Challenges And Prospects Of Prevention And Management Of Conflicts In Africa: The Role Of Igad Early Warning Mechanism

Abstract

The continent has experience conflicts over time with most of them reoccurring or having new dynamics over time. Governments and Sub regional Organizations have faced various challenges in trying to manage conflicts in the region. As part of the move to solve own African problems, Sub regional organisations within the region have incorporated early warning and response mechanisms in order to boost their security and peace architecture. Early warning systems is structured in a way that they can anticipate conflicts, analyze them, and come up with response strategies and make sure they are well implemented. IGAD has established an early warning system called CEWARN which aims to prevent conflict in the Horn of Africa. CEWARN has been described as the most elaborate system in the continent and has actively taken part in developing early warning systems in the region. Nonetheless, despite its existence, the horn of Africa is one of the most volatile regions in the continent having experienced various types of conflict which keeps re occurring. The key problem that the project seeks to study is whether the use of early warning systems has proven successful in mitigating conflicts in the horn of Africa or is it just a mere academic exercise. The unending conflict cycle in the region has proven to be a key challenge facing the region despite the existence of elaborate structures aimed at preventing, managing and resolving conflicts. As a conflict prevention strategy, the project will specifically focus on IGAD early warning mechanism. Using CEWARN as a case study, the project sought to find out the challenges and prospects of conflict prevention and management in Africa, it analysed the contributions of CEWARN TO IGAD’S peace and security architecture and also successfully identified the key challenges sabotaging CEWARN functions. Among the key findings observed in this project is that there are various systemic problems which has sabotaged conflict PMR efforts in the region including the lack of political will among member states, the failure to augur well all the processes involved during conflict early warning and response mechanism has also hindered the effectiveness of the initiative. Drawing from data gathered through interviews and desk top methods, the study, however shows that there are commendable jobs done by CEWARN to combat pastoral-related conflict in the horn of Africa. As part of the conclusions and recommendations observed is that the few successes is a step in the right direction and would therefore need more willingness from member states, the regional body to expand the mandate of the mechanism to cover other types of conflict. IGAD member states also need to remain committed and act beyond the ratification of treaties aimed at managing conflict. They should work together to ensure the mechanism is effective and not just a mere academic exercise which bores no fruit.