Horn of Africa

Twenty-five years of invasions and unconditional support for Israel have deepened the grievances behind 9/11 and left America less secure Marco Carnelos is a former Italian diplomat. He has been assigned to Somalia, Australia and the United Nations. He served in...

The 11th of September, 2026, marks a quarter-century since the “9/11” attacks that killed three thousand Americans and set into motion a generation of the “Global War on Terror”. The anniversary will no doubt bring with it the very human...

--- While it is somewhat cliche to say that the “whole world changed” after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, it does not detract from the reality of the statement. In numerous tangible ways, the culture, security, and...

Three days after terrorists killed almost 3,000 people in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush stood in a pulpit at the Washington National Cathedral and spoke to a nation in shock. “Our responsibility to history...

Protests during the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001. Credit: NCDHR By Paul Divakar Namala LONDON, Sep 8 2026 (IPS) My name is Paul Divakar Namala. I...

From the start, the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has been a story of unintended consequences. Contrary to President Donald Trump’s hopes for a quick victory, the conflict has morphed into a sustained crisis, one that has driven up oil prices,...

Dear President Abdirahman Abdullahi, As you prepare for your next cabinet reshuffle, you have an opportunity to make a decision that could define your government’s effectiveness: put the right people in the right positions. Cabinet appointments should not be driven primarily by political loyalty, the balancing of interests, or rewards for those who supported the government. These considerations may always exist in politics, but they should not outweigh the qualifications of those chosen to lead the country’s ministries. Your government is moving beyond its early period. Citizens will increasingly judge the administration by what it delivers. Can ministries function more effectively? Can public services improve? Can public resources be managed responsibly? Can Somaliland attract investment and create opportunities for its young population? These outcomes require capable people. A president may have a strong vision and ambitious plans, but that vision means little if the people responsible for implementation lack the capacity to deliver. The government’s goals must be matched by the abilities of those appointed to lead its ministries. When there is a gap between ambition and administrative capacity, the result is a misaligned government. As a member of the diaspora living in Somaliland, I have observed good intentions at the top but uneven execution below. That is why the next reshuffle matters. Somaliland needs ministers who understand the responsibilities they are being asked to assume. A person appointed to lead a ministry should bring a relevant combination of education, professional experience, management ability, and a record of achievement. A ministry is not a political trophy. It is a public institution whose performance affects citizens’ daily lives. Political experience alone should not automatically qualify someone to lead a technical ministry. Nor should a close relationship with the president, membership in the governing political camp, or strong personal connections be enough. This does not mean politics has no place in government. It does. Presidents have political responsibilities, and governments need people they can trust. But trust and competence should not be treated as competing choices. The president should seek people who are both trustworthy and capable. The Somaliland diaspora also deserves careful consideration. Somaliland has produced many highly educated professionals with valuable experience in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. Bringing that experience home can benefit the country enormously. But diaspora status should not confer automatic preference. No one should become a minister simply because they worked abroad or have an impressive resume. The same standard should apply to everyone. What have they accomplished? What do they know about the ministry they would lead? Have they managed people and budgets? Have they solved difficult problems? Can they work within Somaliland’s realities rather than simply import ideas from another country? These are the questions that should guide appointments. One practical step would be to interview serious candidates before making senior appointments. This should not be a political interview, but a rigorous assessment of each candidate’s ability to do the job. Ask candidates what they have accomplished, what they understand about the ministry, what they would change in their first six months, and how they would measure success. Then verify their qualifications and professional history. This would not eliminate political appointments, but it would introduce a basic element of accountability into the process. There is nothing radical about this approach. Governments around the world increasingly recognize that professional civil service is essential to effective government. Research by the Anti-Corruption Evidence programme has also identified links between merit-based recruitment, stronger motivation, lower corruption, and better public-service performance. For Somaliland, this should not be merely an academic discussion. We have limited resources and a long list of national priorities. Every ministry that fails to perform represents a lost opportunity. Your administration has already achieved what many people once considered extremely difficult by securing international recognition from Israel while continuing to build broader support for Somaliland. That is an important development. But recognition, diplomacy, and foreign relations are only part of the larger challenge of building a functioning state. Somaliland also needs institutions that work. It needs ministries that can implement policy, officials who understand public finance, and competent leaders for infrastructure, education, health, investment, fisheries, agriculture, mining, security, and other critical sectors. Most importantly, citizens need to see that government appointments are made because a person can do the job, not simply because they are politically connected. Mr. President, the next cabinet reshuffle gives you an opportunity to establish a different standard. Choose people who can deliver. Choose people who understand their responsibilities. Choose people whose results can be measured and who can be held accountable when they fail. If a politically loyal person is also the best person for the job, appoint them. If a political ally is not qualified to lead a particular ministry, do not appoint them simply because they are an ally. That is what merit should mean. Somaliland cannot afford to place unprepared people in important positions and wait years to discover that they were never capable of carrying the responsibility. The country needs experienced professionals, capable managers, effective politicians, and people with a genuine understanding of Somaliland’s circumstances. The next cabinet should therefore not be about who deserves a position. It should be about who can do the job. That would send a powerful message to Somaliland’s citizens, investors, development partners, and the international community that Somaliland is serious about building institutions based on competence, accountability, and performance. Somaliland needs a government that serves the country, not individuals or political interests. And that starts with putting the right people in the right positions. Thank you, and God bless Somaliland. Mohamed Ibrahim is a Somaliland businessman and public-affairs commentator based in Hargeisa. He holds an MBA and has a professional background in business, journalism, media, and public affairs. He is the founder and former Chief Editor of SomalilandPress , an independent online news and analysis platform covering political, economic, and social developments in Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa. He can be reached at moguled@gmail.com. Reference: Governance and Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE), Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries: Tools and Evidence from Eight Countries in Four Developing Regions. GI ACE. Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries....

