ORGANIZERS

Hargeisa Cultural Center, Somaliland
Centro de Estudos Africanos of the University of Porto (CEAUP), Portugal

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ABOUT THE EVENT

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The present call for papers is open to all contributors, both early-career and senior scholars,

based in and outside of the region in question. The Conference seeks to  explore  the

present day and history of regional political relations and human mobility  in the

Horn of Africa and along the Red Sea littoral, as well as to chart the emergent

trajectories relevant to this part of the world.

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What we define as the geographical focus of the Conference is a broader region comprising the
Horn of Africa itself and the countries separated from it by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In
this sense, we emphasize the existence of multilateral links between the Horn and the Arabian

peninsula, deeply rooted in their long history of interaction, and choose to focus on a cross-
regional approach instead of a narrower geographical definition.

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With this in mind, we aim at a critical discussion of what was and remains at stake in this part of
the world: the role of foreign powers, regional and domestic actors and the trends of political and
economic paths developing in the region.

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We believe that one of the more efficient ways to approach this task is by employing the
concepts of flows and identities. Looking at the fluid and turbulent sociopolitical

dynamics in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea area, one cannot 4 help but think

of flows of different kinds as the pivotal elements of these dynamics. These flows may

be related to human mobility (movement of people) or to different kinds of
exchange: in ideas, political technologies, economic assets, or material goods.

Examples of the latter groups include, but are not limited to:

● Flows of carbohydrates and other raw materials;

● Flows of capital and investment;

● Cash flows, including remittances to home countries;

● Flows of agricultural and livestock products.

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Speaking about material goods flowing into and out of the region, the Conference will focus on
the issues related to international transport logistics (seaports, railways, motorways, etc.) and
discuss why access to ports often becomes a major ‘apple of discord’ in relations between the
regional governments.

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It's not unlikely for landlocked nations to seek to diversify their access to ports in neighboring
countries — and avoid relying on just one international partner. In the Horn of Africa, this is
precisely the case of Ethiopia, a country with the largest population in the region and a growing,
export-oriented economy, which in the past three decades has heavily depended on just one
seaport in a neighboring country - the port of Djibouti. While Djibouti still accounts for more

than 90 percent of Ethiopia's external trade, Addis Ababa has in recent years stepped up its
efforts to get hold of an alternative seagate, ideally through obtaining a stake in a different
regional port. This process culminated in early 2024 with Ethiopia signing a Memorandum of
Understanding with its other neighbor, Somaliland—an accord that allows Ethiopia to lease a 20-
kilometer stretch of land on the Gulf of Aden—right next to Somaliland's key maritime
asset—the port of Berbera. Yet it was precisely this move by Ethiopia and Somaliland that
provoked another new round of diplomatic crisis in the region.

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The dynamics surrounding the ports in Berbera and Djibouti extend well beyond local interests,
given the intricate geopolitical context of both transportation hubs. Berbera, operated by an
Emirates-based Dubai Ports World, has also attracted significant attention from investors in
other parts of the world, most importantly from China and the UK. At the same time, major
global powers view the maritime corridor from the Red Sea into the Arabian Sea as a zone of
their vital interests, which helps to explain why multiple foreign actors, including the U.S.,
China, Türkiye, the UAE, France, and Japan, all maintain their military bases — or support bases
— in this region. As the Indian Ocean's prominence increases, the power struggles in the Red
Sea and the intricate political landscape surrounding the Horn of Africa nations are poised to
present further geopolitical challenges.

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Of course, flows don't have to be material only. People and ideas flow as well, and flow
significantly. People and ideas cross boundaries and borders, migrate between countries and
regions, and help to create new transnational dynamics. This is particularly true for the Red Sea
region - an area where multiple patterns of human mobility coexist, intersect and influence each
other. Another key factor in this regard is the presence of highly entrepreneurial and politically
active diaspora communities interacting with the region. Somalis in Greater London and
Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ethiopians, Eritreans and Oromos in the area of Washington, D.C.,
Yemenis in Riyadh and Dubai — what all these communities have in common is their
traditionally very significant level of engagement with their countries of origin. Over decades,
members of regional diasporas and other transnational actors from the region have played
important roles in the lives of their homelands — on both sides of the Red Sea and the Gulf of
Aden. And they continue to do so.

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What has changed with the advance of the new digital age is the tempo, scale, and forms of such
engagement. The new digital media have empowered members of the diaspora communities and
motivated them to engage with people in their countries of origin more closely, more intensively,
and more directly than ever before. And that raises another important question to address: what is
the current state of relationship between the digital media and the diaspora's involvement in their
respective nations?

