This intensive five-day programme equips diplomatic mission staff with the analytical tools, historical context, and operational knowledge to promote mutually beneficial relations and serve their nations’ interests effectively across one of the world’s most strategically complex regions – the the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region. Spanning across Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and the DRC, the region is shaped by deep civilizational histories, colonial legacies, post-independence state-building struggles, and fierce competition over resources, trade corridors, and geopolitical influence

Participants will develop a nuanced understanding of inter-state dynamics, security architectures, economic opportunities, diaspora politics, and the interests of external powers — from the Gulf States and China to the EU and the United States. The course balances strategic theory with practical tradecraft, including stakeholder mapping, crisis communication, and the protection of commercial and citizen interests in volatile environments