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2. Geostrategic Dimensions of Libya’s Civil War
- Author:
- Tarek Megerisi
- Publication Date:
- 05-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Libya’s civil war has become an increasingly competitive geostrategic struggle. A UN-brokered settlement supported by non-aligned states is the most viable means for a stable de-escalation, enabling Libya to regain its sovereignty.
- Topic:
- Civil War, Sovereignty, United States, and Peace
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Libya, and North Africa
3. The Puzzle of JNIM and Militant Islamist Groups in the Sahel
- Author:
- Daniel Eizenga and Wendy Williams
- Publication Date:
- 12-2020
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Composed of distinct operational entities, the militant Islamist group coalition Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen serves the role of obscuring the operations of its component parts in the Sahel, thereby inhibiting a more robust response.
- Topic:
- Terrorism, Non State Actors, Violent Extremism, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sahel, and Sub-Saharan Africa
4. Responding to the Rise in Violent Extremism in the Sahel
- Author:
- Pauline Le Roux
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The Sahel has experienced the most rapid increase in militant Islamist group activity of any region in Africa in recent years. Violent events involving extremist groups in the region have doubled every year since 2015. In 2019, there have been more than 700 such violent episodes (see Figure 1). Fatalities linked to these events have increased from 225 to 2,000 during the same period. This surge in violence has uprooted more than 900,000 people, including 500,000 in Burkina Faso in 2019 alone. Three groups, the Macina Liberation Front (FLM),1 the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS),2 and Ansaroul Islam,3 are responsible for roughly two-thirds of the extremist violence in the central Sahel.4 Their attacks are largely concentrated in central Mali, northern and eastern Burkina Faso, and western Niger (see Figure 2). Multiple security and development responses have been deployed to address this crisis. While some progress has been realized, the continued escalation of extremist violence underscores that more needs to be done.
- Topic:
- Security, Islam, Regional Cooperation, and Violent Extremism
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mali, Sahel, Niger, and Burkina Faso
5. Assessing Attitudes of the Next Generation of African Security Sector Professionals
- Author:
- Kwesi Aning and Joseph Siegle
- Publication Date:
- 05-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Africa’s armed forces are in transition from an independence-era model to one more suited to today’s conflicts and threats. They are increasingly called upon to engage in preventive action, resolve domestic security crises, combat transnational threats, and protect the progression toward more democratic governance. Understanding how African security sector actors’ perceptions may be shifting in light of these changes can provide insights to improving their effectiveness. This study, involving 742 African security sector professionals from 37 countries, assesses differences in the attitudes, motivations, and values of the emerging generation of African security sector professionals. Understanding these differences may raise awareness, provide a basis for reform, and create an impetus for improving the citizen-security actor relationship.
- Topic:
- Globalization, National Security, Democracy, State Building, and transnationalism
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mediterranean, and Sahara
6. Shifting Borders: Africa’s Displacement Crisis and Its Security Implications
- Author:
- Wendy Williams
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Recent years have seen record numbers of Africans forcibly displaced from their homes. The most recent figure of 25 million people displaced is a 500-percent increase from 2005. While much attention focuses on economic migrants who are trying to cross into Europe, 95 percent of those who are displaced remain on the continent. Two-thirds of these are displaced within their home countries. In short, the reality faced is more accurately characterized as an African displacement, rather than a European migrant, crisis. This paper explores the drivers of population displacement in Africa, security ramifications, and priorities for reversing this destabilizing trend.
- Topic:
- Migration, Diaspora, Political stability, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Uganda, South Sudan, and Sahara
7. Envisioning a Stable South Sudan
- Author:
- Luka Biong Deng Kuol, Majak D'Agoôt, Remember Miamingi, Lauren Hutton, Phillip Kasaija Apuuli, Luol Deim Kuol, and Godfrey Musila
- Publication Date:
- 05-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The internal conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis embroiling South Sudan since December 2013 have exposed the country’s fragility. A weak national identity, ethnically based violence, a legacy of violent conflict resolution, personalized and patronage-based politics, weak institutional checks on the abuse of power, and the absence of encompassing leadership, among other factors, all pose obstacles to peacebuilding. As a result, envisaging a stable South Sudan has become increasingly difficult for many South Sudanese and external observers. With regional and international diplomacy rightly focused on negotiating an immediate end to hostilities, the Africa Center for Strategic Studies has asked a selection of South Sudanese and international scholars, security practitioners, and civil society leaders to share their visions of the strategic issues South Sudan must address if it is to make a transition from its current state of dissimilation to a more stable reality. These visions, taken individually and collectively, are intended to help sketch out some of the priorities and prerequisites for transforming today’s highly fragmented security landscape in South Sudan to one in which its citizens are safe in their own country and are protected from external threats.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, Nationalism, Regional Cooperation, United Nations, and Humanitarian Intervention
- Political Geography:
- Africa, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
8. Africa Lags in Protections against Human Trafficking
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Trafficking in persons has become a multibillion dollar business in Africa that African governments have been slow to address.
