Journal of Central and Eastern European African Studies

The Relevance of state-building in the 2020s and the case of Africa

Rada Péter — 2024-12-11

The study examines the relevance of state-building in the 2020s within the framework of International Relations (IR) theories, with a focus on the Liberal World Order (LWO). Rooted in liberal ideology, the theory of state-building asserts that adherence to universally accepted norms and regulations by sovereign states best achieves global security. We explore the concept of ‘offensive liberalism’, emphasising the proactive role of stable states in enforcing these norms in regions where state capacity is lacking. The paper revisits the literature on state-building and the international system, noting a decline in scholarly focus over the past fifteen years. However, contemporary conflicts such as the war in Ukraine have brought state-building back to the forefront of global political discourse. The study underscores the importance of state-building in maintaining the stability and security of the LWO and emphasises the need for comprehensive reconstruction efforts in war-torn regions. It argues for the continued relevance of state-building in maintaining the LWO, particularly in regions facing instability. It calls for flexible, context-aware strategies that prioritise local engagement and regional cooperation to address Africa’s unique socio-political landscape’s challenges and opportunities.

Coups and Terror in the Sahel

Edson Ziso — 2024-12-11

This study investigates the intricate relationship between coups, state fragility, and terrorism in the Sahel region, with a focus on Burkina Faso and Niger. The research contextualizes recent coup attempts and successful seizures of power in West and Central Africa since 2020 within the broader historical landscape of coups on the continent. Coups are increasingly linked to rising state fragility, which fuels the proliferation of terrorist activities, exacerbating instability throughout the Sahel, (Dahiru, 2024; ‘Conflict Watchlist 2023: The Sahel’, no date). Methodologically, this study adopts a multi-faceted approach, combining qualitative analysis of historical data with quantitative assessments of coup occurrences and terrorist incidents. It relies on diverse sources, including the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and scholarly research, to discern patterns and dynamics over time. Theoretically, the study explores how the emergence of military juntas and the erosion of state stability precipitate the spread of terrorism in the region.. The paper will show the extent to which terrorist violence has ravaged local economies, displaced populations and disrupted service provision. The study also aims to explain the implications of increased terrorism for regional security, governance, and potential radicalization and recruitment trends in addition to informing policies and interventions aimed at mitigating the complex interplay of coups, state fragility, and terrorism in the Sahel.

Military Regimes In The Sahel As Recruitment Sergeants For Rebel Governance

Samuel Edet — 2024-12-11

The recent cases of the de-democratisation of Sahelian states, such as Mali and Burkina Faso, driven by the emergence of military regimes, have been presented as responses to severe security crises occasioned by the activities of transnational violent extremist organisations. Nevertheless, the existence of such regimes has not corresponded with drastic improvements in security outcomes, as evidenced by the rapidly escalating incidents of violence and human insecurity that have particularly rocked Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In this paper, using a multiple case study design, we outline the argument that the proliferation of these regimes hastens the ascent of these states to “state failure-hood” as they legitimise “rebel governance” exemplified by violent extremist organisations such as the Sahelian franchises of transnational terrorist organisations such as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda through the “securitisation of peace” through the use of techniques that further affect already poor “state-civil society” relations. We clarify our arguments using qualitative data drawn from the triangulation of secondary data sources and analyses using thematic content analysis.

The Nexus Between Military Rule and Private Military and Security Companies in the Sahel and its Impact on Terrorism

Yasmin — 2024-12-11

The Sahel’s tumultuous political landscape amidst successive coups by military juntas has become a hotbed for terrorists taking advantage of the ungoverned spaces created by the disconnect between states and their people to garner support and expand their influence. These coups are often sustained with the assistance of private military and security companies (PMSCs) like the Africa Corps of Wagner Group in terms of operating beyond legal frameworks exacerbating the already persisting fragility of these states. This not only perpetuates insecurity, but also makes the local population increasingly vulnerable to being recruited by terrorist groups due to the lack of trust towards the state and its security apparatus. States such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have a history of military coups and interventions. As such, by using a constructivist lens for the aforementioned case-studies, the intricate relationship between military regimes and PMSCs’ impact on terrorism can be evaluated via a multidisciplinary approach. Understanding this nexus is crucial for developing a holistic approach that identifies both the symptoms and root causes of instability to address terrorism in the Sahel.