Anti-Muslim sentiment is on the rise in the United States, and yet Muslim political candidates are enjoying a banner year. Zohran Mamdani was elected the first Muslim mayor of New York City in 2025. This year, Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic...

Despite the overall trend toward older populations, substantial differences in age structures exist among countries. Credit: Shutterstock. By Joseph Chamie PORTLAND, USA, Sep 1 2026 (IPS) The age structures of populations vary considerably across countries. Some countries have relatively young populations, with large...

Lars Løkke Rasmussen (right), Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark and President of the Security Council for the month of August, addresses the Security Council meeting entitled ‘Food Under Fire: The Security Council's Role in Mitigating Global and Local Food...

Yemen’s shift from coffee to qat crops intensified ecological pressures in in the impoverished north, creating the conditions for the Houthis’ rise. Ibrahim Al-Marashi is Associate Professor of Middle East history at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). He obtained his...

This story was originally published by Grist . Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here . The world has become hotter and, in many places, drier than ever before in recorded history. Just this summer, as some U.S. states battle over...

‎By Jama Ayaanle Feyte, Journalist, Horn of Africa Security Expert and Political Analyst ‎The controversy surrounding Somalia’s new Speaker of Parliament, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur—popularly known as Jama —shows no signs of subsiding, despite the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a...

By Abdirahman Abdillahi Ibrahim Agriculture is one of the foundations of livelihoods and food security across Somaliland. Yet farmers face a persistent and often underestimated threat: insects, plant diseases, invasive weeds, rodents and other organisms that can damage crops before they...

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 23rd Anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations Headquarters in Baghdad. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten. By Naureen Hossain UNITED NATIONS, Aug 20 2026 (IPS) World Humanitarian Day celebrates humanitarian workers and...

The US’s flagship tariff-free trade programme allows African countries to use Chinese and Indian textiles in their exports to the US. The success of Africa’s textile and apparel industry under the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is something...

85% of Ethiopia’s industrial park production is in textiles and garments, with manufacturing led by the $250m Hawassa Industrial Park. Back in July 2015, construction started on the Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP) (pictured) about 280 miles south of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis...

The Mecca Pact ranks among the most momentous developments to have reshaped the Middle East since the upheavals that followed the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. Though defensive in nature, the agreement — which creates a mutual defense commitment between...

NATO continues to prepare for life without the United States, at least as the dominant alliance member. “Europeans are already backfilling what the U.S. cannot any longer promise,” explained Secretary-General Mark Rutte . America's foreign policy establishmentarians have long worried about...

The political decline in Uganda didn’t happen suddenly. It developed gradually, characterized by the tight, tense pace of a repressive state machine clashing with fragmented opposition. No one shows this widespread tension more clearly than Kizza Besigye, a doctor turned...

Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could potentially offer an alternative basis for power in the Middle East for more countries seeking alternatives to US-Israeli hegemony. David Hearst is co-founder and editor-in-chief of Middle East Eye. He is a commentator and speaker...

The Documenting Oppression against Muslims (DOAM) organization has charted a series of anti-Muslim hate crimes, harassment, and assaults over the summer of 2026 in the United States, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Belgium. The ten weeks since the end of...

The Documenting Oppression against Muslims (DOAM) organization has charted a series of anti-Muslim hate crimes, harassment, and assaults over the summer of 2026 in the United States, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Belgium. The ten weeks since the end of...

The Pentagon acknowledged for the first time that U.S. military operations killed Yemeni civilians last year, in an annual report on civilian casualties it sent to members of Congress Tuesday. CENTCOM determined that three operations in Yemen last year “more likely...

International youth Day 2026: Celebrating the Next Generation On the occasion of International Youth Day 2026, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate and recognise the remarkable creativity, dedication, and potential of Somaliland’s young architecture students, particularly those graduating...

On July 19, President Donald Trump’s top Africa adviser, Massad Boulos, held a series of talks in Cairo with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia. The participants framed the discussions as an effort to bolster security in the...

In early August, the top U.S. special operations commander for Africa signed a security agreement with the president of Puntland — a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia — to expand the American military installation there. The deal surfaced through a short...

