Regional conflicts and international engagement on the Horn of Africa

This report addresses the regional dimension to conflicts in the Horn of Africa. The paper seeks to draw out general conclusions about the nature of conflicts in the region, as well as about international engagement and the potential for addressing conflicts in a manner that takes into account the regional perspective.

The paper consists of a synthesis study and three case studies: the Gambella Conflict Formation; the Ethiopia–Eritrea Conflict; and IGAD and Regional Peace and Security.  By using case studies, the authors seek to give an overview of the relevant conflict dynamics (for the first two cases) and of the structures for and experiences of addressing peace and security issues in the case of IGAD (case number three). In all the case studies, the role of international actors is an important part of the description and analysis.

The paper makes the following general conclusions:

• the conflict-prone character of the region stems from the weaknesses and failures of its states in terms of integrating and providing tangible benefits to all the groups living within their borders
• the continued existence of significant population groups alienated from and marginalised within the state means that the conditions which give rise to and foment conflicts will also continue
• only an inclusive and necessarily long-term development process, capable of drawing these groups into the mainstream of the states, will be able to significantly change this condition
• most other conditions that exacerbate and prolong conflicts can also only be resolved in the long term through painstaking and uncertain processes of economic as well as political development
• individual conflict lines should be continually monitored and endeavoured to be defused and/or contained, to limit the entanglement in greater, regional or sub-regional webs
• when dealing with issues as politically sensitive as armed conflict, international actors must coordinate with and work on an understanding with the government in question
• among other things, important requirements for international actors include having a presence on both sides of the border, and understanding the conflict dynamics within their social contexts on both sides
• in addition, they also need to have flexibility, good communication channels across the border, and the ability to deal with any problems within the sectors that may prove to be relevant.