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Yet no analysis of the region's current political landscape would be complete without addressing
the rise of political Islam, particularly in Somalia and Yemen, but also in other countries of the
broader region. What impact does this political awakening have on regional politics? Is there a
possibility that political Islam could replace the concept of “nation” and “state” as the primary
organizing institutions in the region? Exploring the trajectories of political Islam leads to further
inquiries: can it collaborate with modern secular institutions in its homelands, or can it integrate
with individuals and movements outside its traditional framework? These are pressing questions
that need a thorough examination to understand the future of governance and identity in the Horn
of Africa and the broader Red Sea area. This latter question is, of course, closely linked with the
issue of identities, Islamic and other ones. What, as we also believe, deserves special attention at
the discussion table is how those faith-based identities interplay with the ones centered on
ethnicity, clan, ‘tribe’, etc., in particular when it comes to the competition for the hearts and
minds between various political actors. And where can we define the role and place of language
while trying to ‘map’ the political aspects of different kinds of identities? How is the factor of
linguistic heterogeneity being politicized?

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The final objective of this conference is to select contributions for publication in a Special Issue
of Africana Studia, the flagship journal of CEAUP. Additionally, we aim to establish a robust
research network within the Red Sea Littoral. Our goal is to connect academic institutions and
individual scholars from various regions worldwide, particularly the Horn of Africa and the Red
Sea area, some of whom are already members of the Organizing Board for this event.

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Aproved Panels of the Conference

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To make this practical, the following panels are set for the conference, and interested participants
are invited to submit papers addressing the key areas of interest indicated in each panel.

The proposed panels are:

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Panel 1. Geohistory of Maritime Flows in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea Region

The maritime corridors of the Horn of Africa have been profoundly shaped by a
convergence of pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial histories, shaping long standing
patterns of religious and mercantile maritime travel. While much of the recent
scholarship has focused on ports and terrestrial transportation networks, there is a
notable gap in the examination of the interconnections between ports and their maritime
forelands. This panel seeks to explore the historical, economic, and political contexts
that shape contemporary maritime flows, with an eye toward understanding the region’s
ongoing challenges and opportunities.

We invite papers that explore the following orrelated themes:

● Maritime transportation of livestock and agricultural commodities;

● Maritime exchanges, whether cultural, ideational or mercantile, between
Somaliland, Puntland and Yemen and other ports in the region;

● The evolution and current state of ports, shipping practices or vessels involved in
regional trade;

● Key regional and secondary actors involved in maritime exchange in the region;

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Panel 2. Redrawing Boundaries, Reimagining Identities, Culture, and Collective
Memory in the Horn of Africa

This panel will examine the complex nature of identity in the Horn of Africa, focusing on
the interactions among colonial legacies, cultural diversity, and societal structures. We
will investigate how these factors contribute to the ongoing conflicts and shape
collective memory, while acknowledging the critical role of traditional governance
systems and oral histories in building community identities. Additionally, we will explore
the role of social infrastructure in facilitating trade and relationships, as well as the
linguistic aspects that further define regional identities. This panel also aims to examine
the political consequences of border demarcation, illuminating how these elements
collectively create a fluid and evolving sense of identity in the Horn of Africa.

We invite papers that explore the following or related themes:

● The influence of colonial and other impositions on social structures;

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● Diasporic influences on identity, culture and religion;

● Cultural drivers or mitigators of conflict;

● Social institutions and their interaction with the trading practices of those in the
region;

● Language and culture, and their bidirectional influences;

● Borders, whether national, sub-national or customary, and their impact on identity
in the region;

 

Panel 3. Climate Change and Flows of Displacement

In the Horn of Africa, one of the most significant contemporary flows is that of
individuals displaced by the impacts of climate change. Some displacement is regional,
while other patterns contribute to the growing global diaspora from the region. This
movement often signals a shift from traditional livelihoods, particularly pastoralism,
toward more sedentary lifestyles, frequently accompanied by heightened insecurity.
This panel seeks to examine the future of customary livelihoods, the challenges posed
to underdeveloped infrastructure and planning, and a range of interconnected issues.
We welcome papers that explore these topics from multidisciplinary perspectives,
contributing to a broader understanding of the causes and consequences of
displacement in the region.

We invite papers that explore the following or related themes:

● The varied impacts of climate change on pastoralism and mobility;
● Consequences and policy interventions relating to climate-induced displacement;

● Analysis of such displacement in itself;

● The impact of climate-induced displacement on livelihoods and security;

● The impact of enclosure and conversion to agriculture on the ecosystem, social
structures or livelihood security;

 

Panel 4. Emerging Geopolitical Developments in the Horn of Africa

Classical and neorealist theories often fall short of fully explaining the intricate dynamics
of nation-states and great power politics within the African context (Walsh, 2020). In the
Horn of Africa, a deeper security interdependence among regional actors has emerged,
which is more pronounced than that between external global powers (Buzan & Waever,
2003). As the global order shifts toward multipolarity, multiple hegemonic states and
regional blocs are shaping geopolitical discourse in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea
region (Peters, 2022; Mitchel, 2019; Varisco, 2013). This panel aims to investigate
these evolving geopolitical landscapes and their implications for the region.

