Regional Approaches for Sustainable Conflict Management and Integration

The shared border areas of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, also known as the Mandera Triangle, have experienced armed conflict, violent crime, extremist attacks, political instability, and state failure for years. The Regional Approaches for Sustainable Conflict Management and Integration (RASMI) project adopted a conflict systems-based approach to promote peacebuilding, conflict management, and conflict resolution capacity at the community and cross-border levels. It was part of the EU's program for Collaboration in the Cross-Border areas of the Horn of Africa. RASMI, which means “reliable” in Somali, targeted stakeholders in the Mandera Triangle who were most vulnerable to engaging in conflict, irregular migration, and recruitment into militias and terror groups. RASMI engaged local government agencies, women, religious leaders, security forces, and the private sector – those who have the greatest capacity for managing conflicts and promoting peace.