Regional dimensions of conflict and peace-building in contemporary Africa

Africaʹs conflicts are diverse in their causes and consequences, and they are increasingly interrelated as well as regional in character. Their economic and non-state features are undeniable, leading to some promising possibilities in terms of diplomacy, involving think tanks and NGOs in addition to formal institutions, both on and off the continent, such as the ʹKimberley Processʹ around ʹbloodʹ diamonds. Development corridors and trans-frontier peace-parks may also constitute innovative ways to moderate and contain conflict. As so often, changeable African cases challenge established assumptions, analyses and policies, such as those around civil society and governance as well as regional and security studies.