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The Horn: Daily Summaries Delivered
by International Crisis Group
The Horn of Africa is in turmoil. From revolution in Sudan to civil war in Ethiopia, from Somalia’s political stalemate and the regional spread of jihadism to troubled East African democracies, the region’s pace and scale of change are difficult to keep up with. The Horn, a podcast series from the International Crisis Group, helps make sense of it all. Host Alan Boswell and guests dive deep behind the headlines as they analyse events, debate diplomacy and discuss avenues toward peace. Hosted by Alan Boswell and produced by Maeve Frances
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- 3 days ago44 min
Bonus Episode | The UAE in Sudan
Today on The Horn, we are bringing you a bonus episode on Sudan from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Sudan expert Shewit Woldemichael and Horn of Africa Director Alan Boswell about Sudan’s war and the foreign powers fueling it. They revisit the atrocities committed during the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) takeover of El Fasher a year ago and the failure by outside actors to prevent them. They discuss shifting front lines, how external supply of drones and other military equipment is helping the RSF sustain its campaign and the growing risk of regional spillover. They examine how the UAE’s support for the RSF, which Abu Dhabi continues to deny, and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye’s backing of the Sudanese army have left both sides with little incentive to compromise, complicating efforts to end the war. They also assess why U.S.-led ceasefire efforts have stalled and what a negotiated settlement might require. Finally, they discuss the questions raised by top Emirati official Lana Nusseibeh’s bid for UN Secretary-General in light of the UAE’s role in Sudan’s war.For more, check out our Sudan page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 1 weeks ago52 min
The View from Eritrea
In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Reuters journalist Giulia Paravicini to discuss her recent visit to Asmara, Eritrea’s capital. They talk about everyday life in one of the world’s most isolated countries, Giulia’s conversations with Eritrean officials and the future of the aging regime. They explore how Asmara views Ethiopia’s push for sea access and why Eritrean officials fear an attack on the southern port of Assab. They also discuss Eritrea’s alleged support for Ethiopian opposition groups, reports of Eritrean troops entering Tigray during the recent fighting and whether the two neighbours could still slide into outright war. Finally, they examine Eritrea’s regional relationships, particularly its growing ties with Egypt and renewed engagement with Washington, and whether the country can capitalise on the increasing strategic importance of the Red Sea.For more, check out Giulia’s recent reporting for Reuters “Inside one of the world’s most secretive countries” and “As Iran war smolders, shunned Eritrea looks to come in from the cold”, as well as our last episode “Ethiopia and Eritrea, On the Cusp of War” and our Horn of Africa page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 3 weeks ago39 min
Ethiopia and Eritrea, On the Cusp of War
In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Michael Woldemariam, associate professor at the University of Maryland, to discuss the conflict in northern Ethiopia and whether it could escalate into a wider war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. They examine the calculations behind the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s latest offensive against the federal government, its new alliance with other opposition groups, how Tigrayans view the renewed fighting and where the conflict might be headed. They also explore Eritrea’s alignment with its former rival, the TPLF, and Addis Ababa’s response to reports of Eritrean cross-border incursions. They consider how a wider war might unfold and what role Middle Eastern powers with interests in the region could play. Finally, they unpack the obstacles to diplomacy and what a path out of the conflict might look like.For more, read our latest alert Pulling Ethiopia and Eritrea Back from War, our Hold Your Fire episode How Close Are Ethiopia and Eritrea to All-out War?, the last episode with Michael, The Ethiopia-Eritrea Standoff and our Horn of Africa page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4 weeks ago39 min
Bonus Episode | How Close Are Ethiopia and Eritrea to All-out War?
Today on The Horn, we are bringing you a bonus episode on the rising risk of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Alan Boswell, Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa director, to discuss the fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region and the risk of an all-out war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. They examine federal forces’ recapture of Tigray’s capital Mekelle and what has changed since the previous war. They explore Eritrea’s calculations in backing its former enemy, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and whether Ethiopian advances toward the Eritrean border could bring the two countries into direct conflict. They also discuss Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access and how it has further fuelled tensions with Eritrea. Turning to the wider region, they assess how Middle Eastern powers’ competing interests could shape their responses to a war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the risk of such a conflict becoming entangled with wars in Sudan. Finally, they consider what an urgent diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation would require.For more, check out our last episode Back to War in Ethiopia? our statement Arresting the Dangerous Descent Back into War in Northern Ethiopia and our Horn of Africa page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Oct 1, 202658 min
Inside Sudan’s War
In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Yousra Elbagir, Sky News’s Africa correspondent and winner of the RTS Network Television Journalist of the Year award 2026, to discuss her reporting from inside Sudan’s war and its various front lines. They discuss her recent reporting with the Sudanese navy patrolling the Red Sea. They then discuss the situation in El Obeid, under sustained RSF aerial assault, and how the attacks on the city differ from the RSF’s campaign of starvation and massacres in El Fasher. They talk about civilians’ daily struggle amid the war, and the insecurity and shattered services facing those returning to Khartoum. They also discuss how Yousra weaves in the personal impact of the war into her reporting. Finally, they explore possible ways out of the conflict, how Sudanese on the ground view the war, and what Sudan will need to grapple with when it ends.For more, you can check out Yousra Elbagir’s reporting on Sky News and our Sudan page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 30, 202637 min
Bonus Episode | Back to War in Ethiopia?
