Border zones in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region are among the most analytically underserved and politically neglected spaces in the continent’s security landscape. They are frequently characterised by weak or contested state authority, cross-border armed movement, ethnic and clan tensions, transboundary resource disputes, and population displacement. Yet they are also spaces of significant social complexity, shaped by longstanding cross-border trade networks, pastoral communities whose livelihoods span state boundaries, inter-community relations built over generations, and local governance structures that exercise real authority in the absence of effective state institutions.

The Borderlands and Peacebuilding Program hence examines the border zones as strategic spaces for peacebuilding, where well-designed, context-sensitive interventions can reduce violence, strengthen local governance, and build the social foundations for durable stability. The program analyses the interaction between porous borders, armed movements, resource competition, migration and local governance, and develops policy responses grounded in the specific conditions of borderland communities. Through research, policy dialogue, reports, and decision-oriented briefs, the program advances integrated approaches that align border management with peacebuilding frameworks, inter-community dialogue, and long-term regional stability.