Implementing the Peace, Security and Development Nexus in Africa

Abstract

Peace, security and development are inextricably linked. Peaceful, democratic and well-governed societies are believed to promote levels of growth, employment and prosperity. This article first defines the terms peace, security and development and then situates this within a current debate—that of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. It looks at the African Union Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU PCRD) framework and how it addresses issues of peace, security and development. It examines the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) and the way this framework addresses these issues. Finally, it discusses the Common African Position (CAP) on the Sustainable Development Goals with particular reference to peace and security.

Notes

1. UN General Assembly, ‘Concept Note, Thematic Debate of the General Assembly: Ensuring Stable and Peaceful Societies’, April 24–25, 2014, at www.un.org/en/ga/president/68/settingthestage/6esps.shtml (Accessed January 23, 2015).

2. Ibid.

3. D. Curtis, ‘The Limits to Statebuilding for Peace in Africa’, South African Journal of International Affairs, 20(1), 2013, pp. 79–97.

4. J. Schunemann, ‘Africa Needs More than Just the Silencing of Guns’, Institute for Security Studies, June 17, 2014, at www.issafrica.org/iss-today/africa-needs-more-than-just-the-silencing-of-guns (Accessed January 23, 2015).

5. African Union, ‘Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU PCRD)’, at www.peaceau.org/en/page/70-post-conflict-reconstruction-and-development-pcrd (Accessed January 23, 2015).

6. A. Mathur, ‘South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Peace and Development. Bridging the Policy Gap’, NUPI Policy Brief, March 2014, at http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?lang=en&id=180168.

7. A. Mathur, ‘Role of South-South Cooperation and Emerging Powers in Peacemaking and Peace-building’, NUPI Policy Brief, April 2014, at http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?lang=en&id=179434.

8. International Peace Academy, ‘Peacebuilding as the Link between Security and Development: Is the Window of Opportunity Closing?’, at www.un.org/esa/peacebuilding/Library/Peacebuilding_as_link_IPA.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

9. UNDP, ‘Human Development Report 1994’, at http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/255/hdr_1994_en_complete_nostats.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

10. United Nations, ‘Human Security and Peacebuilding in Africa: The Need for an Inclusive Approach’, December 2009, at http://www.e-ir.info/2013/04/26/how-should-national-security-and-human-security-relate-to-each-other/ (Accessed January 23, 2015).

11. United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, ‘What Is Peacebuilding?’, at www.unpbf.org/application-guidelines/what-is-peacebuilding/ (Accessed January 23, 2015).

12. United Nations University, ‘Towards a Human Security Approach to Peacebuilding’, at unu.edu/publications/policy-briefs/towards-a-human-security-approach-to-peacebuilding.html (Accessed January 23, 2015).

13. Ibid.

14. Lauren Hutton, ‘Considering the Relevance of Peacebuilding within External Interventions in Africa’, Institute for Security Studies, February 12, 2015, at www.issafrica.org/publications/papers/considering-the-relevance-of-peacebuilding-within-external-interventions-in-africa (Accessed 23 January, 2015).

15. Gustavo de Carvalho and Dorcas Ettang, ‘Contextualising the Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Nexus’, Conflict Trends, 3, 2011, at www.accord.org.za/publications/conflict-trends/downloads/936-conflict-trends-20113 (Accessed January 23, 2015).

16. Maria Raquel Freire, Paula Duarte Lopes, and Daniela Nascimento (Center for Social Studies (CES)|Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra (FEUC)), ‘A Critical Appraisal of Multidimensional Peace Missions’ Mandates and Activities’, Paper presented at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO)-International Strategic Analysis (ISA) Joint International Conference, Buenos Aires, July 23–25, 2014.

17. European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), ‘Linking Peace and Development’, February 2011, at www.eplo.org/assets/files/2.%20Activities/Working%20Groups/PeDS/EPLO_Statement_Linking_Peacebuilding_and_Development.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

18. Maria Raquel Freire, Paula Duarte Lopes, and Daniela Nascimento, no. 16.

19. The World Bank, ‘World Development Report 2011‘, p. 11, at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDRS/Resources/WDR2011_Full_Text.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

20. A. Mathur, ‘Role of South-South Cooperation’, no. 7.

21. Ibid.

22. See, for example, ‘Statement by the President of the Security Council on the UN-AU Partnership’, Permanent Mission of Luxemburg to the United Nations, December 16, 2014, at http://newyork-un.mae.lu/en/News/Statement-by-the-President-of-the-Security-Council-on-the-UN-AU-Partnership (Accessed January 23, 2015).

