Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia face a deepening power vacuum as Gulf states — their principal external patrons for over a decade — turn inward to manage escalating security pressures following the US-Israel war on Iran. Why Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa are exposedEthiopia in particular stands at an inflection point. Researchers who have studied Gulf–Africa relations for over a decade argue that Horn states have always played external patrons off against one another, extracting resources, recognition and diplomatic cover. “Sudan’s civil war may last even longer now that Gulf states are focused elsewhere. No statements on Horn of Africa posture — including on Ethiopia — have been issued by Gulf governments since the Iran conflict escalated.

Source: Daily News Egypt March 10, 2026 11:28 UTC