Horn of Africa
The Many Faces of Al Shabaab
Al Shabaab is one of the century’s most successful violent jihadist movements, ruling over millions. But what lies behind the headlines and the bloodshed? Who are Al Shabaab, and why do people join? LAST FEW TICKETS.
THIRD PARTY EVENT: Looking back – moving forward? A humanitarian perspective
From the popular uprisings in the Middle East, to the intervention in Libya, and now the tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa, many of this year’s top stories have been dominated by humanitarian issues.
In this end of year debate, leading figures from the humanitarian world gather to discuss the main challenges to protecting and assisting people caught up in conflict and disaster. They will also explore prospects for principled humanitarian action in 2012.
Hunger in the Horn of Africa
I found this blog by Simon Levine at the Overseas Development Institute an interesting discussion on the politics of famine. http://blogs.odi.org.uk/blogs/main/archive/2011/07/06/horn_of_africa_famine_2011_humanitarian_system.aspx It focuses on the hunger ravaging the Horn of Africa, with thousands of Somalis turning up at the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya every day. His main argument is that famines only tend […]
Somalis, Saracens and their Secret Donor
What do six Russians, two South Africans, the Ugandan President’s brother, a private security firm, a former CIA officer, and a senior ex-US diplomat all have in common? Somalia and its semi-autonomous regions of course! The British registered private security firm Saracen International is currently training over 1000 militia men in Somalia’s Puntland region as […]
A date with democracy? Somaliland’s presidential election is set (for now)
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything from Hargeisa. Life in the de facto (but unrecognized) independent Republic of Somaliland has been very quiet and the democratic deadlock affecting overdue presidential elections has continued. Is no news good news here? An absence of the oft-reported (if little fully-understood) blights of southern Somalia – piracy, […]
A state in limbo
In the last week an internationally-sponsored agreement pertaining to Somaliland’s electoral process has been signed by the President and major opposition parties. Is delayed democracy in the de facto independent northern Somali State at last getting back on track? The six-point agreement signed on Wednesday by President Daahir Rayaale Kaahin of the UDUB party, […]