Micheal Tsegay Assefa holds PhDs in International Relations (University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China) and in Agricultural Economics (University of Fort Hare, South Africa). He earned an MSc in Development Management (University of Agder, Norway) and a BA in Political Science and International Relations (Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia).
Ethiopia After Pretoria: Why Tigray’s “Peace” Remains Fragile
The Pretoria Agreement—the Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities signed on 2 November 2022 between Ethiopia’s federal government and the TPLF—set out commitments on cessation of…
Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland and its Implications for Regional Peace and Development
Israeli recognition offers substantial economic and geopolitical opportunities for the breakaway state of Somaliland, but it also risks exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region. Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in…
Regional and International Actors in Sudan’s Current Conflict
The war that erupted on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has turned Sudan into one of the world’s most acute…
Mineral-resources Extraction, Political Economy and Political Risks in the Horn of Africa
Overview and stakes The Horn of Africa (HoA)—here focusing on Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia/Somaliland, Djibouti, and (for the regional market effect) Sudan—sits astride the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden maritime chokepoint. Below…
The Impact of the US–Africa Leaders Summit on Political and Investment Risks in Africa
The 2022 US–Africa Leaders Summit marked a renewed effort to recalibrate relations between Washington and the continent. The US-Africa Leaders Summit, held in Washington, D.C., from 13–15 December 2022, marked…
Current Investment Risks in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan, offers both opportunities and risks for global investors. While infrastructure projects and natural resources draw interest, political instability,…
Renewed Tension Between Ethiopian Regime and Tigray Forces
Associated Political Risks Amid Ethiopia and Eritrea Are at the Brink of War Introduction In 2025, Ethiopia faces a renewed crisis of state fragility and regional tension as the uneasy…
Ethiopia’s Demand for Red Sea Access and Its Implications for Regional Political Risks
Introduction Ethiopia, a landlocked nation since the secession of Eritrea in 1993, has reignited debates and tensions in the Horn of Africa with its recent call for access to the…
Inflation and Associated Potential Political Risks in Ethiopia
During the period between 2015–2025. Introduction Over the past decade, Ethiopia has undergone significant economic transformations, characterized by rapid GDP growth, structural economic reforms, and profound challenges such as…