The Horn

Today we're bringing you a bonus episode on what a second Trump administration means for U.S.-Africa policy from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Africa director Murithi Mutiga to discuss the implications of a second Trump administration for Africa. They examine how African leaders have reacted to Donald Trump’s election victory and why some might favour a more transactional Washington. They assess the Biden administration’s legacy in Africa, the shifts a second Trump administration might bring and the possible plans of outside powers jockeying on the continent for influencing Washington. They look at what Trump’s presidency could mean for hotspots in Africa, including Somalia, Sudan, the DR Congo and the Sahel, as well as the future of UN peacekeeping missions on the continent. Finally, they discuss the risk that some African states may fragment, asking whether stronger, more unified leadership might help the continent navigate the volatile world order. For more analysis of the topics discussed in this episode, check out our Africa program page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Murithi Mutiga is joined by Hanna Tetteh, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa. They discuss the challenges of peacemaking in Africa amid regional conflicts and a shifting global order. They talk about the state of the African Union and how it can become more effective in resolving conflicts across the continent. They discuss why mediation efforts have yielded little success in Sudan and ways to strengthen diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict. They discuss ECOWAS as a model for regional integration and how the West African bloc can preserve unity amid recent tensions with Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. They touch on the implications of a second Trump presidency on UN funding and U.S.-Africa policy. They also reflect on Ghana’s successful transition from military rule to a stable democracy. This episode is produced in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.For more on the topics discussed in this episode, check out our Hold Your Fire! podcast episode Trump in Africa, and our Africa program page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Nazanine Moshiri leads a roundtable discussion with researcher and journalist Peter Schwartzstein and Karabo Mokgonyana, renewable energy campaigner at Power Shift Africa, to talk about what’s at stake for Africa at the COP29 climate summit in Baku. They discuss how a heavy debt burden has limited climate action in many African countries and the case for bringing debt relief to the table at COP. They unpack how climate change can fuel drivers of conflict and why donor countries should prioritise climate financing in conflict-afflicted countries. They also discuss how African leaders can build a united front to raise issues like climate security and climate financing at COP29 and beyond.For more, check out Peter’s book The Heat and the Fury: On the Frontlines of Climate Violence, Karobo’s article Without debt relief, Africa is fighting climate change with its hands tied and our Climate, Environment and Conflict page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Elissa Jobson is joined by BBC journalist Mohanad Hashim, to talk about his recent trip to Omdurman and other war-torn cities in Sudan, and the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the country as the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces rages on. They discuss life in the country’s urban areas amid daily bombardments, food shortages, and atrocities reportedly committed by both warring parties. They unpack why international media coverage of the war in Sudan has been limited despite the conflict’s devastating humanitarian toll. They talk about how people living in Sudan perceive the warring parties and their hopes for the country’s political future. They also examine the lacklustre international response to the conflict, the involvement of external actors in the war and how that affects prospects for peace.For more, you can watch Mohanad’s recent BBC mini-documentary ‘They ransacked my home and left my town in ruins’, our latest Crisis Watch entry, and our Sudan country page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.