23. UN Non-governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS), ‘Post-2015 Agenda Not Complete without Peace and Security, Highlights President of the General Assembly’s Thematic Debate’, May 1, 2014, at www.un-ngls.org/spip.php?article4431 (Accessed January 23, 2015).

24. United Nations, The Road to Dignity by 2030,

‘Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet. Synthesis Report of the Secretary-General on the Post-2015 Agenda’, December 4, 2014, p. 24, at http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5527SR_advance%20unedited_final.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

25. Laura Attree and Thomas Wheeler, ‘No Turning Back: Mr. Ban Reaffirms a Transformative, Pro-peace Vision for Post-2015’, Saferworld, December 5, 2014, at www.saferworld.org.uk/news-and-views/comment/157-no-turning-back-mr-ban-reaffirms-a-transformative-pro-peace-vision-for-post-2015 (Accessed January 23, 2015).

26. CAP: http://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-documents/Macroeconomy/post2015/cap-post2015_en.pdf

27. Amanda Lucey and Sibongile Gida, ‘Enhancing South Africa’sPost Conflict Development in the African Union’, Institute for Security Studies, May 21, 2014, at www.issafrica.org/publications/papers/enhancing-south-africas-post-conflict-development-role-in-the-african-union (Accessed January 23, 2015).

28. The African Union, ‘The African Peace and Security Architecture, 2010 Assessment Study’, at www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/RO%20African%20Peace%20and%20Security%20Architecture.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

29. A. S. Bah, E. Choge-Nyangoro, S. Derrso, B. Mofya, and T. Murithi, The African Peace and Security Architecture; A Handbook, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, p. 71, 2014.

30. African Union, ‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want’, at http://agenda2063.au.int/en/sites/default/files/agenda2063_popular_version_05092014_EN.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

31. African Union, ‘African Solidarity Initiative Concept Note’, at www.peaceau.org/uploads/asi-concept-note.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

32. African Union, ‘AU PCRD Framework’, 2006, at http://www.peaceau.org/uploads/Framework_PCRD.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

33. Ibid.

34. Ibid., pp. 30–34.

35. GIZ, ‘Stocktaking Report on Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Activities of the African Union (AU)’, 2012, p. 4.

36. These were carried out in the Central African Republic (CAR) (2006), Liberia and Sierra Leone (2009), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi (2010), Sudan (2011) and Cote d’Ivoire (2012).

37. GIZ, no. 34, p. 4.

38. African Union, ‘Report on the Implementation of the Decisions of the PSC on Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development in the DRC and Burundi, and Follow-up to Assessment Missions to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and the Sudan, Addis Ababa, June 2–3, 2011’, at www.peaceau.org/uploads/p5546720-e.pdf (Accessed May 5, 2014).

39. GIZ, no. 34.

40. D. Curtis, no. 3.

41. Ibid., p. 88.

42. African Union, ‘19th Ordinary Session, July 15–16, 2012’, at www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/Assembly%20AU%20Dec%20416-449%20(XIX)%20_E_Final.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

43. African Union, ‘African Solidarity Initiative Concept Note’, no. 30.

44. ‘President Zuma Addresses the African Solidarity Conference’, February 5, 2014, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBiqhITL_o (Accessed January 23, 2015).

45. Amanda Lucey and Sibongile Gida, no. 26.

46. A. Mathur, ‘Role of South-South Cooperation’, no. 7.

47. Ibid., p. 20.

48. G. B. de Carvalho, ‘The Dynamics of South-South Cooperation in the Context of Africa and Latin American Relations’, in T. Murithi (ed.), Handbook of Africa’s International Relations, 1st ed., Routledge, New York, 2009, p. 378.

49. United Nations General Assembly, ‘Nairobi Outcome Document of the High-Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation’, at http://ssc.undp.org/content/dam/ssc/documents/Key%20Policy%20Documents/Nairobi%20Outcome%20Document.pdf (Accessed January 23, 2015).

50. D. Curtis, no. 3.

51. A. Mathur, ‘Role of South-South Cooperation’, no. 7.

52. ‘Conference Report on Southern Providers, New Delhi, April 15–16, 2013’, at http://ris.org.in/publications/reportsbooks/662 (Accessed January 23, 2015).