The Horn

The Al-Shabaab insurgency remains a potent force in Somalia. One understudied source of its resilience is the support it enjoys among Somali women, despite the group’s patriarchal ethos, strict gender ideology and brutal methods. Azadeh Moaveni, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Gender, joins Alan to discuss women’s roles within the movement, from intelligence gathering, to fundraising, to arms carrying and to recruitment. For more information, see our briefing: Women and Al-Shabaab’s InsurgencySpecial thanks to our producer, Maeve Frances. Originally published on 28 June 2019.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kenya and Somalia are currently fighting a legal battle over their shared maritime border, an area rich in oil and gas. Somalia’s President Mohammed Abdullahi "Farmajo" is playing hardball. With national elections approaching, he has taken a more assertive stance to demonstrate the country’s strength and appeal to his support base. Kenya views itself as a powerful country in a turbulent region and doesn’t wish to be seen caving into pressure.Rashid Abdi, Consultant and former Horn of Africa Director at Crisis Group, joins Alan this week to shed light on the deeply complex issue. They seek insights about why the dispute flared up, Ethiopia’s changing role under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and how mediation efforts have achieved some positive, modest success in de-escalating tensions. Special thanks to our producer, Maeve Frances.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After five years of violent conflict, South Sudan’s main warring leaders, President Salva Kiir and his chief rival Riek Machar, signed a 2018 peace deal. The agreement established a ceasefire and set out a political roadmap toward elections in 2022, which included the formation of a unity government. But the peace deal is imperiled and with it the fragile ceasefire. Emmily Koiti, a civil society activist who participated in the peace talks, joins Alan this week to discuss why she thinks the main parties will fail to form a functioning unity government, the principle issues obstructing progress and why the country’s current leaders do not represent the aspirations of the South Sudanese. For more information, see our briefing:  Déjà Vu: Preventing Another Collapse in South Sudan. With special thanks to our producer, Maeve Frances. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump hoped that minimal engagement would bring big wins in the Horn of Africa: more U.S. trade & investment and seeing off his great power competitors. In practice, multiple surprises have forced U.S. policy into a mode of serial reaction. How are these priorities and realities truly different from those of his predecessors? And how has he dealt with themes that rarely feature in his usual doctrines, issues like governance, peace and security? Judd Devermont joins Alan Boswell to discuss all this on The Horn. Judd Devermont is the Director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and was a senior official at the National Intelligence Council under the Obama Administration.With thanks to our producer, Maeve Frances.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sudan’s strongman Omar al-Bashir was swept from power in April after thirty years of autocratic rule. The country has been left with a flailing economy, political polarisation and a powerful security establishment bent on clinging on to power. Reem Abbas, activist, writer and researcher, joins Alan Boswell this week to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the post-Bashir transition. She was a contributor to our recent report, Safeguarding Sudan’s Revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital technologies are having a dramatic impact in politics. But while their influence in Western political spaces has been heavily scrutinised, little attention has been paid in Africa. Best-selling Kenyan author Nanjala Nyabola joins Alan Boswell on The Horn this week. They discuss everything from digital colonialism and the exploitation of technology by state powers to the power of social media, for better or for worse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regional instability, a relative power vacuum and competition among rising Middle East states have prompted Gulf countries to seek to project their power into the Red Sea corridor. Alan Boswell is joined by Elizabeth Dickinson on this week’s episode to discuss the risks and opportunities as these countries accelerate their push for allies, influence and physical presence in the Horn of Africa. For more information, see our report: Intra-Gulf Competition in Africa’s Horn: Lessening the Impact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.