Djibouti–Horn geopolitics: Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud revived a long-running nationalist idea by naming Ethiopia’s Somali Region, Kenya’s Northeastern Province and Djibouti as “missing parts” of a greater Somalia, a reminder of how colonial-era borders still shape regional politics. Maritime security & trade: Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif used a naval academy graduation to stress freedom of navigation and secure sea lanes as essential for global trade and energy supply chains, while also calling for stronger maritime defence capabilities. Port competition in the Indian Ocean: China signed an agreement to develop an economic zone near Bangladesh’s Mongla Port, a move framed as expanding Beijing’s Bay of Bengal footprint and potentially squeezing India’s influence. Djibouti in the spotlight: A report on Djibouti’s military role argues the country has become a dense hub of foreign bases around the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, raising questions about “port monopoly” dynamics and strategic leverage. Regional business & finance: COMESA delegates in Dar es Salaam backed digitising the COMESA Yellow Card Scheme to speed cross-border motor insurance and improve compensation for road accidents. Energy push: Djibouti is partnering with Morocco on a solar project with storage to cut reliance on imported electricity and improve energy independence.