- Topic:
- Migration, United Nations, Children, Women, Slavery, and Human Trafficking
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Burundi, Eritrea, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and Mediterranean
9. Africa’s Unresolved Conflicts a Key Driver of Food Insecurity
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Conflict is a central factor in the geography of Africa’s food insecurity. The acuteness of this insecurity deepens the longer a conflict continues.
- Topic:
- Humanitarian Aid, United Nations, Food Security, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, Nigeria, Burundi, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Central African Republic
10. Progress and Setbacks in the Fight against African Militant Islamist Groups in 2018
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 01-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Declines in violent activity linked to Boko Haram and al Shabaab are balanced by increases in the Sahel, generating a mixed picture of the challenge posed by militant Islamist groups in Africa.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, ISIS, Islamic State, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mozambique, Somalia, Mali, Chad, and Niger
11. The Complex and Growing Threat of Militant Islamist Groups in the Sahel
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 02-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The escalation of violent events linked to militant Islamist groups in the Sahel reflects an array of diverse actors operating within distinct geographic concentrations.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, International Cooperation, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso
12. A Review of Major Regional Security Efforts in the Sahel
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Increased attacks from militant Islamist groups in the Sahel coupled with cross-border challenges such as trafficking, migration, and displacement have prompted a series of regional and international security responses.
- Topic:
- Security, Migration, Regional Cooperation, Trafficking, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Sahel, and Niger
13. Frontlines in Flux in Battle against African Militant Islamist Groups
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A surge of attacks in the Sahel coupled with declines in activity by Boko Haram, ISIS, and al Shabaab reflect the constantly shifting threats posed by militant Islamist groups in Africa.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, ISIS, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Egypt, Somalia, Mali, and Sahel
14. Record Number of Forcibly Displaced Africans Likely to Grow
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- With Africa's population expected to double by 2050, the rapid increase in the number of forcibly displaced Africans of the past decade will continue to expand unless key drivers are reversed.
- Topic:
- Migration, United Nations, Diaspora, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Central African Republic
15. Myths about Human Trafficking in Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Human trafficking remains a significant problem in Africa, exploiting vulnerable individuals—children, women, and men—for forced labor as well as prostitution.
- Topic:
- United Nations, Labor Issues, Children, and Human Trafficking
- Political Geography:
- Africa, South Africa, North Africa, West Africa, and East Africa
16. Timeline of South Sudan Peace Agreements and Violence
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Despite multiple ceasefires and peace agreements signed since the conflict began in 2013, the humanitarian costs to the citizens of South Sudan continue to grow.
- Topic:
- Civil War, Humanitarian Intervention, Negotiation, Violence, and Peace
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
17. African Migrant Flows Reshaping Security Challenges in Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The dynamism of clandestine African migration flows continues to present criminal and violent extremist groups opportunities for exploitation.
- Topic:
- Migration, United Nations, Diaspora, Violent Extremism, and European Union
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Europe, and Southern Europe
18. The Complex and Growing Threat of Militant Islamist Groups in the Sahel
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 02-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The escalation of violent events linked to militant Islamist groups in the Sahel reflects an array of diverse actors operating within distinct geographic concentrations.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Violent Extremism, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mali, Sahel, Niger, and Burkina Faso
19. Humanitarian Costs of South Sudan Conflict Continue to Escalate
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 01-2018
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Now in its fifth year, South Sudan’s current conflict has displaced 4.5 million people—the same number of southern Sudanese displaced during the entire three-decade Sudan civil war.
