Roland Marchal is one of the most outstanding international experts on Sub-Saharan Africa. His meticulous research in the field of economics and conflict receives regular praise by academics and the diplomatic world alike for being close to the ground. In his address, Roland Marchal will focus on the tense political situations on the Horn of Africa, where new, and not so new actors compete in mapping out their interests, both regionally and on a global scale. War in the Ukraine has added a dramatic new element, threatening to make the Horn of Africa a neuralgic point of global dimensions. The ongoing Tigray conflict in Ethiopia, with Eritrea deeply implicated, increasing political tensions in the two Sudans, a never-ending political stalemate in Somalia, or the still unresolved issue of the giant Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) hydroelectric power project, are all defying ongoing diplomatic or mediation efforts. Questions covered by this talk will also include: The EU's role; French presidency initiatives, also in the framework of AU-EU relations, after the latest not so successful summit. Where do the other great actors, China, Russia, the US and UK stand. And what about the closer neighbours, the Gulf states, Iran, Turkey and Israel.<\/p>\n