Governance and state fragility: a comparative analysis of sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract

This chapter discusses the concept of state fragility and analyses the fragility of states in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the region with the highest number of fragile states or countries. The chapter analyses the definitions of fragility based on the three basic dimensions of the state, understood as the processes and institutions of government (violence control and authority, implementation capacity, and legitimacy), and argues that these understandings do not fit sub-Saharan Africa's reality as they derive from the Western ideal-typical notion of the state. Further, the chapter points out that the typologies and measurement indicators of fragility developed by various institutions do not fully capture the diversity and complexity of fragile states. This chapter aims to contribute to debates on state fragility in sub-Saharan Africa via a focus on the dimension of violence control and authority, which relates to the maintenance of peace and security in a country as the foundation for all other public good provision. The analysis is based on one of the World Bank's governance indicators - political stability and absence of violence - to measure state fragility. The chapter argues that there are few critical governance and economic factors to explain state fragility per capita GDP, voice and accountability, and government effectiveness. The chapter questions the relevance of international financial and technical support in moving sub-Saharan African countries from fragility to resilience.