Regional dimensions of conflict in the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes region has been home to some of Africa’s most intractable and turbulent conflicts. These conflicts have not been confined to national borders but have had regional dimensions and implications that have further exacerbated their scope and negative impact on the region.  Given the challenges facing the various past efforts at conflict resolution as well as the fluid dynamics of the conflicts, it is important that the various dynamics that inform the conflicts are continuously examined for purposes of elaborating and contributing towards better informed and sustainable interventions. In this context, the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGL/R) organized a regional workshop to deliberate and interrogate the changing regional dimensions of conflict in the Great Lakes and analyse challenges and prospects for sustainable peace.  This workshop was made possible through funding provided by the European Union to RECSA, the Government of Switzerland to ISS and UN-OHCHR to ICGLR.  The African Conflict Prevention Program of the Nairobi office of the ISS hosted this workshop on 12-13 September 2011 at Hotel LaMada, Nairobi, Kenya.  

Compiled by: Nyambura Githaiga