China and the West in Africa

Debay Tadesse, Senior Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, ISS Addis Ababa

Stronger cooperation with Africa could increase China`s sphere of influence and bolster its attempts to redefine its relations with the rest of the world. Meanwhile greater cooperation between China and countries like the US when dealing with Africa could prove to be beneficial to the continent.

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Cautious Optimism over Judicial Reforms in Kenya

Irene Ndungu, Consultant Researcher, Conflict Management and Peacebuilding Division, ISS Pretoria

The enactment of a new constitution in 2010 paved the way for Kenyans to institute much needed reforms in the judiciary. As the country heads for elections, the role of the transformed judiciary in buttressing checks and balances on the legislature and executive and expending justice in a fair and consistent manner cannot be overstated, nor its importance in ensuring post-conflict peace building through its effectiveness in arbitrating for justice and ensuring the rule of law in Kenya.

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Is the AU’s Women’s Decade A Pipedream?

Refiloe Joala, Research Intern, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, ISS Pretoria

The African Women’s Decade (2010-2020) is a bold political initiative that aims to put women at the centre of development on the continent. While this initiative aims to create conditions under which the participation of all women is guaranteed, the ignorance of the average African women about it may hamper its effective implementation

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Minerals not the Only Cause of Conflict in the Great Lakes Region

Nyambura Githaiga, Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, ISS Nairobi

The debate on conflict minerals in the Great Lakes has mostly been held in isolation, but to be effective and sustainable, efforts to tackle conflict minerals should be mainstreamed into wider conflict transformation strategies addressing the systemic core causes of conflict in the region.

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ISS Seminar Report: The European Union in a Globalized  World: Strategic Prospects

The European Union (EU) currently occupies a great deal of global attention due to the on-going financial crisis and the fact that the solutions employed by the European zone could have a dramatic impact on the rest of the world. This crisis has led to a loss of confidence in the ability of European leaders to make a success of the European Union. The financial crisis has also become a matter of concern for the partners of the EU, including South Africa, some of whom argue that they no longer have a model of economic integration to consult. All this has happened at a time when emerging economies, such as South Africa, have been growing steadily. The objectives of the seminar were firstly to clarify the conditions fuelling the lack of confidence in the European project among citizens and partners of the EU and then to outline the steps that have been taken by the EU to emerge strong and unified from the crisis. Lastly, the seminar addressed the consequences of the European crisis for Africa and other developing countries.

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ISS Paper 231: International Law and the Self-Determination of South Sudan, Solomon Dersso

The purpose of this paper is to address the fundamental questions that South Sudan’s quest for independence has raised about discourse on and the practice of self-determination vis-à-vis the principle of uti possidetis under general international law and, significantly, African regional law. Drawing on emerging legal developments redefining the relationship between uti possidetis and self-determination, the paper shows how the case of South Sudan illustrates the emergence of a new human security-based approach for negotiating the tension between these principles and the opportunity this presents for a principled response to other claims for self-determination on the continent.

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Situation Report: Kenya and the Pest of Piracy, a Prospective Partner for Peace

The paper examines ways in which Kenya could be engaged in the counter-piracy effort in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Maritime piracy has presented an increasing threat to global, economic, strategic and security interests, with the number of piracy attacks steadily increasing over the last two years. While members of the international community have attempted to address maritime piracy, mostly through advocacy and naval deployment, pirates have managed to adapt their tactics and are still successfully carrying out attacks. The geographical location of Kenya and the fact that it has been adversely affected by the activities of pirates, places it in a key position to curb the effects of piracy. This paper evaluates Kenya’s counter-piracy efforts and suggests ways in which Kenya can contribute more effectively to the fight against piracy on a domestic, regional and global level. The paper also offers a number of recommendations advocating a varied approach to defeat maritime piracy.

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