Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)
Governing Water Security in the Horn of Africa: Institutional Frameworks and Conflict Prevention
Abstract
This article examines the role of institutional frameworks in mitigating water-related conflict and enhancing water security in a region of acute scarcity. Through a comparative case study, it analyses Tanzania’s domestic water governance architecture and its engagement with the Nile Basin Initiative, contrasting this with the more fragmented institutional landscape of the north-eastern Horn of Africa. The study argues that robust, multi-scalar institutions, as evidenced in the Tanzanian case, are critical for conflict prevention, but their efficacy is contingent upon state capacity, political commitment, and the integration of local governance mechanisms. The findings contribute to political science debates on environmental security, hydro-politics, and the institutional prerequisites for cooperative resource management in fragile contexts.
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