CEWARN convened a review meeting of its 2021-2025 Strategy document on 2-3 November in Adama town, Ethiopia. The strategy and its accompanying implementation plan is aimed at positioning CEWARN as a mechanism adaptable to fast evolving and highly complex human security challenges in the IGAD region. 

The meeting was attended by  heads of national Conflict Early Warning and Response Units (CEWERUs);representatives of CEWARN partners and civil society organisations.  

In his opening remarks at the meeting, CEWARN Director Mr. Camlus Omogo stated that  the CEWARN 2021-2025 strategy and its implementation plan is mainly intended to strengthen the IGAD region’s conflict early warning and response capacity as well as capacity of national structures to respond to violent conflicts and crises. 

The IGAD peace and security Division Director Hon. Siraj Fegessa on this part said the CEWARN 2021-2025 amplifies aspects of the IGAD peace and security strategy pertaining to boosting conflict early warning and conflict prevention capabilities.   

The CEWARN  2021-2025 strategy framework and its implementation plan focuses on four areas:  

• Dissemination and utilisation of high-quality early warning analysis bymember state decision makers;  
• Strengthening national & regional conflict early warning operationalcapacities; 
• Strengthening regional/ national conflict early response systems andstructures; as well as  
• Strengthening CEWARN research capabilities and knowledge management.  

During the meeting,  heads of nat’l conflict early warning and response Units (CEWERUs)andrepresentatives of partners & CSOs also reviewed a results framework and anM&E matrix for the CEWARN strategy implementation plan 2021-2025. 

CEWARN Public Relations and Communications Officer Ms. Tigist Hailu represented CEWARN at a seminar with faculty and students of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies in the University of Denver on 9 November 2022. The event was organised at the invitation of the Africa Center of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies that has a strong interest in African International Relations and preventive diplomacy efforts. 

The Seminar’s key theme was CEWARN’s latest book, titled: “Conflict Early Warning in the Horn: CEWARN’s journey.” Ms. Hailu presented reflections and key lessons from the book that comprehensively documents IGAD’s work in conflict prevention through data-based early warning and preventive diplomacy in the greater horn of Africa region.  

Ms. Hailu also held a session with a graduating class on IGAD’s efforts in promoting peace and security as well as its collaboration with the African Union’s relevant organs as well as those of the United Nations in conflict prevention. 

She also met and deliberated on areas for continued collaboration with the Dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies Dr. Frederick Mayer. In addition, she held similar discussions on a collaboration arrangement with the Africa Centre Director Ms. Abigael Kabandula. The areas identified for collaboration are joint research; internship/research fellowship programmes for post-graduate students conducting research on peace and security matters of concern to the IGAD region as well as the staging of learning events on regional peace and security themes.  

In addition, CEWARN Director Mr. Camlus Omogo and CEWARN Public Relations and Communications officer attended the 65th African Studies Association’s annual meeting from 17- 19 November in Philadelphia, USA. The event is the largest global gathering of scholars and practitioners researching and/or working on African issues. 

CEWARN was invited to convene a roundtable session on 17 November. Mr. Omogo hosted the session and presented the mechanism’s conflict early warning and Peace building work as well as its latest book, “Conflict Early Warning in the Horn: CEWARN’s Journey”.  

He also facilitated a discussion around pertinent issues including on measuring the efficacy of early warning systems; engagement with decision-makers; adaptability of conflict early warning to the increasing complexity of crises as well as strengthening response capacities of national and sub-national institutions. 

The roundtable drew together a mix of researchers and international relations students;peace and security practitioners as well as diplomats with an interest in peace nad security issues in Africa and the IGAD region.  

The two engagements were planned as part of CEWARN’s dissemination and engagement plans around its latest book that contains lessons from the mechanism journey that are applicable to conflict prevention efforts in other regions.  

The mission had increased the visibility of IGAD’s work in conflict prevention and more broadly on peace and security promotion. It has also expanded CEWARN’s networks of engagement and enabled connections with potential strategic partners including various US academic institutions and peace advocacy organisations. 

IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN) hosted its second bi-annual Rapid Response Fund Steering Committee Meeting in Adama town in Ethiopia on 31 October 2022. The meeting brought together heads of national Conflict Early Warning and Response Units (CEWERUs), civil society organizations and development partners.

The main agenda of the 12^th RRF Steering Committee Meeting  was to review the status of on-going rapid response projects implemented by civil society organizations in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. In addition, national CEWERU heads presented status report of on-going projects to the meeting, highlighting challenges and lessons learnt in their respective member states.

Subsequently, the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) Steering Committee approved a second set of 17 regular project proposals worth Euro 563,000 from across all Member States. The areas of focus of the response projects that will receive RRF funding includes peacebuilding, mediation, strengthening existing peace structures, women and youth inclusion in peace processes as well as facilitation of equitable resource sharing. These projects are expected to end by March 2023.

The Steering committee stressed on the importance of visibility of response projects and recommended that implementing agencies utilize all available communications channels to ensure better visibility of projects. Joint field visits to project sites organized by the  CEWARN Unit, national CEWERUs as well as development partners are planned for mid-November and December 2022.

