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.

Par Prosper Nzekani Zena

Points Saillants

• Malgré des succès louables, quelques initiatives de désarmement, de démobilisation et de réintégration (DDR) incomplètes ou mal conçues ont été les facteurs clés du phénomène fréquent de la reprise des conflits en Afrique.

• La réintégration est la composante la plus complexe et la plus critique du DDR, mais celle à laquelle est accordée néanmoins la priorité la plus basse.

By Prosper Nzekani Zena

• Notwithstanding laudable successes, incomplete or poorly conceived disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) initiatives have been key factors to high rates of conflict relapse in Africa.

• Reintegration is the most complex and critical yet least prioritized facet of DDR.

• The decision to integrate former militias into the national army is typically a political expediency that impedes military professionalism and increases the likelihood of human rights abuses and instability.

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

1) Heavy rains have resulted in fatalities and massive destruction in South Darfur, the northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, and Jonglei states of South Sudan. Flooding potential remains as above-average rains are forecast during the next week.

2) Since July, heavy rains causing flooding and inundation along the Niger and Benue Rivers have led to the displacement of thousands of people and many fatalities in eastern Nigeria. Enhanced rainfall forecast could exacerbate the ground conditions.

JOHANNESBOURG, 8 août 2012 (IRIN) - Selon l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture (FAO), les pays du Sahel de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, de la Corne de l'Afrique et de l'Afrique centrale et du Sud - dont plusieurs dépendent principalement des importations de céréales pour nourrir leur population - sont les plus exposés aux conséquences de la hausse des cours mondiaux des céréales. Si une part importante de la population mondiale doit déjà composer avec la hausse des prix des denrées alimentaires, elle est appelée à s'accroître dans les mois à venir.

PRESS RELEASE
BY DR. TOMAZ AUGUSTO SALOMÃO
THE CHAIRPERSON
OF THE COMESA-EAC-SADC TRIPARTITE
ON THE
SIGNING OF THE COMESA-EAC-SADC TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT
FOR THE JOINT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME ON
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION IN
EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

16 TH JULY 2012, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA