The coming proxy wars will be devastating for civilians and do little to improve governance and human welfare in Ethiopia and the wider Horn

Explorations in African leadership

Ideas matter. And it's high time key players in the Horn (politicians, academics, journalists, analysts, and military strategists) chose to escape the pro-war shackles of geography and history.

Thoughts on the discourse around the UN resolution regarding the “equal earth” map

The political life of one of Kenya’s most brilliant politicians & policymakers; and lessons on leadership in Africa

So far the rainbow nation has been a sterling example of reconciliation and peaceful decolonization. Now the hard work of doing normal bare-knuckle pro-growth politics must begin.

There is enormous potential for Africa-Gulf relations to propel economic prosperity on both sides of the Red Sea; but only if both sets of leaders can overcome their lack of strategic ambition.

On developmentalist state-building and its impacts on business-state relations.

Thinking through the economics and politics of connectivity over a vast continent

African political economy, foreign affairs, and general commentary. Click to read An Africanist Perspective, by Ken Opalo, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

On models of state-building and their applicability to the African context

African states will continue to struggle against non-state armed actors unless the region’s militaries undertake significant organizational and technological reforms.

On the past and future of African growth and development

It’s a good thing that World Bank is finally OK with industrial policy, but policymakers shouldn’t let themselves be constrained by the coming prescriptive “best practices.”

Policymakers should prepare for the fact that the coming shocks to have long lags; and that the cadence of global crises will likely pick up.

Lessons in stateness, (failed) modernization, and economic (under)development

Ideas matter. And it's high time key players in the Horn (politicians, academics, journalists, analysts, and military strategists) chose to escape the pro-war shackles of geography and history.

Projections point to elevated commodity prices in important sectors. Here's how African policymakers can avoid mistakes of the past.

A journey through Uganda’s stunted political development

On the urgent need for a pivot to spending more time trying to supporting specific countries interested in boosting their state capacity; and catalyzing commercial revolutions in low-income countries.

On the urgent need for a pivot to spending more time trying to supporting specific countries interested in boosting their state capacity; and catalyzing commercial revolutions in low-income countries.

On how one of Africa’s storied leaders squandered his legacy and will likely plunge his nation into constitutional chaos when he leaves office.

The criminal probe looks at Powell’s testimony on building renovations. Powell said it was part of Trump’s campaign to pressure the Fed to lower interest rates.

The 11 trends/factors that will shape African affairs in 2026

In order to secure its economic future, Eastern Africa's wobbly giant must overcome the landlockedness penalty.

Ethiopia is on course to break a taboo on African territorial sovereignty; and what it means for the geopolitics of the Horn and wider Red Sea region

Political and economic divergence on the Continent continues apace

Explorations in African leadership

On the politics and logics of policy tradeoffs

Meet the Future Perfect 25: The Thinkers

Poverty is not a viable climate strategy - China shows that climate policies can be developmentalist, argues Ken Opalo.

The man whose political career defined Kenya’s multiparty politics

African political economy, foreign affairs, and general commentary. Click to read An Africanist Perspective, by Ken Opalo, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

You can't have nice things without strategic independence and policy autonomy