On 23 August, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) hosted Ambassador Mike Hammer, United States Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa. Ambassador Hammer participated in both a briefing on SIPRI’s work on the Horn of Africa and a closed roundtable discussion on climate, peace and security challenges in the region.
The roundtable discussion was led by SIPRI’s Climate Change and Risk Programme and was attended by SIPRI Researchers as well as counterparts from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Folke Bernadotte Academy and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
During the roundtable, participants underscored the difficulty of translating policy into practical action, emphasized the necessity for improved coordination across the humanitarian–development–peace nexus, and stressed the integration of climate adaptation into strategies for peacebuilding and security. The conversation highlighted the interplay between technical and political components in addressing concerns such as water security and capacity enhancement in Africa and by the African Union (AU).
The Ambassador also took part in a SIPRI Spotlight interview where he discussed security challenges in the Horn of Africa and the need for cooperation. He highlighted the role of the USA to support regional institutions like the AU and, while acknowledging the complexity of these issues, expressed hope that regional leaders would prioritize dialogue over prolonged conflict.
About SIPRI’s work on Climate Change and Risk
SIPRI’s work on climate change and risk provides reliable insights on how climate-related security risks evolve and how they are interlinked and interact with different social, political and economic processes. SIPRI researchers also analyse how different policy organizations are responding to these risks and provide advice on conflict-sensitive adaptation, mitigation strategies and how international efforts for sustaining peace can be achieved.
Click here to read more about SIPRI’s work on Climate Change and Risk