Tag: Horn of Africa politics
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From Geneva to the Present: The Long Arc of International Scrutiny on Eritrea
When Eritrea appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council for its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November 2009, the atmosphere in Geneva carried a charged mixture of anticipation, unease, and unmistakable excitement. For many of us in the Eritrean civil society delegation—supported by the Norwegian Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF)—it was the first…
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Archived Interview With Mohamed Taha Tewekel
Introduction The following interview with Mohamed Taha Tewekel was originally published by Awate.com on Sep 12, 2003, at a time when Eritrean politics, regional alliances, and opposition movements were evolving rapidly. The interview captures Tewekel’s recollections, political assessments, and personal experiences as they were expressed at the time. It reflects the atmosphere, assumptions, debates, and…
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Eritrean Refugees and the Burden of Visibility
Eritrean refugees are a demographic minority in Africa’s displacement map, yet they occupy an outsized space in the continent’s political imagination. They are far fewer than Ethiopians, Sudanese, Congolese, Somalis, or South Sudanese. But across Africa’s major newsrooms—Daily Nation, The Standard, Addis Standard, Sudan Tribune, Radio Dabanga, Daily Monitor, Mail & Guardian, and Daily Maverick—Eritrean stories…
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Why U.S.–Eritrea Normalization Keeps Failing
A New Opening in a Dangerous Red Sea Moment Washington is once again testing the possibility of normalizing relations with Eritrea. According to The Wall Street Journal and Semafor, President Isaias Afwerki has held quiet, Egypt‑brokered talks with Massad Boulos, the U.S. president’s senior Africa envoy. The discussions reportedly include easing sanctions and resetting diplomatic…
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The Elephant in the Room
I. The Meteor We Pretend Fell From the Sky There is a comforting story circulating in Eritrean political discourse – a story repeated so often, and with such ritualistic conviction, that it has become less an argument than a reflex. It tells us that the dictatorship is an alien force, a meteor that crashed into…
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The Golden and the Tin
The Greatest Generation A year ago, or a little longer, a female Eritrean YouTube content creator interviewed Ustaz Saleh Younis, during which he disclosed his preference for the Revolution generation, calling it the greatest generation. I had to second his preference and adopt it, mainly because there is ample evidence to support its validity. When…
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Horn of Africa’s Tom and Jerry Show
Eventful weeks, months, and years have passed, and we will receive 2026 with the same boringly repetitious situation of the world. The Tom and Jerry shows are many and everywhere, but I will focus on the political Golden Globe–winning region: the blessed—and at the same time cursed—Horn of Africa. In recent months, Somaliland produced several…
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How Eritrean PFDJ Propaganda Twists Routine Diplomacy
“A YouTuber presented the two messages as proof that the U.S. was warming up to Eritrea. He interpreted every word as though it were divine scripture.” “Had the audience listened or read critically, they wouldn’t have fallen for the farce. The excitement lasted a week—until reality hit.” “On June 4, 2025, the U.S. administration suspended…