{"id":634541,"date":"2018-01-17T04:14:28","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T04:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/01\/17\/us-not-paying-attention-to-potential-conflict-in-horn-of-africa\/"},"modified":"2018-01-17T04:14:28","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T04:14:28","slug":"us-not-paying-attention-to-potential-conflict-in-horn-of-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/01\/17\/us-not-paying-attention-to-potential-conflict-in-horn-of-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"US not paying attention to potential conflict in Horn of Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

With no single story dominating coverage of Egypt in the foreign press<\/strong>, the Cold War on the Nile, Russia\u2019s growing ties with Egypt and human rights issues continue to guide the narrative on Egypt in the global press.<\/p>\n

Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are \u201cclose to armed conflict over a Nile dam project\u201d and so far the US is ignoring the issue<\/strong>, Steven A Cook writes for Salon<\/a>. \u201cIt is also a potential conflict that involves a number of important American allies against each other. Turkey, a NATO ally, and Qatar, which hosts the largest American military base outside the United States, have aligned themselves with Sudan and by extension with Ethiopia, another American ally. On the other side we have Egypt, a longtime partner of the United States in the Middle East, and Eritrea. The United Arab Emirates, a critical player in the Persian Gulf and beyond, would also likely be involved given its ties to Egypt and Eritrea\u2026 This is a situation that calls out for American mediation \u2026 Perhaps sensing another opportunity to reinforce the idea that Russia, not the United States, is a broker of security and stability, Vladimir Putin might step in and stave off the conflict over water that finally seems to have ripened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russia, meanwhile, is \u201ccozying up to Egypt\u201d in bid to grow its influence in the Middle East<\/strong>, Lamont Colucci writes for US News<\/a>. Colucci lists the recent agreement<\/a> allowing both countries to use each others\u2019 airspace and air bases, arms transactions<\/a>, and the Dabaa nuclear power plant as examples of just how warm ties have become.<\/p>\n

Amid a continuing regional realignment, there are reports of closer ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel<\/strong>, Herbert London writes for The Washington Times<\/a>. \u201cIf the Saudi-Israeli alliance yields some form of regional stability,\u201d London writes, many of the regional issues, including the war against Daesh in Sinai, could be resolved. \u201cThat is why the alliance is the harbinger of hope and the insurance policy for the moment,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n

Closer to home: The acquittal of Egyptian activist Mahienour El Massry is a \u201crare moment of justice\u201d<\/strong> that may pave the way for the release of more political prisoners, Amnesty International\u2019s Deputy Director of Campaigns for North Africa, Najia Bounaim, said yesterday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another foodie piece about Egyptian cuisine:<\/strong> Egyptian eats have captured the attention of the international press. After yesterday\u2019s story from the Independent<\/a> on Cairo turning into a premier foodie destination, Tim Carman writes a glowing review of Egyptian restaurant Fava Pot in Falls Church, Virginia, for the Washington Post<\/a>. Owned by Egyptian immigrant Dina Daniel, the restaurant offers all of our cuisine\u2019s classics with the expected modern take \u2014 and a hand-picked list of ingredients which Daniel publishes on her website.<\/p>\n

Also worth a quick skim this morning:<\/p>\n