Africa: Understanding and Managing Violent Conflicts
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Date
2018-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Conflict Studies Quarterly
Abstract
In 2011, the World Bank reported that an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide live in
conlict-affected countries where repeated cycles of political and organized violence hinder development,
reduce human security and result in massive humanitarian suffering. Out of this igure, the
African continent is host to a signiicant number. Since the 1960s, the continent has been laden with
varied dimensions of conlicts, orchestrated by, but not limited to, border disputes, communal/ethnic
differences and political agitations caused by her colonial origin and other internal trajectories.
Using document analysis conducted through systematic review, this work identiies causes and consequences
of conlicts in Africa and prospects for peaceful and enduring conlict resolution mechanism.
It was also identiied that the response of African Union and other sub-regional organizations
to the intense and chronic nature of conlict situations in the region has, over the years, ranged
from apathy to reliance on short-term security measures, which has otherwise not able to proffer
lasting solutions to the conlict situations. It was posited that rather than rely on heavy military
operations and response-centric approaches to conlict management, there is a dire need for a robust
effort at good governance and people-centred policy reforms where socioeconomic development is
accorded high priority to mitigate the perception
of alienation and marginalization among various
groups in African countries. Besides, appropriate
institutional responses by African states are critical
and necessary to transforming the volatile
environment to peaceful havens, conducive for
development and progress.
Description
Staff Publication
Keywords
Africa,, Violent conflicts,, peaceful resolution,, good governance.