Its a wrap!
Today’s launch event for PAAI's report: "Is Africa’s premier continental organization, the African Union, fit for purpose?" was a success, bringing together thoughtful voices to reflect on whether the AU is fit for purpose in addressing Africa’s peace and security challenges.
We look forward to continued deliberations and deeper engagement on these hard questions.
Thank you James Wanzala and Standard kenya for the thoughtful coverage of our report.
www.standardmedia.co.ke/africa/artic...
A snippet on fatalities from conflict in Africa discussed in @panafricanagenda.bsky.social's recently released report titled: "Is Africa’s premier continental organization, the African Union, fit for purpose?"
"It is from this lived experience that I read and reflect on the Pan African Agenda Institute report that at the table of today's deliberations.
Amb.(Eng.) Mahboub Maalim's Keynote at
PAAI's report launch "Is Africa’s premier continental organization, the African Union, fit for purpose?"
Thanks to The Star Kenya for your coverage of our study and for helping share these important findings with a broader audience.
www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-02...
While Africa’s displacement has grown steadily, the most dramatic surge was outside Africa, from 2020 onward, when global displacement, excluding Africa, increased from 8 million to a peak of nearly 16 million in 2022–2023, likely driven by conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and Syria."
PAAI's report: "Is Africa’s premier continental organization, the African Union, fit for purpose?"
"Internal displacement in Africa demonstrates a consistent upward trajectory, rising from approximately 4 million IDPs in 2014 to over 11 million in 2024: a nearly threefold increase over the decade.
A big thank you to The EastAfrican for highlighting the Pan African Agenda study and making its key findings accessible to a wider readership.
www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/opinion/...
The irony continues.
In 2019, I wrote “The Nobel Prize for Abiy Ahmed: Turning an Irony into an Opportunity.”
It was a prize for a false peace one that felt like a prize for coming war on Tigray, waged by Ethiopia and Eritrea —and within a year, it became just that.
addisstandard.com/oped-the-nob...
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Preventing a relapse into war in Tigray and between Ethiopia and Eritrea is the most urgent moral, political priority. So is ending the wars in Oromia, Amhara of Ethiopia and Sudan.
The stakes could not be higher.
The need for preventive diplomacy has never been more urgent ‼️
Aid Workers Were ‘Intentionally Killed’ in 2021 Incident, Charity Finds www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/w...
Reading Tess McClure's @guardian report on the horrific sexual violence against Tigrayan women evokes deep anguish—even for those already familiar with such atrocities.
It’s as if these victims never existed.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
This evolving alignment would likely intensify ongoing mobilizations and conflicts in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland, where geopolitical rivalries and military confrontations are escalating—particularly between the UAE–Ethiopia–RSF axis and the KSA–Egypt–Eritrea–SAF bloc.
End.
A reversal of the alignments that emerged during the latter part of Trump’s first term could see acceleration. With KSA now appearing to strengthen ties with Qatar, the shifting balance might put the UAE at a disadvantage,potentially setting off a chain reaction across North and the Horn of Africa.3
While the visit may not further deepen existing intra-GCC rivalries, and the President may prefer a more balanced posture, the competing strategic visions of these states remain fundamentally at odds—making friction within the GCC increasingly inevitable. 2
U.S. President Trump's trip to the Gulf states—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—is poised to significantly reshape regional power dynamics and redefine inter-state relationships, with possible repercussions extending throughout the wider Middle East and Africa. 1
cris.unu.edu/beyond-%E2%8...
Where there is only certainty and no doubt, there is no room for mystery—and without mystery, there is no need for faith.
Let us pray, then, that God grants us a Pope… who dares to doubt."
— *Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lomeli, Conclave
Ditto!
These words, in particular, resonate with profound depth...
"There is one sin I’ve come to fear above all others: certainty.
Certainty is the great enemy of unity, the mortal foe of tolerance. Even Christ, in his final hour, cried out: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'..
Huge congratulations to our very own #YALP alumnus Dr Bernard William Chitunga on being installed Chancellor of The Co-operative University of Kenya!
This serves as a prime example of youth leadership that YALP of the @eui-eu.bsky.social works hard to nurture.
🔗 businesstoday.co.ke/ruto-install...
Pope Francis also stunned the world when, with the help of his aids, he knelt to kiss the feet of South Sudan’s President Kiir, opposition leader Machar, and others—an extraordinary gesture urging them to make and keep the peace.
May his soul rest in peace!
"I am particularly close to the people of Tigray, Ethiopia, affected by a serious humanitarian crisis. Let us #PrayTogether so that the violence ceases, food and health assistance is guaranteed to all, and social harmony is restored as soon as possible."
2
The world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, a brave and compassionate leader who always advocated for those suffering from conflict, displacement, and destruction.
At a time when the world turned away from the atrocities in Tigray, Pope Francis spoke clearly and firmly:
1
“I am going to Saudi Arabia, or my grave”: The exodus of Ethiopia’s frustrated youth: www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature... (@newhumanitarian.bsky.social)
These developments call for an urgent, renewed, concerted, robust, and impactful preventive and responsive interventions.
But what form should these interventions take, by whom?
The Pan African Agenda Institute is convening thought leaders to deliberate on the escalating poly-crisis facing the Horn of Africa.
Recent return to violence and external interventions in South Sudan, along with the ongoing political and security crises in Tigray, further deepening the proxy wars in the Horn of Africa involving Middle Eastern and major global powers.
The Victory of Adwa marked a historic moment when an African power defeated a European colonial power, successfully resisting the "Scramble for Africa."
This triumph became a powerful symbol of self-determination and inspired anti-colonial movements.
It remains as relevant today as it was then.
This is evidenced by Turkey's mediation between Ethiopia and Somalia, and Saudi Arabia/USA's lead role in Sudan, and failure in unified Pan African approach in DRC, reflecting a concerning trend where bilateral initiatives are replacing established multilateral frameworks.
End.