- Topic:
- Civil War, Humanitarian Aid, United Nations, Refugees, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
20. Term Limits for African Leaders Linked to Stability
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 02-2018
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Progress toward institutionalizing the norm of presidential term limits in Africa has been mixed. Leaders in 5 countries have evaded term limits since 2015, bringing the number of countries lacking term limits to 18. In contrast, 21 African countries have upheld presidential term limits, and an additional 15 now have such limits on the books. These limits, in turn, have wide-ranging implications
- Topic:
- Authoritarianism, Democracy, Political structure, Political stability, and Institutionalism
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa
21. African Militant Islamist Groups Again on the Rise
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 04-2018
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Violent events linked to militant Islamist groups in Africa rose by 38 percent over the past year. All major groups show an increase in activity.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, Al Qaeda, Militant Islam, Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa
22. Militant Islamist Group Activity in the Sahel Rises
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 10-2018
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Expansion of violent events linked to an array of militant Islamist groups in the Sahel highlights the growing scope of security challenges facing this region.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, Al Qaeda, Militant Islam, and Al Shabaab
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Sahel
23. Selected Effects of Climate Change on Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 11-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Africa is more vulnerable to climate change than any other region on the planet. This map reflects a few of the ways the changing environment is straining Africa’s social systems.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Poverty, Water, Political stability, and Unemployment
- Political Geography:
- Africa, South Africa, Sahel, and Sahara
24. Acute Food Insecurity and Conflict in Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 02-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Nineteen African countries are facing acute levels of food insecurity. Ten of those countries are experiencing internal conflict.
- Topic:
- United Nations, Refugee Issues, Authoritarianism, Food Security, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Sahel, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sahara
25. Refugee Flows Show Burundi Crisis Worsening
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 03-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- After two years the Burundi crisis continues to worsen. Despite government claims that the situation has normalized, facts on the ground suggest otherwise.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, United Nations, Refugees, Displacement, and Violence
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Tanzania, Burundi, and East Africa
26. Humanitarian Need and Displacement in South Sudan
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 03-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A spike in political violence since mid-2016 has caused the worst humanitarian crisis in South Sudan since its decades-long civil war with Sudan.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Civil War, Humanitarian Aid, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
27. Conflict and Famine in South Sudan
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 03-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- While much of East Africa suffers from drought, it is conflict, rather than lack of rain, that has been the cause of famine in South Sudan.
- Topic:
- Humanitarian Aid, Famine, Food Security, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
28. ISIS’s Future in Africa after Iraq and Syria
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 03-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- After losing territory in Iraq and Syria, ISIS has affirmed its intention to expand its operations into Africa. A review of militant group activity on the continent, however, suggests that ISIS will be challenged to do so.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Violent Extremism, ISIS, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Iraq, Middle East, North Africa, and Syria
29. Map of Africa’s Militant Islamist Groups
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 04-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A review of militant Islamist group activity in Africa over the past year reveals considerable variation and a geographic concentration.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, ISIS, Militant Islam, Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Libya, Algeria, North Africa, and Tunisia
30. Burundi Refugee Flows Continue to Increase
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 06-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- As instability from the political crisis continues to worsen, Burundi refugee flows and displacement show no signs of abating. The number of registered refugees has risen 60 percent in the last year—to 423,056—escalating the political and economic costs for all of Burundi's neighbors.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, United Nations, Refugees, Political stability, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Tanzania, Burundi, and East Africa
31. Setbacks and Realignments: The Continuing Evolution of Militant Islamist Groups in Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A review of violent events involving militant Islamist groups in Africa over the past year reveals a mixed picture, with some groups showing increased activity and others diminished. This variance underscores the importance of local factors affecting each context.
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, ISIS, Militant Islam, Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Libya, and Nigeria
32. Conflict and Food Insecurity in South Sudan
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 07-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The humanitarian situation in South Sudan continues to deteriorate as the conflict persists unabated. Four years of widespread violence have left 6 million people—half the population—acutely food insecure.
- Topic:
- Civil War, Humanitarian Aid, United Nations, Food Security, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, and South Sudan
33. Africa’s Population Displacement Reaches Record Levels in 2017
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 08-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Africa’s humanitarian crises have continued to worsen in 2017. Displacement of Africans has reached twenty million, and 44 million are acutely food insecure.
- Topic:
- Humanitarian Aid, United Nations, Food Security, Refugees, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, East Africa, and Central Africa
34. Constitutional Term Limits for African Leaders
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 09-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- African leaders’ adherence to constitutional term limits is a key component of institutionalizing predictable norms of democratic succession. Progress toward establishing this norm has been mixed, however. While a number of African countries have succeeded in upholding term limits over the past two decades, leaders in more than 20 countries effectively do not face restrictions on their time in power.
