Following the Wilton Park conference on “Peacebuilding in Africa: Evolving Challenges, Responses, and New Thinking,” African Peacebuilding Network staff had a chance to sit down with professor Michael Pugh and discuss his…
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Radar
Boko Haram’s Trajectory: Origins and Future Directions
by Gbemisola Animasawun
"[...] Boko Haram’s trajectory and the need to address the roots of home-bred terrorism assumes greater relevance as Nigeria prepares for elections in a matter of weeks. This overview provides a deeper understanding of a potent security challenge to the holding of free and fair elections in Africa’s largest democracy."
Radar
The African Union Operation in Mali and Questions on the Necessity of a Standby Force
by Jude Cocodia
"It is debatable whether all the effort, time, and resources invested in the establishment of the ASF (and the ACIRC) have resulted in any real impact on Africa’s capacity to 'own' its own peacekeeping and peace support forces and processes. While an African standby force may improve the AU’s capacity to quell violent conflict, it is by no means a major determinant for the success of its peace operations."
Essays
Statebuilding and Peacebuilding in Contexts of Identity-Related Conflicts: A Necessary Collaboration
Elections & Governance
Amending the Uganda Constitution: Isn’t It Time to Rethink the Process and the Key Issues?
by Patricia Nangiro
"As Ugandans we need to push for a systematic and comprehensive overhaul of the entire constitution, which in its current form is a representation of elite interests. The new constitution must rethink governance as a never-ending process of exercising power to manage public affairs and resources in a manner that allows for equitable redistribution of benefits to all."
Essays
The Politics of Reconciliation in Zimbabwe: Three Times Failure—Will the Fourth Time Count?
by Ruth Murambadoro
"When the appropriate time would be to address past social injustices and how they should be addressed remains unclear, but ignoring the past will arguably only perpetuate the cycle of violence that remains prevalent in Zimbabwe .... Reconciliation cannot occur in Zimbabwe without legal tender and a proactive commitment to bind the voices and intentions of the government."
Radar
The Day the Burkinabé People Recovered Their Voice
by Amy Niang
"As political leaders scramble to capture every bit of power possible, it needs to be remembered that the impetus for change was collective anger .... For the Burkinabé people, this is a unique chance to experiment with inclusive politics that makes room for meaningful civil society input and, more importantly, an opportunity to dismantle a system of rule that enabled Compaoré to keep the country under tight control for twenty-seven years."
Radar
Post-amnesty Niger Delta: Current and Emerging Security Threats
by Tarila Marclint Ebiede
"[A]s both national and international observers and policymakers focus on northeast Nigeria, they must not ignore signs of the possible recurrence of conflict in the Niger Delta region. Another full-scale insurgency in the Niger Delta could drive the Nigerian state closer to the cliff. The current threats are the same as those that led to the last phase of insurgency, and they serve as signposts indicating that, if effective action is not taken, insurgency will come again—it is just a matter of time."