Areeba Arif
Research Associate
Areas of Research:
Africa: South, East and Central Africa
Areeba Arif Khan is a Research Associate at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), where she focuses on Africa and the Middle East. She completed her Master’s degree in International Relations from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Islamabad, in 2016, and earned her M.Phil. from the National Defence University (NDU) in 2022.
Issue Brief on “Africa Forward Summit 2026”
The Africa Forward Summit 2026 was held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 11–12 May 2026. The summit was co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and...
Issue Brief on “Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland and Its Implications for Somalia, Africa, and...
Israel’s unilateral recognition of the self-declared “Republic of Somaliland” on December 26, 2025, constitutes a serious departure from the established international consensus on Somalia’s...
Issue Brief on “War in Sudan: Geopolitics and Human Suffering”
The capture of Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 26 October 2025 marked a significant escalation in...
Issue Brief on “Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2): From Rhetoric to Action”
The Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), held from September 8 to 10, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, marked a significant milestone in the Continent’s...
Issue Brief on “Rwanda-Pakistan Bilateral Relations: Strengthening Cooperation in Trade, Investment, and Diplomacy”
Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, paid an official two-day visit to Pakistan from April 21 to...
Issue Brief on “D-8 Summit: Strengthening Global Partnerships”
The 11th Developing-8 (D-8) Summit was held in Cairo, Egypt, on 19 December 2024, with the thematic focus on “Investing in Youth and Supporting...
Issue Brief on “Pakistan-Ethiopia Ties: Unlocking New Avenues for Economic and Diplomatic Collaboration”
In recent years, the relationship between Pakistan and Ethiopia has made significant strides forward. Marked by political, economic, and cultural collaboration, the bilateral ties...
Issue Brief on “Ankara Declaration: Role of Turkiye in Africa”
Marking a significant transformation in East Africa's geopolitical dynamics, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President...
Issue Brief on “‘Engage Africa’ Policy: Maximizing Opportunities”
Africa continues to garner global attention due to its tremendous economic opportunities and vast natural resources. Pakistan launched its ‘Engage Africa’ policy in 2019...
Issue Brief on “FOCAC 2024 Summit: Deepening China-Africa Cooperation for Mutual Modernization”
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit was held in Beijing from 4-6 September 2024, marking a significant milestone in the enduring relationship between...