The EU, the US and the international strategic dimension of Sub-Saharan Africa: peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa

The project is focused on the strategic significance of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the various international actors that have established a diversified and increasingly important presence in the region.
Run by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), with the support of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), the project is divided in two phases. The first phase will map the engagement of external stakeholders (namely Brazil, China, the Gulf countries, Turkey and the US) on peace, security and development in SSA, while also identifying means to improve the EU’s strategic relationship with the continent. The second phase is devoted to an analysis of the Horn of Africa as a specific regional case study, drawing on field research to complement the analysis.
The project foresees a number of individual publications and events aimed at discussing and disseminating the results of the research. Publications will include: five policy reports on the current engagement of external actors in the African continent; a policy report identifying a comprehensive Africa policy for the EU; and three policy papers on the Horn of Africa. In addition, an international conference will take place in Nairobi in December 2016 to present the overall results of the research and, in February 2017, the final policy paper will be presented to EU institutions and interested stakeholders during a workshop in Brussels.

Funding: FEPS, NDI, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.