"There is the belief that if you build competitive institutions and a structure of government, these elements of statebuilding will lead to state stability. It is more than just democratic competence of…
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Essays
Redefining Peacekeeping: The Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo
by Martha Mutisi
"The coming together of the UN, AU, SADC, and ICGLR to conceptualize and operationalize the FIB demonstrates that hybridization in peacekeeping can work, especially if each intergovernmental organization is allowed to bring to the table its interoperable strengths. African countries provide the troops and equipment to form the brigade, while the UN provides the funding and logistical coordination. When peacekeeping operations are undertaken cooperatively, positive results are easier to achieve."
Essays
A Soft Power Approach to Eradicating Extremism in Africa
by Dan Kuwali
“Leaders, clerics, and scholars at all levels should devise effective strategies to tackle the root causes of extremism and terrorism. The idea is to cultivate a culture of peace, tolerance, and acceptance of unity in diversity, based on diverse African values.”
Essays
Women’s Involvement in Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution among the Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria
by Ngozi Ugo Emeka-Nwobia
"As the Igbo case demonstrates, governments and international organizations—in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa—have to ensure a narrative that extends beyond the usual stories of women as victims to how they use their agency and mobilize themselves to work for peace at home and within the community, and how those efforts may be formally recognized, documented, and scaled up on a continent striving for peace."
Elections & Governance
Press Freedoms and the Need to Repeal Draconian Media Legislation in Tanzania
by Dr. Nicodemus Minde
"Press freedom is an important element of the democratization process. The freedom to report critically and question decisions promotes transparency and accountability and helps build robust, open, and democratic institutions .... Increased media freedoms and citizens’ access to information are essential to attaining these goals and consolidating democratic governance and political stability."
Research and Practice
Journeys of Peace: Ex-combatants from Azania People’s Liberation Army in South Africa
Research and Practice
Are Female Peacekeepers Making a Difference, and If Not, Why Not?
by Lindy Heinecken
"What is clear is that female peacekeepers suffer under a hypermasculine military culture because they are 'othered' on many levels that affect their performance. The literature suggests that where women do seem to have made a difference, they were deployed in all-female units and served in predominantly constabulary roles. Some criticize these units because they are gender segregated, but, ironically, they are the ones most often praised for their success."
On the Spot
Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections
by African Peacebuilding Network
Coordinated with the help of Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, this special section highlights the most significant issue(s) in Nigeria’s 2015 general elections, to be held March 28, 2015, after a six-week postponement. As Africa’s largest democracy prepares for the polls, several questions must be answered: What do these elections portend for the country in the face of domestic demands for solutions to problems of unemployment, inequality, the marginalization of minorities, and growing insecurity, and Nigeria’s role within West Africa and the rest of the continent? What implications will the elections likely have for national stability and development in Africa’s largest economy? And what do the elections portend for the country’s relations with its neighbors, the West, and emerging powers?