The BORESHA-NABAD consortium team participated in the Borderlands Symposium on 29 and 30 October 2024 in Nairobi. Organised by the Danish Refugee Council, the symposium gathered cross-border stakeholders, partners, and donors to engage in critical discussions on “Thinking and Working in Borderlands.” The event, which lasted two days and involved cross-learning and sharing insights gained from interventions in the borderlands, allowed the participants to engage with each other and learn from the enriching interventions across the border areas.
The BORESHA-NABAD team took part in an engaging panel alongside other partners, such as the Cross Border Community Resilience Project, Hanaano, and Deris Wanaag programmes to strengthen synergies, upscale interventions, and reduce duplication of efforts in implementing sustainable interventions across border areas. The BORESHA-NABAD Chief of Party, Yussuf Mohamed Abdullahi, shared insights on the history and evolution of borderland initiatives and led high-level discussions with key donors, including the European Union, USAID, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), focusing on the role of coordinated support in strengthening borderland projects.
The symposium provided a platform for sharing lessons learned and best practices among practitioners. This collaborative space highlighted the significance of partnerships, with discussions exploring strategies for integrated coordination in areas such as climate resilience, conflict prevention, disaster risk reduction, prevention of violent extremism and supporting income-generating activities for youth and women in the borderlands. The sessions reinforced the commitment of all stakeholders to support peaceful coexistence and climate-adaptive livelihoods that contribute to stabilisation efforts across local borderland communities.
BORESHA-NABAD’s participation in the Borderlands Symposium is part of its ongoing commitment to empowering cross-border communities and leveraging shared experiences to enhance project impact. The consortium continues to pave the way for innovative approaches that build resilience, improve livelihoods, and promote lasting peace in the Horn of Africa through solid partnerships and engagement with vital cross-border actors.