In the Horn of Africa, Somalia makes headlines but often only because of drought, famine, crisis, and insecurity. Al Jazeera recently launched Somalia Speaks to help amplify stories from people and their everyday lives in the region - all via SMS.
Somalia has been steadily slipping from global media attention over the past few months. The large scale crisis is no longer making headline news, which means that advocacy and lobbying groups are finding it increasingly difficult to place pressure on policymakers and humanitarian organizations to scale their intervention in the Horn of Africa.
Kampala, Uganda became the target of twin bombings as crowds gathered to watch the World Cup earlier today. If, indeed, al-Shabaab are behind the attack, this would be a major step towards the internationalization of the Somali civil war.
Rather than reaching the needy, up to half of Somalia’s food aid ends up in the pockets of radical militants, corrupt bureaucrats and local businessmen, and local UN staff, according to an article in yesterday’s New York Times on the findings of a new UN report.
A New York Times report on alleged malfeasance in the distribution of food aid in Somalia raises important moral and political questions about the provision of aid in conflict zones.
Steve Clemons lands a really great interview with Kenyan Vice President Kalonzo "Steven" Musyoka, who was in Washington, D.C. this week for the National Prayer Breakfast.
Steve Clemons lands a really great interview with Kenyan Vice President Kalonzo "Steven" Musyoka, who was in Washington, D.C. this week for the National Prayer Breakfast.  Anyone interested in Somalia and the politics of East Africa should spend the next 8 minutes watching this video.Â
