Research Security In The Horn of Africa

Andrew Cleary and Martine Zeuthen, Director and Head of PDE, respectively, are in East Africa for the first half of July on a research project to better understand international security interventions in the Horn of Africa. Integrity is working with the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation (CGCC), the Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) and the Observatory of Conflict and Violence Prevention (OCVP) to undertake qualitative research with leading international NGOs and UN agencies in Kenya (Nairobi and Mombasa) and Somaliland (Hargeisa).

Presently, Martine and Andrew are in Hargeisa, where they have just completed a series of focus groups with men and women from across Somaliland. The focus groups aimed to better understand locals’ perceptions of international organisations, as well as what ‘safety and security’ means in a context where instability has been an integral part of the everyday life for generations. The research Integrity is conducting in the Horn of Africa under this programme will be used to inform a larger study and report conducted by CGCC on how international organisations can better engage in East Africa to prevent the emergence of violent extremism.