The Horn of Africa has become a hot spot for rapidly evolving geopolitical rivalries of the multipolar world. At the same time, the region continues to face serious local and regional peace and security challenges. Nowhere is this more evident than in Sudan, where a brutal war has raged for over two years. Although the roots of the conflict lie firmly in Sudan’s own power struggles and deeply entrenched legacies of conflict and violence, the war has become highly regionalised and internationalised; both main armed parties reportedly receive significant backing from external state actors, including military support.
Despite its devastating impact, the war in Sudan continues to receive inadequate international attention. The discussion is largely dominated by the devastating and urgent humanitarian catastrophe, with the historically built and current political drivers of the conflict receiving little attention. While humanitarian assistance is vital and must be safeguarded, relief alone cannot resolve the crisis. Lasting progress in alleviating the humanitarian situation and bringing an end to the civilian victimisation requires addressing the deeply political nature of the war: rooted in both Sudan’s internal dynamics but by now driven equally by the wider regional and international political, security and economic power struggles.
This seminar seeks to address the multifaceted and internationalised dimensions of the Sudan conflict within the broader Horn of Africa context. Discussions will address the key internal, regional, and systemic drivers of the conflict, with the aim of identifying entry points for constructive action. To this end, the seminar brings together leading Sudanese experts and international actors working in and on the Horn of Africa and Sudan. A panel discussion will pay particular attention to how international actors, such as the European Union (EU), can better support Sudanese actors in their relief and peace efforts on the ground. A central theme will be how to connect these local, bottom-up efforts with the regional and systemic (geopolitical and geoeconomic) dynamics that shape the conflict’s trajectory and the prospects of regional peace and security.
Programme
Welcome words
Juha Jokela, Programme Director, FIIA
Opening remarks
Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Keynote address
Ambassador Mohammed Belaiche, Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson in Sudan
Panel discussion
Speakers
Kholood Khair, Director, Confluence Advisory
Hamid Khalafallah, Doctoral Researcher, Manchester University
Jonas Jonsson, Head of Division, Horn of Africa, East Africa, European External Action Service (EEAS)
Comments
Pekka Haavisto, Member of Parliament
Moderator
Katariina Mustasilta, Senior Research Fellow, FIIA
Closing words
Matthias Wevelsiep, Director, Programme and Operations, The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers
The seminar is organised in cooperation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and the Finn Church Aid/Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers.