Know Afrika

Somaliland voters head to the polls for a pivotal presidential election, with over 1 million expected to cast ballots as the breakaway region seeks international recognition after three decades of self-rule. President Muse Bihi Abdi, seeking re-election, faces challengers advocating for unity and democratic reforms in a region that has maintained stability amid Somalia's ongoing instability. Read more

  Growing tensions surround recent military discussions between Ethiopia and Somaliland, escalating existing volatility in the Horn of Africa. These talks followed a contentious pact allowing Ethiopia Red Sea access through Somaliland, vehemently opposed by Somalia. Mogadishu labeled the memorandum of understanding (MoU) as "aggression," prompting concerns about respecting Somalia's sovereignty. In response to the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia visited Eritrea, seeking international support against the deal. Eritrea, often isolated, engaged in discussions with Somalia, sparking curiosity about potential regional implications. Ethiopia's pursuit of coastal access, highlighted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has triggered apprehension among neighbors. The recent agreement granting Ethiopia maritime services and a military facility in Somaliland raised concerns, especially from Djibouti, chairing the regional organization IGAD, ad...