How Violent Extremist Groups Exploit Intercommunal Conflicts in the Sahel
Rising violence by militant Islamist groups in the Sahel is straining intercommunal tensions, threatening the foundations of social cohesion in the region.
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Rising violence by militant Islamist groups in the Sahel is straining intercommunal tensions, threatening the foundations of social cohesion in the region.
Reversing the escalating violence of militant Islamist groups in the Sahel will require an enhanced security presence coupled with more sustained outreach to local communities.
Surveys and interviews conducted in South Kivu examine the roles of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), MONUSCO, as well as NGOs and local militias in facilitating lasting peace. While MONUSCO has assisted the FARDC in stemming the militia threat, Congolese do not see a future for the mission in their communities and express frustration at what they perceive as inadequate responses to their security concerns. Many in conflict-stricken areas see the state as the principal security provider, despite considerable reservations about the FARDC. Phasing out MONUSCO and ensuring continued decentralization through local elections would strengthen the legitimacy of the state and its security forces and promote accountable governance.
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti argues that Zimbabwe's worsening economic crisis is fundamentally political and driven by a lack of government legitimacy that will require active SADC engagement to resolve.
The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has pursued breadth rather than depth of engagement in its rapid rise along the Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso borders.
Benin’s recent no-contest legislative elections are an attempt to consolidate executive power at the expense of democratic gains.
From Boko Haram to farmer-herder conflicts, ethno-religious tensions, separatist movements, urban crime, and national identity, Nigeria experts size up the security priorities facing the Buhari government in its second term.
The Macina Liberation Front has opportunistically played on perceptions of ethnic, economic, religious, and political marginalization to become one of the most active militant Islamist groups in Mali.