Horn of Africa
The hole in Africa’s heart

The hole in Africa’s heart

Africa’s ‘lawless third’: duty of care Swathes of the continent are home to people whose efforts at self-rule or traditional ways of life have challenged state attempts to deal with COVID-19 The lack of access to...

Between a rock and a hard place

Between a rock and a hard place

The Sahel: Africa’s Great Green Wall The African Union’s ambitious plans to revitalise the Sahel region face daunting challenges, including financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic It is a project that doesn't lack...

Ethiopia faces a ‘perfect storm’

Ethiopia faces a ‘perfect storm’

A few months ago, security agents intercepted five of Ethiopia’s opposition figures at Addis Ababa airport and took them to a place where individuals contracting the coronavirus were isolated and treated. They had been...

The art of war

The art of war

Africa and wars: traditional weapons The advent of the machine gun at the end of the 19th century irrevocably changed the way wars were waged in Africa “Whatever happens, we have got the Maxim gun, and they have not,”...

A long and winding road

A long and winding road

China: the special relationship Economic and political ties between Africa and China have led to infrastructural development on a monumental scale but their roots go back millennia No one knows exactly how long ago the...

Gunboat diplomacy

Gunboat diplomacy

China’s stakes in marine bases across Africa are unsettling the world’s major and minor powers, and could force the continent’s countries to take sides African countries may face harsh choices in what could become a...