The HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), convened the Horn of Africa Security Dialogue 2026 under the theme “Navigating Regional Resilience and Security in an Era of Declining International Aid.” The Dialogue brought together a high-level and diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from government institutions, State Departments of Defence and Interior, ambassadors, diplomats, humanitarian actors, and leading regional and international think tanks. Notably, participants included representatives from the Embassies of South Korea, Sweden, Costa Rica, Eritrea, France, the European Union, and the Czech Republic, as well as institutions such as RUSI, Mashariki Research, and Life & Peace Institute, among others.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, who provided strategic insights into the region’s evolving security landscape, the limitations of traditional aid models, and the urgent need for African-led solutions grounded in sustainable financing and institutional resilience.
The Dialogue served as a critical platform for examining the structural shifts in the global aid architecture and their implications for peace operations, humanitarian response, and regional stability. Discussions were structured across high-level panels and plenary sessions focusing on peace operations amid funding cuts, conflict and displacement, the shrinking humanitarian space, and innovative approaches to domestic resource mobilization and regional security financing.
To read more on the discussions, key insights, and policy recommendations, please refer to the full conference report.
