Das globale Konfliktgeschehen hat sich im vergangenen Jahr weiter verschärft: Der Krieg zwischen Israel und der Hamas in Gaza, die anhaltende Aggression Russlands gegen die Ukraine sowie Militärputsche und dschihadistische Gewalt in Afrika forderten zehntausende Opfer. Militärische Interventionen in Konflikte zeigen dagegen kaum Erfolge, auch die Bekämpfung von Armut und Hunger stockt. Weltweit setzen zudem extremistische Bewegungen die Demokratien unter Druck. Das Friedensgutachten, das im Juni 2024 erschienen ist, schlägt in dieser „Welt ohne Kompass“ Orientierungspunkte vor. Mitherausgeber Christopher Daase fasst in unserem Podcast die wichtigsten Punkte zusammen.
Schlagwort: Afrika
Sinal de Alerta para Novos Conflitos: Crescente Polarização Social na Guiné-Bissau
Os protestos da Geração Z mantiveram em suspenso durante semanas os governos do Quénia, da Nigéria, da África do Sul e do Uganda, entre outros. Fora do radar internacional, a Guiné-Bissau tem testemunhado recentemente protestos intergeracionais, após uma alegada tentativa de golpe no final de 2023. Manifestantes acusam o Presidente de ter orquestrado o golpe para dissolver o parlamento por decreto. Muitos na Guiné-Bissau agora contestam a presidência e exigem o cumprimento do calendário eleitoral, e a manutenção das eleições presidencias marcadas para novembro de 2024. Este artigo aproveita os protestos como um momento para ampliar a visão sobre o tópico, oferecendo leituras narrativas e contra-narrativas da tentativa de golpe para contextualizar a atual situação política.
Early Warning for New Trouble? Increasing Social Polarization in Guinea-Bissau
Gen Z protests have kept governments in, among others, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda, in suspense for weeks. Off the international radar, Guinea-Bissau has witnessed cross-generational protests lately, following an alleged coup attempt in late 2023. Protestors accuse the President of orchestrating the coup to dissolve parliament by decree. Many in Guinea-Bissau now challenge the presidency and demand adherence to the election schedule, with elections set for November 2024. This blog post takes the protests as a moment to widen the view, offering both narrative and counter-narrative readings of the coup attempt to contextualize the current political situation.
Back in Business or Never Out? Military Coups and Political Militarization in Sub-Sahara Africa
This Spotlight discusses the resurgence of military coups in Sub-Saharan Africa. We argue that an analytical and political focus on coup events misses out on the bigger picture of military influence in politics. Introducing the new Multidimensional Measures of Militarization (M3) dataset, we demonstrate that African countries that were part of the recent wave of coups, previously showed signs of political militarization such as military veto powers and impunity. We conclude that these subtle forms of military influence can serve as early warning indicators for military coups.
Regional Solutions to Regional Problems? Protests in the DRC Highlight the Challenges of Regional Military Peace Operations
Just three months since the first deployment of military contingents, the East African Force in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become heavily contested by Congolese activists and parts of the Congolese population. The protests, which took place in Kinshasa, Goma and Bukavu, powerfully demonstrate that regional military initiatives are no panacea for multi-level security challenges but may in fact run the risk of intensify existing challenges and conflict dynamics.
Prospects for Peace in Tigray. An assessment of the peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF
On November 2, 2022, the Ethiopian federal government and representatives of the Tigrayan rebels concluded an agreement intended to end the devastating civil war in the region. What some consider to be the world’s deadliest active conflict has caused tens of thousands battle-related fatalities and even more civilian victims due to famine and lack of medical service during the last two years. This Spotlight discusses the prospects of the current peace agreement and potential pitfalls that may undermine its stability.
Russlands Einflussnahme auf dem afrikanischen Kontinent
Sergei Lawrows jüngste Afrikareise unterstreicht noch einmal, dass Russland international keineswegs so isoliert ist, wie wir uns das im Westen wünschen. Sie bestätigt das Bild, das schon bei der Abstimmung in der UN-Vollversammlung Anfang März über die Resolution zur Verurteilung der russischen Invasion sichtbar wurde. Damals enthielten sich rund 25 der 55 afrikanischen Länder, darunter Schwergewichte wie Mosambik, Angola, Sudan, Südafrika und Mali. Während die VertreterInnen anderer Länder gar nicht erst erschienen, stimmte Eritrea sogar gegen eine Verurteilung. Diese Haltung überrascht auch deshalb, weil Russland mit dem Überfall auf die Ukraine erklärtermaßen zwei Normen verletzt, die in besonderer Weise konstitutiv sind – gerade für afrikanische Sicherheit: Zum einen das Uti possidetis-Prinzip, demzufolge bestehende Grenzen nicht verändert werden dürfen, ganz unabhängig davon, wie historisch ungerecht ihr Zustandekommen gewesen sein mag und ob sie anderen Prinzipien wie dem der nationalen Selbstbestimmung entgegenstehen; zum anderen das Verbot des erzwungenen Regimewechsels.
Non-State Actors in Peace and Security in Africa: Inclusion on Paper but not in Practice
In a speech at the fifth United Nations-African Union Annual Conference on 1 December 2021 in New York, Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres called for continued unity and a high standard of regional co-operation on the African continent. According to Guterres, examples of this high standard of cooperation can be seen in the joint missions and collaborative frameworks designed to overcome both new and old challenges around peace and security. However, since not only states play a vital role in this unity it is important to review the role of non-state actors in peace and security on the African continent.
#GambiaDecides2021: A Sign of Democratic Hope?
Wherever you go in the Gambia, you will find people in the streets chattering about the presidential election surrounded by an air of excitement. Gambians call this chatter ‘gisgis’ and it is all about politics these days. On 4 December 2021, Gambians went to the polls. The first elections without the former 22 year-long president Yahya Jammeh contesting passed peacefully. His successor Adama Barrow, elected in 2016 quite surprisingly, was confirmed in power. With that, the Gambia passed a litmus test: having decided for continuity in times of change, Gambians send a strong signal of democratic practice to the region.
Zusammenarbeit mit Afrika: Parteipolitische Positionen im Vergleich
In ihren afrikapolitischen Leitlinien von 2019 beschreibt die amtierende deutsche Bundesregierung die Zukunft Europas und Afrikas als „untrennbar verbunden“ und strebt an, die Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Kontinenten zu intensivieren. Abseits der zentralen Themen, die im Vorfeld der Bundestagswahl 2021 den Wahlkampf dominieren, lohnt demnach auch ein Blick auf jene, die weniger im öffentlichen Fokus stehen, darunter zum Beispiel die afrikapolitischen Positionen der Parteien. Wie äußern sich also die Parteien im Vorfeld der Bundestagswahl 2021 mit Blick auf den afrikanischen Kontinent?
