Thousands of migrant workers from Africa are currently living in degrading conditions in detention centres in Arab countries. A human rights organisation has accused the Gulf States of racism that is "structured to perfection". By Bernd Dörries and Dunja RamadanMore
Sudan claims the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam could threaten the safety of some 20 million Sudanese living downstream and damage the country's flood-plain agricultural system if not built and operated correctly. Yet it also sees potential benefits in controlling floods during the rainy season and improving the performance of its own dams. More...More
Considered the fourth holiest Muslim city in the world, Harar is the centre of Islam in Ethiopia. Maria Gerth-Niculescu leads us through the small streets and jam-packed markets of this sacred town. More...More
Blending East African, Bollywood and Arab music traditions, Groupe RTD's "The Dancing Devils of Djibouti" is not only a stunning album, it is also the first internationally-released recording of music from this small and isolated country. By Richard MarcusMore
What do New York City poet and musician Patti Smith, the late French poet Arthur Rimbaud, composer Philip Glass, Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke and the Sufi Group of Sheikh Ibrahim have in common? After listening to the album "Mummer Love" from Soundwalk Collective, you may begin to find the connection. Review by Richard MarcusMore
The Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa has just had its sixth Car-Free Day, a monthly initiative launched by the government to encourage non-motorised transportation and fight air pollution. By Maria Gerth-Niculescu More...More
Ethiopia and Eritrea didn't pen their peace agreement in Addis Ababa or Asmara, but in Saudi Arabia with the Emirates alongside. Are economic and military interests increasingly binding Gulf states and the Horn together? By Sella OnekoMore
Eight thirty in the morning in Hargeisa and a crowd has formed outside the function hall of the Guled Hotel. Visitors are queuing at the security check and waiting to get in. It′s book fair time in the capital of Somaliland. By Michaela Maria MullerMore
After years of conflict about control over the Nile, Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan have now apparently chosen the path of co-operation over open dispute. Politicians are demonstrating unity, but observers warn that not all differences have been resolved. By Ludger SchadomskyMore
Pascal Mannaerts travelled to Oman at the end of 2019 in search of portrait subjects for a photo essay on women in the Gulf sultanate. Ruled by the enlightened Qaboos from 1970 to 2020, Oman enjoys a unique reputation among the Arab states – especially regarding the status and opportunities afforded to women.
