Cross Border Natural Resource-based Conflicts and Regional Security: a Comparison of the Eastern and Western Africa Experiences

Abstract

The Eastern and Western Africa countries have experienced many episodes of violent conflicts and insecurity in the recent past, as compared to any other parts of the continent. Due to the trends of conflicts and instability witnessed in the Eastern and Western Africa, the region has become one of the most volatile in Africa. For several years, many parts of the region have become more volatile due to the afflictions of communal violence, civil wars, political instability, violent extremism, ethnic conflict, anarchy and state failures. Generally, armed conflicts and insecurity of these regions are concentrated near boarder areas, which may lead to a major risk of conflict spillovers, which will eventually become a major actor of cross-border conflict drivers. In recent years, there have seem to be some window of opportunities which has come as a result of numerous efforts by regional governments to protect their borders and their renewed attachment to address trans-border and spillover conflicts. However, not every regional state have the capability to adequately administer the expansive and far remote border regions. Consequently, the local communities around these border areas have embraced to take the responsibility of managing and preventing trans-border conflict issues, in conjunction with inter-state regional organizations and the central governments. The crucial factors that will be discussed in this study is the flexibility and adaptability of the regional governments and local actors in addressing and to what level, the cross-border conflicts and insecurity issues are managed effectively. The study revolves around the following critical areas: the synopsis of conflict in Africa, an assessment of the West African Peace Processes and the Eastern Africa Peace Processes; The causes of conflicts and the impetus of spillover of conflicts into regional governments as a result of instability. The study aimed at analyzing the impetus of conflicts in the Eastern and Western Africa countries. The study applied human needs theory to demystify conflicts and international relations. In the study, internet searches and library were utilized. Also used to explain the phenomenon and to justify the study were the published and unpublished data. All these study materials were used to help bring into the limelight the prevailing natural resource–based conflicts and insecurity in other regions of the continent. The research findings disclosed that conflict management and prevention in the Eastern and Western regions of Africa have created a major challenge to the regional governments, states and non-state organizations, as well as the international communities. A good example of such conflicts is the one witnessed in Somalia and South Sudan, whereby, conflicts are mostly fragmented along the borders of Kenya with the two countries and it mainly involves terrorist activities and pastoralist communities. This is a presser that most of these conflicts emanate from the natural resources. Also stretched along these borders is the natural resource-based conflicts and management of these conflicts between the locals and the refugees. The sub-regional bodies like the EAC, IGAD ECOWAS have been in the forefront in managing and resolving these conflicts. In this regard, various documents and policy papers have been ratified through various conventions, although the implementation of these efforts have remained in limbo. The study further revealed that the states and governments in the Eastern and Western Africa has failed to effectively recognize conflicts and its management in these regions. On the other hand, the international communities have been reluctant in addressing solutions to these conflicts. The study is of the view that regional bodies and institutions in the Eastern and Western Africa countries should collaborate effectively and help resolve and manage natural resource–based conflicts and regional security in these regions.