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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Volume 1, Issue 1 (2025)

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Governing Water Security in the Horn of Africa: Institutional Frameworks and Conflict Prevention

Abraham Kuol Nyuon
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19502503
Published: April 11, 2026

Abstract

This article develops a novel theoretical framework for analysing water security governance in the Horn of Africa, a region characterised by transboundary hydrological interdependence and political fragility. It critiques the limitations of existing state-centric and basin-wide institutional models, arguing they often exacerbate rather than mitigate conflict. Drawing on polycentric governance theory and insights from the unique hydro-political context of São Tomé and Príncipe—a small island state facing distinct but instructive water security challenges—the framework proposes a multi-scalar, adaptive institutional architecture. This architecture integrates sub-national, national, and regional governance nodes to enhance resilience and collaborative capacity. The article concludes by outlining the framework's theoretical contributions to political science and its practical implications for conflict-sensitive water policy design in the Horn and analogous fragile contexts.

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How to Cite

Abraham Kuol Nyuon (2026). Governing Water Security in the Horn of Africa: Institutional Frameworks and Conflict Prevention. African Political Violence (Political Science focus), Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Volume 1, Issue 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19502503
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Keywords

Polycentric GovernanceHydro-PoliticsTransboundary Water InstitutionsConflict PreventionHorn of AfricaSmall Island Developing States (SIDS)Adaptive CapacityInstitutional Fragility

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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Volume 1, Issue 1 (2025)
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