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Community engagement
published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies
on September 18, 2013
The Africa Center for Strategic Studies cohosted a daylong symposium on “National Security Strategy: Development, Resourcing, and Implementation,” in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe and the Africa Center Malawi Community Chapter, September 10, 2013, at the Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe. The symposium convened a group of 60 security sector experts, including government... Continue Reading
Africa Security Brief No. 26
published by Michael Olufemi Sodipo
on August 31, 2013
Mitigating radicalism, in northern Nigeria as elsewhere, requires a sustained approach targeting every stage of the radicalization spectrum.
Africa Security Brief No. 24
published by Prosper Nzekani Zena
on January 31, 2013
DDR nitiatives are often under-prioritized and -conceptualized, contributing to the high rates of conflict relapse observed in Africa.
Africa Security Brief No. 23
published by Terje Østebø
on November 30, 2012
The rise in Islamic militancy in the Sahel, northern Nigeria, and the Horn of Africa has elevated attention to this evolving security concern. Hopes that Africa’s historically moderate interpretations of Islam would suffice to filter extremist views from gaining meaningful traction seem increasingly misplaced. More generally, understanding of this unconventional security challenge is often based more on speculation than informed assessment. Responses must avoid conflating distinct Islamist actors while addressing local level perceptions of disaffection and under-representation that underpin support for militants.
Africa Security Brief No. 22
published by Birame Diop, David Peyton, and Gene McConville
on August 31, 2012
Airlift assets provide vital capabilities and multiply the effectiveness of Africa’s resource-limited militaries and collective peace operations.
Africa Security Brief No. 21
published by Rigobert Minani Bihuzo
on July 31, 2012
Despite numerous peace agreements, Africa’s Great Lakes region has been in a persistent state of conflict for the past two decades. The contributions and shortcomings of some of the most significant previous peace initiatives, however, offer vital lessons as to how to mitigate the local level tensions, national political dynamics, and competing regional interests that have led to recurring outbreaks of violence.
Africa Security Brief No. 20
published by J. Peter Pham
on April 30, 2012
Support for Boko Haram among some of northern Nigeria’s marginalized Muslim communities suggests that security actions alone will be insufficient to quell the instability.
Africa Security Brief No. 19
published by Thierno Mouctar Bah
on March 31, 2012
Legacies of Côte d’Ivoire’s national identity crisis left this strategic West African country vulnerable to further instability.
Africa Security Brief No. 18
published by Laurence Aïda Ammour
on February 28, 2012
Despite growing security concerns across the Sahel and Maghreb, regional security cooperation to address these transnational threats remains fragmented. Algeria is well-positioned to play a central role in defining this cooperation, but must first reconcile the complex domestic, regional, and international considerations that shape its decision-making.
Africa Security Brief No. 17
published by Mathurin C. Houngnikpo
on January 31, 2012
Institutionalization of democratic norms in Africa’s militaries often lags behind advances made in civilian institutions and civil society.
Africa Security Brief No. 16
published by Ernest Uwazie
on November 30, 2011
Low-level disputes in Africa can spiral into violence and conflict due to the lack of effective judicial systems that can provide a credible and timely process for resolving differences. Alternative dispute resolution techniques can strengthen dispute settlement systems and bridge the gap between formal legal systems and traditional modes of African justice. They may have particular value in stabilization and statebuilding efforts when judicial institutions are weak and social tensions are high.
Africa Security Brief No. 15
published by Cédric Jourde
on September 30, 2011
Increasing narcotrafficking and a more active Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are elevating concerns over instability in the Sahel. However, the region’s threats are more complex than what is observable on the surface. Rather, security concerns are typically characterized by multiple, competing, and fluctuating interests at the local, national, and regional levels. Effectively responding to these threats requires in-depth understanding of the multiple contextual layers in which illicit actors operate.