AFRICA: Conflict Resolution And International Diplomacy

AFRICA: CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY

AFRICA: Conflict Resolution And International Diplomacy, critically examines the myriad of conflicts that bedevilled the continent in the last five decades, and which continues to hurt its people. An assessment of socio-political developments on the continent shows that while some African countries went through turbulence, beginning with the struggle for independence, majority still, were consumed largely by colonial bequest and undemocratic inheritance left behind by military dictators and authoritarian one-party civilian regimes. The book opens up with an overview of conflicts in Africa with particular reference to events that have shaped or reshaped the destiny of each African nation. It identifies high-risk conflict zones, potential conflict zones, areas of wholly or partially resolved conflicts and countries that have managed to keep their internal political disagreements below boiling point.

Africa has an unenviable record of nearly 100 military coups since 1960, and that may not be the last count. The military still holds power in Guinea and Mauritania, while their incursion saw the assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira of Guinea-Bissau in March 2009. In Madagascar, it continues to meddle in the political face-off between former president, Marc Ravalomanana and his rival Andry Rajoelina.

The book recounts Africa’s cross-border conflicts and wars between neighbouring states; Ethiopia versus Eritrea, Ethiopia versus Djibouti, Mali versus Burkina Faso, Uganda versus Tanzania as well as Mauritania and Morocco fighting against the Algeria-backed POLISARIO Front over the disputed Western Sahara. It recalls the high-handedness of the authorities in Tripoli as Libya, in 1977, forcefully annexed the Aouzou Strip and parts of Tibesti in northern Chad. It took the intervention of French and US forces to chase the country out of the Chadian territory after eleven years of illegal occupation.