# Study Notes: Challenges and Progress in the Horn of Africa (HoA) --- ## Education in the Horn of Africa ### Primary Education Progress - **Universal Primary Education (UPE)** initiatives have significantly increased primary school enrollment in East Africa over the past two decades. - **Challenges**: - Minimal progression to secondary and postsecondary education. - Over **3.5 million children** in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia are at risk of dropping out due to drought. - Girls are disproportionately affected as families migrate in search of resources, disrupting education. For instance, during the ongoing drought, many schools in rural Ethiopia have closed due to water shortages, forcing children to abandon their studies. ### Barriers to Education - **Migration**: Families displaced by drought and conflict disrupt children's schooling. - **Health and Nutrition**: Water shortages lead to disease outbreaks in schools and reduced food assistance programs. It is often assumed that migration alone is the primary cause of school dropouts, but health and food insecurity also play significant roles. --- ## Political and Security Landscape ### Djibouti - Hosts multiple foreign military bases (U.S., China, France, Saudi Arabia). - Vision 2035 initiative aims to diversify the economy and reduce poverty. - **Challenges**: - High unemployment and lack of skilled professionals. - Poor performance in SDG 4 (Quality Education): Only **66.5%** school enrollment. ### Ethiopia - **Tigray Conflict**: Ongoing political turmoil despite the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. - Slow progress in disarmament and reintegration of Tigrayan forces. - Eritrean troops remain in northern Tigray, straining Ethiopia-Eritrea relations. - **Development Efforts**: - Construction of the **Millennium Grand Renaissance Dam** to boost energy production. - Expanding road and rail infrastructure to improve trade and food security. Understanding Ethiopia's infrastructure projects is key to analyzing its progress on SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). ### Somalia - Ranked **164th out of 167 countries** in achieving SDGs. - **Key Issues**: - 69% of the population lives on less than $1.90/day. - Ongoing conflict with al-Shabaab, with a government deadline to expel the group by the end of 2024. - Limited progress on SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Somalia's reliance on external donors for its Social Protection and Disaster Management program highlights its governance challenges. --- ## Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the HoA ### Regional Challenges - No country in the HoA has achieved satisfactory scores on all 17 SDGs. - **Most Challenging SDGs**: - SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. - SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. - SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. ### Poverty Projections - By 2030, extreme poverty is expected to rise: - **Ethiopia**: 50.9 million people below the poverty line. - **Kenya**: 28.4 million. - **Uganda**: 23.4 million. In Djibouti, it is estimated that 0.5 million people will live on less than $1.25/day by 2030, highlighting the region's economic fragility. ### Localizing SDGs - Translating SDG policies into local languages and partnering with NGOs can improve engagement. - **Key Recommendations**: - Contextualize SDGs to address local challenges. - Increase public awareness of SDGs, as global awareness remains low (e.g., only 12% in leading countries like Denmark). Localizing SDGs ensures that abstract global goals resonate with the specific needs of communities in the HoA. --- ## Food Security ### Current Situation - Food insecurity has surged by **25%** since mid-2022, affecting **47.4 million people**. - **Key Drivers**: - Overdependence on food imports. - Poor transport infrastructure (e.g., only 8% of goods are transported by rail). - Natural disasters like drought and the global food crisis caused by the Ukraine invasion. ### Country-Specific Challenges - **Eritrea and Somalia**: Food security levels are below the sub-regional average. - **Ethiopia**: Expanding road and rail networks to improve food supply but faces corruption at ports. Assuming that food insecurity is solely due to natural disasters overlooks the role of inadequate infrastructure and governance issues. ### Solutions - Invest in agricultural technology to reduce dependence on imports. - Promote sustainable agriculture and equal access to land. - Leverage the region's coastline for shipping and fishing industries. Despite efforts, achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030 remains a significant challenge in the HoA. --- ## Peace and Security ### Key Conflicts 1. **Tigray Conflict (Ethiopia)**: - Ongoing disputes over territories claimed by Tigray and Amhara states. - Eritrean troops' involvement exacerbates tensions. 2. **Sudan Civil War**: - Triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). - Over **4.9 million displacements** have been recorded, worsening malnutrition and public health crises. 3. **Ethiopia-Somaliland Agreement**: - Ethiopia's lease of Somaliland's coastline has strained relations with Somalia, leading to diplomatic isolation. The Pretoria Agreement in Ethiopia aimed to establish peace but has seen limited success due to unresolved territorial disputes and Eritrean troop presence. --- ## Migration ### Trends and Challenges - **Drivers of Migration**: - Drought, conflict, and lack of resources. - Social factors like early marriage and oppressive norms (e.g., Ethiopian girls migrating to escape early marriage). - **Risks**: - Migrants face exploitation, especially women working as domestic servants in the Middle East. - Irregular migration channels increase vulnerability to abuse. Addressing root causes like poverty and lack of opportunities can reduce irregular migration and its associated risks. --- ## Gender Equality ### Progress and Setbacks - **Ethiopia**: Leading the region with **47% of ministers** being women. - **Djibouti and Kenya**: Women hold less than 30% of parliamentary and ministerial positions. - **Somalia**: Limited data, but harmful practices like female genital mutilation remain widespread. In Somaliland, efforts to recruit and train female attorneys general are a step toward addressing judicial corruption and promoting gender equality. ### Challenges - Cultural norms and lack of political representation hinder progress on SDG 5 (Gender Equality). - Harmful practices like female genital mutilation affect over **230 million females** across Africa. Assuming that legal reforms alone can achieve gender equality ignores the need for cultural and societal change. --- ## Key Takeaways 1. **Education**: Progress in primary education is overshadowed by challenges in secondary education and gender disparities. 2. **SDGs**: Localizing and contextualizing SDGs is critical for meaningful progress in the HoA. 3. **Food Security**: Infrastructure and governance improvements are essential to address food insecurity. 4. **Peace and Security**: Resolving conflicts and fostering regional cooperation are vital for stability. 5. **Migration**: Tackling root causes like poverty and social norms can reduce irregular migration. 6. **Gender Equality**: Holistic approaches are needed to address both legal and cultural barriers. Focus on interconnected solutions—improving governance, infrastructure, and education can simultaneously address multiple SDGs.