GGH2601
PORTFOLIO
SEPTEMBER
2022
, The Political Instability and General conflict in Africa
Introduction
Conflict can be defined as a threat, or perceived threat, to an individual's interests,
values, or needs. In politics, this plays out in a range of ways; in some cases, parties
will agree on goals but disagree on how to achieve them, and in other cases, parties will
disagree on goals, and, lastly, sometimes parties will not agree on the facts to the
dispute obscuring any potential for problem-solving. In practice, although conflicts are not
always violent, those that have plagued West Africa at community, state and regional levels
have been characterized by violence (Afisi 2009: 59–66). For example, countries such as
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau were affected by conflicts and civil strife
in which violence and incessant killings were prevalent (Afolabi 2009: 24).Violent conflicts are
declining in the sub-region, recent insurgencies in the Sahel region affecting the West African
countries of Mali, Niger and Mauritania sends alarming signals of the possible re-surfacing of
internal and regional violent conflicts. More critical to add is the low intensity conflicts surging
within notably stable countries such as the Casamance conflict in Senegal, the intermittent
Dagbon chieftaincy crisis in Ghana and the Niger Delta conflict in Nigeria to name a few
(Olonisakin 2011: 11–26). These conflicts have resulted in the ‘destruction of lives and
property, the internal displacement of people, a region-wide refugee crisis, poverty and
disease, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, human and drug trafficking, illegal
exploitation of natural resources and banditry’ (Afolabi 2009: 25). Political instability has
caused a rift amongst African people and in this research am going to note the causes of
political instability and general conflicts that are causing conflicts amongst our African region.
measures to resolve and end violent conflicts in the sub-region.
Present and emerging conflict
There is a decline in large scale violent conflict and civil strife, pockets of simmering tensions,
insurgency and the re-emergence of coups d’état continues to trouble the sub-region. For
example the recent coups d’état in Guinea-Bissau and Mali; insurgency in the Sahel region
affecting West African countries of Mali, Niger and Mauritania, as well as low-scale conflicts in
notably stable countries like Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria further makes the sub-region
PORTFOLIO
SEPTEMBER
2022
, The Political Instability and General conflict in Africa
Introduction
Conflict can be defined as a threat, or perceived threat, to an individual's interests,
values, or needs. In politics, this plays out in a range of ways; in some cases, parties
will agree on goals but disagree on how to achieve them, and in other cases, parties will
disagree on goals, and, lastly, sometimes parties will not agree on the facts to the
dispute obscuring any potential for problem-solving. In practice, although conflicts are not
always violent, those that have plagued West Africa at community, state and regional levels
have been characterized by violence (Afisi 2009: 59–66). For example, countries such as
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau were affected by conflicts and civil strife
in which violence and incessant killings were prevalent (Afolabi 2009: 24).Violent conflicts are
declining in the sub-region, recent insurgencies in the Sahel region affecting the West African
countries of Mali, Niger and Mauritania sends alarming signals of the possible re-surfacing of
internal and regional violent conflicts. More critical to add is the low intensity conflicts surging
within notably stable countries such as the Casamance conflict in Senegal, the intermittent
Dagbon chieftaincy crisis in Ghana and the Niger Delta conflict in Nigeria to name a few
(Olonisakin 2011: 11–26). These conflicts have resulted in the ‘destruction of lives and
property, the internal displacement of people, a region-wide refugee crisis, poverty and
disease, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, human and drug trafficking, illegal
exploitation of natural resources and banditry’ (Afolabi 2009: 25). Political instability has
caused a rift amongst African people and in this research am going to note the causes of
political instability and general conflicts that are causing conflicts amongst our African region.
measures to resolve and end violent conflicts in the sub-region.
Present and emerging conflict
There is a decline in large scale violent conflict and civil strife, pockets of simmering tensions,
insurgency and the re-emergence of coups d’état continues to trouble the sub-region. For
example the recent coups d’état in Guinea-Bissau and Mali; insurgency in the Sahel region
affecting West African countries of Mali, Niger and Mauritania, as well as low-scale conflicts in
notably stable countries like Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria further makes the sub-region
