The Horn

In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Sara Pantuliano, Chief Executive Officer of ODI Global, to discuss the Trump administration’s sudden halting of most foreign aid amid a trend of broader cuts to foreign aid by Western governments. They examine whether the abrupt funding freeze for USAID is collapsing aid operations on the ground, and why that matters. They also talk about why other Western donor countries are reducing aid budgets as well. They further discuss longstanding critiques of the aid industry, including from recipient countries, and why the system proved resistant to such reforms. They discuss the type of aid given by “non-traditional” non-Western donors and whether such differing approaches to aid can be bridged. Finally, they consider if an international aid system can be rebuilt and what will be the consequences if it is not.  For more on the topics discussed in this episode, check out our The Horn episode “Trump’s Aid Cuts and What Africa Should Expect Next” and our latest Q&A “Amid Aid Cuts, a Renewed U.S. Policy Increases Health Risks for Women and Girls in Conflict Areas”.

Today we're bringing you a bonus episode on Sudan from Crisis Group's Global Podcast Hold Your Fire!.In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard Atwood is joined by Crisis Group’s Sudan expert Shewit Woldemichael and Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell, to discuss the Sudanese army’s military advances against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan amid a devastating humanitarian crisis. They assess what explains the shifting battlefield momentum and why an end to the conflict appears out of sight despite the RSF’s setbacks. They examine how both the army and RSF are manoeuvring for political influence, with each side laying out plans for rival governments. They also explore the role of external actors in the war, challenges facing diplomatic efforts and the implications of Washington’s potential disengagement from the region.For more, be sure to check out our recent statement “Battle for Khartoum Marks a Crossroads in Sudan’s Civil War”, our briefing “Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2025” and our Sudan country page.

In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Joshua Meservey, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s Africa policy. They examine the Trump administration’s recent freeze on foreign aid, its push to abolish the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and whether the administration may restore some humanitarian assistance. They unpack what else the continent might expect from Trump’s second term, including recent tensions with South Africa over land expropriation laws and competition with China over mineral supply chains. They also assess how the Trump administration might approach the conflict in Sudan, U.S. policy towards Somalia and Somaliland, the crisis in the Great Lakes, and the growing role of Middle East powers in the Horn of Africa and beyond.For more on the topics discussed in this episode, check out our Hold Your Fire! podcast episode Trump in Africa, our briefing “Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2025” and our Africa program page. 

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Nazanine Moshiri is joined by Liesl Louw-Vaudran, Crisis Group’s Senior Advisor to the African Union (AU), to talk about the upcoming elections for the AU Commission Chairperson. They unpack the chair’s mandate, the challenges faced by the current officeholder, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and his track record. With the race heating up, they examine the three leading candidates – Mahmoud Ali Yusuf (Djibouti), Raila Odinga (Kenya), and Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar) – exploring their leadership styles and how each could shape the AU’s future. The conversation delves into the AU’s struggles in resolving conflicts across Africa, particularly in the Horn, Sudan, and Somalia, and how the next chair could strengthen its peace efforts. They also discuss the AU’s funding challenges as Western donors shift priorities and how the organisation can strengthen its role on the global stage.Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more on the topics discussed in this episode, check out our Africa Union page

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Omar Mahmood is joined by Paul Williams, professor of international relations at George Washington University, to discuss the newly authorised African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). They assess the record of past AU-led missions in Somalia and review the AU’s role in supporting state-building efforts in the country. They explore how Al-Shabaab’s enduring threat and regional political dynamics have influenced the latest mission’s scope and objectives. They point out the operational, financial and political hurdles facing AUSSOM, looking at how the new mission can succeed where its predecessors fell short. They also reflect on the future of peace operations in Africa more broadly.For more on the topics discussed in this episode, be sure to check out Paul’s book “Fighting for Peace in Somalia: A History and Analysis of the Africa Union Mission”, UNSC Resolution 2568 (2021) on the reform of AMISOM, our latest report “Reforming the AU Mission in Somalia” and our Horn of Africa project page.

In this episode of The Horn, guest host Elissa Jobson speaks with Kwesi Sansculotte-Greenidge, former Senior Conflict and Access Advisor at the World Food Programme, and Abdalla Hussein, operational manager at Médecins Sans Frontières. They unpack the concept of humanitarian diplomacy and the challenges aid organisations face in negotiating access to civilians in conflict-affected areas, including in Sudan. They talk about the difficulties of coordinating efforts among aid organisations and the obstacles they encounter in getting conflict parties to uphold humanitarian principles amid competing interests and bureaucratic hurdles. They discuss how mediation efforts to end conflicts are often linked with negotiations for aid access and why it could make sense to separate the two tracks in cases like Sudan. They also discuss how aid organisations navigate a shifting global order and the rising influence of middle powers in conflict areas.This episode is produced in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.For more on the topics discussed in this episode, check out our Horn of Africa program page.

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. 

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.

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.