CARPO Podcasts
with Desirée Custers and Hubert Kinkoh
In this episode of the WASSAP podcast, hosts Desirée Custers and Hubert Kinkoh are joined by Alan Boswell, Horn of Africa Director at the International Crisis Group and host of The Horn podcast, to explore the growing interconnectedness of the Horn of Africa, the Gulf, and the wider Red Sea region.
The conversation traces how Gulf engagement in the Horn has evolved over the past decade, examining the impact of Gulf rivalries, the war in Sudan, tensions in Yemen, and the fallout from the Iran crisis on regional security dynamics. Alan discusses how conflicts across the Red Sea increasingly spill over into the Horn, creating new patterns of competition, cooperation, and strategic alignment.
About the WASSAP podcast
The WASSAP: the Africa - West Asia Podcast translates the findings of a three-year research project on West Asian (Gulf)–Sub-Saharan African relations into an accessible, engaging audio format. It explores how economic, political, cultural, religious, and security ties between selected Gulf countries and African partners are evolving and why these shifts matter globally, particularly for Europe.
Hosts of the podcast are Desirée Custers (project manager, CARPO) & Hubert Kinkoh (Senior Researcher, CARPO)
About the WASSAP project
The project explores the multi-dimensional and complex relations between selected Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran) and four Sub-Saharan countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia). It aims to deconstruct and analyze their economic networks, cultural and religious affiliations, and political and security cooperation. Based on empirical research, the project provides a better understanding of Gulf-African exchange, its challenges and opportunities, as well as its implications for Europe. The project is financed by the Robert Bosch Foundation and will run for three years.
Guest:
Alan Boswell, Horn of Africa Director, International Crisis Group, Host of The Horn podcast.
Big thanks for the support to
Editor: Marco Bussi
