Engagement of Africa in Conflict Dynamics and Peace Architectures

This book examines the nature of conflict in Africa vis-à-vis the African Union (AU) peace and security architecture in Africa. It focuses on the intense campaign ’Silencing the Guns by 2020’ since 2013, one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063 to achieve a conflict-free continent by AU. It analyses various causes of conflict in Africa using case studies to pursue the causality and dynamics of these conflicts, which often point to the intersectionality of historical legacies of colonialism and neo-colonialism. It further examines the interplay of factors such as resource curse, resource exploitation, election-induced violence, political violence, incessant and interminable challenges of social justice, oppression, contemporary governance, and leadership dynamics. It also focuses on the application and integration of conflict and gender for analytical reflection. In the quest for a ＂Peaceful and secure Africa＂, this book examines the different mechanisms to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts on the continent, and the challenges thereof. It probes and investigates by asking critical questions about continental conflict dynamics and peace architectures which warrants in-depth inquiry and interrogation.

Dr. Stanley Ehiane is a senior lecturer in the Department of Politics and Administrative Studies, University of Botswana. He was a Research Fellow at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. He was a lecturer and Research Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa where he obtained his Ph.D. He also holds master’s and Bachelor’s (Hons) degrees in Political science, a master’s in business administration-(M.B.A.), a Master’s in Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking, and a P.G.D. in Educational Management. He obtained his Advanced Professional Certificate (APC) in Cybersecurity and Forensics from the Security and Forensic Studies of Nigeria; Graduate Certificate in Introduction to Cybersecurity in Business from the University of Colorado; Graduate Certificate in the New Approach to Countering Terror and Countering Violent Extremism from the University of Maryland; and Graduate Certificate in Understanding 9/11 and what happened and how terrorism affects our world today from the Stanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, United States. Ehiane attended summer courses at the Centre for the Study of Refugees [C.S.R.], York University, Canada, and Peacebuilding at the Canadian Mennonite University, Manitoba Canada. He is an active member of the Canadian Network for research on Terrorism, Security, and Society [TSAS] and the United States International Association for Counterterrorism, as well as a Fellow Security and Cybersecurity Forensic Studies of Nigeria [FSCSFS] and the Security Professional and African Studies Research Forum (ASRF).

Dr. Lukong Stella Shulika is a Research Associate at the Institute for the Future of Knowledge, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She holds a Ph.D. in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies from the University of KwaZuLu-Natal, South Africa. She is a conflict management, peacebuilding, and international relations professional, specialised in research, training, knowledge management, and project supervision and coordination.

Dr. Clayton Hazvinei Vhumbunu is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of Free State (UFS), South Africa. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa. Previously, he held academic and non-academic appointments at the University of Namibia (UNAM) in Namibia; the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) in South Africa; University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa; Rhodes University in South Africa; and UKZN in South Africa. He has also been a Research Fellow at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and has been part of the Asia Global Fellows awarded by the Asia Global Institute (AGI) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong.