Africa Center for Strategic Studies

By Dr. Shepard Forman, Gigja Sorensen and Rahul Chandra, Center on International Cooperation, NYU, 2010. The authors review the effectiveness and challenges of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Country-Specific Meetings (CSM) that the United Nations mission in Burundi has faced since their inception in 2006. Based on interviews with key actors and leading experts, the authors were able to identify five major areas of concern. These include lack of effective political dialogue among both domestic and international actors, the continued risks posed by the 2010 elections, and the challenge of ensuring successful disarmament and security sector reform.  The problem of overall donor coordination is also identified. In spite of these challenges, the authors argue that the continuous existence of the PBC and CSM creates a valuable mechanism for international engagement with Burundi at this critical time. [PDF]

The Emergence of a Somali State: Building Peace from Civil War in Somaliland. By Michael Walls. African Affairs, 2009. The article looks at the 1991-3 peace process in Somaliland and argues that it was a success because it was built on a set of deeply embedded social norms that emphasized the importance of dialogue between antagonists and a sustained commitment to consensus building in preference to divisive voting. [HTML]

Employment Creation, Income Generation, and Reintegration in Post-Conflict Settings. United Nations, 2008. An overview of concepts and lessons learned in generating employment in post-conflict settings - frequently cited as a key factor in creating stability and fostering recovery. The analysis argues that of particular importance is the targeting of youth unemployment, understanding labor markets, and ensuring inclusivity. [PDF]