L'évolution des conflits en Afrique subsaharienne

Abstract

Evolution of Conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa, by Tom PORTEOUS The evolution of conflicts in Africa is inséparable from the political processes of transition and transformation that have been taking place in African societies since decolonisation. In the 1990s, the withdrawal of Cold War super-power patronage and international pressure on Africa to libéralise both economically and politically led to a spate of new conflicts which were above ail symptomatic of the weaknesses of African states now exposed to fresh shocks and pressures. The principle characteristics of these wars include the extraordinary regionalization of conflicts, the multiplicity of belligerents and other actors, the range and mutability of political and economie motivations, and the brutal strategies employed. But conflict resolution has not been helped by a tendency to see conflict in the narrow context of development and humanitarian goals. A broader political perspective is required. There are signs of a reduction of conflict in Africa over the past couple of years, a consequence of a new détermination by some African and Western leaders to take a more holistic approach. But real challenges lie ahead, including the impact of HIV/AIDS, and shifting Western policy in the wake of 9/11 and the war in Iraq.