Along the Kenya–Somalia border, long-standing conflicts between communities were fuelled by small arms, smuggling, business rivalry and competition over scarce water and pasture. In the Gedo region these tensions repeatedly escalated into open fighting, destroying property, costing lives and displacing families.
What we did
Working with local authorities, elders, women and youth representatives, VOPA facilitated a series of structured peace dialogues between the Garre and Marehan communities and within the Marehan clan in Elwak and Boruhache. The process combined rapid-response ceasefire mediation with longer-term reconciliation.
- Ceasefire and rapid-response mediation
- Inter- and intra-clan peace dialogues
- Civic education for peace and good governance
- Follow-up committees to monitor agreements
Results
The dialogues prompted ceasefires and led to the signing of a series of peace agreements recorded in collaboration with local authorities, opening the way for shared use of grazing resources and the reopening of trade routes. The work was funded through Peace II, BORDER I & II and the SHIIR Program under PACT.
