The institute
About RAAD
An independent, African-led research and policy institute specialising in peace, conflict, security, governance, development, environment, climate change and geopolitics across the East and Horn of Africa.
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Research programmes
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Researchers & fellows
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Institutional partners
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Publications
Who we are
Our approach and analytical standards
Connected analysis
RAAD traces how political incentives, institutional constraints, regional relationships and external interventions interact, explaining not only what happens, but why outcomes differ.
Context and evidence
Research combines historical and political context with critical assessment of evidence on contested authority, formal and informal governance and institutional capacity.
Method
Qualitative, comparative and other appropriate methods. RAAD weighs competing explanations and distinguishes established facts from inference and strategic judgement.
Independence
RAAD assesses domestic and international actors through evidence and analysis rather than predetermined political conclusions.
Research experience and institutional engagement
RAAD's research has examined Somalia's electoral disputes, political settlements, negotiations with al-Shabaab, the Lasanod conflict, international peacebuilding and the institutional constraints affecting counterinsurgency.
Its work connects military and political developments, examining how authority, local relationships and institutional arrangements influence conflict and prospects for settlement. RAAD has also undertaken collaborative research and policy discussions on clan dynamics, local politics and counterinsurgency in South West State and Jubaland, alongside wider questions of security transition and international engagement.
Building on this experience, the institute is extending its research into interconnected regional conflicts, maritime security networks, geopolitical competition and the transmission of global economic pressures into the East and Horn of Africa.
Geographical focus
The East and Horn of Africa and beyond
RAAD's geographical focus is regional, but its analytical perspective is international.
Core region
- Somalia
- Ethiopia
- Eritrea
- Djibouti
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Kenya
- Uganda
Developments within these countries and the political, economic, security and environmental relationships connecting them.
Maritime reach
- Red Sea
- Gulf of Aden
- Arabian Peninsula
- Indian Ocean
Where maritime security, trade, energy and geopolitical competition influence regional developments.
External actors
- United States
- European Union
- China
- Russia
- Türkiye
- Gulf states
How external interests interact with regional priorities, constraints and political agency.
Policy engagement
Connecting research and policy
RAAD connects research with policymaking by clarifying strategic choices, identifying emerging risks and assessing the consequences of different responses. Through policy discussions, expert consultations, workshops, briefings and collaborative research, the institute contributes to debates on conflict, security, political settlements, governance, development, environmental change and geopolitics.
It considers, for example, why military pressure may fail to produce legitimate authority, how external engagement alters domestic incentives and how separate crises become mutually reinforcing.
Partnerships
Partnerships and collaboration
The region's challenges cross national, institutional and disciplinary boundaries. RAAD collaborates with regional and international research organisations, academic institutions and policy networks, supporting research, knowledge exchange and policy dialogue on conflict dynamics, political settlements, security governance and regional developments.
Collaboration is grounded in intellectual independence, mutual respect and rigorous, policy-relevant analysis.
Research programmes
All programmesRegional and Global Geopolitics
Regional rivalries, shifting alliances and external competition increasingly shape the East and Horn of Africa. Yet regional actor…
Programme 02Peace, Conflict and Political Settlements
Conflict reflects more than military competition. Contested authority, political exclusion, unresolved centre–periphery relations…
Programme 03Security, Environment and Climate Change
Armed conflict, institutional fragility and environmental pressures increasingly intersect across the region. Their consequences d…
Programme 04Local Development, Governance and Resilience
Development outcomes depend on more than resources and technical capacity. Political authority, institutional incentives and unequ…
Programme 05Regional Integration and Geoeconomics
The East and Horn of Africa are increasingly exposed to global economic developments through trade, energy, transport, finance and…
Programme 06Strategic Foresight and Regional Crisis Analysis
Crises are shaped by political choices, changing capabilities and institutional constraints. Their trajectories are neither fixed…
Leadership
All expertsPartners
Placeholder University Partner
partner
Demonstration partner record awaiting RAAD verification.
Placeholder Research Foundation
funder
Demonstration funder record awaiting RAAD verification.
Placeholder Regional Network
partner
Demonstration collaboration record awaiting RAAD verification.
Work with us
Commission research, partner on a project, or join the institute
RAAD welcomes research cooperation, policy dialogue, expert consultations and engagement with academic institutions, governments, diplomatic missions and international organisations. Headquarters: Mogadishu, Somalia.