The Horn, the Gulf, and the Politics of Interdependence

In this episode of the WASSAP podcast, hosts Desirée Custers and Hubert Kinkoh are joined by Hafsa Halawa, independent consultant and mediation expert, and Dr. Asnake Chanie, political scientist and Associate Fellow at CARPO, to discuss the growing interconnectedness between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.

The conversation explores how geography, trade, migration, development cooperation, and regional politics have created new forms of interdependence between both regions. Hafsa and Asnake reflect on how Gulf engagement has transformed the development landscape of the Horn of Africa, the opportunities and challenges this presents for governance and political legitimacy, and the ways in which economic, political, and security interests increasingly overlap across the Red Sea.

A central focus of the episode is water diplomacy and the relationship between the Horn of Africa, Egypt, and the Gulf. The guests discuss the implications of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), questions of water governance, climate change, and food security, as well as the role of diplomacy in managing competing national interests.

They also reflect on Egypt's growing engagement in the Horn of Africa and whether a more integrated Red Sea regional order is beginning to emerge. Looking ahead, Hafsa and Asnake identify some of the key developments likely to shape Horn–Gulf relations over the coming decade, including maritime security, regional competition, and questions of access to the sea.