- Topic:
- Democracy, Political structure, Political stability, and Institutionalism
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa
35. Al Shabaab Remains Virulent as ISIS Shifts to Egypt
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 10-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A quarterly update of a map tracking militant Islamic group activity in Africa as compiled by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Al Shabaab has been involved in over half of all violent events related to militant Islamist groups in Africa in the first three quarters of 2017 (987 of 1,827 total).
- Topic:
- Violent Extremism, ISIS, Militant Islam, and Al Shabaab
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, West Africa, and East Africa
36. South Sudan Conflict Drives Massive Population Movement
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 10-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Mass atrocities, including unlawful killings, rape, torture, and destruction of property, have caused one in three people in South Sudan to flee their homes.
- Topic:
- Genocide, Human Rights, United Nations, Refugees, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, East Africa, South Sudan, and Central Africa
37. Dynamics of African Economic Migration
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 12-2017
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Migration continues to be a major issue affecting African societies. Here are three observations on how Africa’s economic migrants* affect security on the continent:
- Topic:
- Migration, United Nations, Diaspora, Refugees, and Displacement
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Libya, Egypt, Mediterranean, and Gulf of Aden
38. Overlapping Effects of Autocracy and Conflict in Africa
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The strong overlap of autocracy and conflict in Africa underscores the strong political dimensions of Africa’s contemporary conflicts.
- Topic:
- Authoritarianism, Democracy, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, Central Africa, and Horn of Africa
39. Population Displacement in Africa: Top 10 Countries of Origin
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 09-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- While much attention has focused on refugee migration into Europe, two-thirds of Africa’s dislocated population are internally displaced.
- Topic:
- Migration, Regional Cooperation, United Nations, and Diaspora
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo
40. Map of Africa’s Active Militant Islamist Groups
- Author:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A review of militant Islamist group activity in Africa over the past year reveals considerable variation and a geographic concentration.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Violent Extremism, ISIS, and Militant Islam
- Political Geography:
- Africa, North Africa, West Africa, and East Africa
41. Combating Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
- Publication Date:
- 04-2015
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- <p>Despite earning the inauspicious title in recent years as the shipping corridor with the highest number of piracy attacks in the world, regional responses to piracy and maritime security threats in the Gulf of Guinea, have been fragmentary. Maritime domain awareness remains low, interagency coordination is limited, and intra-regional coordination mechanisms that have been established are often underfunded. The highly fungible nature of maritime threats means that this challenge cannot be addressed solely by individual states but requires cohesive regional security cooperation. While progress has been made, stronger political commitments are needed at the national, regional, and international levels if the worsening trend of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea is to be reversed.</p>
42. Advancing Military Professionalism in Africa
- Author:
- Emile Ouédraogo
- Publication Date:
- 07-2014
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Vivid examples of weak military professionalism in Africa are regularly evident in news accounts of instability on the continent. Militaries collapsing in the face of attacks by irregular forces, coups, mutinies, looting, human rights abuses against civilian populations, corruption, and engagement in illicit trafficking activities are widespread. This pattern persists decades after the end of colonialism, despite billions of dollars of security sector assistance and longstanding rhetoric on the need to strengthen civil-military relations on the continent. The costs for not having established strong professional militaries are high: persistent instability, chronic poverty, deterred investment, and stunted democratization.
