The Limits of Conflict Prevention Efforts in Burundi

This policy brief shows how political will and strategic coherence are essential to ensure successful strategies.

Recent developments concerning Burundi provide an important example of how difficult it is to develop and implement meaningful and effective conflict prevention strategies.

Nevertheless, it is an important case that shows how political will and strategic coherence, amongst key actors involved in an overarching process, is essential to ensure successful strategies.

This policy brief provides an overview of the current challenges and opportunities for conflict prevention in the country, and provides recommendations on how conflict prevention stakeholders can learn from this experience and potentially develop more innovative approaches to move the country forward.

About the Author

Priyal Singh joined the ISS in November 2017 as a Researcher in the Peace Operations and Peacebuilding programme in Pretoria. His areas of interest include institutional theory and development, particularly on global governance, security and stability. Before joining the ISS he worked as a researcher at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in Durban, South Africa. He has a Master’s degree with distinction, in international relations from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

About the ICP Initiative

Innovation in Conflict Prevention (ICP) is a project aimed at identifying promising approaches, responses, and practices in the prevention in armed conflict, focusing on six country case studies in Africa. The initiative is led by Instituto Igarapé, a think and do tank based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and funded by Global Affairs Canada. The Institute of Security Studiesis the ICP partner in Africa.

Picture: UNDP Burundi / Patrice Brizard