The data indicate that i transnationality is a major feature of armed conflict in africa, ii most socalled civil wars are internationalised and iii the dominant definitions of interstate conflict and civil war are too narrow to capture the particularities of africas wars. Elwood dunn explores political manipulation and ethnic differences as causes of civil strife in. Bruce jones studies the ethnic roots of the civil war in rwanda. The current era has witnessed the increasing need by the african union au and subregional organisations to be more involved as first responders to conflict situations in the region. Independence has been bunched in two big waves, the british and french decolonizations of africa in 196062 and the russian decolonization. Continuity and change in war and conflict in africa ethcss. The roots of african conflicts ohio university press. An interest approach to resolution of civil wars in the horn. These actors include civil society organizations csos, ecowas, the african union au and the international community. For years, civil wars have been raging in the region known as the horn of africa, which consists of sudan, ethiopia, somalia and djibouti. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications. An interest approach to resolution of civil wars in the horn of africa.
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region or to change government policies. An attempt to understand the roots and prescribe possible solutions. Economic and political causes of civil wars in africa. Civil wars how the world suffers by kristin mchugh. Using recently developed models of the overall prevalence of civil wars in 161 countries between 19601999, we draw lessons with special. This trend, which involves the use of preventive diplomacy efforts, mediation, peace support operations, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and postconflict reconstruction and development efforts, has situated africa. This book presents african scholars views of why conflicts start in their continent. Ken grundy, department of political science, case western reserve university civil wars in africa offers some unique insights into. Redescribing transnational conflict in africa the journal.
An gyera sibil amo an usa ka gyera nga nahihitabo ha usa ka nasod han duha ka organisado nga grupo. An interest approach to resolution of civil wars in the. Since the 1960, full fledged civil wars have been fought in africa. Citizenship, rights, and the problem of conflicts and civil. We all are limited in our understanding of situations. Conflict resolution perspectives on civil wars in the horn of. United nations security council resolution 797 wikipedia. Wars, or even the civil wars and atrocities in revolutionary russia and china. Redescribing transnational conflict in africa ethcss. Since the 1990s, african armed conflicts, especially their nature and root.
On the other hand, it integrates work by collier and hoeffler fnn. This volume offers theoretically sophisticated, empirically grounded, and compelling analyses of the roots of african conflicts. To explain the distribution of civil wars, guerrilla warfare, and revolutionary outbreaks, the literature on modern political violence has shifted, broadly speaking, from a modernization perspective that emphasized the role of material conflict and of grievances to a more recent research program that stresses the geographical and organizational opportunities that insurgents may have to engage. Conflict resolution and peace buildind in africa as a. This is also true of civil wars in sudan and somalia. This is the lowest war incidence in about 50 years. Project muse citizenship, rights and the problem of. Conflict resolution perspectives on civil wars in the horn. Article in canadian journal of african studies 351.
Jan 28, 2014 initiatives towards conflict prevention and resolution in west africa. The book focuses on the wars in ethiopia, liberia, mozambique, rwanda, somalia, sudan, and uganda as well as the experiences of tanzania and zimbabwe, where civil war was averted, to. Since 1960, almost all civil wars have been in developing countries, whose economic growth and development are apt to be impeded by resulting human capital losses, reduced investments, infrastructure destruction, and marketactivity disruptions, stated todd sandler. The class discussed the blind men and the elephant in order to appreciate that everyone is blind to some extent. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for humanitarian assistance 4 patrons or from investors willing to invest23 is no longer dependent on taxation of domestic productive sectors. Root causes, obstacles, and peacebuilding strategies. Causes, impact and implications for the great lakes region executive summary the democratic republic of congo is recovering from conflicts, posting substantial improve ment in overall macroeconomic performance since the cessation of the war, on the back of robust copper and cobalt exports.
Regional variations in three principal conflict trends are then presented for the central, east,west, and southern regions of. I think all of us have learned from all sorts of experience that no ones alone in this. The role of women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. If civil war in africa is truly a security threat to the whole world, us ambassador kolker said the nations of the world need to face that threat together. John kiyagansubuga focuses on yoweri museveni and his national resis. A civil war, also known as an intrastate war in polemology, is a war between organized groups within the same state or country. A collection of case studies of nine african countries, civil wars in africa provides a comparative perspective on the causes of civil war and the processes by which internal conflict may be resolved. Africa in reducing conflict risk by improving the ability of agriculture to deal with climate.