Today on The Horn, we are bringing you a bonus episode on Ethiopia from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.In this episode, Richard Atwood speaks with Crisis Group’s Africa director Murithi Mutiga about renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia. They examine why the Pretoria agreement, which ended the devastating 2020–2022 war between Tigrayan rebels and the federal government, failed to deliver lasting peace. They assess the fragile new alliance of Tigrayan, Amhara and other rebel groups, Eritrea’s alleged backing, and the threat it poses to the federal government. They also discuss how war-weary Tigrayans view the fighting and how the conflict could unfold. Finally, they explore the risk of direct war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, entanglement with Sudan’s conflict and wider regional rivalries, and whether diplomacy can halt the fighting and prevent a broader regional war.For more check out our latest statement “Arresting the Dangerous Descent Back into War in Northern Ethiopia” and our Ethiopia page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 25, 202643 min
Bonus Episode | Two Shores, One Sea: The Horn of Africa and West Asia in a Contested Red Sea
Today we're sharing a bonus episode from the WASSAP podcast, where Alan joins hosts Désirée Custers and Hubert Kinkoh to explore the growing interconnectedness of the Horn of Africa, the Gulf, and the wider Red Sea region.The conversation traces how Gulf engagement in the Horn has evolved over the past decade, examining the impact of Gulf rivalries, the war in Sudan, tensions in Yemen, and the fallout from the Iran crisis on regional security dynamics. Alan discusses how conflicts across the Red Sea increasingly spill over into the Horn, creating new patterns of competition, cooperation, and strategic alignment.A central theme of the episode is the relationship between regional geopolitics and state agency. The discussion highlights how actors in the Horn of Africa navigate external rivalries and partnerships while pursuing their own interests and ambitions. Looking ahead, Alan reflects on the challenges facing regional diplomacy and why the growing integration of the Horn, the Gulf, and the wider West Asia region remains one of the most important trends shaping the region's future.About the WASSAP podcastThe WASSAP: the Africa - West Asia Podcast translates the findings of a three-year research project on West Asian (Gulf)–Sub-Saharan African relations into an accessible, engaging audio format. It explores how economic, political, cultural, religious, and security ties between selected Gulf countries and African partners are evolving and why these shifts matter globally, particularly for Europe.Hosts of the podcast are Desirée Custers (project manager, CARPO) & Hubert Kinkoh (Senior Researcher, CARPO)About the WASSAP projectThe project explores the multi-dimensional and complex relations between selected Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran) and four Sub-Saharan countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia). It aims to deconstruct and analyze their economic networks, cultural and religious affiliations, and political and security cooperation. Based on empirical research, the project provides a better understanding of Gulf-African exchange, its challenges and opportunities, as well as its implications for Europe. The project is financed by the Robert Bosch Foundation and will run for three years.Shownotes:The Horn podcast: https://www.crisisgroup.org/pod/africa/horn-africa/hornMore information on the host:Desirée Custers: https://carpo-bonn.org/en/about-us/team/team/desiree-custersHubert Kinkoh: https://carpo-bonn.org/en/about-us/team/team/hubert-kinkohFollow the CARPO on:https://www.linkedin.com/company/carpo-–-center-for-applied-research-in-partnership-with-the-orient-e-v/posts/?feedView=allhttps://www.instagram.com/carpo_bonn/Editor Marco Bussi:https://www.marcobussi.de/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Sep 18, 202647 min
The Houthis, the Saudis and the New Red Sea Politics
In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Crisis Group’s Arabian Peninsula director Yasmine Farouk and senior Yemen analyst Ahmed Nagi to explore why Yemen’s truce is unravelling and what renewed fighting means for the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. They examine how stalled Saudi-Houthi negotiations and the U.S.-Israel war on Iran are contributing to the latest escalation, and how Houthi attacks and threats against shipping through the Bab al-Mandab strait add to pressure on Saudi oil exports. They then discuss emerging Saudi-backed security partnerships, including the Red Sea maritime coalition and the R4 grouping of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Pakistan, exploring their implications for the Horn. Finally, they assess stalled Sudan diplomacy, the Houthis’ ties with armed groups in Africa and the risk that Yemen’s conflict could spread across the Red Sea.For more, check out our latest statement “Closing the New War Front in Yemen” this week’s Hold Your Fire! episode “Will the Houthis Shut Down the Bab al-Mandab Strait?”, Yasmine’s commentary “Can a New Initiative Help the Gulf Region Escape the U.S.-Israel-Iran Trap?” and our Gulf and Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa pages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About The Horn
The Horn of Africa is in turmoil. From revolution in Sudan to civil war in Ethiopia, from Somalia’s political stalemate and the regional spread of jihadism to troubled East African democracies, the region’s pace and scale of change are difficult to keep up with. The Horn, a podcast series from the International Crisis Group, helps make sense of it all. Host Alan Boswell and guests dive deep behind the headlines as they analyse events, debate diplomacy and discuss avenues toward peace. Hosted by Alan Boswell and produced by Maeve Frances
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