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Post-Conflict Reconstruction and the Challenges of Human

Security in Africa

Franklyn LiskCentre for the Study of Globalisation and

RegionalisationUniversity of Warwick, UK

Conference on Post-Conflict Security, Justice and Reconciliation in Africa

Royal United Services InstituteLondon, 26 November 2007

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Background to Post-conflict Reconstruction in Africa

• More than four decades of wars, armed conflicts and political crises which affected over two-thirds of the countries in the African continent, with massive humanitarian and financial losses (e.g. Angola, Burundi, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, etc.)

• Roots of conflict: colonial/historical legacy, authoritarian governance and abuse of power, corruption, ethnic tension, external intervention

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Background to Post-conflict Reconstruction in Africa

• Cessation of hostilities and peace-making in the majority of those countries: a decade ago at least 25 countries were affected by armed conflicts, today only about 5 countries are affected by armed conflicts

• ‘Post-conflict reconstruction’ efforts now on-going in several African countries – a common feature of socio-economic development planning and the political process in the region

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Post-conflict Reconstruction: Analytical Framework

• Political process: implementation of conflict-resolution and peace-making strategies – disarmament, demobilization, reintegration

• Economic development: investment in post-conflict economic recovery and reconstruction

• Social progress: rebuilding of social capital, basic social services and relevant institutions

• Human security: protecting personal security and promoting human rights

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Political Process

• Peace-making strategies; addressing roots of conflict; inclusive approach

• Peace-building programmes: national reconciliation, reintegration, socio-economic opportunities for ex-combatants and victims

• Democratic governance: participation, fairness, accountability

• Political will and leadership: committed to peace-making/building and post-conflict reconstruction

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Economic Development

• Economic recovery and reconstruction policies and programmes: reintegration programmes incorporated into national development process; rehabilitation of critical infrastructure

• Employment: job creation, training and access to income-earning opportunities targeted at ex-combatants, female/ child soldiers, disabled ex-combatants, youth

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Economic Development

• Resource mobilization: natural resource management, restructuring of aid and debt

• Public sector capacity: effective and timely implementation of programmes and efficient delivery of services

• Positive environment for investment and economic growth: enhancing the role of the private sector in post-conflict reconstruction

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Social Progress

• Emphasizing basic human needs and anti-poverty approaches to development

• Investing in human resources: access to , health, education

• Enacting institutional reforms for facilitating reintegration, social cohesion and meeting needs of vulnerable and special groups

• Promoting social justice: non-discrimination and non-stigmatization

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Social Progress

• Promoting gender equality

• Revitalizing and empowering civil society; community involvement

• Ensuring broad-based participation in decision-making process at all levels

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Human Security and Post-conflict Reconstruction: Outline

• Contrasting state and human security • Components of human security• Conflict-related threats to human security• Key requirements for assuring human security• Strategies, policies and programmes for

safeguarding human security• Human security performance indices• Challenges

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Contrasting State and Human Security

State Security• Protecting political

structures and territory• Exclusive stress on

survival of the state and territorial sovereignty

• Based on ‘freedom from fear’- war, terrorism, territorial security

• Emphasis on state rights and territorial sovereignty

Human Security• Protecting human well-

being • Greater stress on survival

of people and human and socio-economic dev.

• Based on ‘freedom from want’ – basic human needs, people security

• Emphasis on protection and promotion of human rights and dignity

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Components of human security

• Political security

• Economic security

• Personal security

• Food security

• Health security

• Environmental security

• Community security

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Conflict-related threats to human security

• Violation of human rights linked to armed conflict, political unrest, military intervention, inter-ethnic strife

• Job and income insecurity – limited access to socio-economic opportunities, labour market instability, unemployment, no publicly-financed social protection programmes or other forms of transitional social safety net

• Threats from violent crime (e.g. directed at women, children –rape, abduction, child soldiers); from the state or other groups (detention, torture)

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Conflict-related threats to human security

• Food insecurity – disruption of food production, non-availability or poor distribution of food; poor nutrition

• Spread of disease ( e.g. HIV/AIDS); lack of access to healthcare facilities, unsafe and unhealthy environment

• Population displacement: loss of livelihoods and property rights

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Conflict-related threats to human security

• Environmental degradation – destruction of land (land mines) and shelter, deforestation, lack of access to clean water

• Destruction of traditional communities; loss of cultural identity by ethnic or racial group

• Global and cross-border crimes ( illicit mining and logging, drug trafficking, money- laundering)

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Key requirements for human security

• Conflict resolution sustained

• Long-term political stability and economic development

• Democratic governance and leadership

• Societal transformation

• Respect for human rights and rule of law

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Strategies, policies and programmes for assuring human

security• Post-conflict peace-building strategies

-Disarmament and demobilization

-Peacekeeping deployment

-Sustaining peace agreement

-International, regional, sub-regional support for recovery and

reconstruction efforts

-Stopping arms proliferation, sanctions

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Strategies, policies and programmes

• Humanitarian interventions– Reintegration and resettlement– Access to basic services

• Socio-economic opportunities– Economic growth and wide distribution of benefits –

national governance– Review and change in structure and mechanism of

multilateral institutions providing external ‘assistance’ - global governance

– Social justice

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Human security performance indices (relationship between

econ., pol. and social dimensions)

• UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI)

• World Bank’s Country Performance and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) index

• Freedom House’s Index on Democracy

• Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI)

• Mo Ibrahim’s African governance ranking

• UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC’s)

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Challenges for safeguarding human security in a post-conflict setting

• Creating and maintaining democratic political process for suppressing conflict, sustaining peace and protecting rights

• Integrating peace process in post-conflict reconstruction programmes

• Establishing favourable economic environment for sustaining peace and development

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