The report is a collaboration between UNDP’s two regional Bureaus - Africa and the Arab States. Focusing on the eight countries in the Horn – Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda – it enables looking beyond national frontiers to consider broader structural problems and their root causes. The report acknowledges the severity of prevailing challenges in the Horn of Africa, such as destructive conflicts which erupted in parts of the region even while the research was ongoing. We have chosen however, to focus on possibilities for changing the narrative - from one which emphasizes present challenges, to one that recognizes future opportunities.

The sub-regional human development report, “Enhancing Prospects for Human Development through Regional Integration,” considers strengthening regional cooperation as key to enhancing the ability of countries in the Horn of Africa to leverage resources and address common challenges. The report shows how regional integration can significantly increase growth, resilience and stability in the sub-region, accelerating human development and expanding opportunities, especially for the region’s young population.

The report proposes taking concrete steps towards trade liberalization and expansion within the subregion, increasing collaborative management of natural resources and strengthening water, energy and food linkages, as well as adopting measures that can strengthen governance and peace.