- Topic:
- Security, Corruption, Human Rights, and Post Colonialism
- Political Geography:
- Africa
43. Africa's Information Revolution: Implications for Crime, Policing, and Citizen Security
- Author:
- Steven Livingston
- Publication Date:
- 11-2013
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Violent crime represents the most immediate threat to the personal security of most Africans. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 36 percent of all homicides globally occur in Africa. With 17 deaths per 100,000, the homicide rate in Africa is double the global average. Rates of robberies and rape in Africa also exceed global norms. The problem is worse in urban areas, with many of Africa's urban-dwellers “often” worrying about crime.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Crime, Fragile/Failed State, and Law Enforcement
- Political Geography:
- Africa and United Nations
44. Advancing Stability and Reconciliation in Guinea-Bissau: Lessons from Africa's First Narco-State
- Author:
- Davin O'Regan and Peter Thompson
- Publication Date:
- 06-2013
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A string of crises stretching back more than a decade has rendered Guinea-Bissau one of the most fragile states in Africa. This recurring cycle of political violence, instability, and incapacitated governance, moreover, has accelerated in recent years, most notably following a military coup in April 2012. Exploiting this volatility, trafficking networks have coopted key political and military leaders and transformed Guinea-Bissau into a hub for illicit commerce, particularly the multibillion dollar international trade in cocaine. This has directly contributed to instability in Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and elsewhere in Africa. European and African organized criminal groups have likewise established ties to the Guinea-Bissau trade. Drawn by the lucrative revenues, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and other militant groups in West Africa have also been linked to Guinea-Bissau trafficking. Now commonly referred to as Africa's first narco-state, Guinea-Bissau has become a regional crossroads of instability.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Development, Economics, Narcotics Trafficking, and Fragile/Failed State
- Political Geography:
- Africa
45. Africa and the Arab Spring: A New Era of Democratic Expectations
- Publication Date:
- 11-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A question often asked since the launch of the Arab Spring in January 2011 is what effect will these popular protests have on democracy in the rest of Africa. Frequently overlooked in this discussion is that Sub-Saharan Africa has been experiencing its own democratic surge during this time with important advances in Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Nigeria, and Zambia, among other countries. This progress builds on nearly two decades of democratic institution building on the continent. Even so, the legacy of “big-man” politics continues to cast a long shadow over Africa's governance norms. Regime models on the continent, moreover, remain highly varied, ranging from hard core autocrats, to semi-authoritarians, democratizers, and a select number of democracies.
- Topic:
- Democratization and Regime Change
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Arabia, Nigeria, and Zambia
46. Stress-Testing South Africa: The Tenuous Foundations of One of Africa's Stable States
- Author:
- Assis Malaquias
- Publication Date:
- 07-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy in 1994 was expected to usher in a new era of peace, stability, and accelerated development. However, despite widespread optimism, political violence has persisted. Although a fraction of that experienced under apartheid, levels of political violence are worsening and indicative of the country's potential fragility. They also map out the fault lines along which South Africa may yet stumble.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Apartheid, Democratization, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- Africa
47. Africa and the Arab Spring: A New Era of Democratic Expectations
- Publication Date:
- 11-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- A question often asked since the launch of the Arab Spring in January 2011 is what effect will these popular protests have on democracy in the rest of Africa. Frequently overlooked in this discussion is that Sub-Saharan Africa has been experiencing its own democratic surge during this time with important advances in Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Nigeria, and Zambia, among other countries. This progress builds on nearly two decades of democratic institution building on the continent. Even so, the legacy of "big-man" politics continues to cast a long shadow over Africa's governance norms. Regime models on the continent, moreover, remain highly varied, ranging from hard core autocrats, to semi-authoritarians, democratizers, and a select number of democracies.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Development, Governance, and Popular Revolt
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Arabia, and Nigeria
48. Africa's Evolving Infosystems: A Pathway to Security and Stability
- Author:
- Steven Livingston
- Publication Date:
- 03-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- Political instability and violence in Africa are often the products of rumor and misinformation. Narrow interests have used politically biased newspapers and radio programming to spread disinformation and champion politically divisive causes. Meanwhile, reasonable opposition voices have been kept silent and shuttered from public life, often by repressive, even violent means. This remains a serious concern across Africa.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Political Violence, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- Africa
49. Enhancing Civilian Protection in Peace Operations: Insights from Africa
- Author:
- Paul D. Williams
- Publication Date:
- 09-2010
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The protection of civilians is a critical issue in African security. Nearly 600,000 civilians in 27 African countries have been massacred in the past two decades. Tens of millions more have been killed in battles, displaced, or perished from indirect causes of such attacks and the continent's armed conflicts. Not only are civilians the main victims of Africa's wars, but also an increasing number of United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions have called upon peacekeepers to protect them. For many, civilian protection is the very essence of peacekeeping. This is a driving rationale behind the unanimously endorsed and UN-mandated “responsibility to protect” principle—the idea that governments have a responsibility to prevent and curtail genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing. Civilian protection is also a crucial part of forging durable political settlements because any peace agreement that tolerates continued violence against civilians will not provide a solid foundation on which to build legitimate governance structures.
- Topic:
- Security, Human Rights, Human Welfare, War, and Peacekeeping
- Political Geography:
- Africa and United Nations