Stark

EU–AU human rights talks expose a shared crisis of civic space — and an urgent test of the partnership When civil society leaders stood before officials from the African Union and the European Union in Brussels on 7 October, their message was stark and unvarnished: the basic infrastructure of civic life — independent media, watchdog organisations, protest — is under pressure on both continents. For a gathering meant to stitch together cooperation across two sprawling political orders, the warning was less an appeal than a…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has sounded the alarm on a mounting threat from Ethiopia, revealing tensions tied to their maritime ambitions. At the heart of this issue is a controversial pact with North Western State of Somalia, a region that declared independence from Somalia. From the podium of the UN General Assembly, PM Barre accused Ethiopia of trying to annex parts of Somali territory, veiling it behind a supposed strategy for sea access. He labeled these actions as blatant…