Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute

The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) is an independent, non-profit regional think tank and consultancy firm established in 2006 for the member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) in the Horn of Africa, and for developing countries more broadly. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, HESPI describes its vision as becoming a center of excellence and specialized agency for policy research and institutional capacity building. Its work targets policy makers at regional and national levels, non-state actors such as Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the private sector of the IGAD sub-region, and policy makers and change agents in low-income countries. HESPI's core activities span economic and social policy research, commissioned studies, policy analysis, and advisory services for public and private sectors. The Institute has assisted IGAD member countries in formulating and implementing sound economic and social policies, particularly in transiting fragile economies moving toward stability. Its promotion of high-quality policy research and analysis, alongside advisory services, is positioned as contributing to broad-based and sustainable economic growth in the region. Beyond policy reform support, HESPI provides institutional and human resource capacity building in the sub-region, including hands-on technical assistance. The Institute organizes and participates in a wide range of programs and events. Its program areas include Research Analysis, Regional Integration, and Institutional Capacity Building. Documented activities include a SALCA program promoting climate-smart technologies in East Africa, a National Debt Conference on legal and institutional setup for debt acquisition and management in Ethiopia, coordinated border management training-of-trainers sessions, work on public awareness of migration and climate change, dissemination and advocacy on leveraging enhanced Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation to finance resilient economic recovery, a seminar on civil society organizations' policy advocacy for good governance, transparency and accountability, analysis of health sector budget allocation and expenditure in Ethiopia, an ACBF assessment on Gender, Inclusion and Diversity (GID) status with SALCA program stakeholders, a conference on China-Africa cooperation for development, and a seminar for enhancing the role of civil society organizations. HESPI publishes research on topics such as gendered barriers to climate-smart agriculture as a nature-based solution in Ethiopia, rethinking African regional integration through a functional-spatial model of modular convergence, why formalization policies fail in Africa, engineering state and economic warriors as a manifesto for 21st-century African statecraft, and the Africa integration paradox. The Institute is led by a Managing Director, Dr. Ali Issa, supported by an Associate Managing Director, Amb. Peter G. Robleh (PhD), a Regional Director for HESPI Nairobi, Dr. Abdirizak Hassan, a Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Daniel Fantaye, a Director of Research, Dr. Gebrehiwot Ageba Kebedew, a Deputy Director of Research, Dr. Fredu Nega, a Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Hiwot Gezahegn, a Senior Research Associate, Mr. Edris H. Seid, and a Program & Office Manager for HESPI Nairobi, CPA Caroline Vihenda. A Board of Directors composed of seasoned experts from development, academia, the private sector, and civil society governs the Institute, supported by an institutional advisory panel consulted periodically on strategic decisions. HESPI adheres to core institutional values including dedication to excellence in policy research and advocacy, honesty and integrity, accountability and transparency, diversity and equality, and objectivity and independence of action.

The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) was established in 2006 as an independent, non-profit regional think tank and consultancy firm. Its founding mandate was to serve the member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) in the Horn of Africa, with a broader orientation toward developing countries at large. From its base in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, HESPI set out to provide high-quality economic and social policy research aimed at evidence-based and action-oriented strategic reforms. Over its history, HESPI has undertaken commissioned studies, policy analysis, and advisory work for public and private sectors, focusing primarily on regional and country-specific interests. The Institute has assisted IGAD member countries in the formulation and implementation of sound economic and social policies, with particular attention to transiting fragile economies moving toward stability. Its work in promoting high-quality policy research and analysis, combined with advisory services, is described as having contributed to broad-based and sustainable economic growth in the region. In addition to policy reform support, HESPI has built a substantial practice in institutional and human resource capacity building across the sub-region, providing hands-on technical assistance. The Institute operates through program areas including Research Analysis, Regional Integration, and Institutional Capacity Building. Its activities have included the SALCA program promoting climate-smart technologies in East Africa; a National Debt Conference on the legal and institutional setup for debt acquisition and management in Ethiopia; coordinated border management training-of-trainers sessions; work to increase public awareness of migration and climate change; dissemination and advocacy on leveraging enhanced Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation to finance resilient economic recovery; a seminar on civil society organizations' policy advocacy for good governance, transparency and accountability; analysis of health sector budget allocation and expenditure in Ethiopia; an ACBF assessment on Gender, Inclusion and Diversity (GID) status with SALCA program stakeholders; a conference on China-Africa cooperation for development; and a seminar for enhancing the role of civil society organizations. HESPI maintains a Nairobi presence through a Regional Director and a Program & Office Manager, reflecting its regional scope beyond Ethiopia. The Institute publishes research on a range of contemporary policy topics, including gendered barriers to climate-smart agriculture in Ethiopia, African regional integration models, formalization policies in Africa, African statecraft, and the Africa integration paradox. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors composed of seasoned experts drawn from the upper ranks of development professionals, academia, the private sector, and civil society, supported by an institutional advisory panel consulted periodically on important and strategic decisions. The Managing Director leads the management team, assisted by an Associate Managing Director, country office and area directors, programs and department directors, and senior research fellows. Core technical staff are complemented by associates and senior associates who provide advice and technical support, and who may be selected through competitive procedures for consultancies or as contributors to research outputs.

• 2006

  HESPI established as an independent, non-profit regional think tank and consultancy firm for IGAD member countries.

• SALCA program promoting climate-smart technologies in East Africa.

• National Debt Conference on Legal and Institutional Setup for Debt Acquisition and Management in Ethiopia.

• Coordinated Border Management training of trainers (TOT) sessions.

• Dissemination and advocacy session on leveraging enhanced Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation to finance resilient economic recovery.

• Conference on China-Africa cooperation for development.

• Seminar for enhancing the role of Civil Society Organizations.

Independent, non-profit regional think tank and consultancy firm; center of excellence for policy research and institutional capacity building in the Horn of Africa.

• Gendered Barriers to Climate-Smart Agriculture as a Nature-based Solution in Ethiopia

• Rethinking African Regional Integration: A Functional-Spatial Model of Modular Convergence

• Why Formalisation Policies Fail in Africa: Informal Trade as a Socially Learned Cognitive System

• Engineering State and Economic Warriors: A Manifesto for a 21st-Century African Statecraft

• The Africa Integration Paradox: Progress, Challenges, and Alternatives

1. 1HESPIhespi.org
2. 2Who we are – HESPIhespi.org
3. 3Management Team – HESPIhespi.org
4. 4Board of Directors – HESPIhespi.org
5. 5Horn Economic and Social Policy Institutewikidata.org