John kiyagansubuga focuses on yoweri museveni and his national resistance movement regimes attempt to bring peace to uganda. The issue of citizenship is salient in many of the civil wars associated with the struggles for democracy in africa, as illustrated by mahmood mamdanis seminal work on the legacies of colonial rule. If civil war in africa is truly a security threat to the. In fact, fourteen of the sixteen wars fought in africa from 1990 to 1997 were intrastate wars, and in 1992, the african continent hosted 46. It has been said that the 21st century will be recorded as the bloodiest of all centuries to date. The civil war in africa from that of ivory coast in 2004, that of chad in 2010 to that of libya 2011 are classical examples of the countless number of civil war in africa since 1962. The term is a calque of the latin bellum civile which was used to refer to the various civil wars of the roman republic in the. After belgium, france, and britain carved up africa among themselves, germany felt the need to catch up. This is one where you need to think globally and act locally. The author also looks at the series of minor civil wars generated by, and contained within, the major conflict, as well as the regional and international factors including humanitarian aid which have exacerbated civil violence. Dubois in his oft forgotten article, the african roots of war, published in the may 1915 atlantic monthly, nine months after the beginning of the socalled war to end all wars.
Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for. Listed below are the current wars and conflicts in the continent of africa. Sadc interventions in the democratic republic of the congo. Historical overview of the roots and outbreak of the civil wars and internal tensions in modern liberia in 1822 the american colonization society,3 a private organization, initiated the process of sending former slaves from the united states of america. Spatial effects of civil wars in africa and around the world. Abstract the two volumes of understanding civil war build upon the world banks prior research on conflict and violence, particularly on the work of paul collier and anke hoeffler, whose model of civil war onset has sparked much discussion on the relationship between conflict and development in what came to be known as the greed versus grievance debate. In this report, our focus is on the roots of civil war instead of aftermath. A collection of case studies of nine african countries, civil wars in africa provides a comparative perspective on the causes of civil war and the processes by which internal conflict may be resolved or averted. Despite the end of the cold war, decline in worlds military expenditure milex and reduction in the number of international wars, the intensity and frequency of civil wars in developing countries have increased unabated throughout the 1990s. Wars, or even the civil wars and atrocities in revolutionary russia and. The causes of conflict are too often examined by scholars from the countries that run the proxy wars and sell the arms to fuel them. Pdf documentary analysis as well as discourse analysis approaches.
During his forthcoming sabbatical year 199091 he will be working as a consultant on regional peacemaking. Understanding africas contemporary conflicts africa portal. This is not to underestimate the immense impact of violent con. This is a list of conflicts in africa arranged by country, both on the continent and associated islands, including wars between african nations, civil wars, and wars involving nonafrican nations that took place within africa. Ken grundy, department of political science, case western reserve university civil wars in africa offers some unique insights into the processes of peace building. The case of the organisation of african unity oau author. Military in africa congressional research service 1 issues for congress on february 6, 2007, president george w.
Du bois, who by 1915 had established himself as one of americas leading writers. For virtually all countries in the region, there is either a potential threat of violent political explosion, a raging civil war, a process of negotiated peace and political order, or an immediate postwar rehabilitation process going on. A comparative analysis of the causes and consequences of africas civil wars. Dashwood and cranford pratt redefining security after the cold. Natural resources, conflict, and conflict resolution. Civil wars in africa is an excellent book that makes a solid contribution to scholarship and to the literature on civil wars and conflict resolution. It does not make our perspective and experience bad, but incomplete. Lessons from the negotiations on the eritrean conflict springerlink. Since 1960, almost all civil wars have been in developing countries, whose economic growth and. Initiatives towards conflict prevention and resolution in west africa. Bush formally announced the creation of a new unified combatant command for the african continent, reflecting africas increasing strategic. Aug 19, 2010 the issue of citizenship is salient in many of the civil wars associated with the struggles for democracy in africa, as illustrated by mahmood mamdanis seminal work on the legacies of colonial rule.
