The Mesob Journal
Banner

#Djibouti

Dry land, spilled grain and Djibouti’s port in the background.

Djibouti Feeds Foreign Interests While Its People Face Hunger

Djibouti's strategic location has attracted foreign military bases and investments, yet 22% of its population faces severe food insecurity. The country's reliance on imports and a narrow political elite have left many citizens vulnerable to hunger and economic exclusion.

Former Tanzanian president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete

AU appoints Kikwete as Horn of Africa, Red Sea envoy

The African Union Commission has appointed former Tanzanian president Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete as the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, placing a veteran East African statesman at the center of one of the continent’s most sensitive geopolitical files. Th

Middle East map

Opinion Piece Published on Jerusalem Post by Dr Shmuel Legesse on 15 March 2026 – A Response

An opinion piece titled, "Middle East's future may be decided in the Horn of Africa : The Red Sea is becoming the centre of global power."  was published on #JerusalemPost on 15 March by Dr Shmuel Legesse . The author is an international educator, community activist, a diplomacy

Africa Map

America First in Africa Means Interests First, Pretense Last

Washington has finally said it plainly. In a March 19 speech at the Powering Africa Summit, Senior Bureau Official Nick Checker laid out the Trump administration’s Africa policy in language that stripped away much of the old diplomatic wrapping. Africa, in this telling, is no lon

Red Sea Map

The World Cannot Afford a Second Maritime Meltdown in the Red Sea

As the Strait of Hormuz buckles under the weight of war, a reckless axis of actors—driven by Abu Dhabi and executed by its clients in Addis Ababa—threatens to turn the Horn of Africa into a global economic catastrophe. At a moment when the Strait of Hormuz is already under severe

Trump Letter

Abiy Ahmed’s Strategic Isolation Is Now in Writing

What Addis Ababa has spent two years denying is now staring it in the face—on White House letterhead. The January 16 letter from  Donald Trump  to  Abdel Fattah el-Sisi  isn’t just about mediation. It’s a signal. Clear, deliberate, and consequential. Washington is aligning itself

Abiy Ahmed map

When Maps Become Messages: Ethiopia’s Dangerous Normalization of Territorial Claims

There are moments in diplomacy when silence is louder than words. And there are moments when a picture—deliberately chosen, officially circulated—does more damage than a thousand speeches. The map displayed this week in a video released by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister’s Office belon

Red Sea Littoral Head of States

Red Sea Doctrine: Littoral States Shut the Door on Expansionism

Cairo was more than a ceremonial trip. When Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki stood beside President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi this November, the message wasn’t about museums or optics — it was a map of how the Red Sea will now be governed. No slogans. No ambiguity. A littoral doctrin

Abiy Ahmed in ruines

Abiy Ahmed’s Isolation Is Self-Inflicted: How a Chain of Short-Term Gambits Backfired

Abiy Ahmed’s Isolation Is Self-Inflicted: How a Chain of Short-Term Gambits Backfired There’s a pattern to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s statecraft: grab for the nearest lever, declare victory, and deal with the blowback later. That cycle—tactical bargains unmoored from strategy—ha

President-Haïbado-Ismaïl-Omar-Guelleh.webp

Djibouti’s New "Constitutional" Trick: When “Reform” Is Just Another Word for Succession

Djibouti’s National Assembly met this morning to approve what it called a “constitutional revision” — a phrase that, in that country’s political lexicon, usually means one thing:  Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is not done yet . The draft law, numbered  2025-03/ADP , raises the presidential

USA-Eritrea-Meeting-At-UN80.png

Eritrea and U.S. Signal Opening for Renewed Engagement at UNGA80

Eritrea’s Foreign Minister Osman Saleh has held a series of high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly, signaling renewed momentum in the country’s international engagement after years of strained ties. On Wednesday, Saleh met with Massad Fares Boulos, S

Yemane_G_Meskel_Eritrean_MoI.png

Eritrea Warns Against Manufactured Red Sea Crisis Amid Abiy Ahmed’s Escalating War Rhetoric

Eritrea has sharply condemned what it calls a “political frenzy” by Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party (PP), accusing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of deliberately manufacturing a regional crisis around access to the Red Sea. In a statement posted on X, Eritrea’s Ministe

Your Privacy

We use cookies to improve your experience, analyze traffic, and show relevant content. You can accept all, reject non‑essential, or manage preferences.