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Peace and Stabilisation Programme 2023-2026

Denmark has a long-standing engagement with the Horn of Africa region. The first phase of Denmark’s Peace and Stabilisation Programme launched in 2011, and Denmark now commits to a new 4-year period of peace and stabilisation efforts in the region with a fourth phase of the programme. The new phase aims at supporting solutions for and mitigating instability, intersectionality of climate change, and conflict and insecurity within the region. The stability of the region continues to be an important priority for Denmark and its strategic partners.

Denmark's Peace and Stabilisation Programme for the Horn of Africa 2023-2026 covers Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya with a strong focus on the conflict in Somalia, recognising its consequences for the region. The Programme will contribute to address key challenges for the region as well as direct and indirect threats to Denmark's security, such as violent extremism and terrorism, maritime insecurity and transnational crime, climate-conflict links and irregular migration flows, with the overall objective:

  • To contribute to addressing the root causes of insecurity and instability in the Horn of Africa region, and help mitigate the consequences in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, and their destabilising impact on each other in an effort to improve personal security, peace and stability in the region.

The Programme will be guided by three principles:

1. Protecting the means of survival: Support efforts to address any immediate deficits to peacebuilding and peaceful political processes, including immediate security concerns.

2. Promoting and supporting a political process to reduce violence: Stabilisation must work to support and foster political deals and bargains among key conflict elites and actors.

3. Preparing a foundation for longer-term stability: A transitory activity contributing to the wider goal of creating the conditions for long-term stability.

A multipronged approach aimed at the national and sub national levels, linking communities, will be emphasised in the implementation of the Programme, designed to ensure inclusivity and sustainability.

The entire Peace and Stabilisation Programme for the Horn of Africa 2023-2026 is available here or read our two-pager here.                                                         

The Programme is part of the portfolio under the overall Danish Peace and Stabilisation Fund (PSF). Denmark established the PSF in 2010, with the aim to support stabilisation and promote peace in fragile and conflict-affected areas based on a "Whole-of-Government" approach. The PSF is an integral part of Denmark's Foreign and Security Policy and comprises both Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA resources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Justice.