Violent Extremism and Instability in the Greater Horn of Africa
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60 | <strong>Violent</strong> <strong>Extremism</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Instability</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Greater</strong> <strong>Horn</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Africa</strong><br />
security situation or, at <strong>the</strong> very least, ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
status quo.<br />
Increase public service delivery <strong>and</strong><br />
accountability. Exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g access to <strong>and</strong><br />
accountable delivery <strong>of</strong> public goods, safety <strong>and</strong><br />
security, <strong>and</strong> services to historically marg<strong>in</strong>alized<br />
regions <strong>and</strong> groups is a critical early measure to<br />
beg<strong>in</strong> mitigat<strong>in</strong>g socioeconomic <strong>and</strong> political<br />
tensions <strong>in</strong> society. A trust deficit exists <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Greater</strong> <strong>Horn</strong> region between citizens <strong>and</strong> states,<br />
<strong>and</strong> improv<strong>in</strong>g statutory <strong>and</strong> nonstatutory<br />
mechanisms for deliver<strong>in</strong>g public goods,<br />
from civil <strong>and</strong> political rights to hous<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>frastructure to justice, security, <strong>and</strong> jobs, is key<br />
to alleviat<strong>in</strong>g this deficit. Some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> foremost<br />
contribut<strong>in</strong>g factors to citizens’ experience <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>justice <strong>and</strong> discrim<strong>in</strong>ation can be found <strong>in</strong><br />
daily encounters with bribery <strong>and</strong> corruption.<br />
Establish<strong>in</strong>g mechanisms for overt or anonymous<br />
report<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> corrupt service providers, <strong>in</strong>troduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
legal st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> discipl<strong>in</strong>ary measures <strong>in</strong><br />
governmental <strong>in</strong>stitutions to curb corruption,<br />
<strong>and</strong> encourag<strong>in</strong>g participation <strong>in</strong> anticorruption<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> awareness rais<strong>in</strong>g can all contribute to<br />
<strong>in</strong>creased governmental accountability. Legally <strong>and</strong><br />
operationally empowered <strong>in</strong>dependent oversight<br />
<strong>and</strong> accountability measures to take decisive<br />
action <strong>and</strong> stronger AML controls are essential for<br />
address<strong>in</strong>g lower-level <strong>and</strong> gr<strong>and</strong> corruption.<br />
Build synergies between development assistance<br />
<strong>and</strong> CVE objectives. Identify<strong>in</strong>g synergies with<strong>in</strong><br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> planned development assistance at<br />
<strong>the</strong> national <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational levels for address<strong>in</strong>g<br />
drivers <strong>of</strong> violence <strong>and</strong> violent extremism is a<br />
strategic necessity for design<strong>in</strong>g a holistic approach<br />
to CVE. 356 A drivers approach to CVE focuses<br />
on address<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> underly<strong>in</strong>g political <strong>and</strong><br />
socioeconomic grievances <strong>of</strong> communities, <strong>and</strong><br />
diverse streams <strong>of</strong> development assistance will<br />
be <strong>the</strong> primary means <strong>of</strong> achiev<strong>in</strong>g CVE goals.<br />
For example, support<strong>in</strong>g local entrepreneurship<br />
<strong>in</strong>itiatives <strong>in</strong> communities can have an enormous<br />
impact on alleviat<strong>in</strong>g conditions <strong>of</strong> acute<br />
deprivation <strong>and</strong> sociopolitical marg<strong>in</strong>alization.<br />
Support<strong>in</strong>g governance reform, electoral monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
systems, advocacy groups, <strong>and</strong> effective political<br />
party <strong>and</strong> campaign organization is essential for<br />
exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> space for political empowerment <strong>and</strong><br />
a crucial component for address<strong>in</strong>g grievances <strong>of</strong><br />
political <strong>and</strong> socioeconomic disenfranchisement.<br />
Enhance <strong>in</strong>clusive community engagement. Trust<br />
among diverse national communities <strong>and</strong> between<br />
communities <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir government is important for<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g peaceful societies. Address<strong>in</strong>g longst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
grievances <strong>in</strong> society depends on a safe <strong>and</strong><br />
open environment for constructive <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusive<br />
dialogue. For example, <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> counterterrorism<br />
laws <strong>and</strong> policies for <strong>the</strong> persecution <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ority<br />
groups, <strong>the</strong> press, <strong>and</strong> political opposition<br />
severely damages community trust <strong>and</strong> limits <strong>the</strong><br />
possibility <strong>of</strong> constructive dialogue. Streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>tercommunal dialogue <strong>and</strong> engagement with<br />
civil society can help demonstrate governmental<br />
will<strong>in</strong>gness to accept criticism <strong>and</strong> make policy<br />
changes to address community concerns. Civil<br />
society can serve as an essential public good <strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> itself outside <strong>the</strong> realm <strong>of</strong> politics. Groups such as<br />
<strong>the</strong> Youth Arts Development <strong>and</strong> Entrepreneurship<br />
Network work <strong>in</strong> urban areas throughout East<br />
<strong>Africa</strong> with <strong>the</strong> aim <strong>of</strong> engag<strong>in</strong>g young people <strong>and</strong><br />
empower<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m to actively participate <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
social, cultural, <strong>and</strong> economic development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
communities. Includ<strong>in</strong>g such nongovernmental<br />
actors <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r relevant stakeholders <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> design<br />
<strong>and</strong> delivery <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>clusive national CVE strategies<br />
can fur<strong>the</strong>r enhance <strong>the</strong>ir impact <strong>and</strong> broaden <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
support base.<br />
Increase <strong>the</strong> effectiveness, diversity, <strong>and</strong><br />
accessibility <strong>of</strong> platforms for political activism.<br />
Peaceful mechanisms for promot<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> achiev<strong>in</strong>g<br />
change are critical to compensate for circumstances<br />
<strong>in</strong> which political <strong>in</strong>stitutions are not respond<strong>in</strong>g<br />
356 For more recommendations on enhanc<strong>in</strong>g synergies between CVE <strong>and</strong> development assistance, see Eelco Kessels <strong>and</strong> Christ<strong>in</strong>a Nemr, “Counter<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Violent</strong><br />
<strong>Extremism</strong> <strong>and</strong> Development Assistance: Identify<strong>in</strong>g Synergies, Obstacles, <strong>and</strong> Opportunities,” Global Center on Cooperative Security (UK), February 2016,<br />
http://www.globalcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Feb-2016-CVE-<strong>and</strong>-Development-policy-brief.pdf.