The Horn of Africa and the US-Israel-Iran War: An Opportunity for a Strategic Reset? This piece is published under the platform of HCD’s Horn Policy Reference Group, established to catalyze policy conversation on pertinent regional issues by renowned experts from the HoA. The war between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the US, and Israel has produced significant impacts on the…
Sudan’s War as a Turning Point: The Decline of Military Power and the Reordering of State–Society Relations The military, specifically the Sudan Armed Forces, has long functioned as a central political institution in Sudan, viewing itself as the guardian of the state and consequently intervening repeatedly in governance, most notably through recurrent coups. Acting independently, and at times in coordination…
On April 29, 2026, with both virtual and in-person participation, HCD launched the Horn Policy Reference Group, a pool of regional experts convened to deliberate on pressing situational and structural issues affecting the Horn of Africa. The group is tasked with researching and deliberating on these issues and producing actionable policy outputs, which will be disseminated through HCD’s blog Horn…
As part of its ongoing project to promote women’s participation in mediation processes in the Horn of Africa, HCD, in partnership with the Agency for Peacebuilding (AP) and the Muslim Women Advancement of Rights and Protection (MWARP), hosted the third webinar in its series titled “Women at the Peace Table: Regional Learning, Solidarity, and Advocacy in the Horn of Africa.”…
The Horn Center for Democracy (HCD) joined the Agency for Peacebuilding (AP) and the Muslim Women Advancement of Rights and Protection (MWARP) for a training held in Mombasa, Kenya. The two-day training brought together women mediators and peacebuilders from the Horn of Africa platform established in April 2025, for experience sharing, learning, and reflection. Participants who have served at mediation…
Geopolitics in Motion: External Interventions in the Horn of Africa (HoA) and the Escalation of Conflict in Sudan The Horn of Africa (HoA) occupies a pivotal position in global geopolitics and geoeconomics due to its proximity to critical maritime checkpoints and passways such as the Bab el-Mandab Strait and the Suez Canal, which connect the Middle East and Europe. Situated…
Deputy Director-General(s) Fassikaw Molla and Mesfin Muluneh, along with their Head of Partnerships, visited HCD’s office. During the visit, HCD presented its organizational strategy, multi-year program strategy, as well as its finance and MEAL frameworks. Discussions focused on HCD’s regional engagements and explored potential partnerships to support the capacity building of local organizations in program implementation, operations, and partnerships. HCD…
HCD in collaboration with AP and MWARP hosted a regional webinar titled “Navigating Regional Peace Architectures: AU and IGAD Mechanisms for Women in Mediation and Peacebuilding.” Held on the margins of the African Union Summit, the event brought together peace practitioners, regional experts, and partner organizations to discuss practical ways to strengthen women’s engagement in regional peace and mediation processes in the Horn of Africa.
Beyond the wars, conflicts, insecurity, famine, and recurring droughts that have long defined the Horn of Africa, the region is equally notable as the birthplace of the world’s youngest states. The Horn of Africa introduced two new polities to the international system within just four decades: Eritrea in 1991/93 and South Sudan in 2011, and potentially a third, Somaliland, following Israel’s recognition in December 2025, the first such recognition from a UN member state. While simultaneously rappling with numerous other attempts at state formation and secessionist movements, Israel’s recognition highlights the unsettled nature of state-building in the region.
HCD conducted an internal grant launch event at its office in Addis Ababa to formally inaugurate its new grant and align staff and research associates around the organization’s five-year strategic direction, operational systems, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework. The session was moderated by Executive Director Frew Demeke and brought together HCD staff and research associates to reflect…
