By Dr. Mursal M. Khaliif, a member of Somalia’s Federal Parliament After Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, there was a meeting between Iraqi Foreign Minister, Tariq Aziz, and US Secretary of State, James Baker, in Geneva on January 9, 1991. When Tariq Aziz returned home to Baghdad, there’s a highly rumored story about his debriefing...
October 7, 2026
97 search results for: baadiyow
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Safeguarding Somalia’s Sovereignty Stabilizes the Red Sea Region
By Faisal A. Roble On January 1, 2024, Ethiopia surprised the world with an MOU it signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland. Although President Hassan Sheikh of the Federal government nullified the agreement eight days later, Ethiopia’s determination to access the Somali sea is undeterred. Ethiopia says it signed the deal to lease 20...
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The Horn of Africa at a Crossroads: Ethiopia’s Quest for Sea Access, Somalia’s Resistance, and Involvement of Other Powers
By Abdighani Hirad & Abdirashid Abdullahi Hussein Introduction This article aims to examine Ethiopia’s quest for seas for political and hegemonic strategy in Horn Africa and its impact on Somalia’s state-building process while reviewing the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somalia (“Somaliland”). It will also scrutinize the intersection...
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National Dreams, Uncertain Reality: Ethiopia’s Red Sea Ambitions Test the Horn’s Fragile Peace
By Dayib sheikh Ahmed The Horn of Africa stands on the precipice of another turbulent chapter. The Ethiopia-Somaliland deal, a geopolitical earthquake masquerading as a port agreement, has fractured the fragile tapestry of regional stability, igniting tensions and threatening to engulf the entire Horn in a maelstrom of territorial disputes, counterterrorism concerns, and geopolitical machinations....
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Ethiopia’s Sovereign Access to the Sea: A Potential Catalyst for the Revival of Somali Nationalism and Its Impact on Stability in the Horn of Africa
By Mohamed Rage Hassan Introduction Ethiopia lost access to its territorial sea when Eritrea withdrew from the union following the ascent to power of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition of opposition movements that came to power through armed means. With Eritrea gaining independence from the rest of Ethiopia, the country became landlocked. Despite...
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The Disastrous Effects of the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU
Dr. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow The crisis resulting from the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 1, 2024, between Dr. Abiy Ahmed, the PM of Ethiopia, and Muse Bihi, the President of the separatist Somaliland, has sent shockwaves across the Horn of Africa. This MoU grants Ethiopia a strategic corridor of 20 kilometers...
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State Decay: The case of Ethiopia and the Somali demand for self-determination
By Faisal Roble Ethiopia is described as a fragile state, if not a failed state, yet. This may or may not be the result of state decay. What is uncontested is Ethiopia is one of the leading countries worldwide for internally displaced persons (IDPs) since World War II, hosting more than 4.3 million IDPs who...
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Repercussions of Acrimony: Al Shabaab Receives New Year’s Gift from Ethiopia
By Adam Aw Hirsi (PhD) I: Introduction: All things being equal, the breakdown of diplomatic relations between neighboring countries has far-reaching consequences, extending beyond political instability and strained economic ties. Among deadliest of these consequences is how Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabaab terrorist group in the Horn of Africa is on the cusp to leverage the...
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Ethiopia-Somaliland Deal: A Threat to Somalia and Regional Security and Stability in the Horn of Africa
By Ahmed Ibrahim, Ph.D Key Points: Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a deal on January 1, 2024, that grants Ethiopia access to the Red Sea through Somaliland and includes a military base. Ethiopia’s default on its debt and subsequent pursuit of debt relief that has alarmed its creditors and investors, casts doubt on its intent and...
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Abiy Ahmed: From Peace Prize Laureate to Emperor of Desolation
By Dayib Ahmed Abiy Ahmed, the man once heralded as a messiah of reconciliation in the Horn of Africa, has morphed into a Shakespearean villain, a Machiavellian nightmare twisting hope into ashes and peace into the drums of war. His 2018 ascent to power, bathed in the golden light of a Nobel Peace Prize, now...