Identity and Transitional Justice in the Horn of Africa and Libya

JOINT Policy Brief nº. 3 (October 2021)

Identity and conflict shape each other. This is evident in the historical trajectory of the Horn of Africa (HoA) – notably in the conflicts in the Gambella region, between Ethiopia and Eritrea, in Somalia and Tigray – as well as of Libya during and after the long autocratic rule of Muammar Gaddafi. The nexus between identity and conflict dynamics hampers peace efforts. That is why mainstreaming transitional justice into mediation and reconciliation processes is an opportunity to increase peace prospects.2 Transitional justice consists of various measures and structures intended to mitigate and ultimately overcome perceived wrongs and past injustices, and dialogue in this context offers different identity formations a platform for redress.