Managing the New External Security Politics of the Horn of Africa Region

The Horn of Africa is undergoing far-reaching changes in its external security environment. A wide variety of international security actors— from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, the Gulf and Asia—are currently operating in the region. As a result, the Horn of Africa has experienced a proliferation of foreign military bases and a build-up of naval forces. The external militarization of the Horn poses major questions for the future security and stability of the region. 

This SIPRI Policy Brief is the third of three papers devoted to the new external security politics of the Horn of Africa. The paper highlights how the growth of foreign military forces in the Horn is transforming the region as a security space, and identifies priorities to help the countries of the Horn to manage the new external security dynamics. The other two papers in this series are ‘The Foreign Military Presence in the Horn of Africa Region’ (SIPRI Background Paper, April 2019) and ‘The New External Security Politics of the Horn of Africa Region’ (SIPRI Insights on Peace and Security, April 2019).