Red Sea Trade Shock: Houthi forces seized Yemen’s Mokha port and Mayyun Island near Bab el-Mandeb, tightening Iran-backed leverage over a key shipping chokepoint and raising pressure on global trade and oil flows. Somalia Security Coordination: Somalia’s Ministry of Defense met the African Union Counter Terrorism Center to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation, including intelligence sharing and disrupting illicit finance networks. Counter-Terror Finance Focus: A new analysis highlights how al-Shabaab and IS-Somalia fund operations through extortion, smuggling, illicit taxes and increasingly digital payments, pushing for stronger anti-money-laundering capacity. Regional Power Trade: Ethiopia is finalizing a December 2026 boost to electricity exports to Kenya, scaling peak imports to 400MW as cross-border infrastructure matures. Somalia Climate Prep: Somalia stepped up flood risk mitigation ahead of the Deyr rains, strengthening early warning and emergency response planning. Aviation Growth: Somali carrier Starsky Aviation says it plans international expansion, with Kenya flagged as a likely first destination. China-Somalia Business Push: Chinese firms and leaders held a Mogadishu forum with government and local businesses on investment in infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, energy and communications. Saudi-Backed Training Scrutiny: Reports and detentions in Ethiopia spotlight a Saudi-funded Somali training programme, raising questions about scale and possible wider regional deployment.