Djibouti’s “Return to Normal” Djibouti will begin “unlocking the country” in one of the most recent examples of a nation relaxing quarantine measures over social fatigue and economic distress rather than victory over the virus. For example, South Sudan is… Read More ›

kenya
Unexplained Deaths in Tanzania, Somalia’s Coronavirus Data Gaffe, and more East Africa Updates
Djibouti Via Mohamed Salh: Djibouti reported 8 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the country’s total confirmed cases to 1,097. It has reported two deaths and 672 recoveries. Somalia Both Somaliland and Puntland confirmed the first deaths… Read More ›
East Africa Coronavirus Roundup: April 30, 2020
Djibouti The US military base in Djibouti is on lockdown after a second case of coronavirus was confirmed (via RFI): Camp Lemonnier, which provides the US military with a strategic foothold in east Africa, will go on indefinite lockdown to… Read More ›
Key Updates to Al-Shabaab’s Attack on U.S. and Kenyan Forces
One day after al-Shabaab’s attack on the Camp Simba airstrip in Kenya, many more details are emerging about the casualties and retaliatory responses. Most importantly: Nine years after invading Somalia to confront al-Shabaab, Kenya has failed to secure its border…. Read More ›
New Data: Main Factors Preventing Dadaab Refugee Return to Somalia
Analysis of new data shows that a range of factors will prevent any prospect of mass returns from Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp, including: [1] an unwillingness of refugees to return, [2] Kenya’s withdrawal of forces to the border, and [3]… Read More ›
Around the Horn: Dadaab’s Decline, Kenyan Political Violence, and More
This month, UNHCR is reporting that more than 70,200 Somali refugees have been repatriated from Dadaab, and over 17,400 are registered as “willing to return” to Somalia. An interesting note in the report was that returns to Baidoa had been “suspended… Read More ›
Kenya Election Round-Up: Historic Results, Protests, and Anomalies
The tallying of votes after national elections in Kenya has kicked off, and the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is posting updates live on its website. Local media outlets are providing breathless coverage, as well explanations of how the… Read More ›
Around the Horn: “Fake News” In Kenya Elections, AMISOM Challenges, and Al-Shabaab Tax on Refugees
Here is a brief overview of some of the inter-related stories in Kenya and Somalia the last week: AMISOM CHALLENGES IN SOMALIA Somalia’s Traffic Police Commissioner General Ali Hersi blamed AMISOM for being involved in approximately 500 traffic accidents and… Read More ›
Kenya Fails to Apply Lessons Learned from Last Al-Shabaab Mass Raid
In the aftermath of al-Shabaab’s latest mass raid attack against Kenyan troops, the government showed it had not effectively applied lessons learned from the January 2016 El Adde attack where over 140 soldiers were thought to have been killed. At around 5 AM last… Read More ›
Somalia and East Africa React to Donald Trump’s Election Victory
East African leaders have begun to speak publicly about their expectations for bilateral relations with the U.S. following Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in the American presidential race. A statement from Ethiopia’s Prime Minister unsurprisingly did not veil its… Read More ›
Methodology or Misinformation: What’s Driving Dadaab Refugee Camp Numbers Down?
The population at Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp has plummeted by 60,000 people in the last two months, according to data provided by UNHCR, begging the question — what are the factors driving such a drastic reduction in the population could… Read More ›
Video, Transcript, and Highlights of Kenya and Somalia’s Maritime Border Battle in Court
On Monday, Kenya’s legal team kicked off arguments at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to determine whether the court will have jurisdiction in the case involving the disputed maritime boundary with Somalia. The Somali government has requested the ICJ adjudicate the matter, while… Read More ›
Analysis: Dadaab Refugees Stopped on Return to Somalia, Raising Repatriation Questions
On Monday, Jubaland regional authorities in Somalia stopped a convoy of refugees from transiting to their destination due to a lack of humanitarian assistance to support their return, raising further questions of how refugees can leave Kenya’s Dadaab camp safely and sustainably. VOA has the latest:… Read More ›