In 1991, the government of the Somali Democratic Republic fell and the state collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of refugees fled the country. A decade of bloodshed, chaos and suffering ensued, and despite progress towards peace and reconstruction in some of the country, Somalia entered the 21st century as a black hole’ on the global scene. For Somaliland, however, 1991 was a year of rebirth. Government was restored and statehood reclaimed, ushering in a period of healing, reconciliation, and growth. A decade of blood chaos and suffering came to an end. Hundreds of thousands of refugees returned home. Somaliland entered the 21st century with growing confidence and hope. It is from this background that the Academy for Peace and Development (APD) was established in 1999 as a research institute. Since its inception, APD activities have focused on peace-building using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology. The organization has brought together representatives of different sectors of Somaliland society to identify priorities in the process of rebuilding Somaliland. The Academy has been instrumental in facilitating dialogue on issues of human rights, democracy and good governance. APD's participatory methods encourage consensus building among key actors with respect to strategic political, social and economic issues, leading to practical, policy-oriented recommendations and guidelines.