The RRF is a basket fund established to support conflict prevention, management and resolution (CPMR) efforts in Member States as well as to support response capacity of government and non-government structures at national and sub-national levels.

The principal CEWARN partners that contribute to the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) are Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the governments of Netherlands and Sweden as well as the European Union through the IGAD Promoting Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa Region (IPPSHAR) program.

CEWARN Director Mr. Camlus Omogo took part in a seminar convened by the Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia Dr. Catherine Sozi, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace on 21 September 2022.

The event that brought together Heads of UN agencies in Ethiopia, representatives of civil society organisations, youth and women networks and other stakeholders was held under the theme, “promoting the culture of peace.”

The seminar opened with remarks by the UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator, Dr Catherine Sozi, the UNESCO Representative in Addis Ababa Dr. Rita Bissoonauth and the video message of the United Nations Secretary General, H.E António Guterres for the International Day of Peace. The opening session was followed by ‘peace songs’ and a video on “students’ perspective on peace.

CEWARN Director, Mr Camlus Omogo who was part of a panel that followed the official opening spoke on IGAD’s contributions to regional peace building and promoting the culture of peace. In his presentation, he highlighted the need for joining efforts and strengthening partnerships to better address the multifaceted and interlinked threats that the region is facing.

The Panel discussion session covered topics such as the role of education and youth in peace building, promoting digital media in countering hate speech and misinformation, as well as women participation and regional perspectives in building the culture of peace.

The seminar has ended with some key notes and recommendations on promoting the culture of peace at policy and community levels; digital media literacy to avoid hate speech, increase women involvement in peace initiatives, promoting the culture of volunteerism to break barriers, and promote education on peace in learning curriculums.

On the margin of the seminar, CEWARN Director had the opportunity to present the Book on CEWARN two decades of the mechanism’s operations titled “Conflict early warning in the horn: CEWARN’s journey” to Dr Catherine Sozi who appreciated the accomplishment of CEWARN and assured the support of her office to the regional mechanism.

CEWARN is currently supporting twelve Rapid Response Fund (RRF) projects with a combined worth of Euro 371,522 targeting six IGAD Member States. The projects are intended to support short-medium term conflict prevention initiatives across the seven IGAD Member States of IGAD, namely, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda.

Following a rigorous review and approval of these proposals for funding, CEWARN has signed grant agreements with national conflict early warning and response units in these countries that oversee the implementation of these projects. Refer to attached matrix for further detail on these projects.

The European Union (EU) is the main contributor of RRF funds. The European Union and the Austrian Development Agency supported the organization of the signing ceremony through the IGAD Promoting Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa Region (IPPSHAR) Programme.

IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN) hosted a grant agreement signing ceremony for its national conflict early warning response units (CEWERUs) in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda on 25th July in Adama, Ethiopia.

Grant agreements for twelve projects with a combined worth of Euro 371,522 targeting six IGAD Member States were signed in the presence of the CEWARN Director Camlus Omogo, representative of the Austrian Development Agency Mr John Auma and Head of Ethiopia’s National Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit (CEWERU) Mr Sebsibe Bade. Heads of National CEWERUs of IGAD member states, Financial Administration Units (FAUs) that were constituted to manage grants as well as implementing agencies were also in attendance of the event.

IGAD’s Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN), Interpeace and FAO completed a joint study on the interaction among violent conflict, food security, climate change, migration and displacement factors in the Karamoja Cluster. The study which was presented to a technical workshop in Entebbe on 28-30 June, is intended to inform interventions that holistically address the region’s human security challenges.

The Karamoja Cluster that straddles the border areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda has a population of 4.5 million people. The Pastoral and Agro-pastoral livelihoods of its inhabitants are increasingly under pressure due to population growth, urbanisation, resource competition and climate variability.

The study presents a comprehensive mapping of conflict hotspots and institutional and policy obstacles to peace and development programme interventions in the Cluster. The study further reveals the complexity of human security dynamics in the cluster and significant local variations, as well as poor coordination among actors, programmes and investments. In addition, investments have been spread thin in a large number of short-term interventions with limited impact.

CEWARN held a virtual meeting of the 11 th Rapid Response Fund Steering Committee attended by CEWERU Heads, Civil Society Organizations as well as development partners on 11 th May 2022.

The 11 th RRF Steering Committee convened to discuss, review and approve first rounds regular projects to be implemented by selected civil society organizations called “implementing agencies” in IGAD Member States. 12 Regular projects worth USD 450K from across all member states have been approved by the Committee that are essentially peace building activities and among them, peace dialogues initiatives, inter-communal mediation, promoting social cohesion, cultural and sport tournament for peace, strengthening local peace committees as well as empowering girls and women in peace committees. Additionally, some member states – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda- have already received emergency funds that support urgent interventions. Given the time limit of projects, it has been recommended to member states to speed up implementation of activities.

The RRF was established to support conflict prevention, management and resolution (CPMR) efforts in Member States as well as to support to support response capacity of government and non-government structures at national and sub-national levels.

The funds were obtained through contributions from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the governments of Netherlands and Sweden as well as the European Union through the IGAD Promoting Peace and Stability in the Horn of Africa Region (IPPSHAR) program.