East Africa

Spanning from Sudan in the north to Tanzania in the south and centered around the strategic Horn of Africa, East Africa is a gateway to the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian Ocean. East Africa includes a diversity of states, ranging from the relatively successful developmental models of Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Kenya to the weak conflict-prone examples of South Sudan and Somalia. Playing host to the African Union and several other regional organizations, East Africa is a critical area with both high hopes for growth and demands for stability.

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Content

Dispatches

Mar 3, 2026

How a crisis over a stockpile of uranium created an opening for US reengagement in Niger

By Adal Rhoubeid and Maureen Farrell

The recent failed coup in Benin has had the unintended consequence of creating a path forward for US reengagement in the Sahel.

East Africa Nuclear Energy

Dispatches

Feb 26, 2026

Lessons from Sudan for US economic engagement with Venezuela

By Lesley Chavkin

Sudan offers important lessons for the United States as it looks to stabilize Venezuela and rebuild its economy following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

MENASource

Jan 26, 2026

Amid Arab competition, the war in Sudan requires a US balancing act

By Giorgio Cafiero

For US policymakers, the path forward in achieving a resolution in Sudan demands more than reactive diplomacy.

Africa Conflict

MENASource

Jan 15, 2026

After Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, what comes next?

By Amit Yarom

Recognition reshapes the scope of bilateral engagement but does not eliminate the constraints tied to Somaliland’s contested status.

Africa East Africa

Issue Brief

Dec 12, 2025

From the DRC to Sudan, Trump’s disruptive moves could revive stalled negotiations

By Maureen Farrell

Across Africa, US President Donald Trump’s unorthodox diplomacy is unsettling old patterns—reviving talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and injecting new momentum into Sudan mediation. The gains may be fragile, but the openings are real.

Africa East Africa
A destroyed military vehicle and bombed buildings in Khartoum.

AfricaSource

Nov 25, 2025

El Fasher is only the latest wake-up call to the genocide unfolding in Sudan

By Rama Yade

Sudan’s civil war has become one of the world’s deadliest crises—and the massacre in El Fasher exposes a genocide unfolding in plain sight. As regional powers fuel the war, millions face famine, displacement, and systematic violence.

Conflict Crisis Management

MENASource

Nov 10, 2025

The Nile at a crossroads: Navigating the GERD dispute as Egypt’s floodwaters rise

By Alessia Melcangi

The latest escalation between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia coincides with a diplomatic shift from the United States.

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

MENASource

Aug 19, 2025

For enduring normalization, Israel must back democracy in Sudan

By Nasredeen Abdulbari

Israel should align itself with Sudan’s genuine pro-democracy civilian forces—not its military elites.

Conflict Crisis Management

MENASource

Jul 31, 2025

Gateways to the Red Sea: The case for Israel–Somaliland normalization

By Amit Yarom

Expanding the Abraham Accords to Somaliland could quietly anchor a more stable and cooperative Red Sea region.

East Africa Israel

New Atlanticist

Apr 17, 2025

The US must sustain counterterrorism operations in Somalia—the costs of retreat are too high

By Danielle Cosgrove and Doug Livermore

To maintain a foothold in East Africa’s security architecture, the US must prioritize continuity, including keeping the US embassy in Mogadishu open.

Africa Crisis Management
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Experts

Fellow

Oscar Meywa Otele

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Africa Climate Change & Climate Action

Advisory Council member

Marsha Parcou

Global Advisor, Women for Prosperity

Freedom and Prosperity Center

East Africa Entrepreneurship

Fellow

Patrick Quirk

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center GeoStrategy Initiative

Civil Society Conflict

Fellow

Jeannine B. Scott

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Civil Society

Fellow

Thomas S. Warrick

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

National Security Terrorism