

The Rift Valley Institute recently posted a paper dated September 2018 and titled "Remittances and Vulnerability in Somalia" by Nisar Majid.

Remittances are an important factor in determining the resilience of different communities, and relative levels of inequality in Somalia. Remittances act as a crucial safety net for many Somalis, but there are significant variations in the amounts and frequency of transfers and who receives them. A majority of Somali households do not benefit directly from remittances.

Somalia May Become African Leader in Mobile Money

The World Bank published in August 2018 a major report titled "Rapid Growth in Mobile Money: Stability or Vulnerability?"

Somalia is the focus of the report, which suggests the country has the potential to become the largest mobile money market in Africa with the number of mobile money transactions exceeding those in Kenya.

Growing Challenges for Eritrea

The Institute for Defense Analyses published on 9 November 2017 a commentary titled "Eritrea--Will Declining Remittances Lead to Domestic Unrest?" by Sarah Graveline.

The author concludes that declining remittances from outside Eritrea and Europe's growing desire to limit Eritrean migration are challenging the government and may encourage increased domestic unrest.

The US, Horn of Africa, and the Gulf States

The Washington-based Hollings Center for International Dialogue just published a summary of its March 2017 dialogue on "Middle East and U.S. Relations with the Greater Horn of Africa."

The summary notes the growing involvement in the Greater Horn of Africa of the Gulf States, Turkey and Iran. It suggests what the United States needs to understand as these actors impact the economic, security, and religious situation in this region.

African Economic Outlook 2017

The African Development Bank, the Development Centre of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the UN Development Programme published on 22 May 2017 "African Economic Outlook 2017: Entrepreneurship and Industrialization."

This annual massive study reports that in 2016, Africa's economic growth slowed to 2.2 percent from 3.4 percent in 2015 due to low commodity prices, weak global recovery and adverse weather conditions, which impacted agricultural production in some regions. Africa's economic growth is expected to rebound to 3.4 percent in 2017 and 4.3 percent in 2018.

Although economic headwinds experienced in the last two years appear to have altered the "Africa rising narrative," the African Development Bank believes the continent remains resilient, with non-resource dependent economies sustaining higher growth for a much longer period. With dynamic private sectors, entrepreneurial spirit and vast resources, Africa has the potential to grow even faster and more inclusively.