The aim of holding this conference is to provide a platform for exchange, debate, and discussion about geopolitical issues and international affairs. The many speakers of different backgrounds and professions included partners from the RP SIPODI East Africa in the Horn of Africa region, coming from Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Djibouti, and Juba. In addition, a German delegation, consisting of policy advisors to Members of the German Federal Parliament as well as representatives of the KAS headquarters in Berlin, attended the event. This delegation took part in a dialogue programme to Eastern Africa including the participation in the KGC and a subsequent visit to Djibouti. The conference, held at Makerere University, was attended by several hundred students, government officials and other practitioners.
The opening remarks began with the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Umar Kakumba, PhD, who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. He was followed by the French Ambassador to Uganda, HE Xavier Sticker, who emphasised the shared belief in the values of the university in regard to fostering unity among nations. He raised pertinent questions about African contributions to the world and discussed topics like the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Africa and Nile water scarcity. Nils Wörmer, Director of the Regional Programme Security Dialogue for East Africa, highlighted the impact on the region of ongoing conflicts like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the recent terror attacks of Hamas against Israel, the ongoing war in Sudan, and the persisting instability in Ethiopia and Somalia. He stated that “the war in Europe and a possible major conflict in the Middle East will contribute to the challenges that are already apparent in Eastern Africa and might even fuel regional conflicts”, creating an uncertain outlook for the future. UN Women Country Representative, Paulina Chiwangu, underscored the importance of peace, sharing her personal experience from Baghdad and stressing on gender equality and digital inequality. Lastly, Eric Touzé, Director of Alliance Française de Kampala, finished off by speaking of the evolving role of language institutes and the significance of culture in geopolitics, introducing elements of poetry and digital art. The opening remarks concluded with a poem, adding an artistic touch to the event's intellectual discourse.
The first panel, organised by KAS, focused on the possible scenarios for Somalia and the region after the scheduled withdrawal of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Moderated by Dr Susanne Conrad, a Policy Advisor for Rule of Law and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa at the KAS headquarters in Berlin, the discussion highlighted the critical situation for the Somali government and its security forces in their latest major military campaign against al-Shabaab, launched in August 2022. The panellists, Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagle, former Commander of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), Samira Gaid, Regional Analyst with an extensive expertise on the Horn of Africa, and Selam Tadesse Demissie, Researcher for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Addis Ababa, emphasised the need to avoid repeating the mistakes made by Western countries in Afghanistan. They discussed al-Shabaab's military tactics, financial networks, and the necessity of international involvement in addressing security challenges. The withdrawal of foreign troops from Somalia was a key worriment, along with questions about if and how to achieve a transition by December 2024. Global power imbalances, a lack of regional leadership, and the (in)effectiveness of regional organisations like Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) were also highlighted as areas of concern. The panel concluded with a discussion with the participants, further exploring the complex challenges facing Somalia and the broader region.
The second KAS-panel of KGC 2023 took place on the day two of the conference and was moderated by Konstantin Krome, a Policy Advisor at the KAS headquarters in Berlin working on the German Armed Forces and Civil Affairs. This panel discussion addressed East Africa's role in the so-called “Indo Pacific Theatre” with regional experts including Ahmed Hadji, a Senior Fellow at the African Institute for Strategy and Policy, Mohamed Abdilahi Duale, Director General of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in Hargeisa, Abdullahi Hamud Mohamed, Executive Director of the Management Institute for National Development (MIND) Somalia, and Mohamed Abdoulkader Moussa, Director of the Institute of Diplomatic Studies in Djibouti. The discussion covered various aspects of the ongoing power struggles in the broader indo-pacific region, for instance the presence of multiple military bases in the Horn of Africa, and the various means of projecting influence by different Asian, Western and Middle Eastern countries. Questions about governments prioritising external interests over their citizens were raised and the region's critical economic and geographical significance was highlighted, as it contributes to a major amount of global trade and GDP. Additionally, some East African countries' strategic positioning amid the rivalry between China and the United States was discussed, along with concerns about resource exploitation and the necessity for maritime security. The panel generated questions regarding alignment, resource management, and the need for a common policy or strategy for the Indo-Pacific Theatre.
The remaining panels organised by other partners delved into diverse topics, including the challenges and opportunities presented by the youthful and expanding population in Eastern Africa, water governance and its link to peace and democracy, digital disparities, and leadership challenges. The event showcased a wide range of subjects for discussion. To conclude the conference, closing remarks by Janyce Obrecht, First Counsellor at the French Embassy to Uganda, and Gregory Meyer, Project Manager at the KAS RP SIPODI East Africa were delivered. The conference ended with a cocktail reception and live music, organised by the Alliance Française.
On the evening of the first conference day, the KAS Regional Programme organised a closed-door event under Chatham House rules for its partners from Uganda and the guests from the countries of the Horn of Africa.
About this series
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, its educational institutions, centres and foreign offices, offer several thousand events on various subjects each year. We provide up to date and exclusive reports on selected conferences, events and symposia at www.kas.de. In addition to a summary of the contents, you can also find additional material such as pictures, speeches, videos or audio clips.