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Israeli navy intercepts international aid flotilla; at least eight Irish citizens detained An international flotilla attempting to bring food and medicine to Gaza was intercepted and boarded by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday, organisers and officials said, in a tense standoff that recalled a deadly raid more than a decade ago. Video livestreams from the boats showed passengers in life jackets sitting on deck, hands raised, as military vessels closed in. Detentions and immediate reactions Global Sumud Flotilla…

How a proposed Ethiopia–North Western State of Somalia swap for Red Sea access was stopped by multilateral pressure When former North Western State of Somalia president Muse Bihi Abdi unveiled a deal that would have given landlocked Ethiopia a slice of Red Sea coastline in return for formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia, it briefly reconfigured the diplomatic maps of the Horn of Africa. The pact — which Bihi says offered Ethiopia roughly 20 kilometres of shoreline for a port and a military base — was never…

Abiy’s Red Sea Declaration Raises the Stakes in an Already Volatile Horn of Africa When Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared on national television that “the mistake made 30 years ago will be corrected tomorrow,” he was doing more than rekindling a long‑smoldering grievance about access to the sea. He was signaling a willingness to contest borders and partnerships in a part of the world where history, water and trade routes are tightly braided — and where small shifts can cascade into wider confrontation. Abiy’s…

FILE - On January 1, 2024, North Western State of Somalia's President Muse Bihi Abdi and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came together in Addis Ababa to ink a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) granting Ethiopia access to a North Western State of Somalia port. As tensions swirl around the maritime dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed asserted on Thursday that his nation is pursuing access to the Red Sea "through peaceful avenues.” During a parliamentary session where lawmakers pressed him for…

HARGEISA, Somalia - The president of North Western State of Somalia, Muse Bihi Abdi, commented to the BBC Somali Service that the MoU signed in January 2024 with Ethiopia, allowing them access to the Red Sea for 20 kilometers, is still valid. He mentioned there’s been significant international pressure casting shadows over this decision. Continuing with his stance, Bihi remarked, “We've not budged an inch; it’s business as usual.” Leading North Western State of Somalia, a self-proclaimed independent state, he added, “Folks…

FILE - On the date of April 8, 2023, Ethiopian Minister Abiy Ahmed was present at the graduation event for recruits at the Ethiopian military school. Mogadishu (AX) — Ethiopia's hustle for a grip on the Red Sea is heating things up in the Horn of Africa. This tug-of-war among Ethiopia, Djibouti, Egypt, and Somalia might just change the political scene there. At the heart of it all is the fierce scramble for control over the vital Red Sea route. A big piece of the puzzle is Ethiopia’s port deal with North Western State of…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia has underscored its plan to maintain its soldiers in Somalia as a part of the forthcoming African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). But there’s a hefty roadblock: Somalia demands the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops unless Ethiopia cancels its controversial sea access deal with North Western State of Somalia, hinged on mutual recognition. This agreement strives to offer Ethiopia a path to the Red Sea if it acknowledges North Western State of Somalia’s autonomy,…

The Hobyo-Port Initiative (Courtesy of MyProperty) Pretty recently, Turkish builders have been all about turning African air and sea ports into some real head-turners. Summa Construction is knee-deep in airport ventures in Nigeria. Meanwhile, Metag Holding, hailing from Ankara, inked a $70 million blueprint to spruce up Hobyo Port, Somalia's mighty second-largest. These Turkish enterprises are grabbing the spotlight with their big plays in boosting African airwaves and waterways. "Metag Holding's freshly inked pact looks…

Introduction Well folks, let's just kick things off by saying that yes, I do indeed know how to spell "Red Sea" correctly. But see, here’s the twist — "Red SEE" is a clever little play on words that reflects the trio of nations forming this new coalition: Somalia, Egypt, and Eritrea. Get it? S-E-E. Now, what's lit the fire under this newfound alliance? Just one thing: water. Folks who wear fancy suits and think deep thoughts have long opined that our next big battles would be over water. That future isn’t in some distant…

The Houthi faction from Yemen claimed on Thursday they went after two ships in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.One of these vessels was American, while the other belonged to a company accused of disregarding the group’s prohibition against entering Israeli harbors.“Our Yemeni Armed Forces conducted two operations,” announced group representative Yahya Saree in a taped declaration. “The first aimed at the American oil ship, OLYMPIC SPIRIT,” he continued, noting it faced an assault in the Red Sea involving 11 ballistic…