Silencing the guns can reduce forced displacement

Preventing violence and armed conflict in Africa will reduce forced displacement more than any other strategy.

Armed conflict is the major driver of forced displacement in Africa and the problem is becoming more severe. How can the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative help deal with the forced displacement crisis on the continent? This policy brief argues that the focus should be on two interventions: strengthening early warning and promoting preventive diplomacy; and addressing structural root causes.

About the authors

Tsion Tadesse Abebe is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Addis Ababa. Her work focuses on migration and forced displacement trends, policy and practice in Africa.

Ottilia Anna Maunganidze is the Head of Special Projects at the ISS. She explores emerging human security issues and informs the ISS’ institutional strategy. Her focus is on transnational issues, human rights, governance and international law.