The Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University (AAU), which serves as the Secretariat of Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, is pleased to present a collection of policy briefs to inform discussions at the 8th Tana Forum. This year’s theme is “Political Dynamics in the Horn of Africa: Nurturing the Emerging Peace Trends”. Over the course of 2018, emerging political and security dynamics have brought about a new wave of hope in the Horn of Africa (HoA). Improved diplomatic relations between and among the countries of the region, including between Eritrea and Ethiopia; Eritrea and Djibouti as well as Eritrea and Somalia have ignited a renewed momentum for
peace with the prospect of spill-over effects occurring beyond the region. To effectively reap the peace dividends from the renewed rapprochement, it is imperative that countries of the Horn and other relevant stakeholders, particularly the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU), understand the complexity of regional dynamics in order to devise a comprehensive strategy to build on progress and sustain the gains made thus far. This collection of policy briefs seeks to contribute insights on the evolving political dynamics in the region, as well as provide policy recommendations to best nurture the emerging peace trends to sustainably resolve the political, economic and security challenges in the sub-region. It is my firm belief that this publication will contribute to knowledge generation on the theme and serve as a useful reference for researchers, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders in the region and beyond.
