Meron Elias

Read our latest from @CrisisGroup on yesterday's protests in Kenya and what the government could do to address simmering anger and discontent. crisisgroup.org/africa/east-an…

The title alone from @Mo_IbrahimFdn chairman should tell you what’s at stake. “Sudan’s war risks destabilising an entire region, triggering proxy wars elsewhere in the Horn of Africa and beyond.” giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/ac… What happens in Sudan will not stay in Sudan

“Even as the war with Iran intensifies and consumes global attention, it is vital not to forget that Sudan’s conflict is also primed to spread unless more is done to stop it.” ⁦@wmshewit⁩ ⁦@CrisisGroup⁩ aljazeera.com/opinions/2026/…

🌍 Africa is facing a wide array of challenges, with wars old and new raging across the continent. In this special briefing, we highlight seven key peace and security priorities in 2026: crisisgroup.org/brf/africa/b20… Scroll down for threads from our experts on each entry.

Sharp analysis from my colleagues, @richmoncrieff and @Meron_El, on what is really happening in #Uganda ahead of the Jan 15 vote. crisisgroup.org/africa/uganda/… via @crisisgroup

Uganda 🇺🇬 holds elections this week and President Museveni will likely win another term. But beyond this year's vote, the question of succession and what's to come post-M7 will be important to watch. Our latest from @CrisisGroup with @richmoncrieff crisisgroup.org/africa/uganda/…

Je crois qu'on n'a aucune idée de la chance qu'on a d'avoir la SNCF tant qu'on n'a pas expérimenté la Deutsche Bahn

NEW STATEMENT | After El Fasher: Ending Sudan’s Atrocious War The Rapid Support Forces’ murderous rampage in Darfur has brought rare global attention to a disastrous conflict. The U.S. and its Arab allies should step up efforts to halt the carnage. crisisgroup.org/africa/sudan/a…

🚨 We just published the Autumn Update for our Watch List for the European Union. This special @CrisisGroup report highlights global crises that the EU has the potential to address in 2025. Here are our latest updates: crisisgroup.org/global/watch-l…

Aujourd'hui, nous nous sommes joints à nos collègues de @IrlEmbDakar pour accueillir la communauté diplomatique à #Dakar à l'occasion d'un atelier sur la fragmentation régionale en Afrique de l'Ouest et au-delà, avec un focus sur les négociations entre l'#AES et la #CEDEAO.

Amortir les effets de la guerre civile dévastatrice au Soudan est une priorité pour garantir la stabilité du Tchad. crisisgroup.org/fr/africa/cent…

crisisgroup.org/how-we-work/ev… In case you missed it - please register, and see you online in a week, for a discussion on Manila's shift to external defence.

If the UN Security Council weakens or altogether strips climate references from the UN peacekeeping mission in #SouthSudan’s mandate, backsliding will become more likely elsewhere. I discuss what's at stake in tomorrow’s vote on UNMISS’s future. 🧵1/9 crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-af…

“Red warning” 🚨 from @CrisisGroup @jongethon after arrest of #SouthSudan First Vice-President Riek Machar. Is the 2018 peace deal now dead? Worrying scenario of how wider conflict will be difficult to control in a very precarious Horn of Africa. msn.com/en-us/news/wor…

Is this a springboard for #Sudan's army to take fight to an overstretched Rapid Support Force in Darfur? Or can its external backers pressure it to give peace talks a chance rather than prolong a costly war? The army thus far has resisted talks, so why now after capital gains?

#Ethiopia: Luxury in Poverty: Psychology behind lavish spending in poor countries like Ethiopia In this op-ed, Demessie Girma, a technologist and researcher, examines the psychology behind extravagant spending in economically struggling nations like Ethiopia. Citing examples from entertainment media and personal observations, the author highlights the increasing trend of lavish expenditures on luxury goods, oversized homes, and grand social events. “Why is wealth in such societies so often tied to visible, grandiose displays rather than productive investment?” the author asks, arguing that such spending is more about social status than economic logic. The op-ed discusses theories such as conspicuous consumption, a term coined by economist Thorstein Veblen, to explain why individuals in low-income countries invest in visible symbols of affluence rather than long-term financial security. The author notes, “In societies with sharp economic divides, the wealthy feel an even stronger urge to distinguish themselves.” The article further suggests that price inflation on luxury goods in Ethiopia does not deter buyers but instead enhances their exclusivity, reinforcing demand. Examining consumer behavior, the op-ed points to the role of media in normalizing excessive spending, urging a shift toward celebrating productive investments rather than material excess. “Instead of celebrating gold-threaded dresses, why not celebrate entrepreneurs creating jobs?” the author asks. The article calls for cultural and policy changes to promote financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and investment in sectors that contribute to economic stability, warning that without such shifts, visible but economically unproductive assets may continue to dominate wealth accumulation in Ethiopia. addisstandard.com/?p=48731

Here are @CrisisGroup’s annual eight priorities for the #AU featuring entries on #Sudan, #Somalia, #Cameroon, #Sahel and #SouthSudan. In this thread, I’ll focus on #DRC, where the risk of regional war is high after the fall of #Goma to M23 rebels. 1/9 crisisgroup.org/africa/african…

“Maximum pressure on Rwanda is absolutely necessary at this point to pull us back from a very precarious and worrying situation.” @CrisisGroup Great Lakes Director @RichMoncrieff was on @AJEnglish’s Inside Story to discuss the risk of war in the #DRC. youtube.com/watch?v=22qPo5…

As Ethiopian Orthodox Christians prepare to celebrate Christmas on 7 Jan, their church is riven by a historic schism - one of the enduring legacies of the war in northern Ethiopia. My report from Axum and the Debre Damo monastery: theguardian.com/global-develop…