Regional Conflict Dynamics and Pathways to Peace in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East:

The Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the Swedish agency for peace, security, and development, and the Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) are co-organizing the “Regional Conflict Dynamics and Pathways to Peace in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East: The Doha Synthesis Dialogue,” a culminating event in a series of dialogues on regional peace and security.

This initiative is founded on the understanding that the complex challenges and dynamics of the Red Sea region must be analyzed from both a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and a Horn of Africa (HoA) with a holistic perspective. To foster an inclusive, nuanced and region-led dialogue, FBA previously convened two distinct workshops: the first in Beirut (May 2025) with experts focused on the MENA/GCC region, and the second in Nairobi (July 2025) with experts on the Horn of Africa.

The Doha Synthesis Dialogue will bring together participants from both workshops for the first time, providing a unique platform to bridge perspectives, synthesize findings, and collaboratively chart pathways toward sustainable peace.

Building on the insights from Beirut and Nairobi, the objective of the Doha workshop is twofold: to deepen and enlarge the analysis by bringing together experts from both regions, and to define the steps required to move from this joint analysis into concrete action.