Strategy to Prevent Violent Conflicts and Fragility in the Cross-Border Areas of Ethiopia and Kenya

Violent conflict and fragility are the major challenges in the cross-border areas of most African countries, especially on the cross-border areas of Ethiopia and Kenya. This vast and fragile cross-border area has been a herd of instability: remote from the respective centres (Nairobi and Addis Ababa). It is characterized by a poorly-developed physical infrastructure, human and armed trafficking, low literacy, and high poverty levels. All the development indices in this area are significantly lower than the national averages of Ethiopia and Kenya. Access to essential services such as clean water, adequate health facilities and electricity remains a challenge. Pastoralism is the dominant economic activity, and the main source of livelihood for most of the population in this cross-border area, which has been marked by violent conflict, marginalization and poverty. The result of these challenges is forced migration, fragility and long-term instability, which compound humanitarian and development situation. There is, therefore, a need for a comprehensive, multi-dimensional and integrated approach to these challenges. The Ethiopia-Kenya Cross-Border area-based and integrated Programme does exactly that.