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East Africa has been the fastest-growing economic region on the continent in recent years, despite the drop in 2020 due to the economic fallout of the global pandemic1. The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) has recorded some gains in the region’s human development scores which have accompanied this economic growth. However, East Africa and the Horn states remain fragile due to pockets of insecurity in the region and the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situational analysis conducted in this paper points to a mixed picture of the state of governance and service delivery. The paper notes that the region’s leaders increasingly recognize the importance of integrating local government systems and private-public partnerships to improve public services. This has increased the rate of urbanization and improved the number of educational openings and access to various facilities. On the other hand, various challenges face the region and limit its ability to develop. Access to clean water, sanitation, urban housing and health facilities re- mains limited. Additionally, the region’s governance challenges are evident in the trends toward authoritarian regression and the militarization of politics.

This paper links East Africa and the Horn of Africa’s governance and service delivery challenges to the region’s chronic insecurity and instability. The region is plagued by protests, insurgency and low-intensity communal conflicts, creating a vicious cycle where the destruction of infrastructure from violence and mass displacement affects access to services. Hence, the paper concludes with recommendations for establishing and improving inclusive governance processes while improving service delivery, enhancing security sector governance, and clarifying the linkages between governance/service delivery and conflict.

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