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GREATER HORN OF AFRICA

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Somalia & Somaliland
Monitor

Evidence-driven analysis shaping policy and security across 13 countries

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Nine Strategic Programs Designed to Analyse, Influence and Shape the Future of the Horn of Africa

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Programs

Nine Strategic Programs Designed to Analyse, Influence and Shape the Future of the Horn of Africa

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Security Dialogue 2026

12 March 2026, Nairobi, Kenya

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Founded in 2017 · Nairobi

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Capital: Khartoum

Independence: January 1, 1956

Official Languages | Arabic, English

~47 M
Population (est. 2026)

1,886,068 km² | Red Sea coastline
Total area

USD 863.89 (2026 est.)
GDP capita nominal

Islam
Religion

Sudanese Pound (SDG) Currency

SUDAN

Membership to Regional Organisations

IGAD, AU, COMESA

Regional Significance

Sudan is a strategic country in the Horn of Africa linking the Sahel, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the wider Middle East. Its location along the Red Sea shapes key regional transport corridors and broader connectivity across these regions. The ongoing war in the country has further elevated Sudan’s geopolitical significance due to its destabilising effects on regional security, trade, and the humanitarian crisis, resulting in large-scale refugee flows and spillover pressures across neighbouring states.

 Key Challenges

  • Active civil war — SAF vs. RSF; widespread atrocities and ethnic cleansing reported
  • World's largest active displacement crisis — over 12 million people displaced
  • Total economic collapse — external debt at ~213% of GDP
  • Famine conditions across multiple regions including Darfur and Khartoum state
  • Foreign interference — Gulf states backing opposing factions
  • No credible peace process as of mid-2026; violence spreading to new regions

 Interesting Facts

There are more than 200 pyramids in Sudan, nearly double those in Egypt (118). The ancient Nubian civilisation, formerly the Kingdom of Kush, built them along the Nile as tombs for kings, queens, and wealthy citizens.