Life&Peace Institute

Promoting #peace through people-centred conflict transformation in #Ethiopia, #Kenya, #Somalia, #Sudan, #DRC and #Sweden. RTs are not endorsements.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

In partnership with the Biftu Bira for Humanitarian Organization, we have launched the first round of the 2026 community dialogue sessions across six kebeles in Robe Town, Oromia Region. Bringing together women, youth, community leaders, and religious leaders, the sessions create safe spaces for dialogue, mutual understanding, and joint problem-solving. The goal? To move beyond dialogue and into action - bridging divides, identifying causes of conflict, strengthening social cohesion, and promoting lasting peace, while ensuring communities take full ownership of their peacebuilding efforts.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

📢 Consultancy Opportunity | Horn of Africa Borderlands Research

The Life & Peace Institute (LPI) is seeking a consultant to conduct a comprehensive assessment of key policies, frameworks, and agreements shaping borderland governance, cross-border trade, mobility, peacebuilding, and regional integration in the Horn of Africa.

The study will explore how regional, continental, and national frameworks complement or overlap with one another, identify implementation gaps, and generate recommendations for more coherent and inclusive borderland governance.

We welcome applications from experienced researchers and policy experts with strong knowledge of regional integration, border governance, and peacebuilding in the Horn of Africa.

Learn more and apply before 3 July 2026: https://t.co/d4LTjp0IXl

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

As #EnPAx2026 enters its final days, we are excited to contribute to the conversation by presenting our research poster on “Policy and Practice on the Peace and Security Dynamics of Climate-Related Urban Migration in the Horn of Africa”
It is a privilege to share our work in a space where ideas are discussed, challenged, refined, and pushed towards action.
If you’re around, come by and let’s talk climate, mobility, and the future of resilience in the Horn of Africa.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

Sustained Dialogue Round-Off Event in Kismayo

On 16th June, Somali Youth Leaders (SYL), together with Somali Peace Line (SPL) and the Life & Peace Institute (LPI), successfully facilitated the Sustained Dialogue Round-Off Event in Kismayo, marking the completion of a seven-month dialogue process and youth-led action phase.

Through 15 dialogue groups, each comprising 12 young participants, a total of 180 youth (90 female and 90 male) actively engaged in structured dialogue sessions. The participants translated dialogue into action by developing 15 peace initiatives addressing key issues affecting youth and their communities. The initiative has also strengthened the capacity of young women and men as active peacebuilders and agents of positive change within their communities.

The project is funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) and targets 600 youth, with equal gender representation, across Kismayo, Baidoa, and Galkayo. It is implemented by the Life & Peace Institute (LPI) in partnership with Somali Peace Line (SPL) and three youth-led organizations (SYL, PDF, and SGRDO).

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

How can cities become safer and more resilient in the face of climate and environmental pressures?
Join us at EnPAx 2026 as our Regional Manager for the Horn of Africa Regional Programme, Martha, contributes to the panel discussion on Urban Environmental Peacebuilding.
We look forward to contributing insights from our work in the Horn of Africa and engaging with colleagues advancing research and practice in this important field. #EnPAx2026

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

#EnPAx2026 begins today in Ottawa
Our Executive Director, Judy McCallum, alongside the Life & Peace Institute's Horn of Africa Regional Programme is happy to join global partners in conversations on environmental peacebuilding. We look forward to a week of rich exchanges and collaboration.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

We’re heading to Ottawa!
Life & Peace Institute is pleased to be participating in the 4th International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding (EnPAx 2026). We will be sharing insights from our work on climate-related urban migration, contributing to conversations on how climate change, human mobility, and peacebuilding intersect in rapidly changing urban contexts. See you in Ottawa! #EnPAx2026 #EnvironmentalPeacebuilding #HornofAfrica

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

As the current “Sowing the Seeds of Peace in Ethiopia” programme approaches its conclusion at the end of this year, our Ethiopia Programme team and key partners came together last week for a three-day programme design workshop to reflect on achievements and lessons learned from the existing programme, while examining evolving contextual dynamics, peacebuilding priorities, and Ethiopia’s peacebuilding landscape to help shape the next phase of the programme. The workshop generated important reflections and identified emerging peacebuilding thematic areas, which will be further enriched through subsequent discussions and validation exercises. It also provided a valuable opportunity for LPI and its partners to further develop a shared vision for more impactful and context-responsive peacebuilding in Ethiopia.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

Building on the rich exchanges and reflections from DAY ONE, the TJ&R Cross-Cohort Learning & Knowledge Sharing Workshop concluded in Addis Ababa with a renewed commitment to regional collaboration and collective action on Transitional Justice & Reconciliation across the Horn of Africa.
Over the two-day workshop, civil society representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda shared experiences, practical lessons, and emerging priorities for advancing inclusive, victim- and community-centred TJ&R processes. Discussions also highlighted the importance of strengthening regional solidarity, amplifying affected communities’ voices, and fostering sustained engagement within national, regional, and global policy spaces.
A key milestone of the workshop was the formation of an interim gender balanced Horn of Africa Civil Society Platform on TJ&R, a collective initiative aimed at strengthening regional coordination, knowledge sharing, joint advocacy, and collaboration among civil society actors working on TJ&R issues across the region.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

DAY ONE of the TJ&R Cross-Cohort Learning & Knowledge Sharing Workshop brought together civil society representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda to exchange experiences and reflect on the opportunities and challenges shaping TJ&R efforts across the HoA.
Through panel discussions, plenary exchanges, and collaborative dialogue sessions, participants underscored the importance of TJ&R issues and explored approaches to strengthening inclusive and community-driven TJ&R processes, enhancing regional cooperation, and amplifying the voices of affected communities within national, regional and global policy spaces.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

#TransitionalJustice_Reconciliation #HornofAfrica #AUTJP

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

The HARP Regional Context Analysis research, endorsed by IGAD member states in April 2026, was presented for the first time following endorsement to Sida partners and EU stakeholders in Addis Ababa today. Participants engaged further with the findings and shared key insights to inform the HARP 3.0 implementation.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

Civil society actors, peacebuilding practitioners, and transitional justice experts from across the Horn of Africa will convene in Addis Ababa on 21–22 May 2026 for the Cross-Cohort Learning and Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation.
The regional workshop will create a platform for dialogue, peer learning, and collaboration among CSOs and CBOs working to advance inclusive, victim-centred, and context-responsive TJ&R processes across the region. Discussions will also contribute toward the operationalisation of a Regional Civil Society Platform on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation.

The initiative is jointly organised by the Life & Peace Institute, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, and Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.

[Life&Peace Institute @LPI_voices]

The recent reopening of the Forole Livestock Market in Moyale, Kenya on 11 May 2026 marks a major milestone in restoring livelihoods, strengthening cross-border trade, and promoting peaceful coexistence along the Forole–Magado corridor.

Closed since the 2022 election-related conflict and recurring inter-community clashes, the market’s reopening reflects the impact of sustained peacebuilding, dialogue, and security coordination efforts supported through our Mobility and Movement Project in collaboration with elders, peace committees, security actors, and local communities.

With the market now operating every Monday, communities can once again access a safer and more organized trading environment, helping revive household incomes, strengthen social cohesion, and improve accountability in livestock trade.

A strong reminder that peacebuilding works best when it restores both trust and livelihoods.

#CrossBorderTrade #Livelihoods #Resilience #HornOfAfrica