Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — May 19, 2026 | Horn News Hub
A new regional initiative known as the Jigjiga Forum has officially been launched in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, with organizers describing it as a long term platform aimed at strengthening dialogue, strategic coordination, and peacebuilding efforts across the Horn of Africa.
The declaration establishing the Forum was adopted on Monday in Jigjiga during a gathering of regional stakeholders, institutions, academics, civil society representatives, media actors, and development partners.
According to the founding declaration, the Forum seeks to create a permanent and structured space where governments, regional organizations, research institutions, community groups, and other actors can engage on issues affecting the Horn of Africa. These include conflict prevention, migration, economic cooperation, climate related pressures, borderland governance, and geopolitical competition.
The initiative comes at a time when the Horn of Africa continues to face overlapping political and security challenges. Several countries in the region are navigating internal political transitions, economic difficulties, climate shocks, displacement crises, and tensions linked to cross border conflicts.
The declaration argues that fragmented responses have often limited the effectiveness of regional interventions. It states that sustainable solutions require coordinated dialogue, regional ownership, evidence based policy engagement, and stronger institutional cooperation.
Organizers also presented Jigjiga as a strategic location for such an initiative, citing the city’s geographic and cultural links with neighboring countries in the Horn. The declaration describes the city as a bridge between local community realities and wider regional policy processes.
Under the agreement, the Jigjiga Forum will function as a permanent partnership platform focused on regional dialogue, policy coordination, research, and public engagement. The headquarters of the initiative will be based in Jigjiga.
The Secretariat role has been assigned to the CRPP Horn of Africa Regional Office, which will coordinate meetings, consultations, policy discussions, research activities, documentation, and communication among partners.
The Forum’s objectives include promoting conflict prevention, strengthening trust among regional actors, supporting evidence based policymaking, and encouraging regional ownership of peace and development agendas.
The declaration emphasizes that the Forum is not intended to replace existing regional or continental institutions, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Instead, it aims to complement and strengthen ongoing regional efforts through dialogue and coordination.
Among the core areas identified for engagement are peace and security, migration and displacement, cross border trade, climate resilience, youth participation, women’s inclusion, regional diplomacy, and media engagement.
The Forum plans to carry out its work through annual regional conferences, expert consultations, policy roundtables, community dialogue sessions, research publications, and follow up meetings with relevant institutions.
Analysts say the launch reflects a growing recognition within the region that many of the Horn’s challenges are interconnected and require collective approaches rather than isolated national responses.
At the same time, observers note that the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on whether it can maintain neutrality, secure broad participation, and translate discussions into practical regional cooperation.
The Horn of Africa has seen several regional dialogue initiatives over the years, though many struggled with sustainability, political divisions, or limited implementation capacity. The Jigjiga Forum’s founders argue that their model seeks to bridge the gap between policy discussions and community realities while building stronger institutional continuity.
The declaration concluded with signatories pledging to work together in “good faith, mutual respect, professionalism, and shared responsibility” to support a more peaceful and coordinated Horn of Africa.
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