The Horn of Africa (HoA) is characterized by the paradox of being both integrated and isolated. The bonds of togetherness run deep among HoA countries, especially in the transboundary areas. Manifested through active pastoralist cross-border movements, market networks and trade, dynamic movement of people, and the shared impacts of shocks and stressors, the invisible bonds that exist between and in groups and communities in transboundary areas are at the core of the region’s growth and developmental potential. Despite the strong linkages in the region, there is also vulnerability and isolation. Regional integration remains challenging among countries with dissimilar resources and geometries. They face similarconstraints of high poverty levels, food insecurity, weak formal institutions, lack of or inconsistent implementation of regulations and policies, insufficient knowledge and data, conflicts over identity, resource control, and representation, and dissonance between formal and informal institutions and forced displacement, among others.

The dynamics of cross-border regions and the constant movement of people and their animals often translate into more easily transferrable vulnerabilities (e.g., insecurity, conflict over contested land use, access to water or pasture, animal diseases), exacerbating governance and socioeconomic challenges. In these regions, the notion of resilience—understood as the capacity to prepare for these types of disruption, recover from shocks, and grow from a disruptive experience - is more relevant than ever.

This report responds to an increasing demand from regional stakeholders for a deeper understanding of transboundary resilience to strengthen project design and implementation and bolster cross-scale solutions at the regional, national, subnational, and local levels. The document presents an overview of the findings of a stocktaking exercise conducted among selected regional resilience initiatives and Advisory Services and Analytics (ASAs), supported by the World Bank in the HoA. It uses lessons learned to strengthen the knowledge base on resilience design and implementation, and it identifies key approaches to build transboundary resilience to inform future investments. The report introduces a conceptual framework to strengthen resilience initiatives in transboundary settings. The Transboundary Resilience (T-Res) framework is a novel tool for practitioners involved in the design and implementation of resilience projects in the HoA, in particular World Bank task teams, national counterparts, and regional entities. It has two components that enhance transboundary resilience building and are key to strengthening the design of transboundary projects.

Please read the full report here.