Ethiopia Calls for Horn Nations to Take Greater Ownership of Regional Peace Efforts

Addis Ababa, May 18, 2026 —Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives (HPR)  Tagesse Chafo has called on countries in the Horn of Africa to take greater ownership of their shared future and shift from recurring crises toward durable peace and regional stability.

Speaking at the opening of the Horn Inter-Elite Dialogue, also known as the Jigjiga Forum, in Jigjiga on Monday, Tagesse urged regional leaders to pursue homegrown solutions to common challenges and deepen cooperation across the Horn.

The high-level forum brought together senior government officials, policymakers, and experts from Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya, alongside representatives from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

“The future of the Horn of Africa should not be written in foreign capitals, by international commentators, or during emergency meetings convened after crises erupt,” Tagesse said. “It must be shaped here by the people of the region.”

 

He described Jigjiga as a symbol of the Horn’s deep historical, cultural, and economic interconnectedness, noting that the city has long served as a hub for cross-border movement, trade, and resilience among communities in the region.

In a pointed critique of external influence, the Speaker said the region’s narrative has too often been shaped by outside actors rather than by the countries directly affected by its challenges.

Tagesse stressed the importance of strengthening what he termed “regional agency,”  the collective ability of Horn nations to think strategically, cooperate effectively, and take responsibility for their common future while remaining open to partnerships that respect regional priorities.

He emphasized that international engagement should complement, rather than undermine, the sovereignty and dignity of countries in the Horn.

The Speaker also highlighted the forum’s central themes, external security dynamics, cross-border community resilience, and trade integration —arguing that stronger economic ties and people-to-people connections are critical to achieving sustainable peace.

 

He urged participants to move beyond diagnosing regional problems and leave the forum with concrete commitments aimed at addressing long-standing challenges.

Tagesse also linked his remarks to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s broader regional diplomacy agenda, which promotes dialogue, regional integration, and African-led solutions to the Horn of Africa’s complex challenges.

He expressed confidence that sustained dialogue, even when difficult, can help build trust and create the political consensus needed to secure lasting peace across the region.