In his opening remarks, Nils Wörmer, Director of RP SIPODI, welcomed the participants and stressed that this study forms part of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s broader commitment to better understand conflict dynamics and support constructive political responses. He emphasised that KAS SIPODI does not act as a donor but as a cooperation partner dedicated to peace, dialogue, and social cohesion in the Horn of Africa. He further underlined that the participating researchers were best placed to present the key findings of the study, while KAS SIPODI’s role had primarily been to facilitate and support the research project.
Subsequently, Aden Omar Abdillahi, Director of IEPS, highlighted the significance of social research for informed decision-making. He also explained the steps that were taken to carry out the research and stressed the need for evidence-based policymaking which organizations like KAS enables.
Following this, Dr Heike Fuller, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Djibouti, emphasised the close cooperation between Germany and Djibouti and praised KAS SIPODI and its partners for their contributions to peace and security in the region.
Dr Abdoulkader Houssein Mohamed and Dr Zohra Mohamed Omar then presented the study’s findings. They explored the causes and dynamics of the conflicts, their historical and cultural roots, as well as their socio-economic implications. The objective was to illustrate how conflict prevention and social cohesion can be strengthened through a combination of traditional and modern approaches.
The subsequent Q&A session and discussion, moderated by Koffi Donatien Oda, Project Manager at KAS SIPODI, underscored the role of traditional institutions, civil society engagement, and regional cooperation. Several contributions highlighted the need for closer collaboration between research, politics, and local actors to develop sustainable community solutions.
The event concluded with a lunch, providing an opportunity for networking. Future initiatives aim to further deepen the dialogue between academia, politics, and society and to develop concrete strategies for peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development in Djibouti and the wider region.
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.