Welcome to the June edition of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Dataset (ACLED) Conflict Trends. Each month, realtime conflict event data is collected, published through our research partners at Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS), and presented in a report which contrasts continental, regional, national and subnational data on political violence in contemporary and historical perspective.

This report covers the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012

Food security levels are generally better than a year earlier in East Africa and the Sahel, with most areas facing either IPC phase 1 ‘minimal’ or phase 2 ‘stressed’ conditions, thanks to favorable agro-climatic conditions in 2012.

ByMorten Bøås with James J. Hentz

Africa’s security is currently standing at a crossroads. Relatively high African growth rates in combination with the increased institutional strength, credibility and legitimacy of the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have led to greater confidence in Africa’s ability to deal with its security challenges. However, the continent is also confronted with significant security challenges that could have severe ramifications across several countries and regions.

International donors have pledged over US$450 million to support an African force to fight Islamist militants in northern Mali. The pledges came at a donors conference held Tuesday (January 30th) in Addis Ababa to raise funds and logistics support for the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA). Prior to the donors' conference, the AU's new chairperson, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, announced the AU Assembly's pledge to help stabilize Mali.

WESTPORT, Conn. (Dec. 5, 2012) — Social and economic development policies in Africa are ignoring the demographic realities of an increasing number of children living in poverty in urban slums with devastating impacts, according to a new report by Save the Children.

Opening statement

Geneva, 18 October 2012

Good afternoon,

As you may know, I began my second term last month. I thought this would be a good opportunity to reflect on the past four years since I became High Commissioner in September 2008, and also to look forward to what I hope can be achieved over the next two years before handing over the baton to my successor.

This month’s Conflict Trends report is the seventh monthly publication by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Dataset (ACLED) publishing and analysing realtime disaggregated data on political conflict on the African continent. This issue will focus on developments in DR-Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and South Africa. We also present a thematic focus on violent Islamist groups across the African continent in the third of our special focus features.

General Assembly
Sixty-seventh session
Item 64 (b) of the provisional agenda**
New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in
implementation and international support: causes of
conflict and the promotion of durable peace and
sustainable development in Africa

Security Council
Sixty-seventh year

Summary