We invite papers that engage with the following or related areas:

● Potential U.S.-Somaliland Strategic Security Partnership during the Trump
administration;

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● The impact of Ethiopia’s pursuit of access to the sea and the future of the
Ethiopia-Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding (MoU);

● Analysis of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia

(AUSSOM) and various ‘counterterrorism’ efforts in the broader region with
regards to their accomplishments and projected outcomes;

● Challenges and/or opportunities arising from the development of the Berbera
Corridor;

● National and regional security implications of competing external powers in the
Horn of Africa;

● Internal political dynamics within the states of the Horn of Africa;

 

Panel 5. Historical Relations in the Horn of Africa

This panel examines the enduring historical significance of the Horn of Africa and
broader Red Sea area by analyzing socio-political, economic, and cultural interactions
in the region from the 7th century to nowadays. It invites critical perspectives on how
precolonial, colonial, and post-colonial historiographies, including those on the polities
and trade networks of the past, on the religious dynamics, and on other controversial
historical phenomena, have contributed to the formation of regional identities and
relations between modern states. Discussions will explore themes such as power
struggles, conquest legacies, and resistance-shaped relations within the region and
wider in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean worlds. The panel also encourages
submissions about oral histories, indigenous knowledge systems, and the interplay
between external geopolitical realities (such as the ‘Cold War’) and local agencies. By
interrogating how the past informs the present, the panel aims to illuminate historical
memory’s impact on contemporary conflicts, alliances, and regional integration in this
strategic crossroads.

We invite papers that explore the following or related themes:

● Historical interactions that have shaped the region in the long term;

● Power dynamics in the region throughout the history;

● Nature and consequences of conquest and resistance in the region;

● Influence of broader geopolitical realities, past and present, on the region and
local responses or reactions to those global phenomena;

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Panel 6. Migration flows within, out of, and into the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region.
Remittances, transnational networks, and diaspora engagement

This panel investigates the multifaceted dynamics of human mobility in and beyond the
Horn of Africa and the broader Red Sea area, centering on labor and other cross-border
migrants, as well as the diaspora communities, and their transnational networks. It
invites analyses of historical and contemporary migration routes, drivers, and
consequences, including the interplay of displacement, economic opportunity, conflict,

and climate stressors. Discussions will explore diaspora engagements in development,
remittance economies, and political advocacy, as well as the challenges—legal, social,
cultural, etc.,—typically faced by cross-border migrants, whether in transit or eventually
in their host countries. Submissions may address themes such as gender patterns of
migration, the nexus between regional flows of labor and interstate relations, and the
transnational identities forged through various factors, including war and displacement.
The panel also encourages critical perspectives on the host countries’ migration policies
and the resilience of diasporas as bridges between their countries of origin and various
extra-regional actors. By investigating how flows of people on the move shape—and are
shaped by—power, inequality, and belonging, the panel aims to deepen our
understanding of the transformative impact of migration on regional relations,
development, and geopolitics.

We invite papers that explore the following or related themes:

● Transnational networks shaped by labor mobility and/or displacement, and their
influence on the region;

● Gender aspects of trade and migration;

● Migration policies from within and beyond the Red Sea area, and how they affect
people in the broader region;

● Impact of regional mobility on interstate relations and identities;

● Power dynamics that creates or is created by migration and human mobility;

 

Panel 7. The flow of ideologies, political Islam, nationalism, regionalism, communication
and technology

This panel interrogates the circulation and contestation of the ideologies that shape the
Horn of Africa and the broader Red Sea area, from political Islam and nationalism to
regionalist visions and techno-mediated discourses. It invites critical analyses of how
ideologies are mobilized, adapted, and resisted across borders—through either
transnational religious networks, digital platforms, or state-driven projects. Submissions
may explore themes such as the interplay of political Islam with governance models,
nationalist narratives in state-building, or the role of regional bodies in advancing
economic integration as an ideological framework. Discussions will also address how
communication technologies amplify or disrupt ideological flows, from historical print
networks to contemporary social media ecosystems. The panel encourages
examinations of development paradigms, secular-religious tensions, and competing
visions of sovereignty, solidarity, or identity. By tracing the entanglement of ideology
with power, resistance, and innovation, the panel seeks to unravel how these currents
inform regional geopolitics, social cohesion, and the evolving relationships between
states, non-state actors, and global forces in a digitally interconnected age.

We invite papers that explore the following or related themes:

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● Flows of ideas, including cultural and religious, through the region, and their
impact on identity-building;

● The ways in which such ideas establish themselves and are transmitted, and
their influence on society and politics in the region;

● How ideologies and religions have shaped or are shaped by the digital media
and their narratives;

● Conflicts and collaborations motivated or enabled by practice or belief,
ideological or religious;

● The role of religion in resistance, e.g. anti-colonial, ‘anti-Western’, or directed
against other declared ‘threats’, perceived or real;