A Gendered Analysis of the Wave of Coups and Terrorism in the Sahel

Zainab Olaitan — 2024-12-11

The prevalence of coups and terrorism in the Sahel raises serious human security concerns due to their devastating impact on socio-economic stability, state fragility, democratisation, etc. The current wave of coups and terrorism opens up avenues for asking questions about the progress of democratisation in Africa, issues of human security, protection of human rights, and, more specifically, how the prevalence of violence affects women’s lives. Hence, it is imperative to interrogate the resultant impact that the prevalence of coups has on the protection of women’s rights in the region. Therefore, this paper examines the gendered implications of the prevalence of coups and terrorism in the Sahel region. Using Nigeria and Burkina Faso as case studies, it argues for a gendered understanding of the differential impact that the increasing rate of terrorism, military coups, and worsening state fragility have on women, as well as their corresponding effects. This is in face of the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency in North-eastern Nigeria that has led to massive loss of lives, intense political instability with over 300 schoolgirls having been kidnapped till date and the September 2022 military coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traore in Burkina Faso that suspended the constitution with no progress for democratisation in sight. The paper employs a qualitative methodology and a thematic analytical framework to interrogate the gendered implications of coups and terrorism on women. It finds that a gendered analysis of coups and terrorism in the Sahel enables relevant bodies to implement preventive or mitigating measures aimed at managing hostilities, safeguarding human security, and promoting gender equality.

“Africa’s transformation into “Glocal Terrorist Hub”: 3D Jihad between narco-terror, maritime piracy and sexual slavery”

Ilas Touazi — 2024-12-11

Transnational terrorism with a jihadist matrix has constantly fed on endogenous and exogenous factors so that the regional subsidiaries of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Africa adapt to local realities, with repercussions that extend well beyond national geographical borders. In so doing, Africa has become a hub for terrorism, undergoing a process of trans-nationalization between the local and the global, with implications for regional security. It is against this backdrop that the study is framed, with a dual ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ analysis, examining the modus operandi of terrorist groups and their doctrinal underpinnings, which form a three-dimensional jihad involving narco-terrorism, maritime piracy, sexual slavery, and gender-based violence as a strategy of terror. Therefore, counter-terrorism policies in Africa, already based on hard measures, need to focus increasingly on soft mechanisms to prevent and counter radicalization and violent extremism, strengthened on the one hand by sustainable security architectures and on the other by integrated approaches to anti-terrorism cooperation at national, regional, and international levels.

The Effects of Strategic Rivalries on Non-Rival Neighboring Small States

Abdelhadi Baiche — 2024-12-11

This research sheds light on the remarkable political stability that has prevailed for more than a decade in Mauritania, a Sahelian country that has notably not been affected by the spillover effects of military coups in the Sahel. In understanding Mauritania’s political stability—evidenced by the country's first peaceful and constitutional transition of power in 2019 and the absence of any coups since 2009—the paper offers an explanation based on the impact of strategic rivalries on non-rival small states. Specifically, it examines how Mauritania, which has been subject to pressures from the Algeria-Morocco strategic rivalry, deflected these pressures and achieved political stability through shelter diplomacy. Since 2010, Mauritania has managed to secure shelter with France, elevating its relations with Paris to the highest level in their bilateral history. This is evidenced by hosting the G5 Sahel headquarters, engaging in very active summitry with Paris, hosting French soldiers, and chairing the AU summits in 2018 and 2024, despite pressures from terrorism and the historically threatening Algeria-Morocco strategic rivalry.

The security situation of Sahel countries. A Test of African Military Politics.

Janos Besenyo — 2024-12-11

Book review about the African Military Politics in Sahel

Review of the book "Human Security and Sustainable Development in East Africa"

Szilvia Veress Juhaszne — 2024-12-11

It is a review of the book "Human Security ans Sustainable Development in East Africa". The authors of this book highlight connections that allow the reader to simultaneously perceive the local and global interrelations and direct or indirect interactions among healthcare, trade, law, politics, nature conservation, and even military affairs. This perspective is essential for any professional working towards ensuring human security.

Book review: Handbook of Terrorist and Insurgent Groups: A Global Survey of Threats, Tactics, and Characteristics

Gábor Sinkó — 2024-12-11

Book review: Wolfram Lacher and Virginie Collombier (Editors): Violence and Social Transformation in Libya, Hurst & Company, London (2023), ISBN: 9781787389427

András Málnássy — 2024-12-11

No abstract is needed.