Publications

The HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies is anon-profit, applied research and policy think-do tank based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Instituteworks closely with local communities, governmental and non-governmental organisationsand partners …

Kenya’s renewed bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship through the candidacy of opposition leader Raila Odinga, has set the Kenyan government on the limelight once again, owing to …

The world is changed. The withdrawal and self-isolation of the United States of America (U.S.) has left a soft power gabglobally and particularly in Africa. The European Union (EU) is …

There are significant grounds for speculation that the new Trump administration could recognize Somaliland as a sovereignstate to further American military and economic interests in the region. Historically, American recognition …

Donald Trump’s return to office in 2025 has ushered in a wave of executive orders that have rippled across the globe, with particularly acute effects in the developing world. This …

This article examines the opportunities and obstacles of federalism in Somalia’s state and nation-building efforts. Federalism was adopted as a governance framework to address Somalia’s historical clan-based divisions, political instability, …

This paper explores the future of Kenya’s climate diplomacy by examining the interplay between climate security, scientific innovation, and cultural heritage. It analyzes how Kenya is redefining climate diplomacy through …

On September 9, 2025, Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, now the largest hydroelectric dam in Africa. GERD will have an installed capacity …

This policy brief examines the December 2018 presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It posits that in hybrid regimes, where tendencies of liberal democracies and authoritarianism …

This brief explores the question of radicalization, recruitment, and involvement of Kenyan youth in al Shabab’s terror. It examines motivations behind these trends and pathways to recruitment of Kenyan youth …