Former Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has reportedly acknowledged that Turkey made a major strategic miscalculation by placing its political and diplomatic weight behind Somalia while overlooking Somaliland, a nation whose strategic importance has grown dramatically in recent years. Çavuşoğlu’s remarks...

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT First Ever Somaliland Diaspora Visit to Israel D ates : 17 – 22 October 2026 | D estinations : Jerusalem · Tel Aviv · Haifa Israel-Africa Business Connect (IABC) , in joint collaboration with the Diaspora Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Somaliland, invites dedicated diaspora leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and civil society representatives to engage in a landmark six-day program of institutional, business, and cultural exchange with Israeli counterparts. The civil society, business community and other interested stakeholders residing within the Republic of Somaliland are equally welcome to apply. Program Highlights Include: Official & Institutional Engagement: High-level dialogues with Israeli government institutions. Diaspora Leadership & Peer Exchange : Diaspora leadership and peer exchange focusing on governance, innovation, education, and modernization. Business & Economic Cooperation: Exploring investment opportunities, strategic trade partnerships, and exclusive networking sessions with Israeli business innovators and investors. Cultural & Heritage Exchange: Guided historical and sightseeing tours in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. Following the formal diplomatic ties and mutual recognition established between the governments of Somaliland and Israel, this historic visit represents a definitive step toward strengthening ties between the two peoples and building lasting partnerships. Logistics & Vetting: The full six-day program is priced at €1,370 per person (double occupancy basis). This includes hotel accommodation, daily breakfast and dinner, guided tours, official meetings, site entrance fees, and group ground transportation. Not Included: International airfare, travel insurance, lunches (approximately $20–$25 per day), airport transfers, gratuities, visa fees, and private taxi transport or personal expenses outside the arranged group itinerary. Please note that the IABC Business Forum will liaise directly with Somaliland community association committees to coordinate logistics, and all applicants will undergo strict verification as Somaliland citizens. Spaces are strictly limited. The Diaspora Department encourages the participation of highly qualified professionals and community leaders who are best positioned to advance the objectives and scope of this program – quality matters more to us than quantity. This is more than a visit, it is a statement of dialogue, economic cooperation, and people-to people connection....

President Donald Trump and self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth are pushing for a post-World War II record $1.6 trillion Pentagon budget for next year, a sum so obscenely high that it is almost impossible to comprehend. The proposed $600...

Subscribe to our Lens on Sudan newsletter here . The military’s offensive in Kordofan continued this week with the capture of the strategic Jabal al-Dayer area near Rahad, building on last week’s gains that brought five towns and the Saderat Road...

Donald Trump’s foreign policy features chaotic decision-making and bombastic rhetoric. But some of his half-baked ideas could have lasting consequences, creating escalation pathways that his successors may be unwilling to close. West Africa provides a crucial case study. Trump ordered strikes...

Donald Trump’s foreign policy features chaotic decision-making and bombastic rhetoric. But some of his half-baked ideas could have lasting consequences, creating escalation pathways that his successors may be unwilling to close. West Africa provides a crucial case study. Trump ordered strikes...

After four years of a contentious peace between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, fighting broke out between the two sides on Saturday. The clashes spanned from the Humera border town with Sudan in the north to...

Galala city, Egypt, the southern exit to the Suez Canal. Credit: Unsplash/M abnodey By Maximilian Malawista UNITED NATIONS, Aug 3 2026 (IPS) As the United States and Iran continue to escalate with military strikes across both fronts, the conflict took a new turn...

Anti-FGM activists protests outside the National Assembly in Banjul, The Gambia, on 18 March 2024, as lawmakers discuss a bill seeking to lift the ban on FGM. Credit: by Muhamadou Bittaye/AFP By Inés M. Pousadela MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Aug 3 2026 (IPS) Last August,...

Iran and Russia have come to realize that there can be no peace with the Collective West. Consequently, the conflicts will be fought out on the battlefield and will last a long time. The international legal order is dead, world...

Raytheon sponsors the Girl Scouts of America. BAE Systems is reading your toddlers their favorite fairytale stories. And Lockheed Martin funds children’s math and STEM festivals. This is done with great fanfare, supposedly to empower and inspire children to pursue...

In June, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Preventing External Aggression and Conflict Escalation (PEACE) in Sudan Act of 2026. In the House, the pending U.S. Engagement in Sudanese Peace Act and the RSF Terrorism Designation Act partly overlap...

The latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance indicates a broadly mixed picture on the campaign against corruption on the continent. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s 2026 Ibrahim Index of African Governance data brief on anti-corruption shows that Africa’s average anti-corruption score rose...

Refugees fleeing violence in Ethiopia's Tigray region cross the Tekeze River into Sudan in November 2020. Credit: UNHCR/Hazim Elhag By Elizabeth Tan GENEVA, Jul 27 2026 (IPS) Seventy-five years after the Refugee Convention was opened for signature on 28 July 1951, it remains...