The Horn of Africa Regional Environment Network (HoA-REN) was established in 2006 and has grown into a Network of 42 member organisations. During the first Horn of Africa Regional Environment Meeting (in December 2006), participants sketched out the Network guiding principles, which were further developed at the second Horn of Africa Regional Environment Meeting. Five years after the launching, the guiding principles will be re-determined, during the Regional Meeting of 2012.

Vision

HoA-REN is aware of the enormous environmental degradation in the Horn of Africa Region, which will be aggravated by rapid population growth, poorly guided investments and the impacts of climate change, leading to increased conflict over the access to the remaining natural resources.

HoA-REN is convinced that better natural resource management and protection of strategic biodiversity reserves are urgently needed to prevent ecological collapse and a breakdown of the social fabric in many parts of the region. Through good environmental governance and management, the crises can be averted, enabling the Horn of Africa to benefit from a safer, healthier and more sustainable environment.

Mission & Objectives

HoA-REN aims to improve environmental governance and management in the region and to enhance the development of environmental support sectors such as the promotion of renewable energy and the stimulation of new value chains for sustainable products and services.

The Network’s objectives include:

• To contribute to natural resources conservation;
• To encourage policies for sustainable use of natural resources and other protectionmeasures;
• To promote trans-boundary collaboration on environmental issues in the Horn of Africa;
• To promote environmental disaster preparedness and mitigation;
• To integrate the local customs and cultures of the region in environmental protectionschemes;
• To promote equitable natural resource benefit sharing; and
• To establish sustainable financial mechanisms for the Network.

HoA-REN will seek to fulfill its mission by strengthening the human and institutional capacity of member organisations and other environmental actors, particularly in the environmental management field and in environmental support sectors, through training and experience sharing. HoA-REN will also strive to promote closer cooperation, especially cross-border cooperation, between member organisations.

With greater capacity and greater coordination, the HoA-REN can be more effective in advocating stronger partnerships between member states and regional and national policy changes.

At the local level, HoA-REN will seek to promote more community participation in environmental issues, especially through empowering women, as a means for promoting better environmental governance and management and a more equitable use of natural resources.

There are differences between members and partners. Members are indigenous organisations and institutions and enjoy a fuller range of rights, benefits and obligations, while partner organisations are usually international organisations. 

• Member organisations promote environmentally-friendly programmes, promote environmental awareness, strengthen environmental impact assessment (systems) in the region, guide the development of HoA-REN policies and encourage the sustainable use of natural resources.
• All member organisations work to build linkages with one another, and should strive to encourage environmentally-friendly investments, products and services.
• Member universities and research organisations have special obligations and are expected to support civil society organisations within the Network, e.g. by conducting demand driven action research activities, especially applied research, and to raise funds to support this research work, co-organise campaigns and participate in Environmental Partnership Programmes.
• Member organisations that are NGOs or community-based organisations carry out experience sharing programmes, facilitate integrated resource management, work with the media on advocacy campaigns, facilitate community participation in all phases of the project cycle, encourage investors to participate in community development and work towards the preservation of the environment.