Eritrea: The Horn’s Deadly Strategic Actor

Eritrea is Africa’s most closed society and most fiercely authoritarian state. Its President Isaias Afwerki has been president for almost 30 years and is considered one of the continent’s most gifted and ruthless strategists. As both Somalia and Ethiopia convulse, the now not so hidden hand of Eritrea’s leader has become increasingly apparent as Eritrea very effectively leverages limited resources but deep experience into a disproportionate impact on the entire Horn of Africa. The Elephant in conversation with Matt Bryden.