East Africa

Here’s what Chatham House’s experts will be keeping their eyes on in the year ahead

In this episode, Professor Carlos Lopes discusses what the African Union’s G20 membership means for Africa’s economic and geopolitical influence on the global stage.

In this episode, Khalid Omer Yousif discusses how Sudan’s broadest anti-war, pro-democracy coalition, Tagadom, aims to bring civilian voices to the fore in a war dictated by military powers, and their plans to the end of Sudan’s war despite mounting atrocities engulfing the country.

The contestation over gold – and its connection to transnational networks – is becoming a major driver of Ethiopia’s complex conflicts.

International cooperation is needed to deliver civilian protection, scale up humanitarian assistance, leverage the influence of regional actors, and give Sudanese civilians a role in the peace process.

Chinese engagement with Africa is on an uptick after a period of decline.

Private investment is key to closing the vast gap in climate finance, but too little is reaching the world’s most vulnerable countries. COP29 is an opportunity to change this, writes Thierry Watrin.

The organization has failed to give voice to the Global South and the countries it most represents. With new approaches to peacekeeping and trade, an African secretary-general can change this, writes ’Funmi Olonisakin.

Efforts to co-opt opposition and externalize blame are familiar tools in Kenyan politics, but may be ill-equipped to address the demands of a new youth protest phenomenon and the realities of Kenya’s fiscal struggles.

While the anti-war, pro-democracy Taqaddum coalition offers a glimmer of hope, the main challenge for its members will be to remain united and act decisively in negotiations over ending the war and Sudan’s political future.

In this episode, Wenjie Chen of the International Monetary Fund’s African Department discusses the IMF regional economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa.

President Joe Biden’s choice of Kenya for a first African state visit in more than 15 years is no coincidence, but both countries must be clear on what is driving this increasing strategic dependence.

The international community neglected Israel–Palestine until violence exploded. They should not make the same mistake with the region’s other conflicts.

Millions are at risk as a result of Sudan’s devastating civil war, but attention lies largely elsewhere. Has the world failed the people of Sudan?

Long-running border disputes between Ethiopia and Sudan are intersecting with other internal conflicts, bringing greater militarization and economic instability.

China’s long-term strategy around bases in Africa is unclear, but countries hosting them must also make political calculations.

In this episode, guests discuss gold’s connection to the current war and transnational dynamics.

After nearly a year of devastating conflict, there is little sign of a ceasefire. Concerted high-level international pressure is needed to change the calculations of the generals and support a democratic transition.

From a year of elections, to multiple summits, as well as conflict hotspots and debt burdens, 2024 will bring mixed fortunes for the African continent.

Approaching conflict as a national issue sidelines a complex web of transnational influences and threatens prospects for sustainable peace.

The former top American general tells Lynne O’Donnell about the threat of China, how Ukraine has changed warfare and why the West must focus on Africa.

From major elections to the AI boom, here are the issues six of our expert contributors expect to make the news in the year ahead.

Mutual interest keeps Kenya–UK ties vibrant, but painful colonial history and Kenya’s assertive global agency leave no room for complacency in the state visit.

As satellite images reveal, the gruelling battle for Khartoum is being waged with little care for civilians, write John Pollock and Damien Symon.

African leaders who went to St Petersburg expecting tangible results from Putin’s promised new programme of support for Africa will undoubtedly have concluded that Russia is unable to offer what they need.

The historian tells Mike Higgins about the corporation’s contentious role in apartheid’s last years and how its outreach work empowers women and attracts criticism.

H.E. Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), highlights efforts by the regional body to improve stability and further integration.

Nancy Karigithu, Kenyan candidate for secretary general of the IMO, outlines how regional collaboration can enhance maritime security, infrastructure and connectivity.

Uganda is among the latest countries to turn up the legal temperature on its LGBTQ+ populations. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa offer lessons on how to hold the ground on sexual health and rights.

Pro-LGBTQ legislation needs upholding, particularly in an era of conservative repression, writes Graeme Reid.

Tanzania’s rising economic influence and its ambitions for major cross-border infrastructure projects demand a more proactive approach to foreign policy. The policy review currently under way is a chance for the country to reach its potential as a regional leader and reliable global partner.

As climate change and the trade of water-intensive goods exacerbate global water scarcity, how can importers of commodity products improve the sustainable use of water at sites of production?

This paper explores the regional dimensions of the two-year civil war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and the potential for successful implementation of the November 2022 peace agreement.

More cohesive international engagement is needed to support stability in Ethiopia and Sudan and resolve damaging cross-border disputes that jeopardize security and development across the Horn of Africa.

Zambia’s recent approach to international relations has boosted the country’s prominence, but further domestic focus is needed to make this a sustainable policy shift.

A global approach is the only way to tackle debt distress in Africa. This will require strategic cooperation between China, the West and African nations.

This paper finds that the transition perspectives of Central and Eastern European member states can help shape the EU’s evolving partnership with Africa.

This paper explores the impacts of large-scale mining on forests, within this wider context of transition.

Despite enshrining gender equality in law, Kenya’s 2010 constitution has failed to deliver the transformation many had hoped for. This paper highlights the importance of devolution in enhancing gender equality in Kenya and suggests practical ways forward to facilitate gender-responsive budgeting and planning.

Lower-income countries that are banking on their fossil fuels lack the capacity to assess carbon risks, and may be left behind by shifts in investment and credit.

Tanzania’s leaders will need to increasingly rely on astute policy-making to maintain the country’s unique position in a region with numerous powerful national leaders, writes Adjoa Anyimadu.