EU Digital Push for Kenya: President William Ruto secured €102m (Sh15.37bn) under the EU-Kenya Digital Partnership to expand connectivity, digital innovation, and jobs, plus €37m (Sh5.58bn) to extend the Blue Raman submarine cable linking Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania—aimed at lowering bandwidth costs and boosting regional connectivity. Value Addition Call: In Brussels, Ruto urged Belgian investors to stop exporting raw materials and instead build local manufacturing and mineral processing in Kenya using clean geothermal power, aligning with Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and EU-Kenya trade access. Djibouti-Ethiopia Corridor Reality: A new look at the corridor stresses how Djibouti’s port economy is tightly tied to Ethiopian transit—port activity is a major share of Djibouti’s GDP, with most Ethiopian trade routed through Djibouti. Undersea Security Focus: A report on undersea infrastructure defense highlights growing interest in protecting cables and seabed systems, with regional implications for East Africa’s connectivity routes. Weather Watch: The WMO warns El Niño is likely to develop (80% chance) and could bring hotter conditions and shifting rainfall patterns across eastern and southern Africa.