This book argues that a leading cause of the political instability in the Horn of Africa is a crisis of governance, caused by extreme centralization of power, weak institutions, and the failure to institutionalise the responsible use of authority. In recent years, many attempts have been made to resolve the ongoing conflicts in Somalia and South Sudan, but problems remain, and in 2019 the instability spread to Ethiopia. This book critically examines how many of the governance problems in the region can be addressed through institutional design. The central argument is that an inclusive system of governance through federalism, devolution, and inclusive political institutions as well as ensuring the institutionalization of power through strengthening the rule of law has the potential to make governments more accountable, inclusive, and be able to deliver critical services. Such systems ensure relative stability and peace and reduce the risks of state fragmentation - a major concern in the region. Demonstrating that the threats of further fragmentation and conflict due to the crisis of governance are likely to continue unless serious steps are taken to deal with the situation, the book will be an important read for researchers and policy makers with an interest in peacemaking, politics, constitutional law, and federalism in the region.

The African Union (AU) and The New Partnership for Africa 's Development (NEPAD) reflect a hitherto unprecedented collective political effort by African governments to address issues of democracy and good governance on a continental scale. The visible commitments are reflected in the adoption of a variety of programmatic blueprints and a series of newly created or recently strengthened institutions. Most visibly since the integration of NEPAD into the AU, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has started a process to address some of the obstacles on the basis of a voluntary assessment of African government policies.The contributions to this publication trace the recent developments from a policy perspective and explore the scope and limit of the current democratization efforts. They present an interim prognosis on the extent to which the visible new dynamics actually give realistic hope for achieving sustainable changes in terms of the declared goals. This publication is useful for political scientists, policymakers, and other professionals dealing with Africa in development assistance.