In an effort towards reducing the African Union’s (AU) financial dependency on external donors, the organization adopted a new funding mechanism at the recently concluded 27th AU Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda. The adopted approach, a tax levy of 0.2 percent on ‘eligible’ imports of all of its member states, had been recommended by a […]
Essays
Essays present critical analysis and debate on a pressing issue in African peacebuilding.
Democracy, Development and Governance
“To Remain Silent Is a Position”: A Look into the #ThisFlag citizen’s movement in Zimbabwe
by Ruth Murambadoro
From its inception in mid-April 2016, the #ThisFlag citizens’ movement has been challenging the government of Zimbabwe through social media, making demands related to the dire socioeconomic situation facing the people. Hardships confront the majority of the country’s citizens, especially the economically active among the population who cannot afford to provide the basic necessities for […]
Essays
“If I Die, Let Me Be the Last”: Reflecting on Dr. Lukwiya and Uganda’s Efforts Against Ebola
by Pamela Khanakwa
"Promoting public awareness about the disease and developing mechanisms of social support to victims and affected communities is extremely critical because the outbreaks of virus diseases such as Ebola are social issues inasmuch they are medical issues, and go beyond biomedical concerns alone. None of these tactics, however, are possible without good governance and effective leadership, which we as Africans must advocate for and hold our leaders accountable."
Essays
Congolese Soldiers as Victims: Military Prosecution and Punishment
by Godfrey Maringira
"Some soldiers are victimized by the very military they serve through court martial proceedings that often delay prosecution and then serve up an unfair and tedious process. What is needed at the policy level is independent civilian jurisdiction to prosecute soldiers who commit offenses."
AU-UN Cooperation
Second Time Around: Why Did the African Union Say “No” to a Peace Intervention Force in Burundi?
by Jude Cocodia
"In February 2016, the African Union announced its decision not to send an intervention force into Burundi without the consent of the country’s government. What were its reasons for this decision?"
Essays
“Kill Us Together or Leave Us Alone”: The Beginning of the End of Al-Shabaab Menace in Kenya
by Jacinta Mwende Maweu
"The media in Kenya need to take their public interest role seriously and stop behaving as fear mongers or as cheerleaders for militants’ heinous acts. Instead, they should cheer on and celebrate the acts more worthy of attention—like those of the Muslims on that ambushed bus—to help bring the Al-Shabaab menace in Kenya to an end."
Essays
The Crisis in Burundi: A Call to Regional Actors
by Dagan Rossini
"Given Burundi’s refusal to allow the AU’s peacekeeping force and the UN’s admitted lack of preparedness, what role can the East African Community play in diffusing the situation and ensuring long-term peace that benefits not only Burundi but also the entire region?"
Essays
Human Rights Abuses against the Bakassi People: Are Nigeria and Cameroon Liable?
by Kenneth Chukwuemeka Nwoko
"For the Nigeria–Cameroon border conflict, however—deemed settled between the contesting parties by the Greentree Agreement in 2006—the continuing violation by one or both parties of the rights of the people living in the disputed Bakassi Peninsula raises questions with regard to the functionality of the settlement and the processes that brought it about."
Essays
How Is the Securitization of Africa Addressing Human Insecurity?
by Agnes Wanjiru Behr
"The securitization of Africa has changed academic discourse in several ways by broadening the concept of “security” and its role in reshaping the relationship between the continent and global powers. And yet, in facilitating the process of securitization, African leaders avoid the real challenge of addressing the roots of human insecurity within their countries and regions."
Essays
The South Sudan Peace Deal and Prospects for Peacebuilding
by Kenneth Omeje and Dr. Nicodemus Minde
"Post-conflict peacebuilding and reconstruction present a complex challenge to any nascent state emerging from war. In South Sudan, negotiated tradeoffs among political elites were inevitable. Although the war has had a devastating impact, the IGAD peace agreement offers a renewal and a platform for rebuilding the state."