The Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region are among the world’s most conflict-intensive geographies. Protracted civil wars, interstate rivalries, fragile political transitions, displacement crises, and the proliferation of armed non-state actors have defined the security landscape for decades. At the same time, the region has produced important examples of peace negotiation, regional cooperation, and community-driven reconciliation that deserve as much analytical attention as the conflicts themselves.

The Horn of Africa Regional Peace and Security Program (HARPS) is the HORN Institute’s principal platform for research and policy engagement on the causes, dynamics, and resolution of conflict across this region. The program examines drivers of instability in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, including interstate rivalries and resource competition, internal political fragmentation and governance failure, violent extremism, and transnational security threats, with particular attention to their regional dimensions and implications for stability. It is equally attentive to the conditions, institutions, and processes that enable peace.

Through policy briefs, expert dialogues, and advisory outputs, the program engages governments, regional organizations, civil society, and international partners to strengthen the evidence base for effective peace and security interventions. The goal of the program is to promote context-sensitive and forward-looking approaches to conflict prevention, management, and resolution. It aims to support sustainable peace by enhancing regional cooperation, strengthening security governance, and advancing inclusive peace processes as foundations for long-term stability and development.