Placing Local Voices at the Centre of Regional Peacekeeping Conversations

Bridge the Gap

The call for inclusivity, local ownership and meaningful community engagement in peacekeeping and conflict resolution efforts has grown louder in recent years. The principles of leveraging local knowledge and attending to local context have gained increasing prominence, at least at the policy level. However, despite the consensus around the need to build a bottom-up approach that is anchored in and responsive to local needs, translating these principles into practice is an ongoing challenge. More often than not, conflict-affected communities and grassroots civil society organisations struggle to access effective channels to influence and inform peacebuilding initiatives at national, continental, and international levels. Their insights, however accurate and timely, remain underutilised.

It is with this disconnect in mind, between the policymaking process and the realities and urgent demands of communities on the ground, that the Horn of Africa Regional Programme (HARP) at the Life & Peace Institute (LPI) took the initiative to bridge the gap by creating a formal space for civil society and community-based organisations (CBOs) to constructively engage in the recent regional policy dialogue.

About the Horn Dialogue Series IV

The Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA), an Ethiopian government affiliated think tank specialising in foreign policy, in collaboration with LPI and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), convened the Horn Dialogue Series IV under the theme: “Navigating Peacekeeping Operations with an African Reality: Looking Beyond 2025.” The dialogue was the fourth in a series of annual policy conferences that dates back to 2022. The two-day forum brought together policymakers, diplomats, researchers, peacebuilding practitioners and, critically, representatives of local civil society and CBOs working along the frontlines of transitional justice, reconciliation, and cross-border peace initiatives.

Global Peacekeeping Operations at the Crossroad

Once a signature response to conflict, multilateral peacekeeping operations are facing growing scepticism and being fundamentally reshaped by the complex security environment, driven by a proliferation of non-state actors, increasingly asymmetric threats stemming from rapidly advancing technologies, and rising geopolitical tensions. These factors have strained the UN’s peacekeeping architecture, with some observers proclaiming: “the era of multilateral peacekeeping draws to an unhappy close.” The UN has mandated no new peacekeeping operations since 2014.

The 4th round of Horn Dialogue was convened to unpack the uncertain future of peacekeeping operations across the African continent and situate them within the context and realities of the changing global order. Exploring ways to design and structure more effective and efficient peacekeeping operations on the continent in the coming decades and interrogating the interface between the critical roles of host nations, local communities and peacekeeping operations have also been among the main objectives of the dialogue.

The dialogue examined both the challenges and opportunities associated with peacekeeping operations in Africa, with particular attention to the Horn of Africa. Discussions were grounded in both normative considerations, such as principles of sovereignty, legitimacy, and regional responsibility and practical realities, including operational capacity, financing, and coordination among stakeholders. In light of the changing global order and the evolving role of regional and sub-regional actors, participants agreed on the need to reassess and redefine the role, potential, and limitations of peacekeeping operations in Africa. While some emphasised that financing remains one of the most pressing challenges that must be addressed, others considered the financing debate a red herring, arguing instead that political willingness is the decisive factor. Additionally, participants highlighted the influence of emerging technologies, from drones to disinformation campaigns and artificial intelligence (AI), indicating that these developments are reshaping the nature of conflict and, by extension, the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.

A central theme reiterated across sessions was the imperative of advancing “African problems to African solutions, with African finance and African leadership.” Yet, despite its importance, this principle should not be seen in a vacuum as “African problems” are indeed structurally global. In the same vein, one needs to take extra caution in defining what exactly constitutes an “African Leadership”. Because it is all too common for people to conflate state elite dispensation with grassroot civil society, women and youth driven peace initiatives. Far beyond the involvement of political elites, the very essence of “African Leadership” requires localised ownership in the design, implementation, and sustainability of peacekeeping interventions on the continent.

People-centered Approach of Peacebuilding

The limits of peacekeeping, especially in the Horn of Africa context, have been, and continue to be, defined by mandates of UN or AU missions and regional political dynamics. Yet, it is worth emphasising that the real possibilities to make or keep peace lie in the spaces we protect, the platforms we provide, the voices we amplify, and the diligent work we refuse to abandon even when progress is slow.

“Inclusion is not just a strategy, it's a responsibility, and I believe that we should uphold that every step of the way.” Stella Sabiiti, Co-founder of the Center for Conflict Resolution (CECORE), UN Women Advisor to the AU in establishing FemWise-Africa.

LPI facilitated an all-women session on the role of host nations, local ownership, and community engagement, signifying the indispensable role of marginalised and underrepresented groups in consolidating peace and shaping peacekeeping outcomes.

By intentionally creating space for grassroots actors, LPI underscored a fundamental truth that has long guided its programmatic approach: sustainable peace in the Horn of Africa cannot be imagined, let alone realised, without the voices, agency, and leadership of communities directly affected by conflict. The dialogue thus served as both a reflection platform and an affirmation of the essential role local organisations play in shaping peacekeeping models that resonate with African realities.

“Without the proactive role of host nations, local ownership, and meaningful community engagement, any peacekeeping mission risks losing its legitimacy and effectiveness and ultimately becomes unsustainable.” Helga A. Akao, Ugandan lawyer, Founder and Managing Director of Restore Dialogue Uganda (RDU)

What is clear from the Horn Dialogue is that advancing peace and stability can only progress if it is anchored in the lived experience of local communities. The needs and aspirations of various stakeholders cannot be subsumed by political gridlock. This is why LPI continues our support for a people-centered approach to peacebuilding, ensuring communities are informed, included, meaningfully engaged and heard – not just symbolically but structurally. All too often, peacekeeping operations are framed narrowly as part of a post-conflict reconstruction strategy aimed primarily at preventing the recurrence of violence. However, their underlying purpose extends far beyond this. A more comprehensive and integrated approach to peacekeeping encompasses a wide range of political, humanitarian, and security programmes designed to prevent conflict from occurring in the first place.

This sentiment was echoed by Edomgenet Kebere, Programme Coordinator at the Advocacy Center for Democracy and Development (ACDD). She emphasised:

“Peacekeeping operations need to go beyond short-term security measures, and incorporate long-term peacebuilding initiatives such as transitional justice, inter-communal mediation, and community dialogues that address the root causes of violent conflicts.”

The Horn Dialogue Series IV reaffirms that when we place faith in local leadership and support communities in defining their own path forward, we can unlock something far more sustainable than any externally driven peace process.