Digital Infrastructure Investment: WIOCC secured a $300m deal with Africa Finance Corporation and Vision Invest to expand open-access data, cloud and AI infrastructure across Africa, with Djibouti Telecom among WIOCC shareholders. Red Sea Trade Security: Djibouti Maritime Authority officials highlighted how Strait of Hormuz disruptions are spilling into the Gulf of Aden, as regional maritime law enforcement talks in Nairobi (Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Djibouti) pushed for tighter information-sharing to curb piracy and trafficking. Maritime Safety Alert: The IMO warned that six vessels remain held by pirates/armed groups, with 90+ crew members at risk and called for immediate release. Fuel Cost Pressure on the Horn: Morocco’s Hormuz-driven oil and gas import bill rose by $2.2bn, and Djibouti recorded about $1bn in higher costs—another reminder of how shipping and energy shocks hit regional importers. Horn Climate Readiness: IGAD’s early warning for Oct–Dec rains urges faster preparation for heavy rainfall impacts across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, with knock-on effects for agriculture, water and infrastructure. Djibouti’s Malaria Link: A new study traces urban malaria spread via Djibouti as a “bridgehead,” connecting onward invasions into Yemen and Ethiopia.