Track-II Diplomacy in Barbados, Nigeria and Egypt

An interview with Dr. Linda M. Johnston, Associate Professor of Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University, Georgia on the role of mediation and Track-II diplomacy in resolving conflicts in Barbados, the Niger Delta in Nigeria and in US-Egypt relationship

The 9/7 Boko Haram Attack on Bauchi Prison: A Case of Intelligence Failure

The Nigerian-based Boko Haram Islamic sect revolted in July 2009, marking a period of intense violence. In September 2010, members of the sect organized a prison break to free those who had been incarcerated following last year’s revolt. This article reviews the circumstances of the revolt and prison break, offering some suggestions for security and intelligence reform within the Nigerian state.

Collective peace-keeping in West Africa

Linus Malu provides the background to the prospects for collective peace-keeping in West Africa. His report appraises conflict prevention and resolution methods employed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). First, it examines the operations of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in the region and evaluates the impact of the body in conflict resolution. Second, it examines the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security established in 1999 by the ECOWAS Heads of States in Lome, Togo. In the last section Linus Malu evaluates the impact of the Mechanism on conflict prevention and resolution in West Africa.
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Conflict, Climate Change, and Water Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

The paper is a review of literature on conflict, climate change and water security on Sub-Saharan Africa. It identifies poverty as a threat in Sub-Saharan African countries that may have effect on its water security. It analyses in Sub-Saharan Africa region, the conflict trend of water security in correlation with climate change impacts. It advocates sustainable water management as the ameliorative and mitigation approaches to the negative effects of climate change on water security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Setback for Boko Haram ceasefire agreement

Nine women taking part in a polio vaccine program and three North Korean doctors working in a Yobe state hospital have been killed in northeastern Nigera. Lawal Tsalha comments on the implications of these latest killings for the fragile ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram.

Challenges to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration: The Case of the Niger Delta

It is my contention that, desirable as it is to conduct a DDR programme in the region, there are certain critical preconditions that have to be met for it to be successful. Analysing these preconditions was the main focus of this paper and contribution to the proposed DDR in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

But it will take more than disarmament, commitment and drawn out negotiations to obtain peace in the Niger Delta.
Not only are stakeholders faced with a history of corruption and bad governance, poverty and youth unemployment, but also and arguably the biggest challenge of the future: trust. Solomon Inuwa analyses, with first hand experience, the core needs to be met before embarking on the first steps towards peace.

Nigeria: Fuel subsidy removal and the national crisis

Nigerians were taken by surprise earlier this year when the government dropped fuel subsidies, a move which effectively double the cost of living for many, and prompted massive protests. Labour organizations, #OccupyNigeria groups, unemployed youth, and many other Nigerian citizens have since begun to cross religious, geographic, age, and class divides to seize this historic opportunity and participate more effectively in the political process. In this article, Fatima Kyari Mohammed shares her insights, and some of her photos.