Nestled in the arid terrain of northeastern Kenya, the Dadaab refugee complex stands as one of the clearest examples of a humanitarian system that has lost its way. Established in 1991 as an emergency response to the outbreak of civil war in Somalia, Dadaab was designed to be a temporary solution. But over three decades […]
Tag: Somalia
Will Somaliland Gain Recognition?
Tensions are surging between Ethiopia and Somalia following what the Somali government views as a severe breach of its sovereignty. The conflict stems from Ethiopia signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Somali breakaway region of Somaliland. As part of the deal, Ethiopia will gain military and commercial access to the Red Sea through […]
Lies, Dam Lies, and Statistics
Tension is brewing on the Nile. Ethiopia is building a massive dam on the Blue Nile with the swaggering name of “Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.” Once completed, it will be the largest dam in Africa. Egypt and Sudan are the two downstream countries that could be the most affected by the dam, and they couldn’t […]
The Third Time’s Not the Charm: Corruption in Somalia’s Election
On February 8th, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed was elected President of Somalia, defeating the incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. This was the culmination of the third election cycle since 2009. In 1991, the central government fell to armed opposition groups. Since then, elections have been held in 2009, 2012, and 2017, although the 2009 election had to […]
Continued Persecution of Christians
“Continued Persecution of Christians” was originally published in the Davis Political Review on April 6, 2015. On April 2, students at Garissa University College in Kenya started their day as usual; waking up, going to class, and attending religious services, completely unaware of the tragedy that would soon unravel. Early in the morning, masked gunmen stormed […]
A Failed State No More: Somalia’s Waning War
Sleek Boeing 737-800s operated by Turkish Airlines fly into Mogadishu’s gleaming new international airport as patients flock to the recently refurbished Erdoan hospital, the best-equipped medical center in East Africa. Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda affiliate that has terrorized Somalia for eight years, is in tatters and on the run from a legitimate federal government that is […]