On 21st and 22nd May 2026, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), Life and Peace Institute (LPI) and Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) convened a Cross-Cohort Learning and Knowledge Sharing Workshop to Operationalise a Regional Civil Society Platform on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Workshop concluded successfully with the formal establishment of the Regional Platform which will actively work to strengthening collaboration among civil society actors working on transitional and reparative justice across the Horn of Africa.

The workshop brought together civil society organisations and community-based organisations from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda to exchange experiences, identify common challenges, and develop collective approaches to advancing transitional justice and reconciliation processes in the region.

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation was represented by Professor Tim Murithi, Senior Advisor, who led the session on transitional justice foundations, frameworks and inclusive approaches for sustainable peace.

The Regional Platform will also function as a mechanism for sustained collaboration, peer learning, knowledge exchange, and coordinated engagement among civil society actors. It is also expected to provide a stronger interface between affected communities, governmental and inter-governmental policy and decision-makers, in particular the African Union (AU), Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC) in order to inform and support transitional justice interventions in the region.

Participants reflected through dialogue sessions on lessons learned from their own local and national transitional justice experiences and insights and generated practical problem-solving strategies to pursue and achieve the implementation of inclusive, victim-centred, and context-responsive approaches in line with the 2026-2029 Roadmap for the Implementation of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP).

IJR will continue to play a role on the Advisory Board of the Regional Civil Society Platform, which will continue to strengthen networks among CSOs and CBOs, and utilize it as a vehicle for amplifying community voices and advancing peace, justice, and reconciliation across the Horn of Africa.