Mediation of civil wars westview, 1987 andextremist groups and conflict resolution praeger, 1988. Civil wars the picture in africa baobab the economist. An attempt to understand the roots and prescribe possible solutions issaka k. The implication is that political and economic development can. Boko haram insurgency in nigeria 2009presentthe islamic fundamentalist group boko haram is waging a war against the nigerian government and against the christian community in nigeria. Understanding and preventing violent conflict ibrahim elbadawi nicholas sambanis forthcoming in the journal of african economies december 2000 abstract contrary to popular belief, africas civil wars are not due to its ethnic and religious diversity. Causes of the congolese civil wars and their implications for humanitarian assistance 5 chronic weakness of the postcolonial state in africa joined by a systematic lack of productive industries has perverted the state into a compensatory kind of enterprise. Pdf african union and conflict resolution in africa.
On the one hand, the article brings back in to the discussion the initial literature on political violence and economic inequality. The use of quantitative methods to investigate civil war in africa is common. The outbreak of violent conflicts and civil strife in west africa has led to several actions and interventions played by different actors. The briefing in the most recent issue of the economist s print edition tackles the tricky subject of civil wars. The rising trend of intra interstate s conflicts in africa are partly explained by internal political. United nations security council resolution 797, adopted unanimously on 16 december 1992, after reaffirming resolution 782 1992, the council decided to establish the united nations operation in mozambique onumoz as proposed by the secretarygeneral boutros boutrosghali in line with the peace agreement for mozambique. Adam civil war and failed peace efforts in sudan taisier m. The southern part is very well developed, economically and otherwise, whereas the north isnt. Over the last 50 years, more than 20 countries on the south of the sahara have experienced at least, one civil war. Independence has been bunched in two big waves, the british and french decolonizations of africa in 196062 and the russian decolonization of the early 1990s. Tweet the region of southern africa has a bloody history of wars against colonial and racist rule, as well as prolonged civil wars after independence. Elwood dunn explores political manipulation and ethnic differences as causes of civil strife in liberia. This is a list of conflicts in africa arranged by country, both on the continent and associated islands, including wars between african nations, civil wars, and wars involving non african nations that took place within africa. Marvin nii ankrah author year 20 pages 82 catalog number v231798 file size 800 kb language english tags the organisation of african unity oau economic community of west african states ecowas conflict resolution model multisectoral approach sub.
Matthews leadership, participation and conflict management. It encompasses colonial wars, wars of independence, secessionist and separatist conflicts, major episodes of national violence riots, massacres, etc. Economic roots of civil wars and revolutions in the. Marvin nii ankrah author, 20, conflict resolution in africa. The worst bloodletting in twentiethcentury africa occurred during the colonial period in king leopolds congo free state white 2003. Historical overview of the roots and outbreak of the civil wars and internal tensions in modern liberia in 1822 the american colonization society,3 a private organization, initiated the process of sending former slaves from the united states of america to the 36mile long strip coastline of west africa.
Wars of liberation in southern africa were protracted conflicts and civil wars that came after independence in mozambique and angola were also protracted. Some econometric results 7 also, rebellions may occur when forgone income is unusually low and this can be proxied by mean income per capita, male secondary schooling, and the growth rate of the economy in the preceding period representing new income opportunities. Conflict resolution and peace buildind in africa as a process. This briefing seeks to explain the roots of the crisis, focusing first on divisions within the governing party, before turning to the issues of military integration and the. Civil wars in africa mcgillqueens university press. The rift valley conflicts in kenya in 199192 and again in 1997 constitute few examples of shortlived. Economic agendas in civil wars lynne rienner, 2000. This introduction is aimed at students of northeast africa, and of. There are other pieces dealing with resolution which while worthy also seemed out end page 614 of place, notably that by ursula scheidegger social capital in south africa, whose conclusion, that an inequitable distribution of income is a problem, lacks a certain shock value. Contrary to popular belief, africas civil wars are not due to its ethnic and religious diversity. Peace or truce, revised edition james currey, oxford. However, careful analysis of the determinants of civil wars in africa and a. Jul 25, 2001 it has been said that the 21st century will be recorded as the bloodiest of all centuries to date.