The ACRPS has recently published a new book, The Arabs and the Horn of Africa: The Dialectic between Proximity and Belonging (847 pages). The work deals with Arab-African interests in the Horn of Africa from a wide range of geopolitical and geostrategic perspectives on such issues as water, economics, security, and politics. Of particular relevance is that three of the states in the region are members of the Arab League (Somalia, Djibouti, and Comoros).
Despite the Horn of Africa’s importance, Arabs have paid more attention to Turkey and Iran, neglecting the neighboring African states. This book fills a gap in this field in terms of its comprehensive coverage of the issues vital to Arabs in the African arena. Twenty researchers contributed to writing the chapters of the book under the editorial supervision of Dr. Elnour Hamad, Professor Abdulla al-Fiki al-Bashir, and Dr. Abdulwahab al-Qassab. The final product is a comprehensive reference that deals with the history of relations between the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and the major international interests in this region, including Israel’s covert and transparent presence. The book also deals with the 1964 revolution in Zanzibar, the impact of Salafist movements and their effect on stability in the Horn of Africa, along with their geo-political ramifications and effects on Arab national security. Strategic and security aspects are carefully considered in this book, in addition to the impact the creation of South Sudan has had in this regard. Linking these countries, and at the heart of this analysis, are issues of identity, religion, and language shared by these countries.
