Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"

Non-state armed groups and the regional dynamics of conflict: the Horn of Africa

Non-state armed groups play a central role in most violent conflicts all over the world, and their importance has risen sharply since the end of the Cold War. Understanding the origins, the functioning as well as the rationale of such groups is a particular challenge for both academics and practitioners. Dr. Alfred Lokuji, currently lead researcher for the Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP) at the Centre for Peace and Development Studies at the University of Juba, will take part on 3 November 2009 in the swisspeace annual conference on „Rebels with a cause? Understanding and dealing with non-state armed groups during and after violent conflicts”.

Photo: M. Santschi

Whether or not these ‘rebels’ have a ‘cause’ to defend has been a constant object of debate. Bringing together academics and practitioners with recognized expertise on non-state armed groups, the conference will offer analytical insights and discuss practical experiences. In a panel of regional experts Dr. Lokuji will highlight non-state armed groups and regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa. Indeed, contemporary armed conflicts, even those that are initially highly localized, tend to become regional. Therefore, a regional approach to conflicts and actors, in particular non-state armed groups, must include a thorough analysis of the forces that tend to regionalize the conflict according to Dr. Lokuji. All the contributions by the panellists will be published in a “swisspeace conference paper”.

Dr. Lokuji’s visit to Switzerland fits into a swisspeace research project on “Negotiating Statehood” that swisspeace has been developing within the framework of the NCCR North-South. This project aims to provide empirical analysis of how new types of statehood are negotiated by politico-military, customary, and international actors in conflict-prone circumstances. Dr. Lokuji is also co-supervisor of Martina Santschi’s PhD Thesis on “Negotiating Statehood in South Sudan”. His stay in Switzerland will further promote academic and practical exchanges in the field of conflict and peace research. Dr. Lokuji will visit the Department of Geography at the University of Zurich, the Centre for African Studies at the University of Basle and the Institute of Social Anthropology at the University of Bern. He will also take part in a roundtable at the Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), as well as share knowledge with the Political Affairs Division IV at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. A broad range of existing and new relationships between Dr. Lokuji and Swiss institutions will therefore be encouraged and strengthened.

Addresses:

Didier Péclard
swisspeace
Sonnenbergstrasse 17
Postfach
3000 Bern 7
+41 31 3301216
E-Mail: didier.peclard@swisspeace.ch

Martina Santschi
swisspeace
Sonnenbergstrasse 17
Postfach
3000 Bern 7
+41 31 33012217
E-Mail: martina.santschi@swisspeace.ch